Pharmacy
Zmax
· Trade Name
ZMAX
· Generic Name
Azithromycin
· Drug Class
Antibiotic medication
Macrolide
· How It Works
Medication inhibits bacterial protein synthesis
· Serious Side Effects
angioedema
anaphylaxis
cholestatic jaundice
pseudomembranous colitis
Stevens Johnson syndrome
QT prolongation
torsades de pointes
toxic epidermal necrolysis
· Common Side Effects
diarrhea
abdominal pain
nausea
vaginitis
dyspepsia
dizziness
rash
vomiting
anorexia
pruritus
Read more – February 24, 2009
Ezetimibe
· Trade Name
Zetia
· Generic Name
EZETIMIBE
· Drug Class
Cholesterol-Lowering Medication
· How It Works
Inhibits cholesterol absorption at small intestine brush border
· Serious Side Effects
hypersensitivity reaction
anaphylaxis
angioedema
pancreatitis
hepatitis
cholecystitis
cholelithiasis
thrombocytopenia
rhabdomyolysis
depression
· Common Side Effects
URI
headache
myalgia
back pain
sinusitis
arthralgia
diarrhea
abdominal pain
chest pain
pharyngitis
fatigue
cough
dizziness
Read more – February 22, 2009
Epigastric pain
• Epigastric pain is the symptom of pain or discomfort in the center of the abdomen just below the rib 
cage.
• Epigastric pain can be a sign of:
· Gastroesophageal reflux disease (heart burn)
· Esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus)
· Gall stones
· Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach)
· Gastroparesis (delayed stomach emptying)
· Heart attack
· Irritable bowel syndrome
· Lactose intolerance (lactase deficiency)
· Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
· Pancreatic cancer
· Pneumonia
· Ulcer disease of the stomach of duodenum
• Epigastric pain that persist or worsens should be evaluated by your doctor.
Read more – December 15, 2008
Abdominal swelling
• Abdominal swelling (abdominal distention) is the symptom of an abdomen that appears larger (more 
distended) than is normal for you.
• Abdominal distention can be a sign of:
· excessive intestinal gas
· an accumulation of abdominal fluid (ascites)
· an intestinal obstruction (ileus).
• Abdominal distention may be an indication of a serious medical problem and should be evaluated by your doctor.
Read more – October 21, 2008
Spider Bites
• Overview
· Complaints of presumed spider bites are more common than true spider bites.
· A superficial skin infection may mimic a spider bite.
· Spider bite complaints are common and the American Association of Poison Control Centers reported over 15,000 spider bites in 2004 with one reported death.
· Spiders use venom to paralyze prior to eating their prey.
· Most spiders are not harmful because the spider bite is unable to penetrate human skin or the spider bite does not contain a sufficient amount of toxin to affect humans.
· Spider bites that do penetrate or that contain enough toxin usually result in localized pain just at the site of the bite.
• Types
· Black Widow
· Black Widow spider bites usually cause symptoms of localized pain, sweating and redness at the site of the bite within 30 minutes of the incident.
· Black Widow spider bites may be complicated by:
crampy abdominal pain
nausea
vomiting
headache
diffuse numbness
renal failure
infrequent risk death
· Black Widow spider bites should be evaluated by your doctor.
Patients should be treated in a hospital for severe symptoms if the patient is very young or elderly
· Brown recluse spider bites usually cause symptoms of localized pain, redness, swelling and the formation of a blister at the site of the bite. Severe reactions will lead to tissue necrosis (cell death) at the site of the bite about three days after the bite.
· Hobo spiders are a type of aggressive house spider in the Pacific Northwest.
· Hobo spider bites will cause pain, redness and swelling at the site of the bite within 30 minutes of the bite. A bluster may develop at the site of the bite within two days.
· Hobo spider spider bites may be complicated by tissue necrosis (cell death)
· Hobo spider spider bites symptoms may also include:
fatigue
nausea
vomiting
diarrhea
paresthesias
memory impairment
infrequent risk of death
· Tarantula spider bites usually only cause minor pain, swelling and redness at the site of the bite. Occasionally the Tarantulas will shed hair from their abdomen which can produce an allergic reaction and a moderate amount of irritation.
• Treatment
· Spider bites should be treated with local cleansing and symptomatic treatment.
· Spider bites should be evaluated by your doctor.
References
Watson WA et al: 2004 Annual report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers Toxic Exposure Surveillance System. Am J Emerg Med 23:589, 2005 [PMID: 16140178]
Rash LD, Hodgson WC: Pharmacology and biochemistry of spider venoms. Toxicon 40:225, 2002. [PMID: 11711120]
Elston DM: What’s eating you? Latrodectus mactans (the black widow spider). Cutis 69:257, 2002 [PMID: 12080942]
Read more – September 24, 2008
