Placebo Essays (Examples)

Placebos in Clinical Practice

REINFORCING MIND-ODY LINK

Medical dictionaries define placebo as a non-medication substance, prescribed or given to reinforce the patient's expectation to get well. Research on the effect of placebos is of great significance to healthcare professionals because of their widespread use. That widespread use draws from their effect in the improvement of a symptom or disease without specifically improving the condition under treatment. That effect, called the placebo effect, has been proven powerful and inherent in clinical work. Furthermore, the patient-practitioner relationship is an equally essential part of the psychosocial aspect of treatment. Within that context, the practitioner communicates information on recovery and wellness through words, gestures and behavior. In addition to previous studies on the wide acceptance and use of placebos, a more recent one revealed that 46% of academic physicians in the Chicago area used placebos in their everyday clinical practice. A high 96% of…

Whether someone views something as a placebo or not from a medical standpoint, if it improves the health and well-being of a patient then it is good for that patient, and good for the medical community as a whole (Ambrose, 2007).

The second reason for the health care system to allow alternative medicine is that people believe in it in the same way that they believe in placebo pills if they are not told that they are placebos (Ambrose, 2007). There will always be some people who do not think that these things work, and they might not work for them, but there are many people who have been helped by non-traditional medical practices, just as there are many people who have been helped by more traditional means (Ambrose, 2007). People should be allowed to choose which one they want without fear of getting in trouble with the law, getting…

Placebo Drugs

One of the most important factors involved in medical trials is probably ethics. Concerns like participant autonomy and informed consent are among the top priorities of the research clinician. This is why the use of placebos in clinical trials produces some murky waters, particularly with issues like the current Ebola crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa. While it is definitely acceptable to use a placebo in some cases, other cases produce crises of a dire enough sort to make the use of placebos unethical and potentially life-threatening.

The big debate around the Ebola trials focus on the ethics of using a placebo-medicated control group in trials that investigate medications that could save the lives of many. Indeed, one of the factors of such trials is comparing the mortality rate between the groups (Perrone). Surely an ethical boundary is being crossed here, since no Ebola sufferer would agree to a trial…

Placebos

Proposition Fact (Proposition: Placebos actual benefits patients) 1. You defend a proposition fact relevant significant a future proposition policy, argue values policies essay. IMPOTANT!! 2. The essay carefully strucutured standard parts a formal essay.

Proposition of Fact

Placebos can have actual benefits to patients

Placebos are sham or fake treatments that are given to patients, in place of actual treatment. A doctor can decide to issue this kind of treatment to a patient depending on a number of reasons. Placebos have become very common forms of treatments especially in schools and have been proven to be effective in many cases. The fact that placebos have been proven to be effective has led to many researches that are carried out to find out how they work, and to what extent they are effective Everitt, 2006.

Most of the researches have resulted to positive reports that the placebos do have actual…

Croop et al. (1997).

The overall safety profile of naltrexone is good; however, care must be taken in prescribing the drug to certain patient populations; e.g., naltrexone shows a dose-dependent hepatotoxicity (package insert) and is therefore contraindicated in patients with significant hepatic impairment, which is frequently encountered in alcohol-dependent populations.

The clinical trials of naltrexone have typically been conducted in patients without significant impairment in hepatic function. Another consequence of the hepatic impact of naltrexone is the possibility of drug-drug interactions.

Kim et al. (2001) potentially clinically significant interaction has been reported between naltrexone and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; these researchers found elevated liver function tests in study participants receiving both medications, although the doses of naltrexone used in this study were higher than the typical 50 mg daily dose.

Naltrexone is not appropriate for use with patients taking prescribed or illicit opioid drugs. Antagonism of the effects of these drugs…

Ginko Biloba

Gingko Biloba -- Part I

What are the author's general conclusions (summarized) on the effectiveness of Gingko Biloba as a cognitive enhancer?

According to the author, effects of Gingko on cognition are perplexing because of its dual actions as following. It's seen improving short-term memory but at the same time it impairs digit recall ability. It slows down mental decline in patients with Alzheimer's disease but has lower dose response curve than acetyl cholinesterase inhibitors. Gingko slows mental decline during dementia owing to its action as an anti-oxidant and ability to combat stress. This action is of short-term and isn't seen chronically. Gingko has more scores for improvement seen in patients when compared to acetyl cholinesterase inhibitors like Donepezil but has fewer efficacies than the later. Effects of Gingko are mainly attributable not to its direct action on improving memory but to its indirect action of improving attention…

Psychological Element in Drug Use and Dependence

Placebo, the Latin term for "I will please," refers to the psychological positive response that a patient exhibits to a non-specific treatment. It is a purely psychological element, which arises out of the patient's trust in the physician, or the belief in the positive medicinal effects of the drug. Researcher Henry eecher's famous study in 1955 showed that more than 30% of patients respond positively to a placebo. Since then, numerous studies that were focused on the effects of placebo have reported mixed results. The brain imaging study conducted by Leuchter, in 2002, revealed distinct patterns of cerebral blood flow as a response to placebo among depressed subjects. Similarly Evans (2004) reported that placebo effect was quite marked in medical conditions that involved acute phase response. (inflammtion, acute sensitivity, etc.). [Wikipedia] Since placebo trials report significant positive response (at least in one third…

The placebo drink smells and tastes like alcohol. Everyone (regardless of condition) believes that they are getting alcohol. He then videotapes each person's communication behavior in a group setting with 10 other people (who are also randomly assigned to the placebo or alcohol condition). Participants sign an informed consent form saying that they are getting alcohol and that they will be participating in a group setting to get to know other people who are also drinking alcohol. They are not told that some of them will think they get alcohol when they are really sober.

