The use of aspirin

Aspirin is one of the most common drugs in use today. It has been in use since the 1890’s and has proven to be a drug of many uses in that time.

 What is aspirin?

 Aspirin is the general name for acetylsalicylic acid (ASA); it is also the trademark of the drug produced by Bayer in Germany. In eighty countries, aspirin is a registered trademark, but in other places the term aspirin refers to ASA by itself or as an ingredient in other drugs.

 The synthetic drug was developed as an analgesic (painkiller) and this is still the main purpose of the drug in most people’s minds. It was the first NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug), and probably still the most effective.

 Two complete families of drugs have been developed from ASA in the years since 1897.

 How does it work?

 When you are injured, your body produces prostaglandins which are complex fatty acids that act like hormones within body tissues. Prostaglandins act by stimulating the dilation (getting bigger) of blood vessels and muscle contraction; they are also the start of you feeling pain.

 Aspirin appears to stop the production of prostaglandins by attaching to an enzyme, and thus stops the pain message reaching your brain. By reducing the production of a prostaglandin called thromboxane, aspirin can also prevent blood clotting and acts as an anticoagulant. This is an important clinical use in heart patients.

 As aspirin is absorbed into the blood stream, it can travel to all parts of the body; prostaglandin production is high only in injured areas so aspirin is only effective in those areas and thus relieves the pain wherever it is felt.

 By preventing prostaglandin production, aspirin is also reducing some necessary body functions. A single tablet every so often won’t have much impact on these functions, but care must be taken in regular users. Taking aspirin for pain relief for a wound can actually slow healing as platelets can’t clot to form scabs. Drugs based on aspirin, such as ibuprofen, naproxen and acetaminophen (Tylenol,) have been developed to avoid some of these adverse effects.

 What is it used for?

 During its history, aspirin has been found to have a number of uses besides pain relief. Many experiments have been carried out to test aspirin’s abilities in various areas and potential side effects, and some areas are still under investigation.

 Current uses of aspirin include:

v     Over-the-counter pain relief, especially for headaches

v     Reduction of swelling and inflammation in arthritis and injuries

v     Anti-coagulant given to sufferers of heart attack, mini-stroke and unstable angina

v     Can reduce severity of heart attack if taken at first symptoms

v     Recovery after cardiovascular surgery (eg bypass operation)

v     Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and other rheumatoid diseases

 Possible benefits of aspirin are being researched in:

v     Migraine treatment

v     Improving circulation in the gums

v     Fighting ovarian, breast and colon cancer

v     Prevention of cataracts

v     Controlling pre-eclampsia

v     Improving brain function, especially memory

v     Reducing colorectal cancer repeating

v     Prevention of adult leukaemia

v     Prevention of HIV replicating

v     Reduce prostrate cancer risk

v     Increasing success rates of IVF programs

 Is it suitable for everyone to use?

 In short, no it isn’t.

 Aspirin isn’t advised for the following groups without medical advice:

v     Children under 16

v     Asthmatics

v     Women in last trimester of pregnancy (can bring on labour & harm baby)

v     Anyone under 20 with a fever

v     People with bleeding disorders

v     Anyone with an ulcer or persistent stomach problems

v     Diabetics on medication

v     Breastfeeding mothers

v     Heavy alcohol drinkers

v     Healthy people for more than ten days

v     G6P deficiency diseases

v     Reduced kidney function or liver disease

v     People on low sodium diets (buffered aspirin tablets contain sodium) 

Are there any side effects?

 Like all drugs, there are some risks of side effects from aspirin. Many are uncommon enough to be considered an acceptable risk for most patients, but there are some significant risks attached. Healthy people using aspirin occasionally as directed are unlikely to develop serious side effects.

 The use of aspirin in children and teenagers with a fever, especially after a viral infection, has been associated with the development of a potentially fatal condition called Reye Syndrome. For that reason, it is recommended to NEVER GIVE ASPIRIN TO ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 16 or to anyone under 20 who has a fever.

