Circumcision Protects Men Against HIV Infection
Male circumcision greatly lowers the risk of female-to-male transmission of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, says a French study.
The study of more than 3,000 young men in South Africa found that circumcision reduced the risk of men contracting HIV during intercourse with infected women by about 65 percent, the Associated Press reported.
The finding was presented Tuesday at the Third International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis and Treatment in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
"There had always been a suspicion that male circumcision prevented AIDS ... but this is the first randomized study using control trials," Dr. Bertrand Auvert, who coordinated the study for France's National AIDS Research Agency, told the AP.
The 21-month study, conducted between 2002 and 2005, did not look at the effect of male circumcision on male-to-female transmission of HIV. It also did not examine whether circumcision offers effective long-term protection against HIV infection.
Health Canada Warns About Impotence Drugs and Blindness
Men who experience vision problems while taking drugs for impotence and erectile dysfunction should seek immediate medical attention, advises a Health Canada warning that says the impotence drugs Viagra, Cialis and Levitra could cause blindness.
The warning, similar to one issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration earlier this month, said that men who use these drugs may be at risk for a rare side effect called nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), which occurs when there's a blockage of blood flow to the optic nerve, the Canadian Press reported.
Health Canada is currently investigating two reports of vision problems in men using Viagra.
"It is difficult to determine whether the use of Viagra, Cialis or Levitra is causing (eye problems), as individuals who have erectile problems often have high blood pressure, diabetes or other conditions that put them at increased risk," said a Health Canada statement released Tuesday.
The agency is monitoring the drugs and has asked for additional safety information from the drugs' manufacturers, the CP reported.
Earlier this month, the FDA ordered updated labeling on all three drugs to reflect a small number of reports of sudden vision loss among users.
Gene Linked to Deadly Aorta Diseases
A gene linked to deadly diseases of the aorta, the body's main blood vessel, has been identified by University of Texas researchers.
Their genetic analysis of 80 families with a history of aortic aneurysm and dissection found that four of the families had a variant version of a gene called Transforming Growth Factor Beta Receptor Type II.
This gene contains the code for a protein receptor believed to play an important role in regulating the synthesis and breakdown of connective tissue in the body, BBC News reported. The finding offers scientists a molecular pathway they can study for the development of biological makers and therapies for aortic aneurysm and dissection, which can burst and cause massive internal bleeding.
The study was published in the journal Circulation.
"The fact that this particular mutation was detected in four of 80 families screened shows us that there are undoubtedly more culprit genes yet to be discovered," Jeremy Pearson of the British Heart Foundation told BBC News.
"However, the results are a very valuable step towards understanding better how aneurysms develop and identifying targets for new drugs to halt their progression," Pearson said.
Social Security Speeds Disability Benefits Decisions
People seeking Social Security disability benefits can expect faster decisions based on rules changes announced Tuesday, the government says.
Social Security Commissioner Jo Anne Barnhart said people who are clearly disabled could be approved for benefits in as little as three weeks under rules expected to be implemented next spring, the Associated Press reported.
The changes, announced on the 15th anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act, will mean a speedier approval process for virtually every qualified person who applies, Barnhart told the wire service. To qualify, a person must be unable to work for a year or more, have paid Social Security taxes for a minimum amount of time, and meet other specific eligibility requirements. More than 11 million people now receive such aid, the AP said.
The Social Security Administration expects to publish the proposed regulations for public comment this week and issue final regulations by year's end, the wire service said.
Schwarzenegger Wants to Extend Soft Drink Ban in Schools
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to extend a statewide ban on soft drinks in the lower grades to high schools, the Associated Press reported.
Two years ago, the state became the first in the nation to ban soft drinks in middle and elementary schools. Some state school districts, including those in Los Angeles, already ban sodas in high schools.
The governor also wants to allow high schools to sell soda 30 minutes before and after the school day, the wire service said. And other types of food sold in vending machines would have to contain no more than 35 percent of their calories from fat, no more than 10 percent from saturated fat, and no more than 35 percent of the weight could be sugar.
A spokesman for the California-Nevada Soft Drink Association condemned the proposed ban, saying high school students were "almost adults" and could always buy soda nearby.
Candy Firm Touts Cocoa's Medicinal Properties
Candymaker Mars Inc. said it is holding "serious discussions" with major pharmaceutical firms about developing a number of cocoa-based prescription drugs that could help treat ailments including diabetes and some forms of dementia, the Washington Post reported Tuesday.
Cocoa is said to contain flavonols, antioxidant compounds that proponents believe may fight ailments from heart disease to cancer. The company said the compounds appear to have an "aspirin-like affect" that might help stave off blood clotting, helping to prevent strokes and other cardiovascular problems.
A Mars spokeswoman wouldn't mention the drug companies with whom it has been negotiating.
Critics say the company's efforts would amount to nothing more than a new way to sell chocolate. "Mars is only doing this because it wants people to eat more and more M&Ms," said Marion Nestle, a New York University professor of nutrition. She has no relation to the European chocolate maker of the same name, the Post notes.
Health Tip: Overcoming Morning Sickness
Are you pregnant and plagued by morning sickness?
The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these suggestions for relieving that queasy feeling:
* Eat small meals through the day so that you're never too full or too hungry.
* Avoid rich, fatty foods.
* Avoid foods with smells that bother you.
* Eat more carbohydrates.
*Eat saltine crackers and other bland foods when you feel nauseous.
* Some women are bothered by the iron in pre-natal vitamins. If you think this may be causing your morning sickness, speak to your doctor about changing your vitamins.
* Try Jell-O, popsicles, chicken broth, ginger ale, herbal teas, and pretzels.
Health Tip: Reaping the Benefits of Tea
A cup of tea may be more than a pleasurable drink, especially if it's black, green, or red tea. According to John Hopkins' Health After 50 newsletter, highly-concentrated forms of these teas may lower LDL, commonly called "bad" cholesterol.
Maximize the flavor of your home brews by:
* Using one tea bag or one teaspoon of loose tea per cup.
* Using fresh, cold water.
* For black tea, heat the water to a rolling boil, but for green tea, only to the boiling point.
* Pre-warm your cup or pot.
* Steep green tea for about two minutes, black for five-to-10 minutes.
Health Tip: Born to Run
Jogging is one of the most effective, convenient and time-efficient forms of exercise. All you need is a good pair of running shoes and the vast outdoors.
If you'd like to start pounding the pavement, check with your doctor that running is the right activity for you. Then lace up your shoes and follow these tips from the American Council on Exercise:
* Keep your head level, and avoid bouncing. Lean forward slightly from the ankles, not the waist.
* Keep your shoulders down and relaxed.
* Strike the ground first with your heel, then roll to the ball of your foot, pushing off from the toes.
* Take time to warm up and cool down before and after a run.
* Don't increase your total distance more than 10 percent per week.
* If anything hurts, take time off until it feels better.
Health Tip: Wrist Pain While Biking?
If you're an avid mountain biker, you probably have days when your wrists ache. When you grip the handlebars, the repeated shocks that occur as you bounce over rocky terrain can cause handlebar palsy, characterized by numbness, tingling, and pain in the arm, hand, wrist and little finger.
Prevention is key to avoiding the condition, says the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Here are some tips:
* Make sure your bike is the right fit for your size.
* Wear padded gloves and pad your handlebars.
* Sit in a more upright position. This puts less weight and pressure on your hands and wrists.
* Take rest periods between long bike trips.
* Change your hand position on the handlebars frequently.
Food Fact:
Sap to it!
Guess how many gallons of raw sap it takes to make 1 gallon of pure maple syrup? When the sap starts running, Vermont sugarmakers start stoking the fire under the evaporators -- there are 40 gallons of raw sap per gallon that reaches your breakfast table. The all-natural sweetener is loaded with calories -- 50 per tablespoon -- and has no significant nutritive value. But it's so flavorful a little will go a long way. Maple sugar is about twice as sweet as refined granulated sugar, and is produced when nearly all the sap has evaporated. Try it sprinkled on scones or biscuits or stirred into hot apple cider.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Less is more.
