Degenerative Changes Identified in Spinal Discs and Reversed With Drug Cocktail In Diabetic Mice

New York, NY (PRWEB) May 17, 2013

Degenerative changes to the area of the spinal disc that absorbs most of the shock felt with compression, known as the nucleus pulposus, has been demonstrated and reversed in a diabetic mouse model, according to a new study led by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The study, published today in the journal PLOS ONE, reinforces the importance of diabetes in inducing degenerative changes to the vertebrae and intervertebral discs, and it is the first study to demonstrate that these changes can be slowed with oral drugs that inhibit both advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and inflammation.

AGEs are altered sugars that are formed by chemical reactions when foods are heated, pasteurized, dried, smoked, fried, or grilled and are often increased in western diets. When absorbed in high amounts AGEs can build up in the body, stick to tissues and oxidize them, causing inflammation.

This is the first study to show that oral drugs may slow the natural history of diabetes-induced changes within the spine in animals, and we think that this approach holds promise in developing early effective treatments for the epidemics of diabetes and back pain, said the studys senior author, James C. Iatridis, PhD, Professor in the Leni and Peter W. May Department of Orthopaedics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Low back pain and intervertebral disc problems accounted for 40.5 million in patient visits in 2005, high medical costs, and lost productivity. Diabetes is now at epidemic levels in the United States (26.5 million in the United States) and around the world (346 million).

In this study, researchers examined whether diabetes directly resulted in pathological changes to intervertebral discs and vertebrae of the lumbar spine, via accumulation of advanced glycation end products and increased inflammation. A second goal was to see whether a combination of oral anti-inflammatory drugs and blockers of advanced glycation end products could slow degenerative disc and vertebral changes.

The diabetic mice showed decreased trabecular bone, reduced disc height, and increased disc wedging, a sign of hyperlordosis. What really surprised us is the effect on the nucleus pulposus, which had focal areas of loose disorganized tissue and cells, said Dr. Iatridis.

AGEs accumulate in intervertebral discs as the body ages and contribute to a chronic inflammatory state in degenerated discs, said Svenja Illien-J

Bad Hair Day, Could it be Your Drugs? New Tool from RxISK.org to Explore Drug Side Effects on Hair

Toronto, Canada (PRWEB) December 17, 2012

CSI fans know that the most accurate way to identify the drugs a person takes is to analyze hair samples, says Dr. David Healy RxISk.org CEO. Hair accumulates drugs when people take them and laboratory hair sample tests are legally and scientifically recognized as admissible evidence in courts around the world. Long before drug effects on hair are widely known, hair stylists are likely to be the earliest observers. Truth be told, your hairdresser could tell you a lot about you and the drugs you take.

Dr. Dee Mangin, RxISK.orgs Chief Medical Officer explains, It makes sense that this accumulation has effects on the hair itself. In the sixties women and their hair stylists were the first to identify changes in hair consistency caused by the use of oral contraceptives: it was discovered that oral contraceptives caused womens hair to thin both during use and after. But its not just The Pill - a lot of commonly used drugs cause hair side effects including blood pressure medications, cholesterol drugs, and antidepressants. Some of the most commonly used drugs in Britain and North America have thinning effects on hair. But its not just hair thinning drugs can really cause problems with the way hair treatments like colours, extensions and waves take."

Kaye Briden, owner of Yazu Hair Lounge in New Zealand, has over 30 years experience in the industry and is part of the LOreal Ambassador Team. She says over the years, hair stylists have been aware that things like antidepressants can cause hair to dry out and thin to the point that it wont take extensions; chemotherapy causes hair to fall out and grow back a different color; and when a color doesnt take in a persons hair it is likely because of some medication he or she is taking. But up until now there has been no way to highlight or share this knowledge.

Dr. Dee Mangin, says, Men, women and their stylists know more about the effect of drugs on hair than anyone else. These effects can be devastating, but because there is no current way to share this information the link to treatment is often not made by patients and their doctors. Until we pool the collective wisdom men and women and their hairdressers have, and make it accessible, it will not be useful. This is what the RxISK Hair Zone is all about.

Kaye Briden agrees. Hair stylists are in the best position to understand what is happening to the hair and why, and to help clients with these effects. There is for example a yellowing of hair thats due to hormonal changes or treatment. We will often know from your hair that you are pregnant before you do.

Not all effects are negative says Mangin. A famous drug discovery in recent years, Latisse, was revealed when women noticed an involuntary thickening and elongation of their eyelashes while using an eye-drop.

The RxISK Hair Zone has been designed so people can look up and report specifically the effects of drugs on hair and the use of hair products and treatments.

