drugs Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Acid Reflux Medication Interferes with Vitamin and Mineral Absorption

The AHA! Team — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 05:15:21 +0000

Lori Alton via NaturalHealth365 – Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or acid reflux as it is often known, is one of the most common health complaints among adults. So much so that medications to treat the symptoms make up the third highest-selling class of drugs in the United States. It is estimated that a staggering 20% of the the U.S. population suffer with symptoms of acid reflux. While proton-pump inhibiting (PPI) drugs, such as Prilosec, Prevacid, and Nexium, bring welcomed relief from the symptoms of acid reflux, habitual use of these pharmaceuticals over time can be a health risk, increasing the likelihood of nutritional deficiencies, bone fractures, and heart disease. Understanding the cause of acid reflux Acid reflux is caused by the incomplete closure of the sphincter valve – located between the stomach and the esophagus. When this occurs, harsh stomach contents can splash back up across the delicate lining of the esophagus and the throat, nose, and other vulnerable tissues. Most commonly, acid reflux can cause pain in the center of the chest and, at times, an acidic taste in the mouth. While uncomfortable, the true concern is that – left untreated – symptoms of acid reflux will lead to esophageal cancer and other related changes down the road. But one thing should be made perfectly clear: toxic medications will never cure this problem. The dangers of PPI drugs and acid reflux What many acid reflux sufferers don’t realize is that medications to treat their heartburn and other symptoms come at a hefty price. There are Prilosec side effects, for example, that may go unnoticed for months or even years. Using PPIs to gain some control over symptoms may seem helpful, but these medications don’t stop the physical reflux of digestive enzymes, bile, and corrosive food/drinks flowing into the delicate esophageal lining. Continued exposure to the acids and protein-digesting enzymes in stomach fluid can bring about precancerous changes, such as the development of the condition known as Barrett’s esophagus. Reducing stomach acid is also likely to interfere with your body’s ability to extract vitamin B12 from foods. Research shows that most oral acid-suppressing medications, including PPIs, decrease the absorption of vitamin B12 from foods. In one study, 75 percent of PPI users were deficient in vitamin B12, compared with just 11 percent among non-users. Gut problems can be life-threatening Regular use of PPIs may also lead to low blood magnesium levels. Symptoms include fatigue, unsteadiness, numbness/tingling, seizures, and heart rhythm disturbances. In severe cases, hospitalization may be necessary. However, magnesium levels can return to normal when PPI medications are halted. PPI use can also lead to poor calcium absorption, increasing the risk of bone fractures. These medications are also associated with elevated risk for cardiovascular disease and even risk of death due to heart attack. PPIs inhibit the normal production of nitric oxide, a signaling molecule vital for normal blood vessel function. Lower your risk of disease with natural solutions Avoiding the use of PPIs in favor of natural solutions to acid reflux and heartburn results in fewer unwanted impacts on your health. Often, dietary and lifestyle changes hold the key to diminishing occurrence. Avoid processed and “rich” foods, particularly desserts. Do not overeat, and chew your food – very well. In terms of a plant remedy, check out this article about how slippery elm can help you. If you are a smoker, acid reflux is yet another reason to quit. If you still have acid reflux symptoms, consult a trusted holistic physician with experience in natural remedies – including essential oils and herbs – to help guide you toward a full recovery. Sources for this article include: NIH.gov Lifeextension.com To read the original article click here.

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Widely Used Pills Recalled for Deadly Flaw, FDA Yet to Act

The AHA! Team — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 05:39:14 +0000

