Drug and alcohol abuse are serious public health problems that affect millions of people in the United States directly and/or indirectly. MedlinePlus reported in 2010 that approximately 40 million people in the United States become ill or injured...
No one single factor can predict whether an individual will become a drug abuser. The major risk of drug abuse is drug addiction. Immature brain development in adolescence accounts for the poor judgment and impaired decision-making, which may...
Drugs that lower levels of cholesterol include the statins, fibrates, niacin, ezetimibe and bile acid sequestrants. They act by different mechanisms to reduce cholesterol levels and low density lipoproteins, or LDLs. They are often used in...
Statin drugs are commonly prescribed to treat high cholesterol. They are efficient in lowering your cholesterol, but they also carry the risk of certain side effects. Some of the more commonly reported side effects include muscle pain, liver...
Drug abuse is the use of illicit drugs and overuse of prescription and over-the-counter medicines. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, some of the common categories of drugs that are abused include stimulants, depressants,...
Certain factors can help determine if a person is at risk for abusing drugs. Drug abuse can start at a young age, even if it does not fully develop until adulthood. The more risks a child is exposed to, the more likely drug abuse may occur. Risk...
Drug abuse is a prevalent problem, affecting millions of teens every year. Focus Adolescent Services reports that 1.2 million U.S. adolescents ages 12 to 17 smoked cigarettes, 63,100 drank alcohol and 586,000 experimented with marijuana on an...
A double shot of espresso, a glass of Merlot, a cigarette. Most people use one or more of these from time to time as a pick-me-up, a bring-me-down or a social accessory. Many, however, overindulge in substances, or continue to use them despite...
Cholesterol is a fatty substance in your blood that can build up and cause serious health conditions, such as a heart attack or a stroke. If you are over the age of 20, you should have your cholesterol checked with a simple blood test. If your...
In 2008 453,000 Americans age 12 and older used heroin at least once reports the National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIDA and according to Hartwick College, cocaine is one of the fastest growing drugs of abuse because of its accessibility in the...
Fosavance is a medication which contains the compounds alendronate and calciferol. Alendronate is a bisphosphonate and is most commonly used to treat osteoporosis. Calciferol is the name for a synthetic form of vitamin D, which can also be used to...
Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune neuromuscular disorder that causes muscle weakness, often affecting the eyelids first. This disease occurs most commonly in women younger than 40 and men older than 60, but it can occur at any age. A number of...
Illicit drugs are widely acknowledged as a problem in society, but the legal and medical approval of a drug goes not guarantee that it is without risk. A vast slate of negative effects can result from the use of legal prescription drugs as well....
Glutathione is a non-essential substance used by virtually every cell in the body to neutralize disease-causing free radicals. In fact, since the body manufactures this potent antioxidant, it acts like a security guard that's on duty around the...
Soy is a healthy plant based food that contains high-quality protein, B vitamins, fiber and beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, according to the Nemours Foundation; soy beans are also known to contain isoflavones, compounds with estrogen-like...
Premarin is a synthetic form of the hormone estrogen. It is used to treat symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, burning and irritation, and to prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, says Drugs.com. Premarin may also be...
Healthy eating habits and regular exercise are generally the best means of losing weight, but there are cases in which these methods do not yield adequate results. Losing weight naturally requires an immense amount of time as well as discipline....
Depression affects nearly 15 million Americans, according to 2010 information from the National Institute of Mental Health. As a leading cause of disability, depression affects individuals, their loved ones and the community. Psychiatrists...
Harmful effects from prescription drugs is growing, according to Donald Light, professor of comparative health policy at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. He says this is because new drugs are tested against placebos rather...
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is a disorder characterized by inattentiveness, overactivity, impulsivity, or a combination. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, or AACAP, notes that approximately 3 percent...
All medications carry the risk of serious adverse effects. Anti-seizure medications, used to treat bipolar disorder include Depakote, Depakene, Tegretol, Lamictal and Trileptal. While these drugs each carry unique risks, they share some serious...
Prescription diet pills are used to treat people who are obese or overweight with risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes, according to the product labels for Xenical, Meridia and Adipex-P. Xenical contains orlistat, a substance that inhibits...
The risk of a teenager using drugs is significant. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the natural attitudes and behaviors that teens have put them at risk for drug use; teens are curious, risk takers who often...
There are certain indicators that put a teen at higher risk for drug abuse, though some teen drug abuse is unpredictable. Specific interventions may be necessary to prevent a teen from turning to drugs. Taking proactive steps to prevent drug abuse...
The Suddenly Slim Diet is an approach to dieting that uses meal replacement shakes and large amounts of daily supplements. This is not a diet that should be carried out for a long stretch of time; the body tends to lose a lot of water weight...
Topamax (topiramate) is an anticonvulsant used to prevent seizures in epileptic individuals. For migraines, Topamax is considered a preventative medication, taken for the prevention of migraine headaches. According to the Mayo Clinic, nearly half...
Phenytoin sodium, also marketed under the name Dilantin, is a drug used primarily to treat epilepsy. It is not considered habit-forming. The drug takes time to build up to therapeutic levels in the body. Targeted concentrations produce seizure...
There is no medical evidence that lifting weights itself affects hepatitis C. Hepatitis C can affect your weightlifting routine, however, because those affected may experience fever, fatigue, abdominal discomfort, liver tenderness and muscle pain,...
Creatine is an amino acid used as a supplement to enhance muscle growth and power, and MayoClinic.com experts say creatine monohydrate is one of the most popular supplements among athletes. Although it's technically a supplement, creatine is...
Bladder cancer can refer to any number of cancerous growths in the urinary bladder. Learn about bladder cancer and treatment options in this video.
Hepatitis D is an inflammation of the liver caused by viral infection. Symptoms include jaundice, nausea, and lack of appetite. Learn more about the causes, symptoms, and treatments of hepatitis D in this health video.
Tuberculosis, or TB, is a dangerous infectious disease commonly targeting the lungs and caused by mycobacteria. Learn more about TB including treatments and symptoms in this medical video.
