Gastroesophageal reflux disease occurs when stomach acid flows back into your food pipe By DR. MAMTA PARIKH Gastroesophageal reflux (aka acid reflux) is a common problem encountered by many people. Symptoms vary, but usually include heartburn, difficulty with swallowing and/or vomiting. This article will focus on symptoms, when to seek help, di...

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Dear Dr. Gott: I have a relative who is nearly 50 years old. About 30 years ago, he suffered with gastroenteritis and was on Donnatal. At the time, he lived on a farm and had to work while he was sick. Now, in his bout with colitis, he is on the medication Asacol. How long will he have to be on the medication? It has been four months already. De...

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Acid-reducing proton pump inhibitors are being prescribed to seniors 60 per cent more often than they were five years ago.   The number of seniors taking acid-reducing drugs to treat gastrointestinal woes has soared by 60 per cent over the past five years, newly released data show. More than one in five Canadians over the age of 65 were tre...

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Bloomberg News (12/6, Kresge) reported that the "blood-thinning pill Pradaxa [dabigatran] may provide a more convenient alternative to" warfarin, "the standard therapy for potentially deadly clots," according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Society of Hematology conference. Pradaxa "'is ...

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Source: MedWire News The dopaminergic system appears to play a central role in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder and may point the way to novel treatments, the results of a review indicate. A comprehensive pathophysiologic model of bipolar disorder is lacking, despite there being effective pharmacologic treatments for the disorder. Nevert...

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Harvard Health Letters Q. My brother needed surgery for an enlarged prostate at age 60. I'm just a few months shy of my 50th birthday, and my urine stream is starting to slow down a bit. Is there anything I can do to avoid following in my brother's footsteps? A. Prevention is the best medicine. However, in the case of the prostate, although m...

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Winter months affect mood By SHANESSA FAKOUR Winter brings cold weather, less sunlight and, for some people, depression. For those diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder, depressive symptoms usually begin in late October or early November, and last until the warmer, sunnier days of spring, according to the Mayo Clinic.  "I think it...

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Source: ClinicalAdvisor.com At a glance Treatment should ordinarily be empirical and not contingent on invasive tests like endoscopy. Recommendations for lifestyle modification are numerous but for the most part poorly supported by evidence. Long-term treatment with a PPI is strongly recommended for patients with esophagitis or ...

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