There are no ethical issues or problems presented by this case either. Deception was necessary to conduct research in this cases but the type of deception involved in serving placebos instead of alcohol would not present any risk of emotional or other harm to participants. Since the nature of the deception would not cause emotional…

authoritative in answering my question not only since it originates from a reliable source, but also because it itself is obviously professional and of high quality.

There are numerous markers that indicate this. Firstly the title is concise and to the point stating the question followed by method of inquiry. The Abstract summarizes the article succinctly explaining objective (to investigate whether Paracetamol increases duration of fever and is safe when used with children); Design (a randomized double blind placebo controlled trial) the methodology; esults (with statistical abbreviations); and Conclusion (Paracetamol is effective on all counts).

Professionalism is further shown by a brief introduction that covers the purpose of the research and culminates in the hypothesis: (i) that use of Paracetamol prolongs fever clearance time, and that (ii) rate of decline in temperature with Paracetamol administration imitates that of placebo.

The subjects and method is thoroughly described in a way that…

6)

Again, all groups were by the end of the study essentially the same in that they had each served as controls, placebo recipients, and recipients of either one or two interventional medicines. The same periods of medication and testing were utilized for all participants in all groups of the study throughout the period during which the research took place.

7)

According to the researchers, the completion of a crossover study such as this by forty-five participants is equivalent to 80% power at 5% statistical significance that the results could be extrapolated to the wider population. Though a higher level of certainty could be desired, this study's findings are still worthwhile.

8)

The results are presented as average rates of the effects of the varying interventions (or lacks thereof) among the participants during the different phases of the trial. The differences between these averages were compared as different levels of…

Secondly, they will complete a digit span test associated with the 'Anxiety-triad'. Each group will then receive a different treatment, with one group receiving the 'ylang-ylang' a frequently used aromatherapy, the second group receiving another pleasant smell without the supposed effects of 'ylang-ylang' and the control group which will receive no therapy at all, instead they will be given a placebo. The third group will be informed that the room they are entering is fragranced with aromatherapuetic smells.

The proposal is designed to confirm the effects of aromatherapy. Because the study will be conducted using a double-blind methodology the effects, or non-effects, will be either substantiated or not. The benefits of the study will be to conclude whether further use of a specific aromatherapy in regard to lowering stress and anxiety is conducive to continued usage.

Works Cited

Diamond, B., (2004) Complementary and Alternative Medicines in the Treatment of Dementia:…

What is worth noting here is the fact that behavior disturbances, ranging in severity from repeated questioning to physical violence, are common (National Institute of Mental Health, 1989).

It is unclear whether Alzheimer's disease represents a single entity or several variants. Some experts believe that there are distinct subtypes of Alzheimer's disease, such as Lewy body disease (in which the signs of Parkinson's disease, visual hallucinations or alterations in alertness or attention, or all of these symptoms, are conspicuous) and frontotemporal dementia (in which disinhibition, misconduct or apathy, or all of these signs, are prominent). The well-established risk factors for Alzheimer's disease are age, a family history of the disease and Down syndrome (National Institute of Mental Health, 1989).

Confusions about Alzheimer's Disease and the Need for Alternative Actions

There have been numerous studies conducted in relation to Alzheimer's disease. At the same time, there are a number of reports…

Controlled experiments are those in which groups are separated into control and experimental. Neither group knows what they are receiving, so they may or may not be receiving a sugar pill or something else. The control group is essential for comparisons -- what happens in the control group often determines how the experimental data is interpreted (Scientific Control Group, 2008).

A double blind experiment is one in which some of the participants are prevented from knowing certain information about the study that might lead to bias (conscious or subconscious) thus skewing the results. Blinding can also be imposed on researchers, subjects, funders, or any combination in which one wishes to protect the data integrity. In the use of new drugs, blinded experiments are necessary because a patient might feel better if they think they are receiving a powerful new medicine -- the placebo effect. It is impossible, however, to double…

Treatments for Rosacea

Rosacea is a medical condition characterized by reddening of the skin. The face primarily will turn red in hue. Sores may appear on the skin as well. The face may also swell to some degree. It is an unfortunate condition where patients not only have to deal with the illness itself, but also with psychological ramifications from feeling unattractive due to the skin pigments or lesions. Although there is currently no cure for Rosacea, scientists have researched various treatments to help patients suffering from the condition.

In the article, "Treatment of Rosacea with Intense Pulsed Light," researchers Papageorgiou et. al consider how ultra violet and pulsed light might positively treat skin conditions like Rosacea. During this particular experiment, the researchers tested 34 patients who were given treatments every three weeks for a total of twelve weeks. More than 70% of patients experienced at least a 50% reduction…

Michelson explains that buspirone could manipulate certain serotonin receptors in an attempt to ameliorate the overload of serotonin, and that amantadine was thought to increase dopamine activity. As such, either might theoretically help with SSRI-related sexual dysfunction. However, when the double-blind test was performed, it found that the success of treatment was roughly the same regardless of whether these pills were taken or a placebo was used. One significant difference was that those on admantadine had greater energy levels than they study-mates, which did not seem to directly affect sexual functioning. Michelson and his colleagues speculated that the reason for such marked improvement in all categories was the extensive journaling and attention paid to the sexual activity.

Ashton and Rosen report on "Bupropion as an antidote for serotonin reuptake inhibitor-induced sexual dysfunction"

Unlike the Michelson study, Ashton and Rosen's work on using bupropion to ameliorate the sexual dysfunctions associated with…

The first group will receive a placebo. The second group will receive a spiritual chakra treatment designed to correct electrochemical imbalances within the body. The third group will receive medication to treat psychosis. The specific medication does not matter and therefore will not be specified. The dose will be the same for each patient and therefore will be monitored to determine whether dosage is sufficient.

