Study: Bigger Babies Get No Break Later On
Bigger babies are not guaranteed to grow into healthier adults when it comes to cholesterol levels and related heart disease problems, a study said on Tuesday.
Obesity Threatens Health Care System, Study Says
Younger Americans who are overweight today are threatening to hit the U.S. government's Medicare system with big health care bills when they reach old age, according to a report published on Tuesday.
A Link Between Lead Exposure and Cataracts?
Lifetime exposure to lead from paint in older houses, drinking water pipes and other sources appears to increase men's risk of cataract development, researchers reported on Tuesday.
Fingertip Test Points to Early Heart Disease
People with abnormalities in the microvessels supplying blood to the heart -- an early stage of coronary heart disease -- often show abnormal blood flow in the fingertip, which can easily be picked up with a simple test, new research suggests.
Brain Enzyme Links Diabetes to Alzheimer's
The risk of Alzheimer's disease is increased in people with diabetes, who are "resistant" to the effects of insulin and therefore develop high blood glucose levels.
Teens with Diabetes May Face Future Bone Frailty
Despite normal growth and maturation, young people with type 1 diabetes appear to lag in bone development, researchers report.
Drug May Boost Antidepressants' Effectiveness
Metyrapone, a compound that inhibits the body's production of steroids, seems to accelerate and augment the effects of serotonergic antidepressant drugs, the results of a trial suggest.
Middle-Aged Obesity Threatens Medicare
Men and women who are obese in middle age will be up to twice as expensive to cover under Medicare, the government health plan that kicks in after Americans reach age 65, according to new study findings reported Tuesday.
Merck Board Names Committee on Vioxx Withdrawal
Drug maker Merck & Co. Inc. on Tuesday said its board appointed a committee to review the company's actions prior to the voluntary withdrawal of its painkiller Vioxx.
Hib Vaccines Act Differently in Old and Young
Two versions of the Hib vaccine, which protects against serious infections caused by a bacteria called Haemophilus influenzae b, appear to have different effects in elderly adults and infants, new research shows.
Body Struggles When Sleeping Time Changes
A researcher studying sleep for NASA has found the body has more difficulty adjusting to different sleep times than previously thought.
More Flu Vaccine Available From Germany
More flu vaccine, this time from Germany, will be available to help alleviate the U.S. crunch, but that still will leave the country with just two-thirds of what was initially expected. Hopes for a million more doses from Canada have fallen through.
Pfizer to Turn Over Zoloft Research
Pfizer Inc. will turn over some internal research documents on its anti-depressant drug Zoloft to lawyers defending a 15-year-old South Carolina boy accused of murdering his grandparents.
Tests Inconclusive on Source of Botulism
Tests to determine the source of the botulism toxin that left four people hospitalized were inconclusive, and it was unclear whether a cosmetic injection caused the paralyzing, potentially fatal illness, officials said Tuesday.
Hand-held Breast Scanner May Help Women Spot Potential Problems
A prototype of a hand-held scanner that women can use at home for early detection of breast cancer has been developed by researchers at Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania.
Technology Lets Doctors Treat Tough Tumors
A new kind of radiation technology called shaped beam surgery lets doctors treat brain and spinal tumors that can't be attacked with conventional surgery.
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
Health Headlines - December 7
Study Shows Different Heart Effects of COX Drugs
People who take Merck & Co. Inc.'s analgesic Vioxx are nearly three times as likely to have heart attacks as those taking Pfizer Inc.'s Celebrex, according to an independent study published on Monday.
Studies Show Why Lost Sleep Equals Gained Weight
People who put on a few extra pounds may be able to blame a lack of sleep for the added weight, according to two separate studies published on Monday.
Birth Month Seen Linked to Multiple Sclerosis Risk
People born in May in the northern hemisphere have a higher than average risk of developing multiple sclerosis, researchers said on Tuesday.
Flu Season Off to Slower Start, CDC Chief Says
This year's flu season has started slowly in the United States, where there are concerns about a shortage of vaccine caused by production problems at a major manufacturer, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Monday.
South Beach Diet Creator Shuns 'Low-Carb' Label
The South Beach diet is no fad, its creator says, rejecting the notion that his eating plan would fizzle out with the rest of the low-carb craze.
Babies Unused to Sleeping Face-Down Seen at Risk
Since the "Back to Sleep" campaign to prevent SIDS, many babies have always slept on their backs -- but new research suggests that maybe they should be given a chance to become acquainted with being face-down, under careful observations.
Ariz. Lawsuit Blames Zicam Spray for Loss of Smell
Users of homeopathic nasal spray Zicam Cold Remedy have filed a proposed class action lawsuit, claiming the popular over-the-counter product robbed them of their sense of smell.
Botox Useful for Leaky Bladder
Treatment with Botox (botulinum-A toxin) can help women with urge incontinence, a type of urine leakage resulting from involuntary contractions of the bladder muscles, new research shows.
Millennium Says Velcade Works in All Myeloma Stages
Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc. on Monday said studies show that its drug Velcade is effective for patients at all stages of the bone marrow cancer multiple myeloma.
Medicare Lays Out Regions for Coverage
U.S. Medicare officials sought a compromise with private insurers on Monday by dividing the country into more regions, a ruling that could encourage more firms to broaden their health care plan offerings to the elderly.
U.S to Purchase More Doses of Flu Vaccine
The government is purchasing as many as 5 million additional doses of flu vaccine from plants in Canada and Germany to help relieve the U.S. shortage.
Mass. Launches Computerized Medical Files
Doctors in Massachusetts would be able to access patients' records from any hospital or clinic in the state by computer under an initiative announced Monday.
Hardee's Monster Burger Creates Uproar
At 1,420 calories and 107 grams of fat, Hardee's Monster Thickburger couldn't escape notice in these diet-conscious times. Or the jabs of late-night talk show hosts.
AARP Says Drug Prices Rose More Slowly
Brand-name prescription drug prices edged up by half a percent in the third quarter, more slowly than earlier in 2004 or during the corresponding period last year, AARP said Monday.
FDA to Hear Silicone Breast Implant Data
Makers of silicone breast implants will try to persuade the government next spring to lift a long-term ban on most uses of the devices, presenting new data about safety and durability.
Carmona: Steroid Abuse Is Health Concern
The surgeon general said Monday he is greatly concerned about the impact of steroid use in the major leagues on young athletes who see professional baseball players as role models.
Regulators Suggest Restricted Use of Drug
British regulators recommended Monday that physicians restrict the use of the anti-depressant Efexor because its use could have side effects for heart health and pose other risks that require more careful monitoring than its competitors.
EU: Flu Pandemic Is Waiting to Happen
The European Union warned on Monday that an influenza pandemic was waiting to happen and said nations were still struggling to prepare for it.
Malaria Cases Rise in Dominican Republic
Malaria cases have increased 31 percent over the past year in the Dominican Republic, possibly because of heavy rainfall during Hurricane Jeanne, authorities said Monday.
Health Tip: Women and Heart Disease
Twice as many women die from heart disease each year as from all types of cancer combined, including breast cancer, Duke University Medical Center says.
Health Tip: The Importance of Stretching
A good dose of stretching should precede and follow just about any exercise routine, the American Council on Exercise says.
Nutritional Supplement Helps Ease Depression
Adding the nutritional supplement SAMe to common antidepressants may help depressed patients who haven't responded to single-drug treatment.
More Proof That Chimp, Human Brains Share Similarities
New research provides more evidence that chimpanzee brains are human-like in terms of the links between brain asymmetry, language and right- or left-handedness.
Keep Toy Safety in Mind at Christmas
Toy safety should be at the top of your list when you select Christmas presents for children.
Should TV Ads on Sports Shows Carry a 'PG' Rating?
One of every five commercials broadcast during major sporting events shows unsafe or violent behavior that might be inappropriate for children, a new study says.
Water Helps Those With Low Blood Pressure
Plain tap or bottled water may buoy the health of people with low blood pressure who faint while they're standing, says a British study in the latest issue of the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.
Shampoo Ingredient Kills Rats' Brain Cells
Experiments with the brain cells of rats show that contact with an ingredient found in shampoos, hand lotions and paint causes neurons to die.
Heart Risk Factors for Obese Kids Murky
More of America's young people are getting fat, but the results aren't showing up consistently in obesity-related risk factors for heart disease, U.S. researchers report.
Gel Eases Pain for Babies Getting Shots
A common sight at the pediatrician's office is that of a baby wailing and a parent wincing as the infant receives a vaccination, but a new gel may cut down on the number of those gut-wrenching moments.
People who take Merck & Co. Inc.'s analgesic Vioxx are nearly three times as likely to have heart attacks as those taking Pfizer Inc.'s Celebrex, according to an independent study published on Monday.
Studies Show Why Lost Sleep Equals Gained Weight
People who put on a few extra pounds may be able to blame a lack of sleep for the added weight, according to two separate studies published on Monday.
Birth Month Seen Linked to Multiple Sclerosis Risk
People born in May in the northern hemisphere have a higher than average risk of developing multiple sclerosis, researchers said on Tuesday.
Flu Season Off to Slower Start, CDC Chief Says
This year's flu season has started slowly in the United States, where there are concerns about a shortage of vaccine caused by production problems at a major manufacturer, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Monday.
South Beach Diet Creator Shuns 'Low-Carb' Label
The South Beach diet is no fad, its creator says, rejecting the notion that his eating plan would fizzle out with the rest of the low-carb craze.
Babies Unused to Sleeping Face-Down Seen at Risk
Since the "Back to Sleep" campaign to prevent SIDS, many babies have always slept on their backs -- but new research suggests that maybe they should be given a chance to become acquainted with being face-down, under careful observations.
Ariz. Lawsuit Blames Zicam Spray for Loss of Smell
Users of homeopathic nasal spray Zicam Cold Remedy have filed a proposed class action lawsuit, claiming the popular over-the-counter product robbed them of their sense of smell.
Botox Useful for Leaky Bladder
Treatment with Botox (botulinum-A toxin) can help women with urge incontinence, a type of urine leakage resulting from involuntary contractions of the bladder muscles, new research shows.
Millennium Says Velcade Works in All Myeloma Stages
Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc. on Monday said studies show that its drug Velcade is effective for patients at all stages of the bone marrow cancer multiple myeloma.
Medicare Lays Out Regions for Coverage
U.S. Medicare officials sought a compromise with private insurers on Monday by dividing the country into more regions, a ruling that could encourage more firms to broaden their health care plan offerings to the elderly.
U.S to Purchase More Doses of Flu Vaccine
The government is purchasing as many as 5 million additional doses of flu vaccine from plants in Canada and Germany to help relieve the U.S. shortage.
Mass. Launches Computerized Medical Files
Doctors in Massachusetts would be able to access patients' records from any hospital or clinic in the state by computer under an initiative announced Monday.
Hardee's Monster Burger Creates Uproar
At 1,420 calories and 107 grams of fat, Hardee's Monster Thickburger couldn't escape notice in these diet-conscious times. Or the jabs of late-night talk show hosts.
AARP Says Drug Prices Rose More Slowly
Brand-name prescription drug prices edged up by half a percent in the third quarter, more slowly than earlier in 2004 or during the corresponding period last year, AARP said Monday.
FDA to Hear Silicone Breast Implant Data
Makers of silicone breast implants will try to persuade the government next spring to lift a long-term ban on most uses of the devices, presenting new data about safety and durability.
Carmona: Steroid Abuse Is Health Concern
The surgeon general said Monday he is greatly concerned about the impact of steroid use in the major leagues on young athletes who see professional baseball players as role models.
Regulators Suggest Restricted Use of Drug
British regulators recommended Monday that physicians restrict the use of the anti-depressant Efexor because its use could have side effects for heart health and pose other risks that require more careful monitoring than its competitors.
EU: Flu Pandemic Is Waiting to Happen
The European Union warned on Monday that an influenza pandemic was waiting to happen and said nations were still struggling to prepare for it.
Malaria Cases Rise in Dominican Republic
Malaria cases have increased 31 percent over the past year in the Dominican Republic, possibly because of heavy rainfall during Hurricane Jeanne, authorities said Monday.
Health Tip: Women and Heart Disease
Twice as many women die from heart disease each year as from all types of cancer combined, including breast cancer, Duke University Medical Center says.
Health Tip: The Importance of Stretching
A good dose of stretching should precede and follow just about any exercise routine, the American Council on Exercise says.
Nutritional Supplement Helps Ease Depression
Adding the nutritional supplement SAMe to common antidepressants may help depressed patients who haven't responded to single-drug treatment.
More Proof That Chimp, Human Brains Share Similarities
New research provides more evidence that chimpanzee brains are human-like in terms of the links between brain asymmetry, language and right- or left-handedness.
Keep Toy Safety in Mind at Christmas
Toy safety should be at the top of your list when you select Christmas presents for children.
Should TV Ads on Sports Shows Carry a 'PG' Rating?
One of every five commercials broadcast during major sporting events shows unsafe or violent behavior that might be inappropriate for children, a new study says.
Water Helps Those With Low Blood Pressure
Plain tap or bottled water may buoy the health of people with low blood pressure who faint while they're standing, says a British study in the latest issue of the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.
Shampoo Ingredient Kills Rats' Brain Cells
Experiments with the brain cells of rats show that contact with an ingredient found in shampoos, hand lotions and paint causes neurons to die.
Heart Risk Factors for Obese Kids Murky
More of America's young people are getting fat, but the results aren't showing up consistently in obesity-related risk factors for heart disease, U.S. researchers report.
Gel Eases Pain for Babies Getting Shots
A common sight at the pediatrician's office is that of a baby wailing and a parent wincing as the infant receives a vaccination, but a new gel may cut down on the number of those gut-wrenching moments.
Monday, December 06, 2004
Health Headlines - December 6
New Leukemia Drugs Work Better, Studies Show
Next-generation leukemia pills, designed to help patients not cured by the successful drug Gleevec, work even better than doctors had hoped, researchers said on Sunday.
China SARS Vaccine Passes First Hurdle
Chinese researchers have developed a SARS vaccine that has passed the first stage of human trials, state media reported on Monday, raising hopes for prevention of a virus that killed some 800 people since it emerged in 2002.
Milk Vending Machines Installed in Schools
In schools across the country, milk is replacing sodas, and nowhere is it more popular than in America's Dairyland.
AMA Members Debate Safety of Drug Imports
Applying U.S. safety standards to drug imports is more important than allowing them into the country without the regulations just because they are cheaper, some delegates of the American Medical Association said Sunday.
Woman Accused of Flu Shot Sale Released
A woman who allegedly sold flu shots then fled when her credentials were questioned was giving people the real vaccine, and was trying to raise money for her daughter's school fund-raiser, her ex-husband said.
Frist Backs Review of Abstinence Programs
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Sunday that the government should review federally funded sexual abstinence programs, under fire from Democrats who say they contain false and misleading medical information.
Strokes Halt U.S. Sickle Cell Study
A study aimed at determining if some children with sickle cell anemia could be weaned off blood transfusion therapy has been halted because two young patients who stopped getting the procedure suffered strokes.
University Criticized for Tobacco Funding
A Hong Kong university came under fire on Sunday for accepting funding from American tobacco giant Philip Morris, with critics questioning the integrity and independence of its research.
Keep Skin Soft During Dry Winter Months
It's the time of year when many people experience "winter itch," caused by dry, flaky skin.
"Remember, dry skin is due to lack of water, not oil. Apply moisturizers immediately after bathing or showering to trap water in the skin," Dr. Diane Berson, a dermatologist at the Iris Cantor Women's Health Center of New York-Presbyterian Hospital, said in a prepared statement.
She offers the following advice on how to avoid winter itch:
Some Hormone Replacement Therapy Has Value
The value of hormone replacement therapy for postmenopausal women has taken a pounding in recent years.
While it doesn't dispute the major findings that some forms of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can be dangerous, a recent report from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says some variations of short-term use can be effective and safe.
Dr. Isaac Schiff, chairman of the 21-member ACOG Task Force that created the report, Hormone Therapy, describes it as an "encyclopedic effort" that "catalogues what medical science knows so far about the effect of reproductive hormones on everything from sex life to mental health, cancer to weight gain."
That's why the report, released as a supplement to the October issue of ACOG's Obstetrics & Gynecology, may become a useful guide in the somewhat bewildering landscape menopausal women currently must traverse to decide whether estrogen, estrogen plus progestin or some other course of treatment is appropriate for their menopause-related symptoms and conditions.
Hormone Therapy reaffirms most of the recommendations the medical community made after the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study results in 2002 and 2004 found that estrogen plus progestin (or combination therapy) can cause increased risk of heart attack, stroke, blood clots and breast cancer. But it includes new conclusions about the length of time and specific reasons some women might benefit from hormone therapy.
There was a good reason for the nation's leading obstetrics and gynecological organization to create a report outlining the ways some form of estrogen therapy could be used: abruptly stopping HRT therapy was not a good idea for many women.
"Approximately 65 percent of women on hormone therapy stopped taking hormones after the WHI study findings were made public," Schiff said.
"Two years later, reports suggest that about one-in-four women who stopped taking hormones have gone back on them because hormones still offer the best relief for some specific menopausal symptoms. So we're moving back to an appropriate balance -- accepting that hormone therapy has risks, but recognizing that it can be appropriate for conditions like hot flashes, so long as women are informed about these risks and weigh their decisions with their doctors."
For example, Hormone Therapy recommends that although women should use hormone therapy for the shortest possible time, estrogen remains the most effective treatment for hot flashes or night sweats. Nasal sprays or transdermal (patch) hormone treatments can provide comparable results to hormones taken as pills. According to the report, about 10 percent of postmenopausal women continue to suffer from hot flashes beyond the usual four-year period experienced by most women.