Surprise! A few short exercise sessions a day can be as valuable as one longer session. The key to making exercise a habit is to fit it comfortably into your schedule. If you can't find a 30-minute block of time, try three 10-minute stints over the course of the day.
FAQ of the day:
What is mesclun?
Mesclun is an assortment of baby lettuce leaves, usually prewashed. The mix may be expensive, but there's no waste. It's so convenient you may find yourself eating a mesclun salad with every meal.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Health Headlines - July 26
Cholesterol-Lowering Meds Fight Pneumonia
Cholesterol-busting drugs called statins can also reduce the risk of death by pneumonia in hospitalized patients, according to a study in the journal Respiratory Research.
Researchers found that pneumonia patients who were taking a statin (which include drugs such as Lipitor, Pravachol, and Zocor) when they entered the hospital were 2.8 times less likely to die than patients who were not on these drugs.
Statins are known to affect the immune system, and that could explain their effect on pneumonia patients, speculate researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Pneumonia is the leading cause of death from infection in the United States, killing up to 40,000 people every year.
Rare Children's Disease Unlocks Aging's Secrets
Five years ago, Dr. Leslie Gordon was a resident doctor specializing in pediatric ophthalmology. That's when her son Sam, now 8 years old, was first diagnosed with an extremely rare genetic condition called progeria, characterized by accelerated aging.
Besides experiencing joint, skin and other problems, children with progeria develop an accelerated form of cardiovascular disease, with most dying from heart-related complications before the age of 20.
Gordon said she and her husband, Scott Berns, also a doctor, "quickly discovered that there wasn't anything out there" on the disease -- no information on its cause, no reliable diagnostic test, and almost no research into a condition that affects just one in every 4 million people.
Fast-forward to 2005: Thanks largely to the efforts of the Progeria Research Foundation (PRF) -- a group Gordon helped found -- scientists have already identified the cause of progeria (mutations in a single gene), set up a tissue bank necessary for ongoing research, and organized regular scientific meetings to exchange ideas. PRF is also working with the National Institutes of Health to collect data on children with progeria worldwide, as a baseline dataset for their ultimate goal: clinical trials aimed at a cure.
But the implications of progeria research may go far beyond helping children like Sam Berns.
"Studying progeria results in a 'double whammy' for researchers," his mother said. "First, of course, you get to try and save the lives of children who are all going to die from this disorder. But you also get to learn something very important about key elements behind heart disease and aging."
Dr. Samer Najjar is head of the Human Cardiovascular Studies Unit at the National Institute on Aging. He agreed with Gordon that progeria kids can teach researchers a lot about the nation's number one killer.
"These children get heart disease at an incredibly accelerated pace, usually by the time they are 12, 13 or 14," he pointed out. "In the general community, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease starts appearing in the 60s and 70s. Obviously, there's some process that's accelerated."
In the case of progeria, that acceleration starts with a mutation in a gene producing a cellular protein called lamin-A.
"In kids with progeria, that protein goes awry and you create an abnormal protein that we call 'progerin,' " Gordon said. Unlike lamin-A, progerin fails to degrade properly and instead attaches itself to healthy lamin-A and structures in the cell's nucleus. This "spider-like" effect also affects the "downstream expression" of many other genes, Gordon said.
The result is accelerated aging at both the cellular and physiologic level, including the early onset of cardiovascular disease.
In a recent paper published in the Journal of Pediatrics, Gordon lead a team of researchers that discovered key differences between the atherosclerosis ("hardening of the arteries") seen in progeria children and that displayed by aging adults.
"In these kids," Gordon said, "heart disease isn't caused by high cholesterol, at least not high levels of LDL ['bad'] cholesterol." Instead, progeria seems to weaken cellular resistance to daily damage brought about by cell division and blood flow. That added vulnerability to metabolic stress makes children "more susceptible to damage-formed plaques along artery walls," she explained.
But doctors have long known that some adults are more susceptible to atherosclerosis than others, Gordon pointed out.
"Heart disease depends, in large part, on your genetic disposition -- it's not all about cholesterol," she said. "In the last couple of years, progeria research has been teaching us that damage-driven plaque formation is something that we all need to pay attention to in the general population."
Then there's the question of aging itself.
"It's amazing how much progeria resembles the normal aging process," said Dr. Vilhelm Bohr, chairman of molecular gerontology at the National Institute on Aging. "I think these proteins linked to progeria play a very profound role in the aging process, and I think we've already seen some pretty big findings in terms of what these proteins do. Lamin-A, for example, appears to have many roles."
Gordon stressed that progeria doesn't exactly mimic the human aging process -- progeria children aren't especially susceptible to cataracts or cancer, for example. But the disorder "is providing insight into mechanisms that we can study," Bohr said.
In the meantime, the group Gordon founded is busy helping parents of children with progeria better understand the challenges facing their child.
"The first question I get from brand-new parents isn't, 'Are we going to have a cure?' " she said. "It's, 'What is my child going to go through? How can I help their joints, their skin?' It's about the happiness of the child today."
To help parents -- many of whom contact the Progeria Research Foundation from developing countries -- the organization facilitates free Internet and phone hook-ups between families in the same country or region. "We put families together. That's crucial, because they are so lost -- this disease is so rare," Gordon said.
Collaborating with the National Institutes of Health, the foundation is also flying children and their parents from sites around the world to NIH facilities in Bethesda, Md., so that kids can receive a full clinical assessment.
"That's to get a baseline dataset -- you need that data to understand if any drug is working or not," Gordon explained. "That's a great leap of faith, of course -- we don't know for sure that we'll find a cure, but we do know we won't be able to find a cure without doing this study."
Still, the speed of discovery occurring since Gordon started PRF five years is encouraging.
"I'm told all the time, 'Wow, you're moving so fast,' and I do feel that speed," she said. "But I also know that we always need to feel like we can do better. Even if I wasn't the mother of a child with progeria, I still see the faces of other children with progeria every day. So nothing can go fast enough for me."
Candy good for you? Mars to probe cocoa benefits
Mars, the company that made its fortune satisfying chocolate cravings, unveiled plans on Monday to develop medications that use a component of cocoa to help treat diabetes, strokes and vascular disease.
The privately held U.S. company that produces M&Ms and Mars bars said it hoped to make medications based on flavanols -- plant chemicals with health benefits found in cocoa, as well as red wine and green tea.
Mars said it is in talks with large pharmaceutical companies for a licensing or joint venture agreement to reproduce the compounds in cocoa shown to improve blood flow.
"The mounting scientific evidence is extraordinary," said Dr Norm Hollenberg, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, which has collaborated with Mars on cocoa research.
"This is a scientific breakthrough that could well lead to a medical breakthrough."
Hollenberg was chairing a two-day seminar with 20 science and medical experts in Switzerland to discuss the newest research on cocoa's potential health benefits.
The specific cocoa flavanol molecules responsible for a blood-thinning aspirin-like effect have been identified for the first time, Mars said.
Two clinical trials have also found that cocoa flavanols can boost the flow of blood to key areas of the brain, raising the possibility of treatments for dementia and strokes.
A new clinical study has shown flavanols' ability to improve synthesis of nitric oxide by blood vessels could aid treatment of vascular complications associated with long-term diabetes.
Mars has already launched CocoaVia, a nutrition bar containing 80 calories and specially preserved flavanols, which usually get destroyed in usual cocoa processing.
The chocolate industry had to rid its products of a junk food image and highlight cocoa's healthier qualities to encourage demand for a produce mainly grown by poor African farmers, industry experts said at a conference in Malaysia last week.
Health Tip: If You've Got a Nosebleed
Nosebleeds are common injuries and can be easily treated, according to Canada's St. John Ambulance.
Here's how to stop a bloody nose:
* Sit down with your head leaning slightly forward.
* Pinch the soft part of your nose for about 10 minutes.
