HealthBeat News

Category: Senior Health

  • A Response To “Blood Pressure Meds – Are the side effects worth it?”

    It never ceases to amaze me; the side effects from prescription drugs that people are willing to put up with – even consider to be a “benefit.” Here is an example:

    Iggy writes:

    I take Hytrin, mainly for my prostate, but my blood pressure was occasionally a little high. Fortunately, my only side effect has been that I sleep much better. Now 7 or 8 hours, compared to 3 or 4 before.
    I believe I will add hawthorn to my supplement regimen as you recommend. I’ll be 69 in May.

    Nurse Mark replies:

    I have to congratulate Iggy on making it all the way to 69 years, in spite of the best efforts of conventional medicine.

    The following is information taken directly from the government website MEDLINE regarding the drug Hytrin, aka terazosin:

    Terazosin is used in men to treat the symptoms of an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH), which include difficulty urinating (hesitation, dribbling, weak stream, and incomplete bladder emptying), painful urination, and urinary frequency and urgency. It also is used alone or in combination with other medications to treat high blood pressure. Terazosin is in a class of medications called alpha-blockers. It relieves the symptoms of BPH by relaxing the muscles of the bladder and prostate. It lowers blood pressure by relaxing the blood vessels so that blood can flow more easily through the body.

    Terazosin may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms or those listed in the SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS section are severe or do not go away:

    • weakness
    • tiredness
    • stuffy or runny nose
    • back pain
    • nausea
    • weight gain
    • decreased sexual ability
    • blurred vision
    • swelling of the hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
    • pain, burning, numbness, or tingling in the hands or feet

    Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

    • hives
    • rash
    • itching
    • shortness of breath
    • rapid, pounding, or irregular heartbeat
    • painful erection of the penis that lasts for hours

    Terazosin may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.

    A few comments:

    Terazosin looks to me for all the world like “A drug in search of an indication” – really not all that good at anything, but not dangerous enough to not be sold for something, so the drug companies are promoting it for anything and everything that they can think of. Therefore, any condition which might respond to increased small-vessel blood flow is “an indication” – fair game for a trial of this drug. I’m sure that Iggy is sleeping better – two of the top side effects are weakness and tiredness.

    Hawthorn, which works by dilating (opening) coronary and peripheral blood vessels and improving oxygen utilization in the heart muscle is a great choice for Iggy, though if he uses it and then complains to his doctor then that his blood pressure is becoming too low, he will most likely be told to stop the Hawthorn so that he can continue to use the Big Pharma Drug!

    Further, the proanthocyanidins (PCO’s) in Hawthorn have been shown to lower cholesterol levels and decrease the size of cholesterol-containing plaques in the arteries. This will not be popular with conventional medicine either, as it might cut into the profits they rake in from their expensive statin drugs…

    For improved sleep, Iggy might want to try a more natural solution in the form of Melatonin taken before bed – it is an excellent antioxidant that should be part of any anti-aging and longevity program, and oh, by the way, it helps most people sleep better.

  • Sex Hormone Balance: Serious Anti-Aging and Disease Prevention

    In both males and females, a decline or imbalance of the sex hormones is associated with a wide variety of health problems.

    Imbalanced or decreased sex hormones in women can cause:

    • Acne or oily skin
    • Bloating
    • Bone loss
    • Breast disease including cancer
    • Cancer (hormone-related: breast, ovary, uterus)
    • Decreased fertility
    • Depression
    • Endometriosis
    • Excess facial and body hair
    • Heart disease
    • Heavy or painful periods
    • Hot flashes
    • Irregular periods
    • Irritability
    • Loss of muscle mass
    • Loss of scalp hair
    • Low libido
    • Memory lapses
    • Menstrual irregularities
    • Mood swings
    • Nervousness
    • Night sweats
    • Osteoporosis
    • Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
    • Poor concentration
    • Sleep disturbances
    • Tender or fibrocystic breasts
    • Urinary incontinence
    • Vaginal dryness
    • Weight gain

    Imbalanced or decreased sex hormones in men can cause:

    • Bone loss
    • Decreased mental clarity
    • Decreased muscle strength
    • Decreased stamina
    • Decreased urine flow
    • Depression
    • Erectile dysfunction
    • Heart disease
    • Hot flashes
    • Increased abdominal fat
    • Increased urge to urinate
    • Irritability
    • Low sex drive
    • Mood swings
    • Night sweats
    • Poor concentration
    • Sleep disturbances

    Youthful hormone balance, achieved with natural (“bio-identical”) hormone replacement therapy is considered a main-stay of anti-aging and longevity medicine.

