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How Propecia was developed
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• Thursday, January 19th, 2012

How Propecia was developed

Humble beginnings

Propecia first hit the market as a drug intended for treatment of enlarged prostate glands in men, back in 1992. It was invented as a result of observations based on sexual development observed in children as they matured. In some boys, a significantly smaller prostate and absence of male pattern baldness was found upon reaching adulthood. Under further examination, hormonal compounds were then discovered that, when isolated, helped with prostate enlargement. It was later noted that patients undergoing treatment also showed improvement in their hair loss. These observations eventually led to the development of the first-ever successful treatment for male pattern baldness.

Propecia FDA approval

Although the FDA approved the drug initially in 1992, it was specifically designated for use in treating enlarged prostates. However, they officially endorsed its use for effectively treating hair loss a few years later, in 1997. Since then, propecia is far and away the most effective prescription drug treatment available for stopping the procession of male pattern baldness, and also hair loss due to other causes. Unfortunately, it is only used for male hair loss, and not for female.

Alternative Prescription Treatments

There are only a handful of other prescription treatment options for male pattern baldness. One of these, while showing signs of effectiveness in other countries, has not been yet approved for safe or effective use in the United States. Other treatment options that have been tried include a cream that is applied directly to the scalp. This was originally intended as treatment for psoriasis of the scalp. It has shown some improvement in cases of very mild hair loss, but has not been officially approved for use in treating baldness by the FDA. Another treatment sometimes prescribed comes in the form of cortisone shots. These are injected on a monthly basis, directly into the scalp. Cortisone pills are also sometimes used, but they are not always effective and can have various harmful side effects. While these treatments also show some signs of effectiveness, many doctors are not comfortable suggesting using cortisone in cases of long-term use.

Propecia vs. Over-the-Counters

Since hair loss affects so many people, and does not have very many choices for effective treatment, a variety of creams, pills, and powders have sprung up in an attempt to entice the buyer. Since none of these products has ever undergone systematic testing either for safety or effectiveness, their success rates is largely anecdotal, and not necessarily reliable. propecia is truly the best option for those seeking effective treatment for their hair loss.

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A good idea?
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• Monday, January 16th, 2012

A British doctor is acting the role of a pioneer. By specialism, he’s a cardiologist so one of his routine tasks is to insert a stent into blood vessels in the chest leading into and out of the heart. A stent is a cleverly designed support tube that’s inserted into a blood vessel affected by artherosclerosis. This is a disease caused by eating too much carbohydrate. Additional platelets precipitate out of the blood and build up on the walls of the vessels. The first symptom is a rise in blood pressure, which is caused when the deposits narrow the vessel. One day, the Brit had an inspiration. Since one of the more common reasons for erectile dysfunction is artherosclerosis affecting the penile artery, would it help to insert a stent into that artery?

In such situations, there’s no point in asking the question unless you’re prepared to find out the answer. When he mentioned the experiment to some of the men attending the urology department, he had a lot of volunteers. If men delay treatment, the hardening of the artery is not reversible. So, no matter which erectile dysfunction drug you take, it’s not going to help. Erections only return when the artery can dilate properly. Doctors estimate there’s a critical moment when the blockage of the artery reaches 70%. That’s the cut-off for the erectile dysfunction drugs to work. It’s still possible to force an erection using a vacuum pump but the pump is clumsy and kills all spontaneity. So, for all practical purposes, about 30% of men will find their erectile dysfunction a permanent condition.

The test to discover whether the surgery will be effective is simple. A dye is injected and its progress monitored by X-ray. If it shows seriously reduced flow through the penile artery, the procedure is likely to help. There’s no need for a full anesthetic. The stent is inserted through the arteries in the groin. Once in place, the results have been impressive with men reporting no residual discomfort and, when stimulated, a hard erection up to twelve months after the procedure.

This surgery is not for everyone. Its success depends on a blockage at just the right point in the penile artery. Even then, there may be no improvement if the man has other muscular problems. Nevertheless, it’s an interesting idea and this surgeon has a growing queue of men waiting for the operation. Now to put this in context, let’s go back to basics. No one with any sense should allow the problem to become this severe before seeking help. If you are overweight and eat an unhealthy diet, treat the first signs of erectile dysfunction as a warning of serious problems. Have all the cardiovascular tests done to see whether you have early symptoms of artherosclerosis. If the diagnosis is confirmed, the drugs are available to reduce the metabolic dangers. Levitra for the erectile dysfunction will keep the sex enjoyable while you change your diet and begin a course of gentle physical exercise. But if you refuse to go through the tests or then refuse to make the lifestyle changes, the Levitra will keep the erections going for a while but, sooner or later, the erections will disappear never to return. This will blight your life, so it’s worth avoiding.