Hormone Therapy reaffirms many of the recommendations made immediately following publication of the 2002 WHI findings on combined hormone therapy and the 2004 WHI findings on estrogen-alone (ET) therapy, including:
But the ACOG report also concludes it's inappropriate to withhold hormone therapy from persistently symptomatic women who prefer to continue taking hormones or who do not derive relief from currently available alternatives. "Hormone therapy is appropriate to treat women who feel better on it or who feel it improves their sexuality," said Schiff.
The new guidelines also include a review of research studies on alternative treatments for women who can't or don't want to take hormones, including antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), the anticonvulsant gabapentin, and a host of herbal alternatives. And, although it is still ACOG's position that hormone therapies should not be used solely for disease prevention, the new guidelines make clear there are instances when disease prevention is appropriate as a secondary benefit for women who are already taking hormones for vasomotor symptoms.
Dr. Steven Petak, vice president of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, gives the example of hormone therapy playing a role in protecting against the bone loss fractures associated with osteoporosis in some postmenopausal women.
Petak noted that the Women's Health Initiative study provides evidence that combined hormone therapy can reduce osteoporosis-related hip and spine fractures by about one-third and osteoporosis-related fractures of other bones by almost one-fourth.
"Hormone therapy isn't necessarily the option of first choice to prevent osteoporosis," he said, "but it can be of definite value for women who have significant hot flashes and sleep disturbances, if they do not have a history of blood clots, strokes or other cardiovascular conditions."
Next-generation leukemia pills, designed to help patients not cured by the successful drug Gleevec, work even better than doctors had hoped, researchers said on Sunday.
China SARS Vaccine Passes First Hurdle
Chinese researchers have developed a SARS vaccine that has passed the first stage of human trials, state media reported on Monday, raising hopes for prevention of a virus that killed some 800 people since it emerged in 2002.
Milk Vending Machines Installed in Schools
In schools across the country, milk is replacing sodas, and nowhere is it more popular than in America's Dairyland.
AMA Members Debate Safety of Drug Imports
Applying U.S. safety standards to drug imports is more important than allowing them into the country without the regulations just because they are cheaper, some delegates of the American Medical Association said Sunday.
Woman Accused of Flu Shot Sale Released
A woman who allegedly sold flu shots then fled when her credentials were questioned was giving people the real vaccine, and was trying to raise money for her daughter's school fund-raiser, her ex-husband said.
Frist Backs Review of Abstinence Programs
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Sunday that the government should review federally funded sexual abstinence programs, under fire from Democrats who say they contain false and misleading medical information.
Strokes Halt U.S. Sickle Cell Study
A study aimed at determining if some children with sickle cell anemia could be weaned off blood transfusion therapy has been halted because two young patients who stopped getting the procedure suffered strokes.
University Criticized for Tobacco Funding
A Hong Kong university came under fire on Sunday for accepting funding from American tobacco giant Philip Morris, with critics questioning the integrity and independence of its research.
Keep Skin Soft During Dry Winter Months
It's the time of year when many people experience "winter itch," caused by dry, flaky skin.
"Remember, dry skin is due to lack of water, not oil. Apply moisturizers immediately after bathing or showering to trap water in the skin," Dr. Diane Berson, a dermatologist at the Iris Cantor Women's Health Center of New York-Presbyterian Hospital, said in a prepared statement.
She offers the following advice on how to avoid winter itch:
- Moisturize daily. Cream moisturizers are best for normal to dry skin. A moisturizer without perfume or lanolin is best for people with sensitive skin.
- Don't overdo skin cleansing. Once a day is sufficient to wash your face, hands, feet and between the folds of your skin. You can rinse your trunk, arms and legs daily, but don't use cleanser or soap on these areas every day. Too much cleansing removes the skin's natural moisturizers.
- If you have winter itch, take short, lukewarm showers or baths and use non-irritating, non-detergent-based cleansers. Immediately after your shower or bath, apply a water-in-oil-type moisturizer and gently pat your skin dry.
- Household humidifiers can help prevent dry skin.
- Protect yourself from the wind by covering your face and using a petroleum-based lip balm.
- Try to avoid extreme cold, which can cause frostbite or skin disorders in some people.
- Protect your skin from the sun. Winter sun can be as dangerous as summer sun. Use a sunscreen of SPF 15 or greater.
- Twenty to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three times a week can give your skin a healthy glow.
- If you have persistent dry skin, itching or scaling, see your dermatologist.
Some Hormone Replacement Therapy Has Value
The value of hormone replacement therapy for postmenopausal women has taken a pounding in recent years.
While it doesn't dispute the major findings that some forms of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can be dangerous, a recent report from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says some variations of short-term use can be effective and safe.
Dr. Isaac Schiff, chairman of the 21-member ACOG Task Force that created the report, Hormone Therapy, describes it as an "encyclopedic effort" that "catalogues what medical science knows so far about the effect of reproductive hormones on everything from sex life to mental health, cancer to weight gain."
That's why the report, released as a supplement to the October issue of ACOG's Obstetrics & Gynecology, may become a useful guide in the somewhat bewildering landscape menopausal women currently must traverse to decide whether estrogen, estrogen plus progestin or some other course of treatment is appropriate for their menopause-related symptoms and conditions.
Hormone Therapy reaffirms most of the recommendations the medical community made after the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study results in 2002 and 2004 found that estrogen plus progestin (or combination therapy) can cause increased risk of heart attack, stroke, blood clots and breast cancer. But it includes new conclusions about the length of time and specific reasons some women might benefit from hormone therapy.
There was a good reason for the nation's leading obstetrics and gynecological organization to create a report outlining the ways some form of estrogen therapy could be used: abruptly stopping HRT therapy was not a good idea for many women.
"Approximately 65 percent of women on hormone therapy stopped taking hormones after the WHI study findings were made public," Schiff said.
"Two years later, reports suggest that about one-in-four women who stopped taking hormones have gone back on them because hormones still offer the best relief for some specific menopausal symptoms. So we're moving back to an appropriate balance -- accepting that hormone therapy has risks, but recognizing that it can be appropriate for conditions like hot flashes, so long as women are informed about these risks and weigh their decisions with their doctors."
For example, Hormone Therapy recommends that although women should use hormone therapy for the shortest possible time, estrogen remains the most effective treatment for hot flashes or night sweats. Nasal sprays or transdermal (patch) hormone treatments can provide comparable results to hormones taken as pills. According to the report, about 10 percent of postmenopausal women continue to suffer from hot flashes beyond the usual four-year period experienced by most women.
Hormone Therapy reaffirms many of the recommendations made immediately following publication of the 2002 WHI findings on combined hormone therapy and the 2004 WHI findings on estrogen-alone (ET) therapy, including:
- Combined hormone therapy should not be used for prevention of cardiovascular disease, due to the small but significant increased risk of breast cancer, heart attack, stroke or blood clots.
- Estrogen-alone therapy, used for women who have had a hysterectomy, should also not be used for prevention of diseases, due to increased risks of blood clots and stroke. Although estrogen therapy carries fewer risks than combined HRT, women with a uterus should not use estrogen alone due to their increased risk of uterine cancer.
- Hormone therapies are appropriate for the relief of vasomotor symptoms -- such as hot flashes and night sweats -- as long as a woman has discussed the risks and benefits with her doctor.
- Women on combined HRT or estrogen therapy should take the smallest effective dose for the shortest possible time and annually review the decision to take hormones.
But the ACOG report also concludes it's inappropriate to withhold hormone therapy from persistently symptomatic women who prefer to continue taking hormones or who do not derive relief from currently available alternatives. "Hormone therapy is appropriate to treat women who feel better on it or who feel it improves their sexuality," said Schiff.
The new guidelines also include a review of research studies on alternative treatments for women who can't or don't want to take hormones, including antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), the anticonvulsant gabapentin, and a host of herbal alternatives. And, although it is still ACOG's position that hormone therapies should not be used solely for disease prevention, the new guidelines make clear there are instances when disease prevention is appropriate as a secondary benefit for women who are already taking hormones for vasomotor symptoms.
Dr. Steven Petak, vice president of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, gives the example of hormone therapy playing a role in protecting against the bone loss fractures associated with osteoporosis in some postmenopausal women.
Petak noted that the Women's Health Initiative study provides evidence that combined hormone therapy can reduce osteoporosis-related hip and spine fractures by about one-third and osteoporosis-related fractures of other bones by almost one-fourth.
"Hormone therapy isn't necessarily the option of first choice to prevent osteoporosis," he said, "but it can be of definite value for women who have significant hot flashes and sleep disturbances, if they do not have a history of blood clots, strokes or other cardiovascular conditions."
Sunday, December 05, 2004
Health Headlines - December 5
Study: Nuvelo Drug Breaks Up Catheter Clots Faster
Nuvelo Inc.'s experimental blood clot dissolver restores function in patients with blocked catheters faster than existing therapy, the company said on Saturday.
Dad Cites Boy's Antidepressants in Deaths
Authorities say three years ago, Christopher Pittman, then 12, shot his grandparents as they slept because they had scolded him for fighting. But Christopher's father, Joe Pittman, thinks his son killed because his sense of right and wrong was clouded by the anti-depressant Zoloft.
Ala. Joins Calif. on Medical Marijuana
Alabama, which has some of the nation's toughest drug laws, has become an unlikely ally of California on medical marijuana use.
In a legal brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court, which heard arguments Monday on California's medical marijuana law, Alabama Attorney General Troy King said states, not the federal government, should have the right to decide drug-control policies.
Woman Arrested in Bizarre Flu Shot Case
A woman who gave what she said were flu shots to more than two dozen people, then fled when asked for information about her credentials, was arrested Saturday, police said.
Seniors Need Extra Help Weathering Winter
If you're an older adult, the New York-Presbyterian Hospital has these tips on how you can have a safe and healthy winter:
Health Tip: Buying Athletic Shoes
On your way to the shoe store for new athletic shoes? Here are some buying tips, courtesy of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine:
Steps to Steer Clear of Colds and Flu
When it comes to gifts, it's better to give than to receive. But, in the case of colds and flu, you don't want to give or get them during the holidays.
"Avoiding spreading colds or influenza this season is going to be particularly important, in light of the recent flu vaccine shortage," Dr. Jeff Desmond, an associate professor of emergency medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School, said in a prepared statement.
"Both the common cold and influenza are spread by respiratory droplets -- sneezing, coughing, or hand contact with another person after touching nose or mouth secretions. Both of them are viral illnesses and both are caused by several types of viruses," Desmond said.
Flu season tends to run from November into early March, with the peak period from late December into January. Colds can be passed around at any time of year, but they tend to spread faster and more widely in late fall and early winter, he noted.
No matter whether it's a cold or flu going around, you should do everything you can to avoid spreading or catching it.
"Stay home if you feel ill, cover your nose or mouth while you're coughing or sneezing, wash your hands frequently, and avoid contact between your hands and your face or eyes. If you can't always get to a sink to wash your hands with soap and water, use an antibacterial gel, which can kill viruses," Desmond advised.
Eating healthy foods, getting plenty of sleep, and regular physical activity can all help your immune system fight off cold and flu bugs.
Remember that holiday and work-related stress can weaken your immune system.
Nuvelo Inc.'s experimental blood clot dissolver restores function in patients with blocked catheters faster than existing therapy, the company said on Saturday.
Dad Cites Boy's Antidepressants in Deaths
Authorities say three years ago, Christopher Pittman, then 12, shot his grandparents as they slept because they had scolded him for fighting. But Christopher's father, Joe Pittman, thinks his son killed because his sense of right and wrong was clouded by the anti-depressant Zoloft.
Ala. Joins Calif. on Medical Marijuana
Alabama, which has some of the nation's toughest drug laws, has become an unlikely ally of California on medical marijuana use.
In a legal brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court, which heard arguments Monday on California's medical marijuana law, Alabama Attorney General Troy King said states, not the federal government, should have the right to decide drug-control policies.
Woman Arrested in Bizarre Flu Shot Case
A woman who gave what she said were flu shots to more than two dozen people, then fled when asked for information about her credentials, was arrested Saturday, police said.
Seniors Need Extra Help Weathering Winter
If you're an older adult, the New York-Presbyterian Hospital has these tips on how you can have a safe and healthy winter:
- Get a flu shot if it's available in your area. Flu season runs from mid-October to mid-March. Flu can be fatal to older adults.
- Ask your doctor about a vaccine that protects against pneumonia.
- Check the lighting in your home. Make sure there are no major lighting contrasts from one room to another, because older people have difficulty adjusting to changes in light. High contrasts in lighting can increase the risk of slips and falls. Use night lights. Tape extension cords to the floor so they're not loose.
- Check your rugs and make sure they're not wrinkled or torn, which could pose a tripping hazard. Place padding or special tape under rugs to prevent them from sliding.
- Place anti-slip mats inside and outside your bathtub. Grab bars inside the tub are a good idea. Always check the temperature of the water before you get into the tub.
- Keep exercising -- indoors if possible. But avoid strenuous exercise such as shoveling snow.
- Maintain a healthy diet and drink at least four or five glasses of water a day.
- Make sure your smoke alarms are working. If you live in your own house, rather than an apartment, you should also have carbon monoxide alarms.
- Wear proper footwear. Comfortable shoes with anti-slip soles will help you get around on icy streets.
- You should have a programmable phone with emergency numbers entered. A personal emergency response system is a good idea. These devices, worn around the neck or on a bracelet, let you summon help. Wear the device all the time.
Health Tip: Buying Athletic Shoes
On your way to the shoe store for new athletic shoes? Here are some buying tips, courtesy of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine:
- Select a shoe that's built for the specific sport in which you're participating.
- Go to a store that specializes in athletic shoes and has a good reputation in your community.
- Bring with you a list of past and present injuries. And don't forget your old shoes, to use for comparison.
- Have your feet measured every time you purchase shoes. Measurements should include sitting, standing, heel-to-toe, heel-to-ball, and width.
- Wear the socks you plan to use, and don't forget your inserts or orthotics.
Steps to Steer Clear of Colds and Flu
When it comes to gifts, it's better to give than to receive. But, in the case of colds and flu, you don't want to give or get them during the holidays.
"Avoiding spreading colds or influenza this season is going to be particularly important, in light of the recent flu vaccine shortage," Dr. Jeff Desmond, an associate professor of emergency medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School, said in a prepared statement.
"Both the common cold and influenza are spread by respiratory droplets -- sneezing, coughing, or hand contact with another person after touching nose or mouth secretions. Both of them are viral illnesses and both are caused by several types of viruses," Desmond said.
Flu season tends to run from November into early March, with the peak period from late December into January. Colds can be passed around at any time of year, but they tend to spread faster and more widely in late fall and early winter, he noted.
No matter whether it's a cold or flu going around, you should do everything you can to avoid spreading or catching it.
"Stay home if you feel ill, cover your nose or mouth while you're coughing or sneezing, wash your hands frequently, and avoid contact between your hands and your face or eyes. If you can't always get to a sink to wash your hands with soap and water, use an antibacterial gel, which can kill viruses," Desmond advised.
Eating healthy foods, getting plenty of sleep, and regular physical activity can all help your immune system fight off cold and flu bugs.
Remember that holiday and work-related stress can weaken your immune system.
Saturday, December 04, 2004
Health Headlines - December 4
Dark, Leafy Greens Help Shield Eyes from Cataracts
New research provides further evidence that substances in kale, spinach and other green vegetables help protect aging eyes from cataracts.
Sunshine May Ward Off Lymphoma
Sun exposure apparently has a protective effect against the development non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), a blood cancer, Australian researchers report.
Ethnicity Affects Impact of Vitamin D on Diabetes
As blood levels of vitamin D increase, the risk of diabetes decreases in non-Hispanic whites and Mexican Americans -- but not in blacks -- researchers have found.
Tamoxifen Works Similarly in Black and White Women
In women who've been treated for breast cancer, use of the drug tamoxifen can help prevent recurrence of the disease. Now, new research indicates that the drug works equally well in black and white women.
Don't Dump Your Old PDA, Donate It!
A mobile medical information company is collecting used personal digital assistants (PDAs) to send to doctors in Africa, and outfitting the devices with the latest, up-to-date health information.
FDA Chief to Meet with Top Lawmaker Regarding Vioxx
U.S. Food and Drug Administration Acting Commissioner Lester Crawford on Friday agreed to meet with a top Republican lawmaker about the agency's handling of safety concerns over Merck & Co Inc.'s now-withdrawn painkiller Vioxx.
Malpractice, Medicaid Shaping 2005 Congress Agenda
Republicans' long-sought curbs on medical malpractice awards are likely to top the congressional health care agenda when lawmakers return in January, even as Democrats prepare for a clash over potential cuts to Medicaid, aides said Friday.
Bone-Boosting Drug Helps Very Elderly Women
A drug used to restore the strength of brittle bones by reducing the process of bone resorption has been shown to benefit women 80 years of age or older.
Dieters May Face Splenda Shortage
Dieters hoping for a slew of new products with the sugar substitute Splenda may be disappointed next year.
40 Percent in U.S. Use Prescription Drugs
More than 40 percent of Americans take at least one prescription drug and one-in-six takes at least three, the government reported Thursday.
Hawaii Seniors Are Most Health Conscious
Hawaii ranks first in healthy behaviors among senior citizens, according to a new federal report.
More Americans Getting Hooked on Hookahs
The practice of smoking tobacco through elaborate water pipes called hookahs emerged centuries ago, in the palaces and harems of the Middle East. But experts say hookahs are now almost as popular in Denver as they are in Damascus, with the current fad for water-pipe use growing among U.S. college students.
Young Kids Listen to Sun Protection Advice
Education programs can help convince primary school children and adults at the beach to use sun-protective hats and clothing to reduce their risk of skin cancer.
