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Dr. West Conner Profile and Articles
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1). Dangerous Drugs in the News
A number of “dangerous drugs” have been in the news recently. These reports started to surface when Congress was having hearings about the painkiller, Vioxx. A Food and Drug Administration staff member testified in front of Congress that there are safety concerns about several medications. These medications are Accutane, Arava, Bextra, Celebrex, Cr...
2). Insomnia Tips
Insomnia is a very common complaint among older adults. The condition affects more than 70 million Americans. Some symptoms include difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, difficulty with early morning awakening, or not feeling rested by a “good night’s sleep.” Occasionally, insomnia lasts for a short time and can be easily managed. O...
3). Canada vs. Medicare
Which is cheaper, getting your medication from Canada or signing up for the new Medicare Part D? Using the Medicare web site, I entered a variety of medications for five different “patients.” I then went to a couple of online Canadian pharmacy websites and compared prices using the same medications.
I was actually surprised when the re...
4). Migraine Headaches
Nearly 30 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches. Migraines occur more commonly in women than in men and typically occur in people aged 15 to 55 years.
A recent study of 171 migraine sufferers, published in the journal Headache, suggests that over-the-counter Excedrin Migraine works better the prescription Imitrex (sumatript...
5). Insomnia
Studies show that insomnia affects approximately 75 million people in the United States. Insomnia can present itself in a couple of different ways; each may require a different medication. One symptom is a difficulty falling asleep but once asleep, the patient stays asleep. Another symptom is difficulty staying asleep, but an ease of getting to sle...
6). Another Increase in Health Premiums
The health industry’s main lobbying group, America’s Health Insurance Plans, reports that medical premiums increased 8.8% between 2004 and 2005. The lobbying group claims this is good news since the actual premium rate of growth has continued to slow from a rate of more than 13% in 2002. The increase in health premiums is reportedly most likely due...
7). C-Reactive Protein, the New Testing Standard
The latest factor to determine your risk of a heart attack is the C-Reactive Protein (CRP) test. CRP is a molecule produced by the liver in response to an inflammatory response. A simple blood test can check your CRP level. A reading of 3.0 or higher triples your risk for a heart attack.
Under normal circumstances, inflammation is a s...
8). How Much Are Your Spending at the Pharmacy
Prescription medication is vital to the practice of medicine. How often have you gone to the doctor for a problem and not walked out with a prescription? I can say with confidence, probably not too often.
It the last hundred years, antibiotics have saved millions of lives. In the two year period of 1918 and 1919, scientists estimate t...
9). Guide to Skin Care
Winter is the time of year when our skin often gets dry. The trip down the isle for a moisturizer can prove daunting. There are skin moisturizer products ranging in price from $2 to $200. Can a $200 moisturizer really be a hundred times better then the $2 moisturizer? The key is to find a product that feels good and works on your skin.
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10). Statins, the New Wonder Drug?
Statins are a group of medications used to decrease cholesterol in the body. This reduction is shown to prevent heart attacks and strokes. Recent research, however, is shedding a new light on the potential benefits of these drugs.
In a study involving more than 50,000 patients, statins showed a benefit in patients with atherosclerotic ...
11). Four Drug Free Ways to Lower Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of the arteries, the vessels that carry blood away from the heart. It is normal for your blood pressure to fluctuate during the day. When it stays high, you have high blood pressure, or hypertension. This increased pressure puts a strain on your heart that could lead to a heart attack. It also ...
12). Five Quick Ways to Save on Prescription Drugs
Prescription prices are skyrocketing out of control. The average person is now spending over $250 a month at the pharmacy counter. With the new Medicare Part D plan, the government is stepping in to try and alleviate some of these expenses. The plan is riddled with problems, delays, and confusion. Taking control of your own healthcare is truly the ...
13). Guide to Acne Treatments
Acne could easily be described as one of the most common skin complaints, it may also be the most annoying. Acne usually begins in adolescence and can continue throughout life. There have always been treatments available but recently, there is a growing concern regarding a number of recent therapies.
An overproduction of naturally occu...
14). Lizard Spit and Weight Loss
In the southwestern United States lives a unique animal called the Gila monster. What is so unique about this lizard-like creature is the fact that it only eats three times a year. Why does it only get hungry every four months? Scientists, in the never-ending search for new medications, began to study the Gila monster. What they have come up with i...
15). Counterfeit Drugs Surfacing
Anyone who has traveled into the small border towns in Mexico has surely seen the number of “farmacias” that line the streets. They are usually nothing more that a small store with a person in a white lab coat working behind the counter. The danger here is that the prescription medication that is readily available may not be medicine at all. ...
16). How much will your prescriptions cost you?
I remember as a child watching a wonderful movie called “Animals are Beautiful People.” The movie is about the different animals living in Africa and how much they are like human beings. In one scene, a native shows the technique for catching monkeys. They would catch monkeys, not for food, but for water. The monkeys knew where the water was so the...
17). How Your Doctor Decides Which Medication is Right for You
You go to your doctor’s office for a routine check-up. Everything is fine but your cholesterol is a little high. The doctor wants to put you on medication because lowering your cholesterol will significantly reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. Sounds good until you get to the pharmacy and realize this will cost you a hundred dollars a mont...
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