Therefore, the measurements will track each participant and determine which treatment is most effective given the parameters of the study. The placebo group is expected to see no difference, other than perhaps unrelated psychological improvement which will be tracked and recorded as standard error or standard margin of the error estimate. The second group will undergo a physical treatment of chakra adjustment to maximize the flow of energy throughout the body and remedy the physiological response. The treatment will be administered once per day over…

Celexa

Citalopram hydrobromide (Celexa) belongs to a class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. It works by raising the amount of serotonin, a natural substance in the brain that aids in maintaining mental balance. Citalopram comes as a tablet and a liquid solution to take by mouth. It is typically taken once a day with or without food and should be taken at around the same time every day (Medications and Drugs, 2012). Citalopram is also sometimes used to treat eating disorders, alcoholism, panic disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder and social phobia (Citalopram, 2011).

Nausea, dry mouth, trouble sleeping, loss of appetite, weakness, tiredness, drowsiness, dizziness, increased sweating, blurred vision, or yawning may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, one should tell their doctor promptly. This medication may rarely cause a very serious condition called serotonin syndrome. The risk increases when this medication is used with certain…

Depression and other serious mental disorders are the most frequent causes of suicidal thoughts or actions. Certain groups of people are at a higher risk of this tendency than others. These can be prevented by watching out for symptoms like changes in mood and behavior. These symptoms include thoughts about suicide or dying; attempts to commit suicide; new or greater depression; new or greater anxiety; strong agitation or restlessness; panic attacks; insomnia; extreme irritability; aggressiveness or violent behavior; impulsiveness; manias; and other unusual behavioral or mood changes. It reminds patients never to stop a Paxil regimen without first notifying a healthcare provider. Antidepressants are medicines intended to treat depression and other serious mental illnesses. They have side effects. They can interact with other medicines. And not all medicines prescribed for children are not approved for children by the FDA (GlaxoSmithKline).

ibliography

Carey, . And Harris, G. (2006). Antidepressant may raise…

Problems for the key stakeholders -- the mothers and their infants -- should be avoided at all costs in her evaluation. She needs to focus on reducing errors and she should also focus on developing positive outcomes, as these demonstrate a greater degree of respect for the stakeholders (instanley & Stuart-Smith, 1996).

The study should be observational in nature. The clinic may have, or could gather, data from past participants to begin Marjorie's evaluation process. This would allow her to make improvements immediately to the programs. Even if only partial data could be gathered, it may be sufficient for Marjorie to develop stronger hypotheses to test. She currently has little more than hunches to test, so gathering data from past courses would be a good starting point, since many of the participants will have retained their contact information.

Marjorie could also begin her evaluation based on the experiences of other…

Modafinil on the rate of recovery after general anesthesia before the work of Larijani et al. (2004) are rare. However, after the publication of their article, a series of articles on Modafinil followed. Galvin et at., (2010) carried out a study to prove that modafinil can effectively reduce the level of patient-reported tiredness that is experienced after sedation or analgesia. Their article however was an improvement on the work of Larijani since it also investigated the proposition that in the process of reducing the level of tiredness, the drug has no improvement on the psychomotor skills of the patient.Their article was written against a backdrop of information that suggest that the early recovery of patients who have been sedated as well as after anesthesia in the ambulatory practice. The aim of their study was to conclusively assess if modafinil employed for the treatment of narcolepsy significantly improves the recovery from…

The ible, he argued, cites the creation of Eve for Adam as proof that a wife is man's support, as well as many other examples of humble and devoted wives.

The knight told his brother that he desired a young wife, who was no older than thirty, for she would be more pliable. Placebo cautioned that it takes great courage for an older man to marry a young woman (Classic Notes, 2004). He warned him that a young woman who married an older man may have ulterior motives, which the man would never know until he was married. Despite the fact Placebo has a wonderful wife, he understands what faults she has and advises January to be aware of who he marries.

The brothers argue about the merits of marriage, with Placebo predicting that January would not please his wife for more than three years, but Placebo eventually agrees to…

("St. John's ort," 2006, NCAM: National Council of Alternative Medicine)

Research, at present, is inconclusive. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) conducted a 3-year study of 336 patients with major depression of moderate severity. The study randomly assigned patients to an 8-week trial. One-third of patients received a uniform dose of St. John's ort, another third a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) commonly prescribed for depression, and the final group received a placebo. The study participants who responded positively were followed for an additional 18 weeks. At the end of the first phase of the study, participants were measured on two scales, one for depression and one for overall functioning. There was no significant difference in rate of response for depression, but the scale for overall functioning was better for the antidepressant than for either St. John's ort or placebo. ("Depression," 2000, National Institute of Health)

Another study, described in…

Diabetes and Vitamin D Studies

Evaluation Table

Clearly Focused Issue

Appropriate Method to Answer the Research Question

Acceptable Recruitment Methods

Acceptable Method of Selection of Controls

Minimization of Bias

Were the Confounders Accounted for in the Study Design

Are the Results Believable

Are They Applicable to Other Populations (Generalizable)

Do the Results Fit with Available Evidence

Witham et al., 2010

This is a follow-up study. The issue is whether patients with a vitamin D level of higher than 250 HD will gain a benefit from vitamin D supplementation.

A positive result is defined by reaching a level of 75 nmol or above. This is considered the level for optimum health.

Patients for the study were selected from general practice and diabetes specialty offices based on a positive type 2 diabetes mellitus diagnosis in accordance with the requirement set forth by the World Health Organization.