* Loosen the clothing around your neck and breathe through your mouth.
* Don't sniff or blow your nose for a couple of hours.
If a head injury caused your nosebleed, get medical help immediately.
Health Tip: Bathing Your Newborn
Giving your newborn a tub bath for the first time can be daunting. Ease your anxiety by preparing properly for the event.
The Cincinnati Children's Hospital offers these guidelines:
* Select a bath site. Good places include the bathtub, kitchen sink, or bathroom sink.
* If you're using a portable baby bathtub, make sure it's on a sturdy table, and never carry the bathtub with your baby in it.
* Gather all your supplies before filling the tub and undressing your baby.
* Fill the tub with three inches of water. Don't add soap or bubble bath to the water. This can dry your infant's skin.
* As you slowly place your baby into the tub, use a calm, reassuring voice to soothe your child. Support your child's head with your hand.
* Use your other hand to gently wash and rinse your infant.
Food Fact:
The perfect food?
Here are five good reasons it just might be lentils. 1) Lentils, a fine source of plant protein, don't take hours to cook, unlike other dried beans. 2) Lentils are rich in soluble fiber, which helps control blood cholesterol. 3) Lentils provide some calcium, iron and other trace minerals. 4) Lentils are one of the best sources for folic acid, a B vitamin critical for preventing neural tube defects. 5) Lentils may protect against some types of cancers and lower heart disease risk.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Buddy up!
Struggling to stick to your exercise program? Try working out with a partner. Adding a social aspect to your workout helps keep you both motivated and makes sessions more fun. Training with a friend provides mutual support for keeping a regular schedule and pushes you harder to meet your goals.
FAQ of the day:
Why are my hips and thighs so big?
The hormones that maintain a woman's fat reserves for pregnancy and lactation also help determine where fat is stored. Despite what you see in magazines, a so-called "pear" shape is perfectly normal for a healthy woman. In fact, the female distribution of body fat in the hips and thighs has been associated with lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and breast cancer. Women who tend to have more of a male distribution of body fat, with fat stored around the waist, are at higher risk for these diseases.
Cholesterol-busting drugs called statins can also reduce the risk of death by pneumonia in hospitalized patients, according to a study in the journal Respiratory Research.
Researchers found that pneumonia patients who were taking a statin (which include drugs such as Lipitor, Pravachol, and Zocor) when they entered the hospital were 2.8 times less likely to die than patients who were not on these drugs.
Statins are known to affect the immune system, and that could explain their effect on pneumonia patients, speculate researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Pneumonia is the leading cause of death from infection in the United States, killing up to 40,000 people every year.
Rare Children's Disease Unlocks Aging's Secrets
Five years ago, Dr. Leslie Gordon was a resident doctor specializing in pediatric ophthalmology. That's when her son Sam, now 8 years old, was first diagnosed with an extremely rare genetic condition called progeria, characterized by accelerated aging.
Besides experiencing joint, skin and other problems, children with progeria develop an accelerated form of cardiovascular disease, with most dying from heart-related complications before the age of 20.
Gordon said she and her husband, Scott Berns, also a doctor, "quickly discovered that there wasn't anything out there" on the disease -- no information on its cause, no reliable diagnostic test, and almost no research into a condition that affects just one in every 4 million people.
Fast-forward to 2005: Thanks largely to the efforts of the Progeria Research Foundation (PRF) -- a group Gordon helped found -- scientists have already identified the cause of progeria (mutations in a single gene), set up a tissue bank necessary for ongoing research, and organized regular scientific meetings to exchange ideas. PRF is also working with the National Institutes of Health to collect data on children with progeria worldwide, as a baseline dataset for their ultimate goal: clinical trials aimed at a cure.
But the implications of progeria research may go far beyond helping children like Sam Berns.
"Studying progeria results in a 'double whammy' for researchers," his mother said. "First, of course, you get to try and save the lives of children who are all going to die from this disorder. But you also get to learn something very important about key elements behind heart disease and aging."
Dr. Samer Najjar is head of the Human Cardiovascular Studies Unit at the National Institute on Aging. He agreed with Gordon that progeria kids can teach researchers a lot about the nation's number one killer.
"These children get heart disease at an incredibly accelerated pace, usually by the time they are 12, 13 or 14," he pointed out. "In the general community, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease starts appearing in the 60s and 70s. Obviously, there's some process that's accelerated."
In the case of progeria, that acceleration starts with a mutation in a gene producing a cellular protein called lamin-A.
"In kids with progeria, that protein goes awry and you create an abnormal protein that we call 'progerin,' " Gordon said. Unlike lamin-A, progerin fails to degrade properly and instead attaches itself to healthy lamin-A and structures in the cell's nucleus. This "spider-like" effect also affects the "downstream expression" of many other genes, Gordon said.
The result is accelerated aging at both the cellular and physiologic level, including the early onset of cardiovascular disease.
In a recent paper published in the Journal of Pediatrics, Gordon lead a team of researchers that discovered key differences between the atherosclerosis ("hardening of the arteries") seen in progeria children and that displayed by aging adults.
"In these kids," Gordon said, "heart disease isn't caused by high cholesterol, at least not high levels of LDL ['bad'] cholesterol." Instead, progeria seems to weaken cellular resistance to daily damage brought about by cell division and blood flow. That added vulnerability to metabolic stress makes children "more susceptible to damage-formed plaques along artery walls," she explained.
But doctors have long known that some adults are more susceptible to atherosclerosis than others, Gordon pointed out.
"Heart disease depends, in large part, on your genetic disposition -- it's not all about cholesterol," she said. "In the last couple of years, progeria research has been teaching us that damage-driven plaque formation is something that we all need to pay attention to in the general population."
Then there's the question of aging itself.
"It's amazing how much progeria resembles the normal aging process," said Dr. Vilhelm Bohr, chairman of molecular gerontology at the National Institute on Aging. "I think these proteins linked to progeria play a very profound role in the aging process, and I think we've already seen some pretty big findings in terms of what these proteins do. Lamin-A, for example, appears to have many roles."
Gordon stressed that progeria doesn't exactly mimic the human aging process -- progeria children aren't especially susceptible to cataracts or cancer, for example. But the disorder "is providing insight into mechanisms that we can study," Bohr said.
In the meantime, the group Gordon founded is busy helping parents of children with progeria better understand the challenges facing their child.
"The first question I get from brand-new parents isn't, 'Are we going to have a cure?' " she said. "It's, 'What is my child going to go through? How can I help their joints, their skin?' It's about the happiness of the child today."
To help parents -- many of whom contact the Progeria Research Foundation from developing countries -- the organization facilitates free Internet and phone hook-ups between families in the same country or region. "We put families together. That's crucial, because they are so lost -- this disease is so rare," Gordon said.
Collaborating with the National Institutes of Health, the foundation is also flying children and their parents from sites around the world to NIH facilities in Bethesda, Md., so that kids can receive a full clinical assessment.
"That's to get a baseline dataset -- you need that data to understand if any drug is working or not," Gordon explained. "That's a great leap of faith, of course -- we don't know for sure that we'll find a cure, but we do know we won't be able to find a cure without doing this study."
Still, the speed of discovery occurring since Gordon started PRF five years is encouraging.
"I'm told all the time, 'Wow, you're moving so fast,' and I do feel that speed," she said. "But I also know that we always need to feel like we can do better. Even if I wasn't the mother of a child with progeria, I still see the faces of other children with progeria every day. So nothing can go fast enough for me."
Candy good for you? Mars to probe cocoa benefits
Mars, the company that made its fortune satisfying chocolate cravings, unveiled plans on Monday to develop medications that use a component of cocoa to help treat diabetes, strokes and vascular disease.
The privately held U.S. company that produces M&Ms and Mars bars said it hoped to make medications based on flavanols -- plant chemicals with health benefits found in cocoa, as well as red wine and green tea.
Mars said it is in talks with large pharmaceutical companies for a licensing or joint venture agreement to reproduce the compounds in cocoa shown to improve blood flow.
