On October 15, 2012, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced funding that will help researchers find out if a higher dose of a vaccine for pneumonia can create a stronger immunity for older adults who received similar vaccines in the past.  

According to the NIH, the new study will compare results from vaccines given to children between 6 weeks and 5 years old and adults 50 years of age or older.  About 882 men and women between 55 and 74 have elected for the study.

The study addresses one of the largest health epidemics in the United States.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 300,000 people in the U.S. are hospitalized every year because of pneumonia.  Certain types of pneumonia are particularly dangerous.  

S. pneumoniae can lead to the upper respiratory tract becoming infected, and the infection can spread to the lungs, blood, middle ear, and even the nervous system.  Children under the age of 5 and adults over 65 are the most likely to contract pneumococcal pneumonia, and it is easier to become re-infected once you were originally infected.  

Because of the severity of the illness, pneumonia currently ranks as the 15th leading cause of death in the U.S.  Adults over the age of 55 account for 92 percent of pneumonia deaths every year.  

The study is occurring at six National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) vaccine and treatment units in across the county.  The following centers are conducting the study: University of Iowa, Saint Louis University, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center—Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University Vaccine Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, and the Seattle Group Health Research Institute.  

The hope is to successfully vaccinate adults who have received lower dosages of the vaccine in the last 3 to 7 years.  

Source: National Institutes of Health

A brief guide to Advair Diskus 250 50 side Effects

All prescription medications carry the risk of mild or severe side effects, and Advair Diskus is no exception. Potential Advair 250 50 side effects must be elucidated by a physician before assigning a course of treatment to patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorders (COPD).

The presences of Advair Diskus 250 50 side effects are rare. If you experience any adverse reactions as a result of Advair use, you must immediately contact your medical provider and/or doctor. Depending on the severity of the reaction, your doctor may advise you to discontinue use.
Children who are prescribed this medication are at greater risk of Advair 250 50 side effects, particularly ear and throat infections.

Allergic reactions to Advair may occur shortly after the onset of treatment. Advair 250 50 side effects including rashes, hives and inflammations around the mouth should be immediately reported to your doctor.

Trouble breathing is one of the most serious Advair Diskus 250 50 side effects. If experienced, you must immediately use your emergency respirator. If this does not resolve the Advair 250 50 side effects, seek emergency treatment.

As stated above, it is necessary to report all Advair side effects to your medical professional. Only a qualified doctor is permitted to evaluate whether your adverse effects are severe enough to justify a cessation of treatment. If a physician fails to take adequate measures to ensure the health of patients, they may be guilty of negligence. Should serious Advair 250 50 side effects ensue after beginning treatment, you may decide to consult with a lawyer to see whether your doctor can be successfully sued for malpractice. Before filing a case, be sure to assemble all prescriptions and medical records to provide suitable information for a case.

A Brief Overview of Advair Diskus

For patients (ages four and up) who suffer from asthma, the prescription medication Advair Diskus can be issued if their current medication is not sufficient to control their condition. While there is no maximum period for how long its use can be continued, this drug is not intended for indefinite long-term use–continued use of Advair Diskus can endanger patient health in significant ways, up to and including potential death. To avoid adverse effects, physician guidelines must be followed and any adverse effects must be immediately reported.

Advair Diskus is an inhalant drug whose dosage varies with the age of the patient and the severity of their condition. Dosage can take the form of 100 micrograms, 250 micrograms or 500 micrograms a day. Regardless of age, patients begin taking the drug in the form of 100 micrograms taken twice daily. After observing how the patient's symptoms respond to Advair Diskus, a physician may increase the regimen as they deem appropriate.

The drug is meant to be taken in combination with a long-term asthma condition. Once symptoms have been contained or alleviated, the dosage of Advair Diskus is steadily decreased and discontinued. Patients should then be able to continue to use less potentially harmful asthma control medication.

Some of the potential side effects, such as headaches and nausea, of Advair Diskus are commonly observed in prescription medications. Be alert to any sign of an immediate allergic reaction, especially rashes or other skin problems. Advair Diskus should take effect 30 minutes after inhalation, though it may take up to a week of use before this will be noticeable. However, if the drug seems to increase breathing problems or produce an irregular heartbeat, notify your physician immediately. In such cases, usage of Advair Diskus may have to be discontinued. Moreover, children under four should not be prescribed Advair; child use can impair or inhibit growth.

 In no case should the drug be used more often than prescribed by a physician for the purposes of immediate relief. Overuse and abuse of Advair Diskus creates the risk of potentially fatal consequences.

Litigation cannot be advanced by patients who disregard intake instructions. However, patients experiencing serious adverse effects despite following a physician's guidelines may have grounds for litigation against the manufacturing company. Those without legal training will not be able to successfully represent themselves, since proving a direct link between usage of Advair Diskus and adverse effects is a complicated area of the law.

If you wish to explore litigation, schedule a consultation with a lawyer in your area who specializes in this type of lawsuit. Make sure you assemble all medical records and prescription information prior to arriving to your first meeting with a lawyer.

How to use an Advair Diskus inhaler

Asthmatic patients prescribed the drug Advair Diskus must carefully follow their physician's guidelines to prevent the formation of side effects. Advair, which is administered through an inhaler, is similar in design to emergency inhalers.

When prescribing the drug, a physician will explain how to properly use an Advair disk inhaler. Intake will occur twice a day. It is recommended that you allow twelve hours to pass between the use of the Advair Diskus inhaler. Whether you have consumed food prior to intake is irrelevant.

It is important to understand that when using Advair disk inhaler, you will be receiving the drug in the form of a powder. Because of its fine texture, you may not feel any grains when you inhale from the Advair Diskus inhaler. However, this does not mean that you should use an Advair disk inhaler to take another dose, for extra doses will significantly increase the risk of adverse effects.

Following the use of an Advair Diskus inhaler, you should rinse your mouth out with water. After gargling for several seconds, spit the water out.

Make sure that you keep track of the counter located on the Advair Diskus inhaler. When you are down to five doses, the Advair disk inhaler will display the remaining number of doses in red. This is an indication that you must refill your prescription. Make sure to maintain your Advair Diskus inhaler in a clean and safe location where it cannot be tampered with.

While an Advair disk inhaler is similar in appearance to an emergency inhaler, it is not designed for similar use. If you experience severe symptoms, do not take an extra dose of the medication through your Advair Diskus inhaler. The drug is not intended for the immediate relief of severe symptoms. 

Some people may not be able to use an Advair disk inhaler to take the drug in a dry powder form. For patients whose breathing problems are so severe that they are unable to effectively use an Advair Diskus inhaler, a doctor may consider prescribing HFA. This is an aerosol-based form of the medication.

If you receive a defective or faulty Advair Diskus inhaler which leads to adverse effects, the retailer who may be held responsible in the court of law. Only a lawyer experienced product liability, drugs or personal injury will be able to determine who the appropriate defendant is and whether a lawsuit is likely to obtain compensation. If you are involved in a similar situation, you should maintain copies of all receipts of sale and all medical documents to affirm your case.