Statins (drugs)

Grapefruit doesn't mix well with some drugs, researchers remind

2012-11-26 17:13:00

It’s been known for a long time that eating grapefruit and taking certain prescription oral medications — including the cholesterol drugs atorvastatin, lovastatin and simvastatin as well as some cancer and heart drugs — don’t mix.�...

Indian drug maker recalls certain doses of generic Lipitor

2012-11-23 10:44:00

Drug maker Ranbaxy Laboratories Inc. has recalled some of its generic version of Lipitor in the U.S. after finding small glass particles in some batches. The Indian company's recall of atorvastatin calcium, a generic form of Pfizer Inc.'s top-selling...

It's best to avoid grapefruit when taking some statin drugs

2013-05-22 14:30:02

Q: My doctor just prescribed atorvastatin (Lipitor) for high cholesterol. The instructions said: "Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while taking this medication." I love grapefruit. Do I need to avoid it completely? A: Like you, I love...

Hyrdrocodone tops list as most-prescribed drug in W.Va.

2013-05-20 03:34:02

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A powerful narcotic was the No. 1 prescribed drug among Medicare patients in West Virginia for 2010, and a Charleston neurologist was the top prescriber in the state. State doctors wrote 402,159 hydrocodone-acetaminophen...

Dr. Richard Bosshardt: Niacin can boost effectiveness of cholesterol-lowering drugs

2013-05-19 00:00:00

Question: I have been on medications for my cholesterol but, so far, the improvement has not been enough. Now, my doctor wants to start me on Niacin. I have read a little about this but am worried about the possible side effects. Can you tell more about...

Shop around for deals on prescription drugs

2013-05-12 00:00:00

If your insurance has ever stopped covering a prescription drug or you don’t have coverage at all, you know how quickly costs can mount. Americans spent, on average, $758 out of pocket for medication in 2012, according to a recent Consumer Reports...

Delray man accused of writing fake pain killer prescription

2013-04-24 15:15:04

It started with a search over the Internet: "How to write a pain killer prescription." With information gained from the search and a page from his doctor's prescription pad, Boca Raton Police say Jason Ian Bayne, 44, of Delray Beach, walked into a Boca...

CONSUMER REPORTS: Big name drug savings

2013-04-15 14:08:00

If you take Lipitor, Actos, or Lexapro, new generics of these and other big-name drugs could be a real money saver. But are you saving as much as you should? Consumer Reports has discovered just because you're buying a generic drug doesn't mean you're...

Briefs: Harvard Health Letters

2013-04-03 02:30:06

WHY YOU STILL NEED PERTUSSIS VACCINATION You might have assumed that you no longer need to be vaccinated for diseases that normally strike in childhood, including pertussis, or whooping cough. Yet a recent study published in the December 2012 journal...

Proscar linked to lasting sexual side effects in men

2013-01-23 17:31:00

Q: Now that I'm nearing divorce court (in large part due to sexual difficulties), I was dismayed by the response to a person inquiring about finasteride (Proscar). I have every single side effect in your answer. I have not taken Proscar for some time. I...

Getting back to sleep

2013-02-13 17:17:00

Q: I hate having to get up three or four times a night to urinate. Around 3 or 4 in the morning, I have trouble getting back to sleep. I have discovered that when I take ibuprofen for post-exercise soreness, I am much less likely to be awakened by my...

Generic Version of Lipitor Recalled Due to Glass Fragments

2012-11-26 10:11:00

A manufacturer of a popular cholesterol-reducing medication has recalled more than 40 batches of the product after warning that they may contain small particles of glass. Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Inc. says it is calling back bottles of its 10-, 20- and...

The expiration of the patent on Lipitor helped drive U.S. drug spending down for the first time in 55 years.

2013-05-09 04:01:00

The discovery of small glass pieces in generic Lipitor drug batches caused a November recall from producer Ranbaxy Laboratories Inc. The Indian company pulled back 10-, 20- and 40-milligram doses of atorvastatin calcium, a generic form of Pfizer Inc.'s cholesterol-lowering Lipitor.

2012-12-03 09:36:30

Ranbaxy Laboratories recalled some batches of its generic form of Lipitor after finding small glass particles in the product.

2012-11-23 10:12:06