"The mounting scientific evidence is extraordinary," said Dr Norm Hollenberg, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, which has collaborated with Mars on cocoa research.
"This is a scientific breakthrough that could well lead to a medical breakthrough."
Hollenberg was chairing a two-day seminar with 20 science and medical experts in Switzerland to discuss the newest research on cocoa's potential health benefits.
The specific cocoa flavanol molecules responsible for a blood-thinning aspirin-like effect have been identified for the first time, Mars said.
Two clinical trials have also found that cocoa flavanols can boost the flow of blood to key areas of the brain, raising the possibility of treatments for dementia and strokes.
A new clinical study has shown flavanols' ability to improve synthesis of nitric oxide by blood vessels could aid treatment of vascular complications associated with long-term diabetes.
Mars has already launched CocoaVia, a nutrition bar containing 80 calories and specially preserved flavanols, which usually get destroyed in usual cocoa processing.
The chocolate industry had to rid its products of a junk food image and highlight cocoa's healthier qualities to encourage demand for a produce mainly grown by poor African farmers, industry experts said at a conference in Malaysia last week.
Health Tip: If You've Got a Nosebleed
Nosebleeds are common injuries and can be easily treated, according to Canada's St. John Ambulance.
Here's how to stop a bloody nose:
* Sit down with your head leaning slightly forward.
* Pinch the soft part of your nose for about 10 minutes.
* Loosen the clothing around your neck and breathe through your mouth.
* Don't sniff or blow your nose for a couple of hours.
If a head injury caused your nosebleed, get medical help immediately.
Health Tip: Bathing Your Newborn
Giving your newborn a tub bath for the first time can be daunting. Ease your anxiety by preparing properly for the event.
The Cincinnati Children's Hospital offers these guidelines:
* Select a bath site. Good places include the bathtub, kitchen sink, or bathroom sink.
* If you're using a portable baby bathtub, make sure it's on a sturdy table, and never carry the bathtub with your baby in it.
* Gather all your supplies before filling the tub and undressing your baby.
* Fill the tub with three inches of water. Don't add soap or bubble bath to the water. This can dry your infant's skin.
* As you slowly place your baby into the tub, use a calm, reassuring voice to soothe your child. Support your child's head with your hand.
* Use your other hand to gently wash and rinse your infant.
Food Fact:
The perfect food?
Here are five good reasons it just might be lentils. 1) Lentils, a fine source of plant protein, don't take hours to cook, unlike other dried beans. 2) Lentils are rich in soluble fiber, which helps control blood cholesterol. 3) Lentils provide some calcium, iron and other trace minerals. 4) Lentils are one of the best sources for folic acid, a B vitamin critical for preventing neural tube defects. 5) Lentils may protect against some types of cancers and lower heart disease risk.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Buddy up!
Struggling to stick to your exercise program? Try working out with a partner. Adding a social aspect to your workout helps keep you both motivated and makes sessions more fun. Training with a friend provides mutual support for keeping a regular schedule and pushes you harder to meet your goals.
FAQ of the day:
Why are my hips and thighs so big?
The hormones that maintain a woman's fat reserves for pregnancy and lactation also help determine where fat is stored. Despite what you see in magazines, a so-called "pear" shape is perfectly normal for a healthy woman. In fact, the female distribution of body fat in the hips and thighs has been associated with lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and breast cancer. Women who tend to have more of a male distribution of body fat, with fat stored around the waist, are at higher risk for these diseases.
Monday, July 25, 2005
Health Headlines - July 25
Clinton Launches HIV/AIDS Initiative
Former President Bill Clinton on Saturday kicked off a program that will almost double the number of children in Kenya receiving HIV treatment by the end of 2005, the Associated Press reported.
About 100,000 children in that country are currently infected with HIV, according to the AP, but only 1,200 actually received treatment for their disease. The Clinton Foundation's Pediatric HIV/AIDS Initiative will target an additional 1,000 children.
After flying to Rwanda late Saturday, Clinton donated a year's supply of anti-retroviral treatment for 2,500 children in that country. The foundation's goal is to have 10,000 HIV-infected children in at least 10 countries on anti-retroviral treatment by the end of the year. The money for the massive effort was raised by Clinton mostly from private donors, the AP said. Rwanda was the last stop on Clinton's tour of six African countries, the aim of which was to shine the spotlight on this continent's AIDS crisis.
Children account for one-sixth of HIV/AIDS deaths each year, but they represent only 5 percent of those treated worldwide, according to the United Nations.
FDA Approves New Treatment for Insomnia
A new treatment for insomnia was approved on Friday, and it bears the distinction of being the first prescription sleeping aid not to be classified as a controlled substance.
The drug, known as Rozerem (ramelteon), works differently than its competitors, the Associated Press reported. It is a chemical cousin of melatonin, a natural hormone that keeps the body's sleeping/waking cycle in balance. Rozerem appears to stimulate melatonin receptors in the brain, Dr. Robert Meyers, of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, told the AP.
Studies have also shown the drug does not cause dependence, which is why the FDA did not classify it as a controlled substance. However, the medication is metabolized by the liver, so those with liver conditions should not take this drug, Meyer added.
Rozerem should be available in late September, although its maker, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, would not reveal a price. Roughly a third of adults have trouble sleeping, and about 10 percent have trouble functioning during the day, the AP reported.
New Hope for Those With High Blood Pressure
More than two-thirds of the 65 million Americans with high blood pressure require two or more anti-hypertensive drugs to manage their condition. Many of these people also take medicines for high cholesterol and diabetes.
That makes for a heaping mound of pills to swallow every day.
"Anybody can take a few drugs for a few months, but these people have to be on drugs indefinitely," said Dr. John D. Bisognano, an associate professor of medicine and director of cardiac rehabilitation and clinical preventive cardiology at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, N.Y.
But there is encouraging news on the horizon for people with high blood pressure. Easier-to-take medications and novel drugs and devices promise to improve long-term hypertension management. Basic research continues to sort out the causes of hypertension. And vigorous prevention initiatives aimed at sparing children from this chronic health problem breed hope for future generations of Americans.
Hypertension, often called "the silent killer," usually occurs without symptoms but remains a leading risk factor for stroke, heart attack, heart failure and kidney disease. The only way to find out if you have it is to have a blood pressure reading.
High blood pressure is literally the force exerted as blood pumps into the arteries through the circulatory system and as the arteries resist the flow of blood, says the American Heart Association. Systolic pressure, the "upper" number in a blood pressure test, measures the force when your heart is beating; the "lower" diastolic number reflects the pressure when the heart is resting between beats.
A normal blood pressure for adults is less than 120 mmHg over less than 80 mmHg, and a reading of 140/90 mmHg or higher is considered high, requiring medical intervention.
In 2003, the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure, a panel convened by the federal government, added a new blood pressure category, called "prehypertension" -- to put people on warning about the potential risk they face. Prehypertension is defined as a pressure of 120-139/80-89 mmHg.
For people with diabetes or kidney disease, the goal is to reduce blood pressure to 130/80 mmHg.
"One of the problems you run into is people who are at the highest risk -- the people with diabetes and kidney disease -- often require lots of medications to get their blood pressure down, because every medication gives you about a 10- to 15-point drop or so," Bisognano said.
"If you're starting at 200 and need to go to 130, that's a lot of medications," he added.
No single medication has proved to be the magic bullet for lowering blood pressure, so doctors typically rely on a number of different pharmaceuticals, including diuretics, angiotensin receptor blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, beta blockers and calcium channel blockers.
Pharmaceutical developers are responding to the need to make it easier for hypertensive patients to comply with medication regimens by developing new combination products. In the future, we will see more fixed-dose combos of antihypertensive medications as well as pills that can treat more than one risk factor at a time, predicts LeadDiscovery, a United Kingdom-based research outfit.
Pfizer Inc. was the first to offer such a two-in-one product. In 2004, the company received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin marketing Caduet, a pill that contains both Norvasc for lowering high blood pressure and Lipitor for treating high cholesterol.
