Preventing Overdose Deaths
Now, more medications treat opioid use disorder Drug-related deaths hit an all-time high in the United States recently, with most of those fatalities due to opioid overdoses. New medical treatments can help respond to overdoses and opioid use disorder, preventing some deaths. In Illinois, 2,944 people died from opioid overdoses in 2020, which was a […]
Breast Cancer Breakthroughs
Better surgeries, less radiation, and new drugs are changing treatments and offering hope In 1811, Nabby Adams, daughter of President John Adams and Abigail Adams, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Brave Nabby submitted to a mastectomy without anesthesia in her parents’ home. The doctor successfully removed her tumor, but the cancer reappeared, and she died two […]
Clinical Trials
Participating in cancer research can give access to life-saving drugs Alexa DiVenere was 16 in 2011, when she heard news that would drastically change her life: She had stage 4 lung cancer, discovered after she felt pressure in her chest while playing soccer. The Chicago teen underwent multiple rounds of chemotherapy and, at 17, had […]
Being Aware of Parkinson’s Drugs
There is a long list of drugs to treat Parkinson’s disease, and many people take a mix of medications to manage the motor skills and side effects. The gold standard and most potent is levodopa, which the brain synthesizes to form dopamine. Other options include dopamine agonists and anticholinergic drugs to help reduce tremors. MAO-B […]
Funny Bone
Originally published in the Fall 2015 print edition.
Decoding the Drugstore Aisle
By Megy Karydes The drugstore aisle can be a confusing place to visit on days that you’re feeling well, let alone when you’re feeling ill. How does one know when to choose Tylenol over Aleve? Or Advil? And do we need to take a multivitamin daily and if so, which one? Chicago Health spoke with […]
Doctor’s Orders
Chronic Pain Should Not Necessitate Chronic Drug Use By Dr. Gena Vennikandam Aches and pains are a part of life. They are the most common reasons why patients visit their doctors and perhaps the most frustrating, because many patients leave without a definitive cure to end the chronic suffering. This can be the impetus to […]
Common Diabetes Drug Linked to Better Ovarian Cancer Outcomes
Researchers at Mayo Clinic recently released the results of a new study linking the diabetes drug metformin to better outcomes for patients with ovarian cancer. This study, published online in the journal Cancer, found that diabetic ovarian cancer patients who took this drug had a better survival rate than those who did not take it. […]
For the Love of Lipitor
Lipitor’s hold on the cholesterol drug market keeps you from saving money, but not much According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death in America. In 2008, the illness accounted for nearly 25 percent of all fatalities. Perhaps it should come as no surprise, then, that one […]
Drugging our Kids
Will drugs cure ADHD, or are we overdosing? Who isn’t familiar with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADD or ADHD)? Diagnoses increase each year. TV commercials pitch medications that can curb the symptoms. Celebrities such as Olympic gold medal winner Michael Phelps and Deal or No Deal host Howie Mandel have gone public with their condition. ADD […]
Just Say Yes?
Legalizing marijuana treatments may improve care and life of sick Marijuana, pot, dope, grass, mary jane or any other synonym you know, remains illegal under federal law. However, 16 states and the District of Columbia have approved the use of medical marijuana to ease cancer pain and muscle spasms associated with multiple sclerosis among other […]