Farm Kids Fare Better on Asthma Front
Children who live on farms have much lower rates of asthma and wheezing than other children who live in rural areas of the United States.
Study Turns Heads on Whiplash Risk
If you happen to have your head turned either left or right when your car is rear-ended by another vehicle, it could help reduce your risk of whiplash injury.
Health Tip: Food Substitutions
Simple recipe changes -- such as using egg whites instead of whole eggs or garlic powder instead of garlic salt -- can make a big difference in the amount of harmful fats, salts and sugars in the foods you eat each day.
New research provides further evidence that substances in kale, spinach and other green vegetables help protect aging eyes from cataracts.
Sunshine May Ward Off Lymphoma
Sun exposure apparently has a protective effect against the development non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), a blood cancer, Australian researchers report.
Ethnicity Affects Impact of Vitamin D on Diabetes
As blood levels of vitamin D increase, the risk of diabetes decreases in non-Hispanic whites and Mexican Americans -- but not in blacks -- researchers have found.
Tamoxifen Works Similarly in Black and White Women
In women who've been treated for breast cancer, use of the drug tamoxifen can help prevent recurrence of the disease. Now, new research indicates that the drug works equally well in black and white women.
Don't Dump Your Old PDA, Donate It!
A mobile medical information company is collecting used personal digital assistants (PDAs) to send to doctors in Africa, and outfitting the devices with the latest, up-to-date health information.
FDA Chief to Meet with Top Lawmaker Regarding Vioxx
U.S. Food and Drug Administration Acting Commissioner Lester Crawford on Friday agreed to meet with a top Republican lawmaker about the agency's handling of safety concerns over Merck & Co Inc.'s now-withdrawn painkiller Vioxx.
Malpractice, Medicaid Shaping 2005 Congress Agenda
Republicans' long-sought curbs on medical malpractice awards are likely to top the congressional health care agenda when lawmakers return in January, even as Democrats prepare for a clash over potential cuts to Medicaid, aides said Friday.
Bone-Boosting Drug Helps Very Elderly Women
A drug used to restore the strength of brittle bones by reducing the process of bone resorption has been shown to benefit women 80 years of age or older.
Dieters May Face Splenda Shortage
Dieters hoping for a slew of new products with the sugar substitute Splenda may be disappointed next year.
40 Percent in U.S. Use Prescription Drugs
More than 40 percent of Americans take at least one prescription drug and one-in-six takes at least three, the government reported Thursday.
Hawaii Seniors Are Most Health Conscious
Hawaii ranks first in healthy behaviors among senior citizens, according to a new federal report.
More Americans Getting Hooked on Hookahs
The practice of smoking tobacco through elaborate water pipes called hookahs emerged centuries ago, in the palaces and harems of the Middle East. But experts say hookahs are now almost as popular in Denver as they are in Damascus, with the current fad for water-pipe use growing among U.S. college students.
Young Kids Listen to Sun Protection Advice
Education programs can help convince primary school children and adults at the beach to use sun-protective hats and clothing to reduce their risk of skin cancer.
Farm Kids Fare Better on Asthma Front
Children who live on farms have much lower rates of asthma and wheezing than other children who live in rural areas of the United States.
Study Turns Heads on Whiplash Risk
If you happen to have your head turned either left or right when your car is rear-ended by another vehicle, it could help reduce your risk of whiplash injury.
Health Tip: Food Substitutions
Simple recipe changes -- such as using egg whites instead of whole eggs or garlic powder instead of garlic salt -- can make a big difference in the amount of harmful fats, salts and sugars in the foods you eat each day.
Friday, December 03, 2004
Scientists Reverse Paralysis in Dogs
INDIANAPOLIS - Dogs with paralyzed hind legs regained the ability to walk after getting a shot of a chemical cousin of antifreeze that helped repair nerve cells in their damaged spinal cords, scientists reported.
Purdue University researchers who led the project hope the approach can soon be tried in people, but caution that there are significant differences between human and canine spinal cords.
The treatment only worked on dogs given the injections within about three days of their injury. Some dogs not given the injections eventually walked again, but those getting the new treatment had a dramatically higher recovery rate.
In one case, a dachsund named Oscar was initially sent home with a wheel cart and little hope of recovery after a serious injury.
Soon after the dog got the chemical treatment, he began walking, although his back legs work in unison, giving him an unusual gait.
"I used to make fun of him, saying he walks like a drunken sailor," said Oscar's owner, Dan Paulin of Boonville, Ind. "I don't think he'll ever be normal, but at least he's not confined to the wheel cart."
In the study, 19 paraplegic dogs were injected with polyethylene glycol, or PEG — a nontoxic liquid polymer composed of long strings of the same type of molecules found in antifreeze.
Within eight weeks, 13 of the 19 canines, about 68 percent, regained the use of their hind legs and were able to walk, some almost as well as before their injury.
The dogs were injected twice with PEG, first soon after their owners brought them to the researchers' labs and then after standard surgery and steroids to reduce inflammation.
Among a group of 24 dogs that received just the standard surgery and rehabilitation therapies, only about 25 percent regained the same level of mobility, feeling and bodily functions, with about 62 percent remaining paraplegic.
The study's findings appear in the December issue of the Journal of Neurotrauma.
Scientists at Purdue, Indiana University's Indianapolis campus and Texas A&M University took part in the research on dogs ages 2 to 8 between 2001-03.
Richard Borgens, the Purdue professor of neuroscience who oversaw the study, said his West Lafayette, Ind., lab had previously used PEG to repair damaged spinal cords in guinea pigs with about a 90 percent success rate.
His team has even fused severed guinea pig spinal cords using PEG, although the dogs in the study had spinal disc ruptures that crushed, but did not sever, their spinal cords.
Although exactly how PEG works remains unclear, Borgens said it appears to act as a sort of "molecular Band-Aid" that forms a temporary seal over breaches in nerve cells in the spinal cord, aiding their healing process.
"This stuff is kind of like a radiator stop-leak for the nervous system. The polymer spreads out and forms a seal over the damaged areas in the nerve cells and allows the membrane below to reconstruct itself," said Borgens, director of Purdue's Center for Paralysis Research.
He said PEG also appears to prevent secondary tissue death that often causes more damage than the original injury. Borgens said the agent only covers damaged cells and tissues when injected into the blood stream.
Purdue has enlisted a yet-to-be-announced corporate sponsor that will make PEG in a form suitable for human clinical trials. Pending federal approval, Borgens hopes those trials can begin within about 18 months on people with days-old spinal injuries.
Karen Kline, an associate professor of neurology and neurosurgery at Iowa State University's College of Veterinary Medicine in Ames, Iowa, called the findings promising. She said PEG, which she plans to test on dogs at her lab, appears to stabilize damaged tissue to allow more rapid healing than typically occurs naturally.
"It has such promise, but I think we need to look at more animals and make sure that we're getting a positive outcome," Kline said.
Purdue University researchers who led the project hope the approach can soon be tried in people, but caution that there are significant differences between human and canine spinal cords.
The treatment only worked on dogs given the injections within about three days of their injury. Some dogs not given the injections eventually walked again, but those getting the new treatment had a dramatically higher recovery rate.
In one case, a dachsund named Oscar was initially sent home with a wheel cart and little hope of recovery after a serious injury.
Soon after the dog got the chemical treatment, he began walking, although his back legs work in unison, giving him an unusual gait.
"I used to make fun of him, saying he walks like a drunken sailor," said Oscar's owner, Dan Paulin of Boonville, Ind. "I don't think he'll ever be normal, but at least he's not confined to the wheel cart."
In the study, 19 paraplegic dogs were injected with polyethylene glycol, or PEG — a nontoxic liquid polymer composed of long strings of the same type of molecules found in antifreeze.
Within eight weeks, 13 of the 19 canines, about 68 percent, regained the use of their hind legs and were able to walk, some almost as well as before their injury.
The dogs were injected twice with PEG, first soon after their owners brought them to the researchers' labs and then after standard surgery and steroids to reduce inflammation.
Among a group of 24 dogs that received just the standard surgery and rehabilitation therapies, only about 25 percent regained the same level of mobility, feeling and bodily functions, with about 62 percent remaining paraplegic.
The study's findings appear in the December issue of the Journal of Neurotrauma.
Scientists at Purdue, Indiana University's Indianapolis campus and Texas A&M University took part in the research on dogs ages 2 to 8 between 2001-03.
Richard Borgens, the Purdue professor of neuroscience who oversaw the study, said his West Lafayette, Ind., lab had previously used PEG to repair damaged spinal cords in guinea pigs with about a 90 percent success rate.
His team has even fused severed guinea pig spinal cords using PEG, although the dogs in the study had spinal disc ruptures that crushed, but did not sever, their spinal cords.
Although exactly how PEG works remains unclear, Borgens said it appears to act as a sort of "molecular Band-Aid" that forms a temporary seal over breaches in nerve cells in the spinal cord, aiding their healing process.
"This stuff is kind of like a radiator stop-leak for the nervous system. The polymer spreads out and forms a seal over the damaged areas in the nerve cells and allows the membrane below to reconstruct itself," said Borgens, director of Purdue's Center for Paralysis Research.
He said PEG also appears to prevent secondary tissue death that often causes more damage than the original injury. Borgens said the agent only covers damaged cells and tissues when injected into the blood stream.
Purdue has enlisted a yet-to-be-announced corporate sponsor that will make PEG in a form suitable for human clinical trials. Pending federal approval, Borgens hopes those trials can begin within about 18 months on people with days-old spinal injuries.
Karen Kline, an associate professor of neurology and neurosurgery at Iowa State University's College of Veterinary Medicine in Ames, Iowa, called the findings promising. She said PEG, which she plans to test on dogs at her lab, appears to stabilize damaged tissue to allow more rapid healing than typically occurs naturally.
"It has such promise, but I think we need to look at more animals and make sure that we're getting a positive outcome," Kline said.
Health Headlines - December 3
Female Sex-Drive Patch Needs More Study
Procter & Gamble Co.'s testosterone patch for boosting female sex drive needs longer-term testing for serious side effects before it can win approval, a U.S. advisory panel unanimously ruled on Thursday.
Internet Could Spark Rise in Suicide Pacts
The growing popularity of the Internet could lead to a rise in suicide pacts in which several people kill themselves together, a leading psychiatrist in Britain said on Friday.
New Method Helps Map Women's Happiness
Having sex is the high point of most women's' days, while commuting is the low point. And most women like being with their kids less than they will admit, according to a study published on Thursday.
Prescription Drug Use at Record High for Americans
Americans, long considered one of the most medicated peoples in the world, are swallowing more pills than ever, according to a report released on Thursday by the U.S. government.
Even Tiny Amounts of Benzene Damage Body
Even "safe" levels of benzene damage immune system cells and could lead to cancer or other problems, U.S. and Chinese researchers reported on Thursday.
Taking a 'Statin' Soon After Heart Attack Helpful
Heart attack survivors might do well to begin treatment with a statin drug -- such as Lipitor or Zocor -- as soon as possible, a new study suggests.
Moderate Alcohol Use Linked to Fewer Heart Plaques
Drinking one or two alcoholic beverages per day seems to reduce plaque buildup in the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart, new research indicates.
Green Tea May Block Prostate Cancer
Green tea contains chemicals called polyphenols that appear to slow the progression of prostate cancer, at least in mice, according to a report in the journal Cancer Research.
Epilepsy Drug Safely Treats Drug Addiction
The epilepsy drug vigabatrin appears to be safe for the treatment of cocaine or methamphetamine dependence, new study results suggest.
Red Meat Linked with Rheumatoid Arthritis in Study
People who eat lots of red meat may be raising their risk of rheumatoid arthritis, an incurable and crippling disease, British researchers reported on Thursday.
HIV Infection Rate Holds Steady
Despite the government's promise to "break the back" of the AIDS epidemic by 2005, about 40,000 Americans test positive for the HIV infection every year — the same number as a decade ago.
Spending Urged for Anti-Smoking Programs
Only three states — Maine, Delaware and Mississippi — are spending money on anti-smoking efforts at the minimum levels recommended by federal health officials, a coalition of public health groups said Thursday.
Gov't Targets Drugged Driving Among Teens
Many teen drivers believe it's less dangerous to drive after smoking marijuana than after drinking alcohol, a perception the government wants to change.
Dental Plaque Linked to Pneumonia
Better oral hygiene, including good regular toothbrushing, may lessen nursing home residents' chances of developing pneumonia, according to a study which traced germs from dental plaque to the lungs of patients with the potentially fatal illness.
Some Stem Cells Don't Work
Bone marrow-derived side population stem cells appear to have limited potential for regenerating injured cardiac and skeletal muscle, says a University of Chicago study.
Health Tip: No More Tears
Tear production is important to the eye's health, according to the National Eye Institute. Tears keep the organ moist, help wounds heal and protect against eye infection.
Shark Cartilage No Proven Cancer Cure
Although shark cartilage products remain widely available to the public, there's no scientific evidence to show they cure cancer, as advocates claim.
MRI Can Spot Foot Trouble in Basketball Players
Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for early detection of potential stress fractures in the feet may help reduce the risk of season-ending injuries for college basketball players, says a Duke University study.
Gay Men Using Viagra Recreationally
The use of "recreational" Viagra in combination with illegal drugs is common among gay men, says a study in the most recent issue of Sexually Transmitted Infections.
Misaligned Knees May Speed Up Osteoarthritis
Leg alignment may influence the benefits of weight loss for people with knee osteoarthritis, says a study in the December issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
Procter & Gamble Co.'s testosterone patch for boosting female sex drive needs longer-term testing for serious side effects before it can win approval, a U.S. advisory panel unanimously ruled on Thursday.
Internet Could Spark Rise in Suicide Pacts
The growing popularity of the Internet could lead to a rise in suicide pacts in which several people kill themselves together, a leading psychiatrist in Britain said on Friday.
New Method Helps Map Women's Happiness
Having sex is the high point of most women's' days, while commuting is the low point. And most women like being with their kids less than they will admit, according to a study published on Thursday.
Prescription Drug Use at Record High for Americans
Americans, long considered one of the most medicated peoples in the world, are swallowing more pills than ever, according to a report released on Thursday by the U.S. government.
Even Tiny Amounts of Benzene Damage Body
Even "safe" levels of benzene damage immune system cells and could lead to cancer or other problems, U.S. and Chinese researchers reported on Thursday.
Taking a 'Statin' Soon After Heart Attack Helpful
Heart attack survivors might do well to begin treatment with a statin drug -- such as Lipitor or Zocor -- as soon as possible, a new study suggests.
Moderate Alcohol Use Linked to Fewer Heart Plaques
Drinking one or two alcoholic beverages per day seems to reduce plaque buildup in the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart, new research indicates.
Green Tea May Block Prostate Cancer
Green tea contains chemicals called polyphenols that appear to slow the progression of prostate cancer, at least in mice, according to a report in the journal Cancer Research.
Epilepsy Drug Safely Treats Drug Addiction
The epilepsy drug vigabatrin appears to be safe for the treatment of cocaine or methamphetamine dependence, new study results suggest.
Red Meat Linked with Rheumatoid Arthritis in Study
People who eat lots of red meat may be raising their risk of rheumatoid arthritis, an incurable and crippling disease, British researchers reported on Thursday.
HIV Infection Rate Holds Steady
Despite the government's promise to "break the back" of the AIDS epidemic by 2005, about 40,000 Americans test positive for the HIV infection every year — the same number as a decade ago.
Spending Urged for Anti-Smoking Programs
Only three states — Maine, Delaware and Mississippi — are spending money on anti-smoking efforts at the minimum levels recommended by federal health officials, a coalition of public health groups said Thursday.
Gov't Targets Drugged Driving Among Teens
Many teen drivers believe it's less dangerous to drive after smoking marijuana than after drinking alcohol, a perception the government wants to change.
Dental Plaque Linked to Pneumonia
Better oral hygiene, including good regular toothbrushing, may lessen nursing home residents' chances of developing pneumonia, according to a study which traced germs from dental plaque to the lungs of patients with the potentially fatal illness.
Some Stem Cells Don't Work
Bone marrow-derived side population stem cells appear to have limited potential for regenerating injured cardiac and skeletal muscle, says a University of Chicago study.
Health Tip: No More Tears
Tear production is important to the eye's health, according to the National Eye Institute. Tears keep the organ moist, help wounds heal and protect against eye infection.
Shark Cartilage No Proven Cancer Cure
Although shark cartilage products remain widely available to the public, there's no scientific evidence to show they cure cancer, as advocates claim.
MRI Can Spot Foot Trouble in Basketball Players
Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for early detection of potential stress fractures in the feet may help reduce the risk of season-ending injuries for college basketball players, says a Duke University study.
Gay Men Using Viagra Recreationally
The use of "recreational" Viagra in combination with illegal drugs is common among gay men, says a study in the most recent issue of Sexually Transmitted Infections.
Misaligned Knees May Speed Up Osteoarthritis
Leg alignment may influence the benefits of weight loss for people with knee osteoarthritis, says a study in the December issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
Thursday, December 02, 2004
Health Headlines - December 2
HIV Found in More U.S. Gay, Bisexual Men
The number of newly diagnosed HIV infections in gay and bisexual men has risen in many U.S. states, according to a federal study on Wednesday which stoked concerns AIDS may be poised for a resurgence in the country.
FDA Questions P&G Female Sex-Drive Patch
U.S. regulatory reviewers on Wednesday said it was unclear if Procter & Gamble Co.'s (PG.N) testosterone patch for boosting sexual desire in women produces meaningful benefit, or is safe over the long term.
