DO DRUG EXPIRATION DATES REALLY MATTER?

As you sit in pain nursing a headache or a cold or sinus issue, you reach into the cabinet and pull out some medical relief. As you look at the expiration date on the package, you see that it expired a month ago. Does it really matter? Will any harm come to you if you take the medication once the date has passed? The answer to that is yes, and no. Confused? Read on...

The expiration date on a drug bottle actually does mean something. A law was passed in 1979 that required manufacturers of drugs to stamp an expiration date on their products. This date represents the date the manufacturer can GUARANTEE that the drug is fully potent and safe. The vast majority of drugs are safe and potent well past the expiration date, but there are a few exceptions.

DRUGS THAT NEED TO BE USED BY OR BEFORE THE EXPIRATION DATE:
The following are exceptions to the rules of extended usage after expiration dates:

Nitroglycerin, insulin, liquid antibiotics and tetracycline. Using these drugs after expiration dates can present possible severe health risks.

Certain factors can be involved in preserving the safety and potency of your prescription drugs. If the label calls for the medication to be refrigerated, by all means do that. Otherwise, the potency will be greatly diminished once it has been opened. Keeping your prescriptions in a cool, dark place (in a cabinet as opposed to the windowsill) will preserve the potency of your prescription also.

If you have any questions about the safety of your prescriptions once the date has passed, there are two prime sources to contact for guidance and information. The first is a pharmacist, a great resource and highly qualified to guide you on this issue. The second source is the physician that prescribed your medication.

If you grab for that bottle and the date has passed, don’t panic. If it is a few months past the date, chances are good it is fine (with the exception of the above mentioned drugs). If it has been a year or more, call and ask for assurance before taking the medication. ◆

COLD OR FLU

How do you know if you have a cold or flu? While the common cold can be caused by more than 200 viruses, the seasonal flu is caused by either influenza A or B viruses. Let’s explore the common cold and the seasonal flu and how to tell which one you may be suffering from...

THE COMMON COLD:
The common cold is probably the most common illness in the U.S. today and is the reason for the most doctors visits per year. Unlike the seasonal flu, there is no cure for the common cold and it usually needs to simply run its course. Using a humidifier, standing in a steamy bathroom, getting plenty of rest and using over the counter medications can help you weather the storm. And yes, research has proven that Mom’s chicken noodle soup can ease your suffering too!

THE FLU:
While the seasonal flu is similar to the common cold, symptoms are generally much more severe. While it cannot be treated with antibiotics, it can be prevented with flu shots and antiviral medications such as Tamiflu®.

Back to the question of telling which one you have. The difference can be slight in some cases but if you know what to look for, it will help in how you treat it. Knowing you have the flu can mean getting antiviral medications versus just toughing it out.

For in-depth descriptions of this year’s flu strains including H1N1 and H3N2, please visit our 2010 Special Flu Newsletter by visiting http://www.wakeinternalmedicine.com/newsletters/flu-special-edition/.

Here are some tips for treating colds and flu in a more natural manner:

  • Get plenty of rest. More than anything, this is the most important way to boost the immune system and ward off illness.
  • Drink hot liquids. This will help relieve nasal congestion and prevent dehydration.
  • Blow your nose often. Don’t sniff the mucus back into your head. Blow gently so that it does not cause pressure in your ears.
  • Wash hands often with warm and soapy water.
  • Use a mentholated salve under your nose to open up breathing passages. It will also help relieve irritated skin under the nose.
  • Apply hot or cold compresses around congested sinuses to relieve discomfort.
  • Gargle with a teaspoon of salt in warm water to bring relief to a sore throat.
  • Eat a well balanced diet to boost your immune system.
  • Drink plenty of fluids but not alcoholic drinks, sodas or coffee. Those drinks dehydrate and one of the dangers of flu can be dehydration. Opt for water and sports drinks.

When to visit the doctor:
If you notice any of the symptoms in the flu column above that vary from the common cold...call the doctor. If it is the flu, they can get you started with antiviral medications. If you have a cold, generally you do not need to see the doctor unless the symptoms do not improve on their own within a week to 10 days. ◆

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Online Medical Information: Good or Bad?