    Best Test for Sex Hormone Balance

    The sex hormones can be tested in blood, saliva or urine. Urine provides the most accurate results, saliva is next best and blood testing is least accurate. Here’s why:

    The sex hormones are released in “pulsed” doses throughout a 24-hour period. One hour, the output may be high, the next hour it may be low. This is a normal pattern for both sex and adrenal hormone excretion.

    A blood sample gives us only a “photograph” of the hormones present at the time the blood is drawn. It tells us nothing about the 24-hour average of hormones (which is the real number we are concerned with). Blood testing is the least accurate measure of sex and adrenal hormones.

    Saliva, which reflects an “average” of the 24-hour hormone content of the blood, is the next most accurate.

    Because a 24-hour urine test “captures” both the highs and lows of hormone output for an entire 24-hour time period and averages them, this method of hormone testing is in my opinion the “Gold Standard” of hormone testing.

    I currently recommend urine hormone testing for any patient who has concerns of hormone balance (which should be everyone over age 35-40!). Saliva testing is next best but does not appear to be as accurate.

    What’s Your EQ?

    Do you know what your EQ — estrogen quotient — is? You should, because this may be the single most important piece of information for preventing breast and prostate cancer. Here’s why:

    Estriol (E3) is a “good” estrogen and higher levels of estriol are associated with less cancer risk. Estriol appears to block many of the effects of the carcinogenic estrogens, estradiol (E2), estrone (E1), and other related “pro-carcinogenic” estrogens. How do you find out if you have enough estriol to protect you from cancer? You calculate your EQ.

    Studies done in the 19060’s and 1970’s showed that women with an EQ above 1.0 had a significantly lower risk of breast cancer. Many women today have EQ’s of less than 1.0, and breast cancer rates are on the rise. This is no coincidence.

    Although the EQ ratio has been best-studied in women, it appears that a similar ratio may be predictive for prostate cancer in men.

    I now recommend that my patients who have hormone testing done have the EQ performed at the same time. The results, if unfavorable, are easily improved with dietary changes, supplements, iodine therapy or other natural measures. Where cancer is concerned, “prevention” trumps “early detection” every time.

  • Drug Therapy For High Blood Pressure – Are The Side Effects Worth It?

    Questions about blood pressure and drugs used to control blood pressure are common here – we get them often. Big Pharma is constantly working to have Big Medicine declare lower and lower blood pressures to be “normal” – meaning that anyone with readings above that “normal” becomes a candidate for a lifetime of expensive drug therapy. It used to be that 120/80 was the norm, now it is being proposed that 115/75 should be considered the “gold standard” above which drugs should be prescribed.

    Warren wrote recently with the following comments and question:

    I am currently taking medicine for high blood pressure. It is reducing my energy level. Anything I can do to restore my energy would be a blessing. I am 65, but I work out 5 times a week.

    Warren, as you know, these drugs are not without side effects – and most people do not really appreciate how many and how serious these side effects really are. The drug companies are certainly not going to ‘fess-up to the problems that their toxic concoctions can cause, except in the tiny print of that little package insert that comes with the drug (that no-one reads…)

    Here is a summary of the more popular antihypertensive (blood pressure) medications and their more common side effects:

