(ARA) — Nearly 19 million Americans currently live with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), commonly known as acid reflux disease, and suffer from painful and uncomfortable symptoms such as frequent and persistent heartburn.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved KAPIDEX (TM) (dexlansoprazole) delayed release capsules for the once-daily, oral treatment of heartburn associated with symptomatic non-erosive GERD, the healing of erosive esophagitis (EE) and the maintenance of healed EE. KAPIDEX (30 mg and 60 mg) is the first PPI with a Dual Delayed Release (TM) (DDR) formulation that provides two separate releases of medication.

GERD is a chronic condition that can occur when the valve at the lower end of the esophagus does not work properly, causing stomach contents to back up into the esophagus repeatedly. If the esophagus is continually exposed to stomach contents, damage to the lining of the esophagus such as breaks or lesions can occur, a condition known as erosive esophagitis (EE).

GERD can affect both men and women, and its symptoms are often triggered by certain foods, stress, or pressure on the stomach.

“Clinical studies have shown that KAPIDEX has the ability to provide up to 24-hour heartburn relief in patients with GERD,” said Charles Baum, M.D., executive medical director at Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc. “KAPIDEX is the first PPI that provides two separate releases of medication.”

About KAPIDEX (dexlansoprazole) delayed release capsules
KAPIDEX (dexlansoprazole) delayed release capsules, previously known by the development code TAK-390MR, is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), which decreases acid production by turning off many of the acid pumps in the stomach, thus helping to protect the esophagus from acidic reflux so that esophageal inflammation can heal. KAPIDEX combines an enantiomer of lansoprazole with a Dual Delayed Release (TM) (DDR) formulation designed to provide two separate releases of medication. KAPIDEX, taken once-daily, is approved for the healing of all grades of erosive esophagitis (EE) for up to eight weeks, maintaining healing of EE for up to six months, and treating heartburn associated with symptomatic non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) for four weeks.

Important Safety Information
KAPIDEX is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to any component of the formulation. Symptomatic response with KAPIDEX does not preclude the presence of gastric malignancy. The most commonly reported treatment-emergent adverse reactions (?2%): diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, upper respiratory tract infection, vomiting, and flatulence. KAPIDEX should not be co-administered with atazanavir. KAPIDEX may interfere with the absorption of drugs for which gastric pH is important for bioavailability (e.g., ampicillin esters, digoxin, iron salts, ketoconazole). Patients taking concomitant warfarin may require monitoring for increases in international normalized ratio (INR) and prothrombin time.

Please see the complete prescribing information and visit the KAPIDEX Web site at www.kapidex.com.

KAPIDEX is a product of Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc. To learn more about the product, speak with your healthcare provider.

Courtesy of ARAContent

Tags: dexlansoprazole, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, GERD, KAPIDEX

(ARA) – Chances are most people are familiar with the medical condition of epilepsy and the seizures that can be associated with the disorder. But many may not realize that epilepsy can range in severity, from mild to severe, and can be classified into syndromes, based on a number of factors, including the type of seizure a person experiences, according to the Epilepsy Foundation. One of the most severe forms of childhood epilepsy is Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), a condition that causes multiple types and a high frequency of seizures (sometimes up to 100 a day) and presents profound challenges for patients and their caregivers.

Accounting for 1 to 4 percent of all childhood epilepsy cases, LGS is usually diagnosed between the ages of 1 and 5 years old. Patients experience a range of seizure types, including absence (staring) and tonic (muscle stiffening) seizures. But one of the most common and devastating seizures affecting LGS patients is the atonic seizure or “drop attack.” Characterized by a sudden loss of consciousness followed by a fall to the ground, the Epilepsy Foundation reports drop attacks can be the cause of significant injury in LGS patients, thus requiring many patients to wear protective helmets to avoid facial and head injuries.

Today, says Tracy Glauser, MD, Director, Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Ohio, continuing research on behalf of LGS and other severe forms of epilepsy are resulting in new medications that are proven to reduce seizures associated with LGS. “It’s exciting that new medical treatments are now available to reduce some of the most difficult seizures, such as drop attacks. As the goal of treatment for these severe conditions is to achieve seizure control as much and as early as possible, these new options are cause for hope for both patients and caregivers.”

Kim SanInocencio says this news is much anticipated by families touched by LGS. Mother of a 21-year-old son who was diagnosed with LGS at the age of 3, and co-founder of the LGS Foundation, SanInocencio says an LGS diagnosis is completely life-changing. “Every family experiences LGS differently, but we all share one thing in common, and that is living with the unexpected. Because day to day, the seizures — and the consequences — are different, we all live in great anticipation of new treatment options that could make a difference.”

