Word: blood
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1980-1989
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Merck's drugs speak for themselves. An astounding 13 each rang up more than $100 million in 1987 sales, well ahead of Britain's Glaxo Holdings, which has five products in that rarefied range. Among Merck's best sellers are Vasotec, a blood pressure-lowering drug; the antibiotics Primaxin and Noroxin; Pepcid, used to treat peptic ulcers; the anti-inflammatories Clinoril and Indocin; an antiglaucoma agent named Timoptic; and the hepatitis fighter Recombivax HB, the first genetically engineered vaccine licensed for human...
Another frequently overlooked culprit: overmedication. Nearly 80% of people 65 and older have at least one chronic condition (top four: arthritis, high blood pressure, hearing impairment, heart disease); about one-third have three or more. To combat their problems, they rely on a battery of over-the-counter and prescription drugs. The majority of people in this age group use more than five medications, and 10% take more than twelve. Interactions among drugs, as well as too much of some drugs, can cause a host of complications, from mental confusion to slowed blood clotting to disturbance of the heart...
...immune system starts to decline at around age 30. For instance, white blood cells that fight off invaders, such as viruses and bacteria, lose their effectiveness as a person gets older. The gradual weakening of the immune system makes it harder to stave off illness...
...Lungs lose on the average 30% to 50% of their maximum breathing capacity between ages 30 and 80. Blood vessels lose elasticity, though the heart stays astonishingly well preserved. Notes Cardiologist Jerome Fleg of the National Institute on Aging: "The heart of a normal 80-year-old can pump blood as effectively under stress as that of a normal 30-year...
...vitamin or mineral supplements may be beneficial, experts warn that taking excessive doses of nutrients is dangerous. Moreover, the combination of too much of a supplement and certain medications can cause trouble. For example, excessive vitamin E by itself can lead to diarrhea and skin rashes. Taken with certain blood-thinning drugs, large doses of vitamin E can trigger severe internal bleeding...