There are a few new agents in the pipeline that hold promise. One novel class of medications, called oral Renin inhibitors, works by targeting an enzyme released by the kidneys that can affect blood pressure. The first of these agents to be introduced on the market is likely to be Aliskiren, a Novartis drug currently in phase III testing. Analysts expect the company to seek regulatory approval in 2006 and are forecasting blockbuster sales topping $1 billion by 2008 and reaching $3.6 billion by 2012, LeadDiscovery reports.
Meantime, even a gadget to keep blood pressure at bay is being tested. In March, doctors at the University of Rochester Medical were the first in the nation to implant the Rheos, a battery-operated generator that activates the body's natural blood pressure regulation systems. Much like a pacemaker regulates heart rhythm, this device stimulates nerves in the carotid arteries to tell the brain to reduce blood pressure. Bisognano is part of the team that is testing the device.
Still, preventing hypertension in the first place is a far better thing than having to rely on medicines or machines, clinicians agree. That is why the National Hypertension Association (NHA) has focused on basic research and education.
NHA researchers have shown, for example, that salt-sensitive rats get high blood pressure when exposed to excess salt. "But the salt resistant ones are not bothered by it at all; their kidneys get rid of it," noted Dr. William M. Manger, NHA chairman and clinical professor of medicine at New York University Medical Center. At least in salt-sensitive rats, it appears that excess salt to the brain causes hypertension, he said. How that will play out in humans is still unknown, but investigators are hopeful.
The NHA also sponsors VITAL (Values Initiative Teaching About Lifestyle), a rapidly expanding school-based initiative to change the lifestyle and behavior of young children. It focuses on nutrition and exercise, a much broader agenda than hypertension alone. But it fills a critical gap, according to Manger, author of the not-yet-released book, Our Greatest Threats Protect Your Children and Yourself, focusing on preventing unhealthy lifestyles.
"I think this VITAL program is the best thing we could do for our nation," he said.
Pay Attention to Bladder Cancer's Warning Signs
People need to pay attention to the early warning signs of bladder cancer and get prompt medical help, says a University of Michigan Health System bladder cancer expert.
"It's very important for patients to pay attention to the symptoms that they may experience. For example, if someone has blood in the urine, they may have a tendency to dismiss that or ignore that. I cannot emphasize enough that it is very important for patients with that symptom to be evaluated by a physician," Dr. Cheryl Lee, director of the bladder cancer program at the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center and assistant professor of urology at the U-M Medical School, said in a prepared statement.
Along with blood in the urine, other symptoms of bladder cancer include: urgency to urinate; frequent urination in small amounts; back or abdominal pain; painful urination; loss of appetite or weight.
Tests to diagnose bladder cancer include: checking urine samples for cancer cells; X-rays of the kidney and urinary system, including the bladder; and cystoscopy, in which a small flexible tube with a camera on the end is inserted into the bladder.
Bladder cancer strikes men three times more often than women. Treatment for bladder cancer is most successful in the early stages, when the tumor is smaller and on the surface of the bladder.
"If a patient unfortunately has had a delay in diagnosis, or has not responded to some of the signs such as blood in the urine, the tumor has the opportunity to grow, to invade the wall of the bladder and even to extend beyond the bladder, or metastasize, to other organs. In that scenario, we're looking at much more aggressive and radical treatment plans," Lee said.
This year, about 63,000 Americans will develop bladder cancer, which kills about 13,000 people in the United States each year, the university said.
Maggot Treatment Saves Mich. Woman's Foot
Barbara Enser wasn't very comfortable at first with the idea of using maggots to clean the wound on her right foot. But if it meant saving it from amputation, she was willing to give it a try.
The 57-year-old Bay City woman was diagnosed with diabetes 40 years ago and subsequently lost her left leg to the disease. She also suffers from neuropathy, meaning she has no feeling in her foot or leg, and ulcers or wounds can develop from constantly putting pressure on the foot.
"I'm just hoping this works because I think this is the last straw for saving the foot," Enser told The Bay City Times before a recent treatment. "I don't like creepy, crawly things. I won't even kill a creepy, crawly thing."
Enser went through a number of other procedures to stem the infection that is spreading through her foot. She had the wound cleaned with a scalpel and has been on antibiotics.
But after those failed, she turned to Dr. Gerald L. Dowling, head of the podiatry section of the Orthopedics Department at Bay Regional Medical Center. He first treated Enser with maggots on July 6.
For the procedure, the maggots —- about 2 millimeters each in size —- are placed on the wound, then surrounded by an adhesive foam, clear tape, and a gauze bandage.
By July 8, the maggots had swelled to twice their normal size and eaten away part of the infection. When Dowling removed the bandages two days later, Enser's foot was looking better. Healthy, pink skin was replacing the dead tissue, and the swelling was down in her foot and ankle.
The maggots do more than just clean a wound. They also dissolve the infected tissue, kill bacteria and leave an enzyme behind that stimulates healing. They will only eat the infected tissue, leaving healthy tissue alone.
"In general, maggots have the capacity to distinguish viable and dead tissue on a cell-by-cell basis," said Dr. Steven M. Holland, chief of the laboratory of clinical infectious diseases at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
As much good as the first treatment did, Dowling decided to go with one more treatment. And when the bandages from the second procedure were removed 72 hours later, Dowling deemed the procedure a success.
Once the bandages were taken off, the maggots were removed using tweezers and the area was rinsed with a saline solution. Dowling then cut away leftover dead skin.
Hundreds of Children Starving in Niger
Nasseiba Ali is the face of hunger in Niger. The 20-month-old girl weighs just 12 pounds, and her eyes are clouded at night, one of the symptoms of her chronic malnourishment, along with sparse, wiry hair, brittle and malformed nails, and a deceptively prominent belly.
Nasseiba may survive because her grandmother was able to get her to a feeding center. But aid groups despair that so many other children -— among the most vulnerable in times of crisis -— are dying because the world was slow to respond.
"I thought we would not make it safely," said Haoua Adamou, Nasseiba's grandmother, speaking in Hausa through an interpreter. Adamou had walked several hours from her village with the baby on her back to the emergency feeding center at Maradi, some 400 miles east of the capital, Niamey. She sat Saturday fanning flies from Nasseiba's face.
The aid agency Oxfam warned last week that about 3.6 million people, about a third of them children, face starvation in this West African nation devastated by locusts and drought. The U.N.'s humanitarian agency estimates some 800,000 children under five are suffering from hunger, including 150,000 faced with severe malnutrition.
The warnings have been coming for months. The United Nations first appealed for assistance in November and got almost no response. Another appeal for $16 million in March got about $1 million. The latest appeal on May 25 for $30 million has received about $10 million.
Donations jumped dramatically in the last week because, U.N. humanitarian chief Jan Egeland said Friday, of increased media attention and TV images of starving children. Egeland estimated thousands of children are dying in Niger.
Nasseiba dozed, at first fitfully, in the intensive care tent of the emergency center erected by Doctors Without Borders in Maradi, where 55 other chronically malnourished children were receiving care. Her mother, who is three months pregnant, and her father stayed behind to work their farm, hoping to coax something from the dry soil come the October harvest.
Nasseiba tried several times to pull out the tiny feeding tube securely taped to her forehead and running down into her nose. She found sleep after several meager mouthfuls of enriched formula and what looked like a long, cold stare, sign of her troubled vision that leaves her blind at night.
Just a few steps from the critically sick, another ward sheltered children who have almost recovered.
Two-year-old Tsclaha has survived the critical 48 hours since her admission, when she weighed just 13.2 pounds. It will take her days to reach her target weight of 16 pounds before being declared fully cured.
Tsclaha, barely able to stand on wobbly legs, happily munched a ready to eat, highly nutritious peanut butter mixture. Tsclaha wore a red bracelet, signaling doctors had decided to admit her. Nearby, 40 women carrying children waited anxiously for them to be weighed and for doctors to decide which ones would get red bracelets, which ones the orange or yellow bracelets that meant that, though considered malnourished, they were well enough to be sent home with supplies of flour and cooking oil.
