At the recent American College of Cardiology meeting, phase 2 results of the Indian Polycap Study (TIPS) were presented. Within this landmark trial, investigators have been evaluating the positive effects of a polypill that contains three blood pressure lowering agents, a cholesterol reducer (statin) and an aspirin. It has been estimated that use of the polypill could reduce coronary heart disease by 62% and stroke by 48%. The polypill represents one of three strategies in development by the World Health Organization to reduce cardiovascular disease, the other two being weight loss and smoking cessation.
TIPS took 2053 patients and placed them in one of eight study groups and evaluated them over the course of 12 weeks. The other groups included aspirin alone, aspirin plus statin, and combinations with all blood pressure agents. All were Indian patients with an average blood pressure of 134/85 and bad cholesterol (LDL) of 117, both of which are quite good by most standards. Results were impressive with most patients having substantial blood pressure drops and cholesterol lowering. The big question is whether high-risk individuals should be on this combination as a preventative measure. One also wonders if all patients should consider medications like this for health maintenance. It may be years before all the data is back, but it is certainly thought provoking.
Honey for Cough?
Controversy surrounds the use of over the counter cough and cold medications, especially in children. There is no convincing evidence that any of them provide benefit, and, in fact, they may be harmful secondary to side effects and the potential for overdose. It has been estimated that more than 7000 emergency room visits occur annually due to adverse drug events related to the use of children’s cough and cold medications. One third of these are associated with simple dosing errors. Once again, the World Health Organization has stepped in and recommended the use of honey to soothe cough in children older than one year. No formal study has evaluated honey versus standard medicines like dextromethorphan, though it appears better than no treatment. Given the relative safety of honey consumption, its potential use in treating upper respiratory infections is certainly intriguing. I would certainly recommend giving it a try before resorting to OTC purchases. At a minimum, parents should be educated on these issues. We all believe that there medicine can cure anything, but the reality is that they all have the potential to do more harm than good.
Do you have any medical questions or concerns that you would like addressed? You can contact Dr. Spence by email at panhandledailydose@hotmail.com or by mailing your question to Daily Dose, P.O. Box 6107, Marianna, FL 32446.
TIPS took 2053 patients and placed them in one of eight study groups and evaluated them over the course of 12 weeks. The other groups included aspirin alone, aspirin plus statin, and combinations with all blood pressure agents. All were Indian patients with an average blood pressure of 134/85 and bad cholesterol (LDL) of 117, both of which are quite good by most standards. Results were impressive with most patients having substantial blood pressure drops and cholesterol lowering. The big question is whether high-risk individuals should be on this combination as a preventative measure. One also wonders if all patients should consider medications like this for health maintenance. It may be years before all the data is back, but it is certainly thought provoking.
Honey for Cough?
Controversy surrounds the use of over the counter cough and cold medications, especially in children. There is no convincing evidence that any of them provide benefit, and, in fact, they may be harmful secondary to side effects and the potential for overdose. It has been estimated that more than 7000 emergency room visits occur annually due to adverse drug events related to the use of children’s cough and cold medications. One third of these are associated with simple dosing errors. Once again, the World Health Organization has stepped in and recommended the use of honey to soothe cough in children older than one year. No formal study has evaluated honey versus standard medicines like dextromethorphan, though it appears better than no treatment. Given the relative safety of honey consumption, its potential use in treating upper respiratory infections is certainly intriguing. I would certainly recommend giving it a try before resorting to OTC purchases. At a minimum, parents should be educated on these issues. We all believe that there medicine can cure anything, but the reality is that they all have the potential to do more harm than good.
Do you have any medical questions or concerns that you would like addressed? You can contact Dr. Spence by email at panhandledailydose@hotmail.com or by mailing your question to Daily Dose, P.O. Box 6107, Marianna, FL 32446.
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