F. Vibald. Concordia College, Moorhead Minnesota.
Indication Numerous (but not all) trials have indicated improve- Adverse Reactions generic 40mg cialis extra dosage with amex, Contraindications cialis extra dosage 50mg without a prescription, ment in BPH symptom scores compared to placebo and Interactions with 1 to 3 months of therapy. Saw palmetto extract ap- Milk thistle appears to be remarkably safe, with loose pears to be equally effective as finasteride (see Chapter stools due to increased bile solubility and occasional al- 63) but is less effective than 1-adrenoceptor antago- lergic reactions being the common side effects. Adverse Reactions, Contraindications, Dosage and Interactions Dry extract capsules standardized to 70% silymarin Headache and GI symptoms are the most frequently re- (calculated as silibinin) are administered at 200 to 400 ported side effects. Teas are not fects, such as nausea, abdominal discomfort, and diar- recommended, since silymarin is not water soluble. It is important to rule tion parameters in various hepatotoxic situations, such out prostate cancer in those taking saw palmetto for as alcoholic cirrhosis and mushroom poisoning. The effect of saw unclear whether it will offer protection against viral palmetto on prostatic cancer would likely be beneficial hepatitis and various nephrotoxic agents. Saw Palmetto Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) is a dwarf American Dose palm native to the extreme southeastern United States. For BPH, 320 mg of the lipidosterolic extract by mouth A lipidosterolic extract of its berries contains fatty acids daily in two divided doses with food is usually recom- (especially lauric acid), phytosterols, monocylglycerides, mended. The dried berries and tea are 80% of the extract and are thought to be the most clin- not recommended, since the fatty acids responsible for ically effective component. The berries them- selves are less well absorbed than the extract and are Conclusion therefore believed to be less effective. Saw palmetto extract is a fairly well tolerated, safe al- Mechanism of Action ternative to finasteride for long-term treatment of BPH, although 1-adrenoceptor blocking agents undoubtedly Saw palmetto extract can inhibit the enzyme 5- -reductase afford more rapid symptom relief. Its name is 794 VII DRUGS AFFECTING THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM derived from the Old English word for plant, wort, and ropathy has also been described, and it is possible that from the fact that it often starts blooming around June hypericin may also increase the risk of cataracts with 24, St. While a prior allergy to the herb is the tionally been used for wound healing, insomnia, main contraindication, St. Although this the numerous clinically significant herb–drug interac- herb is now commonly standardized for its hypericin tions that have been reported. This first came to light following acute heart transplant rejection in a per- Mechanism of Action son taking cyclosporin and St.
While we do not have scientific proof cialis extra dosage 50mg discount, it is possible to speculate on why these dietary changes may work buy cialis extra dosage 50mg. If the patient is so inclined there is no reason to discourage her from trying these dietary changes, which are usually safe and inexpensive. Strict vegetarian and other unusual diets can lead to vitamin B12 and other deficiencies, which can make headaches worse and cause other problems. Biofeedback Biofeedback is one of the therapies where definitive proof is difficult to obtain. Biofeedback is used by most of the specialty headache clinics; this does not prove its efficacy, but strongly suggests that a large number of patients benefit from it. Many 3–7 clinical trials have shown effectiveness of biofeedback and relaxation techniques. Results of these studies indicate higher response rates than those seen in placebo arms of prophylactic drug trials. Long-term follow-up studies suggest that biofeedback can have 3,7 sustained efficacy for years after the completion of training. The essence of biofeedback, which is often combined with behavior modification, is to teach a patient how to encounter stress without adverse physiological effects. This is achieved through progressive relaxation, visualization and breathing techniques. The practice sessions can be only a few seconds or minutes long, but they have to be very frequent. A conscious effort is required in the first Complementary therapies in neurology 278 few weeks of training, but gradually self-monitoring and very brief relaxation techniques become a subconscious habit. This appears to allow many patients to lower tension throughout the day and this results in fewer headaches. They can often learn not only how to prevent their headaches in 4–5 sessions, but at times can learn how to stop their headache once it begins. Acupuncture Acupuncture has been reported to be effective in the treatment of various pain syndromes, including migraine headaches.
By the late 1950s cheap cialis extra dosage 200 mg amex, standardized scales for assessing hypnotic responsiveness (alternatively termed hypnotic suggestibility purchase 50 mg cialis extra dosage free shipping, hypnotizability, hypnotic susceptibility) had been developed, scaled and 13 normed. Two of the most widely used scales for hypnosis research are the Harvard 14 Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A (HGSHS:A) and the individually 15 administered Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C (SHSS:C). The use of these standardized scales ensures that each subject receives the same hypnotic induction and the same set of suggestions. Each suggestion calls for an observable response and thus each suggestion will be passed or failed by the subject according to predetermined objective criteria. The psychometric properties of the standardized scales provide researchers with an approximately normal distribution of scores (Figure 1). Criteria are usually established for research purposes; for example, groups are divided into high (score 8–12), medium (score Complementary therapies in neurology 206 Figure 1. Sample distribution of individual hypnotizability scores of 196 participants (unpublished data). HGSHS:A, Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A 5–7), or low (score 0–4). That is not to say that overt behavior is the be-all and end-all of hypnotic responsiveness; the scales are founded on the assumption that these objective responses are reliable markers of subjective experience. A long- term follow-up study in which subjects were readministered the SHSS: A, 10–25 years 16 after it was first administered, demonstrated an overall test-retest reliability of 0. This kind of stability compares favorably with test-retest reliabilities for IQ tests over similar periods of time. Interestingly, our own archival analysis of data from the past 40 years has shown a steady overall increase in average hypnotizability scores as assessed 17 by both the group administered HGSHS:A and the individually administered SHSS:C. Standardized assessments of hypnotic responsiveness are important not only to researchers, but also to clinicians. For decades, clinicians and researchers alike have attempted to predict hypnotic responsiveness by means of demographic and personality variables such as sex, age, extraversion, gullibility, compliance, or creativity. Though there is some 18,19 indication that females might score higher than males on measures of hypnotizability, 20,21 and that hypnotizability peaks in children at around 9–13 years of age, the search for a strong relationship between hypnotic ability and personality constructs has been relatively unsuccessful.
