Dr. Vand explains, “Viagra works by dilating your blood vessels which in turn increases blood flow; a common side effect is a decrease in blood pressure. With any drug, side effects can be increased when matched with a drug interaction.
“For this reason, Viagra has a severe contraindication with a class of medications called Nitrates, which are commonly prescribed to treat chest pain. They dilate blood vessels and drop blood pressure. Because the two of these taken together have such an intensified effect, it’s actually life-threating and they should not be taken together.”
Another dangerous and often overlooked interaction Dr. Vand points out is Viagra and alcohol. “As healthcare professionals, we often see these two taken together and most people don’t know it’s unsafe,” she adds. “Alcohol also can drop your blood pressure so when taken with Viagra it can be very dangerous.”
Additional key points she discusses are:
- When it comes to any medication, whether prescribed or OTC, they all have a risk of side effects and drug interactions.
- To prevent harmful drug interactions, she urges people taking medications to communicate with their healthcare providers across the board on exactly what they are taking.
Connect with Dr. Mona Vand on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and sign up for her newsletter or ask questions via her website at www.DrMonaVand.com.
Dr. Mona Vand – The Modern Pharmacist, is putting a fresh face on the traditional world of pharmacy. Her Modern Pharmacist Movement combines her years of experience in pharmacy with her passion and expertise in nutrition, beauty, fitness and overall wellness.
Contact: Steve Levesque, Chrissy Sutphin
818.232.4175, info@luckmedia.com
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]]>On the latest of her informative “Mona Minutes” video series, she once again tackles the problem of seasonal allergies with some practical advice. “One of the main causes of seasonal allergies is pollen,” Dr. Vand says. “It’s very irritating to our system, and when we experience it, our bodies look at it as a foreign attacker. This is where your immune system will kick in. When its springtime and all the pollen is blowing around, it literally affects you more because you breathe more in. On rainy days, pollen might be milder because it’s washed away.”
Dr. Vand believes that personal environment modifications can be as useful as medication in trying to fight off seasonal allergies. “Think of things that make sense to you,” she says. “Keep your windows closed. If you have carpets, make sure you’re always vacuuming. Dust and other things can make your symptoms worse. It’s also a good idea to keep an air purifier in your house. Anything that can keep it clean, pure and dust free is going to decrease your symptoms of any sort of allergy.”
The key points Dr. Vand makes are:
- While there are many root causes of seasonal allergies, one of the main culprits is exposure to pollen
- The first line of defense –histamines– are quickly released as your body attempts to fight off this foreign invader; these have some pesky side effects that we associate with seasonal allergies (runny nose, sneezing, etc.)
- *Lifestyle modification is important – simple changes can go a long way!
- These modifications include 1) Keep your windows closed; 2) vacuum; 3) Keep an air purifier in your house; 4) Wash your hair before bed
- If these modifications don’t work, over the counter and prescription anti-histamines can help fight seasonal allergies.
Connect with Dr. Mona Vand on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and sign up for her newsletter or ask questions via her website at www.DrMonaVand.com.
Dr. Mona Vand – The Modern Pharmacist, is putting a fresh face on the traditional world of pharmacy. Her Modern Pharmacist Movement combines her years of experience in pharmacy with her passion and expertise in nutrition, beauty, fitness and overall wellness.
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]]>Dr. Vand points out that when it comes to severe or chronic pain, oftentimes patients are prescribed narcotic medications which has caused a huge stigma attached to these drugs.
“When you take a narcotic by mouth, it does help the pain. Another aspect is giving some patients this feeling of euphoria…this doesn’t happen to everyone…but for a lot of patients, this is the feeling they like and get hooked on.
“The advantage of applying something topically is it doesn’t give you that effect,” she continues. “Less of it is getting into your bloodstream, and it goes right where it needs to…so by not experiencing that euphoria and not getting addicted to that feeling and craving it, you’re not going to abuse it.”
Dr. Vand’s article also highlights:
- Pain is a by-product of the central nervous system. When someone is injured, nerve endings at the site of the injury send impulses directly to the brain alerting it that something is wrong, and immediately sends a feeling of discomfort.
- Narcotics essentially block the last step in that process, and prevent the brain from sending that pain signal to the body by attaching to the receptors in the brain, then block those receptors from sending out signals to the rest of the body (which literally prevents the brain from telling someone they are in pain).
- When taken correctly, pain relief narcotics are safe and effective.
- You should be your own patient advocate. Talk to your doctor! Doctors will help find a compounding pharmacy that doesn’t lead to abuse.
- Even if addiction / abuse aren’t a concern, compounded topical pain therapy (pain relief that’s compounded into a cream) helps the medication go directly where needed, and carries a much lower risk of addiction.
