Archive for September, 2010

Gentamicin sulfate

September 27th, 2010
michaelrussell asked:




HOW SUPPLIED

Injection: 40 mg/ml (adult), 10 mg/ml (pediatric)

I. V. infusion (premixed): 40 mg, 60 mg, 70 mg, 80 mg, 90 mg, 100 mg, 120 mg in normal saline solution

ACTION

Inhibits protein synthesis by binding directly to the 30S ribosomal subunit. Usually bactericidal.

INDICATIONS & DOSAGE

Serious infections due to sensitive strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Proteus, Klebsiella, Serratia, Entero­bacter, Citrobacter, or Staphylococcus­

Adults: 3 mg/kg daily in divided doses I.M. or I.V. infusion q 8 hours. For life threatening infections, patient may receive up to 5 mg/kg daily in three to four di­vided doses; dose should be reduced to 3 mg/kg daily as soon as clinically indicated.

Children: 2 to 2.5 mg/kg q 8 hours I.M. or by I. V. infusion.

Neonates over age 1 week or infants: 2.5 mg/kg q 8 hours I.M. or by I. V. infusion.

Neonates under age 1 week and pretenn infants: 2.5 mg/kg q 12 hours I.M. or by I.V. infusion.

Meningitis -

Adults: systemic therapy as above.

Children: systemic therapy as above.

Endocarditis prophylaxis for GI or GU procedure or surgery-

Adults: 1.5 mg/kg LM. or LV. 30 minutes before procedure or surgery. Maximum dose is 80 mg. Given with ampicillin (vancomycin in penicillinallergic patients).

Children: 2 mg/kg LM. or I.V. 30 minutes before procedure or surgery. Maxi­mum dose is 80 mg. Given with ampicillin (vancomycin in penicillin allergic patients).

After hemodialysis to maintain thera­peutic blood levels -

Adults: 1 to 1.7 mg/kg I.M. or by LV. inusion after each dialysis.

Children: 2 to 2.5 mg/kg LM. or by 1. V. infusion after each dialysis.

Dosage adjustment: For adult patients with impaired renal function, doses and frequency are determined by serum gentamicin levels and renal function.

ADVERSE REACTIONS

CNS: headache, lethargy, encephalopathy, confusion, dizziness, seizures, numb­ness, peripheral neuropathy, vertigo, ataxia, tingling.

CV: hypotension.

EENT: ototoxicity, blurred vision, tinnitus.

GI: vomiting, nausea.

GU: nephrotoxicity; possible elevation in BUN, nonprotein nitrogen, or serum cre­atinine levels; possible increase in urinary excretion of casts.

Hematologic: anemia, eosinophilia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, agranulocytosis.

Hepatic: increased ALT, AST, bilirubin, LD.

Musculoskeletal: muscle twitching, myasthenia gravis-like syndrome.

Respiratory: apnea.

Skin: rash, urticaria, pruritus.

Other: fever, anaphylaxis; injection site pain.

INTERACTIONS

Drug-drug. Acyclovir, amphotericin B, cisplatin, methoxyflurane, vancomycin, other aminoglycosides: increased ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Use together cautiously.

Cephalosporins: increased nephrotoxicity. Use together cautiously. Dimenhydrinate: may mask symptoms of ototoxicity. Use with caution.

General anesthetics, neuromuscular blockers: may potentiate neuromuscular blockade. Monitor closely.

Indomethacin: may increase serum peak and trough levels of gentamicin. Serum gentamicin ]evels must be monitored closely.

I. V. loop diuretics (such as furosemide): increased ototoxicity. Use cautiously. Parenteral penicillins (such as ampicillin and ticarcillin): gentamicin inactivation in vitro. Don’t mix together.

EFFECTS ON DIAGNOSTIC TESTS

None reported.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Contraindicated in hypersensitivity to drug or other aminoglycosides

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Use cautiously in neonates, infants, elderly patients, and patients with impaired renal function or neuromuscular disorders.

• A specimen for culture and sensitivity tests is obtained before first dose is given.

• Patient’s hearing must be evaluated before and during therapy. Patient complaints of tinnitus, vertigo, or hearing loss are important.

• Patient’s weight and renal function studies must be reviewed before therapy begins.

• Alert: Preservative-free formulations of gentamicin are used when the intrathecal route is ordered.

• Blood for peak gentamicin level is obtained I hour after I.M. injection or 30 minutes after LV. infusion finishes; for trough levels, blood is drawn just before next dose. Blood must not be collected in a heparinized tube; heparin is incompatible with aminoglycosides.

• Peak blood levels over 10 mcg/ml and trough levels over 2 mcg/m] may be associated with higher incidence of toxicity.

• Urine output, specific gravity, urina]y­sis, BUN and creatinine levels, and crea­tinine clearance must be monitored.

• Hemodialysis for 8 hours removes up to 50% of drug from blood.

• Superinfection (continued fever and other signs and symptoms of new infection, especially of upper respiratory tract) may occur.

• Therapy usually continues for 7 to 10 days. If no response occurs in 3 to 5 days, therapy may be stopped and new specimens obtained for culture and sensitivity testing.

I. V. administration

• When giving by intermittent LV. infusion, the drug is diluted with 50 to 200 ml of Ds W or normal saline injection and infused over 30 minutes to 2 hours. After completing LV. infusion, the line is flushed with normal saline solution or Ds W.

Patient teathing

• Maintain adequate fluid intake and report adverse reactions promptly.