Multiple Births a Health Risk: Canadian Study
Women pregnant with twins, triplets or quadruplets are at greater risk of serious health complications than are women carrying just one fetus, according to a Canadian study published on Wednesday.
Carbon to Blame for Pollution Heart Damage
Air pollution clearly causes immediate damage to the heart, including heart attacks, but its short-term effects on asthma and other respiratory symptoms are harder to document, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.
Poor Childhood Nutrition Tied to Behavior Problems
Nutritional deficiencies early in life may predispose children to behavioral problems into their teenage years, new research suggests.
Diabetes in Midlife Linked to Later Dementia
Middle-aged people with diabetes are nearly three times more likely to develop dementia in old age than people without diabetes, according to a new study.
Women Key to Reversing AIDS Epidemic, Experts Say
Any effort to battle the AIDS epidemic must focus on changing the fate of women by educating them, helping them own property and giving them the power to stand up to men, experts said on Wednesday.
Nations Pledge to Eradicate Ignorance About AIDS
The world's two most populous nations promised on Wednesday to eradicate ignorance about AIDS, a disease dismissed at first as a Western evil confined to drug users, homosexuals and prostitutes.
Drug May Ease Alzheimer's-Related Memory Defects
If experiments in mice with a form of Alzheimer's disease are any indication, treatment with a drug called rolipram appears to produce lasting improvement in learning and memory deficits, investigators from New York report.
Cannabis Increases Risk of Psychosis
Teenagers and young adults who frequently use cannabis are increasing their risk of suffering from psychotic symptoms such as bizarre behavior and delusions later in life, Dutch scientists said on Wednesday.
HIV Infection Rates Unchanged in U.S.
Nearly a million Americans now have the AIDS virus and the nation's ability to keep others from becoming infected still lags despite a government pledge four years ago to "break the back" of the AIDS epidemic by 2005.
Safety of American Drugs Questioned
In a sharp pivot, many medical authorities are questioning the fundamental safety guarantees for American drugs, threatening to dull the national appetite that has demanded and devoured pharmaceuticals at a faster clip for nearly a generation.
Study: Pill Safe for Irregular Heartbeats
Some people who occasionally have upsetting bouts of irregular heartbeats may be able to treat themselves and avoid a trip to the emergency room by popping a pill, much as those with chest pain do now with nitroglycerin, new research suggests.
AIDS Day Is Observed Around the Globe
From Armenia to Zambia, thousands of activists turned out to sing in mighty cathedrals, light candles in city squares and march and hold dance-athons on World AIDS Day.
FDA Panel OKs Childhood Leukemia Drug
Federal health advisers on Wednesday recommended approval of the first new cancer drug in the past decade specifically aimed at treating the most common childhood leukemia.
Consumer Reports Will Rate Drugs
Consumer Reports will begin comparing the effectiveness and cost of a few types of widely used prescription drugs, giving consumers the same type of analysis now provided on such items as refrigerators and cars.
U.S. Urged to Help Women With AIDS
Health experts urged the Bush administration on Wednesday to move beyond the ABCs of global AIDS prevention — abstinence, being faithful and using condoms — and help women who are infected through factors beyond their control.
Merck Sued by New York Fund Over Vioxx
The New York state comptroller sued Merck & Co., claiming the drug maker hid certain risks associated with the painkiller Vioxx.
Surgery Performed Aboard 'Air Hospital'
Doctors on a turbulence-free flight performed surgery 19,000 feet above the jungles of Colombia on the inaugural outing of the military's "Air Hospital," the country's new effort to save the lives of troops wounded in its war against Marxist insurgents.
Surface Brain Stimulation May Ease Parkinson's Symptoms
Movement problems caused by Parkinson's disease can be eased through electronic stimulation of the brain surface, says a study in the Dec. 2 issue of Neuron.
Cheap Test Can Close Colorectal Screening Gap
Some 42 million Americans who should be screened for colorectal cancer are not.
Magnesium Maintains Memory
Along with its many other functions in the body, magnesium may also help maintain learning and memory in middle age and beyond, according to a study in the Dec. 2 issue of Neuron.
Green Tea Seems to Stem Spread of Prostate Cancer
Green tea appears to inhibit the spread of prostate cancer in a number of ways, says a study in the Dec. 1 issue of Cancer Research.
Some Breast Cancer Screens Better Than Others
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) helps radiologists identify breast tumors missed by mammography, says a study presented Dec. 1 at the Radiological Society of North America annual meeting in Chicago.
Iodine Treatments Can Set Off Security Alarms
People who have had iodine treatment for thyroid disorders can trigger homeland-security alarms for up to three months following their therapy, new research shows.
Patients Can Self-Treat Atrial Fibrillation
A "pill-in-the-pocket" self-treatment program can reduce emergency room visits and hospitalizations by nearly 90 percent for people with the heartbeat abnormality called atrial fibrillation, a new study says.
Single Egg Implants Reduce Chances of Multiple Births
A modified strategy of in vitro fertilization (IVF) cut the rate of multiple births in younger women while keeping the rate of live births almost the same.
The number of newly diagnosed HIV infections in gay and bisexual men has risen in many U.S. states, according to a federal study on Wednesday which stoked concerns AIDS may be poised for a resurgence in the country.
FDA Questions P&G Female Sex-Drive Patch
U.S. regulatory reviewers on Wednesday said it was unclear if Procter & Gamble Co.'s (PG.N) testosterone patch for boosting sexual desire in women produces meaningful benefit, or is safe over the long term.
Multiple Births a Health Risk: Canadian Study
Women pregnant with twins, triplets or quadruplets are at greater risk of serious health complications than are women carrying just one fetus, according to a Canadian study published on Wednesday.
Carbon to Blame for Pollution Heart Damage
Air pollution clearly causes immediate damage to the heart, including heart attacks, but its short-term effects on asthma and other respiratory symptoms are harder to document, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.
Poor Childhood Nutrition Tied to Behavior Problems
Nutritional deficiencies early in life may predispose children to behavioral problems into their teenage years, new research suggests.
Diabetes in Midlife Linked to Later Dementia
Middle-aged people with diabetes are nearly three times more likely to develop dementia in old age than people without diabetes, according to a new study.
Women Key to Reversing AIDS Epidemic, Experts Say
Any effort to battle the AIDS epidemic must focus on changing the fate of women by educating them, helping them own property and giving them the power to stand up to men, experts said on Wednesday.
Nations Pledge to Eradicate Ignorance About AIDS
The world's two most populous nations promised on Wednesday to eradicate ignorance about AIDS, a disease dismissed at first as a Western evil confined to drug users, homosexuals and prostitutes.
Drug May Ease Alzheimer's-Related Memory Defects
If experiments in mice with a form of Alzheimer's disease are any indication, treatment with a drug called rolipram appears to produce lasting improvement in learning and memory deficits, investigators from New York report.
Cannabis Increases Risk of Psychosis
Teenagers and young adults who frequently use cannabis are increasing their risk of suffering from psychotic symptoms such as bizarre behavior and delusions later in life, Dutch scientists said on Wednesday.
HIV Infection Rates Unchanged in U.S.
Nearly a million Americans now have the AIDS virus and the nation's ability to keep others from becoming infected still lags despite a government pledge four years ago to "break the back" of the AIDS epidemic by 2005.
Safety of American Drugs Questioned
In a sharp pivot, many medical authorities are questioning the fundamental safety guarantees for American drugs, threatening to dull the national appetite that has demanded and devoured pharmaceuticals at a faster clip for nearly a generation.
Study: Pill Safe for Irregular Heartbeats
Some people who occasionally have upsetting bouts of irregular heartbeats may be able to treat themselves and avoid a trip to the emergency room by popping a pill, much as those with chest pain do now with nitroglycerin, new research suggests.
AIDS Day Is Observed Around the Globe
From Armenia to Zambia, thousands of activists turned out to sing in mighty cathedrals, light candles in city squares and march and hold dance-athons on World AIDS Day.
FDA Panel OKs Childhood Leukemia Drug
Federal health advisers on Wednesday recommended approval of the first new cancer drug in the past decade specifically aimed at treating the most common childhood leukemia.
Consumer Reports Will Rate Drugs
Consumer Reports will begin comparing the effectiveness and cost of a few types of widely used prescription drugs, giving consumers the same type of analysis now provided on such items as refrigerators and cars.
U.S. Urged to Help Women With AIDS
Health experts urged the Bush administration on Wednesday to move beyond the ABCs of global AIDS prevention — abstinence, being faithful and using condoms — and help women who are infected through factors beyond their control.
Merck Sued by New York Fund Over Vioxx
The New York state comptroller sued Merck & Co., claiming the drug maker hid certain risks associated with the painkiller Vioxx.
Surgery Performed Aboard 'Air Hospital'
Doctors on a turbulence-free flight performed surgery 19,000 feet above the jungles of Colombia on the inaugural outing of the military's "Air Hospital," the country's new effort to save the lives of troops wounded in its war against Marxist insurgents.
Surface Brain Stimulation May Ease Parkinson's Symptoms
Movement problems caused by Parkinson's disease can be eased through electronic stimulation of the brain surface, says a study in the Dec. 2 issue of Neuron.
Cheap Test Can Close Colorectal Screening Gap
Some 42 million Americans who should be screened for colorectal cancer are not.
Magnesium Maintains Memory
Along with its many other functions in the body, magnesium may also help maintain learning and memory in middle age and beyond, according to a study in the Dec. 2 issue of Neuron.
Green Tea Seems to Stem Spread of Prostate Cancer
Green tea appears to inhibit the spread of prostate cancer in a number of ways, says a study in the Dec. 1 issue of Cancer Research.
Some Breast Cancer Screens Better Than Others
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) helps radiologists identify breast tumors missed by mammography, says a study presented Dec. 1 at the Radiological Society of North America annual meeting in Chicago.
Iodine Treatments Can Set Off Security Alarms
People who have had iodine treatment for thyroid disorders can trigger homeland-security alarms for up to three months following their therapy, new research shows.
Patients Can Self-Treat Atrial Fibrillation
A "pill-in-the-pocket" self-treatment program can reduce emergency room visits and hospitalizations by nearly 90 percent for people with the heartbeat abnormality called atrial fibrillation, a new study says.
Single Egg Implants Reduce Chances of Multiple Births
A modified strategy of in vitro fertilization (IVF) cut the rate of multiple births in younger women while keeping the rate of live births almost the same.
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Health Headlines - December 1
World Kicks Off AIDS Day, China Gets Tough
The world marked AIDS Day on Wednesday, promising to eradicate ignorance and prejudice about a disease that was at first dismissed by many as a Western evil confined to drug users, homosexuals and prostitutes.
Dirty Teeth Can Kill You, U.S. Study Shows
Germs found in dental plaque can make their way into the lungs and cause potentially fatal pneumonia in elderly nursing home patients, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.
FDA Reviewers Mixed Over Two New Cancer Drugs
U.S. FDA staff reviewers on Tuesday said data on a new non-Hodgkin's lymphoma drug made by Inex Pharmaceuticals Corp. and Enzon Pharmaceuticals Inc. may be unreliable due to the trial's structure and size.
Asthma in UK Children Quadrupled Since 70s
Asthma rates among UK children have quadrupled since the 1970s and more than doubled in the past decade, according to a study published on Wednesday.
Device Useful for Excessive Menstrual Bleeding
A tiny device that is placed inside the uterus and releases the hormone levonorgestrel is an effective treatment for excessive menstrual bleeding, a problem called menorrhagia, new research shows.
Muscle Training Often Useful for Leaky Bladder
About half of women with stress urinary incontinence, a type of urine leakage that occurs with actions like coughing or laughing, benefit from training designed to strengthen the bladder muscles, according to a new study.
Job Exposure to Pesticide Linked to Lung Cancer
Workers exposed to the pesticide chlorpyrifos may have an elevated risk of lung cancer, U.S. government researchers reported Tuesday.
Immune Drugs Useful for Psoriasis
New research shows that tacrolimus ointment and pimecrolimus cream, which suppress the immune system, are effective treatments for intertriginous psoriasis, a form of the scaly skin disease affecting body regions where skin rubs against skin.
Friday the 13th Not Bad Omen for Drivers
Drivers are no more likely to have traffic injuries on Fridays that fall on the 13th day of the month than on other Fridays, new study findings report.
Rocket Fuel Chemical Found in Organic Milk
The government has found traces of a rocket fuel chemical in organic milk in Maryland, green leaf lettuce grown in Arizona and bottled spring water from Texas and California.
Vaccine Against Ricin to Be Tested
Texas researchers will begin clinical trials of an experimental vaccine against the deadly toxin ricin, a biological agent that can be tested only in select labs.
Groups Says Condom Limits Sap AIDS Fight
Criticism of condoms and restrictions on access to them are undercutting the fight against HIV/AIDS in countries ranging from Nigeria to Peru to the United States, Human Rights Watch said in a report Tuesday.
Chinese President on TV With AIDS Patients
Chinese President Hu Jintao was shown on state television Tuesday smiling and shaking hands with AIDS patients, a first for China and signaling a new level of official recognition of the threat the virus poses to the world's most populous country.
Schools Will Reward Kids Who Eat Right
If a healthy heart and smaller waistline aren't incentive enough for kids to eat healthy foods, maybe a bracelet or key chain will do the trick.
Celebrex Benefits From Vioxx Withdrawal
Pfizer's Celebrex gained a majority of sales for new-generation painkillers in the month after Merck & Co. yanked Vioxx due to safety concerns, according to IMS Health, a pharmaceutical information company.
Race Not a Factor in Cancer Drug Risk
Women who take tamoxifen to combat breast cancer have about the same benefits and risks whether they are black or white, according to a study on the effects of the cancer drug.
Vaccine for Food Poisoning Possible
Washington University researchers are the first to grow a common cause of diarrhea, vomiting and other stomach problems in a lab, a move that a North Carolina expert said could speed along development of a vaccine, the university said Monday.
Gleevec Shows Promise Against Kaposi's Sarcoma
The drug Gleevec (imatinib) has shown promising activity in AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma, says a small study in the Nov. 30 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Scans May Spot Bipolar Disorder
Imaging technology called magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy may make it easier for psychiatrists to diagnose people with bipolar disorder.
Health Tip: Gotta Have Your Coffee?
If you missed your morning coffee and now you have a headache and can't concentrate, you might be going through caffeine withdrawal.
Elderly Better Off With Underactive Thyroid
Very old people with underactive thyroid glands do not experience adverse effects and may even live longer than people of the same age with normally functioning thyroids, Dutch researchers say.
The world marked AIDS Day on Wednesday, promising to eradicate ignorance and prejudice about a disease that was at first dismissed by many as a Western evil confined to drug users, homosexuals and prostitutes.
Dirty Teeth Can Kill You, U.S. Study Shows
Germs found in dental plaque can make their way into the lungs and cause potentially fatal pneumonia in elderly nursing home patients, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.
FDA Reviewers Mixed Over Two New Cancer Drugs
U.S. FDA staff reviewers on Tuesday said data on a new non-Hodgkin's lymphoma drug made by Inex Pharmaceuticals Corp. and Enzon Pharmaceuticals Inc. may be unreliable due to the trial's structure and size.
Asthma in UK Children Quadrupled Since 70s
Asthma rates among UK children have quadrupled since the 1970s and more than doubled in the past decade, according to a study published on Wednesday.
Device Useful for Excessive Menstrual Bleeding
A tiny device that is placed inside the uterus and releases the hormone levonorgestrel is an effective treatment for excessive menstrual bleeding, a problem called menorrhagia, new research shows.
Muscle Training Often Useful for Leaky Bladder
About half of women with stress urinary incontinence, a type of urine leakage that occurs with actions like coughing or laughing, benefit from training designed to strengthen the bladder muscles, according to a new study.
Job Exposure to Pesticide Linked to Lung Cancer
Workers exposed to the pesticide chlorpyrifos may have an elevated risk of lung cancer, U.S. government researchers reported Tuesday.
Immune Drugs Useful for Psoriasis
New research shows that tacrolimus ointment and pimecrolimus cream, which suppress the immune system, are effective treatments for intertriginous psoriasis, a form of the scaly skin disease affecting body regions where skin rubs against skin.
Friday the 13th Not Bad Omen for Drivers
Drivers are no more likely to have traffic injuries on Fridays that fall on the 13th day of the month than on other Fridays, new study findings report.
Rocket Fuel Chemical Found in Organic Milk
The government has found traces of a rocket fuel chemical in organic milk in Maryland, green leaf lettuce grown in Arizona and bottled spring water from Texas and California.
Vaccine Against Ricin to Be Tested
Texas researchers will begin clinical trials of an experimental vaccine against the deadly toxin ricin, a biological agent that can be tested only in select labs.
Groups Says Condom Limits Sap AIDS Fight
Criticism of condoms and restrictions on access to them are undercutting the fight against HIV/AIDS in countries ranging from Nigeria to Peru to the United States, Human Rights Watch said in a report Tuesday.
Chinese President on TV With AIDS Patients
Chinese President Hu Jintao was shown on state television Tuesday smiling and shaking hands with AIDS patients, a first for China and signaling a new level of official recognition of the threat the virus poses to the world's most populous country.
Schools Will Reward Kids Who Eat Right
If a healthy heart and smaller waistline aren't incentive enough for kids to eat healthy foods, maybe a bracelet or key chain will do the trick.
Celebrex Benefits From Vioxx Withdrawal
Pfizer's Celebrex gained a majority of sales for new-generation painkillers in the month after Merck & Co. yanked Vioxx due to safety concerns, according to IMS Health, a pharmaceutical information company.
Race Not a Factor in Cancer Drug Risk
Women who take tamoxifen to combat breast cancer have about the same benefits and risks whether they are black or white, according to a study on the effects of the cancer drug.