- Compounded topical creams also do not get absorbed throughout the entire Gastro-intestinal tract prior to efficacy, which means there will be less side effects on the stomach.
Connect with Dr. Mona Vand on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and sign up for her newsletter or ask questions via her website at www.DrMonaVand.com.
Dr. Mona Vand – The Modern Pharmacist, is putting a fresh face on the traditional world of pharmacy. Her Modern Pharmacist Movement combines her years of experience in pharmacy with her passion and expertise in nutrition, beauty, fitness and overall wellness.
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LOS ANGELES – Continuing to share potentially life-saving tips as part of illuminating the connections between pharmaceutical science and overall wellness, Dr. Mona Vand – The Modern Pharmacist (www.drmonavand.com) tackles the perfect topic for summer – seasonal allergies – on the latest in her informative “Mona Minutes” video series that appears on her website (www.drmonavand.com/article/seasonal-allergies-1).
In the clip, Dr. Vand discusses the key differences between antihistamines and decongestants – and when to take which. “Seasonal allergies are common,” she says. “They affect about 35 million people a year and you can get them at any point in life. Antihistamines aren’t always the answer to seasonal allergies; it really depends on your symptoms. The two types of medication classes you should be looking for are antihistamines and decongestants.
“Simply put, an antihistamine is going to dry everything up, so when you think of symptoms like watery eyes, runny nose, and sneezing, these are things you want to dry up with an antihistamine,” Dr. Vand continues. “Most make you drowsy, so it’s best to take them at night. When you experience symptoms causing congestion, like a stuffy nose, you need a decongestant, which shrinks the vessels in your nose and makes more space for air to get in. On the other hand, you should also know that this can increase blood pressure.”
Dr. Vand explains that decongestants can actually have an opposite effect of an antihistamine: “They can make you a little jittery and give you trouble sleeping, so you always want to take them in the morning. Sometimes, you might experience more than one symptom. You’re not always only going to have a runny nose or a stuffy nose. Sometimes you have both, which is frustrating. This is where you take a combination, like Claritin D. Whenever you see the letter ‘D’, that generally means ‘decongestant.’ If you look on the back under active ingredients, both antihistamine and decongestant will be listed.”
The key points Dr. Vand makes are:
- Common symptoms of seasonal allergies include watery/itchy eyes, stuffy nose, sneezing and coughing
- Antihistamines dry everything up, get rid of itching and will help you sleep
- Decongestants will open everything up, but may also make you jittery and – very important – can increase blood pressure
- For people who experience symptoms under both categories, a combination ingredient with an antihistamine and decongestant is best.
- In addition to medication, lifestyle modifications that can help alleviant the symptoms of allergies include 1) try to keep your windows closed when possible; 2) use an air purifier; 3) keep your house clean and dust-free and make sure you vacuum if you have rugs; 4) protect your face with sunglasses and a hat. Don’t let that pollen near your eyes!
Dr. Mona Vand – The Modern Pharmacist is putting a fresh face on the traditional world of pharmacy. Her Modern Pharmacist Movement combines her years of experience in pharmacy with her passion and expertise in nutrition, beauty, fitness and overall wellness. Learn more at www.DrMonaVand.com.
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]]>On her latest in a series of “Mona Minutes” videos (www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eQsMpxJxu4), Dr. Vand explains the value of compounding pharmacies in creating the right doses of approved medication for dogs and cats. “For most people,” she says, “pets are like family, so when it comes to giving them medication, or any medical treatment, you want to treat them like family.
“Some things that are safe for us really aren’t safe for them. For example, if you were to give dogs an antihistamine like Benadryl, it would be okay. But if you were to give them a cough and cold medication, this could really injure them. Compounding pharmacies play a huge role when it comes to medicating your animals because not only can they create the right dosage but they can also flavor it.”
Acknowledging the difficulties dogs and cats have in swallowing pills, Dr. Vand suggests flavoring the medication with bacon or chicken (for dogs) and fish (for cats). “It’s really limitless,” she continues, “and that’s the good thing about compounding. As much as it’s individualized for patients, it’s just as individualized for dogs. In fact, most vets only give them medication that’s been compounded.”
She stresses that compounded medications are simply modified versions of FDA-approved medications and can be customized to the needs of your pet.
Listed below are helpful tips from Dr. Vand regarding pet medications:
- · To save money on your pet’s medication, ask your vet to write you a prescription instead of buying the medication at the office. Compounding pharmacies may offer more reasonable pricing.
