Medicine Information

The Medical Community Changes Its Mind


How many of us have taken aspirin or a similar popular product found at the drug store when we had some type of discomfort? Of course, many of us have and why shouldn't we? Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, also called NSAIDs; like aspirin and ibuprofen, have generally been considered safe and effective in making an individual feel better.

As science continues to advance, there are certain times when physicians or scientists simply change their mind about some things, as they have done regarding the once thought safe NSAIDs.

It all began with 2 prescription products called Bextra and Celebrex.

These 2 drugs were broadly used to give individuals healthy feeling joints. But unfortunately they also caused certain side effects which were quite serious, even death. Just when scientists thought that they had found a way to help people by directing medication to an enzyme system in the body to do what the body needs to do to be healthy, after so many prescriptions, it was discovered that this new class of medications did not follow the directive of "do no harm" which is embraced by the medical community. Here's how they work and why they also cause problems.

You may actually find some of the upcoming information familiar with you, particularly if you have been following the Zone philosophy of living. The human body undergoes a number of kinds of biochemical pathways. One of the primary objectives is to simply stay healthy. If a part of the body is hurt, it will defend itself by making that part of the body bigger or swollen.

Dr. Barry Sears (who is the inventor of The Zone Diet and Zone lifestyle) has clearly shown that this type of cellular inflammation goes on constantly and he firmly believes that a key to health and wellness is to modulate this process. In order for this process to happen, particular enzymes are needed. They are called Cox 2 enzymes (or cyclooxygenase enzymes). These specific enzymes call the irritating chemicals into being. Many of the over the counter NSAIDs and the new products work to decrease the number of these enzymes, which can then reduce the amount of cellular inflammation which occurs. If your neck feels stiff, take a new type of NSAID, Cox 2 inhibitor and less of the "bad" type of chemicals will form causing that stiff feeling. Prostaglandins and leukotrienes are two of the inflammatory hormones that can be decreased when the COX 2 enzymes are reduced. While we all may desire medications to work without doing us any harm, we now know this is not true with NSAIDs. The side effects are dangerous and the FDA is certainly concerned, and rightfully so. They want superior labels and warnings on these medications and have asked at least one firm to stop selling their medication.

Side effects may include bleeding in the GI tract, kidney and liver failure and long term effects on bones, sometimes the thing we want most to protect. Some NSAIDs are safer then others, and you may find a list at the National Institutes of Health Web Page. It is little wonder that health minded individuals are turning to natural alternatives in an attempt to stay healthy.

For information about the Zone Diet, fish oil and omega-3 fatty acids visit Fish Oil Supplements and find out more.

Ryan Joseph is a writer/researcher. For more information visit http://www.zonefishoilplus.com/


MORE RESOURCES:

Institute of Medicine Honors Yale's Horwich
Media Newswire (press release), NY - 47 minutes ago
Yale University's Arthur Horwich, MD, has been elected to the prestigious Institute of Medicine, the National Academy of Sciences announced. ...
Two faculty members at Washington University School of Medicine in ... Media Newswire (press release)
all 2 news articles


ENCINITAS: Firefighters recall early days of emergency medicine
North County Times - Californian, CA - 9 hours ago
He said he, too, remembered those early days in the emerging field of emergency medicine. "(The field of) emergency medicine was really a '70s thing," he ...


Café Prevention Raises Awareness of Teen Prescription and OTC ...
dBusinessNews St. Louis (press release), MO - 13 hours ago
However, there are very real risks to misusing these medicines, resulting in overdose or even death. However, prescription medicine abuse and the use of OTC ...


Many Patients Misunderstand Written Screening Tests Commonly Used ...
Newswise (press release) - 13 hours ago
... PhD, assistant professor of urology at Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, pointed out a profound gap in the understanding of physicians ...


Competition growing in VIP medicine
Palm Beach Post,  United States - 17 hours ago
By Phil Galewitz | Monday, October 13, 2008, 04:26 PM Modern Med, a new concierge medicine company has moved into Palm Beach County by partnering with North ...


dBTechno

Individualized medicine to get further boost by four academic ...
WiredPRNews.com (press release), TX - 19 hours ago
Jim Doyle, the State of Wisconsin is on its way to recognition in the national level in the field of individualized medicine with the help of the initiative ...
Initiative positions Wisconsin to become leader in personalized ... University of Wisconsin-Madison University Communications
Four Wisconsin research institutions Collaborate On Genomics Project TopNews
Wisconsin plans genomics initiative FierceHealthcare
Medical News Today (press release) - dBTechno
all 7 news articles


Career ladder: Susan B. Wilson of the UMKC School of Medicine
Kansas City Star, MO - 10 hours ago
•Details: Wilson is responsible for developing strategies and policies for the recruitment and retention of minority students and faculty at the medical ...


Merzenich Elected to Institute of Medicine
MarketWatch - 19 hours ago
Election is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of medicine and health. There are currently just 1736 members. The Institute of Medicine is ...
Institute of Medicine Elects Dr. Maria Freire to Membership MarketWatch
all 17 news articles


BioTime Announces Collaboration With the International Longevity ...
MarketWatch - 20 hours ago
In his recently published book, The Longevity Revolution, he asserts that regenerative medicine, based on embryonic stem cells, could conceivably treat ...


Four UCSF scientists named to Institute of Medicine
UCSF News Office, CA - 13 hours ago
Four faculty scientists in the UCSF School of Medicine are among the 65 newly elected members and five foreign associates to the Institute of Medicine, ...

Medicine - Google News

home | site map
© 2006