Gas and gas pains for human

 

 

Definition:

Gas and gas pains can beat at the nastiest possible moment - during an important meeting or on a packed elevator. And although passing intestinal gas (flatus) usually isn't serious, it can be embarrassing.

Everybody has gas and gas pains, and passes gas normally at least 12 or more times a day. But some people have excessive gas and gas pains that bothers them most of the time. In some cases, gas you can't expel can cause intense, blinking abdominal pain.

The good news is that although you can't stop gas and gas pains, a few simple measures can help reduce the amount of gas you produce and relieve your discomfort and discomfiture.

Symptoms:

For most people, the signs and symptoms of gas and gas pain are all too obvious. They include:

* The voluntary or involuntary passing of gas, either as belching or as flatus.

* Sharp, jabbing pains or cramps in your abdomen. These pains may occur anywhere in your abdomen and can change locations quickly. You may also have a "knotted" feeling in your stomach. The pain may sometimes be so intense that it feels like something is seriously wrong. When the pain occurs on the upper left side, gas pain may be mistaken for heart disease. When the pain occurs on the right side, it may be mistaken for gallstones or appendicitis.

* Abdominal bloating (distension).

For more: http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/gas-and-gas-pains/DS00080/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print

Bio-Rad to acquire certain diagnostics businesses of Biotest

Bio-Rad Laboratories, a international manufacturer and distributor of life science investigate and clinical diagnostics products, has signed an contract to acquire certain diagnostic businesses of Biotest, a manufacturer of pharmaceutical, biotherapeutic and diagnostic products, for E45 million.

The provisos of the agreement were not disclosed at this time. The transaction is subject to definite closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2010.

Integrating Biotest's diagnostic business into Bio-Rad's product portfolio will broaden the company's offering in the area of immunohematology and provide Bio-Rad access to the US markets with a full range of products.

Norman Schwartz, president and CEO of Bio-Rad, said: "Biotest has an impressive reputation for offering quality products and customer service, and we believe their array of products in the area of immunohematology will fit in well with Bio-Rad's existing diagnostics business."

Keep Safety in Mind While Cooling Off in the Water

(HealthDay News) -- Summertime brings pool parties, lazy days at the beach and boating trips to the lake.

All that time in and around water also brings a heightened risk of drowning, according to the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).

Each year, nearly 3,000 people drown in the United States. Young children are particularly at risk, Dr. Nick Jouriles, president of the ACEP, noted in a news release from the society. "It only takes a few seconds and a few inches of water for a child to drown," he said.

Drowning accounted for nearly 30 percent of deaths among children aged 1 to 4, according to 2005 statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"For every child who dies, more than 10 others are treated in emergency departments for near drowning," Jouriles said in the news release.

As families uncover backyard pools and make plans for vacation trips to the nation's lakes and beaches, emergency department physicians are bracing for the tragedies they see every summer.

Some 70 percent of child drownings in Los Angeles County occurred during June, July and August, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services.

In two-thirds of cases, the parents or caregivers of toddler-aged children found dead or nearly drowned in a pool or a spa thought their children were either sleeping or playing elsewhere in the house.

Drowning deaths can happen quickly. Most young children who drowned in pools had been out of sight less than five minutes and were in the care of one or both parents at the time, according to the CDC.

When it comes to water safety, particularly involving children, you can never take too many precautions, emergency physicians say. Ways to prevent deaths from drowning include:

• Never leave a child unattended near a swimming pool, wading pool, bathtub or hot tub.
• Don't leave open containers of water near children. Small children can drown in just a few inches of water. Since 1973, more than 500 children have drowned in bathtubs, hot tubs, toilets and five-gallon buckets, according to University of California, Los Angeles Health Services.
• Take your children for swimming lessons, with a qualified swimming instructor if possible, as early as you can.
• Never permit anyone, adults included, to swim alone.
• Enclose pools and hot tubs with fences with self-locking gates. This includes pools in backyards, neighborhoods and apartment complexes. Pools should be kept clean and free of covers or rafts that could obscure your view of a child.
• Always outfit young children with life vests or approved personal floatation devices whenever they are near water.
• Don't allow rough play -- pushing or jumping on others -- while in the water.
• Never consume alcohol and swim, especially if you are responsible for watching children.
• Avoid head and neck injuries by not diving into unfamiliar water.
• Choose beaches, pools and lakes that are watched by certified lifeguards, and always swim or surf in designated areas.
• Know basic CPR skills in case of an emergency. Studies show people who have received CPR in cases of near-drowning are less likely to suffer brain damage or death.

Health Care Reform Legislation Would Expand Access To Pharmacist Patient Care Services

Legislation released June 9 by Health, Education, Labor Committee Chairman Edward Kennedy expand access to pharmacist-delivered medication therapy management ( for patients suffering from chronic diseases.