Vaccine for Food Poisoning Possible
Washington University researchers are the first to grow a common cause of diarrhea, vomiting and other stomach problems in a lab, a move that a North Carolina expert said could speed along development of a vaccine, the university said Monday.
Gleevec Shows Promise Against Kaposi's Sarcoma
The drug Gleevec (imatinib) has shown promising activity in AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma, says a small study in the Nov. 30 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Scans May Spot Bipolar Disorder
Imaging technology called magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy may make it easier for psychiatrists to diagnose people with bipolar disorder.
Health Tip: Gotta Have Your Coffee?
If you missed your morning coffee and now you have a headache and can't concentrate, you might be going through caffeine withdrawal.
Elderly Better Off With Underactive Thyroid
Very old people with underactive thyroid glands do not experience adverse effects and may even live longer than people of the same age with normally functioning thyroids, Dutch researchers say.
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Health Headlines - November 30
Many Parents Don't See Kids Have Weight Problems
Parents of overweight and obese kids often don't realize that their children are carrying excess pounds, new research shows.
Brain Abnormality Linked to Hyperactivity Disorder
Brain scans of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder show abnormalities in the fiber pathways along which brain signals pass, scientists said.
Improved Screening Prompts Jump in Chlamydia Cases
The number of sexually transmitted chlamydia infections reported in the United States rose more than 5 percent last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
Low Testosterone Seen Common in Diabetic Men
About one third of men with type 2 diabetes show low levels of testosterone, and this is seems to be related to abnormal function of the pituitary gland -- the master regulator of hormone production -- according to a new study.
Tiny Fuel Particles Cause Heart Attacks, Group Says
Tiny air-born particles released by burning fossil fuels are reducing the average human life span across Europe and North America by eight months, a leading research body said.
New Drug Tested as Initial Lung Cancer Therapy
Scientists launched a trial on Monday to test whether a new drug works as an initial treatment against the most common form of lung cancer.
Bed Rest During Pregnancy Linked to Bone Loss
If a woman is confined to bed rest during pregnancy, there is a likelihood of significant bone loss, the results of a new study indicate.
Court Questions Possible Abuse of Pot Laws
The Supreme Court questioned whether state medical marijuana laws might be abused by people who aren't really sick as it debated whether the federal government can prosecute patients who smoke pot on doctors' orders.
Study: Stress Causes Immune Cells to Age
The immune cells of women under extreme mental stress age faster than those in women not facing such pressure, a new study reports.
Possible Botulism-Botox Link Probed
A couple who underwent Botox injections last week were hospitalized with botulism poisoning, and health officials were attempting to determine whether the injections were to blame.
Nose Spray May Slow Spread of Germs
Inhaling a salt-water aerosol, a treatment often used for asthma, may also reduce the spread of germs that can spread disease, according to a new report.
Belly Dancing Seen As a Path to Fitness
Belly dancing has emerged as a form of exercise for those who find its sultry undulations more their speed than hours of aerobics or weightlifting. As with Pilates and yoga, you do not have to be willowy to belly dance.
Gov't to Assess Antibiotic's Health Risk
The government will estimate the probability that an animal antibiotic used on farms could lead to more antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections among humans.
Vioxx E-Mail Exchange Shows Questions
Government questions about "basic data integrity" derailed publication of a report raising safety concerns about arthritis drug Vioxx on the eve of a contentious congressional hearing, according to an e-mail exchange.
CT Scans Studied in Lung Cancer Screening
Using computerized scans to screen for lung cancer can help save lives and should be part of a regular checkup for people who have a high risk for the disease, a new study says.
EU: Strict Diet Can Help Fight Diseases
EU scientists called on the elderly to improve their diet as the European Union's population grows older in an attempt to contain such debilitating problems like Alzheimer's, osteoporosis and colon cancer.
Botox Eases Pain From Breast Surgery
Pain from breast surgery can be reduced by injections of Botox, a new study by University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences researchers.
Study Finds Health Benefit in Low-Glycemic Diet
A diet rich in the type of carbohydrates that maintain a more stable blood sugar beats out a conventional low-fat diet in reducing the risk factors for heart disease and diabetes, according to a new study.
Liars Can't Hide From fMRI
Brain imaging with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) could one day prove more accurate than the polygraph in identifying people who are lying.
Scans Cite Scurvy as Cause of Settlers' Deaths
Scurvy killed nearly half of the 79 French settlers who in 1604 established a colony on Saint Croix Island in the Saint Croix River, which runs between Maine and New Brunswick, Canada.
Experts: Vaccinate Adolescents Against Whooping Cough
All adolescents and some adults should be vaccinated against whooping cough (pertussis) to prevent infection and potential transmission to infants, concludes a report by an international group of experts.
Stem Cells Offer Hope for Urinary Incontinence
Women's own bodies may hold the key to their recovery from incontinence, researchers say.
Experts Assess Lung Cancer Risk Among Smokers
The largest study of its kind has come up with hard, cold numbers that pinpoint the risk of lung cancer for smokers and former smokers.
Children With ADHD Show Brain Differences
Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have abnormal brain anatomy in addition to imbalances in brain chemistry.
Parents of overweight and obese kids often don't realize that their children are carrying excess pounds, new research shows.
Brain Abnormality Linked to Hyperactivity Disorder
Brain scans of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder show abnormalities in the fiber pathways along which brain signals pass, scientists said.
Improved Screening Prompts Jump in Chlamydia Cases
The number of sexually transmitted chlamydia infections reported in the United States rose more than 5 percent last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
Low Testosterone Seen Common in Diabetic Men
About one third of men with type 2 diabetes show low levels of testosterone, and this is seems to be related to abnormal function of the pituitary gland -- the master regulator of hormone production -- according to a new study.
Tiny Fuel Particles Cause Heart Attacks, Group Says
Tiny air-born particles released by burning fossil fuels are reducing the average human life span across Europe and North America by eight months, a leading research body said.
New Drug Tested as Initial Lung Cancer Therapy
Scientists launched a trial on Monday to test whether a new drug works as an initial treatment against the most common form of lung cancer.
Bed Rest During Pregnancy Linked to Bone Loss
If a woman is confined to bed rest during pregnancy, there is a likelihood of significant bone loss, the results of a new study indicate.
Court Questions Possible Abuse of Pot Laws
The Supreme Court questioned whether state medical marijuana laws might be abused by people who aren't really sick as it debated whether the federal government can prosecute patients who smoke pot on doctors' orders.
Study: Stress Causes Immune Cells to Age
The immune cells of women under extreme mental stress age faster than those in women not facing such pressure, a new study reports.
Possible Botulism-Botox Link Probed
A couple who underwent Botox injections last week were hospitalized with botulism poisoning, and health officials were attempting to determine whether the injections were to blame.
Nose Spray May Slow Spread of Germs
Inhaling a salt-water aerosol, a treatment often used for asthma, may also reduce the spread of germs that can spread disease, according to a new report.
Belly Dancing Seen As a Path to Fitness
Belly dancing has emerged as a form of exercise for those who find its sultry undulations more their speed than hours of aerobics or weightlifting. As with Pilates and yoga, you do not have to be willowy to belly dance.
Gov't to Assess Antibiotic's Health Risk
The government will estimate the probability that an animal antibiotic used on farms could lead to more antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections among humans.
Vioxx E-Mail Exchange Shows Questions
Government questions about "basic data integrity" derailed publication of a report raising safety concerns about arthritis drug Vioxx on the eve of a contentious congressional hearing, according to an e-mail exchange.
CT Scans Studied in Lung Cancer Screening
Using computerized scans to screen for lung cancer can help save lives and should be part of a regular checkup for people who have a high risk for the disease, a new study says.
EU: Strict Diet Can Help Fight Diseases
EU scientists called on the elderly to improve their diet as the European Union's population grows older in an attempt to contain such debilitating problems like Alzheimer's, osteoporosis and colon cancer.
Botox Eases Pain From Breast Surgery
Pain from breast surgery can be reduced by injections of Botox, a new study by University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences researchers.
Study Finds Health Benefit in Low-Glycemic Diet
A diet rich in the type of carbohydrates that maintain a more stable blood sugar beats out a conventional low-fat diet in reducing the risk factors for heart disease and diabetes, according to a new study.
Liars Can't Hide From fMRI
Brain imaging with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) could one day prove more accurate than the polygraph in identifying people who are lying.
Scans Cite Scurvy as Cause of Settlers' Deaths
Scurvy killed nearly half of the 79 French settlers who in 1604 established a colony on Saint Croix Island in the Saint Croix River, which runs between Maine and New Brunswick, Canada.
Experts: Vaccinate Adolescents Against Whooping Cough
All adolescents and some adults should be vaccinated against whooping cough (pertussis) to prevent infection and potential transmission to infants, concludes a report by an international group of experts.
Stem Cells Offer Hope for Urinary Incontinence
Women's own bodies may hold the key to their recovery from incontinence, researchers say.
Experts Assess Lung Cancer Risk Among Smokers
The largest study of its kind has come up with hard, cold numbers that pinpoint the risk of lung cancer for smokers and former smokers.
Children With ADHD Show Brain Differences
Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have abnormal brain anatomy in addition to imbalances in brain chemistry.
Monday, November 29, 2004
Health Headlines - November 29
HK May Restrict Bird Slaughter to Combat Flu
Hong Kong said on Monday it may ban shopkeepers slaughtering poultry after world health experts issued strong warnings that the deadly bird flu virus may trigger the next pandemic.
Swiss Voters Endorse Limits on Stem Cell Research
Swiss voters endorsed restrictive legislation on stem cell research Sunday that forbids the cloning of human embryos and put Switzerland on a par with some other continental European countries.
EU Food Safety Agency Attacked for Pro-GMO Bias
An environmental group accused Europe's top food safety agency on Monday of repeated bias in favor of genetically modified (GMO) foods and links with the biotech industry.
Magnetism, Electricity May Treat Strokes
Mickey Poduje, 50, had been out all day with her husband Noel on their 32-foot motorboat off the Massachusetts coast. When they returned to the dock, she climbed out to do her usual job of securing the lines. Then she collapsed. It was a stroke. A blood vessel had burst in her brain, paralyzing her right side and leaving her mute at first. At the rehabilitation hospital she just mostly said "when ... when ... when" over and over again.
Six months later, Mickey could say a few individual words, but doctors said her speech wouldn't get much better. "People were saying, what you see is what you get," Noel recalled.
They were wrong. Six years after that horrible day at the dock in 1996, Mickey Poduje (pronounced "poh-DOO-yay") entered a Boston laboratory and had a metal device the shape of a figure-8 pressed to her right temple. It sent magnetic pulses into her brain. And the result, published just this year, is that her speech did improve slightly.
It's one of a handful of recent experiments in stroke patients that sound like the fantastic promises of an old traveling medicine show. Improving speech by zapping the brain with magnetism? Making weakened limbs work better by putting coils on the head and releasing current so weak it could come from a battery?
Those ideas have spurred interest in a handful of laboratories in the United States and abroad. The few preliminary results produced so far are not cures. They are more intriguing than life-changing. But scientists hope that with further refinement, the techniques could provide new tools for treating strokes, which attack some 700,000 Americans a year.
Take the magnetic approach, called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation or rTMS, which involves sending tightly focused magnetic pulses into the brain.
"A lot of us believe that this is really going to be a turning point in intervention in neuroscience," said Dr. Randall Benson of Wayne State University and the Detroit Medical Center.
While doctors have already shown that implanting electrodes in the brain to deliver stimulation can help control tremors, he said, rTMS offers a way to stimulate brain circuits without surgery.
Benson is just starting a study of using the magnetic stimulation to improve stroke-related language impairment, but in a different way from the approach tested with Mickey Poduje. British researchers, meanwhile, are beginning studies to see whether it can help stroke patients overcome problems with swallowing or using a weakened and clumsy hand.
Mickey Poduje's problem, called nonfluent aphasia, shows up to some extent in more than a third of stroke patients, though most recover to some degree. Their speech is hesitant, broken up and poorly articulated. They have trouble coming up with words they want to say, especially verbs. So they often have trouble communicating their needs.
"They almost talk like a telegram," said Margaret Naeser of the Boston University neurology department and the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System in Boston, principal investigator of the federally funded rTMS research project that included Poduje.
She thought of trying magnetic stimulation because MRI brain scans showed that in aphasia patients with a stroke in the left side of the brain, an area on the right side became over-active when the patients tried to describe a picture. Could this be interfering with the brain's attempts to find a word? She approached Dr. Alvaro Pascual-Leone, an rTMS expert at Harvard Medical School, because she knew magnetic stimulation can paradoxically be used to calm brain circuits. They launched a study together.
Poduje was one of four patients in the study, all of whom had suffered a stroke at least five years earlier. Researchers focused on their ability to look at drawings of common things like a hammer, cup or a tree, and say what they were seeing.
For the experimental treatment, the researchers pressed an electromagnetic coil to the right temples of their patients, near the over-active brain area, and applied magnetic pulses for 20 minutes, five days a week, for two weeks.
That brought surprisingly durable results. Poduje, for example, went from being able to name what she was seeing in only four out of 20 drawings before the experiment to seven by two months later, and 12 by eight months afterward.
As a group, the four patients showed significant continuing improvement two months and even eight months after the magnetic treatments ended. The patients told the researchers they noticed it was easier to name the pictures. They also showed improvement in their spontaneous speech after the treatments.
Poduje, now 59, said in a brief telephone interview recently at her home in Needham Heights, Mass., that the treatment helped her. Asked if it was easier to remember words, she replied, "little."
She improved enough after the experiment to become eligible for a speech therapy program that focused on improving speech output.
Noel Poduje accepts the laboratory documentation that his wife got better, but says Mickey's speech had been improving anyway, and that he didn't notice any dramatic effect in her everyday speech from the magnetic stimulation itself.
He never saw the experiment as anything more than research that might help somebody down the road, he said. Poduje said that while his wife's speech continues to improve, it remains markedly impaired. She says single words or strings a noun and a verb together, he said.
The continued improvement shown by patients on the picture-naming tests even eight months after the treatments was a surprise, Pascual-Leone said.
It "suggests we are opening up the possibility for the brain to establish and implement a new strategy to gain access to language," he said. He suspects the brain-circuitry suppression brought on by the magnetic stimulation is helping the brain abandon fruitless strategies to regain its language abilities, and explore new ones.
Naeser, who is continuing the research, said she suspects rTMS would help most when paired with speech therapy, rather than used by itself as in the preliminary experiment.
"I guess we could say we're on the right track, but we haven't cured aphasia," Naeser said.
Martha Taylor Sarno, an aphasia expert and professor of rehabilitation medicine at the New York University School of Medicine, called Naeser's results fascinating. "Anything that suggests recovery is interesting because so little is out there that can provide any significant difference in performance in people with chronic aphasia," she said.
At a National Institutes of Health lab in Bethesda, Md., meanwhile, researchers have found that sending a weak electric current into the brain can make stroke patients slightly more nimble with a weakened limb.
That happened with six patients whose upper arms had been weakened by a stroke two or more years before. They practiced a series of simple tasks — things like turning over cards, picking up beans with a spoon and stacking checkers — until they were doing them as fast as possible.
Then researchers put one electrode on their foreheads and another on top of their heads, and either ran a weak current between the electrodes or merely pretended to for 20 minutes. The study participants repeated the series of tasks, both during the stimulation and afterwards.
When subjected to real current, or within about 25 minutes of getting real current, every patient completed the tasks slightly faster than at other times. They shaved an average of about four seconds off a performance that normally took about 44 seconds.
That's not much, concedes Dr. Leonardo Cohen, who did the work with colleague Dr. Friedhelm Hummel. But it resulted from just a single treatment, not combined with any kind of training regimen, in patients who had suffered their strokes long before, Cohen said.
He said he expects that if such treatments are given repeatedly, paired with training in people just after their strokes, "we will be able to go much further."
It's not clear why the weak current helped the stroke patients perform, he said. But it appears to prime the part of the brain that's going to be called on, like giving it "a little bit of a cup of coffee," he said.
In any case, Cohen's lab has started working with a rehabilitation hospital to see if the brain stimulation can help when paired with standard treatments just after a stroke.
"I want to see it working in the regular rehabilitation environment," Cohen said. "If it does there, then we may have something important in hand."
'Stroller Strides' Offer Workout for Moms
At first, Julia DeCredico pushed her triplets in a stroller to help calm them down when fussy. Now she takes 22-month-old Claudia, Joseph and Davis on morning strolls regardless of their moods. That's because it's mom's time to exercise.
Hong Kong said on Monday it may ban shopkeepers slaughtering poultry after world health experts issued strong warnings that the deadly bird flu virus may trigger the next pandemic.
Swiss Voters Endorse Limits on Stem Cell Research
Swiss voters endorsed restrictive legislation on stem cell research Sunday that forbids the cloning of human embryos and put Switzerland on a par with some other continental European countries.
EU Food Safety Agency Attacked for Pro-GMO Bias
An environmental group accused Europe's top food safety agency on Monday of repeated bias in favor of genetically modified (GMO) foods and links with the biotech industry.
Magnetism, Electricity May Treat Strokes
Mickey Poduje, 50, had been out all day with her husband Noel on their 32-foot motorboat off the Massachusetts coast. When they returned to the dock, she climbed out to do her usual job of securing the lines. Then she collapsed. It was a stroke. A blood vessel had burst in her brain, paralyzing her right side and leaving her mute at first. At the rehabilitation hospital she just mostly said "when ... when ... when" over and over again.
Six months later, Mickey could say a few individual words, but doctors said her speech wouldn't get much better. "People were saying, what you see is what you get," Noel recalled.
