What is healthy living? Healthy living involves more than physical health, it also includes mental and emotional health. This article is designed to give tips to readers about how they can improve or augment actions in their life to have a healthy lifestyle; it is not meant to be all inclusive but will include major...
What is potassium chloride, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Potassium preparations are used for supplementing potassium in order to treat or prevent low potassium levels in the blood (hypokalemia). Potassium is a major mineral (electrolyte) that is important for the function of every cell in the body. For example, it is important...
What facts should I know about C. diff (Clostridium difficile)? Readers Comments 20 Share Your Story What is a bacterial infection? What is the medical definition of C. diff? Clostridium difficile or C. diff is a bacterium. Microscopically it is referred to as gram positive and rod-shaped. It is exists best in a low oxygen environment....
What's involved with teen disease prevention? Share Your Story Picture of Female Teenagers with Makeup The teen years are a time of growth that involves experimentation and risk taking. For some teens, the social pressures of trying to fit in can be too much. These years can be even more troubling for teens when confronted...
What is topical fluorouracil, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Topical fluorouracil is a drug that is used to treat conditions of the skin in which there is rapid multiplication (division) of cells, for example, skin cancer. In order to multiply or divide, cells must produce DNA for each new cell. The DNA...
Amoxicillin (Moxatag) vs. azithromycin (Zithromax): What’s the difference? Amoxicillin and azithromycin are antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections of the middle ear, tonsils, throat, larynx (laryngitis), bronchi (bronchitis), lungs (pneumonia), urinary tract, skin, and some sexually transmitted diseases. Amoxicillin and azithromycin are different types of antibiotics. Amoxicillin is a penicillin-type antibiotic and azithromycin is a...
What is ciclopirox, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Ciclopirox is a synthetic broad-spectrum antifungal agent that inhibits the growth of dermatophytes, a type of fungus that grows on the skin, hair, and nails. When applied to skin a very small percentage is absorbed into the body. It was approved for use in...
What is budesonide (Rhinocort Aqua, Rhinocort Allergy), and how does it work? Budesonide is a synthetic steroid belonging to the glucocorticoid family, a family in which cortisol (hydrocortisone) is the naturally occurring steroid. Hydrocortisone is produced in the adrenal glands. Glucocorticoid steroids have potent anti-inflammatory actions. When used as a nasal inhaler or spray, budesonide...
Diprolene (betamethasone dipropionate) vs. Topicort (desoximetasone): What’s the difference? Betamethasone and desoximetasone are corticosteroids used to relieve itching and inflammation associated with a wide variety of skin conditions such as allergic dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, and plaque psoriasis. Brand names of betamethasone include Diprolene, Diprolene AF and Luxiq. A brand name for desoximetasone is...
What is indapamide, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Indapamide is a diuretic (water pill) that is used primarily for the treatment of high blood pressure. It works by preventing the kidney from reabsorbing (retaining in the body) salt and water that is destined to be eliminated in the urine. This results in...