The Affordable Health Choices Act - not yet introduced in the Senate - would provide grants to expand opportunities for pharmacists to deliver MTM services through local community-based, multi-disciplinary health teams to patients who suffer from chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

The announcement was welcomed by a coalition of 14 national pharmacy organizations established to raise awareness about the human and financial costs of inappropriate medication use.

The U.S. healthcare system currently more than $177 billion annually in mostly avoidable health costs treat adverse drug events from the inappropriate use of medications. In addition, the treatment of chronic disease costs our health system $1.3 trillion annually - about 75 cents of every healthcare dollar.

MTM services provided by pharmacists, working with physicians and other healthcare providers, helps improve therapeutic outcomes, reduces medication errors drug events, enhances coordination of care, improves patients' overall quality of life, and reduces overall healthcare costs.

The pharmacy profession, encompassing all practice settings, applauds the Senate HELP Committee proposal for identifying the problems associated with inappropriate medication use and for recognizing the important role of pharmacists as providers of clinical care services that can improve the quality of patient care by focusing medication use and can contribute to reducing overall costs in the treatment of chronic diseases.

The coalition particularly recognizes the efforts of Senators Kennedy, (R-NH) and Mikulski (D-MD) who worked hard on behalf of patients to secure these important provisions.

Talk To Your Pharmacist If You Want To Avoid Summer Horrordays

Millions of Brits are dicing with disaster and placing their health at risk when taking overseas holidays, research from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) reveals. The RPSGB's Holiday Health report, released today, shows our laid-back attitude to our wellbeing can quickly turn perfect holidays into perfectly ghastly experiences.

The RPSGB is urging Brits to visit their local pharmacy for holiday health advice and essential products before they head off on their summer holiday - after all, no one wants to be part of the 44 per cent who suffer from nasty insect bites, or the 40 per cent who find themselves struck down by diarrhoea while abroad.

Other common illnesses which can turn dream holidays diabolical include sunburn or heatstroke - causing misery to 37 per cent of British holiday-makers - headache or migraine (20 per cent) and vomiting or food poisoning (14 per cent).

Even more worryingly, the research shows half of all Brits who have travelled to countries where tropical diseases are prevalent have suffered illness or infection - yet one in nine says they do not take even basic medication and health essentials, like water purification tablets and insect repellent, with them on their travels despite these products being readily available at pharmacies.

The good news is many ailments can be avoided, or treated effectively, if members of the public go to their local pharmacy for products and advice before leaving for that well-earned holiday. Pharmacists are among the most accessible of healthcare professionals, with branches open in the high street at convenient times - often when GP surgeries are closed. In addition, many pharmacies also offer private consultation rooms. Research from the RPSGB shows 99 per cent of people can reach a pharmacy within 20 minutes.

The RPSGB's Head of Practice, Heidi Wright said: "Pharmacists are medicines experts and are ideally placed to help with your holiday health needs. It is important people visit their local pharmacy for a free consultation, and to stock up on health essentials, before embarking on their summer holidays."

Child Dental Health

Healthy teeth are important to your child's overall health. From the time your child is born, there are things you can do to promote healthy teeth. For babies, you should clean teeth with a soft, clean cloth or baby's toothbrush. Avoid putting the baby to bed with a bottle and check teeth regularly for spots or stains.

For all children, you should

• Brush teeth with a fluoride toothpaste
• Provide healthy foods and limit sweet snacks and drinks
• Provide low-fat milk and dairy products high in calcium
• Schedule regular dental check-ups
  

Forming good habits at a young age can help your child have healthy teeth for life.

Hormones May Help Shield Women from Parkinson's

Women with a longer fertile lifespan (the time from first menstruation to menopause) have a lower risk of the neurological disease, according to the findings released Wednesday and scheduled to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's annual meeting in late April in Seattle.

Women who had hysterectomies (known as "menopause from surgery") had nearly double the odds of developing Parkinson's if they had used hormone therapy before surgery, compared to if they had never taken hormone therapy. No change in risk was apparent for those who used hormone therapy during their natural menopause.

Professional Pharmacy Programs and Services

The Government and the Pharmacy Guild recognise that beneficial health outcomes can be achieved through the delivery of evidence based professional pharmacy programs and services. To this end the Fourth Agreement will provide $500 million in funding for professional pharmacy programs and services. This represents an increase from $400 million allocated under the Third Agreement.

The Fourth Agreement will continue to fund programs that were funded under the Third Agreement, such as Home Medicines Review, and it will fund new programs aimed at improving community health outcomes, such as in the areas of asthma, diabetes and communicable diseases.

For further information on Professional Pharmacy Programs and Services refer to Part 5 of the Fourth Agreement.

