General Health Information

While many drugs should be purchased only as the need for them arises, certain medications, usually those used for common minor ailments, should be kept on hand.

Conventional, or allopathic, medicine focuses mostly on the diagnosis and treatment of disease, although preventive practices as part of this system have gained considerable influence in recent years.

Obviously, treatments vary according to the disorder, but all are aimed at reversing or repairing the underlying condition. If a cure is impossible, the doctor tries to manage or ease the symptoms as much as possible.

The question of long-term care has been working its way into the American conversation and women are waiting for an answer.

While Congress begins to focus on redesigning the health care system to address the needs of the more than 40 million uninsured, some worry that it will not deal with the issue of long-term care.

The Proper Use of Medications

At the turn of the century, the typical pharmacy offered only a handful of patent medicines and preparations mixed by the pharmacist. Few were truly effective and many were addictive or dangerous. In contrast, today's pharmacies stock thousands of different prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications. Many also offer homeopathic, herbal, and other natural preparations. Faced with such an array of choices, its understandable that the average patient is often confused as to when and how drugs should be used, often with serious consequences; more than 50,000 Americans are hospitalized each year with medication-induced illness.

In tough economic times, it's often the "family entertainment" budget that gets cut first. That's why it's important to seek out new and inexpensive ways for families to spend time and have fun together.

A company called Wild Planet (or call 800-247-6570) has introduced a series of affordable games designed to get families up and moving, laughing and learning. The games are healthful and challenging and offer an active twist on family game night.

There's good news for those looking for an economical way to offer their family a healthier diet. Healthy eating doesn't have to be expensive. It's possible to buy a cart full of healthy items without breaking the bank.

Think in terms of nutrition per dollar and the nutrition "powerhouse" in the diet is fruits and vegetables. They offer higher vitamin, mineral and fiber content per calorie compared to just about everything else you can eat! Fruits and veggies, including 100 percent juice and beans, provide both nutrition and great taste, making them a great value for your food dollar.

All doctors rely on laboratory tests in making many of their medical decisions. Some tests may be done on samples of blood, urine, or body tissue. For others, the patient may be sent to a special laboratory for X-rays, function studies or scans, imaging, or certain invasive procedures such as colonoscopy. The following are some of the more common tests that you may encounter as part of a diagnostic process.

According to a new Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll, the majority of U.S. adults are worried about being able to afford medical care and prescription medications. In addition, a recent study reveals that one in seven children and working-age Americans went without needed prescription medications in 2007 due to cost concerns, up from one in 10 in 2003.

Medical researchers constantly seek new and better treatments, especially for incurable diseases such as AIDS and cancer. Before these can be offered to humans, even on an experimental basis, they must undergo extensive testing, a process during which most are weeded out. Some turn out to be ineffective, others unsafe, and still others are not considered an improvement over existing therapies. Although the list of experimental treatments keeps changing, here are a few that look the most promising in the 1990s.

Nuclear medicine involves the use of radioactive materials for either diagnosis or treatment. Until the 1950s, the technology was confined to diagnostic X-rays and radiation treatments for cancer and a few other diseases. Today, it is used in the most sophisticated diagnostic studies and surgical procedures, and includes such subspecialties as nuclear cardiology.

At some point, one out of every three Americans suffers a mental disorder serious enough to benefit from treatment. Unfortunately, among those who need therapy, only 20 to 25 percent of adults and 60 percent of children undergo it. Why is mental illness so neglected? Experts note that even in this enlightened age, it still carries a social stigma, and large numbers of people who could be helped elect to suffer in silence. Others try to heal themselves, often with little or no success. Still others recognize that they have a problem, but don't know where to go for help, or cannot afford the usually high cost of therapy.

Use this list of questions as a checklist before starting any medication

1. What is the name of the drug? (Be sure to ask about both the brand name and the generic name and write them down so you can be certain to remember them.)
2. What exactly is the drug supposed to do?
3. How long will it lake for me effects of the drug to become apparent?
4. Should the drug be taken with food or on an empty stomach? Are there any foods I should avoid while taking the drug? Or any foods I should add to my diet?
5. What are the drug's most common side effects? Which are the most serious? What should be done if they appear?
6. How much medication should I take? How often? For how long?
7. Should l abstain from alcohol while taking this drug?
8. Is there an expiration date on the medication's label? How should I store the drug? Should I discard any that is left over? If so, how should this be done?
9. What should I do if I miss a scheduled dose?
10. Are there any activities to avoid while using this medication?
11. How much does the drug cost? Is there an equivalent generic form that is less expensive?
12. Is the drug available in other, perhaps more convenient, forms?
13. What written information is available on this drug and where can it be found?
14. Are there any alternatives to drug therapy for the ailment, such as exercise, nutrition therapy, or alternative treatments?

Before a new drug can be offered to the public, its manufacturer must prove that it is safe and effective. To do this, scientists must test the drug in human beings. As it turns out, this human testing, referred to as clinical trials, is the most costly and time-consuming component of the drug-development process.

Only about 20 percent of the compounds submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical trials gain approval for marketing. Critics charge that the testing process is too costly, complicated, and lengthy; they point to other countries where it is much easier to get new drugs approved.

Immunizations and vaccines are hot topics in the media recently and parents may have questions about ingredients, timing and more. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) believes that all children should be vaccinated in a timely manner.

Taking charge of your own health care, deciding when to see a doctor, when an alternative practitioner might be more appropriate, and what you can handle yourself, is an intelligent, perhaps even necessary approach these days. Unfortunately, there are no easy guidelines -- many physicians with years of training and experience often find such decisions difficult. Still, the more you know about how diseases can be treated, the more likely you are to make appropriate choices in managing your own and your family's medical care.