Asthma Medicine

The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Baltimore, Maryland 

Noncompliance is defined as any behavior of the patient that is inconsistent with the instructions given by the doctor or health professional. Compliance is behavior consistent with those instructions. Although it seems self-evident that compliance is desirable, it is by no means universally accepted that compliance defined in this way is good and noncompliance is bad. There are several reasons for dissatisfaction with the simplistic interpretation of compliance described above. 

The relationship between doctor and patient is unequal in terms of power and control (1), and the term compliance implies a passive patient who slavishly follows what the doctor says. The acceptance of passivity on the part of the patient and omniscience on the part of the doctor may be good for neither party. The term adherence (2) has been suggested as a way of avoiding the inherent passiv- 

Marcel Dekker, Inc. 270 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10016 

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Methamphetamine laboratories are by the far the most common type of illegal drug laboratories in the United States today. Two-thirds of all the meth in the United States is created in labs found in Mexico and southern California. The rest of the illegal meth is made in small labs set up in kitchens, garages, vacant buildings, and even the trunks of cars. Meth is relatively easy to produce using common chemicals—including cold and asthma medicines—that can be obtained over the counter. 

This is a controversial central nervous system stimulant. The source is the dried leaves of a Chinese plant. It is used in sports nutrition and diet products. It contains ephidrene, an alkaloid found in decongestants and asthma medicine. Death has resulted for some people who took it and had heart, thyroid, circulatory problems, or, in some instances, combined it with caffeine. In many states pharmacists only sell it to people 18 or older. 

Epinephrine itself does find some use in clinical medicine. The drug is used in order to increase blood pressure in cases of circulatory collapse, and to relax the bronchial muscle in acute asthma and in anaphylactic reactions. These activities follow directly from the agent s physiologic role. The biogenetic precursor of epinephrine, norepinephrine, has activity in its own right as a mediator of sympathetic nerve action. (An apocryphal story has it that the term nor is derived from a label seen on a bottle of a key primary amine in a laboratory in Germany N ohne... 

Institute of Medicine. (2000). Clearing the Ar Asthma and Indoor Air Exposures. Washington, DC National Academy Press. 

Ephedrine and pseudoephediine are a vasodilator and decongestant respectively used widely in the treatment of asthma and the symptoms of colds and influenza. These pharmaceuticals were derived originally fi om the plant Ephedra sinica and used in traditional Chinese medicinal preparations. Although some are still produced fi om such sources, the major production is via a fermentation process followed by a chemical catalytic reaction. As shown in Figure 1, the intermediate / -phenylacetylcarbinol (PAC) is produced by decarboxylation of pyruvate followed by ligation to benzaldehyde. 

Elderberries are used medicinally for catarrh, sore throats, fever and asthma. When cooked with a sweetener into a thick syrup known as a rob they offer the same health benefits. Elderberries are excellent in pies, cobblers, jam, chutney, muffins and puddings. Elderberries are rich in vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus and beta-carotene. The berries may be dried and used in winter. Avoid green, unripe berries. The berries should be cooked before eating, remove the seeds when making jam or wine. Elderberry jam is sometimes served as a alternative to cranberry sauce, accompanying turkey or game. 

Elder is also used therapeutically as a homeopathic medicine. It was introduced by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann in 1819. The Sambucus ebulus or S. nigra species is most often used. However, it is not one of the more widely used homeopathic medicines. As a homeopathic remedy, elder is known as sambucus. Some of the indications for sambucus include albuminuria (the presence of protein in the urine), angina pectoris, asthma, dizziness and headache upon arising, dry larynx and lumbago. 

Through many hours of consultations with experts in toxicology, medicine and environmental health, Ka ren learned about MCS, and finally realized that even she and her other daughter Mariah, age nine at interview, were reacting to chemicals from fragrances and other sources. It explained to her why Alanna s colds and sore throats so often developed into pneumonia or bronchitis, and why she experienced asthma attacks for no apparent reason. This awakening also prompted her to examine her own history of chemical exposures. 

Aerosolised medicines have been used for centuries to treat respiratory diseases, with inhalation therapy for the airways focused primarily on the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The development of new products for delivery to the lungs for these respiratory diseases includes new steroids and beta agonists plus combination products featuring both agents. New classes of anti-asthma medication are also being developed for inhalation with the aim of delivering them directly to the inflamed airways. 

Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), Davos, Switzerland, and Department of Internal Medicine and Allergology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland... 

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