The group was divided into three…

PAKINSON'S & ASAGILINE

One of the drugs that has emerged as promising and at least somewhat effective in the treatment of Parkinson's disease is known as asagiline. This report will explore the neurobiological and psychological implications of the drug as it relates to Parkinson's and in general. The depth and breadth of some of the studies will be discussed as well as how that evidence was found, a general discussion of asagiline and its current/future status as a Parkinson's treatment and how all of the above should be taken with a grain of salt given the limitations that exist. There are some great opportunities for future research when it comes to Parkinson's in general and asagiline in particular.

Introduction

Parkinson's is a very debilitating and difficult disorder to deal with and treat. Even with the prominence of several major celebrities (e.g. Muhammad Ali, Michael J. Fox, etc.) and increase public…

Nurse Skeptical's etort

Nurse Skeptical's response to the above interpretation of the scenario is likely to be quite defensive, and a defense of her actions and decisions would not be entirely without grounds. If there was indeed a psychological problem that Mrs. testy was experiencing, it would render her incapable of autonomy at least in the very limited regard of her requests for pain medication. The very essence of a psychologically-induced feeling of pain is that the patient cannot differentiate between a psychological and a physiological symptom, and thus cannot accurately report the pain to their medical professional. Furtehrmore, should the placebo that Nurse Skeptical plans on administering prove equally successful in "treating" the "pain," her actions would seem entirely justified.

This defense overlooks several key factors necessary to the proper provision of medical care, however. First and foremost, there is at least some possibility that the pain Mrs. Testy…

This hard line stance coming from these medical professionals reflects the fact that these drugs have yet to be fully tested as agents for reducing transfusion related reactions, and therefore, according to the authors of the editorial, should not be used until being further evaluated.

The Geiger and Howard article (2007) takes an entirely different stance on the issue. They feel that the pretransfusion use of acetaminophen and diphenhydramine has some basis in biology, if not in clinical studies. This comes from the fact that these drugs reduce fever and the propensity for allergic reactions in patients when taken for other ailments, and that these characteristics alone serve to justify their use as a prophylaxis for similar conditions related to transfusions (Geiger and Howard, 2007). The authors believe that the toxicity of these drugs however can be a negative aspect when administered to patients who are particularly ill, and who…

PONV was not seen at 24 hours significantly lower rates of PONV at four and eight hours were found in the septoplasty group in which pharyngeal packing was not used

Habib, et al. (2010)

prospective, double-blind, randomized study

104 Patients undergoing craniotomy

Patients were randomized to receive oral aprepitant 40 mg (or matching placebo) 1 to 3 hours before induction of anesthesia or ondansetron 4 mg IV (or placebo) within 30 minutes of the end of surgery.

comparison

Data were collected at regular intervals by blinded personnel for 48 hours after surgery. Statistical analysis was performed using Wilcoxon's ranked sum test and ?(2) test. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

n/a

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cumulative incidence of vomiting at 48 hours was 16% in the aprepitant group and 38% in the ondansetron group (P = 0.0149). The incidence of vomiting was also decreased in the aprepitant group at 2 hours…

Psychiatric and Psychotherapeutic Treatment

The effectiveness of psychiatry and psychotherapy has made the word treatment become a buzz word among those in the health care industry. Clinical researchers study outcome to determine treatment effectiveness. Health care payers and Behavioral Managed Care Organizations (BMCOs) are interested in outcome research in order to establish an accountable basis for making decisions about resource allocation. (Wiens, 1994, p. 46) And not only that, the general public has become more educated about treatment options and they want to see evidence that treatment is working and is appropriate for their individual circumstances. In addition, large companies want to see evidence that treatments for psychiatric and substance abuse problems work. In short, there are a lot of people interested in knowing which therapy works and why.

esearch over the past forty years has established that psychotherapy works; indeed "it seems that psychotherapy is one of the best…

Bach Flower

Dr. Edward Bach and the Bach Flower emedy System: Background

Edward Bach devised and compounded a system of plant-based homeopathic-style tinctures for emotional and psychological healing. The Bach flower system was the first of its kind and remains the most thorough set of homeopathic remedies for mental and emotional distress. Falling within the umbrella of complementary medicine, Bach flower remedies can and often should be a part of the professional healer's arsenal of interventions. The 38 different remedies have been used in a number of different health care settings, from nursing and midwifery to psychiatric care (Mantle, 1997). "There is no scientific evidence that any Bach flower remedy produces a medicinal effect, and there is some evidence that the method does not work," ("Bach Flower emedies," 2013). esearch on the Bach flower remedies has been disappointing. One study tested the impact of Bach flower remedies on pre-test anxiety…

Sensorimotor Disorder

estless legs syndrome, also known as Ekbom syndrome, is the most commonly experienced sensorimotor disorder among the general population (Bassetti et al., 2011). The disorder afflicts approximately 2 to 10% of the general population and it is experienced as periodic limb movements in 80% of individuals with restless legs syndrome (Bassetti et al., 2011). The most prominent symptoms of the disorder are urges to move the legs as well as unpleasant sensations in the legs (Lee et al., 2011). The symptoms generally commence or become worse during inactivity and individuals with the disorder generally feel relief from symptoms after movement (Lee et al., 2011). Also, symptoms of the disorder are generally worse during the evening hours in comparison to the daytime. Furthermore, restless leg syndrome often results in sleep disturbances such as delayed sleep onset, multiple awakenings, and reduced sleep efficiency (Lee et al., 2011). The disorder is…