• Don’t perform hazardous activities if adverse CNS reactions occur.



Fioricet for Migraines

High Blood Pressure Headache: Relief Without Drugs

September 27th, 2010
Gwen Tanner asked:




If you suffer from high blood pressure headaches, you have probably resorted to taking medications such as aspirin or ibuprofen. Unfortunately, when taking such medications, you run the risk of side effects.

Being that you have high blood pressure, which may already cause dizziness, blurred vision and nausea, it is best that you avoid adding to those symptoms. When you take medications such as asprin or ibuprofen tablets, you run the risk of suffering from their side effects which can also include dizziness and queasiness as well as a host of others. So, the medicines that you chose to help you might actually be harming you even further. Luckily there is a method to help alleviate your high blood pressure headaches, without using drugs. This method involves the use of pressure points.

You can use Chinese pressure points to help sooth your high blood pressure headache quickly, but you will need to follow the correct procedure. The benefit from using Chinese pressure points is that you should feel relief almost instantly if done properly.

Step 1 – Massage the Temples

Gently massage the pressure points located on both of your temples. Your temples are the areas right in front of your ears, just above the joints of your jaw. Massage the pressure points with the fleshy parts of your thumbs. Be sure to barely touch the skin, and massage in circles in the direction away from your ears. Doing this for 30-60 seconds will help to relax you, but if you feel you need to do it longer, then continue until you feel you are well relaxed. The relaxation you feel is the first step in helping to relieve your headache.

Step 2 – Massage the Eyebrows

Penetrate the pressure points on the inside of the eyebrows by massaging in strong circular motions with your middle fingers. These points are where the eyebrows meet above the nose. Massage these points for about 10-30 seconds to help circulate and regulate blood pressure. It is important that this massage is strong enough to get the blood circulating, but don’t press and hold, be sure keep rotating.

Step 3 – Massage the Sides of the Forehead

Two pressure points are located above the outer sides of your eyes, on the forehead. If you slide your fingers up from the side of your eyes you will feel the sensitive points. Massage these pressure points with your middle fingers for 10-30 seconds. The massage in this area should be strong like in step two.

Step 4 – Massage the Center Forehead

This pressure point is at the same level of the two you just massaged, but in the center of your forehead above the nose. This point should also be massaged strongly for 10-30 seconds using your middle fingers.

That’s all there is to it! You can do the massage yourself, but it may be better to get a friend or spouse to help massage the pressure points. However you choose to do so, you will find that this safe method of relief from high blood pressure headaches is very relaxing and helps to increase your blood circulation.



ibuprofen

Bladder Infection Treatment

September 27th, 2010
Corwin Brown asked:




A bladder infection is also called a urinary tract infection (UTI) by most medical people, so if you hear both names, don’t get scared or confused. It’s a bacterial infection that affects any part of the urinary tract. Although urine contains a variety of fluids. salts, and waste products, it normally does not have bacteria in it. When bacteria get into the bladder and multiply in the urine, it causes a urinary tract infection.

Bladder infections are more common among women than men because of their shorter urethra, making it easer for bacteria from the anus or genital area to reach the bladder. Bladder infections often occur in young women who have just become sexually active and have sexual intercourse often. In addition, bladder infections can occur anytime the flow of urine is blocked or emptying of the bladder is incomplete due to an enlarged prostate in men or pregnancy in women.

The urethra is a small tube connecting the bladder with the outside of the body. A muscle called the urinary sphincter, located at the junction of the bladder and the urethra, must relax at the same time the bladder contracts to expel urine.Any part of this system can become infected. As a rule, the farther up in the urinary tract the infection is located, the more serious it is.

Bladder Infection Treatment

Bladder infections are usually easily treated with antibiotics to kill the bacteria and prevent the spread of infection to the kidneys. Treatment for women is usually short-term; most patients respond within three days. Men do not respond as well to short-term treatment and may require seven to ten days of oral antibiotics. The doctor may also prescribe Pyridium, a medicine that helps reduce the pain and spasm of the bladder during the first couple of days.

Mild bladder infections can clear up quickly in response to simple home remedies, such as drinking plenty of fluid. But if you experience no relief within 24 hours, you should consult a physician for more aggressive treatment. Delay in clearing your body of the infection can lead to more serious problems. A common home treatment is Pyridium. This is merely an anesthetic agent for the urinary tract and won’t actually treat the infection.

Three-day regimens of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, norfloxacin (Noroxin) and other fluoroquinolones also work and the incidence of side effects is as low as with single-dose treatment. Data on this duration of treatment is not sufficient to permit definite recommendations, but three-day regimens appear promising. As with single-dose therapy, candidates for three-day therapy must be carefully chosen to exclude those with a high probability of an upper tract infection.

Symptoms of bladder infections include a burning sensation when urinating. This is the most common symptom of having bladder infection. Any pain or difficulty in urination may also be due to a bladder infection. Frequent urge to urinate or the urine has a strong, foul odor is another sign. Bladder spasms and a fever or chills are other clues that one has a bladder infection. The most common treatment for a bladder infection would be taking an antibiotic.

Herbs can be used to fight infection, soothe the inflamed urinary tract, and encourage urination (which flushes bacteria out of the system). Uva ursi (also known as bearberry and upland cranberry) can be effective in clearing infections from the urinary tract and triggering urination. Its leaves are often taken as a tincture or tea. Because it can be toxic, only small doses of this herb should be used. Follow the directions from your doctor or on the product’s label.



Buy Carisoprodol Generic Soma muscle relaxant