• Why is my child catching colds so often?
• Bacteriophages: The Magic Bullet for Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria?
• Prevention of Osteoporosis
• Home Blood Pressure Monitoring
• It’s never too late to take control
• Safe Use of Acetaminophen
• Seasonal Affective Disorder: “When the weather outside is frightful… ”
Why is my child catching colds so often?
Contrary to popular belief, it isn’t cooler temperatures that lead to these
respiratory infections-- it’s the fact that people spend more time indoors with each other.
Colds spread easily through child-care facilities and schools. In fact, American children get 6 to 10 colds every year. Children may be at risk due to their developing immune
systems. Other factors, such as exposure to tobacco smoke, are important when considering the risk of colds, too.
Even though the odds are high that your child will get a cold during the course of
a year, you can help limit his or her exposure to the viruses that cause them. Teach your
child how to wash his or her hands well. This means washing for at least 15 seconds with
warm water and soap several times a day. Make sure that your child’s school or
childcare facility takes precautions wherever possible to defend against colds. Are shared
toys and common areas disinfected? Are the children well-fed and hydrated? The staff
also should promote hand washing for children and themselves. Be sure to ask about the
sick day policy. Children also shouldn’t be exposed to secondhand smoke. It increases
the risk of developing a respiratory illness, so don’t let anyone smoke near your child.
Children who come down with colds need rest and fluids to help them recover.
Antibiotics won’t help because colds are viral infections and not susceptible to the
actions of the antibiotic. Cold medicines specifically for children may be helpful, but
they also can cause side effects such as drowsiness, insomnia or an upset stomach. The
Food and Drug Administration has removed the approved indication for cough and cold
preparations for children under the age of 6. In addition, don’t give aspirin to anyone
younger than the age of 19 years. It’s been linked to Reye’s Syndrome, a rare but
sometimes fatal condition.
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| Bacteriophages: The Magic Bullet for Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria?
With the advent of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the medical
community is researching the use of bacteriophages (or phages) in the
treatment of disease. Phages are DNA or RNA viruses that infect specific
bacteria.
While phages were discovered in 1919 and used in other parts of
the world, the United States preferred antibiotics because while phages
work as a magic bullet targeting specific bacteria, antibiotics have a
broad spectrum of activity. In the past, studies using phages had poor
success rates due to the many different types of bacteria that cause
disease; now that we can isolate bacteria and have discovered the many
types of phages available in the environment, scientists and
pharmacological companies are again diving into the possible use of
phages in medicine today.
Antibiotics and phages are similar in that they both target
bacteria, but the specificity of phages works both as an advantage and a
disadvantage. The advantage is that phages only affect targeted bacterial
species, which means they avoid common side effects that come with
typical antibiotic therapy. Also, while antibiotics do not concentrate at
the site of infection, phages replicate at the site of infection and are
available where the disease in preeminent.
Due to the ubiquitous nature of phages, developing new phages
selective for disease should be a rapid process and in their long history of
use in Eastern Europe and other places throughout the world show no
serious adverse effects. The obvious disadvantage of phages is that
clinicians would have to know the targeted bacteria before beginning
therapy and multiple phages would be required for infections caused by
multiple bacteria. The main barrier in developing a place for phages in
medicine today is the lack of placebo-controlled studies. Also, more
research is needed to investigate the possibility of phage-resistant
bacteria and their effectiveness in intracellular pathogens. Phages also
mutate readily making it difficult to have exact guidelines for the
manufacturing and distribution of this medicine.
While more research is needed before phages are integrated in
medicine today, it is encouraging to know we have more weapons in the
war against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
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| Prevention of Osteoporosis
There are a variety of interventions which should be undertaken to reduce the risk
of fractures in the general population. Adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D is
essential. All individuals should consume at least 1200-1500mg of dietary calcium,
including supplements, daily. Lifelong adequate calcium intake is important for
acquisition of peak bone mass and subsequent maintenance of bone health. Calcium
intake greater than 1200-1500mg a day are not likely to have beneficial effects and may
increase the risk of developing kidney stones. In addition to calcium, individuals over the
age of 50 years should consume 800 to 1000 international units (IU’s) of vitamin D daily.