Global Healthcare Ethics and the andomised HIV Trial

Healthcare professional face a range of ethical issues in the pursuance of their vocation. In the context of HIV research and the conducting of research among vulnerable population, such as poor expectant mothers in developing countries, the compete of global health ethics should provide a foundation for the assessment of ethical practices, both in planning, undertaking, and reviewing the work (WHO, 2014; Stapleton et al., 2013). Global health ethics is an interdisciplinary field, which covers not only health research, but also issues such as the provision of healthcare, and development of health policy, with the aim of understanding the moral values which should be implemented at a global level, undertaken utilising a predominantly geographic approach to macro level health issues (Stapleton et al., 2013). In this context, global health ethics is primarily concerned with issues such as pandemics, the effects of natural…

Discussion

Though a great deal more is known about neurotransmission today than was known at the beginning of the research associated with the initial biological discoveries of neurotransmitters and the neurotransmission process there is still a great deal to be discovered. Neurotransmission disorganization and impairment is clearly identified as a pervasive aspect of many psychological disorders. This is particularly true of the anxiety disorders and OCD. There is no doubt that increased understanding of the various mechanisms of OCD and normal neurotransmission will add to a greater research understanding of the biological causalities and modalities of OCD.

Though the most simplistic and earliest neurotransmission disturbance theories have been largely discounted the research has created ample evidence of disturbances in neurotransmission function (in more complex terms) as the root cause of several psychological disorders including various forms of anxiety disorders the subgroup which OCD falls into.

…this research has revealed the…

The second session had camera instruction. The third session had each participant given a camera and they were instructed to "(t)ake pictures of the challenges and solution in addressing HIV and AIDS" (Mitchell et al., 2005). The fourth session saw the photos developed and asked small groups to compare and contrast their pictures by creating posters. The authors draw on previous research on photo-voice techniques, as well as memory and photography and self-representation through photography.

In the end, the authors' qualitative research concluded that although many projects use photography to give voice to participants, it is especially significant in the giving a voice to community health workers and teachers in rural South African communities. In these remote areas, the communities do not have to wait for researchers to provide them answers, instead they are able to take action themselves and give a visible face to the HIV and AIDS plight…

Perampanel Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Physical Therapy as Interventions for the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease

Clinicians and researchers have been constantly searching for more information on how to treat the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. This paper's aim is to outline three types of therapy that qualify as valid attempts, namely pharmacologically-oriented perampanel endeavors, cognitive behaviour therapy or CBT, and finally, physical therapy. The present paper will review the relevant research pertaining to these three forms of treatment, in terms of effectiveness, validity, safety, and other filters, before suggesting how one approach might be the most effective in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

The first clinical signs of the degenerative neurological disorder named Parkinson's disease appear only at such time as approximately 60-80% of the dopamine-producing cells of the substantia nigra has already degenerated. Data from across the European continent indicated that about 1.8 of 100 inhabitants over the age…

ole of Antibiotic Therapy in the Treatment of Periodontal Disease?

The objective of this work is to examine the role of antibiotic therapy in the treatment of periodontal disease. Also examined will be the delivery system, the type of antibiotics and efficacy as an adjunct to mechanical therapy in the management of periodontal disease. Toward this end, this work will examine the literature in this area of study including literature located in professional and academic journal and publications.

Sub-Antimicrobial Dose Doxycycline

The work of Preshaw, et al. (2005) entitled "Long-Term Treatment with Sub-Antimicrobial Dose Doxycycline Has No Antibacterial Effect on Intestinal Flora" reports a study that sought to determine if a nine-month regimen of subantimicrobial doxycycline (20 mg. bid) had an effect on either the intestinal or the vaginal microflora. The study involved 69 individuals with periodontal disease who were randomized to receive drug or placebo control for a nine-month…

Autistic Children

Children with autism and irritable behavior are an incredibly vulnerable population. The right medications are crucial because the children are the ones who suffer any social or emotional problems based on their conditions. That is why Aman et al. (2008) explored the use of risperidone in children with autism and other forms of irritable behavior. The study aimed to better understand risperidone's cognitive impact on children with severe behavior disturbances to test its efficiency as a potential solution to some of the children's behavioral issues.

isperidone is an antipsychotic that is often administered to this vulnerable population; yet there is surprisingly little discourse on the cognitive impact it may have during treatment of behavioral disorders. The study conducted by Aman et al. (2008) aimed to test whether or not risperidone had a cognitive impact in the short-term during administering of treatment to children. During this age range, cognitive…

double blind trial. This is a study where neither the researchers or the participants know what they will receive. First and foremost, it removes any potential for bias, as there are no preconceived notions from the participants or those studying the reactions of the trial. Such studies often also "follow less restrictive methodological standards than phase III studies in terms of patient selection, comedictation, and other design issues," (Muller, 2011). Essentially they have greater room to better replicate real world scenarios. They are also much more able to be generalized than studies with more restrictions. However, there are also some downsides to double blind trials. For example, there is a much greater variance that the research will have to deal with. This is "caused by the different kinds of confounders as well as problematic design issues" that can lead to "wrong conclusions," (Muller, 2011). When there are issues it is…

Therapies/Treatments That Can Be Done to Help the Immune System of a Patient 18-55 Diagnosed With Rheumatoid Arthritis

THERAPIES/TREATENTS TO HELP THE IUNE SYSTE OF An 18-55 PATIENT DIAGNOSED WITH RHEUATOID ARTHRITIS

Therapies/treatments that can be done to help the immune system of a patient 18-55 diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Annotated Bibliography

Cem Gabay, A, et al. (2013). Tocilizumab onotherapy vs. Adalimumab onotherapy for the Treatment Of Rheumatoid Arthritis (ADACTA): A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Phase 4 Trial.

