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17th June 2021

Vitamin D2 vs. D3: What Is the Difference, and Which Is Better?

Vitamin D, also called calciferol, is a fat-soluble vitamin produced by your body when your skin is exposed to sunlight. It is available as a dietary supplement and a prescription medication, and it is naturally present in or added to some foods. Vitamin D2 and D3 are the two primary forms of vitamin D. Although they are often used interchangeably, you may ask, what is the difference between vitamin D2 and vitamin D3?

Vitamin D2 vs. D3: What Is the Difference Between Vitamin D2 and D3?

Vitamin

29th March 2021

Eliquis vs. Pradaxa – What is the Difference?

The last ten years have brought about new medications used to treat or prevent blood clots. These newer drugs work differently than warfarin (Coumadin), an older blood thinner. They generally do not require extensive monitoring and have fewer side effects and drug and food interactions than warfarin. Eliquis (apixaban) and Pradaxa (dabigatran) represent two of four newer oral anticoagulants (blood thinners) that have emerged in the last decade.

How Do Eliquis and Pradaxa Work?

Eliquis and Prad

22nd February 2021

Farxiga – A New Medication for Heart Failure

In the fall of 2019, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Farxiga to help lower blood sugar and reduce hospitalization and death due to heart failure in adults with type 2 diabetes.

Heart failure occurs when your heart cannot pump out the amount of blood that your body needs. In some types of heart failure, your heart cannot fill up with enough blood to pump out. In other types, your heart cannot pump with enough force to get the blood to the rest of your body. Some people have only

19th February 2021

Heart Care Is Self-Care: How to Keep Your Heart Healthy

February is American Heart Month and a good time to start incorporating heart care into your self-care habits and routines. Every year, about 655,000 people in the United States die from heart disease. It is the leading cause of death for men and women in the U.S. Read on to learn what you can do to help keep your heart healthy and prevent heart disease.

Heart disease is a combination of several types of heart conditions. The most common type of heart disease is coronary artery disease (CAD). C

17th February 2021

How to Lower Your Risk of a Heart Attack

Over 800,000 Americans have a heart attack each year. This means that every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a heart attack. These statistics are staggering, but knowing your risk factors and how to manage them can lower your risk of having a heart attack.

A heart attack, or myocardial infarction, happens when blood flow to your heart is blocked. The most common cause of a heart attack is coronary artery disease (CAD). In CAD, plaque buildup in coronary artery walls prevents suffici

28th January 2021

Why Do You Need Folic Acid?

Folic acid is an essential nutrient that is instrumental in everything from preventing birth abnormalities to reducing your risk of cancer and heart disease. It plays a significant role in producing red blood cells and regulating the process by which your DNA makes copies of itself.

Folic acid is the synthetic (manufactured) form of folate. Folate, also known as vitamin B9, is an essential vitamin that your body uses to make red blood cells and for proper DNA metabolism. Your body cannot make f

21st January 2021

Effexor vs. Wellbutrin – What Is the Difference?

Antidepressants have been effective in treating everything from depression to anxiety and even pain. Effexor and Wellbutrin are two antidepressants that are somewhat different from many used today. Read on to learn more about what makes them different from each other and how they are similar.

What Are Effexor and Wellbutrin?

Effexor (venlafaxine) and Wellbutrin (bupropion) are medications used to treat depression and other conditions. Effexor falls into the class of drugs known as serotonin an

8th January 2021

Pain Management and Medications During an Opioid Crisis

From 1999 through 2018, more than 450,000 people died in the United States due to opioid overdoses. Deaths by opioid overdose were at least four times higher in 2018 than in 1999. The United States is experiencing an opioid crisis. However, given that about 11% of adults have daily pain, healthcare providers are faced with the task of providing adequate pain management while addressing an opioid overdose epidemic.