Vitamin D is important in calcium absorption, bone health, muscle performance, and
balance.
Regular weight-bearing exercise, where the bones and muscles work against
gravity as the feet and legs bear the weight of the body can also reduce the risk of falls
and fractures. Examples of weight-bearing exercise include walking, jogging, stair
climbing and dancing. The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends lifelong
physical activity, noting that the benefits are lost when the person stops exercising. A
variety of factors increase the risk of falls ranging from environmental factors (I.e. low
level lighting, throw rugs, and slippery outdoor conditions) to medical factors (e.g. age,
arrhythmias, orthostatic hypotension, anxiety and malnutrition) to neuromuscular factors
(e.g. poor balance and weak muscles). Strategies to reduce falls, such as checking and
correcting vision, and improving safety at home, should be undertaken. In patients who
have a significant risk for falls, hip protectors and undergarments with hip pads may be
needed to reduce the risk of injury in the event of a fall. Finally, patients should be
advised to avoid tobacco and minimize alcohol intake. The use of tobacco has negative
effects on the skeleton and alcohol intake of 3 drinks or more a day can be detrimental to
bone and increase the risk of falls.
There are number of medicines available to treat osteoporosis. Examples include
bisphosphonates (Actonel, Fosamax, and Boniva), calcitonin, Evista and Forteo. Patients
who are taking medications for osteoporosis should have laboratory testing and bone
density tests repeated after two years or earlier, if clinically indicated.
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| Home Blood Pressure Monitoring
The blood pressure readings that we obtain from a monitor are a measurement of
how hard the heart is working to pump blood. The top number (systolic pressure) is the
pressure while the heart pumps and the bottom number (diastolic pressure) is the pressure
between heartbeats. Blood pressure is one of the most important clinical measurements
since hypertension is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, kidney failure, heart
failure, stroke, and other conditions. The fact of the matter is that our blood pressure is a
constantly changing dynamic entity which can be influenced by many factors in our diet
and lifestyle. Several changes can be made to help lower blood pressure including
weight loss, decrease sodium intake, increase exercise, smoking cessation, drinking
alcohol in moderation, and increased intake of fruits and vegetables. If lifestyle changes
alone do not lower your blood pressure, your healthcare provider may also have you take
blood pressure lowering medications.
Steps to consider in accurately taking home blood pressure measurements:
- Sit quietly for at least five minutes with your upper arm at heart level
- Sit up straight with feet flat on the floor and your back supported
- Do not cross your legs or ankles
- Wait at least half an hour after eating, smoking, or exercising. You’ll need to wait a couple of hours after ingesting caffeinated products
- Roll up the sleeve on your arm or remove any tight-sleeved clothing
- Rest your arm on a table with your palm facing upwards
- Avoid talking while taking your blood pressure
- It is important to check the blood pressure reading from your home machine
with your healthcare provider’s office at least once or twice a year.
Cigarette smoking generally raises blood pressure acutely, but the level generally
returns to baseline about 15 minutes after smoking. Chronic smokers are at a higher risk
for developing “masked hypertension,” where office blood pressure measurements (when
not smoking) are generally lower than daytime home blood pressure measurements
(when smoking).
It is estimated that nearly 1/3 of U.S. adults have hypertension and another ¼
have blood pressure in the prehypertension range. In conclusion, know your blood
pressure readings- numbers you can live with.
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| It’s never too late to take control
One of the most commonly held misconceptions that we hear today goes like this:
“I’ve smoked 1-2 packs of cigarettes a day for more than 20 years. What’s the point in
trying to quit now? The damage is done and why should I put myself through the pain
and suffering at this point in my life.” Fact is, there still are compelling reasons to quit
even at this point in your life. Taking a look at the National Institute of Health’s smoking
cessation timeline shows why:
- Within 20 minutes blood pressure and pulse return to normal.
- Within 8 hrs oxygen levels in your body return to normal.
