People with asthma often experience anxiety and depression. And on the flip side, depression is associated with worse asthma symptoms. So, what’s the connection between these health conditions? There’s also the question of whether asthma medications themselves cause depression. In 2009, the FDA required packaging for the Singulair generic, , to have a warning… Read More
There’s so much controversy around the HPV vaccine, but what’s the final word? Is it safe for women and men? What about young girls and boys? The FDA just approved expanded use of the HPV vaccine to cover adults up to 45 years of age, in addition to children and adolescents, but vaccinating yourself or your child… Read More
Is metformin bad for you? There is quite a bit of misinformation out there about this popular medication. Metformin therapy may cause diarrhea and lower vitamin B12 levels, but most things you hear about metformin aren’t true. Here are some common (Glucophage) myths. 1) Metformin is bad for your kidneys. It’s not. There may… Read More
“Can I just stop my medication?” This question, frequently asked of primary care doctors, has a complicated answer. For starters, if you are taking a medication that is controlling an ongoing medical problem like high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol, you should never stop it on your own—or your problem will return. Many patients… Read More
In the land of high blood pressure medications, ACE inhibitors and ARBs are pretty standard. That means that if you are being treated for high blood pressure, you’re likely to be on one of these medications. ACE inhibitors and ARBs represent two groups of drugs that treat hypertension, but they differ in how they work… Read More
There is widespread use of zolpidem (Ambien) for insomnia, but is it always safe? Occasional insomnia that interferes with your life or a disrupted sleep cycle due to travel are perfect opportunities for short-term use of the atypical benzodiazepine drug, zolpidem. After all, zolpidem at low doses (as low as 5 mg) for short periods… Read More
Before antibiotics were discovered, infections like pneumonia and tuberculosis were the leading causes of death in the US. Fortunately, we now have antibiotics to treat these diseases—we just have to remember to use them safely. After all, these infection-fighting medications can pose serious risks to you and thousands of other people who rely on antibiotics… Read More
Starting a new antidepressant can be scary. Depression often shows up differently in different people, so it may take some time to find the right medication for you. And once you start taking it, it might cause unwanted side effects. But, a new antidepressant doesn’t have to be scary. Here are five things to remember… Read More
More than one-third of US adults may be using a prescription medication associated with depression and/or suicidal symptoms as a possible side effect, a recent study finds. Over 200 medications, including birth control pills, blood pressure medications, antacids, and painkillers, were cited with these concerns. The study, carried out by researchers at the University of… Read More
My hands are shaking. Is it Parkinson’s? Something else? Shakiness, or tremors, is a common problem that brings patients to my office. If you start having shaky hands, you may worry that you have Parkinson’s disease, but many other things can cause tremors—like medications. The good news is, drug-induced tremors go away with lower doses… Read More