Patrick Tims via NaturalHealth365 – An alert has been issued cautioning consumers against using a popular potassium chloride pill. The pills were recalled after a potentially fatal flaw was discovered. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has yet to act. This lack of immediate oversight raises serious concerns about the regulatory framework to protect public health. With millions of lives potentially at risk, the issue demands urgent attention. Potentially deadly flaw in commonly used pills all consumers should know about Official records reveal that Glenmark Pharmaceuticals issued over half a dozen recalls for its potassium chloride pills. The pills fail to properly dissolve when contacting moisture, such as saliva and other water, in the human body. This failure to dissolve has the potential to lead to pain, hospitalization, and death. The shocking twist is that the FDA has dragged its feet on investigating the Glenmark Pharmaceuticals drug factory’s flawed operations. To date, there has been no government inspection of the drug factory. The FDA is aware that the pills have the potential to cause deadly potassium spikes, yet it refuses to take meaningful action. The pills were produced at a single factory in India. If our federal government were the watchdog it claims to be, it would have prevented Glenmark Pharmaceuticals from shipping pills produced at the Mumbai factory to the rest of the United States. Why the potassium chloride pills have the potential to kill healthy people There is a widespread misconception that potassium chloride is entirely safe simply because it has been on the market for decades. The drug is frequently prescribed to address issues with muscle and nerve function and is particularly valued for its benefits to heart health. While potassium chloride pills are effective for individuals with low potassium levels, they can pose significant risks under certain conditions. Excessive amounts of the drug can have lethal consequences. High doses of potassium chloride can result in complete heart failure, a risk that cannot be ignored. This danger is so pronounced that potassium chloride is a key component in lethal injections used for executions in several states. This reality highlights just how deadly the drug can be when misused or improperly formulated. Is a recall of the drug enough? The danger of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals’ potassium chloride pills became apparent in May when the Indian drugmaker recalled nearly 47 million capsules. The extended-release medication’s failure to dissolve prompted the FDA to issue its own recall of the defective product. Shockingly, the FDA was already aware of manufacturing issues at Glenmark Pharmaceuticals’ facilities at the time of the recall. Over the previous eight months, the Mumbai-based drugmaker had been responsible for four separate recalls. In the months following, two more recalls were issued, each citing the same critical flaw: the pills’ inability to dissolve properly. While recalls play a crucial role in protecting consumers, they are far from sufficient in addressing systemic issues. The FDA has failed to prevent Glenmark from continuing to distribute potentially dangerous pills to the American market. Even more troubling is the agency’s failure to thoroughly investigate the root cause of the problem. Despite the glaring risks, the FDA has not conducted an on-site inspection of Glenmark’s Mumbai facility since its last review – more than four years ago. This glaring oversight raises serious concerns about the FDA’s capacity to enforce meaningful accountability and ensure the safety of imported drugs. Glenmark Pharmaceuticals: A case study in corporate negligence It seems we have drifted too far toward a laissez-faire economy, where corporate greed often goes unchecked. Within a single year, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals issued seven recalls for medications that failed to dissolve as intended, yet no significant government action has been taken to address the underlying issues. Glenmark’s public relations team has acknowledged three deaths and several hospitalizations linked to their defective products. FDA records corroborate these reports, confirming the dangers of potassium chloride pills. However, the FDA appears reluctant to formally attribute these deaths and hospitalizations to the drug, allowing Glenmark’s pursuit of profit to continue virtually unimpeded. The time has come for a comprehensive overhaul of the FDA. The agency currently lacks the resources and authority to effectively oversee the manufacturing, distribution, and recall of generic medications produced in factories outside the United States. If the FDA were fulfilling its intended role, it would immediately take decisive action against Glenmark. Sources for this article include: IPDpharma.com Childrenshealthdefense.org To read the original article click here.

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Fentanyl Poisonings Among U.S. Children Increase Sharply Over Eight Years

The AHA! Team — Mon, 05 May 2025 05:30:14 +0000

Taylor & Francis Group via News-Medical – Incidents of children in the U.S. being poisoned by the synthetic opioid fentanyl “increased and became more severe”, a new study reveals. Launched today as Congress continues to review the HALT Fentanyl Act, the research follows an analysis of nonfatal fentanyl pediatric (aged 0-19) exposures reported to poison centers in 49 U.S. states from 2015 through to 2023. In total, some 3,009 cases were detailed across the eight-year period. In 2023 alone, 44.6% were life-threatening incidents in which there was extreme harm that could have resulted in death if not treated – an increase of these severe cases from 15.9% in 2015. The majority (81.7%) of patients aged 0–12 were exposed unintentionally. Most patients (65.7%) aged 13–19 were noted as having used fentanyl intentionally for nonmedical purposes. Most incidents (1,771) were in youth aged 13–19 (58.9%), compared with 1,238 cases (41.1%) involving children aged 0-12. Males accounted for 58.5% (1,754) of all cases and females 41.5% (1,244). The peer-reviewed findings are published in The American Journal of Drug And Alcohol Abuse, as the U.S. continues to battle a severe opioid crisis “driven by fentanyl use”. Fentanyl with co-use of psychostimulants has come to define the “fourth wave” of the opioid crisis. Counterfeit pills containing fentanyl “flood the illicit market”. And in recent years, seven out of every ten counterfeit pills seized contained a potentially deadly amount of fentanyl. Since 2021, there have been over 70,000 synthetic opioid-related deaths per year; although the latest, provisional data shows such deaths are decreasing. It is understood that friends are a major source of prescription pills among adolescents and social media, too, is commonly used to purchase drugs from strangers. Various drugs not directly purchased from a pharmacy can be adulterated with fentanyl. Increased prevention, treatment, and harm reduction Driven by a “lack of focus on nonfatal overdose and how pediatric populations are being affected,” the expert team found exposures increased over the eight years. Among those aged 0-12 this was by 924.3%. For 13- to 19-year-olds there was a 1,506% increase. Lead author Dr. Joseph Palamar, from the Department of Population Health, at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, in New York, says their results demonstrate the need for “increased prevention, treatment, and harm reduction”. “We can’t forget that kids are also at risk during this opioid crisis,” explains Dr. Palamar, who is also Deputy Director of the National Drug Early Warning Network (NDEWS). “Parents need to be aware that teens can purchase pills via apps that are sold as Adderall or Xanax but actually contain fentanyl. “Parents and others, too, need to be careful to not leave fentanyl, whether licit or illicit, out in the open around unsupervised children. “Even second-hand exposure to paraphernalia or baggies can contain small amounts of fentanyl can be lethal to youngsters. “Children may touch or ingest such items out of curiosity, through a lack of a sense of danger, or even imitation of a parent who uses. Even used fentanyl patches can lead to accidental or intentional poisonings among pediatric populations.” Co-author Dr. Joshua Black, Senior Scientist at Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Safety, a Division of Denver Health and Hospital Authority, adds: “Parents and peers need to be able to promptly detect signs and symptoms of opioid overdose-including looking pale, slow or no breathing, coma, sometimes constricted pupils-and know when to seek help. Contact a poison center “We encourage people to contact a poison center if they suspect a poisoning (1-800-222-1222) or call 911 if someone collapses, has a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can’t be awakened following drug use. “Having naloxone available can reverse the potential overdose from opioids. Bystanders are present in about 40% of illicit opioid-related deaths so it is essential for bystanders to be able to respond.” Fellow co-author Dr. Linda Cottler, Director of NDEWS, from the Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, College of Medicine, University of Florida, further recommends for parents and health care providers to “be aware of the importance of receiving training about these drugs and what they do and what they look like, and how to caution teens about the dangers of friends and siblings sharing diverted drugs”. Limitations of the research, includes that the data source used only captures a portion of fentanyl-related poisonings. “There is a lack of systematic collection of data on nonfatal exposures, and a major limitation is that most people who are exposed or overdose do not contact poison centers,” the authors report. Research reported in this press release was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health under award numbers U01DA051126 and R01DA057289. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Source: Taylor & Francis Group Journal reference: Palamar, J. J., et al. (2025). Nonfatal pediatric fentanyl exposures reported to US poison centers, 2015–2023. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. doi.org/10.1080/00952990.2025.245748. To read the original article click here.