- Within 24 hrs your risk of a heart attack may decrease.
- Within 48 hrs your ability to smell and taste is enhanced.
- Within 72 hrs your lung capacity increases and breathing becomes easier.
- Within 2 wks to 3 months circulation improves and walking becomes easier.
- Within 1 to 9 months coughing, sinus congestion and fatigue decreases.
- Within 1 yr the excess risk of heart disease decreases to half that of a smoker.
- Within 5 yrs your risk of dying from lung cancer drops by nearly 50 percent.
- Within 5-15 yrs your stroke risk is reduced to that of someone who has never smoked.
Yes, the fact is there is some very solid evidence to take charge of your own
health today.
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| Safe Use of Acetaminophen
The Food and Drug Administration has voiced concerns that consumers still
aren’t getting the message about the danger of taking too much acetaminophen. About
half the cases of acute liver failure are now due to acetaminophen poisoning, up from
28% less than 10 years ago. Many people don’t realize that many Prescription and OTC
products contain acetaminophen and that extra doses can be harmful. Acetaminophen
(trade name Tylenol) is widely found in this country as an effective pain reliever and
fever reducer. It does not, however have any anti-inflammatory action. Acetaminophen
is less irritating to the stomach than some other over-the-counter pain medications such
as aspirin or ibuprofen. It can also be found in many multi-ingredient products to treat
cold and flu symptoms.
Too much acetaminophen can damage the liver and kidneys. Acetaminophen is
usually cleared by the liver to nontoxic compounds. When someone takes too much
acetaminophen, the liver becomes overloaded and extra acetaminophen has to be cleared
by another pathway in the liver. This other pathway creates a compound that is toxic.
Some symptoms of acetaminophen toxicity are loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting,
abdominal pain, confusion, yellowing of the skin and eyes, coma and in severe cases,
death.
Current guidelines have established the maximum total daily adult dose of
acetaminophen at 4 grams (4000 milligrams). If you have three or more alcoholic drinks
a day, check with your healthcare professional about whether you should take
acetaminophen or other pain reliever/fever reducers. Children are at special risk of
getting too much acetaminophen. The dose for children changes as they grow older.
Check the labels on your child’s medications to see which ones contain acetaminophen.
Parents should check concentrations of liquid preps. Infants’ drops are more
concentrated than children’s liquid. Also parents should be using dosing spoons or
syringes as household spoon sizes vary and are not accurate.
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| Seasonal Affective Disorder: “When the weather outside is frightful… ”
Seasonal affective disorder, commonly referred to as the “winter blues” or SAD, affects
people with normal mental health throughout most of the year but when seasons change,
most frequently in the winter, they may sleep too much, crave sweets and starchy foods,
have little energy, and may also feel depressed. While these symptoms can be severe,
most commonly this condition is not identified, and people merely drudge through these
seasons with a lack of energy.
The most common treatment for winter-based seasonal affective disorder is light
therapy. Bright light therapy has the person sit in front of a light box, which provides
intense illumination for 30-60 minutes each day. Another treatment often used together
with bright light therapy is dawn simulation, which takes advantage of our circadian
rhythms and creates a false sunrise. (Daylight savings time oftentimes helps people with
seasonal affective disorder because people are more likely to enjoy the sunrise.) Other
treatments include negative air ionization and common prescription antidepressants.
Oftentimes the light box is used in conjunction with medications.
Other ways to deal with this condition includes regular exercise, rearranging your
home/office to make it sunnier and brighter, socializing, spending time outside, eating a
balanced diet, sticking to your plan whether it be light therapy or medication, or if
possible, taking a vacation to a sunny, warm location.
This is a condition people need to identify and deal with especially in Montana
with its long winter season to prevent depression and increase their enjoyment of life.
Talk with your pharmacist or health care provider today to control and prevent this
condition in not only your life, but also in the lives of people you love.
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Hours:
Bitterroot Drug is open from 8 am until 6 pm Monday - Friday; 9 am until 5 pm on Saturday; and 10 am until 2 pm on Sunday.
After hours emergency service is also available.
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