Cluster headaches are an especially painful form of headache that were hard to treat until a drug called Verapamil came on the market. But Verapamil isn't the wonder drug it seems -- it's been linked to cardiac irregularity, and according to studies, one in five patients recieving high doses of Verapamil will develop cardiac irregularities -- very frightening indeed!

Verapamil is fairly new, as is this bit of news, so it hasn't been removed from the market. Therefore, it's important to weigh the risks and talk to your doctor before going on any new drug.

A recent study has come up with some results that don't bode so well for doctors: it seems more often than not they "write off" concerns expressed by their patients regarding medication side-effects. The study included 650 adults who believed they were experiencing adverse drug reactions related to their cholesterol meds, and the majority of their doctors blew off the concerns and denied the possibility that the symptoms and the medications could be connected. This trend rings true even for the most commonly seen side-effects for the most commonly prescribed drugs -- what's up with that?

The study wasn't designed to find out why this happened, just that it does. Some experts guess that it's simply because there are no laws (and no way to regulate) that doctors learn the side-effects of every medication they prescribe.

So I guess it's up to you, as the patient, to educate yourself and make sure you have a doctor who listens.

Food and drug officials in the USA and Canada are reviewing the long-term effects of common stomach drugs Nexium and Prilosec to determine their safety. The drugs have been linked to heart problems, though officials are saying that preliminary studies show little risk, and therefore doctors should continue to prescribe the medication.

An investigation was launched when a study found that long-term users of the drug were at high risk for heart attacks, heart failure and heart-related sudden death. However, a link does not mean causation, so consumers shouldn't be concerned just yet. Nonetheless, the news is expected to lead to lower sales.

The Thai government says the heart drug Plavix is way overpriced. And it's going to do something about it: it will begin importing generic versions of Plavix from India. The first batch of two million pills will arrive soon, says the chairman of Thailand's Government Pharmaceutical Organisation. The imported version of Plavix, a blood-thinner, will cost only the equivalent of three US cents per pill. Compare this with the current cost for Thai heart patients: two US dollars per pill!

In order to do all this, the Thai government approved a temporary suspension of patent protections for expensive medications. Needless to say, this has seriously ticked off the big pharmaceutical companies! (Plavix, by the way, is sold by Sanofi-Aventis and Bristol Myers-Squibb.) However, the Thai government has not limited itself to heart meds; it is also planning to import generic versions of pricey AIDS drugs, and is considering including cancer drugs in the measure, too.

Now, I don't know how legitimate the Thai government's measures are. But what would happen if governments elsewhere around the world started doing the same thing? The United States, perhaps? Ha! Don't hold your breath. But it's a nice thought, isn't it? Government leaders saying: "enough, already. Our people can't afford these over-priced drugs. Let's do something!"

Sure, I just did an entire post about a new drug (Tekturna), but I still feel it's fair to mention a little something about the side effects of taking prescription drugs. No, I'm not talking about that litany of disgusting physical maladies that are typically rattled off in Micro Machine Man fashion at the end of a drug commercial. Instead, I'm talking about the depletion of nutrients that occurs as a direct result of taking maintenance drugs.

Vasodilators or Beta-Blockers: You may be taking these to help regulate your high blood pressure. If it's helping, great! Keep taking them. But, beware that your consumption of the vasodilators are causing a reduction of vitamin B6 and the beta-blockers are sapping some Coenzyme Q10.

Statins: Yes, statins are a great way to help lower your cholesterol, so do keep taking them if they are working and your doctor suggests that you stick with them. However, please know that the statins also deplete your body of Coenzyme Q10, which can lead to muscle soreness, fatigue, or even elevated liver enzymes.

Diuretics: A popular treatment for hypertension or congestive heart failure. The downside is that they deplete your body of magnesium, zinc, and potassium, which can cause a weakened immunity.

The good news is that you can easily make up for whatever vitamin or mineral you are losing with the medication by simply being sure to eat lean meats, fish, chicken, whole grains, nuts, and leafy green vegetables. And, if you really want to make sure that you're not missing out, you can also talk to your doctor about taking nutritional supplements.

Sometimes, having high blood pressure comes as a bit of a surprise to some people. Whether they find out during a visit to the doctor or even during one of those wacky blood pressure chairs at the grocery store, people who don't think they have high blood pressure are typically quite shocked to learn that they do. Once this fact is accepted, the next step is to find out what can be done to remedy this problem. Medication is always an option, but which one? Well, here's one that may not have heard of yet.

Tekturna. It's a first-of-its-kind drug to be approved by the FDA. The difference between Tekturna and other blood pressure meds is that Tekturna deals with the problem by cutting right to the chase. Basically, it inhibits renin, a kidney enzyme that initiates the chemical process that ultimately leads to an elevated blood pressure. By contrast, all other blood pressure meds work at the later stage, dealing chiefly with regulation and not doing a whole hell of a lot in the way of prevention.

A recent study of 2,000 people offered a demonstrable reduction in blood pressure over the entire year that the study was conducted. Also, it appears as though Tekturna can work just fine when taken in conjunction with other anti-hypertensive meds. And, side effects seem to be minimal, though I would suggest taking the time to investigate further before dialing up your doctor for a prescription.