Selecting a Prescription Drug Plan

Tips that may allow you to reduce your drug expenses:

1. Talk to your health care provider or pharmacist, and ask if generic medicines could save you
money. Generic medicines are the same medicines as their brand name counterparts, but are available at lower cost.

2. Ask your provider or pharmacist if another, less costly, medicine could provide a similar
therapeutic treatment for you.

3. Ask your provider or pharmacist to review all the medicines you are taking to see if you still
need to take all of them. Sometimes, patients remain on a medicine when they no longer need to be, or one medicine may duplicate the treatment of another medicine you are also taking. Do not discontinue any medicine without your health care provider's permission.

Clinical Laboratories

Congress passed the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) in 1988 establishing quality standards for all laboratories testing to ensure the accuracy, reliability, and timeliness of patient test results, regardless of where the test was performed. The CLIA regulations are based on the complexity of the test method; thus, the more complicated the test, the more stringent the requirements.

State Survey Agencies, under agreements between the State and the Secretary, carry out the Medicare certification process. The State Survey Agency is also authorized to set and enforce standards for CLIA and Medicaid. (The State Survey Agency may partially re-delegate the functions to local agencies.)

Benefits to purchasing approved drugs online

Legitimate pharmacy sites on the Internet provide consumers with a convenient, private, way to obtain needed medications, sometimes at more affordable prices. The elderly and persons in remote areas can avoid the inconvenience of traveling to a store to purchase medications. Many reputable Internet pharmacies allow patients to consult with a licensed pharmacist from the privacy of their home. Moreover, Internet pharmacies can provide customers with written product information and references to other sources of information like the traditional storefront pharmacy. Finally, the increasing use of computer technology to transmit prescriptions from doctors to pharmacies is likely to reduce prescription errors.

What does the government currently pay pharmacists?

Currently,the Commonwealth Government makes payments direct to pharmacists for supplying medicines listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme(PBS). These payments cover:

* the cost of the medicine
* the cost to have the medicine delivered to the pharmacy by a wholesaler
* a retail mark-up to cover pharmacists costs in storing and handling medicines
* a fee for the pharmacists professional advice and services in dispensing the medicine to the patient.

A separate payment is also made by the government where a pharmacist is required to supply a PBS medicine that is classed as a dangerous drug (for example, morphine injections) or where the pharmacist is required to mix the ingredients for a PBS medicine before it can be given to the patient (for example, antibiotic mixtures for children).

Under the Third Community Pharmacy Agreement, the government also allocated $400 million for various pharmacy programs (for example, support payments for pharmacists in rural and remote areas, and payments for pharmacists to review the medicines being taken by elderly patients in nursing homes to make sure they are taking their medicines correctly).

Fourth Community Pharmacy Agreement Reviews

The Fourth Agreement has made provision for a number of reviews to be undertaken during the life of the Agreement on issues impacting on community pharmacies. These reviews include: The existing Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme (PBS) supply arrangements in the context of aged care residential facilities and private hospitals. The existing supply arrangements for drugs listed under Section 100 of the National Health Act 1953. The online collection and recording of relevant data on PBS prescriptions supplied by community pharmacy that are priced below the patient co-payment. Payment times for processing of PBS claims in the existing environment. The staged supply of PBS medicines when this is specified by the prescriber. The role of community pharmacies in drug recalls

Patient and consumer perspectives

The inquiry has based its work on patient and consumer perspectives. In other words, it has designed a proposal to benefit these groups in terms of accessibility and price. The high level of expertise, security and quality that characterises the pharmaceutical trade today is to be maintained. The inquiry has conducted international comparisons of pharmacy markets and taken into consideration their strengths and weaknesses when drawing up the proposals. Another starting point was that the state is still to be responsible for supervising and monitoring the pharmaceuticals trade and pharmacy staff.

The re-regulation of the pharmacy market

At the end of 2006 the Government appointed an inquiry on the re-regulation of the pharmacy market. The objective was greater efficiency, improved accessibility for consumers, price pressure, and safe and appropriate use of medicinal products.The inquiry delivered its final report on the reform of the pharmacy market to the Minister for Health and Social Affairs on 8 January 2008. It contains proposals that will enable actors other than Apoteket AB to retail both prescription and non-prescription medicinal products in pharmacies. One fundamental prerequisite is that a permit must be obtained from the Medical Products Agency by anyone wishing to retail in these products and that the business has access to pharmaceutical expertise.
The inquiry also proposes that the IT infrastructure be independent of Apoteket AB so that it can be accessible to all pharmacies regardless of owner. Finally, it proposes a new pricing model for medicinal products. The report is being circulated for comment. The final date for comment was 11 April 2008.The inquiry was also required to present proposals that would allow for the sale of a limited range of non-prescription medicinal products at locations other than pharmacies.