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Prescription drug misuse may complicate illnesses Dr Rajeev Gupta Prescription drug misuse is a worldwide phenomenon and has also become a cause for serious public health concern in our country. Death of pop-singer Michael Jackson has been alleged to be caused by overdose of prescription pain-killers. Doctors for curbs on fizzy drinks and fast food Why is tonsillitis so common among kids?
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Prescription drug misuse may complicate illnesses Prescription drug abuse happens when someone takes medicines that were prescribed for someone else or takes his own prescription medicines in excess to relieve pain, to stay awake, or to fall asleep. Prescription drugs are often misused for non-medical reasons and can alter the brain functioning leading to dependence. It has been classified as an epidemic by the US-based Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The last decade has seen a substantial rise in the recreational use of pharma drugs across South Asia as well. India is the fourth largest producer of pharmaceuticals globally. The first-ever national drug survey of 2002 did not cover the use of prescription drugs. Economic growth in the past decade has given a boost to the use of stimulants and designer drugs. The Northeast, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Odisha and metros have emerged as major consumers and hubs of these drugs. Common causes of misuse of prescription drugs: How are prescription drugs abused? Most prescription drugs come in pills, capsules or liquid form; a few are in the form of injections as well. Sometimes, people who abuse prescription drugs break or crush the pill or capsule, then swallow the drug, sniff it, or heat it — turn it to liquid — and then inject it. It is well known that many IV drug abusers prepare their own injections in highly unhygienic conditions. Sharing of needles and syringes is quiet common among these users, exposing them to serious infections like Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C & HIV. Recent upsurge of hepatitis C in Punjab has been partially contributed by IV drug abuse. Among the commonly abused classes of prescription drugs are opioids (for pain), central nervous system (CNS) depressants (for anxiety and sleep disorders), and stimulants (for ADHD and narcolepsy). Why you should not abuse prescription drugs? All medicines have given side-effects. Doctors weigh the need of prescribing a given medicine and the side-effects of the drug. There is a golden rule in medical practice: use medicines only and when indicated. Never use them casually, for fun and without medical advice. If a particular dose can help a patient, at a higher dose the same medicine can severely harm the user. Two or more drugs used in wrong combinations can lead to serious consequences. Once you take more than one drug, they can have drug interactions. The common man has no knowledge of these medicines and no one is well equipped to start his own treatment. If one starts doing that, then he can’t escape the negative consequences. In our country, a large number of unqualified people prescribe such medicines without adequate knowledge, training and experience and are causing immense harm to society. According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, the teens who abuse prescription medicines are twice more likely to use alcohol, marijuana and illegal street drugs such as heroin, ecstasy and cocaine than the teens who don’t abuse prescription medicines. When abused, prescription drugs may be taken in inappropriate doses or by routes of administration that change the way the drugs act in the body, risking overdose. Stimulants increase attention but also raise blood pressure and the heart rate. They can lead to complications in patients having cardiac problems. These side-effects can be made worse when prescription drugs are not taken as prescribed or are abused in combination with other substances — including alcohol, and even over-the-counter drugs, such as cold medicines. For instance, some people mix alcohol and sleeping pills both of which can slow breathing. Medications that affect the brain can change the way it functions — especially when they are taken repeatedly or in large doses. They can alter the reward system of the brain, making it harder to feel good without the drug and can lead to intense cravings, which make it hard to stop using. Addiction is a real possibility with these drugs. When abruptly stopped, they can lead to serious withdrawal symptoms. Remember: All medicines have to be consumed with sufficient caution and precautions, and always under proper medical supervision. The writer is a senior psychiatrist and de-addiction specialist based in
Ludhiana. rajeevgupta11@yahoo.co.in
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Doctors for curbs on fizzy drinks and fast food A tax on fizzy drinks, a limit on fast food outlets near schools and child nutritional advice for new parents are urgently required to help address spiralling levels of obesity, doctors have demanded. The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AMRC), which represents nearly every doctor in the UK, said obesity was “the greatest public health crisis affecting the UK” and warned ministers, councils, the NHS and food organisations needed to take action. The AMRC’s report drew parallels with the campaign against smoking, saying: “Just as the challenges of persuading society that the deeply embedded habit of smoking was against its better interests, changing how we eat is now a matter of necessity.” The report criticised the present and previous governments for insufficient and ineffective attempts to tackle the obesity problem and said doctors from across the medical profession are united in their concerns. The need for action is urgent to break the cycle of “generation after generation falling victim to obesity-related illnesses and death,” it added. Britain is one of the most obese nations in the world, with one in four adults overweight, figures say, and the number is expected to double by 2050. Doctors are calling for society “as a whole” to act before the obesity crisis becomes irreversible, fearing the situation will otherwise become “unresolvable”. The AMRC put forward 10 recommendations to end the UK being “the fat man of Europe”. These include: Professor Terence Stephenson, the chairman of the AMRC, told the BBC that while there was no “silver bullet” for tackling obesity, the eating culture needs changing to make it easier for people to make healthy decisions. — The Independent
