Medicine

Be careful with tranquilizers!

Benzodiazepine class of drugs known as sedative society is the most popular drug in the world. Since the discovery of its kind Chlordiazepoxide was first named by Leo Sternbach (1908-2005) in 1957 and continued with the discovery of Diazepam, a drug of this class become an amazing phenomenon in the medical community.

Ability as a sedative and hypnotics and then moved into the indications for something else. Currently, there are so many types of benzodiazepine in the market with different brands of both the patent and generic. Several types of well-known are diazepam, alprazolam, Estazolam, nitrazepam, lorazepam, Clobazam. Each type is distinguished by the nature of benzodiazepine pharmacology.

Usefulness benzodiazepine currently primarily to the cause of illness associated with psychiatric and non psychiatric disorders such as insomnia, relieve anxiety, treatment Delirium Tremens, sedation before surgery process, to eliminate the seizures of epilepsy and also in muscle spasm. Its effective immediately and make a lot of doctors use these drugs as well as a mixture for the treatment of patients with gastric disorders which is essentially functional (psychosomatic symptoms) and patients of heart problems that worried.

In 1996 the World Health Organization WHO issued a substance dependence program handles one of which is “Rational Use of benzodiazepine”. Because of it turns out in everyday practice, although most of the benzodiazepine class anesthesia is indicated for patients with psychiatric disorders, in fact most of the benzodiazepine class of drugs that wear these are general practitioners and non-specialist psychiatric doctor.

Research carried out Wood, Katz and Winger as published in the grip of this WHO says 80 percent of the benzodiazepine class of drugs prescribed by general practitioners and is the second most prescribed drug after drug for the heart and blood vessels.

Unfortunately, this use is much that is not rational and violates the rules of the handle-grip that has been decided jointly by the agencies of health and mental health organizations in the world.

Some things that often occur under the use of benzodiazepines are:

  1. The use of benzodiazepines for acute cases of mild anxiety. This actually does not require treatment with a benzodiazepine class drug.
  2. The use of benzodiazepines for insomnia cases in a long time more than 4 weeks. As a grip, the benzodiazepine class of drugs should not be used for more than 4 weeks.
  3. The use of benzodiazepines on the condition that does not require all this treatment, but only in mild cases.
  4. Use of benzodiazepines in the elderly are often too high dosage and duration and the selection of species that are less precise. This could pose a risk of falls in the elderly, confusion and respiratory distress.

Another thing to consider in the use of this drug is its potential to experience the effects of dependence, tolerance and withdrawal reactions when not in use anymore. A lot of controversy about what is a dependence in terms of medical. Many experts are saying things and different opinions about this.

Some say that the dependency associated with rising doses (tolerance) so if there is no tolerance means no dependence. But one thing that needs to be underlined is the potential for dependence and withdrawal symptoms on the use of benzodiazepines is associated with duration of use. So the longer use of this class of drugs the greater the potential for experiencing dependency and withdrawal reactions.

So my message is to be wise in using this drug benzodiazepine class of any kind. In Indonesia, I often see one class of benzodiazepine prescribing is alprazolam a very big, either by your GP or a specialist. Not to mention this drug can be obtained free of illegal drug markets or rogue pharmacies.

There have been many victims of this substance dependence is to use these drugs for decades. I myself have patients who come because they want to recover from its dependence on this drug at a dose of 6 milligrams per day (think of the commonly prescribed dose daily alone is usually not more than 1 milligram). I hope, doctors and patients increasingly wise in using this drug.

Find supplements, know phytopharmacology

A doctor in Ohio found an impaired renal function in young patients. It is less than 15 years. Elsewhere 40 year old construction worker died with severe renal dysfunction.

Both of them did not know each other. Not too brother. It’s just that, have the same habits, diligently taking liquid supplements. They consume every day, even more than once when the body is less fit.
It took the examination to ensure relevance to consume excessive supplements (which are considered produces energy) with impaired renal function. To be sure, excessive consumption can have side effects. Supplements may be useful, but there are limitations. It means  content, and potential risks.

Some supplements contain caffeine. Consumers with heart problems are advised to avoid it. Caffeine will speed up the heart rhythm which can be fatal in the long term.

Similarly, in taking vitamins (part of the supplement), someone with talent uric acid stones are advised to reduce vitamin C. If violated, the negative effects that come.

In definitive, the supplement is a nutrient supplement product in one’s body. While vitamins are organic compounds the body needs in small amounts to maintain health.

Many myths about vitamins and supplements including weight gain, gives energy, heal disease, to educate children. If it’s the intellectual, why the government does not buy as much as possible and then distribute to the children. It’s all a myth. The myth was developed with suggestions. Vitamins and supplements are not drugs. People with normal and balanced eating patterns actually do not need vitamins or supplements due to be met from the food consumed.

Vitamins more fitting for the residents in the area minus, for pregnant and breastfeeding period, for disturbance to absorb vitamins, special diets or absolute vegetarian.

If anyone wants to take vitamins or supplements, please. However, do not over-expectations. Follow the rules of use.

Advertise free supplement with claims that are often excessive. Some claim as a drug. Amid the confusion of consumers, not government also intervened to give an explanation. The government should be responsible to give counseling drug use is good and right. Because when the drug is categorized product qualifies safe, useful, and efficacious. Achieving that through clinical test in humans that can be proved scientifically. What about supplements? Through pre-clinical stage (test on animals) can not, especially clinical trials. The most basic requirement is safe for consumption.

Then, what is phytopharmacology? phytopharmacology is a drug made from the qualified nature safe, useful, and efficacious as evidenced by clinical trials. There are standard.

phytopharmacology is the highest category of herbal products in the pyramid, above the standardized herbal and medicinal herbs. Standardized herbal products are tested pre-clinically in animals. There are standards that follow. The herb is a concoction of natural ingredients that are used down through the generations. Believed efficacious, but there is no scientific research. Herbs and herbal medicine is not standardized, only to be helpful.

As a supplement, consume herbal medicine also have to be careful especially with the results produced by the modern herbal extracts. Because of there is additional material which could affect negatively.
In some tropical countries are very rich in medicinal natural ingredients. Unfortunately for 15 years produced six new developed phytopharmacology. Among of them, celery leaves and cat whiskers to hypertension medication, leaf meniran to stimulate the immune system, and guava leaves for diarrhea medicine.

Some of plants do have medicinal active substance. However, these are not for all.

“War” conventional medicines (chemical) with herbs have long. There are anti-herb, supported, or combine both for therapy.

By understanding the positive and negative effects of herbal therapy doctor does not need to be banned without reason. Doctors just give directives, decisions in the hands of patients. The hope, patients become increasingly intelligent.

How to treat respiratory tract infections

Upper respiratory tract infection are an acute infectious disease involving the organs of the respiratory tract, nose, sinuses, pharynx, or larynx. Symptoms of this disease are body aches (myalgia), snotty (rhinorrhea), coughing, headache, pain at throat. This is caused by viruses, bacteria and fungi. The diagnosis is included in this state are rhinitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis, tosilitis, and laryngitis.

Therapy is done by giving antibiotics even though most of these diseases caused by viruses that can heal itself without the provision of therapeutic drugs. Giving antibiotics to accelerate the healing of this disease compared to only symptomatic medication, other than that by giving antibiotics to prevent the continuation of the bacterial infection, administration, selection of antibiotics at this disease must be considered properly to prevent resistance to germs / baterial in the future. But at this disease which has continued with symptoms of phlegm and mucus which had become green, giving antibiotics is mandatory because the symptoms are there bacterium prove who was involved.