41
votes
Accepted
Why is thalidomide a current drug on the market?
Because leprosy and multiple myeloma are conditions for which other treatment options are limited.
All treatments have side effects, some more debilitating than others. The trick with pharmacology is ...
- 526
37
votes
Accepted
Why should I avoid milk when on antibiotics?
Products high in calcium and magnesium should not be taken at the same time as antibiotics of the tetracycline (tetracycline, doxicycline, etc.) class, and milk should also be avoided with the ...
- 10.1k
20
votes
Accepted
What can you learn from the parts of the name of a drug?
Stems and affixes tell you the class of drug (and sometimes other properties). Drugs in the same class work in a very similar way, so therefore you can tell what other drugs it's related to.
This is ...
- 5,814
12
votes
Accepted
What are the best ways to increase fertility?
I will try to answer your question by using another perspective (risk factors for infertility).
MALE
Among the main causes of male infertility, "idiopathic" causes (ie not du to endocrine problems, ...
- 3,204
11
votes
Accepted
Does Benadryl (=diphenhydramine) lead to tolerance? Can I use it to help with sleep?
First generation H1-antihistamines (such as diphenhydramine = Benadryl) are well known for their sedative effects explaining their limited use in patients with allergic rhinitis. Several ...
- 3,204
8
votes
How to get rid of erectile dysfunction?
Before going directly into the topic, firstly, it is necessary to comprehend the mechanism of erection, because small fault due to different factors in the mechanism gives rise to its dysfunction.
...
- 735
8
votes
Accepted
Fact or Hoax : Unconventional method of saving human life from stroke?
My Grandmother died of a ischemic stroke (TIA followed by blockage) after weaning herself off of blood thinners because she didn't "need the medicine".
Huge issue with his advice - the large majority ...
- 1,109
8
votes
Accepted
Is the drug's effectiveness directly proportional to the half life formula?
Two key serum concentrations to know about in pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics are the Minimum Effective Concentration (MEC) and Toxicity Concentration (TC).
Some medications have stronger ...
- 5,814
7
votes
Accepted
Tips to improve the sleep during the night
You should keep an eye on the sleeping environment's temperature and restrict the amount of light entering the space you sleep in. Eye masks are a cost-effective solution to reducing excessive light ...
- 86
7
votes
Accepted
Top medications to treat symptoms of Lupus?
Your question is difficult to answer (but still interesting) because lupus is a highly heterogeneous condition which can present various symptoms and organ involvement. Choice of therapy will be ...
- 3,204
7
votes
How can I learn to swallow pills without gagging?
If you are able to swallow pills but find it difficult, the following tips will help:
take a sip of water before putting the pill in your mouth, and drink more water after putting the pill in as well
...
- 3,979
7
votes
Accepted
Where does Ibuprofen inhibit COX-1, and what is its MoA?
I'm not clear why you're asking this as this information is readily available unless I missed something in your question.
As for anticoagulant activity, my recollection is that if anything Ibuprofen ...
- 13.3k
7
votes
Ritalin/Concerta/Methylphenidate is an amphetamine?
The Adderall vs. Ritalin page on Rx List gives the answer.
Both Adderall (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine) and Ritalin (methylphenidate) are central nervous system stimulants used to treat ...
- 6,236
6
votes
Accepted
What are ibuprofen alternatives without the side effects
Are ibuprofen side effects something to worry about?
Short answer: maybe.
Longer answer: As with a lot of health questions, it depends on how they are being taken. If, for example, you hurt yourself ...
- 701
6
votes
Can medicines which expired a month ago be consumed safely?
No one can be entirely certain, but most studies point in the direction of "yes", for instance
The testing, conducted by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), ultimately covered more ...
6
votes
Accepted
How much T4 increase do you get per mcg of levothyroxine?
First of all, thyroid hormones are actively taken up into cells and accumulate there. Therefore, the apparent volume of distribution for T4 is 10 liters rather than 5 liters (1). Secondly, I would ...
- 485
6
votes
Why should I avoid milk when on antibiotics?
This is most commonly a precaution to prevent Mal-absorption. Milk has copious amounts of calcium which bond with the antibiotic in the gut. Once the tetracycline (antibiotic) bonds, it creates a ...
- 324
6
votes
Does Dextromethorphan actually suppress coughing?
The bulk of the evidence says dextromethorphan (DM) is no better than placebo.
(2013) Do Cough Remedies Work?
Studies involving use of dextromethorphan in children have reported no
clinically ...
- 9,935
6
votes
What methods are there for individuals to help them remember if they have taken their medicine?
I found this list on drugs.com:
Practice Makes Perfect! Learn About Your Medicines
Pill Boxes
Electronic Applications and Pill Reminders
Calendar Alerts
Tie Your Medication Doses with a ...
- 1,400
6
votes
Accepted
Is ShockWave Therapy Useful For ED or not?
The results of our studies, which also included a double-blind randomized control trial, confirm that LI-ESWT generates a significant clinical improvement of erectile function and a significant ...
- 828
6
votes
Accepted
Why is hydrocortisone mixed with clotrimazole in anti-fungal medication?
Hydrocortisone is a steroid anti-inflammatory used by itself to treat dermatitis and other inflammatory symptoms.
The combined treatment gives symptom relief at the same time as treating the ...
- 14.3k
6
votes
Accepted
Please explain the algebraic reasoning in this textbook
Let's take the general equation they mentioned, (IC50)nT = k, and rearrange it to IC50 = (k/T)1/n = k1/nT-1/n. (IC50)nT = k reducing to AUC50 = k if n=1 implies that AUC50 = IC50T if n=1. If this ...
- 288
6
votes
Accepted
Citrate vs EDTA
I'm not familiar with using citrate or EDTA as an anticoagulant in medical care (i.e. as a drug). However, it is often used in blood sampling tubes so that the blood sample does not clot.
As to ...
6
votes
Accepted
How is Lopinavir + Ritonavir expected to stop COVID-19?
The NEJM editorial that accompanied that issue says:
One antiviral-drug candidate is a combination of the HIV protease inhibitors lopinavir and ritonavir. Lopinavir, which acts against the viral 3CL ...
5
votes
Can an antipyretic (I.e. Aspirin) lower normal body temperature?
Kudos for finding that study on mice! I also googled a bit for references..
From "Physiology Secrets" (page 315) by Hershel Raff, published in 2003:
Furthermore, in one other source the ...
- 1,640
5
votes
Accepted
What is the tablet inside generic Omeprazole capsules
I also tried to search for any formal information about the product's contents and composition, but couldn't find anything, probably because it is a generic product sold at a supermarket.
At any rate, ...
- 1,618
5
votes
What can the variability of strength be between different brands of supposedly identical medications?
Generic drugs do not need to conduct the same phase-3 clinical trials as the initial registration studies, instead they have to meet a few requirements (same active ingredient, same drug concentration ...
- 6,930
5
votes
Accepted
ADD medication (Dexadrine) safe to drink with low-caffiene (Mountain Dew)?
Micromedex does not list any precautions or patient educations notes for Dexedrine and caffeine. However both substances can have an effect on heart rate and blood pressure. Large amounts of caffeine ...
- 555
5
votes
Accepted
Dr. prescribed Ondansetron/Zofran for migraines & says it'll help with weight loss too. How effective is it for either (migraines/weight loss)?
Your question contains two parts. So I will address them separately.
First here a small background on ondansetron: Ondansetron is a selective antagonist at 5-HT3 receptors. It is most frequently used ...
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