Cancer Articles (Dr. S.N White)

What about adverse effects of drugs?  This is a time when some great drugs are available, but this is also a time for caution. You should never forget that drugs that are effective are, and have to be, extremely powerful often they save lives but that they sometimes have undesirable effects, known as adverse drug reactions (ADR) or side effects. When it comes to drugs for heart disease, you need to be very candid with your physician. Make her or him aware that you know the two sides of drug action. Discuss the adverse effects of any drug prescribed. If you are on medication and notice any of the adverse effects described in this chapter or that you have been told to watch for by a health professional, contact your physician as soon as possible. Some adverse effects can occur soon after you have started on your new medication perhaps an upset stomach or signs of your liver undergoing some minor damage. Your physician can uncover possible liver problems by doing a simple blood t...

We live in a time when people too often think of drugs as magical, relieving us of the need to change our lifestyle choices. For people with heart disease, can today’s drugs allow one to avoid lifestyle changes? The answer is, without any doubt, no. Lifestyle changes must come in tandem with any drugs your doctor prescribes; drugs should never be used in place of lifestyle modification. Many doctors will first advise lifestyle changes for reducing cholesterol levels or other conditions and only prescribe medicine if they fail but the lifestyle changes, even if minor, should be continued. Lifestyle and medications work together very well. You must tell your physician that you are willing to give a new lifestyle, from diet to exercise to not smoking (if you are a smoker), a good try. Remember, some people prefer taking a drug to making changes in their routine: make it clearyou are not one of them. Look ahead to the chapters on food and weight control, stress, and exercise. Make a con...

Drugs can lower blood cholesterol and blood pressure and can decrease the tendency of blood to make abnormal clots. Drugs can extend your healthy years and, in certain situations, be lifesaving.  The major types of drugs used in heart disease include • drugs to lower blood cholesterol or triglycerides • drugs to control angina • drugs to control blood pressure • drugs to control blood clotting • drugs to control heart rhythm and prevent arrhythmias