What is epinephrine injection (Auvi-Q)? What is Auvi-Q used for? Auvi-Q is an auto-injectable epinephrine-containing device used for self-administration during life-threatening allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. Auvi-Q is an epinephrine auto-injector that talks the user step by step through the injection process. Epinephrine, the medicine contained in Auvi-Q, is an excitatory chemical naturally made by our bodies. Epinephrine stimulates alpha and...
Addyi (flibanserin): Female Libido Drug Side Effects & Interactions
What is flibanserin? What is flibanserin used for? Addyi (flibanserin) is an oral drug used for treating low sexual desire in women. The mechanism of action of flibanserin is not completely understood. Flibanserin affects the way the brain works by interfering with communication among the brain’s nerves in areas of the brain that control sexual desire and other pleasurable sensations....
alirocumab (Praluent): Cholesterol Drug Side Effects & Dosage
What is alirocumab, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Alirocumab is a man-made injectable drug that reduces cholesterol levels in the blood. It is the first member of a new class of drugs called proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors. Cholesterol is carried in the blood to a large extent by particles of low density lipoproteins...
What Is Rickets? Treatment, Causes & Symptoms
Rickets facts Skeletal deformities, including an abnormally shaped skull, can be a sign of rickets. Rickets is a bone disorder caused by a deficiency of vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate. There are several different types of rickets. There are different bony abnormalities associated with rickets, but all are due to poor mineralization with calcium and phosphate. The active form of...
Is MS (Multiple Sclerosis) Contagious Through Saliva or Kissing?
What is multiple sclerosis (MS)? Readers Comments 1 Share Your Story Symptoms of MS include weakness, fatigue, tingling, pain, and vision problems. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) that causes demyelination (destruction of myelin that insulates and protects the nerve cells) of the brain and spinal cord nerve cells. The...
What Is Fatigue? Symptoms, Causes, Treatment & Tests
Fatigue definition and facts Readers Comments 12 Share Your Story Picture of a Man with Fatigue Caused By Sleep Apnea Fatigue (either physical, mental or both) is a symptom that may be difficult for the patient to describe and words like lethargic, exhausted and tired may be used. Taking a careful and complete history is the key to help making...
List of Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Medications and Side Effects
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) medications definitions and facts Readers Comments 2 Share Your Story Medications to treat AFib include beta-blockers, blood thinners, and heart rhythm drugs. Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia) from chaotic electric signals generated in the upper chambers (atria) of the heart. Atrial fibrillation medications are used to treat and manage the condition by controlling the...
Metformin & Sitagliptin (Janumet): Diabetes Drug Side Effects & Dosage
What is metformin and sitagliptin? What is Janumet used for? Janumet is a combination of two drugs, metformin and sitagliptin, that are used for reducing blood glucose (sugar) levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes. The FDA approved Janumet in March 2007. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. It limits blood glucose levels by reducing the amount of...
lamotrigine (Lamictal): Seizure Drug Side Effects & Dosage
What is lamotrigine, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Lamotrigine is an oral drug that is used primarily for treating seizures. It is chemically unrelated to other anti-seizure drugs. The precise mechanism by which lamotrigine exerts its anti-seizure action is not known. The FDA approved lamotrigine in December 1974. What brand names are available for lamotrigine? Lamictal, Lamictal...
fluoxetine, Prozac, Sarafem: Facts about Side Effects
What is fluoxetine? What are the uses for fluoxetine? Fluoxetine is an oral drug that is used primarily for treating depression. Fluoxetine is also used to treat depression, bulimia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). It is also prescribed in combination with olanzapine (Zyprexa) to treat resistant depression and depression associated with bipolar disorder. Fluoxetine is...