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An Old Drug with New Tricks: Hydroxychloroquine

The AHA! Team — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 06:24:47 +0000

Medical University of South Carolina via EurekAlert! – The anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine shows promise against cancer, but cancer cells often develop resistance. A new study from MUSC Hollings Cancer Center researchers discovered how, setting the stage for new combination therapies As the hunt for effective cancer therapies intensifies, some scientists are turning back to look at old drugs in a new light. The anti-malarial hydroxychloroquine is one such drug that has been “repurposed” to fight cancer. Despite its effectiveness at blocking the resupply of needed resources to cancer cells, clinical trial results have been disappointing, in part because cancer cells eventually become resistant to the drug. A Medical University of South Carolina Hollings Cancer Center team led by Joe Delaney, Ph.D., reports in Cell Cycle that resistance to hydroxychloroquine occurs not by restoring the cancer cells’ recycling ability, as had been expected. Rather, resistance develops due to changes in the division, metabolism and export pathways of cancer cells. These findings open the door for new combination treatments, as drugs targeting these newly identified resistance mechanisms can be administered along with hydroxychloroquine to improve outcomes. The promise of repurposed drugs Repurposing old drugs for new treatments is not a new concept. Aspirin was originally used as a painkiller, but after the discovery of its anti-coagulant properties, it was repurposed as a blood thinner to treat heart disease. Thalidomide, the infamous anti-nausea medication, has been recently repurposed as a treatment for certain types of cancer and even leprosy. As cancer therapy moves increasingly toward specific single-protein targets, some scientists, like Delaney, are swinging back to look at preexisting drugs to find robust, multi-target effects. “Targeting single proteins can be extremely effective to treat cancer,” said Delaney. “However, the more specific the treatment becomes, the more likely resistance is to occur.” Imagine a hotel hallway, and behind each door is a route for cancer development. Targeting single proteins is like welding one of the doors shut. It’s impossible to get through that door, but it’s just a matter of time before cancer picks the lock on another door and gets in. That’s why these old drugs are so promising, said Delaney – their breadth of targets padlocks several doors at once, making it that much harder for a cancer cell to work around them. “These older molecules usually work because they have many, many targets within the cell,” he said. “If we can figure out how to use them correctly, it’s harder for cancer cells to mutate all those different points that they are acting on.” The cancer-fighting promise and limitations of hydroxychloroquine Originally used as a treatment for malaria, hydroxychloroquine began to be explored as a cancer therapy in the mid-2000s. The drug is known to block autophagy, a process that essentially acts as a cell’s clean-up crew. Autophagy literally means “self-eating.” It enables cancer cells to gather up old or damaged cellular machinery and send it off either to be thrown out or recycled. “When we think of cancer, we think of uncontrolled dividing cells,” said Delaney. “Autophagy is one of those processes that really enables a cancer cell to do just that by resupplying it with resources needed for survival and division.” Despite the drug’s promise of killing cancer cells by blocking cellular recycling, most clinical trials using the drug have been disappointing. “What we don’t know is why so many of these clinical trials have failed,” said Delaney. “We’re trying to figure out why hydroxychloroquine works or doesn’t work in certain situations in cancer.” A surprising finding about resistance to hydroxychloroquine To answer these questions, researchers in the Delaney Lab embarked on a multi-omics exploration into hydroxychloroquine’s effect on ovarian and colorectal cancer cells. They treated cells with hydroxychloroquine and then used two different whole-genome screens to identify exactly what the cells were doing to evade hydroxychloroquine attacks. With these approaches, they were able to observe how cells activated or deactivated different cellular pathways in response to continued hydroxychloroquine exposure. “By using two completely different methods, we were able to home in on the true biological players in the system,” said Delaney. The researchers were surprised to find that cells weren’t modifying autophagy to survive –the door that was expected to be opened really wasn’t touched at all. Instead, cancer cells were surviving hydroxychloroquine by changing their metabolism, division and export pathways. “We thought the main interaction of hydroxychloroquine with cancer was this process of autophagy, but it appears instead that processes unrelated to autophagy may be the most important for cancer cells to survive this therapy,” said Delaney. Setting the stage for novel combination therapies With this discovery, the Hollings team hopes to identify drugs that could be administered along with hydroxychloroquine to prevent the cancer cells from becoming resistant to this therapy. “Our study has identified the potential mechanisms that we will need to target with a second drug to prevent resistance against hydroxychloroquine,” said Delaney. Combining hydroxychloroquine with drugs that affect cell division, metabolism or export could increase the effectiveness of the treatment. Additionally, using hydroxychloroquine to treat patients with cancers that already have defects in one of these newly identified pathways could be a very powerful intervention. Finally, patients without these defects could be directed to potentially more effective, less resistant treatments. “We certainly want to understand which patients would see the most benefit to get the best result from these trials,” Delaney said. Ultimately, these results from the Delaney Lab shed light on how repurposed drugs like hydroxychloroquine can be used to fight cancer more effectively. Specifically, they show that cancer cells resist hydroxychloroquine in unexpected ways. By using such information, scientists can create more effective combination treatments against cancer. # # # About MUSC Hollings Cancer Center MUSC Hollings Cancer Center is South Carolina’s only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center with the largest academic-based cancer research program in the state. With more than 150 faculty cancer scientists and 20 academic departments, it has an annual research funding portfolio of more than $50 million and sponsors more than 200 clinical trials across the state. Hollings offers state-of-the-art cancer screenings, diagnostic capabilities, therapies and surgical techniques within its multidisciplinary clinics to provide the full range of cancer care. Dedicated to preventing and reducing the cancer burden statewide, the Hollings Office of Community Outreach and Engagement works with community organizations to bring cancer education and prevention information to affected populations. For more information, visit hollingscancercenter.musc.edu Journal Cell Cycle DOI 10.1080/15384101.2024.2402191 To read the original article click here.