Beyond the difficulties posed by multiple seizures, LGS can present other challenges as well. The severity of seizures can lead to developmental delays and behavioral problems, confronting families with multiple issues from what to do about schooling to how to keep their other children’s lives as normal as possible, according to www.emedicine.com. The condition also can result in financial and social challenges, as many parents are forced to leave their jobs in order to be full-time caregivers at home. Consequently, social isolation becomes yet another issue with which to contend.

Because LGS has multiple medical and other consequences for patients and families, Glauser says his best advice to caregivers is to partner with a physician who understands the all-encompassing nature of the condition and who will work with families to determine the best course of action for the patient.

SanInocencio agrees. “Caregivers must be advocates for their loved ones. By keeping the lines of communication open with physicians and other LGS families, we can all help to create a supportive environment to help each other cope with the challenges we face.”

For more information on epilepsy and LGS, visit www.livingwithepilepsy.com or www.LGSfoundation.org.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Tags: childhood epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, LGS

(ARA) — Nearly 19 million Americans currently live with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), commonly known as acid reflux disease, and suffer from painful and uncomfortable symptoms such as frequent and persistent heartburn.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved KAPIDEX (TM) (dexlansoprazole) delayed release capsules for the once-daily, oral treatment of heartburn associated with symptomatic non-erosive GERD, the healing of erosive esophagitis (EE) and the maintenance of healed EE. KAPIDEX (30 mg and 60 mg) is the first PPI with a Dual Delayed Release (TM) (DDR) formulation that provides two separate releases of medication.

GERD is a chronic condition that can occur when the valve at the lower end of the esophagus does not work properly, causing stomach contents to back up into the esophagus repeatedly. If the esophagus is continually exposed to stomach contents, damage to the lining of the esophagus such as breaks or lesions can occur, a condition known as erosive esophagitis (EE).

GERD can affect both men and women, and its symptoms are often triggered by certain foods, stress, or pressure on the stomach.

“Clinical studies have shown that KAPIDEX has the ability to provide up to 24-hour heartburn relief in patients with GERD,” said Charles Baum, M.D., executive medical director at Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc. “KAPIDEX is the first PPI that provides two separate releases of medication.”

About KAPIDEX (dexlansoprazole) delayed release capsules
KAPIDEX (dexlansoprazole) delayed release capsules, previously known by the development code TAK-390MR, is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), which decreases acid production by turning off many of the acid pumps in the stomach, thus helping to protect the esophagus from acidic reflux so that esophageal inflammation can heal. KAPIDEX combines an enantiomer of lansoprazole with a Dual Delayed Release (TM) (DDR) formulation designed to provide two separate releases of medication. KAPIDEX, taken once-daily, is approved for the healing of all grades of erosive esophagitis (EE) for up to eight weeks, maintaining healing of EE for up to six months, and treating heartburn associated with symptomatic non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) for four weeks.

Important Safety Information
KAPIDEX is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to any component of the formulation. Symptomatic response with KAPIDEX does not preclude the presence of gastric malignancy. The most commonly reported treatment-emergent adverse reactions (?2%): diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, upper respiratory tract infection, vomiting, and flatulence. KAPIDEX should not be co-administered with atazanavir. KAPIDEX may interfere with the absorption of drugs for which gastric pH is important for bioavailability (e.g., ampicillin esters, digoxin, iron salts, ketoconazole). Patients taking concomitant warfarin may require monitoring for increases in international normalized ratio (INR) and prothrombin time.

Please see the complete prescribing information and visit the KAPIDEX Web site at www.kapidex.com.

KAPIDEX is a product of Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc. To learn more about the product, speak with your healthcare provider.

Courtesy of ARAContent

Tags: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, GERD, heartburn relief, KAPIDEX

(ARA) – After a routine blood test in 2001, Helen Anbinder, now 67, of Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., heard the dreaded words: You have cancer. The diagnosis was chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a serious blood cancer that affects more than 90,000 people in the United States.

One of her first calls was to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to learn more about what lay ahead for her. “The literature arrived quickly, along with the location of my local chapter, a list of support groups and an offer to put me in touch with someone who had CLL and could speak to me from personal experience,” Anbinder recalls.

Anbinder was put on a “watch and wait” protocol, holding off on treatment unless the white blood count rose to dangerous levels or she developed symptoms. In the meantime, Anbinder immersed herself more fully in the activities of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, volunteering with her local chapter.