They were wrong. Six years after that horrible day at the dock in 1996, Mickey Poduje (pronounced "poh-DOO-yay") entered a Boston laboratory and had a metal device the shape of a figure-8 pressed to her right temple. It sent magnetic pulses into her brain. And the result, published just this year, is that her speech did improve slightly.
It's one of a handful of recent experiments in stroke patients that sound like the fantastic promises of an old traveling medicine show. Improving speech by zapping the brain with magnetism? Making weakened limbs work better by putting coils on the head and releasing current so weak it could come from a battery?
Those ideas have spurred interest in a handful of laboratories in the United States and abroad. The few preliminary results produced so far are not cures. They are more intriguing than life-changing. But scientists hope that with further refinement, the techniques could provide new tools for treating strokes, which attack some 700,000 Americans a year.
Take the magnetic approach, called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation or rTMS, which involves sending tightly focused magnetic pulses into the brain.
"A lot of us believe that this is really going to be a turning point in intervention in neuroscience," said Dr. Randall Benson of Wayne State University and the Detroit Medical Center.
While doctors have already shown that implanting electrodes in the brain to deliver stimulation can help control tremors, he said, rTMS offers a way to stimulate brain circuits without surgery.
Benson is just starting a study of using the magnetic stimulation to improve stroke-related language impairment, but in a different way from the approach tested with Mickey Poduje. British researchers, meanwhile, are beginning studies to see whether it can help stroke patients overcome problems with swallowing or using a weakened and clumsy hand.
Mickey Poduje's problem, called nonfluent aphasia, shows up to some extent in more than a third of stroke patients, though most recover to some degree. Their speech is hesitant, broken up and poorly articulated. They have trouble coming up with words they want to say, especially verbs. So they often have trouble communicating their needs.
"They almost talk like a telegram," said Margaret Naeser of the Boston University neurology department and the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System in Boston, principal investigator of the federally funded rTMS research project that included Poduje.
She thought of trying magnetic stimulation because MRI brain scans showed that in aphasia patients with a stroke in the left side of the brain, an area on the right side became over-active when the patients tried to describe a picture. Could this be interfering with the brain's attempts to find a word? She approached Dr. Alvaro Pascual-Leone, an rTMS expert at Harvard Medical School, because she knew magnetic stimulation can paradoxically be used to calm brain circuits. They launched a study together.
Poduje was one of four patients in the study, all of whom had suffered a stroke at least five years earlier. Researchers focused on their ability to look at drawings of common things like a hammer, cup or a tree, and say what they were seeing.
For the experimental treatment, the researchers pressed an electromagnetic coil to the right temples of their patients, near the over-active brain area, and applied magnetic pulses for 20 minutes, five days a week, for two weeks.
That brought surprisingly durable results. Poduje, for example, went from being able to name what she was seeing in only four out of 20 drawings before the experiment to seven by two months later, and 12 by eight months afterward.
As a group, the four patients showed significant continuing improvement two months and even eight months after the magnetic treatments ended. The patients told the researchers they noticed it was easier to name the pictures. They also showed improvement in their spontaneous speech after the treatments.
Poduje, now 59, said in a brief telephone interview recently at her home in Needham Heights, Mass., that the treatment helped her. Asked if it was easier to remember words, she replied, "little."
She improved enough after the experiment to become eligible for a speech therapy program that focused on improving speech output.
Noel Poduje accepts the laboratory documentation that his wife got better, but says Mickey's speech had been improving anyway, and that he didn't notice any dramatic effect in her everyday speech from the magnetic stimulation itself.
He never saw the experiment as anything more than research that might help somebody down the road, he said. Poduje said that while his wife's speech continues to improve, it remains markedly impaired. She says single words or strings a noun and a verb together, he said.
The continued improvement shown by patients on the picture-naming tests even eight months after the treatments was a surprise, Pascual-Leone said.
It "suggests we are opening up the possibility for the brain to establish and implement a new strategy to gain access to language," he said. He suspects the brain-circuitry suppression brought on by the magnetic stimulation is helping the brain abandon fruitless strategies to regain its language abilities, and explore new ones.
Naeser, who is continuing the research, said she suspects rTMS would help most when paired with speech therapy, rather than used by itself as in the preliminary experiment.
"I guess we could say we're on the right track, but we haven't cured aphasia," Naeser said.
Martha Taylor Sarno, an aphasia expert and professor of rehabilitation medicine at the New York University School of Medicine, called Naeser's results fascinating. "Anything that suggests recovery is interesting because so little is out there that can provide any significant difference in performance in people with chronic aphasia," she said.
At a National Institutes of Health lab in Bethesda, Md., meanwhile, researchers have found that sending a weak electric current into the brain can make stroke patients slightly more nimble with a weakened limb.
That happened with six patients whose upper arms had been weakened by a stroke two or more years before. They practiced a series of simple tasks — things like turning over cards, picking up beans with a spoon and stacking checkers — until they were doing them as fast as possible.
Then researchers put one electrode on their foreheads and another on top of their heads, and either ran a weak current between the electrodes or merely pretended to for 20 minutes. The study participants repeated the series of tasks, both during the stimulation and afterwards.
When subjected to real current, or within about 25 minutes of getting real current, every patient completed the tasks slightly faster than at other times. They shaved an average of about four seconds off a performance that normally took about 44 seconds.
That's not much, concedes Dr. Leonardo Cohen, who did the work with colleague Dr. Friedhelm Hummel. But it resulted from just a single treatment, not combined with any kind of training regimen, in patients who had suffered their strokes long before, Cohen said.
He said he expects that if such treatments are given repeatedly, paired with training in people just after their strokes, "we will be able to go much further."
It's not clear why the weak current helped the stroke patients perform, he said. But it appears to prime the part of the brain that's going to be called on, like giving it "a little bit of a cup of coffee," he said.
In any case, Cohen's lab has started working with a rehabilitation hospital to see if the brain stimulation can help when paired with standard treatments just after a stroke.
"I want to see it working in the regular rehabilitation environment," Cohen said. "If it does there, then we may have something important in hand."
'Stroller Strides' Offer Workout for Moms
At first, Julia DeCredico pushed her triplets in a stroller to help calm them down when fussy. Now she takes 22-month-old Claudia, Joseph and Davis on morning strolls regardless of their moods. That's because it's mom's time to exercise.
Sunday, November 28, 2004
Health Headlines - November 28
Singapore Intensifies Battle Against AIDS
Singapore, facing a rise in AIDS cases, is considering making it compulsory for pregnant women to be screened for HIV/AIDS, an official said.
N.Y. Creates Site on Obesity, Insurance
The state of New York is responding to complaints from citizens about the complexity of health insurance coverage for obesity treatment by releasing an online consumer guide.
Breathing Easier Through the Holidays
Even though it's the Christmas season, people with allergies and asthma can't take a holiday from keeping symptoms under control, say experts at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).
"With hectic schedules and constant traveling around the holidays, it's easy to forget to take proper care when dealing with allergies and asthma. Remembering to take medication and avoid potential triggers is necessary to keep symptoms under control," Dr. Wanda Phipatanakul, vice chair of the AAAAI's Indoor Allergen Committee, said in a prepared statement.
The AAAAI offers the following advice on remaining reaction-free over the holidays:
Before you decorate a live Christmas tree, let it dry out in the garage or enclosed porch. Some tree retailers have a shaking machine that will physically remove some allergens from trees.
If you have an artificial tree, clean it before you decorate it in order to remove any dust or mold it may have collected while in storage.
Wash fabric decorations in hot, soapy water before you put them on display.
Use plastic, metal or glass decorations that can't trap dust mites.
Be sure to follow directions when you spray artificial snow on windows or other surfaces. The sprays can irritate your lungs if you inhale them.
When you go to holiday parties, inform your hosts about your food allergies and ask about the ingredients used to make the meal and snacks.
Carry self-injectable epinephrine in case you eat a food to which you're allergic. Remember that homemade food can be contaminated with trace amounts of allergenic foods through contact with utensils, storage containers and baking sheets.
If you're going to a home that has pets, take medication before you arrive.
Watch out for holiday stress, which can trigger an asthma attack.
Ask friends and relatives not to burn wood in fireplaces. The wood smoke can trigger an asthma attack.
Beware Complications Linked to Diabetes
As a diabetes educator, Mary Austin sometimes counsels diabetic patients who are acutely aware of how the disease, over time, can ravage the human body, from the eyes down to the feet.
"If any family member or close friend had diabetes, somehow the horror stories come out," said Austin, president of the American Association of Diabetes Educators, whose members teach patients to manage their diabetes on a daily basis.
Others, though, are terribly uninformed about the risks, as Austin, a former renal dietician, has witnessed. "I can count the times that I had patients say over and over, 'I had no idea that the diabetes could cause my kidneys to fail like this,'" she recalled.
Exacerbated by the nation's obesity epidemic, diabetes is now the sixth-leading cause of death in United States and is rapidly becoming a public health nightmare. The number of U.S. adults who've been diagnosed with diabetes, including pregnant women with gestational diabetes, has increased 61 percent since 1991 and is projected to more than double by 2050, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Of the 18.2 million Americans who currently suffer from diabetes, 5.2 million don't even know they have it, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports. Almost all of the undiagnosed cases are people who suffer from type 2 diabetes, a condition in which the body fails to use insulin properly. And, increasingly, it's afflicting people at younger and younger ages -- even children and teens.
Type 2 diabetes usually can be controlled through diet and exercise, but sometimes people require medication or insulin. With type 1 diabetes, which is far less common, the pancreas no longer makes insulin, so patients must inject insulin or use an insulin pump.
When people don't manage their diabetes, glucose and fats remain in the blood, eventually damaging vital organs, according to the CDC's National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. The condition can lead to terrible complications:
Heart disease and stroke cause about 65 percent of deaths among people with diabetes.
About 42,813 people with diabetes develop kidney failure each year, and more than 100,000 are treated for this condition.
Some 82,000 people have diabetes-related leg, foot or toe amputations each year.
Between 12,000 and 24,000 people become blind because of diabetic eye disease.
About 18,000 women with pre-existing diabetes and another 135,000 women with gestational diabetes who give birth each year face serious complications such as stillbirth, congenital malformations and the need for a Caesarean section.
About 10,000 to 30,000 people with diabetes die of complications from flu or pneumonia each year.
"This is the kind of disease where vigilance is demanded," said Andrew J. Karter, a research scientist with Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, Calif., who has studied the relationship between genetics and risk for diabetic complications.
Karter's study, published in 2002 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found no one racial group is more affected by diabetic complications than another. Whites had the greatest risk of heart attack as a diabetes-related complication, while other groups were more likely to suffer from end-stage renal disease.
Genetics likely play a role in the development of complications, but non-genetic factors such as health behaviors and quality health care are also clearly important, Karter said. "So regardless of their genetic makeup, patients with diabetes who carefully manage their health can reduce the risk of long-term complications," he said.
Diabetes patients could learn a lot about how to avoid serious complications by meeting with a diabetes educator for self-management training, Austin said. Medicare, in fact, covers up to 10 hours of initial training in a year, and two hours of follow-up training each subsequent year, according to the National Diabetes Education Program. Patients only need a referral from their physician or a qualified health practitioner who is treating the beneficiary for diabetes.
Yet few Americans who suffer from this chronic condition are getting the benefit of such services. "They're not getting referred for it," Austin said.
According to Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, a Texas Republican and co-sponsor of a bill that would allow certified diabetes educators to authorize self-management services, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimates that only 30 percent of beneficiaries are using the benefit.
Keeping diabetes in control can require difficult lifestyle changes, and that's why having an advocate can help. "You don't have to have diabetes on your own," Austin said she tells patients.
Even people who don't have access to a diabetes educator can help themselves. For starters, the National Institutes of Health and the American Diabetes Association advise people to know the "ABCs" of diabetes:
"A" stands for hemoglobin A1c, a test that measures a person's average blood glucose during the past three months. The goal is an A1c below seven, which equates to an average blood glucose of 150.
"B" is for blood pressure. It's best to keep it below 130 over 80.
"C" is for cholesterol. Keep low-density lipoprotein, the "bad" kind of cholesterol that can clog your arteries, below 100.
Singapore, facing a rise in AIDS cases, is considering making it compulsory for pregnant women to be screened for HIV/AIDS, an official said.
N.Y. Creates Site on Obesity, Insurance
The state of New York is responding to complaints from citizens about the complexity of health insurance coverage for obesity treatment by releasing an online consumer guide.
Breathing Easier Through the Holidays
Even though it's the Christmas season, people with allergies and asthma can't take a holiday from keeping symptoms under control, say experts at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).
"With hectic schedules and constant traveling around the holidays, it's easy to forget to take proper care when dealing with allergies and asthma. Remembering to take medication and avoid potential triggers is necessary to keep symptoms under control," Dr. Wanda Phipatanakul, vice chair of the AAAAI's Indoor Allergen Committee, said in a prepared statement.
The AAAAI offers the following advice on remaining reaction-free over the holidays:
Before you decorate a live Christmas tree, let it dry out in the garage or enclosed porch. Some tree retailers have a shaking machine that will physically remove some allergens from trees.
If you have an artificial tree, clean it before you decorate it in order to remove any dust or mold it may have collected while in storage.
Wash fabric decorations in hot, soapy water before you put them on display.
Use plastic, metal or glass decorations that can't trap dust mites.
Be sure to follow directions when you spray artificial snow on windows or other surfaces. The sprays can irritate your lungs if you inhale them.
When you go to holiday parties, inform your hosts about your food allergies and ask about the ingredients used to make the meal and snacks.
Carry self-injectable epinephrine in case you eat a food to which you're allergic. Remember that homemade food can be contaminated with trace amounts of allergenic foods through contact with utensils, storage containers and baking sheets.
If you're going to a home that has pets, take medication before you arrive.
Watch out for holiday stress, which can trigger an asthma attack.
Ask friends and relatives not to burn wood in fireplaces. The wood smoke can trigger an asthma attack.
Beware Complications Linked to Diabetes
As a diabetes educator, Mary Austin sometimes counsels diabetic patients who are acutely aware of how the disease, over time, can ravage the human body, from the eyes down to the feet.
"If any family member or close friend had diabetes, somehow the horror stories come out," said Austin, president of the American Association of Diabetes Educators, whose members teach patients to manage their diabetes on a daily basis.
Others, though, are terribly uninformed about the risks, as Austin, a former renal dietician, has witnessed. "I can count the times that I had patients say over and over, 'I had no idea that the diabetes could cause my kidneys to fail like this,'" she recalled.
Exacerbated by the nation's obesity epidemic, diabetes is now the sixth-leading cause of death in United States and is rapidly becoming a public health nightmare. The number of U.S. adults who've been diagnosed with diabetes, including pregnant women with gestational diabetes, has increased 61 percent since 1991 and is projected to more than double by 2050, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Of the 18.2 million Americans who currently suffer from diabetes, 5.2 million don't even know they have it, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports. Almost all of the undiagnosed cases are people who suffer from type 2 diabetes, a condition in which the body fails to use insulin properly. And, increasingly, it's afflicting people at younger and younger ages -- even children and teens.
Type 2 diabetes usually can be controlled through diet and exercise, but sometimes people require medication or insulin. With type 1 diabetes, which is far less common, the pancreas no longer makes insulin, so patients must inject insulin or use an insulin pump.
When people don't manage their diabetes, glucose and fats remain in the blood, eventually damaging vital organs, according to the CDC's National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. The condition can lead to terrible complications:
Heart disease and stroke cause about 65 percent of deaths among people with diabetes.
About 42,813 people with diabetes develop kidney failure each year, and more than 100,000 are treated for this condition.
Some 82,000 people have diabetes-related leg, foot or toe amputations each year.
Between 12,000 and 24,000 people become blind because of diabetic eye disease.
About 18,000 women with pre-existing diabetes and another 135,000 women with gestational diabetes who give birth each year face serious complications such as stillbirth, congenital malformations and the need for a Caesarean section.
About 10,000 to 30,000 people with diabetes die of complications from flu or pneumonia each year.
"This is the kind of disease where vigilance is demanded," said Andrew J. Karter, a research scientist with Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, Calif., who has studied the relationship between genetics and risk for diabetic complications.
Karter's study, published in 2002 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found no one racial group is more affected by diabetic complications than another. Whites had the greatest risk of heart attack as a diabetes-related complication, while other groups were more likely to suffer from end-stage renal disease.
Genetics likely play a role in the development of complications, but non-genetic factors such as health behaviors and quality health care are also clearly important, Karter said. "So regardless of their genetic makeup, patients with diabetes who carefully manage their health can reduce the risk of long-term complications," he said.
Diabetes patients could learn a lot about how to avoid serious complications by meeting with a diabetes educator for self-management training, Austin said. Medicare, in fact, covers up to 10 hours of initial training in a year, and two hours of follow-up training each subsequent year, according to the National Diabetes Education Program. Patients only need a referral from their physician or a qualified health practitioner who is treating the beneficiary for diabetes.
Yet few Americans who suffer from this chronic condition are getting the benefit of such services. "They're not getting referred for it," Austin said.
According to Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, a Texas Republican and co-sponsor of a bill that would allow certified diabetes educators to authorize self-management services, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimates that only 30 percent of beneficiaries are using the benefit.
Keeping diabetes in control can require difficult lifestyle changes, and that's why having an advocate can help. "You don't have to have diabetes on your own," Austin said she tells patients.
Even people who don't have access to a diabetes educator can help themselves. For starters, the National Institutes of Health and the American Diabetes Association advise people to know the "ABCs" of diabetes:
"A" stands for hemoglobin A1c, a test that measures a person's average blood glucose during the past three months. The goal is an A1c below seven, which equates to an average blood glucose of 150.
