Pseudoephedrine and Beta-Blockers
There are over 135 over-the-counter and prescription drugs that contains pseudoephedrine (Salerno, Jackson, & Berbano, 2005). Many of these are familiar brands such as Allegra-D, Benadryl Allergy and Sinus Tablets, Claritin-D Non-Drowsy 24 Hour Tablets, Robitussin Cold Severe Congestion Capsules, Sudafed 24 Hour Tablets, Thera-Flu Cold and Cough Hot Liquid, Tylenol Sinus Severe Congestion Caplets, and Vicks 44M Cough, Cold and Flu Relief (Salerno, Jackson, & Berbano, 2005). Pseudoephedrine can elevate the blood pressure (BP) posing risk to hypertensive patients (Salerno, Jackson, & Berbano, 2005). For BP management using beta-blockers, pseudoephedrine, a seemingly innocent common cold remedy, may and can significantly
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Other adverse effects of pseudoephedrine are arrhythmias, prolongation of the QT interval, angina pectoris, and myocardial infarction. Pseudoephedrine increases the availability of naturally released catecholamines in tissues by direct stimulation of both alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptors that can lead to toxicity, a mechanism that can occur is taken beyond the safe recommended dose (Fidan, Izci, Tellice, Alizade, & Açar, 2015).
Patients with hypertension and coronary disease can be safely treated with beta-blockers reducing myocardial oxygen demands and slowing down myocardial contraction. However, beta-blockers are no longer considered first line therapy for hypertension due to the increased risks in developing diabetes and its use for other complicated cardiac conditions such as heart failure and angina. Consequently, patients who are on beta-blockers, can experience the direct vasospastic effect of pseudoephedrine paired with a dysfunctional endothelium leading to excessive vasospasm that could potentially result to myocardial infarction (Fidan, Izci, Tellice, Alizade, & Açar, 2015). Beta-blockers can reverse the vasospasm in young, healthy patients and even reverse the effects on coronary arteries in an emergency situation who have experienced pseudoephedrine toxicity (Akay & Ozdemir,
To start off, the main driven idea of this book is the black market, or what they refer to as the underground and “shadow economy”. The underground has its choices and consequences as well as any other type of economic system do. But, in this case the underground can be a country’s main economy for survival such as, “In Bolivia the underground economy is responsible for an estimated 65 percent of GDP. In Nigeria it accounts for perhaps 76 percent.” (7) This type of GDP from the underground is usually found in the developing worlds. That’s not to say that we don’t have a dark side of our own in the mix. The US has been the largest competitor in the Black Market in many fields for example: Marijuana,
To help with the quick admission, intranasal administration is a convenience to those who have to administer Naloxone because intranasal Naloxone has a preset dosage. While intranasal Naloxone is easier to administer, intravenous and intramuscular Naloxone administrators have a choice on the dose to give. Advanced EMTs have enough knowledge to choose the dose of Naloxone to give the patient to keep the patient alive. Intranasal was not approved until November of 2015 when the FDA approved a highly concentrated spray form of Naloxone (Strang et al. 576). Intranasal administration only allows one dose to be given compared to Intravenous administration which allows a more adjusted dosage of Naloxone to be given. According to Ott, an
We got up in the morning and left for the airport. We had become professionals at packing and unpacking, exiting and entering hotels, jumping in cabs, trains, and planes. I felt like a world-class traveler.
These substances are in turn broken down in the body into a great many more
Description: Ketamine is a nonbarbiturate, sedative hypnotic used parenterally to provide anesthesia for short diagnostic and surgical procedures. It is also used as an inducing agent, as an adjunct to supplement low-potency anesthetics such as nitrous oxide, and as a supplement to local and regional anesthesia. Ketamine can be used concomitantly with muscle relaxants without complication because it does not provide muscle relaxation of its own. It is a fairly short-acting agent that provides a profound, rapid, dissociative state and a short recovery time.
How does Temazepam work, and what are the indications for its prescription? What are the onset, duration and peak of the drug?
Chronic intake, the delayed onset of action, drug resistance and numerous side effects force the researchers to look for the new, safe antidepressant strategies (1, 2) with rapid onset and longer time of action.
Last year there were over 64,000 reported opioid-related deaths in the United States – making it the leading cause of accidental death in people under the age of 50 in this country (Katz). Opioids, also referred to as painkillers, have become a growing problem over the past two decades particularly in rural communities all across the country where the death rates are higher per capita compared to the death rate in cities (“America’s Opioid Epidemic is Worsening”). These narcotics, such as codeine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, morphine and oxycodone are extremely addictive and, as a result, this silent killer has quadrupled the overdose death toll since 1999
Researching Xanax abuse in college-aged students, I explored the effects and consequences of this addiction. Doctors prescribed this drug for people diagnosed with severe anxiety and depression. According to RehabCenter, despite the high rate of abuse, Xanax remains the ninth best-selling drug in the United States. Young adults tend to use this drug to amplify the effects of alcohol. Circulating the streets, this drug commonly goes by “xans” or “bars”. Taking Xanax with alcohol or on their own, past users can guarantee negative effects such as severely impaired judgement. Advocating never taking this drug, I believe only a doctor’s prescription should excuse consumption.
The medical use of amphetamines was common in the 1950/60's when they were used to help cure depression and to help the user lose weight. An amphetamine is a drug that is a stimulant to the central nervous system. Amphetamines are colorless and may be inhaled, injected, or swallowed. Amphetamines are also used non-medically to avoid sleep, improve athletic performance, or to counter the effects of depressant drugs. Amphetamines are addictive. Because of this, when the user discontinues use or reduces the amount that they use, withdrawal symptoms may occur. Some withdrawal symptoms are as follows: severe exhaustion, deep sleep lasting from 24 to 48 hours, psychotic reaction, extreme hunger, deep depression, anxiety reactions, and long but
The abuse of methamphetamine is a very serious problem in the United States. According to one national survey, approximately 10 million people in the United States have tried methamphetamine at least once (Meth Abuse and Addiction, 2010). Methamphetamine is a highly addictive stimulant that affects the central nervous system. Although most of the methamphetamine used in this country comes from foreign or domestic super labs, the drug is also easily made in small clandestine laboratories, with inexpensive over the counter ingredients. Methamphetamine is commonly known as “speed,” “meth,” and “chalk.” In its smoked form it is often referred to as “ice,” “crystal,” “crank,” and “glass.” It is a
Ice, crank, meth, crystal, tweak, go fast otherwise known as Crystal Methamphetamine, in the United States is at epidemic levels. 1
Throughout the history of the human species, we have been always wanted to know three basic questions: why we are here, where did we come from, and where do we go after this life? Whether we were created from an omnipotent being as in many religions, we happened by chance and made it to where we are through evolution, or maybe even something else. Whatever the case may be, humans have always been curious and wondered about our existence and consciousness. Along with these age old questions, also came the use of psychoactive drugs and other mind altering substances. In order to try to understand these questions, humans have experimented with drugs that alter their state of consciousness.
Pharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology that seeks to understand drugs and how they affect the body. It involves the analysis of how drugs interact with the biological function of the body and how these drugs react with each other, their natures, and their properties. All drugs are considered chemicals and when ingested into the body an affect from the drug takes place. According to Doweiko (1999), “A drug is essentially a foreign chemical that is introduced into the individual’s body to bring about a specific desired response. There are many forms of drugs and how these drugs are administered in the body determines the kind of result that will take place. The Central Nervous System, (CNS) plays a major role in how these
This means that it will cause your heart to beat slower, with less force against your blood vessels. Common side effects are lethargy and fatigue. Some of