In 2004 she formed her first “Anbinder Friends & Family Team” for LLS’s Light The Night Walk, an evening walk held in twilight in communities across the United States and Canada, to pay tribute to lives touched by cancer. Participants carry illuminated balloons, white for survivors, red for supporters and gold to honor those who have lost their battle with cancer. Funds raised through Light The Night Walk support the work of hundreds of the world’s best and brightest researchers in their search for better therapies and cures for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma.

In its first year, Anbinder’s team walked at the Brooklyn Bridge in Manhattan, and raised $6,000 to support blood cancer research and patient services. The following year they raised more than $19,000; in 2006 they raised $21,000; in 2007, they raised more than $23,000; and at the walk in October 2008 they broke their record with more than $27,000 raised.

Last year’s walk took on even more meaning for Anbinder, because after seven years of watching and waiting, her white blood cell count climbed high enough to warrant treatment just months prior to the event.

The treatment she received had been proven effective by researchers funded by LLS. In 2005, Dr. John C. Byrd of the Ohio State Medical Center, and clinical colleagues, were among the first to discover that Rituxan combined with fludarabine was effective for previously untreated patients with CLL. Rituxan, a monoclonal antibody, was already being used to successfully treat non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients. Anbinder began her treatment with this combination in May 2008 and after only three cycles was in remission by July.

“I can never forget that the very effective treatment I received was developed by Dr. Byrd, a researcher funded by LLS and that it didn’t even exist when I was diagnosed in 2001,”Anbinder says. “I am so grateful to be able to help support the lifesaving work of LLS funded researchers.”

Anbinder’s team will once again walk the Brooklyn Bridge in October 2009. Friends and family teams, as well as corporate teams all across the country are beginning to form right now in preparation for the fall walk season. Participants can also walk individually. To learn more about Light The Night Walk or to form your own team, visit www.lightthenight.org or call (877) LTN-WALK.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Tags: Anbinder Friends & Family Team, Light The Night Walk, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, volunteering

(ARA) – Are you taking risks with your life without even knowing it? You may be one of the nearly 6 million Americans who have type 2 diabetes and don’t even know it. 

Diabetes affects nearly 24 million children and adults in the United States and another 57 million have pre-diabetes, a condition that places them at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes. If you don’t know the risk factors or symptoms for diabetes, you may very well be risking your life to this silent killer. 

Diabetes is a silent killer because many people can live with the disease for years and never find out that they have it until they start experiencing diabetes-related damage that can lead to a heart attack, stroke, vision problems or kidney disease. In fact, most people with type 2 diabetes do not notice the symptoms because some signs of diabetes aren’t easy to recognize. Symptoms of diabetes include: 

* Being very thirsty 
* Urinating often 
* Losing weight without trying 
* Having vision problems, such as blurred vision 

Diabetes is a serious disease, but early diagnosis and treatment can help people with diabetes live healthy and active lives. A person’s risk for diabetes goes up as they get older, gain weight, or if they do not stay active. So how can you find out if you might be at risk for diabetes? Risk factors include: 

* Being overweight or obese 
* Not being physically active 
* Having a family history of diabetes 
* Having high blood pressure 
* Having diabetes during pregnancy or having a baby weighing more than 9 pounds at birth 
* Being older than 45 years of age 

Diabetes is also more common in African Americans, Latinos/Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. 

To find out if you or a loved one are at risk for type 2 diabetes, you can take the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Risk Test. This is a simple test that asks questions about weight, age, family history and other potential risk factors for diabetes. Based on your response, you can find out whether you are at low, moderate or high risk for diabetes. You can take the test online at www.diabetes.org/alert or by phone (in English or Spanish) at (800) DIABETES (800-342-2383). 

If you find that you are at high risk for having diabetes, talk with your doctor to find out for sure. Only your doctor can determine if you have diabetes. 

To learn more about diabetes risk factors, diagnosis and treatment, or to take the Diabetes Risk Test, visit the American Diabetes Association’s Web site at www.diabetes.org or call (800) DIABETES (800-342-2383). 

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Tags: diabetes symptoms, Pre Diabetes, Symptoms Of Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes

If you experience social anxiety, you know how negatively it can affect your everyday life. Many people simply do not seek treatment for anxiety disorders, and you may be one of these people. You might think that your symptoms are not that bad or that you can treat your anxiety by yourself. However, treating your social anxiety is important. There are many different ways for treating social anxiety. Prescription drugs are used to treat social anxiety as well as psychological counseling.