Outside the MSF center, new tents are being set up to ease up the burden on the already stretched facility, where nurses work round the clock to diagnose the 300 hungry children who come daily from surrounding villages.
A 16-ton shipment of oil, sugar, and nutritional paste arrived in Maradi from France on Thursday and several more shipments were scheduled, the U.N. World Food Program said.
But the need is great and growing in this desert nation of 11.3 million regularly ranked among the world's least developed. When the first appeal was made, only $1 dollar per day and per person would have helped solve the food crisis, the U.N. has said. Now that the situation has worsened and people are weaker, $80 will be needed per person.
"It's the worst I've seen so far," said Hassan Balla, a primary school teacher in Tarna, a village just outside Maradi.
"What is happening is really ugly," he said. "I've seen people eat leaves ... live like animals."
Balla, however, is optimistic.
"The world is generous," he said. `Our friends heard our cries. Do you think they will let us suffer when they are living comfortably?"
Food Fact:
Magic beans.
Beans can help reduce cancer risks -- but you may want to give them a good rinse before cooking. Canned beans have a lot of excess sodium; a little running water will wash it, and that "canned" taste, away. Otherwise, beans, lentils, peas and other legumes are as healthy as tasty food gets. Legumes are full of protease inhibitors, which may protect against several cancers by helping your body repair genetic material, curb out-of-control cell division and inhibit tumors by impairing their enzymes. They're also high in fiber, low in fat, rich in B vitamins (including folate), and contain potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc and trace elements.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Lift weights, lose weight.
Marilyn Monroe knew it, and you should, too: For good health and a great shape, dumbbells are a girl's best friend. Dieters who lift weights and eat well lose more body fat, and feel stronger and more flexible. Lifting weights as you diet makes it easier to shed pounds; increased muscle mass will boost your metabolic rate over time, allowing you to burn calories even at rest. It also gives your muscles a tight, firm appearance.
FAQ of the day:
Why do women need more body fat than men?
It's all about hormones. A woman's body is designed for childbearing and breast-feeding, so her hormones ensure she has a minimum level of body fat. This is why amenorrhea occurs in women who undereat and/or overexercise -- the percentage of body fat drops too low to provide the energy needed to sustain healthy pregnancy and lactation. On the plus side, estrogen helps limit the risk of heart disease by maintaining the average woman's blood-cholesterol profile in a healthier state than a man's.
Former President Bill Clinton on Saturday kicked off a program that will almost double the number of children in Kenya receiving HIV treatment by the end of 2005, the Associated Press reported.
About 100,000 children in that country are currently infected with HIV, according to the AP, but only 1,200 actually received treatment for their disease. The Clinton Foundation's Pediatric HIV/AIDS Initiative will target an additional 1,000 children.
After flying to Rwanda late Saturday, Clinton donated a year's supply of anti-retroviral treatment for 2,500 children in that country. The foundation's goal is to have 10,000 HIV-infected children in at least 10 countries on anti-retroviral treatment by the end of the year. The money for the massive effort was raised by Clinton mostly from private donors, the AP said. Rwanda was the last stop on Clinton's tour of six African countries, the aim of which was to shine the spotlight on this continent's AIDS crisis.
Children account for one-sixth of HIV/AIDS deaths each year, but they represent only 5 percent of those treated worldwide, according to the United Nations.
FDA Approves New Treatment for Insomnia
A new treatment for insomnia was approved on Friday, and it bears the distinction of being the first prescription sleeping aid not to be classified as a controlled substance.
The drug, known as Rozerem (ramelteon), works differently than its competitors, the Associated Press reported. It is a chemical cousin of melatonin, a natural hormone that keeps the body's sleeping/waking cycle in balance. Rozerem appears to stimulate melatonin receptors in the brain, Dr. Robert Meyers, of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, told the AP.
Studies have also shown the drug does not cause dependence, which is why the FDA did not classify it as a controlled substance. However, the medication is metabolized by the liver, so those with liver conditions should not take this drug, Meyer added.
Rozerem should be available in late September, although its maker, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, would not reveal a price. Roughly a third of adults have trouble sleeping, and about 10 percent have trouble functioning during the day, the AP reported.
New Hope for Those With High Blood Pressure
More than two-thirds of the 65 million Americans with high blood pressure require two or more anti-hypertensive drugs to manage their condition. Many of these people also take medicines for high cholesterol and diabetes.
That makes for a heaping mound of pills to swallow every day.
"Anybody can take a few drugs for a few months, but these people have to be on drugs indefinitely," said Dr. John D. Bisognano, an associate professor of medicine and director of cardiac rehabilitation and clinical preventive cardiology at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, N.Y.
But there is encouraging news on the horizon for people with high blood pressure. Easier-to-take medications and novel drugs and devices promise to improve long-term hypertension management. Basic research continues to sort out the causes of hypertension. And vigorous prevention initiatives aimed at sparing children from this chronic health problem breed hope for future generations of Americans.
Hypertension, often called "the silent killer," usually occurs without symptoms but remains a leading risk factor for stroke, heart attack, heart failure and kidney disease. The only way to find out if you have it is to have a blood pressure reading.
High blood pressure is literally the force exerted as blood pumps into the arteries through the circulatory system and as the arteries resist the flow of blood, says the American Heart Association. Systolic pressure, the "upper" number in a blood pressure test, measures the force when your heart is beating; the "lower" diastolic number reflects the pressure when the heart is resting between beats.
A normal blood pressure for adults is less than 120 mmHg over less than 80 mmHg, and a reading of 140/90 mmHg or higher is considered high, requiring medical intervention.
In 2003, the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure, a panel convened by the federal government, added a new blood pressure category, called "prehypertension" -- to put people on warning about the potential risk they face. Prehypertension is defined as a pressure of 120-139/80-89 mmHg.
For people with diabetes or kidney disease, the goal is to reduce blood pressure to 130/80 mmHg.
"One of the problems you run into is people who are at the highest risk -- the people with diabetes and kidney disease -- often require lots of medications to get their blood pressure down, because every medication gives you about a 10- to 15-point drop or so," Bisognano said.
"If you're starting at 200 and need to go to 130, that's a lot of medications," he added.
No single medication has proved to be the magic bullet for lowering blood pressure, so doctors typically rely on a number of different pharmaceuticals, including diuretics, angiotensin receptor blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, beta blockers and calcium channel blockers.
Pharmaceutical developers are responding to the need to make it easier for hypertensive patients to comply with medication regimens by developing new combination products. In the future, we will see more fixed-dose combos of antihypertensive medications as well as pills that can treat more than one risk factor at a time, predicts LeadDiscovery, a United Kingdom-based research outfit.
Pfizer Inc. was the first to offer such a two-in-one product. In 2004, the company received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin marketing Caduet, a pill that contains both Norvasc for lowering high blood pressure and Lipitor for treating high cholesterol.
There are a few new agents in the pipeline that hold promise. One novel class of medications, called oral Renin inhibitors, works by targeting an enzyme released by the kidneys that can affect blood pressure. The first of these agents to be introduced on the market is likely to be Aliskiren, a Novartis drug currently in phase III testing. Analysts expect the company to seek regulatory approval in 2006 and are forecasting blockbuster sales topping $1 billion by 2008 and reaching $3.6 billion by 2012, LeadDiscovery reports.
Meantime, even a gadget to keep blood pressure at bay is being tested. In March, doctors at the University of Rochester Medical were the first in the nation to implant the Rheos, a battery-operated generator that activates the body's natural blood pressure regulation systems. Much like a pacemaker regulates heart rhythm, this device stimulates nerves in the carotid arteries to tell the brain to reduce blood pressure. Bisognano is part of the team that is testing the device.
Still, preventing hypertension in the first place is a far better thing than having to rely on medicines or machines, clinicians agree. That is why the National Hypertension Association (NHA) has focused on basic research and education.
