There are nine types of high blood pressure medications available to patients today. One type is calcium channel blockers (CCB). This kind of medicine keeps calcium from entering the muscle cells of the heart and blood vessels. Basically, your heart doesn’t have to pump as hard when taking a CCB, and as a result, high blood pressure goes down.
Those prescribed amlodipine, which is an example of a CCB, need to remember a few key facts. Never take more or less than your doctor prescribes of the medication. Also, take the medicine at the same time each day, but if
Psoriatic Arthritis
by Dean Heller MD January 13th, 2012 | Ask the Doctor
I have had psoriasis for many years, and now I have developed arthritis in multiple joints. It causes quite a bit of pain, and Advil has not been helping recently. My general doctor told me that it may be related to the psoriasis. Do you think that may be the case? If so, what kind of doctor should I see, and are there treatments other than the usual anti-inflammatory medications?
If you suffer from psoriasis, a common skin condition, there is a 30% chance that you will develop arthritis in your lifetime; this is known as Psoriatic Arthritis. It causes
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If you suffer from psoriasis, a common skin condition, there is a 30% chance that you will develop arthritis in your lifetime; this is known as Psoriatic Arthritis. It causes
Vitamin Focus: K
by Louise January 12th, 2012 | Vitamins
Vitamin K is perhaps the least recognized vitamin. We rarely find it listed under the nutrition facts of a packaged product, so there are many people who have never even heard of it! Regardless, the definition of "vitamin K" has been somewhat hazy and often changing over the years. It's not a single chemical; members of the vitamin K family have been named as vitamin K1, vitamin K2, and vitamin K3 in the past. That terminology has largely been replaced by categorizing a type of vitamin K as either phylloquinones (made by plants) or menaquinones (made by bacteria).
What does it do?
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What does it do?
Eyewear
by Editorial Team January 10th, 2012 | Special Interest Section
If you have vision issues, you know that eyewear is much more than a fashion statement. Whether you require eyewear to see items near or far, they make the difference between being able to see easily and needing to squint. To determine what lens prescription you need, you first need to visit your optometrist or ophthalmologist. After a few simple tests, they can determine the lenses that you will need to correct your vision issues, and then you can choose the glasses that you like. Glasses can be purchased at your doctor's office or at an online store, such as
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Flu Update – January 2012
by Lori Sciame January 9th, 2012 | Diseases
Across the United States, influenza activity so far this season has been sporadic. For the week ending December 24, 2011, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) stated that “No states reported widespread influenza activity. Regional influenza activity was reported by one state (an increase from no states last week). Two states (the same number as last week) reported local influenza activity. Thirty-seven states (an increase from 36 states last week)...Ten states (a decrease from 11 states last week), the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands reported no influenza activity.â€
What does this information mean to you? The good
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What does this information mean to you? The good