Deciding On A Treatment

The first step in treating social anxiety is to determine what type of treatment you need. When you are treating social anxiety, each case is going to be different. The initial treatment that you will receive will be based on the severity of your physical symptoms as well as your emotional or psychological symptoms in addition to how well you function on a day to day basis. An evaluation is important because people with social anxiety are often depressed and some seek alcohol or other substances to help with their social anxiety problems and become addicted to them.

When you have your initial meeting with your health care provider to begin treating your social anxiety, you may be uncomfortable with some of the questions. However, you must answer honestly. Your care giver needs to determine several things. First, he or she needs to determine whether or not you have been using alcohol or drugs to cope with your social anxiety problems. Second, your care giver will determine if you have developed behaviors to accommodate your social anxiety. If you have, special work will need to be done in order to overcome these habits or behaviors so that you can properly manage your social anxiety disorder. Third, your doctor will determine whether your anxiety is in reference to all social encounters or whether your social anxiety is brought on by certain triggers.

How To Treat Social Anxiety

Most treatments for social anxiety are a combination of medicines and professional counseling. This is usually quite effective for generalized social anxiety disorder, which is fear of most public interaction. In some cases, the patient only needs treatment for a small amount of time before experiencing a recovery. In other cases, treatment is required throughout their entire lives.

If you are looking into treating your social anxiety, know that you are not alone. There are many people out there experiencing the same feelings and anxieties that you are. The best thing you can do for yourself is to seek help.

Anxiety group therapy refers to the practice of treating patients suffering from anxiety disorders in small groups, typically 6 to 15 people, rather than on a one to one basis with a therapist. It has several advantages and disadvantages over seeing a therapist.

Advantages of Anxiety Group Therapy

Anxiety group therapy can create a level of comfort for the patient in being around like minded people who have suffered similar anxiety disorders to them. It can make them realize that they are not alone, that there are others in the same situation as them. This can be a life-affirming realization, especially when the anxiety disorder is related to perceptions of an outsider status, the belief that one is a “freak” or different from, and therefore inferior to, the majority of society.

Anxiety group therapy also has the advantage that the experience of fellow patients can help to offer solutions to the patient’s problem that a therapist might not have come up with on his or her own. When learning coping skills, such as those learned through cognitive anxiety therapy, the patient’s peers in the group can offer insights based on shared experience of a situation which causes anxiety.

A third advantage of anxiety group therapy over individual treatment is that the social setting can bring a withdrawn patient out of his or her shell, as the comfort of being in a group setting reduces anxiety and opens up the patient to talking about goals, aspirations and possible solutions to the problems that cause the anxiety disorder.

Disadvantages of Anxiety Group Therapy

Anxiety group therapy also has some pronounced disadvantages over individualized treatment. The “one size fits all” approach necessitated by the group setting can limit the ability of a therapist to tailor solutions to a patient’s individual needs. The group setting can also lead to a feeling of being lost in the crowd, as there isn’t always the time to deal with each patient’s problems in the depth to which he or she might require.

For these reasons, group anxiety therapy programs are usually run in conjunction with individual sessions with a therapist. Each patient is pulled out of the group for a set time each day in order to have one to one counseling with a therapist or licensed counselor. There, such subjects as the patient’s medications and problems that cannot be adequately handled in a group setting are discussed. The combination of group and individual therapy thus ensures that all the patient’s needs are met.

If you experience some form of social anxiety or are even treating severe anxiety, you may be wondering what type of medications you may be taking. Anxiety and other psychological disorders can be confusing and often times they leave the victim feeling helpless. You find yourself simply taking the drugs used to treat anxiety that your doctor prescribed without even understanding what it does or why you are taking it. Here is some information on the drugs used to treat anxiety. Compare these drugs with what your doctor is giving them to you for to see if you feel comfortable with the medication.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs for short, are very common in the treatment of psychological disorders. They are used to relieve anxiety in many cases. These SSRIs are usually the first medication that your doctor will prescribe as a drug to treat anxiety. However, SSRIs are usually used for generalized social anxiety disorder. They are not as effective on social anxiety disorder that is set off by a trigger.

Benzodiazepines

You may have heard of this drug used to treat anxiety as it is a very well known type of medication. These pills are used frequently to relieve anxiety such as social anxiety brought on by environmental triggers because they are very fast acting. However, there is a downside to this medication. This particular group of drugs can be habit forming. Because of this, they are usually not prescribed to those who already have substance abuse issues or who have experienced substance abuse problems in the past.

Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors, or MAOIs for short, are another type of drug used to treat anxiety that you may have heart of. These pills are used to minimize depression as well as anxiety. The reason you may have heart of MAOIs is because many commercials will specifically say “do not use if you are on MAOIs or other inhibitors,” as these pills can have potentially serious side effects when taken with certain foods like red wine or some cheeses.

Beta Blockers

Another common drug used to treat anxiety disorders is beta blockers. These work to relieve anxiety. However, unlike the other drugs used to treat anxiety, this drug works to reduce the physical symptoms of anxiety like rapid heart rate and tremors.

So before you talk to your doctor about your social anxiety disorder, be sure that you understand the drug options he or she will give you to treat your disorder.

Treating anxiety and depression naturally can be done with some consultation and self help. There are many different ways of treating anxiety and depression without the need of medication. These alternative ways of treating anxiety and depression are varied and can be combined with one another to be more effective. Alternative ways may be natural and organic which means the environment is considered as well as the state of the body.

Alternative Ways Of Treating Anxiety And Depression

One of the many ways of treating anxiety and depression is to combine massage therapy with aromatherapy. Massage therapy is a great way of achieving relaxation and calm fro one who suffers from anxiety and depression. The muscles and nerves are kneaded and stroked to an extent that the knots that affect the tense muscles are calmed sufficiently.

Aromatherapy is a great combination for massage and other alternative therapies for treating anxiety and depression. There are many different scents extracted from various herbs and spices which can calm and relax an individual. Lavender is one very effective aromatherapy scent that can be effective in treating anxiety and depression. Other scents are recommended for aromatherapy treatment of depression and anxiety. These are as effective as lavender and can be used as much as one wants. Acupuncture and acupressure are other ways to address anxiety and depression. These can calm one sufficiently enough to achieve a better state of mind.

The consumption of herbal teas is also another way of treating anxiety and depression. These have elements that contribute to relaxation, better nerves and calm which are great for one who suffers from depression or anxiety. Other herbs ad spices can also be consumed raw, dried or in food to facilitate relaxation and cal for anxiety sufferers as well as those who have depression.

Avoiding stressful situations is also another natural way of treating anxiety and depression. Stress is one of the main contributors to anxiety and depression. Avoiding this or minimizing one’s exposure to it is a great help to relieving anxiety and depression. There is stress everywhere in the world and this cannot be wholly avoided, therefore. Minimizing exposure is probably the best way to do this.

Treating social anxiety is a great deal for many people who suffer from it. Anxiety and depression can affect the way a person socializes and acts with other people. Treating anxiety and depression can improve one’s personality for his or her betterment.

People that suffer from social anxiety are always looking for solutions to eliminate the effects of the condition so that they feel relaxed in social situations. There are a number of different treatment methods that can be used for curing social anxiety but the most popular method seems to be the use of a social anxiety medication. The number of people that are helped by social anxiety medication increase each year as more people decide that medication is their best option.

How Does The Medication Work?

A social anxiety medication is generally a medication that is classified as an anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medication. Because depression and stress are often pinpointed as two of the main causes of the condition, treating with these medications reduces the severity of the symptoms and helps them reduce the stress of many different types of social situations. Some social anxiety medications can be purchased over the counter while some others are only available by a doctor’s prescription.

Most types of social anxiety medications work by changing the amount of the chemical serotonin present in the brain which regulates the person’s mood and reduces the amount of stress that they are feeling. Reducing the amount of anxiety the person is feeling can help the person manage the stress in their life. The levels of the chemicals in the brain also affect the person’s mental acuity and if the levels are imbalanced, other mental conditions may be the result.

Using a medication for social anxiety help can be dangerous because of the risk of dependence to the medication. Some people find that they become unable to be a part of any social situations without taking the medication first while others find that they are taking more and more of the medication to achieve the desired effects. If a person finds that they are becoming dependent on the medication, they should stop taking it and consult their doctor immediately.

The Side Effects Of The Medication

The side effects associated with using a social anxiety medication can vary, just like taking other types of medications. The most common side effect linked to taking a social anxiety medication is a feeling of grogginess during the day or a reduction in the reflexes of the body. Other side effects include congestion, headaches, and loss of balance. In many cases, the side effects will begin to disappear over time if the person uses the medication on a regular basis.

Social anxiety medication can only be effective if the cause of the development of social anxiety is stress or fear. If the social anxiety is caused by something else, like a medical condition or a different medication, then this treatment method may be ineffective. It is important to understand what causes the social anxiety before deciding on a treatment method for the condition. A social anxiety medication will only be effective in certain cases.