Harvard Women's Health Watch articles from June 2004

Harvard Women's Health Watch archives from June 2004

Finding the right discount drug plan for you.
June 1, 2004... In June 2004, the first phase of the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 went into effect with a temporary Medicare drug discount card program. The plan has particular relevance for women, who make up 57% of...

Over-the-counter pain relievers: Play it safe.
June 1, 2004... Don't let the ease of buying pain medications without a prescription lull you into thinking they're trouble-free. It used to be pretty simple: If you had pain, you took aspirin. But thanks to advances in understanding how we experience pain...

Treating depression: Update on antidepressants.
June 1, 2004... Antidepressants are a mainstay of depression treatment. We've learned more about what they do and how best to use them. Depression. The ancient Greeks were on the right track when they called it "melancholia" and described it as a disabling...

Ouch: Sunburn and what to do about it.
June 1, 2004... The best treatment is prevention, but even the most careful woman can get too much sun. Every year, about one-third of adults in the United States suffer sunburn at least once. It's the skin's reaction to too much ultraviolet radiation,...

Hysterectomy vs. medication for abnormal uterine bleeding.
June 1, 2004... Most hysterectomies in the United States are performed to treat various non-life-threatening conditions such as abnormal uterine bleeding or menstrual pain. In response to concerns about the possible overuse of the surgery, researchers from the...

How risky are birth control pills?
June 1, 2004... Q Do birth control pills increase my risk for getting breast and ovarian cancers? If so, how long can I take the pill and still avoid these risks? A The long-term risks and benefits of birth control pills were the issues that spawned the...

Are statins safe to use year after year?
June 1, 2004... Q I've been taking the statin Lipitor to control my cholesterol for four years. I don't want to have a heart attack like my mother did, but is it safe to take this medication for years on end? A Statins are also known as HMG-CoA reductase...