Using a randomized population involving double-blind, Phase 4 superiority and parallel-group, the study used 76 centers found in different countries including the U.S. The patients used were above 18 years and suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis for the last six months and above. The patients were supposed to have shown intolerance to methotrexate or were not appropriate for a continuation of the treatment using this method. With the random assignment of 1:1, the…

Abstract
The prevalence of interstitial cystitis (IC) has seen different treatment methods that have been aimed at reducing the level of pain and ensuring that the patients are comfortable. However, the continued failure of most of the conventional methods to treat the condition has necessitated physicians to recommend complementary and alternative methods of managing the condition. An analysis of the complementary and alternative methods (CAM) modalities is therefore, critical in understanding the different conceptual attributes that are significant in addressing the problem. IC is a condition that is characterized by chronic pain or discomfort in the bladder and the surrounding pelvic region. It differs depending on the pain, frequency or both pain and frequency. The condition affects the patient and in some cases may lead to stress since it impacts the work-life, family and sexual enjoyment for the women. In most cases there are different methods of managing the condition…

Abstract
The prevalence of interstitial cystitis (IC) has seen different treatment methods that have been aimed at reducing the level of pain and ensuring that the patients are comfortable. However, the continued failure of most of the conventional methods to treat the condition has necessitated physicians to recommend complementary and alternative methods of managing the condition. An analysis of the complementary and alternative methods (CAM) modalities is therefore, critical in understanding the different conceptual attributes that are significant in addressing the problem. IC is a condition that is characterized by chronic pain or discomfort in the bladder and the surrounding pelvic region. It differs depending on the pain, frequency or both pain and frequency. The condition affects the patient and in some cases may lead to stress since it impacts the work-life, family and sexual enjoyment for the women. In most cases there are different methods of managing the condition…

Gender variation in clinical decision-making was measured, including (1) the number, types, and certainty levels of diagnoses considered and (2) how diagnoses vary according to patient characteristics, when patients have identical symptoms of CHD (Maserejian et al., 2009).

This was a factorial experiment presenting videotaped CHD symptoms, systematically altering patient gender, age, socioeconomic status (SES) and race, and physician gender and level of experience. The primary end point was physicians' most certain diagnosis. The results: Physicians (n=128) mentioned five diagnoses on average, most commonly heart, gastrointestinal, and mental health conditions. Physicians were significantly less certain of the underlying cause of symptoms among female patients regardless of age, but only among middle-aged women were they significantly less certain of the CHD diagnosis. Among middle-aged women, 31.3% received a mental health condition as the most certain diagnosis, compared with 15.6% of their male counterparts. An interaction effect showed that females with high…

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH) "Brazil nuts may contain as much as 544 micrograms of selenium per ounce. They also may contain far less selenium. It is wise to eat Brazil nuts only occasionally because of their unusually high intake of selenium."

The reasons that selenium is so effective in cancer prevention are uncertain, although it has been speculated that it possesses anti-oxidant properties, "especially when used in conjunction with vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene" and "works to block chemical reactions that create free radicals in the body (which can damage DNA and cause degenerative change in cells, leading to cancer)" (Black 2006). Selenium has also been found to prevent damaged DNA molecules from reproducing, thus preventing the development of tumors as well (Black 2006). This is supported by a University of Arizona-Cornell research team which linked low selenium levels in the blood to increased risk…

Another clinical study was done on the effectiveness of Kava extract for treating anxiety. This study analysis was aimed at assessing the evidence for or against the effectiveness of Kava extract as a symptomatic treatment for anxiety. Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials of oral Kava extract for the treatment of anxiety were analyzed. Superiority of Kava extract over placebo was suggested by all seven reviewed trials. The meta-analysis of three trials suggests a significant difference in the reduction of the total score on the Hamilton Rating Scale for anxiety in favor of Kava extract. So, according to the study, Kava extract is an herbal treatment option for anxiety that is worthy of consideration (Pittler & Ernst, 2000).

Kava -- is truly one of the strongest anti-anxiety herbs in the world. Kava also has one of the best safety profiles of any anti-anxiety / anti-depression herb (orne, 2003).

Other Natural Herbs

SAM-e…

Vitamin D Supplementation

Vitamin supplementation has long been a popular way of ensuring that people receive the sufficient amount of vitamins. However as it pertains to Vitamin D, there is some amount of controversy as it pertains to Vitamin D supplementation (25-hydroxy) concentration and safety. The literature review will discuss the need for vitamin D supplementation and the findings of various studies and Vitamin D trials.

An article entitled "Vitamin D supplementation, 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations, and safety" the daily allowance of vitamin D is 200 IU. The medical community has established that this amount will prevent the softening of the bones known as osteomalacia. However, there is also a consensus that more vitamin D is need to avoid other conditions such as hyperparathyroidism and osteoporosis.

In fact an article found in the Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics confirms that the proper amount of vitamin D can reduce the chances of…

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One form of self-mutilation can be thought of as culturally accepted, even in the United States. Tattoos, body piercings and earlobe earring holes are all fairly accepted in some if not all social milieux in the U.S. While these behaviors may be viewed by some as pointless self-mutilation, they have a long and multi-varied history in this and many other cultures. The focus of this article is on generally-accepted mutilation, which causes harm to the body and does not meet cultural norms. In its worst form, self-mutilation can include cutting off a limb or self-castration; it is thus a serious problem with a subset of those in the SI cohort. As with many forms of OCD, self-mutilation generally begins in late childhood and the early teen years.

