There have been approved treatments for diseases like prostate cancer treatments and postpartum hemorrhage in recent years. Additionally, we now have telemedicine, smart pacemakers, and a ventilation system that treats infant respiratory distress syndrome. The future for healthcare is looking promising.
Recent Medical Breakthroughs
As we live in an era where our health is valued more than ever, it’s essential to know that Covid-19 isn’t the only threat to our health. There are other diseases and chronic conditions that are prevalent out there. Fortunately, the medical world is coming up with better treatments for most of them. Here are a few more medical breakthroughs in the last few years:
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Ubrelvy and Nurtec for Migraines
Migraine affects 39 million Americans and 1 billion people globally – that’s 12% of the population. It is a neurological disease, and it is one of the most common and debilitating illnesses in the world. And every 10 seconds, a person goes into the emergency room with a migraine attack.
Fortunately, in 2018, there were new medicine called ubrogepant (Ubrelvy) and rimegepant (Nurtec) that block the molecule called calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) that shoots up during a migraine attack. As of 2020, this drug has been FDA-approved and has been promising as it stops migraine pains in two hours.
So, the next time you get a throbbing pain in your head, it could be a migraine, and it could be more than just a bad headache. Get urgent care because it is a chronic and debilitating disease that could significantly affect a person’s lifestyle. So, get yourself checked as soon as possible and take advantage of this new class of migraine medications.
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Sofosbuvir and Velpatasvir as Universal Hepatitis C Treatment
Approximately 2.4 million people in the U.S. live with Hepatitis C. 51% of these people are not aware that they have the virus, leading to liver diseases like cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer if left untreated. Additionally, they could also be spreading the virus without knowing it.
The bad news is that no vaccine exists to protect us from this virus, and drugs used to treat this infection have hazardous side effects. But, of course, there is good news as a fixed-dose combination of drugs called Sofosbuvir and Velpatasvir was recently approved, which research shows are 95% effective in treating the virus.
So, if you feel like you may have been exposed to Hepatitis C or have any symptoms, which include dark urine, stomach pain, nausea, joint pain, fatigue, fever, and bruising easily, get yourself checked right away. Hepatitis C is not an illness you should treat lightly.
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Ocrevus for Primary-progressive Multiple Sclerosis
Primary-progressive Multiple Sclerosis or PPMS is a debilitating and progressing neurological disease. Symptoms can include pain in the legs, feet, back, muscle spasms, difficulty in walking, vision problems, muscle weakness, paralysis, and more. It is not a very common disease, and only 15% of people with multiple sclerosis are diagnosed with PPMS.
There is no cure yet for this condition, albeit treatments exist, but it’s only recently that the FDA has approved better treatments. This treatment is called Ocrevus or Ocrelizumab, which patients suffering from PPMS can take before any therapies. It can help in lowering the cells in a patient’s blood that damages the immune system.
While PPMS isn’t terminal, but it leads to loss of neurological function. Fortunately, the FDA has approved better treatments and therapies.
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Reblozyl for Thalassemia
Thalassemia is a rare hereditary disorder that affects the blood causing it not to make enough hemoglobin, a protein that is an integral part of the red blood cells. This disorder can cause fatigue, weakness, slow growth, dark urine, abnormal swelling, pale skin, and facial bone deformities.
The disease is most prevalent in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, India, Southern China, Central Asia, and the Far East. There are also many known cases in Africa and South America. In fact, a report showed that 1.5% of the world’s population suffers from this disease.
The good news is that even though Thalassemia is a rare disease, there is now an FDA-approved treatment called luspatercept-aamt or Reblozyl. This drug is paired with other treatments that range from blood transfusions, iron chelation therapy, and folic acid treatments.
The First Wealth Is Health
“Health is wealth,” is a popular variation of the what philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson once said. We are now in an era where we realize how accurate this quote is. Thankfully, we have scientists, doctors, and experts in the medical field who are working tirelessly to keep us healthy.
