Posted by
Crohn’s Disease vs. Ulcerative Colitis (UC)

Crohn’s Disease vs. Ulcerative Colitis (UC)

What is Crohn’s disease? What is ulcerative colitis (UC)? Both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, or UC, are types of IBD (inflammatory bowel disease), but they are not the same disease. Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory process with no known cause (idiopathic) that can affect any part of the gastroesophageal (GI) tract from the […]

Posted by
Is Hepatitis Contagious?

Is Hepatitis Contagious?

What is hepatitis? Hepatitis is a disease characterized by inflammation of the liver. “Hepatitis” is a general term that refers to any inflammation of the liver. Many illnesses and conditions that cause inflammation of the liver. In order to answer the question of whether or not hepatitis is contagious, these illnesses will be broken into […]

Posted by
Health Tip: Preventing Kidney Stones

Health Tip: Preventing Kidney Stones

(HealthDay News) — About one in 10 people will have a kidney stone during his or her lifetime, says the National Kidney Foundation. Latest Digestion News Kidney stones are hard deposits made of minerals and salts that can be painful and difficult to pass. To help prevent kidney stones, the foundation suggests: Drink enough water, […]

Posted by
Could Red Wine Boost Your ‘Microbiome’?

Could Red Wine Boost Your ‘Microbiome’?

By Steven ReinbergHealthDay Reporter Latest Digestion News WEDNESDAY, Aug. 28, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A little pinot noir now and then might help keep the bacteria in your tummy healthy and happy, a new study suggests. As little as one glass of red wine a week can increase the diversity of the good bacteria in […]

Posted by
FDA Warns of Liver Problems for Some Taking Hep C Drugs

FDA Warns of Liver Problems for Some Taking Hep C Drugs

Latest Digestion News THURSDAY, Aug. 29, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Taking the hepatitis C drugs Mavyret, Zepatier or Vosevi can trigger rare cases of severe liver problems or liver failure in patients who already have moderate-to-severe liver impairment, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Wednesday. The agency has identified 63 cases of worsening liver […]

Posted by
Test All U.S. Adults for Hepatitis C, Expert Panel Says

Test All U.S. Adults for Hepatitis C, Expert Panel Says

By Dennis ThompsonHealthDay Reporter Latest Digestion News TUESDAY, Aug. 27, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Hepatitis C infection rates have exploded in the United States, more than tripling over the past decade. Because of this, routine screening for hepatitis C — which can destroy the liver over time — should occur in all American adults, a […]

Posted by
Thousands of Kidneys Thrown Away by U.S. Transplant Centers

Thousands of Kidneys Thrown Away by U.S. Transplant Centers

Latest Digestion News TUESDAY, Aug. 27, 2019 (HealthDay News) — When it comes to using kidneys from deceased donors, the United States might want to follow France’s example. That’s according to new research that found kidneys from older donors are much more likely to be used for transplants in France, and if more of those […]

Posted by
nizatidine (Axid, Axid AR)

nizatidine (Axid, Axid AR)

What is nizatidine, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Nizatidine is an oral drug that blocks the action of histamine on stomach cells and reduces their production of acid. It belongs to a class of drugs called H2 blockers that also includes cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), and famotidine (Pepcid). Histamine is a naturally-occurring […]

Posted by
Epclusa (sofosbuvir and velpatasvir)

Epclusa (sofosbuvir and velpatasvir)

What is sofosbuvir and velpatasvir? What is sofosbuvir and velpatasvir used for? Epclusa is an oral tablet containing two drugs used for the treatment of chronic infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV), genotype 1,2,3,4, 5, or 6 in adults. The components belong to a class of drugs called direct-acting antiviral agents. Similar drugs include […]

Posted by
lubiprostone (Amitiza)

lubiprostone (Amitiza)

What is lubiprostone? What is lubiprostone? Lubiprostone is an oral medication used for the treatment of idiopathic (due to an unknown cause) chronic constipation. Chronic constipation most commonly occurs because of slow transit of stool through the colon that allows too much fluid to be removed from the stool, leading to hard or lumpy stools, […]