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Heartburn Vs Heart Problems
Lipitor Vs. Zocor: What is Better for your Health and your Wallet
In the battle of cholesterol lowering medication, Lipitor has a commanding advantage in today's market. Lipitor is the world's number 1 selling drug. According to USA Today, Lipitor's sales have risen $3.1 billion in the second quarter and are expecting to hit record high sales of 13 billion this year. The number 2 cholesterol fighting medication or "statin" in the industry is Zocor. Zocor has recently released a generic version of the anti-cholesterol drug in hopes to sway consumers to from Lipitor, and purchase their new, less expensive product. But is Lipitor really worth the extra money? We'll find out by comparing Lipitor's prices, results, and side effects to that of Zocor, the leading competition in the statin industry.
• Price
In the battle for price, Zocor's generic alternative Simvastatin dishes out the first blow. For 90, 10mg tablets it costs $225.97 Lipitor, and $199.97 for Zocor. And for 90, 40mg tablets it costs $312.00 for Lipitor compared to $238.00 for Zocor. The New York Times reports that "In many cases, they say, patients who now take the most commonly prescribed dosage of Lipitor - 10 milligrams daily - can reduce their cholesterol just as much with Zocor. Lipitor costs $2 or more a day, while generic Zocor will probably cost 35 cents or less." The larger the dosage the more savings Zocor offers. If you order a large amount of pills at a time, or you require a large dosage of the medication, you can save a reasonably large amount of money. I give the edge in the price department to Zocor.
• Results, Effectiveness
This category is very close as both drugs are very affective in reducing bad cholesterol (LDL) and raising good cholesterol (HDL). Both Lipitor and Zocor belong to the class of drugs known as "statins", which lower cholesterol by blocking the enzyme in the liver that produces bad cholesterol. In a recent study done by Phizer the producer of Lipitor, it was found that Lipitor was no better at preventing major heart complications than its leading competitor Zocor. However CBS found that "Lipitor outperformed Zocor on several fronts such as lowering cholesterol and preventing nonfatal heart attacks." In the category of effectiveness the edge goes to Lipitor.
• Side Effect
As with any prescription medication, both Lipitor and Zocor have a small percentage of users that experience adverse side affects. Both have minimal side effects including upset stomach, gas, heartburn, change of taste, diarrhea, constipation, skin rash, headache, dizziness or blurred vision that may occur the first few days as your body adjusts to the medication. However in recent clinical trails, it has been found that a rare muscle problem has been linked to statin drugs, which includes both Lipitor and Zocor. An estimated 5 to10 percent of all patients using statins experience these adverse side affects of minor muscle soreness and loss of muscle strength. So in the final category of adverse side affects, it is a draw.
In the battle of the high cholesterol reducing medications I would go with Zocor. Zocor is practically just as effective as Lipitor but offers it for a much lower price. To order Zocor or Lipitor for even more savings, go to www.epharmacies.com. This website offers safe reliable sources to find medications such as Zocor and Lipitor at discount prices. Visit this Consumer Advocacy website for more information on ordering online prescriptions.
About the Author
Joshua Daly is an editor, web developer and an expert in the pharmaceutical resource and search industry. He has been working on the Internet since 1999 and is currently the director of ePharmacies.com. Visit this Consumer Advocacy website for more information on ordering from online pharmacies.
Gastrointestinal Bleeding - What are the Common Causes and Symptoms
The most common causes of gastrointestinal bleeding include stomach irritation caused by acid, a perforation of the intestinal wall or perhaps some other disease. The bleeding comes in various forms.
Symptoms of GI bleeding can include:
- Rapid heart rate.
- Pains in the chest.
- Respiratory difficulty.
- Pale tone to the skin.
- Presence of blood in the stool.
- Vomiting of blood.
- Low blood pressure.
- Dizziness
- Anemia.
Fluid loss results in increased heart rate. As the heart detects lowered fluid volume, it will increase it's rate to keep the vital body organs supplied with blood. Reduced blood volume also means less oxygen circulating, which can cause respiratory difficulty.
Causes:
Heartburn:
The presence of blood in the GI tract can also be attributed to repeated contact of stomach acids with the esophageal lining. This is most evident in heartburn symptoms. Heartburn is caused by reflux of gastric acids into the esophagus as a result of improper closure of the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES.
If the lining of the stomach is being repeatedly exposed to stomach acid, it can result in bleeding and scar tissue may form.
Esophageal Varicies:
Bleeding in the intestinal tract can also be due to unusually enlarged veins in the lower esophagus that rupture and hemorrhage. The enlarged veins are most often due to blocked or restricted blood flow to the liver.
This leads to blood backing up into the esophagus, including the rectum and stomach, causing them to become engorged with blood. If not treated, engorged vessels will eventually burst and massive bleeding can result.
Stomach ulcers:
The stomach is naturally protected from gastric acids due to secretion of a mucous lining. However, if this mucous lining is reduced it can allow the development of an ulcer to form on the stomach wall. Stomach ulcers can become inflamed, leading to erosion into a blood vessel and subsequent bleeding.
People who have undergone prolonged surgical procedures can develop stress ulcers in the digestive tract. Non-malignant tumors and cancer of the stomach are known to cause gastrointestinal bleeding. Other causes of GI bleeding can include H. pylori infection and blood thinners, such as aspirin.
If you feel you are showing symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding, contact your health care professional at once for immediate testing and treatment. GI bleeding can indicate a very serious health problem that requires medical and possibly surgical attention.
About the Author
Jared Wright is the marketing manager of Clivir.com - A free learning community site where you can learn more about health topics. You can follow the links to find more related articles such as
heartburn vs heart attack symptoms
and
heartburn diet and recipe
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