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At one time, when a child had an ear infection, antibiotics were automatically prescribed. Now doctors will suggest an analgesic to control the discomfort and not necessarily prescribed an antibiotic. Seeing the doctor about ear infections is still important but you may not always come away with a prescription.
Shingles (Herpes zoster) is a viral condition that can severely reduce one’s quality of life. It primarily affects people over the age of 50 who had chickenpox as a child. A newly-diagnosed case responds well to anti-viral drugs if caught early. The new vaccine, Zostavax, can be given to people over the age of 60 to prevent shingles from occurring in the future. It has an approximately 50% success rate.
People have been looking for the secret to long healthy life for centuries. Researchers have discovered an enzyme that keeps the ends of chromosomes from deteriorating. They compare these ends (called telomeres) to the tips of shoelaces that keep the shoelace from fraying. The hope is that this may be the secret to slowing aging and preventing certain diseases.
Back in January of 1964, a report was released in the U.S. acknowledging for the first time that smoking was bad for the health. At that time, about 42% of Americans smoked. By the end of 2008, that number had dropped to 19.8%.
Want to quit smoking? Our pharmacists can help with advice and methods to support this important lifestyle change. Come and see us soon.