- · Two medications you should never give your pet: Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
- · Two medications that are generally safe to give your pet: Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine)
- · Compounding pharmacies can add specific flavors to your pet’s medication and make it enjoyable for them to take
- · If your pet has trouble swallowing a pill, many times it can be compounded into a convenient liquid suspension
Dr. Mona Vand, The Modern Pharmacist, is putting a fresh face on the traditional world of pharmacy. Her Modern Pharmacist Movement combines her years of experience in pharmacy with her passion and expertise in nutrition, beauty, fitness and overall wellness.
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]]>DR. MONA VAND – THE MODERN PHARMACIST
TURNS TO ADDICTION RECOVERY EXPERT
ASHER GOTTESMAN TO EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN PHYSICAL DEPENDENCE AND ADDICTION
ON HER LATEST ‘MONA MINUTES’ VIDEO
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LOS ANGELES – Committed to education and the imparting of potentially life-saving information as part of her dynamic multi-media platform connecting pharmaceutical science and overall wellness, Dr. Mona Vand – The Modern Pharmacist (www.DrMonaVand.com) invites an outside expert in her latest“Mona Minutes” video to explain the difference between physical dependence on drugs and addictions. Dr. Vand starts the clip (www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wb2I_ Gottesman explains: “Dependence is when somebody starts to take a medication and becomes physically dependent on it. They actually need it. When their doctor tells them to get off, they may need to go to a facility to detox. However, it’s not feeding any other symptom, whether that be emotional…it’s feeding a physical symptom. He adds, “The addict is told by his or her doctor to get off, but they look for every other possible way to get the medication, to feed the problem or provide a short term solution. Without access to their pain medication, they turn to the street to get heroin. That’s why we unfortunately have an opiate epidemic.” Mona says, “I’ve seen drug addiction occur after patients become dependent on a medication they’ve been taking for years. It starts with needing higher doses to treat the physical pain, then turns into a mental addiction.”
The key points Dr. Mona and her guest make are: * Everyday, over 100 people die from drug overdose * In 2014, narcotics were listed in the 20 most prescribed drugs * Drug addiction is a brain disease * Drug dependence and addiction are often involuntary * Withdrawal symptoms are very painful and often harmful to the body
Dr. Mona Vand, The Modern Pharmacist, is putting a fresh face on the traditional world of pharmacy. Her Modern Pharmacist Movement combines her years of experience in pharmacy with her passion and expertise in nutrition, beauty, fitness and overall wellness.
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DR. MONA VAND – THE MODERN PHARMACIST DETAILS THE DOSAGE DANGERS OF CHILDREN’S VS. ADULT MEDICATIONS IN HER LATEST ‘MONA MINUTES’ VIDEO
LOS ANGELES - As part of the ongoing development of her revolutionary, multi-media platform to help patients understand the connections between pharmaceutical science and overall wellness, Dr. Mona Vand – The Modern Pharmacist (www.drmonavand.com) is rolling out a series of short, informative videos on “The Facts You Need To Know” about key topics that can impact or even potentially save people’s lives. On her latest “Mona Minutes” video presentation (www.youtube.com/watch?v= “Sometimes, patients call me and say their child needs Benadryl but they don’t have the children’s dose on hand,” Dr. Vand says. “They ask if they can cut their adult tablet in half. With certain medications like Benadryl, this is okay because this is the only difference between adult and children’s dosing. But this is a bad habit to get into and can be really dangerous with other medications.” “Take the adult version of Pepto Bismol vs. the children’s version,” she continues. “If someone tries to give the child a lower dose of the adult Pepto, this could be potentially life threatening. The adult dose has an aspirin-containing ingredient, and giving a child aspirin can lead to Reye’s Syndome, which can be life-threatening. Children’s Pepto is actually calcium carbonate, the same active ingredient in Tums. So you should pay more attention to the active ingredients versus the brand name.” Dr. Vand’s key points are:
About: Dr. Mona Vand – The Modern Pharmacist is putting a fresh face on the traditional world of pharmacy. Her Modern Pharmacist Movement combines her years of experience in pharmacy with her passion and expertise in nutrition, beauty, fitness and overall wellness. www.drmonavand.com |
(L-R): Dr. Mona Vand- The Modern Pharmacist and Russell Simmons- Business and Entertainment Mogul at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA on April 29. Photo Credit: Getty Images
BUSINESS AND ENTERTAINMENT MOGUL RUSSELL SIMMONS SHOWS SUPPORT FOR DR. MONA VAND’S MODERN PHARMACIST MOVEMENT
LOS ANGELES – In support of Dr. Mona Vand – The Modern Pharmacist, entertainment business mogul Russell Simmons appeared at an exclusive media event April 29 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. to commemorate the official launch of her multi-faceted new website www.DrMonaVand.com.
