• Introduction
• Feature Article

   Ed?  How much do you know?

  Cholesterol and Vytorin

   Kidney Disease

• Featured Videos

  - Herpes
• Latest Medicare News
• Articles of the Month
• Feedback from visitors

• Questions, Answers & Special Notes

• Health Links

• Health Article Archive

Is Vytorin Dangerous Like Other Cholesterol Drugs?

A headline-making new study has revealed that the widely prescribed cholesterol drug Vytorin may not reduce the risk of heart attack.

But the report about the ineffectiveness and dangers of a cholesterol drug like Vytorin comes as no surprise to some of us.

Clinical trials showed that Vytorin failed to slow, and might even speed up, the growth of fatty plaques in the arteries, and The New England Journal of Medicine published an editorial on Sunday saying that Vytorin and one of its components, Zetia, should be used only as a last resort.

Cholesterol drugs offer so many side effects to users they should be viewed as dangerous, and discussed at length with your doctor when you do take them.

 

The fact that 50 percent of all strokes and heart attacks have absolutely nothing to do with elevated cholesterol levels has been kept from the public eye and from physicians’ medical education.

Based on the buzz, you could conclude that if you solve your cholesterol problem, you won’t suffer heart disease or a stroke. That is a big lie.

He also stated that the public has not been told that the statin drugs used to lower cholesterol are associated with major complications and side effects.

For one thing, statin drugs significantly suppress vital immune cells called helper T-cells, which play a major role in protecting against cancer and fungal, bacterial and viral infections, observes Blaylock, who says statins have become “the cash cow of the pharmaceutical companies.”

Recommendation:  safe alternatives to statin drugs. Alternatives include antioxidants and flavonoids such as green tea extract, which “prevent cholesterol from oxidizing, which is the only reason cholesterol causes hardening of the arteries in the first place.

Un-oxidized cholesterol is perfectly harmless even when elevated.

Herpes Video

Genital herpes is a highly contagious infection usually spread through intercourse with a person with infected sores, but it can be passed through oral or anal sex as well. It may also be spread even when sores are not visible.

Genital herpes can also be transmitted (spread) to a newborn during birth if the mother has an active infection.

What Causes Genital Herpes?

Usually, this infection is caused by the herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) although herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), the virus responsible for cold sores, may occasionally cause this disease. It can be spread by an infected partner who does not have any sores and may not even know they have the disease.

How Common Is Genital Herpes?

At least 45 million American adults and adolescents have genital herpes -- that's 1 out of every 4 to 5 people, making it one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases. Since the late 1970s, the number of Americans with genital herpes infection has increased 30%, mostly in teens and young adults.

Genital herpes is more common in women than in men.

How Do I Know If I Have Genital Herpes?

Most people infected with genital herpes have very minimal or no signs or symptoms of their disease. The first attack of herpes usually follows this course:

• Skin on or near the sex organ becomes inflamed. Skin may burn, itch or be painful.
• Blister-like sores appear on or near the sex organs.
• Sores open, scab over, and then heal.

Symptoms that may also be present when the virus first appears include:

• Swollen glands
• Fever
• Headache
• Burning when passing urine
• Muscle aches

The first outbreak of herpes can last for several weeks. After the outbreak, the virus retreats to the nervous system, where it remains inactive until something triggers it to become active again.

Typically, another outbreak can appear weeks or months after the first, but it almost always is less severe and shorter than the first episode. Although the infection can stay in the body indefinitely, the number of outbreaks tends to decrease over a period of years.

How Often Do Herpes Outbreaks Happen?

How often outbreaks occur depends on the person. On average, people with herpes experience about four outbreaks a year. The first outbreak usually is the most painful and takes the longest to heal. The pain and recovery time often decrease with each outbreak.

What Triggers an Outbreak of Herpes?

It depends on the person. Some commonly reported triggers include:

• Stress
• Illness
• Surgery
• Vigorous sex
• Diet
• Monthly period

How Are Genital Herpes Diagnosed?

Your doctor can diagnose genital herpes by visual inspection if the outbreak is typical, and by taking a sample from the sore(s). But, HSV infections can be difficult to diagnose between outbreaks. Your doctor may check for ulcers internally -- on the cervix in women and the urethra in men. Blood tests that detect HSV-1 or HSV-2 infection may be helpful, although the results are not always easy to interpret.

People say the pharmaceutical industry is out to make money. It's true, and particularly in response to Medicare Part D coverage, pharmaceutical companies are raising prices for drugs that are most often used by the elderly.

