The bird flu virus called H5N1 can kill you. There is no bird flu epidemic in humans, but there could be. You can get bird flu only from birds. Since humans spend more time with humans than they do with birds, humans are at very low risk for bird flu. The concern is that H5N1 could mutate and be spread from human to human. This could cause an epidemic that could kill millions of people throughout the world.
At this time the only drugs we have to threat bird flu are Tamiflu and Relenza. On the first sign of chills or coughing during an epidemic, you would be instructed to take one Tamiflu pill twice a day for five days. This shortens the course of the disease by one day, which seems insignificant but could save your life. You could also take the drug prophylactically if you were exposed to people who have the flu. Relenza has to be inhaled , so you would take it only after you became sick.
If you hear that bird flu has mutated and is causing an epidemic among humans, you will want to get Tamiflu pills and have them ready if you need them. At this time it does not make sense to stockpile the drugs as there may never be a bird flu epidemic, the drugs are very expensive, and they have a limited shelf life.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Amantadine - Effective Anti-Viral Drug for Flu
The role of Influenza anti viral drugs will be of utmost importance if a pandemic breaks out, especially during the first wave of infection when pandemic vaccines may not be available. Anti Virals is the only option available for the prevention and treatment of Influenza in the absence of vaccines.
In the present scenario, we are encompassed with four types of Anti viral drugs which are miraculously effectual in shortening the course of infection if given early during the disease and are also capable of providing short term protection against Influenza.
They are:
* Amantadine
* Rimantadine
* Tamiflu
* Relenza
Amantadine- The medication is used to treat or prevent infections of the respiratory tract caused by a certain virus. It acts by slowing the growth of the virus. Amantadine is also used to treat symptoms of Parkinson's disease and to treat the side effects caused by certain psychiatric drugs.
Amantadine hydrochloride inhibits the replication of influenza A viruses at low concentrations. The exact mechanism of action is unknown.
In vitro human influenza viruses, including H1N1, H1N2, H2N2 and H3N2 subtypes are inhibited by 0.2 to 0.7 micrograms/ml or less of amantadine. It is recognized, however, that not all strains susceptible under in vitro conditions will be similarly affected in clinical practice.
The medication is only effective against the A influenza viruses. If used as a treatment it is not capable of preventing the host immune response for influenza A infection. Prophylactic administration has no effect on the host immune response to vaccination with the current inactivated influenza virus vaccines.
Amantadine Dosage- Generally the medication is recommended soon after the exposure is suspected and should be taken continuously for the next ten days. In case of recurrent or prolonged exposure, it is advised to continue with Amantadine dosage throughout the epidemic.
The suggested dosages of Amantadine for different age groups are as follows:
* Children aged five-nine years- 100mg once daily
* Children and adults aged 10-65 years- 100mg twice daily
* Adults over 65 years- 100mg once daily
Opt for Amantadine
The fact that makes Amantadine one of the best medications available against influenza is that it is anti-viral. Even antibiotics can kill bacteria but they are not effective against viral infection and since flu is a viral infection it deserves treatment through an anti-viral medication, which is Amantadine. So, you should look for the drug information number, or DIN, on the product, and buy amantadine from genuine internet pharmacies that provide a street address and telephone number in case there is a problem.
In the present scenario, we are encompassed with four types of Anti viral drugs which are miraculously effectual in shortening the course of infection if given early during the disease and are also capable of providing short term protection against Influenza.
They are:
* Amantadine
* Rimantadine
* Tamiflu
* Relenza
Amantadine- The medication is used to treat or prevent infections of the respiratory tract caused by a certain virus. It acts by slowing the growth of the virus. Amantadine is also used to treat symptoms of Parkinson's disease and to treat the side effects caused by certain psychiatric drugs.
Amantadine hydrochloride inhibits the replication of influenza A viruses at low concentrations. The exact mechanism of action is unknown.
In vitro human influenza viruses, including H1N1, H1N2, H2N2 and H3N2 subtypes are inhibited by 0.2 to 0.7 micrograms/ml or less of amantadine. It is recognized, however, that not all strains susceptible under in vitro conditions will be similarly affected in clinical practice.
