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 […]
Metastatic Breast Cancer
Living with a terminal cancer that is seldom understood Chicagoan Shannon Collins was in for a shock. At age 26, she was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, a surprising diagnosis for one so young, even though breast cancer runs in her family. Taking an all-out approach, Collins tackled the cancer with aggressive chemo and a […]
The Debate Over Acid-Reflux Drugs
Doctors explain the benefits and risks of proton pump inhibitors At one point, Dana Connell’s physician told her osteoporosis could be a side effect from taking a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) to manage her stomach pain, but that was it, says the 56-year-old Oak Park resident and college professor. “I had terrible — at times, […]
Seeking Drug to Treat Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Chicago-area families are advocating for new medications for what would be the first and only treatment in the United States for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Duchenne, a genetic disorder that mostly affects boys, results in progressive muscle weakness and can lead to heart-related death before the age of 25. There is no cure for Duchenne and currently […]
Doxil Drama
The FDA’s approval of generic Doxil has begun to ease shortages of the cancer drug By Patrick Kenney Over the last couple years, our healthcare system has been plagued by nationwide drug shortages that have threatened the lives of thousands of patients. The consequences of these shortages have been particularly dangerous because many of the […]
Chasing the Shortage
How Chicago’s top pharmacies are keeping up with historic drug shortages Representatives from Rush University Medical Center, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Northwestern Memorial Hospital and University of Chicago Medical Center recently sat down together to devise a plan; what to do if the medicine runs out. “In the past, it wasn’t part of our daily job […]
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 […]