The Three Waves of the Opioid Overdose Epidemic

The opioid overdose epidemic in

15th December 2020

Managing Your Cholesterol During the Holidays

According to the CDC, almost 40% of adults in the United States have high cholesterol levels. Cholesterol in your body is made by your liver or comes from eating cholesterol-rich foods. You need cholesterol to build cells and produce certain hormones. However, too much cholesterol can cause plaque to build up in your arteries and place you at risk for stroke, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

This year’s holiday season may not involve the large gatherings of past years, but you may still

14th December 2020

Side Effects of High Blood Pressure Medication

High blood pressure medication can help you lower your blood pressure and prevent high blood pressure complications. Although these medications can save your life, they have potential side effects. However, most side effects are manageable, especially if you know what to expect from your medicine.

ACE inhibitors can help lower blood pressure, treat congestive heart failure, and prevent kidney damage in some people. They work by blocking an enzyme in your body that produces angiotensin II. Angio

9th December 2020

How Does Alcohol Affect Your Medication?

Although the current pandemic may curtail the large family gatherings traditional during the holiday season, you may still celebrate with a smaller group of family members who live with you. This year, smaller gatherings may include the occasional rum punch or glass of wine, but before you imbibe, read on to learn about medications that should not be mixed with alcohol.

How Does Alcohol Move Through Your Body?

When you drink an alcoholic beverage, the alcohol is absorbed and metabolized as it

3rd December 2020

What Do We Know About the COVID-19 Vaccines?

Nearly a year ago, a new coronavirus we now know as SARS-CoV-2 changed the entire world with the global spread of a disease that scientists named COVID-19. Since then, researchers have been working tirelessly to find medications to treat the disease and a vaccine to put an end to the devastation this pandemic has caused. This November, two vaccines emerged as frontrunners, with over 90% efficacy rates.

Which COVID-19 Vaccines Are in Late-Stage Trials?

Numerous COVID-19 vaccines are in various

27th October 2020

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month: New Breast Cancer Treatments

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Each year, over 250,000 women in the United States get breast cancer, and nearly 20% die from this disease. Catching breast cancer early before it has the chance to spread to other parts of your body is essential for successful treatment and improving survival rates. Getting regular mammograms is the best way to detect breast cancer early.

Breast cancer treatment has consisted of chemotherapy, hormone therapy, radiation, surgery, and targeted t

28th September 2020

Understanding Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a condition that affects up to 12% of women in their childbearing years. It is one of the most common causes of infertility (inability to become pregnant) in women. Most women learn that they have PCOS in their 20s and 30s when they are trying to conceive. However, PCOS can occur at any age after your first menstrual period and can affect your health throughout your lifetime.

PCOS is a condition in which your ovaries make more androgen (male sex hormone) than

27th August 2020

Breastfeeding and Safe Use of Medications

There is no doubt that breastfeeding has numerous benefits for both you and your baby. As you strive to provide the best for your baby’s health and development, you consider everything that goes into your baby’s body. When you are breastfeeding, this includes what goes into your own body.

When you need to take medications, keeping yourself healthy and your baby safe may require balancing the potential benefits of the medicine for you against the potential risks for your baby. Read on to learn a

29th July 2020

The History of American Pharmacies

How They Started and Where They Are Today

American pharmacies have come a long way from the years of colonial apothecaries to the modern automated pharmacies of today. Evolution in pharmacist education and changes in the legislature has shifted the roles of pharmacists. Read on for a brief history of pharmacies in the United States.

In 1630, Governor John Winthrop, founder of Boston, hired British apothecary Robert Cooke to assist him in preparing remedies using herbs imported from England and

9th June 2020

High Blood Pressure in Women

Nearly half of all adults in the United States have hypertension (high blood pressure), and 43% are women. The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) define hypertension as blood pressure that is 130/80 mm Hg or above. High blood pressure is a significant risk factor for heart disease, killing more women than any other illness.

Different stages in life can bring about various changes in blood pressure for women. Understanding how your body works can help y