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Why does advertising work?
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• Sunday, January 01st, 2012

Here’s a number to start us off. Marketers spend about $70 billion a year on TV ads! That’s a lot of cash! But companies out to make a profit would not spend that much on ads unless there was good evidence they work. Except, what is it, exactly, that ads do? The myth is marketers want you to buy a product the first chance you have. It’s like the old movie joke about cinemas so desperate to boost sales of ice cream, they would turn up the heating during the first feature and trigger a rush for something cool by showing an ad at the start of the intermission. The majority of ads are designed to sit in your memory. It’s like the Geico ads with the caveman or, more specifically the pig who cries wee all the way home.

There’s good evidence that hard selling techniques create a negative impression. We all take some pride in our ability to resist. So the aim is to build up brand awareness. Over time, we associate each brand with the product or service. The challenge is then to convert these memories of an amusing ad or catchy slogan into action. After all, why go to all the trouble of planting the seed if you don’t then go on to encourage people to buy later on? Except, marketers have no real control over our actions. Most of us use the ad break to make a quick cup of coffee or empty the bladder of all the coffee we’ve drunk over the evening. No one ever sits down to watch the ads. All we do is catch glimpses of the ads in passing. This constant repetition is like drip-feed, slowly building up brand awareness so that, if we’re making a decision on which product or service to buy at some time in the future, we might buy the one with the most memorable ad.

Creativity is what sells brand awareness. We remember the funny ads, or the strange ads, or the visually interesting ads, or the ads with the best music tracks. So now imagine you’re going to be paid a big chunk of cash to create a memorable ad for an erectile dysfunction drug. If you’re selling a car, you can show it accelerating from 0 to 60 in five seconds. Imagine the response of the television stations if you showed the pill producing an erection in record time. That would really test the First Amendment. So you need to sneak up on people and, hopefully, slip past their defenses before they know you’re there.

Have you seen that ad for Cialis? The one where the couple end up in separate tubs. This is one of the weird ones, isn’t it? Everyone would expect to see the happy couple gazing into each other’s eyes, perhaps hugging or, at least, holding hands. So what’s with the separate washing arrangements? Except the moment you ask the question, you’re hooked. It’s memorable because it makes you think. Like the woman driving the pig home. Her long-suffering expression says everything that needs to be said. Repeat the ad often enough and people associate the ad with the brand name. So remember Cialis really can give you 15% more on your erections.

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The politics of pain
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• Sunday, December 18th, 2011

The Institute of Medicine stands outside the government, offering independent advice to both the decision-makers in government and the public. As a nonprofit, its mission is to improve the quality of the healthcare services by providing detailed policy suggestions based on the best available evidence. This July, it published a highly critical report on the continuing refusal of the medical profession to accept comparative effectiveness research. This is work to discover which treatments are the most effective. At present, we are left to guess which treatments offer the best outcomes for each illness or disorder with little effort made to collect evidence on safety and quality. Hence, at one end of the scale, we can go years without knowing a particular drug or surgical procedure is ineffective. Or we can find ourselves participating in unofficial trials where doctors talk patients into off-label experiments with drugs.

Unfortunately, this is all part of the general lack of accountability within the healthcare services. The present culture allows the pharmaceutical industry and the doctors to dictate the treatment standards based on what generates the most profit for them. The idea such people would actively seek evidence to show whether their cherished treatments were medically effective is a nonstarter. There’s no willingness to engineer a learning environment where everyone tries to improve. Rather everyone wants to avoid any liability for errors of judgement and mistakes. Imagine the litigation if it emerged that doctors had for years been advising we agree to ineffective treatments.

Until there’s a major change in the culture, we will have to look with envy at the approach of the Europeans in the pain management field. As a symptom of our problems, the words “pain management clinic” in Florida and certain other states usually indicates a borderline illegal operation to sell pills. We should modify all aspects of the current service. The first reforms should affect the health insurance industry and the public bodies like Medicaid and Medicare. At present, these administrators and business people simply pay out on the bills submitted by the hospitals, clinics and doctors. Since the taxpayers fund the entitlement systems and the rest of us with money pay ever higher premiums, there’s no pressure on insurers to demand value for money. They are not there to guarantee good quality care for their insured. All they do is pay out on the bills and pocket the rest as profit.