Diabetes drug Avandia has been raising a lot of controversy in the past few months because it's been linked to a high risk of heart attacks. And although the FDA has decided it will stay on the market, the FDA has made an official acknowledgment that the drug might cause a heart attack.

Furthermore, in a recent poll, only 9% of doctors said they would continue to prescribe Avandia to patients, so whether it's safe or not, the damage is done. Avandia will most likely have a black box warning on it, and I doubt any amount of publicity on the part of GlaxoSmithKline will make a difference to the fate of this drug. But I wonder ... if no one's prescribing it, why is it still on the market anyway?

The American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology recently refined treatment guidelines for patients who present with chest pain or who suffer a heart attack. The new guidelines clarify treatments for high risk and low risk patients and bring attention to the fact that low-risk patients who suffer chest pain or non-ST myocardial infarction need further testing and treatment to lower their risk of future heart attack. In addition to a stress test and echo-cardiogram, low risk patients may also be prescribed ACE inhibitors and get education on lifestyle changes to prevent further attacks. Recommendations for high risk patients continue to include intervention such as stents and medication. To learn more about the symptoms of a heart attack, visit the AHA's website to read more.

Most of us have heard of the risks associated with diabetes medication Avandia -- which include raising the risk of heart attack by 43% and raising the risk of dying from heart-related problems by 64%. But despite all this, Avandia is still on the market, and it's going to remain there, as the FDA has recommended that it continue to be sold, albeit with a stronger warning about it's potential to lead to heart problems and even death.

What's frightening is that type-2 diabetes patients often already have heart problems, and a drug that's suppose to help improve their health is just leading to more and more problems. But while the manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, may not have to lose profits by pulling the drug from shelves, they do have to answer to several angry families who are suing over the death of a loved one.

For someone with Allergies, Allegra can be a life-saver. But for someone who takes it, it can also be a life-ender, particularly with the use of Allegra-D, which contains a decongestant. The decongestant in Allegra, pseudoephedrine, works by restricting blood vessels, which can be a serious problem for people with high blood pressure because it raises it. And having habitually high blood pressure can lead to other problems, including stroke, kidney failure congestive heart failure, heart attack and more.

If you suffer from allergies and high blood pressure, please talk to your doctor about alternative therapies for both problems.

Recent studies have shown that two common diabetes drugs may double the risk of heart failure in the patients that take them regularly. Rosiglitazone and pioglitazone are two of the most common diabetes medications out there, and millions in North America and Europe are currently taking them, and with obesity and diabetes on the rise, the amount prescribed in increasing every day.

It's thought that the risk of heart failure is a result of the drugs' tendency to cause fluid retention in those who take them. Furthermore, in studies, heart failure occurred even in those on a low dose of the medications. Studies continue to be done to determine the safety of these drugs.

As someone who takes medication daily for asthma, I know how tiresome taking daily meds can be and how easy it is to forget a dose, especially when you're feeling good. Improper use of medication is a huge problem in the United States, however, and experts predict that nearly half of all patients with chronic illnesses don't take their medication as prescribed. Those with diseases that are symptom free initially -- such as heart disease -- are especially at risk. For instance, high blood pressure is known as the "silent killer" because it damages the body but causes few external symptoms, but nearly half of all hypertension suffers stick to medication guidelines.

Part of the problem is patient education and consistency, and part of the problem comes from poor wording on prescriptions. A recent study found that even a surprising 21% of physicians aren't consistent with their own medications. Government leaders are working on an aggressive campaign to help people understand the importance of taking their medications as prescribed. If you have questions about your medication, be sure to talk to your doctor before changing or dropping the dose.

When Vioxx first hit pharmacies across the nation, it was a happy day for those of us who suffer from arthritis pain. The new pill was a million times better than regular old ibuprofen and far less of an interference than painkillers. We could take Vioxx and get on with our days in a way that we had not been able to in a long time. Too bad the pill turned out to be a killer.

Although Vioxx held so much promise, it turned out to be deadly. Patients suffered from fatal and nonfatal heart attacks, strokes and sudden death from cardiac causes, blood clots and chest pain. In a new study published this week, research shows the miracle pills started to cause problem in as little as two weeks, not the 18 months the manufacturer previously claimed. However, since Merck & Co. was forced to remove the drug from circulation due to its deadly tendencies, the studies were discontinued.

Should you have angioplasty? That decision lies between you and your doctor, but according to this article, drugs may work as well as the popular procedure at unblocking clogged arteries. In fact, angioplasty is one of five surgeries the author thinks most people should avoid. Others include hysterectomy, lower back surgery, and heartburn surgery. Instead, the author suggests non-surgical alternatives that may work as well or better than surgery.

The angioplasty vs. drug debate is one that's been in the headlines for a while, and a quick Google search turns up enough conflicting findings to make a person's head spin. But before you go under the knife for any procedure, it's worth your time to investigate alternatives and make sure you're making the best choice for your health, whatever that decision may be.

Having low cholesterol will improve your chances against heart disease and other heart problems, but it appears that very low cholesterol has a bad side too -- it's been linked to cancer, according to a new study.

The findings come out of a study that was measuring the amount of damage that statins--a type of cholesterol medication that includes the brand names Lipitor, Pravachol and Zocor--had on other organs in the body, including the liver. However, if you're on statins, there's no need to worry just yet. It's thought the risk is fairly minimal and researchers will have to investigate further to determine more information.