The authors argue that moderate- to severe SI requires a combination of therapies. Since much of the etiology is based in family…

ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY: WHAT DO CLINICAL RESEARCHERS DO?

In the past, our most knowledgeable people have gotten some things very wrong. Aristotle called the brain "an organ of minor importance," and in 1984, genetic researches announced that mammals could not be cloned. Clearly we have things left to learn about humans. This is what makes research so important. The example given in the book of the lobotomy is very important: experts believed it worked when it did not, but before this was recognized, surgeons damaged many thousands of people even more, making their situation worse instead of better. This chapter describes many research approaches.

A case study focuses on one individual. The researcher describes the person's history, family, how the person's problems evolved and developed, and usually, the treatment and how well that treatment worked. This was an approach Sigmund Freud used at least sometimes. He did not know the child…

Chen, Ho, Lam, Ho, & Woo, 2003)

The article used for this research is a free full-text manuscript that may be found on PubMed.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of dietary intake of soy isoflavones on bone loss in postmenopausal women. Subjects were aged 48 to 62 years and within 10 years of natural menopause. Exclusion criteria for this study included any diseases or medications, including use of exogenous estrogens, corticosteroids, thiazine, or any medication known to effect bone mass. This trial was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study that examined two doses of isoflavones (40 mg and 80 mg daily) and placebo on bone mass maintenance in early postmenopausal women. The alternate hypothesis of this study was that dietary isoflavone supplementation would prevent bone mineral loss in early postmenopausal women.

Subjects in the three intervention arms of the study had similar demographic characteristics. Annualized…

semi-structured interviews in this study. The subjects were randomly divided into two experimental groups and one control group. The treatment and control groups were as follows: (A) Family therapy plus Social Skills Training (SST) plus a placebo (B) Administration of Fluoxetine; (C) Family therapy plus Social Skills Training (SST) (Control Group). All subjects were assessed and treated for substance abuse problems regardless of group assignment. A total of 9 subjects were included in the study. All treatment took place in clinical settings and was configured to be individual rather than group treatment.

Quantitative data was obtained from the closed-end items of the semi-structured interviews. That is, some parts of the interview were structured like a survey with responses indicated by marking answers on a 5-point Likert scale. The choices in the Likert scale were as follows: Strongly Agree = 5; Agree = 4; Neutral or Not Sure = 3; Disagree…

Clinical Trial NCT01504854

The number of Americans with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias will grow as the U.S. population age 65 and older continues to increase. It is projected more than 3 million people aged 85 and older are likely to have Alzheimer's, when the first wave of baby boomers reach age 85 in the year 2031 (Alzheimer's Association, 2015). By 2025, the number of people age 65 and older with Alzheimer's disease is estimated to reach 7.1 million -- a 40% increase from the 5 million who are age 65 and older currently affected (Alzheimer's Association, 2015). Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia and is projected to be one of the most prevalent illnesses with our older adult population in the future. Alzheimer's disease remains 100% fatal and there is no cure for the disease; however, there are medications that are believed to be able to…

oral daclatasvir plus asunaprevir for hepatitis C virus genotype 1b

Overview of current therapy

The treatment setting for chronic hepatitis C has gone through an upheaval, above all in genotype 1. However, the exception is the continuity of interferon-based therapy and its related tolerability problems, insufficient reaction rates and several baseline factors that influence reaction to therapy (Gutierrez et al., 2015). The main concern undertaken in the current research study is that it attempts to obtain a new treatment combination that seems to be tolerable and necessitate a shorter time for therapy (Hunyady et al., 2014). Hepatitis C virus (HCV) drug development has given rise to treatment courses of therapy made up of interferon-free, all-oral combinations of direct-acting antivirals. Despite the fact that the new courses of therapy are compelling and extremely useful, the full medical influence of HCV drug resistance, its inferences for retreatment, and the impending role of…

Statistical Evidence Used to Support Early Study Termination

Study population, comprising two clusters, namely AIDS patients and those suffering from AIDS-related complex, was a factor that supported early termination of the study. Statistical evidence employed was that AIDS patients who suffered from pneumonia many times were included in the study. On the other hand, patients who suffered multiple Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) episodes were excluded from the study. Thus, the research, comprising 27 participants who had spent 24 weeks in the study, 152 participants with16 weeks' participation and others had completed at least 8 weeks' of participation. At this point, 19 recipients of placebo and 1 recipient of 1 AZT (Azidothymidine) died during the study (Fischl et al., 1987).

Are you for or against the early termination and why?

The idea of early termination is not considered favorable, since the study proved valuable in treating the clinical condition, virus replication…

…Occupational Stress and Scientific MonitoringLiterature eview2.1 IntroductionThe definition of the term occupational stress is derived from the definition of its two constituent words. In this context, occupational refers to anything that is related to the workplace while stress is defined as a natural body reaction from physical, mental or emotional strain in an individual. Thus, occupational stress can be defined as any mechanism by which the body attempts to adapt to the workplace environment. These include normal mechanisms for dealing with workplace stress, commonly known as the fight or flight response as well as any expected or unexpected reactions in response to the workplace. These include eyestrain because of staring at computer screens for too long, emotional and physical stress, depression, anxiety, aggression, cognitive impairment such as degraded memory or reduced concentration span, etc. All of these reactions can lead to poor work output, increased employee turnover, higher absenteeism, cardiovascular…

The chief concern of the researcher should be the safety of the research participant. This is carried out by carefully considering the risk to benefit ratio, using all available information to make an appropriate assessment and continually monitoring the research as it proceeds.