    Brand Name (Generic Name) Possible Common Side Effects Include:
    Accupril (quinapril hydrochloride) Headache, dizziness
    Aldatazide Diarrhea, fever, headache, decreased coordination
    Aldactone (spironolactone) Cramps, drowsiness, stomach disorders
    Aldomet (methyldopa) Fluid retention, headache, weak feeling
    Altace (ramipril) Headache, cough
    Calan, Calan SR (verapamil hydrochloride) Constipation, fatigue, decreased blood pressure
    Capoten (captopril) Decreased sense of taste, decreased blood pressure itching, rash
    Cardene (nicardipine Hydrochloride) Dizziness, headache, indigestion and nausea, increased heartbeat
    Cardizem (diltiazem hydrochloride) Dizziness, fluid retention, headache, nausea, skin rash
    Cardura (doxazosin mesylate) Dizziness, fatigue, drowsiness, headache
    Catapres Dry mouth, drowsiness, dizziness, constipation
    Corgard (nadolol) Behavioral changes, dizziness, decreased heartbeat, tiredness
    Corzide Dizziness, decreased heartbeat, fatigue, cold hands and feet
    Diuril (chlorothiazide) Cramps, constipation or diarrhea, dizziness, fever, increased glucose level in urine
    Dyazide Blurred vision, muscle and abdominal pain, fatigue
    DynaCirc (isradipine) Chest pain, fluid retention, headache, fatigue
    HydroDIURIL (hydrochlorothiazide) Upset stomach, headache, cramps, loss of appetite
    Hygroton (chlorthalidone) Anemia, constipation or diarrhea, cramps, itching
    Hytrin (terazosin hydrochloride) Dizziness, labored breathing, nausea, swelling
    Inderal (propranolol hydrochloride) Constipation or diarrhea, tingling sensation, nausea and vomiting
    Inderide Blurred vision, cramps, fatigue, loss of appetite
    Lasix (furosemide) Back and muscle pain, indigestion, nausea
    Lopressor (metoprolol tartrate) Diarrhea, itching/rash, tiredness
    Lotensin (benazepril hydrochloride) Nausea, dizziness, fatigue, headache
    Alozol (indapamide) Anxiety, headache, loss of energy, muscle cramps
    Maxzide Cramps, labored breathing, drowsiness, irritated stomach
    Minipress (prazosin hdrochloride) Headache, nausea, weakness, dizziness
    Moduretic Diarrhea, fatigue, itching, loss of appetite
    Monopril (fosinopril sodium) Nausea and vomiting, headache, cough
    Normodyne (labetalol hydrochloride) Fatigue, nausea, stuffy nose
    Plendil (felodipine) Pain in back, chest, muscles, joints, and abdomen, itching, dry mouth, respiratory problems
    Procardia, Procardia X (nifedipine) Swelling, constipation, nausea, fatigue
    Sectral (acebutolol hydrochloride) Constipation or diarrhea, gas, chest and joint pain
    Ser-Ap-Es Blurred vision, cramps, muscle pain, dizziness
    Tenex (guanfacine hydrochloride) Headache, constipation, dry mouth, weakness
    Tenoretic Decreased heartbeat, fatigue, nausea
    Tenormin (atenolol) Nausea, fatigue, dizziness
    Veseretic Diarrhea, muscle cramps, rash
    Vasotec (enalapril maleate) Chest pain, blurred vision, constipation or diarrhea, hives, nausea
    Visken (pindolol) Muscle cramps, labored breathing, nausea, fluid retention
    Wytensin (guanabenz acetate) Headache, drowsiness, dizziness
    Zaroxolyn (metolazone) Constipation or diarrhea, chest pain, spasms, nausea
    Zestoretic (lisinopril hydrochlorothiazide) Fatigue, headache, dizziness
    Zestril (lisinopril) Labored breathing, abdominal and chest pain, nausea, decreased blood pressure

    Wow – quite a collection! Nausea, headache, dizziness, and fatigue are a common thread through this – and also commonly reported with many of these drugs are the very undesirable side effects of loss of libido, impotence, sexual dysfunction, and erectile dysfunction.

    Fortunately, for those like Warren who want to avoid these drug-induced energy-sapping side effects, there are alternatives.

    Chiropractic therapy has shown positive results in the treatment of hypertension. A study published in The Journal of Human Hypertension demonstrated a significant lowering of blood pressure in hypertensive patients after only one chiropractic adjustment of the atlas vertebra. The study showed a reduction in blood pressure immediately following the adjustment as well as a full eight weeks following the adjustment. Blood pressure in the group receiving the chiropractic adjustment was lowered by an average of 17mmHg BP systolic and 10mmHg diastolic BP. According to the authors of the study the decrease in blood pressure was equal to taking two antihypertensive drugs at once.

    Dr. Myatt has a great deal of useful information and recommendations on our webpage discussing Hypertension – check it out!

    Reference:
    Bakris G, Dickholtz M, Meyer PM, et al (2007). “Atlas vertebra realignment and achievement of arterial pressure goal in hypertensive patients: a pilot study”. J Hum Hypertens 21 (5): 347–52. doi:10.1038/sj.jhh.1002133. PMID 17252032.

  • More On The Bisphosphonates Scandal – From A Dentist

    Our recent article The Ugly Truth About “Bone Building” Drugs For Osteoporosis drew plenty of responses expressing outrage that these drugs, with their potentially devastating side-effects, are being so heavily promoted – pushed – by drug companies and conventional doctors.

    One regular reader of HealthBeat, a well-known, straight-shooting dentist in Phoenix, wrote to say that he and his colleagues were well-aware of the dangers.

    Dr. Denny writes to say:

    Yep, dental dudes and dudettes have been aware of the Bisphosphonate scam for a couple of years; NOTHING will fix the necrosis, either- lots of therapies/protocols have been tried, none successfully.

    WORSE: even if a patient discontinues a [bis]phosphonate right here right  now… the half-life is 7-10 years !!!  SCREWED !

    Some pharmacologists have argued that the risk/benefit ratio is very much in favor of society-at-large, and the incidence ratio IS very low (essentially unknown)… it must be ok… unless… you come out to be one of the unlucky rarities.

    So…take it, and face a myriad of problems; discontinue it, but it will continue to plague you for a decadeor so…. yeah, sterling bit of pharmacological heroin mentality: hooked forever, even when you quit!