At present, it suits everyone concerned with pain management to do as little as possible. That means the shortest possible consultations followed by the prescription of one of the standard drugs, the most effective being Tramadol. This gives everyone in the healthcare services industry the maximum possible profit with the least possible effort. If they were to adopt the European model of one-to-one treatment by physical therapists, cognitive behavioral therapists, and so on, the labor costs would rocket and profit would decline. So there’s no chance of a team-based, patient-centric approach in our great nation. Further, any evidence that might show the European approach to be more effective in medical terms must be suppressed. Everything possible must be done to reinforce the current practice standards. That means you take another Tramadol and accept second best.

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Lifestyle approach to ED
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• Monday, December 05th, 2011

Male sexual health is a rather delicate topic if looked at from different perspectives. Men don’t like discussing their sexual health especially if there are some problems present. Male sexuality is the basis of male psyche in general so when there are some issues present it can lead to psychological complications as well. And even the nature of such unpleasant condition as erectile dysfunction can be characterized as delicate, because it involves a sophisticated balance of different body systems. That’s why ED is often classified as a lifestyle condition, which can be prevented and even eliminated through serious changes of the way you live your life. So what can be done to reduce the risk of impotence through the lifestyle way?

Overall health

Overall health is a rather loos term yet it describes the nature of ED development very well. Erectile dysfunction isn’t a condition on its own but rather a symptom to more complicated health issues, as it never takes place in a perfectly healthy organism. Some of the most common factors contributing to the development of ED include high cholesterol, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, lack of physical activity, certain types of cancer, use of specific medications, substance abuse and many others. So if you want to avoid ED you should keep your health as best as possible.

Bad habits

The most common bad habits of modern society include cigarette smoking, alcohol abuse and drug addiction. And aside from all the health risks these activities are known for they also represent a serious factor contributing to ED. Men who are long term smokers or with serious alcohol or drug problems have a much higher risk of suffering from male impotence. So if you still want to have good erections without using Viagra all the time it’s best to kick all bad habits as early as possible.

Physical activity

Lack of physical activity is one of the main factors contributing to many health conditions that ultimately lead to the development of erectile dysfunction in men. Obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes can all stem from not being physically active on a regular basis. The cardiovascular system plays an important role in the mechanism of erection, so if you keep it in a good shape through exercising you can rest assured that you won’t be needing Viagra for a long time. And it doesn’t matter what kind of activity you choose for as long as you are doing it on a regular basis.

Proper diet

It may sound surprising to some of you but the food you eat can also be the cause for erectile problems in the long run. If your regimen is rich with saturated fats, processed foods, fast foods, sweets, caffeinated drinks, sugar and other products that are usually labeled as unhealthy then you can expect to require Viagra at a much earlier stage than your peers following a healthy diet. Enrich your regimen with fruits, vegetables, poultry, fish, nuts and grain and you will see the difference both in your overall health and your performance in bed.

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Generic drugs explained
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• Thursday, November 24th, 2011

If you have ever been to pharmacies or bought drugs online you’ve probably ran across the type of drugs called generics. These drugs are usually much more affordable than their branded variations and are stated to provide the same effects. There are people who only use generic drugs because they are much cheaper, yet there are also people who revert only to branded variations as being of a higher quality and much safer. Virtually any medication brand in the world has several generic variations produced by different pharmaceutical factories all over the globe. And erectile dysfunction medications aren’t any different. So let’s take a closer look at the conflict between generic and brand drugs and try to understand what’s really better.

When a new drug is being developed the pharmaceutical company spends millions and even billions of dollars on research, testing, manufacturing and marketing. Since it’s a totally new product the company gains a patent, which allows it to produce and sell the drug exclusively for a limited period of time in a given region of the world. However, when the term of the patent expires the company is obliged to share the recipe of the new drug with the rest of the world, allowing numerous smaller companies to produce the product too. Because the initial developer spends large amounts of money on the development it sets a higher price on the new product. However, the smaller companies that ultimately start producing the shared recipe don’t have such large costs because they don’t need to develop the drug from scratch, they just use the formula. That’s why the smaller companies can set much lower prices on their variations of the new drug, since they do not need to reimburse their initial investments like the large developer does. That’s why generic drugs are much cheaper than brand variations.

Now, when it comes to the safety and the real difference between brand and generic drugs it all depends on the manufacturers involved. On paper, all generic variations are produced using the same chemicals as the brand drug. Assuming that both big and small companies often receive raw chemicals from the same sources you can rest assured that there won’t be much of a difference, except for the pill shape, the package and the name on it. However, sometimes smaller companies tend to cut their costs through weaker quality control. This may lead to production errors and reflect in the final quality of the drug. Although it’s not a general rule for all generic drug manufacturers yet these situations still take place so you have to be aware of them.