Simmons, co-founder of Def Jam Records and creator of the fashion lines Phat Farm, Argyleculture and American Classics, is a passionate supporter of Dr. Vand’s dynamic movement, which puts a fresh new face on the traditional world of pharmacy. He made the opening comments before the unveiling of Dr. Vand’s dynamic website and web-series.
“Dr. Mona Vand has been a great help to me. I call her whenever I have problems or questions, and she’s always there to answer these questions. She’s by far my favorite doctor when it comes to nutrition and choices in medication,” said Simmons.
Several sponsors participated in contributing their products and services to event attendees, including Celsius (a new energy drink company owned by Simmons), Evian, Never Too Hungover, Sugarling LA, Dr. Barrett Plastic Surgery, Tikkun Spa, Visalus,Cycle House, Transcend Recovery Community and Want My Look, owned by Lilly Ghalichi from Bravo’s “Shahs Of Sunset.”
Positioned as the “Dr. Oz” and/or “Rachel Ray” of The Modern Pharmacist movement, Dr. Vand’s goal is to help patients understand the important connection between pharmaceutical science and overall wellness. She combines her far-reaching expertise in pharmacy with her strong interest and extensive knowledge in nutrition, beauty, fitness and overall wellness.
The Modern Pharmacist website was created by and features content on a wide range of topics by Dr. Vand. It has earned the sponsorship of Opus Rx, one of the country’s largest compounding pharmacy organizations, and establishes her as the “go to” resource for information on a multitude of health and wellness issues.
Sections on www.DrMonaVand.com are categorized as Health, Beauty, Diet and Skin – and while there is definitely a focus on women, the site also includes an expansive connected site dedicated to men and their health and wellness. Some of the topics covered on the site initially include: information on what a Compounding Pharmacy is, over-the-counter skin care products, birth control, herbal and dietary supplements and much more.
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Photo Caption (L-R): Dr. Mona Vand- The Modern Pharmacist and Russell Simmons- Business and Entertainment Mogul at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA on April 29. Photo Credit: Getty Images
BUSINESS AND ENTERTAINMENT MOGUL RUSSELL SIMMONS INTRODUCES DR. MONA VAND – THE MODERN PHARMACIST AT HER OFFICIAL LAUNCH EVENT AT THE FOUR SEASONS HOTEL IN BEVERLY HILLS
LOS ANGELES - Putting a fresh new face on the traditional world of pharmacy, Dr. Mona Vand – The Modern Pharmacist, officially launched her multifaceted new website, www.DrMonaVand.com at a media event held at theFour Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. on April 29. Entertainment business mogul Russell Simmons attended to show his support of her movement, making the opening comments to the unveiling of Dr. Mona’s dynamic website and web-series.
“Dr. Mona has been a great help to me, I call her whenever I have problems or questions and she’s always there to answer these questions. She’s by far my favorite doctor when it comes to my nutrition and choices in medication,” said Simmons.
A host of sponsors participated at the high-end event, including Celsius (a new energy drink company owned by Russell Simmons), Evian, Never Too Hungover, Sugarling LA, Dr. Barrett Plastic Surgery, Tikkun Spa, Visalus,Cycle House, Transcend Recovery Community and Want My Look.
With a detailed lineup of multi-media platforms to follow, Dr. Mona is uniquely positioned as the “Dr. Oz” and/or “Rachel Ray” of The Modern Pharmacist movement. The intention is to help patients understand the connection between pharmaceutical science and overall wellness. Dr. Mona combines her far-reaching expertise in pharmacy with her deep interest and extensive knowledge in nutrition, beauty, fitness and overall wellness.
Conceived by and featuring all exclusive content by Dr. Mona, The Modern Pharmacist website (www.DrMonaVand.com) – which has earned the sponsorship of Opus Rx, one of the country’s largest compounding pharmacy organizations – showcases her as the “go to” person for all types of health and wellness questions.
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JOIN DR. MONA VAND- THE MODERN PHARMACIST AT AN EXCLUSIVE MEDIA EVENT AS SHE UNVEILS HER MULTI-FACETED HEALTH AND WELLNESS WEBSITE AND WEB SERIES IN BEVERLY HILLS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29
WHO: DR. MONA VAND (http://www.drmonavand.
WHAT: Join Russell Simmons at an exclusive media event introducing Dr. Mona Vand as reveals her health and wellness website and web series.
WHEN: Wednesday, April 29, 10 a.m.
WHERE: Four Seasons, Beverly Hills, 300 South Doheny Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90048
DETAILS: Attendees will have the opportunity to personally meet and interview Dr. Mona Vand following a brief media presentation. Complimentary breakfast, gift bags and valet parking will be provided.
ATTN MEDIA: To arrange coverage / interviews, please contact Chrissy Sutphin at info@luckmedia.com