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Cannabis and Cars

The AHA! Team — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 06:40:50 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via Nutrition Facts – Did traffic fatalities increase or decrease after cannabis legalization? Is cannabis-impaired driving a public health and safety concern? Well, the number of tickets for cannabis-impaired driving went up in Washington State after legalization, as did the proportion of drivers in fatal car crashes in Colorado who tested positive for marijuana use. But, in both cases, this “may simply reflect a general increase in marijuana use” overall. It doesn’t mean that cannabis is causing the crashes, as I discuss in my video The Effects of Marijuana on Car Accidents. There is a lot of evidence correlating marijuana use with car accidents, but who uses marijuana? Mostly young people and males. And guess who has a higher crash risk regardless of what they smoke? Young people and males. However, even taking that into account, it does seem that “roughly 20–30% of traffic crashes involving cannabis use occur because of the cannabis use.” But, to put that in perspective, that number is more like 85 percent when it comes to alcohol. Aren’t cannabis crashes low-velocity fender-benders from an impaired driver going like five miles an hour? “After a systematic review of the literature,” a compilation of studies “examining acute cannabis consumption and motor vehicle collisions…found a near doubling of the risk of a driver being involved in a motor vehicle collision resulting in serious injury or death.” So, that’s pretty serious, but alcohol is even worse. Cannabis may double or triple the risk of car crashes, but alcohol may multiply the risk 6- to 15-fold. The combination may be even worse—25 times the odds of a fatal car crash involvement when testing positive for both cannabis and alcohol. The “safety consequence of increased incidence of cannabis intoxication” when driving is listed as one of the “three primary reasons for concern about legalized cannabis….” Well, what happened in the U.S. states where marijuana was legalized? How much did traffic fatalities go up? They didn’t. In fact, they went down. What? “Why does legalizing medical marijuana reduce traffic fatalities?” Because of reduced alcohol consumption. It was found that “the legalization of medical marijuana is associated with reduced alcohol consumption, especially among young adults.” So, there was more drugged driving, but less drunk driving—and drunk driving is so much worse that fatalities went down overall. So, perhaps we’d also see less liver disease and less alcohol-induced brain damage, as cannabis substitutes for some of the alcohol use. Indeed, researchers argued that “cannabis was unlikely to produce as much harm as alcohol because, unlike alcohol, cannabis did not cause liver and other gastrointestinal diseases, it was not fatal in overdoses, it did not appear to be as neurotoxic as alcohol, and it was not as potent a cause of car crashes as alcohol.” “The health problems reported by cannabis dependent persons—e.g. bronchitis and impaired memory—are much less serious on average than those reported by persons who are alcohol dependent (e.g. delirium, liver disease, gastritis) but this does not mean that cannabis dependence is a minor problem.” When public health authorities bring that up, though, they may be criticized. In the 1940s and 1950s in the United States, for instance, after the repeal of Prohibition, we needed to warn people about the problems of heavy drinking, liver cirrhosis, and alcoholism, but some dismissed the concerns as if they were just “temperance propaganda.” We now see a similar situation, where the public health profession wants to educate people about the adverse health effects of cannabis but is dismissed as “reefer madness” hysterics. Still, it’s important to put these adverse health effects in perspective. How does the safety of cannabis stack up against alcohol and tobacco? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “alcohol is linked to approximately 88,000 deaths per year,” whereas “there are no reported deaths due to cannabis.” (They’re from things like car accidents.) What’s more, they even go down when more people smoke pot because alcohol is so much worse. “With hindsight, we can clearly see the enormous problems that have been caused to many individuals and to society by tobacco and alcohol”—both legal drugs. “If asked to decide today which psychoactive drugs should be legal, cannabis (which rarely kills people) might well be judged as being comparatively benign” and may be much higher on the list. I have many other videos on cannabis if you’re interested. Check out the related posts below. I first released these videos in a webinar, and you can find them all on a digital download here. Key Takeaways After the legalization of marijuana, there was an increase in cannabis-impaired driving incidents and in the proportion of drivers in fatal crashes who tested positive for marijuana. However, this increase may reflect a general rise in marijuana use rather than directly causing more crashes. Although there is evidence correlating marijuana use with car accidents, it’s essential to note that young people and males, who are more likely to use marijuana, already have a higher risk of crashes. Cannabis use is estimated to be a factor in 20 to 30 percent of crashes involving its use, compared to about 85 percent for alcohol. A systematic review found that cannabis use nearly doubles the risk of serious injury or death in car crashes. However, alcohol poses a much greater risk, increasing the likelihood of crashes by 6 to 15 times. The risk is even higher when cannabis and alcohol are combined. Despite concerns, traffic fatalities did not increase in U.S. states where marijuana was legalized; they actually decreased. This reduction is attributed to a decrease in alcohol consumption, particularly among young adults, who may be substituting cannabis for alcohol. Cannabis is associated with fewer serious health problems compared to alcohol and tobacco. The CDC reports no direct deaths due to cannabis, whereas alcohol is linked to approximately 88,000 deaths per year. While cannabis dependence has health risks, they are generally less severe than those associated with alcohol dependence. To read the original article click here.