"B" is for blood pressure. It's best to keep it below 130 over 80.
"C" is for cholesterol. Keep low-density lipoprotein, the "bad" kind of cholesterol that can clog your arteries, below 100.
Saturday, November 27, 2004
Health Headlines - November 27
'Mini Stroke' Carries Significant Health Risk
Transient ischemic attacks (TIA), short episodes of decreased blood flow to the brain, carry a "not so benign" prognosis, according to a new report in the journal Stroke.
New Laser Therapy Can Easily Remove Acne Scars
A few sessions of a new type of laser treatment appears to smooth out acne scarring with a relatively short recovery time, according to the results of a new study.
Chest Pain Not from Heart? Check Again, Docs Urged
People who go to the emergency room with chest pain and are told that it is not caused by a heart attack or angina might want to get a second opinion.
Prostate Cancer Treatment Can Affect Thyroid
Tiny "seeds" containing radioactive iodine are often implanted in the prostate gland to treat cancer. Now, findings from a case report indicate that these seeds can break open and release the iodine, which is then absorbed by the thyroid gland.
Work Demands May Influence Dementia Risk
Highly challenging jobs with opportunities for responsibility may be good for your resume and your health. New study findings suggest that people with these types of jobs may be less likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia.
Avandia Linked with Severe Lipid Abnormalities
On rare occasions, treatment with rosiglitazone (Avandia) may cause a profound decrease in high-density lipoprotein (HDL, the "good" cholesterol) and an increase in fasting triglycerides, researchers in the UK warn in the journal Diabetes Care.
Protective Role of Human Milk for Preemies Unclear
Currently available research findings do not provide conclusive evidence that feeding very low birth weight (VLBW) premature babies human milk offers significant protection against infection.
FDA Reviews When Bayer Revealed Drug Risks
In a move that could lead to a criminal investigation, the government is checking its records to determine if drug maker Bayer AG was forthcoming about safety concerns with its cholesterol-lowering Baycol drug.
WHO: Bird Flu Could Cause Next Pandemic
After almost a year of trying to bring Asia's bird flu under control, World Health Organization experts are now warning the disease is the most likely candidate to cause the world's next pandemic, with the possibility of as many as 7 million deaths.
Beware Diabetes-Related Complications
As a diabetes educator, Mary Austin sometimes counsels diabetic patients who are acutely aware of how the disease, over time, can ravage the human body, from the eyes down to the feet.
Health Tip: Better Breast Milk
If you're pregnant and planning to breast feed your baby, Boys Town Pediatrics in Omaha offers these suggestions: Eat lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole-grain breads, dairy products and protein-rich foods. Drink plenty of fluids.
Asthmatics Take Care in Cold Winter Air
It's great to be active in the winter, but exercising in cold weather can cause problems for people with asthma.
Give Colds the Cold Shoulder This Season
Holiday season is cold season, too. But experts at the Saint Louis University Health Sciences Center are offering some tips on how to avoid catching a cold: Wash your hands after every handshake.
Raising Grandkids Stresses Grandmothers
Grandmothers responsible for caring for or raising grandchildren suffer more stress and depression than grandmothers without those responsibilities.
Shopping-Related Injuries a Real Pain
Now that Thanksgiving is over, the holiday shopping season begins in earnest with its stress, pressure and even increased risk of injury, according to experts at the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).
Health Tip: Lazy Eye
Amblyopia, or lazy eye, is the most common cause of visual impairment in childhood, the U.S. National Institutes of Health says.
Stomach Cancer May Start in Bone Marrow
Stomach cancer may originate from bone marrow cells rather than stomach cells, as was previously believed.
Transient ischemic attacks (TIA), short episodes of decreased blood flow to the brain, carry a "not so benign" prognosis, according to a new report in the journal Stroke.
New Laser Therapy Can Easily Remove Acne Scars
A few sessions of a new type of laser treatment appears to smooth out acne scarring with a relatively short recovery time, according to the results of a new study.
Chest Pain Not from Heart? Check Again, Docs Urged
People who go to the emergency room with chest pain and are told that it is not caused by a heart attack or angina might want to get a second opinion.
Prostate Cancer Treatment Can Affect Thyroid
Tiny "seeds" containing radioactive iodine are often implanted in the prostate gland to treat cancer. Now, findings from a case report indicate that these seeds can break open and release the iodine, which is then absorbed by the thyroid gland.
Work Demands May Influence Dementia Risk
Highly challenging jobs with opportunities for responsibility may be good for your resume and your health. New study findings suggest that people with these types of jobs may be less likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia.
Avandia Linked with Severe Lipid Abnormalities
On rare occasions, treatment with rosiglitazone (Avandia) may cause a profound decrease in high-density lipoprotein (HDL, the "good" cholesterol) and an increase in fasting triglycerides, researchers in the UK warn in the journal Diabetes Care.
Protective Role of Human Milk for Preemies Unclear
Currently available research findings do not provide conclusive evidence that feeding very low birth weight (VLBW) premature babies human milk offers significant protection against infection.
FDA Reviews When Bayer Revealed Drug Risks
In a move that could lead to a criminal investigation, the government is checking its records to determine if drug maker Bayer AG was forthcoming about safety concerns with its cholesterol-lowering Baycol drug.
WHO: Bird Flu Could Cause Next Pandemic
After almost a year of trying to bring Asia's bird flu under control, World Health Organization experts are now warning the disease is the most likely candidate to cause the world's next pandemic, with the possibility of as many as 7 million deaths.
Beware Diabetes-Related Complications
As a diabetes educator, Mary Austin sometimes counsels diabetic patients who are acutely aware of how the disease, over time, can ravage the human body, from the eyes down to the feet.
Health Tip: Better Breast Milk
If you're pregnant and planning to breast feed your baby, Boys Town Pediatrics in Omaha offers these suggestions: Eat lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole-grain breads, dairy products and protein-rich foods. Drink plenty of fluids.
Asthmatics Take Care in Cold Winter Air
It's great to be active in the winter, but exercising in cold weather can cause problems for people with asthma.
Give Colds the Cold Shoulder This Season
Holiday season is cold season, too. But experts at the Saint Louis University Health Sciences Center are offering some tips on how to avoid catching a cold: Wash your hands after every handshake.
Raising Grandkids Stresses Grandmothers
Grandmothers responsible for caring for or raising grandchildren suffer more stress and depression than grandmothers without those responsibilities.
Shopping-Related Injuries a Real Pain
Now that Thanksgiving is over, the holiday shopping season begins in earnest with its stress, pressure and even increased risk of injury, according to experts at the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).
Health Tip: Lazy Eye
Amblyopia, or lazy eye, is the most common cause of visual impairment in childhood, the U.S. National Institutes of Health says.
Stomach Cancer May Start in Bone Marrow
Stomach cancer may originate from bone marrow cells rather than stomach cells, as was previously believed.
Friday, November 26, 2004
Health Headlines - November 26
Flu Pandemic Inevitable, Plans Needed Urgently
Every country in the world must come up urgently with a plan to deal with an inevitable influenza pandemic likely to be triggered by the bird flu virus that hit Asia this year, a top global health expert said on Friday.
Swiss Voters Set to Endorse Stem Cell Research
Swiss voters are expected to endorse tight government legislation on stem cell research on Sunday which would forbid the cloning of human embryos and put Switzerland on a par with other continental European countries.
Worker Shortages Threaten Health Advances
A shortage of doctors, nurses and midwives around the globe is threatening health initiatives and could have dire political and economic consequences, public health experts said on Friday.
China Approves Testing for Potential AIDS Vaccine
China has approved human testing of a locally developed potential AIDS vaccine, the official Xinhua news agency said Friday, just days before World AIDS Day.
It's Never Too Early to Teach Kids the Activity Habit
Jane Clark calls this the age of "containerized" kids.
As infants, children are plopped from car-safety seats to high chairs to baby seats to watch TV, said Clark, a movement specialist at the University of Maryland.
"It's partly for safety, of course," said Clark, professor and chairwoman of the university's department of kinesiology. But children, even infants, move too little these days, setting the stage for a sedentary, unhealthy life, she and other experts warn.
"Parents think physical activity takes care of itself in kids," said Clark. "But it doesn't."
A study published earlier this year in the medical journal The Lancet, supports Clark's point. Researchers from the University of Glasgow in Scotland tracked the movements of 78 three-year-olds by having them wear a matchbox-sized monitor clipped to their waistband for a week. The researchers found the average toddler was active for only 20 minutes a day -- far less than the hour recommended by pediatricians.
Making matters worse, children today spend much less time playing outdoors than their parents did, according to a study conducted by Rhonda Clements, a professor of education at Hofstra University in New York and president of the American Association for the Child's Right to Play, a group that promotes physical activity.
In a poll of more than 800 mothers conducted in 2002 by Clements and her colleagues, 71 percent of the mothers said they recalled playing outdoors every day as children, but only 26 percent of them said their kids play outdoors daily.
While fear of crime was an issue, the mothers also cited lack of time as well as too much time spent by their children watching television or playing computer games, Clements said.
That lack of activity is having a troubling effect on American kids. Thirteen percent of children aged 6 to 11 are overweight, as are 14 percent of teens aged 12 to 19, according to federal health statistics. And overweight children are more likely to be overweight as adults.
But a little conscious effort to get your kids moving can instill a lifelong exercise habit, Clements and other experts agree. Regular physical activity has been linked to a reduced risk of many cancers, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and many other ailments.
So where to start?
Beginning when your child is just an infant, you can encourage physical movement, Clark advised. That could mean taking time to rock your baby in your arms and, when he is older, encouraging him to crawl through a living room obstacle course, to make activity fun.
When dealing with children beyond infancy, "forget the word exercise," Clark said. Instead, focus on the fun. Rather than asking, "Want to go exercise?" try something like, "Want to go outside and kick the ball around?"
Serving as role model -- and that means working out and staying active yourself -- is also a great motivator for children, Clark said. "If a mother and father both exercise, compared to those who don't, kids in that house are six times more likely to exercise," she said. "If one parent exercises, the child is three times more likely."
"Every kid starts out liking physical activity," Clark added. "By the time they are 15, the majority of kids don't like sports."
So it's crucial, she said, to keep activity fun and to plan it as a family. "Plan something on the weekend that is physically active, even if it's just walking around a museum or a fair," Clark said.
Clements tells parents to provide their children a goal or incentive to be active. "It could be as simple as, 'Let's create a backyard obstacle course,' " she said.
Give them a choice, too. "Do you want to play on the swings? What about tag with your brothers?" she suggests.
Encourage creativity, Clements said. "Encourage kids to create playthings out of objects." Remember airplanes from paper? Mud puddles?
Rae Pica, a children's movement specialist in Center Barnstead, N.H., is a big believer in the motivational power of music.
"Put on some music," Pica said. "Have a parade at home. Break out the pots and pans."
Or break out the bubbles, Pica suggested. Kids can run and jump to burst them.
When choosing a day-care program for your child, be sure to ask about the commitment to activity, Clark and Pica suggested.
"Not just recess, but movement" is what you are after, Pica said.
The National Association for Sport & Physical Education was so concerned about the sedentary lifestyles of today's children that it issued physical activity guidelines in 2002. They are aimed at helping to meet the developmental needs of infants, toddlers and preschoolers.
Clark, of the University of Maryland, chaired that task force. Among the recommendations: Encourage children to be physically active from the beginning of life.
Every country in the world must come up urgently with a plan to deal with an inevitable influenza pandemic likely to be triggered by the bird flu virus that hit Asia this year, a top global health expert said on Friday.
Swiss Voters Set to Endorse Stem Cell Research
Swiss voters are expected to endorse tight government legislation on stem cell research on Sunday which would forbid the cloning of human embryos and put Switzerland on a par with other continental European countries.
Worker Shortages Threaten Health Advances
A shortage of doctors, nurses and midwives around the globe is threatening health initiatives and could have dire political and economic consequences, public health experts said on Friday.
China Approves Testing for Potential AIDS Vaccine
China has approved human testing of a locally developed potential AIDS vaccine, the official Xinhua news agency said Friday, just days before World AIDS Day.
It's Never Too Early to Teach Kids the Activity Habit
Jane Clark calls this the age of "containerized" kids.
As infants, children are plopped from car-safety seats to high chairs to baby seats to watch TV, said Clark, a movement specialist at the University of Maryland.
"It's partly for safety, of course," said Clark, professor and chairwoman of the university's department of kinesiology. But children, even infants, move too little these days, setting the stage for a sedentary, unhealthy life, she and other experts warn.
"Parents think physical activity takes care of itself in kids," said Clark. "But it doesn't."
A study published earlier this year in the medical journal The Lancet, supports Clark's point. Researchers from the University of Glasgow in Scotland tracked the movements of 78 three-year-olds by having them wear a matchbox-sized monitor clipped to their waistband for a week. The researchers found the average toddler was active for only 20 minutes a day -- far less than the hour recommended by pediatricians.
Making matters worse, children today spend much less time playing outdoors than their parents did, according to a study conducted by Rhonda Clements, a professor of education at Hofstra University in New York and president of the American Association for the Child's Right to Play, a group that promotes physical activity.
In a poll of more than 800 mothers conducted in 2002 by Clements and her colleagues, 71 percent of the mothers said they recalled playing outdoors every day as children, but only 26 percent of them said their kids play outdoors daily.
While fear of crime was an issue, the mothers also cited lack of time as well as too much time spent by their children watching television or playing computer games, Clements said.
That lack of activity is having a troubling effect on American kids. Thirteen percent of children aged 6 to 11 are overweight, as are 14 percent of teens aged 12 to 19, according to federal health statistics. And overweight children are more likely to be overweight as adults.
But a little conscious effort to get your kids moving can instill a lifelong exercise habit, Clements and other experts agree. Regular physical activity has been linked to a reduced risk of many cancers, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and many other ailments.
So where to start?
Beginning when your child is just an infant, you can encourage physical movement, Clark advised. That could mean taking time to rock your baby in your arms and, when he is older, encouraging him to crawl through a living room obstacle course, to make activity fun.
When dealing with children beyond infancy, "forget the word exercise," Clark said. Instead, focus on the fun. Rather than asking, "Want to go exercise?" try something like, "Want to go outside and kick the ball around?"
Serving as role model -- and that means working out and staying active yourself -- is also a great motivator for children, Clark said. "If a mother and father both exercise, compared to those who don't, kids in that house are six times more likely to exercise," she said. "If one parent exercises, the child is three times more likely."
"Every kid starts out liking physical activity," Clark added. "By the time they are 15, the majority of kids don't like sports."
So it's crucial, she said, to keep activity fun and to plan it as a family. "Plan something on the weekend that is physically active, even if it's just walking around a museum or a fair," Clark said.
Clements tells parents to provide their children a goal or incentive to be active. "It could be as simple as, 'Let's create a backyard obstacle course,' " she said.
Give them a choice, too. "Do you want to play on the swings? What about tag with your brothers?" she suggests.
Encourage creativity, Clements said. "Encourage kids to create playthings out of objects." Remember airplanes from paper? Mud puddles?
Rae Pica, a children's movement specialist in Center Barnstead, N.H., is a big believer in the motivational power of music.
"Put on some music," Pica said. "Have a parade at home. Break out the pots and pans."
Or break out the bubbles, Pica suggested. Kids can run and jump to burst them.
When choosing a day-care program for your child, be sure to ask about the commitment to activity, Clark and Pica suggested.
"Not just recess, but movement" is what you are after, Pica said.
The National Association for Sport & Physical Education was so concerned about the sedentary lifestyles of today's children that it issued physical activity guidelines in 2002. They are aimed at helping to meet the developmental needs of infants, toddlers and preschoolers.
Clark, of the University of Maryland, chaired that task force. Among the recommendations: Encourage children to be physically active from the beginning of life.
Thursday, November 25, 2004
Health Headlines - November 25
Effectiveness of Antidepressant Unclear in Elderly
Depressed people 75 or older are just as likely to improve after an 8-week course with an inactive, placebo drug as with an antidepressant, new research indicates.
Everybody Must Fight AIDS, Mandela Says
Former South African President Nelson Mandela, surrounded by rock stars, launched a book of photographs of a major anti-AIDS concert on Thursday with a call to ordinary people to take a lead in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Ovarian Cancer Risk Increases with Estrogen Use
The estrogen component of oral hormone replacement therapy around the time of menopause is associated with ovarian cancer risk, findings from a Danish study show.
Heat-Holding Knee Sleeve May Ease Arthritis Pain
A heat-retaining sleeve worn around the knee is useful in reducing joint pain and stiffness in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, preliminary testing indicates.
Herpes Virus Common in Young Adolescent Girls
Girls as young as 12 years old are commonly infected with various forms of herpes viruses, including the one that causes genital herpes, a study of urban U.S. adolescents shows.
Heart Failure Improves with Resistance Training
Combining resistance exercises such as weight lifting with endurance training safely improves the health of people with chronic heart failure, researchers in Belgium report.
High Court to Weigh Medical Marijuana Laws
Traditional drugs have done little to help 39-year-old Angel Raich. Beset by a list of ailments that includes tumors in her brain, seizures, spasms and nausea, she has found comfort only in the marijuana that is prescribed by her doctor.
Health Tip: Starting an Exercise Program
Regular physical activity can help you control your weight, reduce your risk of heart disease, and strengthen aging bones.
Health Tip: Discard Old Cosmetics
You've spent a lot of money on that drawer of cosmetics, and are loathe to throw any away.
But using old cosmetics can leave you open to infection and disease, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Cosmetics applied near the eyes, in particular, should be thrown away regularly. Repeated microbial exposure during use increases the risk of eye infections.
