dr/oca

As per the World Health Organization statistics, it has been established that 7 people die due to tobacco use. Tobacco consists more than 400 toxic substances and a further 4,000 chemical compounds.

The most hazardous substances are tar, a carcinogen substance and nicotine which is addictive and increases cholesterol and carbon monoxide levels in the body. Carbon monoxide decreases the amount of oxygen in the body and this gives rise to different health problems. Smoking decreases the levels of oxygen reaching tissues because it constricts and damages blood vessels, giving rise to different health problems.

Smokers are more likely to suffer from respiratory infections and other minor complaints such as colds and coughs. Smokers suffer from severe diseases such as heart diseases, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, lung disease, respiratory problems and other problems related to pancreas, kidneys, and liver. Hereunder is a breakdown of smoking related diseases:

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): This is a group of health conditions that blocks airflow and thus one will have difficulty in breathing. The COPD causes health dysfunctions like chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Emphysema is when one has breathlessness because alveoli or air sacs have been damaged. Chronic bronchitis leads to frequent coughing with a lot of mucus. Smoking is 80% responsible for about 80% of COPD cases. The lungs decline at a faster rate, 3 times in fact in smokers than normal rate. Breathlessness starts due to the lungs dysfunction.

Cancer: Smokers are more likely to get cancer; cancer of the lungs, throat, gullet and mouth is caused by Carcinogen that is present in tobacco smoke. It is approximated that 90% of lung cancer cases are associated with smoking.

Other cancer diseases associated with smoking is cancer of the bladder, pancreatic, kidneys and esophagus, cervical cancer is more prevalent in female smokers.

Cardiovascular Diseases: These are diseases of the heart, the blood vessels, including veins and arteries. Major causes of smoke related deaths fall in this category. As it had earlier been established that nicotine increases the cholesterol levels in the blood, these cholesterol and other fats are deposited in the arteries. The arteries therefore become rigid, narrow or blocked. Due to the narrowing of these arteries, there will be blood clots and thus the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Common cardiovascular diseases are peripheral vascular disease, coronary thrombosis, coronary heart diseases, cerebral thrombosis and cerebrovascular diseases like stroke.

The lining of blood vessels are damaged, this affects the level of fats in the bloodstreams, the risks of atheroma are increased; this is the major source of stroke, aneurysms and heart diseases. Additionally, smoking causes mouth ulcerations.

Smoking has been associated with sexual problems, from performance in sex to infertility. Further smoking increases the risk of high blood pressure. Pale skin and more wrinkles are caused due to decrease in vitamin A levels, smokers have a lower supply of blood to the skin.

During pregnancy, it is advisable not to smoke since it heightens the risk of miscarriage, complications such as bleeding, ectopic pregnancy, premature birth and detachment of placenta. Also still births, low birth weight or congenital defects such as cleft palate.

Basically the health of the smoker and those around them are affected; smokers don’t get old, they die young

Tamiflu Dosage

doctor will consider a number of factors, including:

*Your age

*Other medical conditions you may have.

As is the case with all medicines, do not adjust your dosage unless specifically instructed by your healthcare provider to do so.

Tamiflu Dosage for the Treatment of Flu in Adults and Adolescents

The recommended starting dosage for most adults and adolescents over the age of 13 is 75 mg, twice a day, for five days. Tamiflu should be started within two days of first noticing flu symptoms.

Tamiflu Dosage for Prevention of the Flu in Adults and Adolescents:

Tamiflu should be started as soon as one has been in close contact with someone who has the flu, preferable within two days. The recommended dose for flu prevention in people age 13 or older is 75 mg once a day for at least 10 days. If there is a flu outbreak in your area, you can take 75 mg once a day for up to six weeks.

Tamiflu Dosage for Treatment or Prevention of the Flu in Children:

For the prevention or treatment of the flu in children ages 1 to 12, the recommended dosage of Tamiflu will be based on the weight of the child. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist about the specific dosage for your child.

The Food and Drug Administration has authorized emergency use of Tamiflu for infants under one year of age for the 2009-2010 H1N1 flu season. However, Tamiflu is not recommended for very young infants (under three months of age) unless the situation is critical, since there is very little information about how to properly dose this medication in young infants.

Because there is a shortage of Tamiflu oral suspension, your pharmacist may need to make a suspension using the capsules. It is very important to understand that this pharmacist-made suspension will be a different concentration (15 mg per mL) from the commercially available Tamiflu suspension (12 mg per mL).

INDICATIONS:

Treatment of Influenza

TAMIFLU is indicated for the treatment of uncomplicated acute illness due to influenza infection in patients 1 year and older who have been symptomatic for no more than 2 days.

Prophylaxis of Influenza

TAMIFLU is indicated for the prophylaxis of influenza in patients 1 year and older.

The following points should be considered before initiating treatment or prophylaxis with

TAMIFLU:

TAMIFLU is not a substitute for early vaccination on an annual basis as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

Influenza viruses change over time. Emergence of resistance mutations could decrease drug effectiveness. Other factors (for example, changes in viral virulence) might also diminish clinical benefit of antiviral drugs. Prescribers should consider available information on influenza drug susceptibility patterns and treatment effects when deciding whether to use TAMIFLU.

Many people are wondering if they should get the swine flu vaccine and worry about side effects. Here is the latest information to help with these important questions.

The swine flu is a new virus and many government bodies around the world are recommending getting the H1N1 influenza vaccine to protect against getting sick. But many people have questions when it comes to getting the swine flu vaccine, and some of the big ones include whether to get a vaccine or not and what are the side effects from getting a swine flu vaccine.

 people who want to get an H1N1 flu vaccine can choose between getting an injection or a nasal spray. Read on to find about the side effects for both forms of vaccination.

Swine Flu Vaccine Side Effects for Shot

It’s expected that side effects for the H1N1 flu vaccine shot will be much like the ones experienced when getting a seasonal influenza vaccine shot. For the shot form of the vaccine, the side effects can include the following mild symptoms:
Headache

Fatigue for several days after

Fever

Muscle aches

Nausea

Redness, soreness, swelling or tenderness near injection site

Fainting (mainly with teens)

The 2009 H1N1 vaccine that is given by injection has a form of the virus that has been killed, so it’s not possible to get influenza from the shot.

What are the Side Effects of the H1N1 Flu Nasal Vaccine?

The expected side effects for the nasal spray form of the swine flu vaccine vary from children to adults. Kids and teens ages two to 17 have reported some of the following mild symptoms

Cough

Headache

Fever

Muscle aches

Nasal congestion

Runny nose

Stomach pain

Vomiting/Diarrhea

Wheezing

Adults aged 18 to 49 years have reported some of the following symptoms:
Cough

Chills

Headache

Tiredness/Weakness

The nasal vaccine is not being recommended for everyone and has not been approved for pregnant women. People who are healthy and between the ages of two to 49 years old are generally considered good candidates for this nasal spray swine flu vaccine.

Possibility of Severe Side Effects to Swine Flu Vaccine

Severe side effects after getting a vaccine are considered very rare. If they do happen, it’s usually within minutes to hours after receiving the shot. It should also be noted that back in 1976, there was a version of the swine flu vaccine that was linked with people getting Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS). Studies have been done since that date and a clear association between flu vaccines and GBS has not been found.

There is a risk for a severe allergic reaction with just about every product people use. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that the risk of dying or becoming extremely ill is very minute from getting a flu vaccination.