NHA researchers have shown, for example, that salt-sensitive rats get high blood pressure when exposed to excess salt. "But the salt resistant ones are not bothered by it at all; their kidneys get rid of it," noted Dr. William M. Manger, NHA chairman and clinical professor of medicine at New York University Medical Center. At least in salt-sensitive rats, it appears that excess salt to the brain causes hypertension, he said. How that will play out in humans is still unknown, but investigators are hopeful.
The NHA also sponsors VITAL (Values Initiative Teaching About Lifestyle), a rapidly expanding school-based initiative to change the lifestyle and behavior of young children. It focuses on nutrition and exercise, a much broader agenda than hypertension alone. But it fills a critical gap, according to Manger, author of the not-yet-released book, Our Greatest Threats Protect Your Children and Yourself, focusing on preventing unhealthy lifestyles.
"I think this VITAL program is the best thing we could do for our nation," he said.
Pay Attention to Bladder Cancer's Warning Signs
People need to pay attention to the early warning signs of bladder cancer and get prompt medical help, says a University of Michigan Health System bladder cancer expert.
"It's very important for patients to pay attention to the symptoms that they may experience. For example, if someone has blood in the urine, they may have a tendency to dismiss that or ignore that. I cannot emphasize enough that it is very important for patients with that symptom to be evaluated by a physician," Dr. Cheryl Lee, director of the bladder cancer program at the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center and assistant professor of urology at the U-M Medical School, said in a prepared statement.
Along with blood in the urine, other symptoms of bladder cancer include: urgency to urinate; frequent urination in small amounts; back or abdominal pain; painful urination; loss of appetite or weight.
Tests to diagnose bladder cancer include: checking urine samples for cancer cells; X-rays of the kidney and urinary system, including the bladder; and cystoscopy, in which a small flexible tube with a camera on the end is inserted into the bladder.
Bladder cancer strikes men three times more often than women. Treatment for bladder cancer is most successful in the early stages, when the tumor is smaller and on the surface of the bladder.
"If a patient unfortunately has had a delay in diagnosis, or has not responded to some of the signs such as blood in the urine, the tumor has the opportunity to grow, to invade the wall of the bladder and even to extend beyond the bladder, or metastasize, to other organs. In that scenario, we're looking at much more aggressive and radical treatment plans," Lee said.
This year, about 63,000 Americans will develop bladder cancer, which kills about 13,000 people in the United States each year, the university said.
Maggot Treatment Saves Mich. Woman's Foot
Barbara Enser wasn't very comfortable at first with the idea of using maggots to clean the wound on her right foot. But if it meant saving it from amputation, she was willing to give it a try.
The 57-year-old Bay City woman was diagnosed with diabetes 40 years ago and subsequently lost her left leg to the disease. She also suffers from neuropathy, meaning she has no feeling in her foot or leg, and ulcers or wounds can develop from constantly putting pressure on the foot.
"I'm just hoping this works because I think this is the last straw for saving the foot," Enser told The Bay City Times before a recent treatment. "I don't like creepy, crawly things. I won't even kill a creepy, crawly thing."
Enser went through a number of other procedures to stem the infection that is spreading through her foot. She had the wound cleaned with a scalpel and has been on antibiotics.
But after those failed, she turned to Dr. Gerald L. Dowling, head of the podiatry section of the Orthopedics Department at Bay Regional Medical Center. He first treated Enser with maggots on July 6.
For the procedure, the maggots —- about 2 millimeters each in size —- are placed on the wound, then surrounded by an adhesive foam, clear tape, and a gauze bandage.
By July 8, the maggots had swelled to twice their normal size and eaten away part of the infection. When Dowling removed the bandages two days later, Enser's foot was looking better. Healthy, pink skin was replacing the dead tissue, and the swelling was down in her foot and ankle.
The maggots do more than just clean a wound. They also dissolve the infected tissue, kill bacteria and leave an enzyme behind that stimulates healing. They will only eat the infected tissue, leaving healthy tissue alone.
"In general, maggots have the capacity to distinguish viable and dead tissue on a cell-by-cell basis," said Dr. Steven M. Holland, chief of the laboratory of clinical infectious diseases at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
As much good as the first treatment did, Dowling decided to go with one more treatment. And when the bandages from the second procedure were removed 72 hours later, Dowling deemed the procedure a success.
Once the bandages were taken off, the maggots were removed using tweezers and the area was rinsed with a saline solution. Dowling then cut away leftover dead skin.
Hundreds of Children Starving in Niger
Nasseiba Ali is the face of hunger in Niger. The 20-month-old girl weighs just 12 pounds, and her eyes are clouded at night, one of the symptoms of her chronic malnourishment, along with sparse, wiry hair, brittle and malformed nails, and a deceptively prominent belly.
Nasseiba may survive because her grandmother was able to get her to a feeding center. But aid groups despair that so many other children -— among the most vulnerable in times of crisis -— are dying because the world was slow to respond.
"I thought we would not make it safely," said Haoua Adamou, Nasseiba's grandmother, speaking in Hausa through an interpreter. Adamou had walked several hours from her village with the baby on her back to the emergency feeding center at Maradi, some 400 miles east of the capital, Niamey. She sat Saturday fanning flies from Nasseiba's face.
The aid agency Oxfam warned last week that about 3.6 million people, about a third of them children, face starvation in this West African nation devastated by locusts and drought. The U.N.'s humanitarian agency estimates some 800,000 children under five are suffering from hunger, including 150,000 faced with severe malnutrition.
The warnings have been coming for months. The United Nations first appealed for assistance in November and got almost no response. Another appeal for $16 million in March got about $1 million. The latest appeal on May 25 for $30 million has received about $10 million.
Donations jumped dramatically in the last week because, U.N. humanitarian chief Jan Egeland said Friday, of increased media attention and TV images of starving children. Egeland estimated thousands of children are dying in Niger.
Nasseiba dozed, at first fitfully, in the intensive care tent of the emergency center erected by Doctors Without Borders in Maradi, where 55 other chronically malnourished children were receiving care. Her mother, who is three months pregnant, and her father stayed behind to work their farm, hoping to coax something from the dry soil come the October harvest.
Nasseiba tried several times to pull out the tiny feeding tube securely taped to her forehead and running down into her nose. She found sleep after several meager mouthfuls of enriched formula and what looked like a long, cold stare, sign of her troubled vision that leaves her blind at night.
Just a few steps from the critically sick, another ward sheltered children who have almost recovered.
Two-year-old Tsclaha has survived the critical 48 hours since her admission, when she weighed just 13.2 pounds. It will take her days to reach her target weight of 16 pounds before being declared fully cured.
Tsclaha, barely able to stand on wobbly legs, happily munched a ready to eat, highly nutritious peanut butter mixture. Tsclaha wore a red bracelet, signaling doctors had decided to admit her. Nearby, 40 women carrying children waited anxiously for them to be weighed and for doctors to decide which ones would get red bracelets, which ones the orange or yellow bracelets that meant that, though considered malnourished, they were well enough to be sent home with supplies of flour and cooking oil.
Outside the MSF center, new tents are being set up to ease up the burden on the already stretched facility, where nurses work round the clock to diagnose the 300 hungry children who come daily from surrounding villages.
A 16-ton shipment of oil, sugar, and nutritional paste arrived in Maradi from France on Thursday and several more shipments were scheduled, the U.N. World Food Program said.
But the need is great and growing in this desert nation of 11.3 million regularly ranked among the world's least developed. When the first appeal was made, only $1 dollar per day and per person would have helped solve the food crisis, the U.N. has said. Now that the situation has worsened and people are weaker, $80 will be needed per person.
"It's the worst I've seen so far," said Hassan Balla, a primary school teacher in Tarna, a village just outside Maradi.
"What is happening is really ugly," he said. "I've seen people eat leaves ... live like animals."
Balla, however, is optimistic.