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US Drug-Related Infant Deaths More Than Doubled from 2018 to 2022

The AHA! Team — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 05:44:39 +0000

Florida Atlantic University via EurekAlert! – A new study by Florida Atlantic University’s Schmidt College of Medicine has uncovered a disturbing trend in drug-related infant deaths in the United States from 2018 to 2022. Infant deaths are those that occur between the time a child is born and age 1. Drug-involved deaths are those in which drugs are either the primary cause of death or a contributing factor and may occur due to maternal drug use, inadvertent or accidental intake of specific prescriptions, illicit or non-medical use of drugs and other incidents where drugs were linked to death. Results of the study, published in the Journal of Perinatal Medicine, show that in the U.S. from 2018 to 2022, drug-involved infant deaths more than doubled (120% increase) from 10.8% in 2018 to 24.4% in 2022. The largest increase was observed between 2019 (16.9%) and 2022 with the greatest proportion of drug-related infant deaths occurring in 2021 (25.8%). Overall, relative to all other causes of infant mortality, drug-involved deaths became more prevalent after 2019. Findings show that drug-involved infant deaths also were higher in the postnatal period, ages 28 to 364 days (81.4%), relative to deaths due to all other causes during the same period (34.6%). The most prevalent underlying causes of death included assault (homicide) by drugs, medicaments and biological substances (35.6%) followed by poisoning from exposure to narcotics and psychodysleptics (hallucinogens) (15.6%), and accidental poisoning from exposure to antiepileptic, sedative-hypnotic, antiparkinsonism and psychotropic drugs (10.8%). The most common multiple causes of drug-involved infant deaths were psychostimulants with abuse potential of synthetic narcotics. In addition, a significant proportion of infants who died from drug-involved causes were born to non-Hispanic white (60.4%) and non-Hispanic Black mothers (28.5%). Furthermore, drug-induced mortality was 56.5% in male infants and 43.7% in female infants, a difference which also was statistically significant. “The differences we observed by race/ethnicity in drug-involved deaths, predominantly among non-Hispanic white and Black infants require a multifaceted approach for clinical and public health interventions,” said Panagiota “Yiota” Kitsantas, Ph.D., corresponding author and professor and chair of the Department of Population Health and Social Medicine, FAU Schmidt College of Medicine. “Addressing the social determinants of health, enhancing access to addiction treatment and implementing culturally sensitive interventions may be important to prevent infant deaths in vulnerable populations. In addition, the underlying causes, which included drug-related assault and various forms of poisoning, also may be areas for clinical and public health interventions.” From 2018 to 2022, drug-involved infant deaths accounted for 1.18% of all infant deaths From 2018 to 2022, drug-involved infant deaths accounted for 1.18% of all infant deaths, a notable rise from the previously reported 0.64% from 2015 to 2017. This increase was particularly pronounced during COVID-19, raising questions that require further studies. During this period, drug overdose mortality also increased substantially among pregnant and postpartum women. The researchers note that during COVID-19 there was reduced access to prenatal care, the emergence of health care deserts and hospital closures, especially in rural areas. These may have contributed, at least in part, to the observed increases in drug-related infant deaths, although more research is warranted. “Given the alarming increase in the number of drug overdose deaths in the general population, especially among pregnant and postpartum women, findings from our study are both important and timely,” said Maria C. Mejia, M.D., senior author and a professor of population health and social medicine, FAU Schmidt College of Medicine. “Drug-involved deaths in infants represent a potentially avoidable cause that should be considered in efforts to reduce infant mortality in the United States. Effective strategies will require collaborative efforts among health providers, public health agencies and community partners, and should focus on preventing and treating maternal substance use disorders, enhancing prenatal care access and addressing broader social and behavioral risk factors.” For the study, researchers used data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) and selected the period of 2018 to 2022 because 2018 was pre-COVID-19 and 2022 represents the most recent data available. Infant deaths were described by year of death, underlying cause and multiple cause of death, age of infant at time of death, gender and maternal race/ethnicity (non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic Black, non-Hispanic, Hispanic and other race). Study co-authors are Charles H. Hennekens, M.D., Dr.PH, first Sir Richard Doll Professor of Medicine and senior academic advisor; Sebastian Densley and Meera Rao, FAU medical students; Lea Sacca, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Population Health and Social Medicine; and Robert S. Levine, M.D., affiliate professor of medicine; all within FAU’s Schmidt College of Medicine. Journal Journal of Perinatal Medicine DOI 10.1515/jpm-2024-0067 To read the original article click here.