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Why is tonsillitis so common among kids? Small children are very commonly afflicted with a problem of infection and inflammation of their throat which is known as tonsillitis. In such times, the tonsils become red, inflamed, painful and swollen. On looking into the throat, one can easily see the tonsils red and swollen. This may cause difficulty and pain on swallowing solids or even liquids. The voice becomes hoarse and dry cough can result from the irritation in the throat. Fever and generalised body-aches may also be present. Patches of pus can form in the tonsils and the infection can spread to the ears. The throat and jaw may also be tender. Some kids are more prone to tonsillitis than others and this may even run in families, though there is no deficiency as such in these children. To understand this trouble, one must know what the tonsils are and what their role is in the human body. The tonsils are one of the lymph nodes and they are stationed in the back part of the throat to prevent the wide array of bacteria and viruses from entering into the system. Although they keep on doing their job without we ever coming to know of it, once in a while they are themselves overwhelmed fighting off a particularly strong infection. Since the tonsils are a part of the human defence system, it is imperative that they should remain fighting fit so as to prevent the infection from entering the body. Umder these cirumstances, it is better to cure the problem of tonsillits and remove the predisposition rather than getting them surgically removed. Episodes of tonsillitis are more common in children and are reduced as age advances. This is because the immune system of children is not fully developed, and they are more prone to infections of all kinds, bacterial or viral. As the kids grow, their immune system develops more and more antibodies to the viruses and the bacteria that they come across and become less and less susceptible to them. Whenever an offending organism enters, the antibodies spring into action and are able to contain the infection. Homoeopathy has for ages advocated that these infections need to be treated medically. Surgically removing the tonsils does not solve the problem but leaves the person more susceptible to future infections. It is akin to shooting the messenger that brings bad tidings. Rather than shooting the messenger, it would be better to remedy the cause of the bad news. In this case, treat the infection in the acute stage and later on give constitutional homoeopathic treatment to fortify immunity and remove susceptibility to recurrent infections. Avoiding cold food, cold drinks, sour foods and too much of spicy food can help control the number of episodes of infection. Drinking warm water and doing gargles with warm salt water can help relieve pain. There are homoeopathic medicines which are very helpful in treating the acute phases of tonsillitis. Once the acute phase has been satisfactorily settled, one should follow it with the right constitutional remedies which will cure the predisposition to get this problem time and again. It will have the added benefit: there would be no need for surgical removal of the tonsils. The writer is a Mohali-based homoeopathic practitioner. drharshsharma@gmail.com
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Health Notes WASHINGTON: Exercise doesn't only strengthen your heart and muscles – it also helps increase brain power, say researchers. Dozens of studies now show that aerobic exercise can increase the size of critical brain structures and improve cognition in children and older adults, according to University of Illinois psychology professor Art Kramer, a nationally recognized expert on the role of physical fitness on cognition. "Populations throughout the industrialised world are becoming increasing sedentary as a result of the changing nature of work and leisure activities. As a result of these societal changes, increases in diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis and some cancers are increasing. Physical activity serves to reduce susceptibility to these diseases," Kramer said. — ANI Air pollution and ozone levels linked to cardiac arrests
WASHINGTON: Researchers have found a direct correlation between out-of-hospital cardiac arrests and levels of air pollution and ozone. Rice University statisticians Katherine Ensor and Loren Raun announced their findings at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) conference in Boston. For the new study, the authors analysed eight years' worth of data drawn from Houston's extensive network of air-quality monitors and more than 11,000 concurrent out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) logged by Houston Emergency Medical Services (EMS). They found a positive correlation between OHCAs and exposure to both fine particulate matter (airborne particles smaller than 2.5 micrograms) and ozone. — ANI High cholesterol's role in heart disease busted as a `myth`
WASHINGTON: A doctor from California has claimed that it's a myth that high cholesterol is one of the factors which makes the heart diseases deadly. Dr. Jonny Bowden, author of 'The Great Cholesterol Myth,' said that lowering your cholesterol may not necessarily prevent heart disease. Cholesterol is not even a good predictor of heart disease. He asserted that 50 per cent of people who are admitted to hospitals in the US with cardiovascular disease have normal cholesterol — and half the people with elevated cholesterol have normal hearts, Fox News reported. He also believes that cholesterol plays no role whatsoever in the development of heart disease, and that it has taken attention away from other important factors that contribute to cardiovascular problems like inflammation, oxidative damage, stress and sugar in diet. Cholesterol is a pretty minor player but still everyone puts all their efforts into lowering it. — ANI Mental health just as important as physical health
WASHINGTON: People know the importance of keeping healthy and the benefits of exercise, healthy diet, and active lifestyle. But Professor Barbara Sahakian, best known for her expertise on cognitive enhancers, has asked people to prioritise mental health in the same way as physical health. "As a society, we take our mental health for granted. But just like our bodies, it is important to keep our brains fit," said Prof Sahakian. In any given year, one in every four adults suffers from a mental disorder. As a result, in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada, mental disorders are the leading cause of disability, with depression and anxiety accounting for a significant percentage of the disorders. "Just as joggers check their pulse rate, we should encourage individuals to regularly keep an eye on the state of their mental health. Often people wait too long to seek help, making their condition more difficult to treat. We need to educate the public about what to look for and make them aware of the importance of early detection and intervention," added Sahakian. — ANI |
Prescription drug misuse is a worldwide phenomenon and has also become a cause for serious public health concern in our country. Death of pop-singer Michael Jackson has been alleged to be caused by overdose of prescription pain-killers. 
They are cheap.