首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
外语
Worried about prescription drugs? How to weigh your risk? A)When the pain reliever Vioxx was withdrawn from the worldwide market
Worried about prescription drugs? How to weigh your risk? A)When the pain reliever Vioxx was withdrawn from the worldwide market
admin
2016-04-26
19
问题
Worried about prescription drugs? How to weigh your risk?
A)When the pain reliever Vioxx was withdrawn from the worldwide market last September after the announcement that it increased patients’ risk of heart attacks and strokes, millions panicked. Suddenly, ads for the drug were replaced with ads looking for Vioxx "victims". Not only did patients stop taking Vioxx but, doctors say, many people stopped taking their other medicines, too—sometimes putting their health at serious risk. The sometimes-sensationalized headlines didn’t help. People wondered. Should I trust my doctors? Could what I thought would help me actually kill me? Is the drug safety system broken?
B)Americans have somehow come to believe they should get the best medical care with the latest remedies with no side effects. But there is no drug that doesn’t have side effects. Peter Corr, head of worldwide research and development for drug manufacturer Pfizer says, "As a society we expect medicine to be perfect. There is no such thing. There is always a risk."
C)Since there is no such thing as a pill that is completely safe, including aspirin, consumers have to accept the dichotomy(一分为二)that the same medicines that extend and enhance our lives may hurt us; some of them may merely have minor side effects, while others are able to cause death. So how should you and your doctor proceed?
1. Weigh the risks and benefits of any drug.
D)As a smart consumer you must decide whether a drug is "safe enough" for you. The greater the benefit, the more risk you may be willing to take. If your illness is mild and not very bothersome, you may decide that any risk is too big and opt against taking any medications at all. On the contrary, if your illness is serious or potentially life threatening, you may even be willing to try an experimental drug with greater risk for serious side effects.
E)Zena McAdams, 59, a regional clergyman in Macon, Georgia, has lived with a condition that causes chronic pain for many years. For a long time she took OTC ibuprofen(布洛芬, 一种镇痛非处方药), "I mean lots of it," she says. In the spring of 2001, her doctor prescribed Vioxx. Taken only once a day, it was "remarkable," she says. "I took it every day till it was taken off the market."
F)After speaking to her doctor, she switched to Celebrex last October. It was also effective in controlling the aches and pains associated with her condition—until she heard concerns that it, too, had serious potential side effects. She talked to her doctor, weighed the risks versus the benefits and decided that her quality of life was most important. "There is always that nasty feeling about safety," she says, "but there is no reason to think that I have any heart problems. The benefits at this point in my life certainly outweigh the risks. The drug works. It eases the pain."
2. Be especially cautious about new drugs.
G)New drugs are inherently risky. So if you’re taking one, monitor yourself carefully. Have your eating and digestive habits changed? Are you feeling unusually tired or agitated(焦虑不安的)? Have your breathing patterns or skin color changed? If so, call your doctor immediately, who may tell you to stop taking the drug. How does a consumer know that a drug is new? Ask your doctor or pharmacist(药剂师). If you have a choice between two or more equally effective drugs, choose the one with a longer track record of safety. If you are taking a drug in the same class as one that has been recalled, it is careful to ask your doctor if that drug places you at greater risks.
3. Know if you’re in a high-risk group.
H)Although scientists still don’t know precisely why, certain individuals have bad reactions to a drug or to a particular dose of a drug, while others don’t. Men metabolize(新陈代谢)drugs differently than women do, for example. Be especially watchful if you are very young, very old or pregnant. Drugs usually aren’t tested on these groups. "I worry the most about the elderly," says Avorn. "They are vastly under-represented in trials of drugs, yet they are the most likely to be taking the drugs when they are approved."
4. Ask the right questions.
I)When you get a new prescription, never leave the doctor’s surgery without a clear understanding of why you’re taking the drug, how to take it, and how you’ll know if it’s working. Even if it makes you a bit uncomfortable, ask. You are responsible for your own health and safety. "If the doctor doesn’t want to answer questions, you should probably find another doctor," says Avorn. After your visit, if you still have questions, call or e-mail the doctor. Use your pharmacist as an expert consultant for any additional concerns you have about the drug or its side effects.