RxISK your megaphone to help change drug safety

RxISK.org allows users to enter the name of a prescription drug and see the side effects that have been reported to the FDA since 2004, as well as to RxISK, for more than 35,000 drug names from 103 countries. The data is presented in tables, tag clouds, heat maps, and interactive graphs, showing whats happening with other people taking the same drug around the world.

Users can then select the effect(s) they are experiencing and click on Report a Drug Side Effect to complete a report. They get a personalized RxISK Report linking their symptoms and meds, which they can take to their doctor or pharmacist to facilitate a better treatment conversation This will also add their anonymized experience to the RxISK database so that others can benefit from this information.

About Data Based Medicine Americas Ltd.

RxISk.org is owned and operated by Data Based Medicine Americas Ltd. (DBM), based in Toronto, Canada. DBM's founders have international reputations in early drug-side-effect detection and risk mitigation, pharmacovigilance, and patient-centered care. Although drug side effects are known to be a leading cause of death and disability, less than 5% of serious drug side effects are reported. DBMs mission is to capture this missing data directly from patients through RxISK.orgs free drug side effect reporting tool and use this data to help make medicines safer for all of us.

Media contact

David Carmichael

david(dot)carmichael(at)RxISK(dot)org

+1 (647) 799-3792

The National Mesothelioma Law Firm of Baron and Budd Reports on a New Drug that Could Improve the Health of Mesothelioma Patients

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) December 17, 2012

The national mesothelioma law firm of Baron and Budd reports that a new experimental drug may help limit the negative side affects associated with mesothelioma treatment. Dr. Adrian Dobs, Professor of Medicine and Oncology and Vice Chair of Medicine at John Hopkins University headed the clinical trial for the drug, Enobosarm, and discovered that male and female cancer patients had significant improvement in muscle mass and power after taking the drug. The firm, dedicated to protecting the rights of mesothelioma patients, is always glad to support and raise awareness about advancements in mesothelioma treatment and care.

"This is another step forward in the medical battle against mesothelioma," said John Langdoc, mesothelioma lawyer at Baron and Budd. "Patients and caregivers need to be aware of these newer developments and we are proud to assist in the awareness process."

Currently, mesothelioma doctors typically use a multi-modal approach of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy treatment. The combination of treatments is quite aggressive, and can lead to adverse side affects such as nausea, vomiting, and weight loss. Researchers recently gave the experimental drug Enobosarm, to patients receiving these cancer treatments and reported a significant decrease in muscle loss.

In the Phase IIb clinical trial, Dr. Dobs led a randomized test with 159 subjects given either Enobosarm or a placebo for a total of 16 weeks. Enobosarm is a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM), a non-steroidal drug that produces the anabolic effect in bone and muscle without causing the negative prostate effects in men or hair growth in women that is associated with steroidal treatment.

According to Dr. Dobs, Phase III of the trial will assess the effects of a 3mg/day dosage of Enobosarm for the prevention and treatment of muscle wasting in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

The usage of a drug like Enobosarm could greatly aid in the health of mesothelioma patients when receiving radiation and chemotherapy treatments.

The national mesothelioma law firm of Baron and Budd has been dedicated to the development of mesothelioma research and treatment and is excited to report on the improvement in medications for mesothelioma patients. The firm is proud of its work with organizations like the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and Cure Media Group as well as several others, and it committed to relating any relevant information to the people affected by mesothelioma.

For more information about Enobosarm and the clinical trials at John Hopkins University Medical Center, read the more about the study in "Prevalence and Impact of Hypogonadism in Cancer Patients with Muscle Wasting in a Phase IIb Enobosarm Trial," published June 24, 2012.

Edge Information Management, Inc. Offers Free Educational Webinar: Getting The Most Out of Your Drug Testing Policy

Melbourne, FL (PRWEB) February 06, 2013

Edge Information Management, Inc., a prominent provider of employment screening solutions, is offering an educational webinar entitled: Getting the Most Out of Your Drug Testing Policy. The webinar will be presented by Bill Current, President and founder of WFC & Associates, LLC, a national consulting firm that specializes in drug testing policy development and providing accurate drug testing law information to its clients.

Drug abuse is on the rise in America and employers can be held liable if they do not maintain a drug-free workplace program. Of course, many companies today conduct drug testing, but they often lack an up-to-date, well- written policy that can protect them if a workplace substance issue arises. By offering this free webinar, Edge and Mr. Current hope to educate companies, both big and small, on the benefit of having a successful drug-free workplace program in place.

In this informative webinar, attendees will learn:

RxISK Publishes Know Your Rx Drug RxISK Checklist

Toronto, Canada (PRWEB) May 13, 2013

The medical team behind RxISK.org, today published a checklist to help patients and their health care professionals assess the risks and benefits of prescription medications. RxISK is the first free, independent website where patients, doctors, and pharmacists can research prescription drugs and easily report a drug side effect. RxISK provides an individualized causality report for drug side effects enabling the health care team to act sooner.