The medication is only effective against the A influenza viruses. If used as a treatment it is not capable of preventing the host immune response for influenza A infection. Prophylactic administration has no effect on the host immune response to vaccination with the current inactivated influenza virus vaccines.
Amantadine Dosage- Generally the medication is recommended soon after the exposure is suspected and should be taken continuously for the next ten days. In case of recurrent or prolonged exposure, it is advised to continue with Amantadine dosage throughout the epidemic.
The suggested dosages of Amantadine for different age groups are as follows:
* Children aged five-nine years- 100mg once daily
* Children and adults aged 10-65 years- 100mg twice daily
* Adults over 65 years- 100mg once daily
Opt for Amantadine
The fact that makes Amantadine one of the best medications available against influenza is that it is anti-viral. Even antibiotics can kill bacteria but they are not effective against viral infection and since flu is a viral infection it deserves treatment through an anti-viral medication, which is Amantadine. So, you should look for the drug information number, or DIN, on the product, and buy amantadine from genuine internet pharmacies that provide a street address and telephone number in case there is a problem.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Keyhole Surgery Of The Shoulder - Who needs it in India?
‘Arthros’ means joint in Greek. The arthroscope is an instrument used by orthopaedic surgeons to look into joints. It is about 8- 10 inches long and is as thick as a pencil. There is a fibre optic lens system which transmits light from a cold light source outside and relays the interior image to a medical television monitor. In other words the arthroscope serves as a camera device to look into structures inside a joint. It is possible to diagnose pathological conditions not seen on X rays and sometimes even on MRI scans.
Who needs arthroscopy?
a)Rotator cuff tears, partial and complete
b)Recurrent dislocations
c)Frozen shoulder and adhesive capsulitis
d)Calcium deposition
e)Loose bodies
f)Osteoarthritis
Advantages
As there are no formal large incisions, post operative pain is minimal. Since muscles and tissues are not removed from their origins on bone, again the amount of inflammation is minimal. Recovery can be faster as it is not necessary for muscles to heal back. Cosmetically the procedure is very satisfying. There are no mental scars of open surgery. Return to sport or work is faster, hospital stays are shorter and hence bills are smaller. However arthroscopic equipment is expensive to hire or possess and the surgeon has to recover the cost of dispensable items like shavers, suture anchors. This is offset by enormous patient satisfaction.
Arthroscopic surgery by its simple nature provides an opportunity to the orthopaedic surgeon to examine the interior of a joint. After Knee arthroscopy, the shoulder is the joint which is suited for arthroscopic surgery. Other joints are the ankle, wrist and elbow. Indians and Asians in the Gulf get only short spells of leave to spend with their near and dear ones. They would benefit from undergoing Arthroscopic shoulder surgery for shoulder pain as the recovery is shorter.
The conditions treated by open surgery earlier are now treatable by arthroscopic surgery with remarkable success. Some hitherto unknown conditions have been diagnosed after the advent of arthroscopic surgery. Any painful or unstable condition of the shoulder except end stage arthritis can be treated by arthroscopic surgery. Shoulder replacement is not yet possible arthroscopically, but with minimally invasive orthopaedic surgery catching up, that may not be far off. It is certainly possible to introduce prosthesis for fracture fixation through key hole incisions and the same may be extended to joint replacement as well.
Arthroscopy can be diagnostic to confirm or make the diagnosis. X –rays do not reveal soft tissue pathology and many patients are frustrated when their orthopaedic surgeon dismisses their pain as of no significance just because the X-ray is normal. MRI and ultra sound are useful non invasive investigations but is operator dependent and need good musculo skeletal radiologists to interpret them.
Rotator cuff disease, instability, impingement due to bony outgrowths from the clavicle or the acromio clavicular joint can be trimmed arthroscopically. Infections can be drained. Recalcitrant calcium deposits can be needled and a frozen shoulder can be released arthroscopically. SLAP lesions are debrided and reconstructed by this method through small key hole incisions.
How is the procedure done?