J)You can ask the pharmacist for the professional package insert for the drug, says Corr. Although it’s written for health care providers, it includes information on clinical trials and side effects. Also, if there’s been a label change, with new information about the drug or any warnings, it will be part of the PPI(保险证明). Or request more consumer-friendly information, which should tell you how to use the drug properly and warn of any precautions. You can also call the drug company’s toll-free number for more information, or go to its website.
5. Be informed, and follow directions carefully.
K)Check that the pills you receive are the correct ones. Errors crop up in the dispensing of medications: It’s easy to confuse products with similar names(for example, Zantac and Xanax). Read the instructions and take your pills exactly as prescribed. Be alert for expiration dates, and stay attentive to recalls and warnings. Tell your doctor about any other medications you take, either prescribed or OTC(over the counter). Drug interactions can cause serious problems. For example, Posicor, an anti-hypertensive drug(治疗高血压的药), was taken off the market because it could cause blood pressure to drop sharply when used with other heart medications. If you fill all your prescriptions at the same store, the pharmacist may be able to warn you of known interactions.
L)It is vitally important that patients and their doctors provide feedback to manufacturers and regulators if they have any suspicion of a problem. Then these signals will be known and can be analyzed to see if they are more widespread, which could save lives.
Drugs with similar names may result in errors of medication dispensing.
选项
答案
K
解析
根据Drugs with similar names及medication dispensing可定位至K段前两句。该部分提到名字相似的药物容易混淆,在配药时可能会产生错误,本题与此内容一致,故K为本题答案。
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/Ore7777K
0
大学英语四级
相关试题推荐
AftertheviolentearthquakethatshookLosAngelesin1994,earthquakescientistshadgoodnewstoreport:Thedamageanddeath
AftertheviolentearthquakethatshookLosAngelesin1994,earthquakescientistshadgoodnewstoreport:Thedamageanddeath
TheInternetAdvocateA)Contrarytothemannerinwhichmanylegislatorsandnewsreportshavedepictedit,theInternetisana
TheInternetAdvocateA)Contrarytothemannerinwhichmanylegislatorsandnewsreportshavedepictedit,theInternetisana
GettingThin—forGoodA)Justabouteveryonehasbeenonadietatonetimeoranother,andmillionsofushavelearnedthatthe
Teachingchildrentoreadwellfromthestartisthemostimportanttaskofelementaryschools.Butrelyingoneducatorstoappr
Teachingchildrentoreadwellfromthestartisthemostimportanttaskofelementaryschools.Butrelyingoneducatorstoappr
Overthepastdecade,theenvironmentalmovementhasexplodedontothemindofmainstreamconsumers,afactnotlostonmarketer
Overthepastdecade,theenvironmentalmovementhasexplodedontothemindofmainstreamconsumers,afactnotlostonmarketer
Crimeisincreasingworldwide.Thereiseveryreasontobelievethe【B1】_____willcontinuethroughthenextfewdecades.Crimera
随机试题
下列活动中,属于价值链辅助活动的是()。
在SDH微波通信系统中,位于干线上的、需完成多个方向通信任务的站称为()站。
溶菌酶对革兰阴性菌杀菌作用弱,主要是因为
患者男性,50岁。肝硬化腹水明显,1周前呕血,黑便。近日烦躁不安,用很多火柴点不着烟,晚间误将鞋当尿盆。轻度黄疸,两手举起时腕部阵发颤抖。其诊断是()
48岁妇女,G5P3,10年前输卵管结扎术,已绝经2年,阴道血性分泌物增多有臭味,并偶有性交后出血半年。以下的病史或体检所见,哪项可能性最大
甲系某公司经理,乙是其司机。某日,乙开车送甲去洽谈商务,途中因违章超速行驶当场将行人丙撞死,并致行人丁重伤。乙欲送丁去医院救治,被甲阻止。甲催乙送其前去洽谈商务,并称否则会造成重大经济损失。于是,乙打电话给120急救站后离开肇事现场。但因时间延误,丁不治身
[2009年第116题]根据《招标投标法》的规定,下列包括在招标公告中的是()。
泰山之称最早见于《春秋》。()
下面不属于20世纪20年代教育思潮的是()。
—Lookatthenotebelow.—Youwillhearamanaskinganothertobuychina.TelephoneMessageDate:lstAprilTim
最新回复
(
0
)