Dangerous Drugs

Dilaudid (hydromorphone) is a popular painkiller. Hospitals give it to patients who are undergoing surgical procedures. Doctors prescribe it for people who live in chronic pain. It literally changes ho your body responds to pain signals form the brain. In some ways, it is a miracle drug. But it also has a very high rate…

For adults with Type 2 diabetes, there is a range of drug regimens available to control the condition. However, two drugs have recently been linked to acute pancreatitis leading to precancerous changes and an increased risk of heart failure. Onglyza or Kombiglyze XR both belong to a class of Type 2 diabetes medications called incretin…

Pitocin is the brand name of a drug called oxytocin, a natural hormone. Oxytocin is commonly administered to either induce labor or strengthen contractions during labor. While a Pitocin injection is generally considered helpful during difficult births, one study “found that the use of Pitocin to induce or augment labor was linked to unexpected admissions…

Around 70 million adults in America have high blood pressure. That equates to one in three adults, and about half of these people use medication to control their hypertension. High blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, chronic heart failure, and kidney disease. Benicar (olmesartan medoxomil) is a common prescription drug used to…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned that taking Zofran or its generic equivalent, ondansetron, while pregnant can cause serious birth defects. The product is still available because it has other uses, but pregnant women and doctors should be aware of the potential dangers of the drug. What is Zofran? The drug blocks natural…

Depakote, a drug used to treat seizures, bipolar disorder and migraine headaches, could cause lasting negative effects when used while pregnant, recent studies suggest.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warnings about the use of Depakote while pregnant, which has reported risks of decreased IQ and a risk of autism for the…