So which Viagra should you order when buying it online, generic or brand? The answer depends on your needs. If you have the money and want to get the famous blue pill then don’t hesitate to pay more for a brand drug. After all even the psychological expectation of taking an expensive drug can really boost up its effectiveness. Yet, if you don’t have much money on your hands and don’t care about the name on the package generic Viagra can prove to be a great option for you. Just remember to consult with your doctor about the correct use of Viagra regardless whether you’re buying brand or generic variations.

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Causes of male impotence
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• Monday, November 21st, 2011

Erectile dysfunction is a condition that virtually all men would regard as one of the most discouraging and unpleasant health issues possible. And not because it’s severe and may affect a person’s productivity or quality of life. Male psyche is strongly linked to sexuality, so when there’s something wrong on the love front the patient starts to experience psychological problems ranging from simple anxiety to depression and even mental issues. That’s why erectile dysfunction is so feared by men. If you don’t want to deal with this issue it is highly recommended to learn about the causes of the condition, so that you could prevent and avoid it for as long as possible. So what are the primary causes of erectile dysfunction in men?

Doctors distinct two main types of causes that may influence the development of erectile dysfunction in men. The first type is the most common and involves physiological conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, hormonal imbalance, heart problems, obesity, high cholesterol, neural conditions, damage to the spinal chord, damage to penis, different types of cancer, use of certain medications, drug and alcohol abuse, among many others. Most of these conditions affect the blood circulation in the body in general and in the penile area in particular. And that’s a crucial aspect for having strong and solid erections. Physiologically induced erectile dysfunction can be treated by eliminating the problem at cause, which can be a bit problematic with some of the conditions mentioned earlier due to their chronic nature. Yet, there’s also a solution in the form of Viagra. This medication is designed to stimulate blood flow to the penis when necessary and that’s very effective for most of the physiological conditions associated with erectile dysfunction.

The second type of factors affecting erectile function are psychological issues. These account for the lesser part of all ED cases, yet still they can also be very widespread, especially in urban areas with high phase of life and abundance of psychological issues. Conditions such as excessive stress, depression, anxiety, relationship problems, mental disorders and others can seriously affect a person’s ability to relax and get aroused. When there’s no sexual arousal it’s nearly impossible to have a suitable erection, even if you’re using drugs like Viagra. The solution for psychologically induced male impotence would be eliminating the problem at cause, which is usually much easier compared to physiological problems mentioned earlier. Cognitive therapy, medications and relaxation techniques can effectively relieve most of psychological disorders and put you back on track in what concerns erectile function.

There can also be cases of mixed erectile dysfunction where both psychological and physiological factors are involved. It usually takes the form of a positive feedback where one type of factors contributes to the formation of the second type and it all turns into a vicious cycle. These cases aren’t very common yet they require a serious work from your doctor and may need the use of both drugs like Viagra and psychological techniques for effective treatment.

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Medication for stomach acid: important facts
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• Tuesday, November 15th, 2011

Whilst there are a number of different problems for which the medication Nexium may be used, it is commonly used by people who suffer from the excess production of acid in the stomach and the various problems that can stem from this excess acid. Nexium is part of a group of medications that are collectively known as proton pump inhibitors and it can help users in a variety of ways. Some of the ways in which Nexium can help users include:

  • The treatment of various conditions that relate to excessive acid production in the stomach such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
  • Helps with the healing of damage that has been caused to the oesophagus as a result of excessive acid production in the stomach
  • Can help in the prevention of stomach ulcers that are caused through a variety of factors, such as infection or from taking non steroid anti-inflammatory drugs
  • Can help provide relief to those that suffer from persistent heartburn, which can be particularly effective for those that suffer from night time heartburn, which can affect sleep and can impact on your quality of life over time

There are some important facts that you need to consider when you are thinking of taking Nexium, some of which include:

  • People with allergies to certain drugs may not be able to take Nexium, so you need to make your doctor aware of your medical history and any known allergies before you take this treatment
  • You may need to take Nexium in conjunction with antibiotics depending on your condition. If this is the case make sure that you take all of your medications exactly as directed in order to ensure that they are as effective as possible
  • You may find that you experience relief of your symptoms before you have finished the course of tablets. However, this does not mean that the condition has been cured and you should continue with the course of treatment as directed even if you feel better
  • This medication may not be suited to those with certain health conditions such as low magnesium levels in the blood or severe liver problems. If you suffer from either of these you should make sure that you advise your doctor before you start taking Nexium
  • You may experience side effects when taking Nexium such as increased heart rate, dizziness, jitters, muscle weakness or cramps or seizures. These are the more serious side effects that you should seek advice about if you experience them. The milder side effects may include dry mouth, headaches, diarrhoea or nausea
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The risk of heart disease
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• Thursday, November 10th, 2011