The Internet is an amazing place to find information. Say you have an ache or pain and you type in your symptoms to find out what it may be. Can you trust that the information you are getting is accurate? Not as often as you might think. Many websites that offer healthcare advice are simply trying to sell a product or service. Nothing can take the place of a qualified professional who can give you a checkup in person and take everything about your medical history into consideration. If you do want to get preliminary advice or information on a medical issue, follow these guidelines to wade through the myriad of information available and obtain current data.

  • If you are using the Web, look for an “About Us” page. Check to see who is running the site. If it is a branch of government, university, health organization or hospital, you are in good shape. You want current, unbiased information, so if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Nonprofit and educational organizations usually provide up-to-date information.
  • When looking for treatments, symptoms or diagnoses, stick with medical professional sites like WebMD.com, KidsHealth.org, MayoClinic.com, MEDLINEplus.gov, Medicinenet.com, Healthline.com and Healthfinder.gov.
  • Keep away from commercial sites that are dedicated to healthcare products for sale. They will only try to steer you towards a purchase.
  • If using a search engine like Google or Yahoo, type in your problem in a few words and thousands of search results will come up. Scan the first page of results. They will be the most viewed entries.

Once at a health site, look for certification from the Health on the Net Foundation. This is an organization that evaluates online health information. These sites were found to have much more accurate and up-to-date information than others. The seal can usually be found at the bottom of the page. Any site offering advice as opposed to information should be avoided.

While it is fine to search for general information on the Internet for what ails you, misinformation and misdiagnoses are common. Take the information you find to your doctor and discuss it with them. It may be you did a stellar job in the diagnosis department, but only a professional can confirm that. While it is a very good thing to take an active role with your health issues, it can be a dangerous road if bad information steers you down the wrong road. ◆

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CARDIO VS. STRENGTH TRAINING

With every great debate come two loud and usually conflicting trains of thought. Talking about cardiovascular exercise and weight/strength training is no exception. Which is best for you? Do you really need both to help you maintain or lose weight and reach an optimum fitness level? While the debate rages on as to which is better for you, the answer to whether you need to incorporate both into your fitness regime is a resounding yes! Why? Let’s explore the advantages to both regimens.

If you’re trying to lose weight...
The winner is...both! However the edge goes to strength training. While cardio will burn slightly more calories per minute than strength training, hoisting the weights delivers a metabolic spike for about an hour after you finish working out. What this means is that you will burn about an additional 25% more on top of what you burned during the workout itself. And if that’s not good enough, for every three pounds of muscle you build, you will burn about 120 extra calories per day! If you do the calculations, that comes out to 10 pounds per year without changing a bit of your diet!

If you are attempting to alleviate stress...
Cardio is king! Just 15 minutes of aerobic/cardiovascular activity three times per week can significantly reduce your stress. It can also zap fatigue if you push that to three to five times per week. Your heart will thank you since stress is a leading cause of heart disease.

If you want to add years to your life...
While cardio takes a slight edge here, strength training can make those extra years a more healthy and enjoyable experience. Cardio reduces the risk of obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and stroke. In terms of strength training, it has been proven that lifting weights two times per week can prevent you from gaining intra-abdominal fat...that’s the bad kind that wraps around organs and constricts the blood vessels. It has also been proven to increase bone strength thereby reducing osteoporosis.

No clear cut winners so far. What that says is that a combination of both cardio and strength training will be the most beneficial to any individual. Without strength training, the repetitive nature of cardio can do damage to your joints, ligaments and tendons. And, if you are training for an event, cardio will benefit from strengthening the core and legs through weight exercises.

A couple of things to remember when incorporating both cardio and strength training...

  1. Cardio can be done each and every day. Shoot for 30-60 minutes per day at least five days per week
  2. Strength training cannot be done daily. When you strength-train, you are microscopically tearing the muscles. It takes a day or so to repair those tears, so shoot for 30 minutes of strength training three days per week (not consecutive).

While both regimens are necessary, remember this very basic point when attempting to lose or maintain a healthy weight: While you can burn as many calories per day as you like through both regimens, if you eat them all back, you will not lose the weight. So along with your exercise, follow a healthy diet and don’t eat back your calorie burn! ◆

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