Some industry experts recommend replacing mascara and other eye cosmetics three months after purchase, especially those with few or no preservatives. Also, don't use saliva to moisten dry mascara, because that will introduce bacteria.
Depressed people 75 or older are just as likely to improve after an 8-week course with an inactive, placebo drug as with an antidepressant, new research indicates.
Everybody Must Fight AIDS, Mandela Says
Former South African President Nelson Mandela, surrounded by rock stars, launched a book of photographs of a major anti-AIDS concert on Thursday with a call to ordinary people to take a lead in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Ovarian Cancer Risk Increases with Estrogen Use
The estrogen component of oral hormone replacement therapy around the time of menopause is associated with ovarian cancer risk, findings from a Danish study show.
Heat-Holding Knee Sleeve May Ease Arthritis Pain
A heat-retaining sleeve worn around the knee is useful in reducing joint pain and stiffness in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, preliminary testing indicates.
Herpes Virus Common in Young Adolescent Girls
Girls as young as 12 years old are commonly infected with various forms of herpes viruses, including the one that causes genital herpes, a study of urban U.S. adolescents shows.
Heart Failure Improves with Resistance Training
Combining resistance exercises such as weight lifting with endurance training safely improves the health of people with chronic heart failure, researchers in Belgium report.
High Court to Weigh Medical Marijuana Laws
Traditional drugs have done little to help 39-year-old Angel Raich. Beset by a list of ailments that includes tumors in her brain, seizures, spasms and nausea, she has found comfort only in the marijuana that is prescribed by her doctor.
Health Tip: Starting an Exercise Program
Regular physical activity can help you control your weight, reduce your risk of heart disease, and strengthen aging bones.
Health Tip: Discard Old Cosmetics
You've spent a lot of money on that drawer of cosmetics, and are loathe to throw any away.
But using old cosmetics can leave you open to infection and disease, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Cosmetics applied near the eyes, in particular, should be thrown away regularly. Repeated microbial exposure during use increases the risk of eye infections.
Some industry experts recommend replacing mascara and other eye cosmetics three months after purchase, especially those with few or no preservatives. Also, don't use saliva to moisten dry mascara, because that will introduce bacteria.
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
Health Headlines - November 24
UK Pledges Extra Funding for Surge in Sexual Diseases
The British government pledged on Thursday to put 300 million pounds aside to combat a surge in sexual diseases as health experts revealed record numbers of people in the UK living with HIV and other sexual diseases.
Laser Technique Used to Treat Bad Breath
If brushing and mouthwash don't improve bad breath, an Israeli scientist may have the solution -- laser treatment.
Pseudoephedrine Tied to Heart Attack in Young Man
If a recently reported case is a reliable indicator, the over-the-counter medication pseudoephedrine can cause a heart attack -- even in healthy young adults.
Turkey Can Stick in Your Craw, Really
Besides the usual increases in cases of heartburn, emergency room workers see a Thanksgiving surge of people with food stuck in their esophagus, according to an expert.
A Racing 'Holiday Heart' Can Spook You Out
There are many holiday traditions that are not so good for the heart, but here's one that may cause a real scare: festive binge drinking can temporarily speed up your heart rate, causing a condition known as "holiday heart," according to an expert.
Protein Helps Fix Heart Attack Damage in Mice
Scientists in the United States said on Wednesday they had identified a protein produced by the heart during development which they believe could help the organ repair itself after a heart attack.
Cord Blood Effective for Adult Leukemia
Blood from a newborn's umbilical cord, often thrown away but rich in cells that may rebuild the body's blood production system, is safe to treat leukemia in adults, two studies released on Wednesday show.
Lawmaker Calls for FDA Whistleblower Inquiry
A U.S. lawmaker called on Wednesday for a probe of reports that Food and Drug Administration officials tried to discredit a veteran scientist who testified over Merck & Co. Inc.'s withdrawal of Vioxx.
Morning-After Pill Well Tolerated by Teen Girls
Levonorgestrel, a pill that is used for emergency contraception after unprotected sexual intercourse, is well tolerated by females aged 13 to 16 years and side effects are minor, according to researchers in the US and Switzerland.
Medicaid Patients Fare Worse After Cancer Surgery
Low-income patients covered by Medicaid have more complications and higher death rates after colon cancer surgery than patients with private insurance, a U.S. study suggests.
Florida OKs Three-Strikes Malpractice Law
Florida voters this month approved a three-strikes law unlike any other state's — a measure aimed not at killers and thieves but at doctors who foul up.
CDC: Flu Season Is Off to a Slow Start
The flu season in the United States is off to a slow start, with only Delaware and New York reporting significant outbreaks — a relief to government health authorities, given the U.S. vaccine shortage.
Flame Retardant Found in Lake Michigan
Concentrations of a flame retardant banned by many European countries have been found in Lake Michigan and are increasing, adding to concerns over previous findings that the chemicals were showing up in supermarket foods and women's breast milk.
Tests Negative on Suspected Mad Cow Case
A five-day mad cow disease scare that briefly rattled the cattle markets and raised concerns among some beef eaters has been put to rest after sophisticated chemical tests on a suspected animal showed no sign of the brain-wasting ailment.
Girl Survives Rabies With Drug Treatment
A unique combination of drugs has made a 15-year-old girl the first known human to survive rabies without vaccination, doctors said.
States Fill Federal Void on Drug Safety
As Congress and others lobby to create an independent board to review the safety of prescription drugs, a dozen states have been doing just that.
Help Older Adults Enjoy the Holidays
In all the excitement of the holidays, families can overlook the fact that the more frail and elderly among them are no longer able to take part in traditional holiday tasks, such as decorating or cooking.
Health Tip: When a Person's in Shock
For someone who's suffered a grievous physical illness or injury, the shock to the body can prove as lethal as the wound or illness itself.
Health Tip: Social Phobia
If you have a persistent fear of being watched and judged by others, you might have a social phobia, also called social anxiety.
Microwave Technology Steadies Irregular Heartbeat
A new kind of minimally invasive heart surgery based on microwave technology helps control atrial fibrillation, a dangerous heart condition, according to a researcher at Duke University Medical Center.
The British government pledged on Thursday to put 300 million pounds aside to combat a surge in sexual diseases as health experts revealed record numbers of people in the UK living with HIV and other sexual diseases.
Laser Technique Used to Treat Bad Breath
If brushing and mouthwash don't improve bad breath, an Israeli scientist may have the solution -- laser treatment.
Pseudoephedrine Tied to Heart Attack in Young Man
If a recently reported case is a reliable indicator, the over-the-counter medication pseudoephedrine can cause a heart attack -- even in healthy young adults.
Turkey Can Stick in Your Craw, Really
Besides the usual increases in cases of heartburn, emergency room workers see a Thanksgiving surge of people with food stuck in their esophagus, according to an expert.
A Racing 'Holiday Heart' Can Spook You Out
There are many holiday traditions that are not so good for the heart, but here's one that may cause a real scare: festive binge drinking can temporarily speed up your heart rate, causing a condition known as "holiday heart," according to an expert.
Protein Helps Fix Heart Attack Damage in Mice
Scientists in the United States said on Wednesday they had identified a protein produced by the heart during development which they believe could help the organ repair itself after a heart attack.
Cord Blood Effective for Adult Leukemia
Blood from a newborn's umbilical cord, often thrown away but rich in cells that may rebuild the body's blood production system, is safe to treat leukemia in adults, two studies released on Wednesday show.
Lawmaker Calls for FDA Whistleblower Inquiry
A U.S. lawmaker called on Wednesday for a probe of reports that Food and Drug Administration officials tried to discredit a veteran scientist who testified over Merck & Co. Inc.'s withdrawal of Vioxx.
Morning-After Pill Well Tolerated by Teen Girls
Levonorgestrel, a pill that is used for emergency contraception after unprotected sexual intercourse, is well tolerated by females aged 13 to 16 years and side effects are minor, according to researchers in the US and Switzerland.
Medicaid Patients Fare Worse After Cancer Surgery
Low-income patients covered by Medicaid have more complications and higher death rates after colon cancer surgery than patients with private insurance, a U.S. study suggests.
Florida OKs Three-Strikes Malpractice Law
Florida voters this month approved a three-strikes law unlike any other state's — a measure aimed not at killers and thieves but at doctors who foul up.
CDC: Flu Season Is Off to a Slow Start
The flu season in the United States is off to a slow start, with only Delaware and New York reporting significant outbreaks — a relief to government health authorities, given the U.S. vaccine shortage.
Flame Retardant Found in Lake Michigan
Concentrations of a flame retardant banned by many European countries have been found in Lake Michigan and are increasing, adding to concerns over previous findings that the chemicals were showing up in supermarket foods and women's breast milk.
Tests Negative on Suspected Mad Cow Case
A five-day mad cow disease scare that briefly rattled the cattle markets and raised concerns among some beef eaters has been put to rest after sophisticated chemical tests on a suspected animal showed no sign of the brain-wasting ailment.
Girl Survives Rabies With Drug Treatment
A unique combination of drugs has made a 15-year-old girl the first known human to survive rabies without vaccination, doctors said.
States Fill Federal Void on Drug Safety
As Congress and others lobby to create an independent board to review the safety of prescription drugs, a dozen states have been doing just that.
Help Older Adults Enjoy the Holidays
In all the excitement of the holidays, families can overlook the fact that the more frail and elderly among them are no longer able to take part in traditional holiday tasks, such as decorating or cooking.
Health Tip: When a Person's in Shock
For someone who's suffered a grievous physical illness or injury, the shock to the body can prove as lethal as the wound or illness itself.
Health Tip: Social Phobia
If you have a persistent fear of being watched and judged by others, you might have a social phobia, also called social anxiety.
Microwave Technology Steadies Irregular Heartbeat
A new kind of minimally invasive heart surgery based on microwave technology helps control atrial fibrillation, a dangerous heart condition, according to a researcher at Duke University Medical Center.
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Health Headlines - November 23
Stress Quadruples Risk of Asthma Attacks in Children
Children with asthma face quadruple the risk of an attack following stressful events in their lives, according to a study published on Wednesday in the journal Thorax.
Five Million Smokers Died Worldwide in 2000
Smoking killed nearly 5 million people worldwide in 2000, with men more than three times as likely as women to go to an early grave, according to a study published on Wednesday in the journal Tobacco Control.
Obesity Linked to Unhealthy Heartbeat in Study
Obesity raises the risk of atrial fibrillation, an abnormal heartbeat that can lead to stroke and early death if not controlled, researchers said on Tuesday.
Heart Surgery Performed in Awake Patients
Heart surgery is a frightening prospect for many people, but now imagine undergoing the operation completely awake! That's what seven patients treated at a hospital in Turkey went though -- in a planned, deliberate study.
Painful Periods May Be Linked to Stress: Study
The abdominal or low back pain that many women experience during their monthly menstrual periods may partly be due to stress, new study findings suggest.
Biogen, Elan Win U.S. Approval for New MS Drug
A once-a-month drug for treating multiple sclerosis that appears to cut relapses of the autoimmune disorder was approved on Tuesday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Breast-Conservation May Be OK for Inherited Cancers
Breast-conserving therapy (BCT), which involves limited surgery and radiation, is a suitable option for young women with BRCA-associated breast cancer, the most common hereditary type of the disease, new research suggests.
Report: Birth Rates for Older Women Rising
U.S. women in their 30s and early 40s had higher birth rates in 2003, while births among teenagers fell for the 12th straight year, federal health officials said on Tuesday.
Dental Plaques Linked with Pneumonia in Elderly
Bacteria in dental plaque can cause hospital-acquired pneumonia in elderly nursing home residents, according to a report in the medical journal Chest.
U.S. FDA Adds Restrictions to Acne Drug
Roche's acne drug Accutane and its generic versions will face tighter prescription controls to prevent harm to unborn children, U.S. health regulators said on Tuesday.
2003 Sees Highest Caesarean Birth Rate
More than 27 percent of the babies born in the United States last year were delivered by Caesarean section, a record high for the surgical method that is a controversial subject among both obstetricians and mothers.
Tests Negative on Suspected Mad Cow Case
A cow the Agriculture Department had suspected of carrying mad cow disease was declared free of the illness after follow-up tests, officials said Tuesday.
Girl Cured of Rabies With New Treatment
Doctors say they used a unique combination of drugs to cure a 15-year-old girl of rabies, making her the first known human ever to survive the usually fatal disease without vaccination.
N.J. Hospital Thwarts Smuggled Flu Vaccine
A New Jersey hospital helped thwart an attempted sale of smuggled flu vaccine, authorities said.
Study Suggests 'Glycemic Index' Diet
A diet favoring "good" over "bad" carbohydrates is better for the heart and less likely to slow down metabolism than a conventional low-fat diet, a small, preliminary study suggests.
Once-Joined Filipino Twins Recovering Well
Once-conjoined twin boys from the Philippines can do "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider" hand movements, have graduated to crackers from pureed foods and "are well on their way to leading normal, active lives," one of their surgeons said Tuesday.
CDC Admits Errors in Obesity Risk Study
A widely reported government study that said obesity is about to overtake smoking as the No. 1 cause of death in the United States contained statistical errors and may have overstated the problem, health officials acknowledged Tuesday.
GERD: It's More Than Just Heartburn
Dinner is done and, predictably, that miserable fire beneath your breastbone has reignited. Time and again, you've reached for antacids and acid blockers, but nothing seems to extinguish your internal inferno.
Trouble at Home, School Hurts Kids' Coping Skills
Family problems, poor neighborhoods and other key environmental factors can undermine the coping skills of adolescents -- even among kids with good grades or high self-esteem.
Overstressed Teens Have Troubled Relationships
Poverty, depression and family conflict are associated with long-term, negative changes in teens' attitudes toward personal relationships, according to a study by the Society for Research in Child Development.
Health Tip: Clean Hands
Washing your hands is one of the best ways to avoid illness, experts say.
Children with asthma face quadruple the risk of an attack following stressful events in their lives, according to a study published on Wednesday in the journal Thorax.
Five Million Smokers Died Worldwide in 2000
Smoking killed nearly 5 million people worldwide in 2000, with men more than three times as likely as women to go to an early grave, according to a study published on Wednesday in the journal Tobacco Control.
Obesity Linked to Unhealthy Heartbeat in Study
Obesity raises the risk of atrial fibrillation, an abnormal heartbeat that can lead to stroke and early death if not controlled, researchers said on Tuesday.
Heart Surgery Performed in Awake Patients
Heart surgery is a frightening prospect for many people, but now imagine undergoing the operation completely awake! That's what seven patients treated at a hospital in Turkey went though -- in a planned, deliberate study.
Painful Periods May Be Linked to Stress: Study
The abdominal or low back pain that many women experience during their monthly menstrual periods may partly be due to stress, new study findings suggest.
Biogen, Elan Win U.S. Approval for New MS Drug
A once-a-month drug for treating multiple sclerosis that appears to cut relapses of the autoimmune disorder was approved on Tuesday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Breast-Conservation May Be OK for Inherited Cancers
Breast-conserving therapy (BCT), which involves limited surgery and radiation, is a suitable option for young women with BRCA-associated breast cancer, the most common hereditary type of the disease, new research suggests.
Report: Birth Rates for Older Women Rising
U.S. women in their 30s and early 40s had higher birth rates in 2003, while births among teenagers fell for the 12th straight year, federal health officials said on Tuesday.
Dental Plaques Linked with Pneumonia in Elderly
Bacteria in dental plaque can cause hospital-acquired pneumonia in elderly nursing home residents, according to a report in the medical journal Chest.
U.S. FDA Adds Restrictions to Acne Drug
Roche's acne drug Accutane and its generic versions will face tighter prescription controls to prevent harm to unborn children, U.S. health regulators said on Tuesday.
2003 Sees Highest Caesarean Birth Rate
More than 27 percent of the babies born in the United States last year were delivered by Caesarean section, a record high for the surgical method that is a controversial subject among both obstetricians and mothers.
Tests Negative on Suspected Mad Cow Case
A cow the Agriculture Department had suspected of carrying mad cow disease was declared free of the illness after follow-up tests, officials said Tuesday.
Girl Cured of Rabies With New Treatment
Doctors say they used a unique combination of drugs to cure a 15-year-old girl of rabies, making her the first known human ever to survive the usually fatal disease without vaccination.
N.J. Hospital Thwarts Smuggled Flu Vaccine
A New Jersey hospital helped thwart an attempted sale of smuggled flu vaccine, authorities said.
Study Suggests 'Glycemic Index' Diet
A diet favoring "good" over "bad" carbohydrates is better for the heart and less likely to slow down metabolism than a conventional low-fat diet, a small, preliminary study suggests.
Once-Joined Filipino Twins Recovering Well
Once-conjoined twin boys from the Philippines can do "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider" hand movements, have graduated to crackers from pureed foods and "are well on their way to leading normal, active lives," one of their surgeons said Tuesday.
CDC Admits Errors in Obesity Risk Study
A widely reported government study that said obesity is about to overtake smoking as the No. 1 cause of death in the United States contained statistical errors and may have overstated the problem, health officials acknowledged Tuesday.
GERD: It's More Than Just Heartburn
Dinner is done and, predictably, that miserable fire beneath your breastbone has reignited. Time and again, you've reached for antacids and acid blockers, but nothing seems to extinguish your internal inferno.
Trouble at Home, School Hurts Kids' Coping Skills
Family problems, poor neighborhoods and other key environmental factors can undermine the coping skills of adolescents -- even among kids with good grades or high self-esteem.
Overstressed Teens Have Troubled Relationships
Poverty, depression and family conflict are associated with long-term, negative changes in teens' attitudes toward personal relationships, according to a study by the Society for Research in Child Development.
Health Tip: Clean Hands
Washing your hands is one of the best ways to avoid illness, experts say.
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