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Engineered ‘Cat Parasite’ Helps Deliver Drugs to Brain

The AHA! Team — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 05:35:21 +0000

Yulia Karra via Israel21c – Researchers discover method to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and deliver therapeutic proteins via Toxoplasma gondii. Researchers from Tel Aviv University (TAU) recently discovered a method to deliver neurological treatment to the human brain using an engineered version of Toxoplasma gondii, commonly known as “the cat parasite.” One of the biggest challenges in treating neurological diseases is getting the therapeutic drugs through the blood-brain barrier (BBB). “It is very difficult to deliver drugs to the brain via the bloodstream; this is especially true for large molecules such as proteins, the critical ‘machines’ that carry out many important functions inside the cell,” said Prof. Oded Rechavi from TAU’s Department of Neurobiology and Sagol School of Neuroscience, who led the study. The study was conducted in collaboration with Rechavi’s PhD student Shahar Bracha, and Prof. Lilach Sheiner, an Israeli scientist and toxoplasma expert from The University of Glasgow. The findings were recently published in the scientific journal Nature Microbiology. Cat parasite To solve the BBB problem, the research team utilized Toxoplasma gondii, which can infect a vast variety of organisms, including humans, but reproduces only in the guts of cats. It is estimated that a third of the global population is infected by the parasite at some point in their lives. “Most people don’t even feel the infection or only experience mild flu-like symptoms,” added Rechavi. What made the parasite the perfect candidate for the novel study is its ability to penetrate the human brain and survive there in a dormant state, without reproducing. This prompted the team to genetically engineer Toxoplasma gondii to secrete therapeutic proteins. “The parasite has three distinct secretion systems,” explained Rechavi. “One of the systems ‘shoots’ a ‘harpoon’ into the neuron, to enable penetration. Once inside, the parasite forms a kind of cyst in which it continues to secrete proteins permanently. We engineered the parasite’s DNA to make it produce and secrete the proteins we want, which have therapeutic potential.” The methodology As part of the study, the team injected transgenic model animals with the genetically engineered parasite to produce and secrete proteins that travel into cell nuclei. Transgenic animals normally have a foreign gene deliberately inserted into their genome. The scientists then gathered enough evidence to prove that the proteins had been delivered to the target area and remained active in the neurons’ nuclei. The current study focused primarily on a protein called MeCP2, whose deficiency is associated with Rett syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that affects the way the brain develops. Researchers emphasized, however, that the method could prove useful in the treatment of a series of diseases caused by deficiency or abnormal expression of a certain protein. To ensure the method’s safe and effective therapeutic implementation, for both drug delivery and genetic editing, a company named Epeius Pharma, was established in collaboration with Ramot, the technology transfer company of Tel Aviv University, and with the University of Glasgow’s research and innovation services. To read the original article click here.