Overdoses with aspirin are quite common and it is essential to keep them out of reach of children.

Aspirin can irritate the stomach, leading to nausea and vomiting, so it is best taken with or just after food. Other problems may be ringing in the ears, excessive bleeding, heartburn, indigestion and allergic reactions.

 Analgesics like aspirin are excreted via the kidneys, and thus have the power to damage the kidneys and long term, low dose usage reduces renal function. Certain medical conditions and heavy drinking increase the risk of kidney damage.

Note: NEVER take aspirin if it has a vinegary smell as this means it is “off”.

Aspirin is an effective, useful drug when taken as directed and/or under medical supervision; however, it needs to be treated with respect.

Antibiotics

It is unlikely that you have never used any antibiotics, and virtually impossible that you haven’t heard of them.

Antibiotics are drugs that can only be obtained through a pharmacy by prescription. There is a wide range of antibiotics available and the Doctor will choose the one best suited t the time and in the appropriate does.

Sometimes people don’t understand why they did or didn’t get an antibiotic prescription, or why theirs was different to someone else’s. Some basic knowledge about antibiotics may help reduce such confusion.

What are Antibiotics?

In simple terms, antibiotics are chemicals that kill bacteria. There are other chemicals that can kill bacteria; the difference is that antibiotics are naturally produced, rather than invented by humans.

The first antibiotic, penicillin, was extracted and used in clinical trials in the 1940s and made a huge difference to the capabilities of medical personnel, especially during WWII. A more refined version of penicillin is still the most effective antibiotic available for general use.

Penicillin is naturally occurring in the mould you see on oranges, but many antibiotics prescribed today are synthetic and commercially produced. There are many antibiotics produced naturally, but many are either toxic to humans or of no greater effect than existing ones; some antibiotics are used in other ways.

Research continues to refine different antibiotics to maximise their effectiveness with minimal side effects.

---

Interesting Note: Penicillin is actually toxic to Guinea Pigs. If the trials of this antibiotic had been conducted on guinea pigs, the drug may never have left the labs.

---

How do antibiotics work?

There are different classes of antibiotics and each works in a different way.

All antibiotics work by destroying part of the bacteria or its life cycle; some weaken the cell walls, some prevent replication and others inhibit enzyme activity. Some highly effective antibiotics aren’t used because they do the same damage to human cells; antibiotic action needs to be selective in some way to be useful.

It is by identifying which bacteria is causing a problem in the patient that a Doctor is able to select the most appropriate antibiotic to use in each case; each bacteria is more susceptible to one class of antibiotic than others.

Antibiotics can kill bacteria other than those which are targeted; naturally occurring bacteria in the body may be killed along with the invading bacteria causing illness. The death of these useful bacteria can have a number of affects on your body: normal processes such as digestion may be interrupted; your body has less resistance to a subsequent attack; and various systems will be out of balance.

Eating yoghurt containing live bacteria such as lactobacilli helps replace some of the beneficial bacteria inadvertently killed.

Antibiotics can NOT kill viruses and thus are useless in fighting colds, flu, chicken pox and other viral diseases. Disease causing viruses are much harder to destroy as they are embedded within the human cells, so destroying one also destroys the other.

Why finish the packet?

Many antibiotics have a quick effect as they kill off the bulk of bacteria rapidly and you begin to feel better. At this stage, people often think they are better and stop taking their antibiotics.

However, as antibiotics work on the replication process in many cases, there may be new cells not killed so quickly. If you continue taking the antibiotics, all new cells developing will be killed as well; antibiotic prescriptions are timed to be appropriate for how that particular antibiotic works.

Think of it this way: a child being toilet trained will need reminders and assistance even after a couple of successes. The training goes beyond an apparent finish until there is a real achievement.

Taking part of the prescribed amount instead of all of it is likely to result in a flare up shortly afterwards.