The scientific researcher must obtain informed consent from each research participant. This should be attained in writing although oral consents are sometimes acceptable after the participant has had the chance to carefully consider the risks and benefits and to ask any pertinent questions. Informed consent ought to be seen as an ongoing process, not a singular event or a mere formality.

The researcher must list how privacy and confidentiality concerns will be approached. esearchers must be receptive to not only how information is protected from unauthorized observation, but also if and how participants are to be notified of any unexpected findings from the research that they may…

Therefore the cognitive performance wasn't improved significantly by the use of DHEA though in the 3 months period only a fleeting effect might have been observed (Wolkowitz et al., 2003, p.1073.)

Vitamin E

Vitamin is often prescribed by doctors for the treatment of Alzheimer disease. A large study which was funded by the federal government showed that the reduced ability to do daily activities is delayed slightly by the intake of vitamin E The useful aspects of vitamin E can be attributed to its antioxidant nature which helps in the protection of nerve cells from chemical deterioration. The physician supervision is necessary when someone takes vitamin E as an Alzheimer treatment. There were high doses of vitamin E used in the federal study and vitamin E when used with other medications can interact negatively including the ones used for preventing the clotting of the blood (Khachaturian, 1992, P.73).

Neurotransmitters

The…

However, recently, anesthesiologists have suggest a low to mid thoracic epidural combined with adequate general anesthesia. This anesthetic technique will allow for adequate inter-operative monitoring. After the operation, the anesthesiologist must continue to monitor the patient for either hypertension, hypotension and hypoglycemia. The presence of either of these conditions may alter the course of the medication given to the patient once the patient is removed from the anesthesia.

Respiratory System

Neurofibroma can cause systemic problems within the various components of the Respiratory System. As has already been presented, Neurofibromas can cause partial blockages within upper parts of the trachea. However, Neurofibromas can also pose challenges or the anesthesiologist when dealing with nasal, sinus or maxilofacial cavities with Neurofibromas present within. One example of how devastatingly complex the Neurofibroma can become is seen when a benign neurofibroma can cause a superior vena cava compression. Such was the case of a 21-year-old…

In the last fifteen or so years the concerns about vaccinations, and particularly the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccination (MMR) have come to the forefront of societies debates from a limited connection to autism that is most likely associated to the correlation between onset of symptoms of autism and autism spectrum disorders and standard immunization practices. The fear created a general public that was afraid to allow their children to get the life saving MMR and in turn many parents have denied their children vaccinations at all. Parents' fears of some connection between the vaccination and/or its ingredient makeup cause or trigger autism and an accompanying serious bowel disease is related to a single, very limited research study conducted in the UK (n 12). There has been a substantial increase in incidents of autism over the last 20 or so years and the extreme social, physical, emotional, financial and…

As a result, it is not stable to say that the balance of benefits and harms of routine use of supplements of vitamins a, C or E; multivitamins with folic acid; or antioxidant combinations for the prevention of cancer or cardiovascular disease (U.S. Preventive Services ask Force (USPSF).

From other evidence, it does not seem that the experiments of this article were not conducted long enough to prove its thesis because supplements do not help with cancer. If they were trying to prove supplements did not help, their testing would be valid. As it can be seen from other evidence, the objective can be proven false because other research prove tat their thesis cannot be accurate.

he Canadian ask Force on Preventive Health Care (CFPHC) concludes that there is insufficient evidence to recommend for or against the use of routine vitamin E supplementation for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease…

Therapy was discontinued due to an adverse event in 11% of EVISTA®-treated women and 9% of placebo-treated women. Common adverse events related to EVISTA® therapy were hot flashes and leg cramps. Hot flashes were most commonly reported during the first 6 months of treatment and were not different from placebo thereafter.

DUG INTEACTIONS

Cholestyramine causes a 60% reduction in the absorption and enterohepatic cycling of raloxifene after a single dose. Thus, co-administration of cholestyramine with EVISTA® is not recommended.

COMPAATIVE EFFICACY

Overall, raloxifene exerts similar positive on bone mineral density and bone turnover as other SEMS and estrogen therapy. However, the reduction in fracture risk is improved with SEMs vs. estrogen (Nakamura 632).

COST ANALYSIS

Overall, administration of calcium and vitamin D is more effective and economical than any approved drug for postmenopausal osteoporosis. The annual cost of calcium and vitamin D treatment is $22 compared to $255 for estrogen,…

At the same time, it also needs to be mentioned that one has to take a decision based on the consideration that whether the person has any individual choice of his/her own in the matter. One of the main reasons for developing such an attitude may be because of depression in the minds of the patient. This matter needs to be raised and decided by the doctor and medicines prescribed accordingly to the need. These medicines have to be given by force, to the patient, if necessary, if he is unwilling to take them. At the same time, one may also understand that when medicines are being forced down a patient's throat, the effects and situation of the mind of the patient makes the medicine to be less effective, unless otherwise it is a medicine which has enough direct physical action. All the developmental effects are being slowed down by…

Magnetic Therapy: Sound Practice or Simple Phooey?

Ever since the Enlightenment and arguably even further back in the history of Western civilization, almost every technological advancement has been accompanied by new ideas about how to medically treat the human body. Many of these technological ideas, especially since the nineteenth century and hugely in the modern era, have led to significant advancements in treatment. Others, however, have been less scientifically successful and are less medical treatments and more mechanisms for sometimes well-meaning but often outright conning "practitioners" to extract profits from gullible patients. The following paragraphs examine the scientific evidence regarding magnetic therapies, coming to the determination that despite strong belief by some adherents the treatment is in almost all cases proven to be ineffective.

Past Use and Current Controversy

Ever since the 1500s, when some of the principles of magnetism began to be more scientifically observed, the use of magnets…