If your government allows it, your doctor prescribed it, and your pharmacist dispensed it, then it must be safe. Right? Not necessarily! This assumption is wrong. People die because of this wrong assumption.

RxISK Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dee Mangin says Prescription drug side effects are now a leading cause of death, disability, and illness along with cancer, heart disease and stroke. RxISK CEO Dr. David Healy adds In mental health care, drug side effects are the leading cause of death.

The RxISK medical team estimates that, each year, 10,000 people die in Canada, 100,000 die in the United States, and 150,000 die in Europe from taking prescription medications as directed.

Fewer than 5% of serious adverse events (those causing hospitalization, disability, or death) are ever reported. The rate of reporting the millions of medically mild adverse drug events that occur each year ones that compromise a persons functioning, self-confidence, judgment, and even ability to care is practically non-existent, says Dr. Mangin. Little is known about the effects of drugs on our hair, sex and relationships, extreme acts or thoughts, and our skin and nails, because these effects are not considered medically significant and are not tracked, she adds.

Dr. David Healy says, Some of the known or suspected drug side effects are included in the drug manufacturers patient information leaflets. But a review of the over 15.8 million drug side effects reported to the Food and Drug Administration and included in RxISKs databank, show hundreds more not in the leaflets that are linked to prescription drugs.

RxISK tools to research and report Rx drug side effects

Dr. Healy says, Patients about to start taking a drug have a right to an informed choice. Only then can they weigh the benefits of a prescription drug against potential harms. For those already on prescription drugs its about being on the lookout for links between side effects they are experiencing and their prescription drugs and being aware of potential symptoms on stopping or changing dose.

Dr. Mangin says, The checklist together with the RxISK Causality Report and research tools on RxISK.org can help the patient and doctor in their discussion.

Checklist

1. How does this drug work, how much improvement can I expect, and how soon?

2. If I dont take this drug now, and instead wait for a while, what will happen?

3. What are the most likely side effects?

4. Are there any rare serious side effects?

5. Are there any permanent problems this drug can cause?

6. If this is a new drug, why cant I take an older drug?

7. Can I try a lower dose?

8. What date will we review my use/dose of this drug?

9. Are there problems stopping the drug or any special considerations on stopping or changing dose that I should watch for?

10. Are there any potential interactions with food, my other medical conditions, or my current medications?

11. Might this drug affect my weight/sleep/ hair/ skin/ nails/, mood/ sex life and/or relationships, and if so, how?

12. Do I need to stop this drug before I get pregnant?

Both you and your Dr. can use the free drug research function at RxISK.org to help in this process. This provides access to 4.2 million reports on 5.6 million suspected drugs, suspected of causing 15.8 million side effects submitted to the US and RxISK side effects databases. RxISK also includes the FDA drug leaflets and any black box warnings, a European Medicines Agency manufacturers admitted side effects data set, and the anonymous stories of others experiences.

When you visit RxISK.org home page, you can enter the name of the prescription drug you are about to take, or are taking, on the home page, press enter and you are presented with RxISK research view. Use this view:

to see what this drug is used for, by clicking on Indications and Usage in the FDA leaflet or clicking Patient Leaflet (Drug Specific).
to browse a list of the most common side effects reported on this drug, use Tag Cloud in the graphic or table.
to see how likely a causal link is switch to PRR view.
to look up a specific side effect that concerns you, use the A-Z Side Effects search function.
to see which patients report these side effects most often. Click on Age, Gender,or Weight.
to see where in the world these reports are coming from. Click on Heat Map.
to see possible interactions with food, drugs, or conditions. Click on the Interaction Checker.
to see possible effects on hair, skin, nails, mood, sex & relationships, or withdrawing from a drug. Click on the corresponding Zone.

Help yourself while helping others

RxISK helps you research prescription drugs, but you can do so much more by reporting a drug side effect and adding your anonymized experience to the data on prescription drugs.

About Data Based Medicine Americas Ltd.

RxISK.org is owned and operated by Data Based Medicine Americas Ltd. (DBM). DBMs founders have international reputations in early drug-side-effect detection and risk mitigation, pharmacovigilance, and patient-centered care. Although drug side effects are known to be a leading cause of death and disability, less than 5% of serious drug side effects are reported. DBMs mission is to capture this missing data directly from patients through RxISK.orgs free drug side effect reporting tool and use this data to help make medicines safer for all of us.

Media contact

David Carmichael

david(dot)carmichael(at)RxISK(dot)org

+1 (647) 799-3792