Antibiotics have saved many, many lives and give us security in our daily lives. As long as we respect their power and use them wisely, antibiotics will serve us well for many years to come.

Neural Tube Defects

Within the first four weeks of pregnancy, the embryo forms and closes a neural tube. This tube becomes the spine and brain of the developing child. If the tube doesn’t close correctly, the baby is said to have a neural tube defect (NTD).

There are two main types of NTD – spina bifida, where the spinal cord isn’t closed properly, and anencephaly, where the brain isn’t closed off. Spina bifida children are paralysed to varying degrees and usually have learning difficulties as well; anencephaly children die during pregnancy or soon afterwards.

NTDs can be tested for at about 16 – 18 weeks of pregnancy, and they catch most cases if they use ultrasound and the triple test.

Who has NTD babies?

Unfortunately, NTD babies can happen to anyone – 95% of cases are in families without a previous history of NTDs.

However, there are some factors that make it more likely for the woman to conceive a NTD baby:

• Having had a NTD baby in a previous pregnancy makes it twenty times more likely subsequent children will have one, too
• Being obese – as defined by a doctor, not just being overweight
• Experiencing high body temperatures in early pregnancy. This could be due to a fever or sitting in a hot spa or sauna (not recommended for pregnant women anyway.)
• Taking some anti-seizure drugs. If you are epilectic or require these drugs for other reasons, discuss whether you need to change medication before getting pregnant.
• Having insulin dependant diabetes
• Hispanic people have a higher rate of NTD

Prevention

As NTDs develop in the first 4 to 6 weeks of pregnancy, they often happen before the woman is even aware of being pregnant so prevention needs to occur before pregnancy.

Obviously, anything that takes you out of the risk groups listed above will cut down the chances of having a NTD baby.

The biggest means of reducing the risk, however, is by simply taking 400 micrograms of folate (or folic acid.)

Daily doses of folic acid in the month before conception and for at least three months after conception reduce the risk of NTD by 70%. That means, that for every 10 children who would have developed a NTD, 7 of them can be prevented with folate.

Considering that about half of all pregnancies are unplanned and that folate is needed so early in pregnancy, it is important that women who may become pregnant take folate daily. Research is also showing other health benefits from taking folate daily so it is in everyone’s interests for this to happen.

Unfortunately, only about one third of women are getting enough folate in their diets. Many foods are now fortified with folate; some cereals actually have the daily requirements in each serve.

Drug Rehab - Drug Treatment Program Mission

        Our mission is to effectively treat individuals suffering from chemical dependence and substance abuse related issues. Support Systems Homes emphasizes the importance of treating clients with dignity while helping them reintegrate into society as productive, drug-free individuals.

We achieve this mission by:

Providing high quality, cost effective drug rehab, alcohol rehabilitation and substance abuse treatment services through our continuous quality improvement program. Ensuring that our drug rehabilitation centers and sober living environments are safe, supportive and chemical-free.Demonstrating significant reductions in substance abuse and corresponding quality of life improvements.

              Achieving cooperative partnerships between treatment staff and clients. Continuing Education and Training of our staff. Our drug rehabilitation programs assist clients in enhancing self-awareness and advancing knowledge through:

         Providing comprehensive substance abuse counseling and education. Assisting Clients with Appropriate referrals to a vast network of community resources. Providing in-depth Drug and Alcohol education.

12 Keys To Super-Charging Your Metabolism For Weight Loss!

You hear it all the time - "metabolism", but what is it? It's the process of converting food to energy (movement and heat). Metabolism happens in your muscles and organs and the result of it is what we commonly refer to as "burning calories". Metabolism is essentially the speed at which your body's motor is running.



"Basal metabolism" is the metabolic rate or caloric expenditure needed to maintain basal body functions such as your heart beating, breathing, muscle tone, etc. It's how fast your "motor" is running when you're still in a reclined position or sleeping. Basal metabolism accounts for about 75% of the calories you expend on a daily basis!