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Low-Dose Ketamine Eases Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptoms

The AHA! Team — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 08:22:08 +0000

University of Washington School of Medicine via News-Medical – Drug overdose is the leading cause of injury deaths in young adults in the United States, with fentanyl causing over 70,000 deaths annually. Many people who use fentanyl become trapped in their addiction out of fear and a low tolerance for the withdrawal symptoms, which include muscle cramps, nausea, chills, sweats and intense cravings. They can’t stop using fentanyl, and they also have trouble starting either of the two medications, methadone and buprenorphine, that can dramatically reduce their risk of overdose death. Research findings published Aug. 29 in Addiction Science & Clinical Practice may offer hope. A pilot study showed that a small amount of ketamine can reduce or eliminate the withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting fentanyl. “The main takeaway is that we have found an easier way for people trapped in the grip of fentanyl addiction to get started in treatment.” Dr. Lucinda Grande, clinical assistant professor of family medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine She was the study’s lead author. “Methadone can be difficult to access due to strict federal regulations, and starting buprenorphine can cause severe withdrawal symptoms before those who start it become stabilized,” added study co-author Dr. Tom Hutch. He is the medical director of the opioid treatment program at We Care Daily Clinics in Auburn, Wash. “Ketamine, at an imperceptibly low dose, helps bridge that gap.” Over 14 months, Grande and colleagues in Auburn and Olympia prescribed ketamine to 37 fentanyl-addicted patients whose fear of withdrawal symptoms had deterred them from trying buprenorphine. Twenty-four patients actually tried the drug, and 16 completed the transition to buprenorphine. Most patients reported a reduction or elimination of withdrawal symptoms after each ketamine dose, the effect of which lasted for hours. Of the last 12 who completed the transition, 92% remained in treatment for at least 30 days. Patients placed a ketamine lozenge or syrup under the tongue. The 16 mg dose is a small fraction of that typically used for anesthesia, the main clinical role of ketamine for 50 years, according to Grande. That dosage also is less than half of the smallest ketamine dose prescribed for depression treatment, an increasingly common use of this medication. Researchers monitored patients daily or almost daily, and refined the treatment strategy based on patient response and prescriber experience. Grande developed the concept after she learned that emergency-medicine physician and coauthor Dr. Andrew Herring of Oakland, California, used a higher, sedating dose of ketamine successfully in his emergency department to resolve a patient’s severe case of withdrawal from fentanyl addiction. Grande is a primary-care and addiction doctor in practice near Olympia who, in the past dozen years, has used low-dose ketamine to treat more than 600 patients for chronic pain and depression. Ketamine has gained prominence in the news since actor Matthew Perry of the sitcom “Friends” overdosed on the drug and drowned. Perry had undergone high-dose ketamine treatment for depression, news reports have suggested. “Our study underscores the enormous potential of this medication for addressing important health problems such as depression, chronic pain and now fentanyl-use disorder,” said Grande. Ketamine’s positive attributes have been overshadowed by Perry’s death, she said. Grande hopes this pilot study’s results will be confirmed by larger studies. “I am excited about these results,” she said. “This is a wonderful opportunity to save lives.” Source: University of Washington School of Medicine Journal reference: Grande, L., et al. (2024) Ketamine-assisted buprenorphine initiation: a pilot case series. Addiction Science & Clinical Practice. doi.org/10.1186/s13722-024-00494-2. To read the original article click here.

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How To Avoid China’s Medicine Monopoly

The AHA! Team — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 08:11:31 +0000

