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Epilepsy Drugs and Treatment
By Ryan Block

source : http://ezinearticles.com/?Epilepsy-Drugs-and-Treatment&id=1550655

Labels: drug, Epilepsy Drugs, health, hearth

Drug Interaction Due To Smoking

Theophylline (Aminophylline, Deriphyllin, Theolong, Theomac)

This is a frequently prescribed bronchodilator to relieve and prevent symptoms of asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. In smokers, the drug is more rapidly eliminated from the body than in non-smokers, and thus its level in the blood decreases faster, reducing the duration of action. Some heavy smokers may require as much as one and a half to two time the maintenance dose of theophylline. It may take six months to three years to return to normal after smoking is stopped

Propranolol (Inderal Corbeta), Metoprolol (Metolar, Betaloc)

These drugs belongs to the class of beta-blocking agents which are used to control high blood pressure, angina pectoris (severe chest pain), cardiac arrhythmias, migraine headaches, and to improve the chances of survival of the patient after a heart attack. In smokers the drug is cleared faster from the body than in non-smokers, and thus, there is a reduced level of the drug in the blood, resulting in inadequate therapeutic effect.

Pentazocine (Fortwin, Pentawin, Sosegon)

Pentazocine is a pain reliever and is required in larger doses by smokers because of its increased rate of metabolism.

Phenothiazines like chlorpromazine (Largactil), trifluoperazine (Trinicalm, Lacalm), thioridazine (Melleril) are required in larger than usual doses in smokers as compared to non-smokers due to their increased rate of metabolism. The same is true for tricyclic antidepressant drugs like imipramine (Depsonil, Antidep, Tencodep), desipramine (Norpramine), amitriptyline (Sarotena), trimipramine (Surmontil), and doxepin (Spectra).

Sedatives

Sleep-producing and anxiety-relieving agents are affected by smoking. Heavy smokers are known to show markedly diminished effects of drugs such as diazepam (Valium, Calmpose), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), lorazepam (Larpose), and oxazepam (Serepax).

Heparin (Beparine)

This drug prevents the clotting of blood and is important in treating conditions like thromboembolic disease, in which clotted blood fragments threaten to block blood vessels. In smokers the heparin level in the blood decreases 50% more rapidly than in non-smokers.

Frusemide (Lasix, Salinex)

This is a drug used in hypertension and edema, and shows lesser effects amongst smokers.

Vitamins

Smoking has been shown to lower the blood level of the indispensable vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) by causing increased urinary excretion. Smokers also metabolise vitamin C faster than non-smokers and thus require about 40% additional dose of the vitamin.

Oral Contraceptives

Women who use oral contraceptives are strongly advised not to smoke. Cigarette smoking Increases the risk of such serious cardiovascular side effects of oral contraceptives such as stroke, heart attack, and sudden blockage of blood vessels (thromboembolism). The risk increases with age and the number of cigarettes smoked per day, and is more marked in women above 35 years of age and those who smoke more than 25 cigarettes a day.

Cessation of Smoking

The relative ineffectiveness of the drugs described above, must be understood in the right Perspective. If you are a smoker and suffer from high blood pressure, heart disease, asthma, or any mental disorder, and taking any of the above drugs, make sure that the adjustment of dosages is done in a proper way.

Only when faced with serious health problems do smokers think seriously of quitting smoking. They are advised to make a serious effort to stop smoking before their problems get out of hand.

There are two treatments which can help smokers quit smoking.

Nicotine Replacement

Nicotine Patch: It is applied over skin and releases nicotine at a rate of 7 to 10 mg in 24 hours. It is employed for about 8 weeks. Nicotine gum containing 2mg and 4 mg per piece is also available in some countries. A nicotine gum preparation (Nulife) containing 1 to 3 mg nicotine is also available.

Drug

Bupropion (Smoquit SR): This antidepressant drug is found to be helpful. Its continuous release form having 150 to 300 mg drug is used once a day and is helpful in quite a number of cases. It can be used along with nicotine patch.

By: Franchis

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Labels: drug, nicotine, oral, sedative, smoking, vitamin

The Dangers of Drug Abuse
By Joseph Devine

Drug abuse and trafficking has been a large problem for a very long time. This problem has become worse with the addition of more drugs that can be abused over the years. One of these relatively newer drugs is hydrocodone.

Hydrocodone comes in many different forms. It is often found as a mixture with acetaminophen. There are several hundred different brand name and generic products, but the most common are Vicodin, Lortab, and Lorcet.

There are also names a few names for hydrocodone when it is being used illegally. These names include Vikes, Hydro, and Norco. These are all hydrocodone containing medications, and each comes in several different strengths.

Hydrocodone is generally used as an analgesic to treat moderate to moderately severe pain. It is one of the most commonly prescribed opiates in the United States. Probably partly due to this, abuse of hydrocodone has been escalating in recent years.

In 2006 it was the most frequently abused opioid pharmaceutical submitted as drug evidence.
Hydrocodone is a Schedule II drug, but hydrocodone containing products were originally placed in schedule III and V.

When it first came onto the market, it was used primarily as a cough suppressant. However, it is being used for pain management today and is the most frequently prescribed opioid pharmaceutical in the United States.

Hydrocodone is generally abused for its effects as an opiate. It is usually abused in pill form as this is the most frequently prescribed form. It is also combined with alcohol very often in order to increase the effects.

Hydrocodone is an opiate just like any other. Because of this, abuse can lead to tolerance, dependence and addiction. However, because it is usually mixed with acetaminophen in its pill form, there is also risk of liver toxicity. This has led to a substantial number of deaths.

Unlike many other drugs, hydrocodone is not clandestinely produced. Most abuse of the drug is accomplished by illegitimate prescriptions or the selling of legitimate prescriptions. However, the penalties for trafficking in hydrocodone are stiff.

For being caught with any amount of a hydrocodone containing product without legitimate reason, you can be imprisoned for up to five years and fined up to $250,000.

For a repeat offense, you can be imprisoned for up to ten years and fined up to $500,000. These penalties are even higher if you have any amount of pure hydrocodone

Labels: drug, drug abuse, drug abuse addiction