Pharmacology

Food for drug-resistant bacteria. AthanArk, CC BY-NC-ND By Angelika Gründling, Imperial College London The rise of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics is a growing worry and threatens to put health care back to the early 20th century. Such resistance to drugs was inevitable, because bacteria evolve and learn to defend themselves. But we are worried now because new classes of antibiotics aren’t being found. Now we may have to worry a little less. Researchers have discovered a new drug, called teixobactin, which marks the launch of a new class of antibiotics. Better still, they show that…

Hypertension - high blood pressure - affects up to 80 million people in the United States and cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death so lowering blood pressure has the potential to save lives. For most people, exercise and diet are enough and a new study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics finds that daily consumption of blueberries for eight weeks resulted in significant reductions of both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Aging is the biggest factor for heart disease and high blood pressure and just about everything else - so more hypertension…

A 12-year study of two measles-containing vaccines has found that seven main adverse outcomes were unlikely after either vaccine. The study conducted by the Kaiser Permanente Vaccine Study Center included children ages 12 to 23 months from January 2000 through June 2012 who received measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) or separately administered, same-day measles-mumps-rubella and varicella (MMR + V) vaccines. A total of 123,200 MMRV doses and 584,987 MMR + V doses were evaluated. Comparing MMRV with MMR + V found no increased risk of seven main neurological, blood or immune system…

In 2002 on Christmas Eve, two-year-old Bryce Faber was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a deadly. The toddler's treatment, in addition to surgery, included massive amounts of radiation followed by even more massive amounts of antibiotics, and it no doubt saved his life. But those mega-doses of antibiotics, while staving off infections in his immunosuppressed body, caused a permanent side effect: deafness. "All I remember is coming out of treatment not being able to hear anything," said Bryce, now a healthy 14-year-old living in Arizona. "I asked my mom, 'Why have all the people stopped talking…

They should have stuck to white wine. By Laurence Totelin, Cardiff University Slightly over-indulged in wine this festive season? Suffering from throbbing headache, dry mouth, and nausea after the office Christmas party? The hair of the dog somehow does not appeal? Are you looking for time-tested cures? Fear not: these Greek and Roman remedies to alleviate a hangover or prevent one will come in handy. In the ancient understanding of the body, drunkenness, and attendant headache, nausea and dizziness, are caused by an imbalance in your humours. Excess wine will cause over-heating of your…

Recent results released by the National Institute on Drug Abuse finds that use of cigarettes, alcohol, and abuse of prescription pain relievers among teens declined from 2013 while marijuana use rates were stable.  These 2014 results are part of an overall two-decade trend among the nation's youth. The survey measures drug use and attitudes among eighth, 10th, and 12th graders, is funded by NIDA, and is conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Studies have found that teens have increased use of nicotine patches, e-cigarettes and energy drinks. The 2014…

Bisphosphonates are medications commonly used to treat osteoporosis and other bone conditions but a new analysis suggests that women who use bisphosphonates also have about half the risk of developing endometrial cancer as women who don't use the drugs.  Endometrial cancer, which arises in the lining of the uterus, accounts for nearly 50 percent of gynecologic cancers diagnosed in the United States, and it is the fourth most common malignancy in women and the eighth most common cause of cancer death. While bisphosphonates are known to prevent bone loss, preclinical studies…

In some cases, seniors begin to show memory decline and cloudy judgment and researchers have correlated that to lost and altered connections between neurons in the brain. A new study finds that riluzole, currently on the market as a treatment for Lou Gehrig's Disease (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - ALS) may help prevent these changes. The team found they could stop normal, age-related memory loss in rats by treating them with riluzole. This treatment, they found, prompted changes known to improve connections, and as a result, communication, between certain neurons within the brain's…

The grape escape. Shutterstock By Mohit Kumar Jolly, Rice University If you’re a teetotaler, your friends have likely tried to convince you to taste red wine by swearing on its multiple health benefits. These benefits have been credited to a compound found in red wine: resveratrol. But claims for this compound have been a subject of major debate – while some argue that it can prevent cancer and promote heart health, others say there is no proof. Resveratrol is a compound produced by certain plants in response to stress, injury, or fungal infection. Its natural function is to ensure the…

Though it has higher risks in older people, and those are well-known and cautioned against, prescription use of benzodiazepines increases steadily with age, despite the known risks for older people, according to a comprehensive analysis of benzodiazepine prescribing in the United States. Benzodiazepines are a widely used class of sedative and anti-anxiety medications.  They are effective in relieving anxiety and take effect more quickly than antidepressant medications often prescribed for anxiety. However, the prevalence of anxiety disorders declines with age. Guidelines recommend…