Al Sears, MD, CNS – I want to share a shocking statistic with you… Around 80% of all the pharmaceuticals sold in America — both prescription and over-the-counter — are manufactured in China. I’m talking about drugs for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, blood pressure and blood thinners, diuretics, aspirin, antibiotics, and a big chunk of the world’s insulin and diabetes drugs — just to name a few.1 We don’t even make penicillin anymore. The last penicillin plant in the U.S. closed its doors in 2004. Americans who rely on medicine are now almost entirely at the mercy of a country whose relations with the U.S. have become more tense than they were just a few years ago. Yet, there’s no need to panic. And in a moment, I’ll tell you why… First, let me share why we need to be concerned. Around 80% of all the pharmaceuticals sold in America.. are manufactured in China Pharmaceutical companies can’t just pack up their overseas operations and build drug-making plants in America or move them to some other country. It could take years to develop the infrastructure to re-establish manufacturing capacities in the U.S. and get the FDA licenses to replace the loss of the Chinese supply. But there’s an even bigger problem… Drugs imported from China have additional safety risk factors that go beyond the well-known side effects I’ve written to you about before. The FDA insists that pharmaceutical ingredients from China are safe. But I don’t buy it. The FDA has a long history of failing to oversee drug sources in other countries. In 2008, contaminated supplies of the blood-thinning drug Heparin from China led to the deaths of 149 Americans and hundreds more allergic reactions. Though that scandal prompted the FDA to start stationing inspectors in overseas plants, a recent scathing report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office highlighted the FDA’s long history of failing to conduct oversight on foreign drug factories.2 The reason the FDA had little chance to uncover the heparin contamination before Americans started dying: It hadn’t inspected the plant. Even now, the FDA is plagued by a staffing shortage. In China and India, there are just 15 combined inspector positions – and five of those remain unfilled. That’s less than 10 inspectors to oversee 5,000 Chinese drug-making facilities.3 If you’re a regular reader, you’ll know I’ve been warning patients for years about the dangers of Big Pharma’s concoctions. At my clinic, I work to get my patients off prescription drugs. I prescribe pharmaceuticals only when absolutely necessary. Blockbuster drugs like statins, ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, bisphosphonates, and antidepressants — all made in China — can often create new and dangerous health issues and can make recovery impossible. Mainstream medicine wants to scare you into thinking you need these drugs to keep you alive and healthy. In fact, in many cases, the opposite is true. But here’s the secret Big Pharma and its Chinese partners don’t want you to know: For every disease — and every Big Pharma drug — nature has provided a natural, non-toxic non-pharmaceutical alternative that’s free from side effects. Develop your own medical supply chain I recommend that you become the master of your own “medical” supply chain – so you’ll no longer be at the mercy of Big Pharma, China, and an unreliable FDA. The natural alternatives and therapies I’m going to tell you about are much safer, often more effective, and cost much less than any drug from Big Pharma or its Chinese manufacturers. Here are some alternatives to some of Big Pharma’s biggest blockbuster drugs: Blood thinners. Studies also show that warfarin increases your risk of stroke, atherosclerosis, and osteoporosis. One study estimated that nursing home residents alone suffer 34,000 fatal, life-threatening, or serious events related to warfarin every year.4 Natural alternative – curcumin. You know this spice has potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-cancer properties. But recent studies show it’s also a powerful anticoagulant, working to inhibit clotting factors and prevent blood clots from forming. Choose a supplement with at least 90% curcuminoids. And look for one that contains piperine, a black pepper extract that boosts absorption. Take between 500 mg to 1,000 mg each day. Arthritis drugs. NSAIDs increase your risk of heart attack and stroke after just one week of consistent use. And the more you use them, the more your risk goes up.5 Natural alternative – frankincense: Also known as Boswellia serrata, this herb has a long history of treating arthritis without side effects. In a large study, researchers followed 440 arthritis patients for six months. They found that frankincense relieved pain as effectively as painkiller drugs. It also significantly improved arthritic knee function.6 Frankincense contains enzymes that block prostaglandin e2 (PGe2). This hormone-like chemical is produced by the body in response to an injury. It makes blood vessels dilate and expand. This causes the injured area to become swollen and arthritic. By directly attacking PGe2, frankincense stops inflammation before it starts. Look for a Boswellia serrata supplement standardized to at least 65% boswellic acids. I recommend 400 mg three times a day. Blood pressure pills. Diuretics, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, and calcium channel blockers have serious side effects. I’m talking about things like edema, dizziness, nose bleeds, rash, and hearing loss. They can lead to cardiac failure, heart attack, depression, colitis, and arthritis pain. Natural alternative – magnesium: This is your body’s own blood vessel relaxer. I’ve used it in my practice with great results. It helps balance potassium, sodium, and calcium, all of which affect blood pressure. In a review of 34 studies covering more than 2,000 patients, researchers found that taking magnesium daily for one month lowered systolic pressure by 2 mmHg and diastolic pressure by 1.8 mmHg.7 I recommend between 600 mg and 1,000 mg a day. Take it with vitamin B6. It will increase the amount of magnesium that accumulates in your cells. To Your Good Health, Al Sears, MD, CNS References: 1. Ewen M, et al. “A perspective on global access to insulin: a descriptive study of the market, trade flows and prices.” Diabet Med. 2019;36(6):726-733. 2. Denigan-Macauley M. Drug Safety: Preliminary Findings Indicate Persistent Challenges with FDA Foreign Inspections. GOA report December 2019. Accessed March 17, 2023. 3. “Comparing Global Pharmaceutical Markets, the US, UK, and China.” February 2023. https://pharmanewsintel.com/features/comparing-global-pharmaceutical-markets-the-us-uk-and-china#:~:text=Currently%2C%20the%20Chinese%20pharmaceutical%20sector,according%20to%20a%20Forbes%20ranking. Accessed March 17, 2023. 4. Gurwitz JH, et al. “The safety of warfarin therapy in the nursing home setting.” Am J Med. 2007;120:539-544. 5. Harvard Health Publishing. FDA strengthens warning that NSAIDs increase heart attack and stroke risk. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/fda-strengthenswarning- that-NSAIDs-increase-heart-attack-and-stroke-risk-201507138138. Updated August 22, 2017. Accessed March 17, 2023. 6. Chopra A, et al. “Ayurvedic medicine offers a good alternative to glucosamine and celecoxib in the treatment of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis: A randomized, double-blind, controlled equivalence drug trial.” Rheumatology (Oxford). 2013;52(8):1408-1417. 7. Zhang X, et al. “Effects of magnesium supplementation on blood pressure: A meta-analysis of randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trials.” Hypertension. 2016;68(2):324-333. To read the original article click here.

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