But in his research published by the Journal of Business Ethics, we can see that this price maximization strategy yields a utilitarian effect: The benefits of increased access and diffusion of drugs to the health care consumer counterbalance inequities in how the industry is financed by Medicare Part D, he said.

Soon after President Bush introduced Medicare Part D in January 2006, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) began monitoring the pharmaceutical industry's response to the program. The organization investigated manufacturer prices for the top 193 prescription drugs most commonly used by Medicare Part D recipients. And AARP found that the cost of these drugs increased by 3.5 percent during the first 12 months after the prescription drug plan was approved.

It's interesting when you examine the price and find out if the increased profits resulted in more services for the elderly, the expansion of hospitals, drug innovation or possibly improvements in technology. Are patients any better off?

A recent student was done that evaluated the perspectives of three stakeholder groups: the elderly, as the consumers of prescription drugs; the pharmaceutical industry, as manufacturers of the product and beneficiaries of derived profits; and the total U.S. population, as the actual payer for the Medicare Part D program through tax revenues.

This research suggests that even though it was unethical for taxpayers to contribute to the government prescription plan and not immediately reap its benefits, society is better off because of the improvements made in health care since Medicare Part D was introduced.

The elderly garner increased access to existing products and the potential benefits from innovation-driven new drugs. Society as a whole has the same advantages, but is saddled with extra expense because a disproportionate share of industry costs are passed on to the general population through cost shifting. However, a price maximization strategy, although not fair to every stakeholder, provides the opportunity to assist the greatest number of people.

In listing some of the benefits of the prescription drug plan, the elderly experience less economic discrimination and receive improved access to prescription medications because pharmaceutical companies now have a guaranteed source of payment. Another benefit to the elderly is the option to participate in Medicare Part D with either the standard government plan or a packaged plan provided by a private insurer.

Cognizant of the flaws in Medicare Part D, navigating the different plan options is often a complicated process for seniors. The uncertainty of whether or not there will be funding for the plan when the first baby boomers turn 65 in 2015. Medical Part D is potentially the largest and most expensive addition to Medicare coverage, he pointed out. Many are fearful this generation will bankrupt the system.

Until this issue of funding for Medicare and its prescription drug plan is addressed, the U.S. risks stifling health care innovation and technology. If pharmaceutical companies aren't profiting, neither will the health care consumer, he concluded.

Kidney Disease Rising — How to Avoid It

Kidney disease is now more common than diabetes, thanks to the growing number of people with high blood pressure, diabetes, and those on multiple medicines that stress the organs. It can eventually cause its victims to spend hours each week hooked up to a dialysis machine or to get a kidney transplant. Even mild kidney disease can contribute to osteoporosis, anemia, deterioration in heart function and premature death.
Kidney disease can be a stealthy killer, slowly damaging organs over many years before causing recognizable symptoms.
Fortunately, you can take steps to forestall, or slow, kidney disease:

Control high blood pressure and diabetes. Lowering both can cut the risk of kidney disease.
If you have diabetes, take ACE inhibitors (Prinivil, Zestril) or ARBs (Atacand) to protect your kidneys.
Don’t take medications, especially pain relievers, in high doses each day. Ibuprofen (Advil), naproxen (Aleve), can be especially damaging to kidneys. In rare cases, some statin drugs such as atorvastatin (Lipitor) and lovastatin (Mevacor) can harm muscles which then release a protein that harms kidneys.
When taking any medicine, follow all instructions carefully.
Inform your doctor of all medicines you take on a regular basis, including supplements.
Prevent kidney stones, which can damage kidneys in addition to being extremely painful, by drinking liquids, especially water. Avoid excess colas, which may help stones form.
Cut down on salt. Kidney damage reduces the kidneys’ ability to excrete salt. Reducing salt also lowers blood pressure.
Keep your weight in check. If you have kidney disease, being overweight increases the risk of kidney failure two to five times faster than those of normal weight.
Limit your intake of protein. Too much protein can stress already burdened kidneys.
Be aware of a change in urine. If your urine becomes pink, red or brown in color, dark, or you notice a change in the frequency of urination, see your doctor.

Special Notes:

Be sure to visit Positive Singles - A place where STD people will never feel lonely. 

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When you have Herpes, HPV, HIV/AIDS, or any other STD, it can feel like you are all alone in the world. Do you wish there was a place where you didn't have to worry about being rejected or discriminated?

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Thanks for the link to Positive Singles.  It was just the place I was looking for.  I have already met quite a few people there that have made me feel very welcome. - DJ, Las Vegas

I was looking for articles on Erectile Dysfunction and wanted to say thanks for the FACT/FICTION article you posted this month.  It was informative. - BG, New York

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