Some titles for articles are intended to catch your attention and this is no exception. This is one of those times when you need to think carefully before you act. There’s a tendency to think medication will solve all your problems. Indeed, that’s what the marketers are relying on. They link the brand name to a disease and you are programed to remember the drug if you have the disease. You walk in to see your doctor and ask for a prescription, or you buy the drug online and await the cure with confidence. But this only works if your diagnosis of the disease is correct or if the symptoms are being caused by a relevant problem. Since we’re talking about erectile dysfunction, it can be a side effect of some of the drugs you are taking. If that’s the case, taking one of the three erectile dysfunction drugs is not going to help. You need to reduce the dosage in the other drug or change to a different drug. This may cause the erectile dysfunction to disappear without having to do more. If it does not, it’s possible the lower dose is still too high or the second drug is causing the same problem. This is something that needs to be managed by an experienced doctor. If you try experimenting with the drugs you are taking, this can produce some very unfortunate results.

 

So there’s no single cause for erectile dysfunction and it’s unwise of you to try guessing what the problem might be. Why might this be a problem? If you are older, i.e. over 50, dysfunction slowly grows more common simply by virtue of the aging process. The older you are, the more likely it is, but the narrower the range of possible causes. If the dysfunction affects you as a younger man, there’s one very serious possibility to explore. The artery leading into the penis must dilate properly if an erection is to form. If you are developing artherosclerosis, this is the smallest artery in the body and so the first one likely to show signs of a hardening of the wall of the blood vessel. Should there be a build up of plaque preventing proper dilation, this is not going to be restricted to one blood vessel. It’s going to affect all parts of the body including the blood vessels leading into and out of the heart.

 

The statistics show that the younger you are when the dysfunction first shows, the higher the risk of a stroke or heart attack within five years. Yet, the preventative treatment is both cheap and effective. So, if you have the cardiovascular tests and diagnose artherosclerosis early, you have receive the treatment to give you a long and healthy life. Should the dysfunction persist, Cialis is available to restore an active sex life. Why should younger men take this warning seriously? The answer comes in the rising number of young people who are seriously overweight. One of the main causes of this epidemic of obesity is the amount of carbohydrates in our diet. Indeed, the higher the fat content in our food, the more likely it is you will develop artherosclerosis. So, if you cannot control your diet, the first sign of possible trouble will be erectile dysfunction (and then you should go and buy your cialis).

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Learn more about Nexium
Author:
• Thursday, November 10th, 2011

The medication called nexium is one that belongs to a group of drugs that are known collectively as proton pump inhibitors. This medication can be effective in the treatment of those that have excess acid in their stomachs, which is something that can occur for a range of reasons. It can also effectively treat the various related problems that can occur as a result of excessive stomach acid.

Some of the conditions that Nexium can effectively treat include gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Using this medication can also help with the effective healing of damage that has been caused to the esophagus by acid in the stomach, which is a problem that is referred to as erosive esophagitis.

Some infections can cause gastric ulcers in people, and Nexium can also be used to effectively prevent these ulcers if it is taken in time. The use of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs can also result in stomach ulcers, and again nexium can be used to try and prevent these ulcers from manifesting. .

This once daily pill is able to help tackle persistent heartburn, which is a problem that many people suffer from and can cause immense discomfort. This type of heartburn can be especially problematic at night but this medication can provide effective relief so that sufferers are able to get a decent night’s sleep rather than being kept awake by persistent and painful heartburn.

The way in which Nexium is able to help tackle all of these problems is through working on the proton pump in the stomach, hence it being a proton pump inhibitor. This pump is where the excess acid is created and taking Nexium reduces the amount of acid that is produced so that the symptoms and problems caused by excessive stomach acid products are also reduced and dealt with.

Whilst Nexium can be a very effective treatment for those that suffer from the various symptoms and problems associated with excessive stomach acid production it will not necessarily be suited to everyone. It is therefore important for anyone that is considering taking this treatment to provide their doctor with details of all medical history and any other medication that they are taking so that a more informed decision can be made with regards to whether this is the most suitable treatment.

There are a number of side effects that come with taking Nexium, which is the case with most medications. However, the majority of people suffer with few or none of the possible side effects when taking this treatment.

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