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Grapefruit and its close relatives can increase the blood levels of certain drugs and cause serious side effects. Affected drugs include some medications for blood pressure and heart rhythm, among others. Grapefruit is a delicious citrus fruit with many health benefits. However, it can interact with some common medications, altering their effects on your body. If you’re curious about the grapefruit warning on many medicines, this article will help you understand why it’s there and what your options are. Here’s a closer look at 31 common drugs that may have dangerous interactions with grapefruit, as well as some alternatives. Note:...

A new method to reduce the progression of diabetic kidney disease, affecting 40% of people with diabetes, has been discovered by scientists. The study could help people with diabetes who are four times more likely to need either dialysis or a kidney transplant. Recent clinical trials show a commonly used blood pressure medicine, known as spironolactone, is an effective treatment by reducing protein leak into the urine. However, despite its positive effect, the drug can have adverse side effects, causing problems including high blood potassium levels (hyperkalaemia) in patients, making clinicians reluctant to use it. Researchers aimed to understand how...

A new drug cocktail is four times more effective at keeping Covid patients out of intensive care, initial tests have suggested. While the steroid dexamethasone was the first drug to be licensed for treating the virus, trials indicate that combining it with heart failure medication spironolactone yields better results. ...The treatment works by ‘turning off’ the impact the virus has on the body, rather than targeting the virus itself.