Arthroscopic surgery is an elective or planned surgery. It is done under general anaesthesia. It is done as a day case which means that you may be discharged the same day (Day care or surgery). The instrument is introduced into the joint through small incisions about half centimeter long. Other instruments are also introduced and maneuvered to achieve the therapeutic goal.
Advantages
As there are no formal large incisions, post operative pain is minimal. Since muscles and tissues are not removed from their origins on bone, again the amount of inflammation is minimal. Recovery can be faster as it is not necessary for muscles to heal back. Cosmetically the procedure is very satisfying. There are no mental scars of open surgery. Return to sport or work is faster, hospital stays are shorter and hence bills are smaller. However arthroscopic equipment is expensive to hire or possess and the surgeon has to recover the cost of dispensable items like shavers, suture anchors. This is offset by enormous patient satisfaction.
Who needs arthroscopy?
a)Rotator cuff tears, partial and complete
b)Recurrent dislocations
c)Frozen shoulder and adhesive capsulitis
d)Calcium deposition
e)Loose bodies
f)Osteoarthritis
Advantages
As there are no formal large incisions, post operative pain is minimal. Since muscles and tissues are not removed from their origins on bone, again the amount of inflammation is minimal. Recovery can be faster as it is not necessary for muscles to heal back. Cosmetically the procedure is very satisfying. There are no mental scars of open surgery. Return to sport or work is faster, hospital stays are shorter and hence bills are smaller. However arthroscopic equipment is expensive to hire or possess and the surgeon has to recover the cost of dispensable items like shavers, suture anchors. This is offset by enormous patient satisfaction.
Arthroscopic surgery by its simple nature provides an opportunity to the orthopaedic surgeon to examine the interior of a joint. After Knee arthroscopy, the shoulder is the joint which is suited for arthroscopic surgery. Other joints are the ankle, wrist and elbow. Indians and Asians in the Gulf get only short spells of leave to spend with their near and dear ones. They would benefit from undergoing Arthroscopic shoulder surgery for shoulder pain as the recovery is shorter.
The conditions treated by open surgery earlier are now treatable by arthroscopic surgery with remarkable success. Some hitherto unknown conditions have been diagnosed after the advent of arthroscopic surgery. Any painful or unstable condition of the shoulder except end stage arthritis can be treated by arthroscopic surgery. Shoulder replacement is not yet possible arthroscopically, but with minimally invasive orthopaedic surgery catching up, that may not be far off. It is certainly possible to introduce prosthesis for fracture fixation through key hole incisions and the same may be extended to joint replacement as well.
Arthroscopy can be diagnostic to confirm or make the diagnosis. X –rays do not reveal soft tissue pathology and many patients are frustrated when their orthopaedic surgeon dismisses their pain as of no significance just because the X-ray is normal. MRI and ultra sound are useful non invasive investigations but is operator dependent and need good musculo skeletal radiologists to interpret them.
Rotator cuff disease, instability, impingement due to bony outgrowths from the clavicle or the acromio clavicular joint can be trimmed arthroscopically. Infections can be drained. Recalcitrant calcium deposits can be needled and a frozen shoulder can be released arthroscopically. SLAP lesions are debrided and reconstructed by this method through small key hole incisions.
How is the procedure done?
Arthroscopic surgery is an elective or planned surgery. It is done under general anaesthesia. It is done as a day case which means that you may be discharged the same day (Day care or surgery). The instrument is introduced into the joint through small incisions about half centimeter long. Other instruments are also introduced and maneuvered to achieve the therapeutic goal.
Advantages
As there are no formal large incisions, post operative pain is minimal. Since muscles and tissues are not removed from their origins on bone, again the amount of inflammation is minimal. Recovery can be faster as it is not necessary for muscles to heal back. Cosmetically the procedure is very satisfying. There are no mental scars of open surgery. Return to sport or work is faster, hospital stays are shorter and hence bills are smaller. However arthroscopic equipment is expensive to hire or possess and the surgeon has to recover the cost of dispensable items like shavers, suture anchors. This is offset by enormous patient satisfaction.
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