"The world is generous," he said. `Our friends heard our cries. Do you think they will let us suffer when they are living comfortably?"
Food Fact:
Magic beans.
Beans can help reduce cancer risks -- but you may want to give them a good rinse before cooking. Canned beans have a lot of excess sodium; a little running water will wash it, and that "canned" taste, away. Otherwise, beans, lentils, peas and other legumes are as healthy as tasty food gets. Legumes are full of protease inhibitors, which may protect against several cancers by helping your body repair genetic material, curb out-of-control cell division and inhibit tumors by impairing their enzymes. They're also high in fiber, low in fat, rich in B vitamins (including folate), and contain potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc and trace elements.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Lift weights, lose weight.
Marilyn Monroe knew it, and you should, too: For good health and a great shape, dumbbells are a girl's best friend. Dieters who lift weights and eat well lose more body fat, and feel stronger and more flexible. Lifting weights as you diet makes it easier to shed pounds; increased muscle mass will boost your metabolic rate over time, allowing you to burn calories even at rest. It also gives your muscles a tight, firm appearance.
FAQ of the day:
Why do women need more body fat than men?
It's all about hormones. A woman's body is designed for childbearing and breast-feeding, so her hormones ensure she has a minimum level of body fat. This is why amenorrhea occurs in women who undereat and/or overexercise -- the percentage of body fat drops too low to provide the energy needed to sustain healthy pregnancy and lactation. On the plus side, estrogen helps limit the risk of heart disease by maintaining the average woman's blood-cholesterol profile in a healthier state than a man's.
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Health Headlines - July 24
Guidant Says Defibrillator Recommendation May Be Harmful
Guidant Corp. said Friday that one of its recommendations designed to correct a problem with its implantable heart defibrillators may actually increase risk to patients.
The Indianapolis-based company had recalled 11 models of its defibrillators last month, affecting about 88,000 devices, because of malfunctions in the pacemaker-like devices. The malfunctions occurred when a magnetic switch inside the device got stuck and prevented the device from providing treatment. Defibrillators shock the heart back into a normal rhythm when they detect abnormal heartbeats.
Guidant said Friday that it has now changed its advice to doctors treating about 21,000 patients with implanted Ventak Prism AVT, Vitality AVT, and Contak Renewal AVT defibrillators, according to the Associated Press.
In June, the company had told doctors to make a programming change to the devices, which malfunctioned in two reported cases. However, the company found that a third event occurred after the original warnings went out despite the programming recommendation. The patient was not injured beyond having to have the device replaced.
In a "corrective action" letter to doctors Friday, the company warned, "Guidant has determined that one of our original recommendations -- programming Atrial Tachy Episode Data Storage to 0 percent -- can cause latching in a subset of AVT devices that have previously stored atrial episode data." Instead, the letter said, doctors "as soon as possible" should call back any patients who were reprogrammed to 0 percent or less than 20 percent and program the data storage to 20 percent.
Drug Industry Proposes Ad Revisions
The pharmaceutical industry has proposed new guidelines that call for educating doctors about new drugs before ads for them are released.
But the draft code stops short of setting a time span between a drug's release and the beginning of ads, as had been called for by industry critics who say doctors need time to understand drugs before patients start asking for them, The New York Times reported. The guidelines say only that drug makers should have "conversations with physicians" before advertising new products.
The guidelines, whose final wording is still being worked out, try to address growing pressure from a variety of fronts, including Capitol Hill and the American Medical Association, and even from within the industry itself.
A large consumer group reacted on Thursday with skepticism to the industry guidelines. "It appears the pharmaceutical industry has produced a placebo rather than supporting real reform of drug advertising," said Rob Schneider of Consumers Union, who called the guidelines primarily a good-will gesture aimed at calming Congress.
Details of the code will be disclosed at a news conference next month, the newspaper reported.
The guidelines, adopted unanimously by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America's board Thursday, also call for TV ads appropriate for the audience and age, ads that promote disease awareness, and ads that notify patients about low-cost drugs for the uninsured.
6 Floridians Died From Generator Exhaust After 2004 Hurricanes
At least six people in Florida were killed by portable generator exhaust in the wake of last year's four major hurricanes that left millions without power, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report released Thursday.
Misplacement of the gasoline-powered generators led to the carbon monoxide (CO) deaths of at least six people and caused non-fatal cases of CO poisoning in at least 167 others, the agency said in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
The CDC said the tolls may have been higher because it measured statistics from a sample of 10 hospitals. Between Aug. 13 and Sept. 25 last year, the state was battered by a record four major hurricanes: Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne.
The agency reminded the public that these generators should never be used indoors, in garages, or outdoors near windows. A typical 5.5 kW generator produces as much carbon monoxide -- an odorless, colorless gas that can kill within minutes -- as six idling cars, the CDC said. Symptoms of CO poisoning include headache, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, shortness of breath, and loss of consciousness.
In a related report, the CDC said 48.7 percent of Florida residents had no evacuation plan before any of the hurricanes; this included people in the direct paths of the storms. The agency called on the state and local governments to do a better job of devising hurricane-preparedness programs.
3 Deaths Linked to Recalled Medical Pumps
Baxter Healthcare is recalling all models of its Colleague Volumetric Infusion Pumps that could shut down while delivering vital fluids or medications to patients, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday.
Baxter has reports of three deaths and six serious injuries associated with the pumps. The FDA issued a statement saying it has categorized the recall as Class I, its most serious recall in which there is a reasonable likelihood that the product could cause death.
Affected models include: 2M8151, 2M8151R, 2M8161, 2M8161R, 2M8153, 2M8153R, 2M8163, and 2M8163R. In addition to the shut-down problem, the FDA said users might inadvertently press the on/off key instead of the start key when attempting to start an infusion.
Some 255,000 of these pumps are now in use, including 206,000 distributed in the United States. They have been sold to physicians, hospitals, pharmacies, and other medical facilities.
Consumers who have questions about the recall should contact Baxter Healthcare at 800-422-9837. Those with technical questions should call the company at 800-THE-PUMP (800-843-7867).
Medicare to Offer Doctors a Free Electronic Records System
Medicare will soon offer U.S. doctors free software that will allow them to computerize their patient records, The New York Times reported Thursday.
An office with five doctors could save more than $100,000 by choosing the software provided by Medicare rather than buying a similar product from a private provider, the newspaper said. Medicare has said it considers lack of electronic records a major impediment to improving health care.
The software is a version of a program called Vista, which has been used for 20 years by hospitals and doctors associated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Times said.
However, the program has a history of being difficult to install, the newspaper said, which is why Medicare will also provide doctors with a list of companies that have been trained to install and maintain it.
Fast Food Trivia
The typical American now consumes approximately three hamburgers and four orders of French fries every week.
Almost 1,000 quarter-pound burgers can come from the ground beef in one 1,000 pound steer (from just the normal beef ground into ground beef).
World Record: The most expensive burger commercially available is the DB Burger Royale, created by French chef Daniel Boulud and available on the menu of DB Bistro Moderne, New York, for $50.
Guidant Corp. said Friday that one of its recommendations designed to correct a problem with its implantable heart defibrillators may actually increase risk to patients.
The Indianapolis-based company had recalled 11 models of its defibrillators last month, affecting about 88,000 devices, because of malfunctions in the pacemaker-like devices. The malfunctions occurred when a magnetic switch inside the device got stuck and prevented the device from providing treatment. Defibrillators shock the heart back into a normal rhythm when they detect abnormal heartbeats.
Guidant said Friday that it has now changed its advice to doctors treating about 21,000 patients with implanted Ventak Prism AVT, Vitality AVT, and Contak Renewal AVT defibrillators, according to the Associated Press.
In June, the company had told doctors to make a programming change to the devices, which malfunctioned in two reported cases. However, the company found that a third event occurred after the original warnings went out despite the programming recommendation. The patient was not injured beyond having to have the device replaced.
In a "corrective action" letter to doctors Friday, the company warned, "Guidant has determined that one of our original recommendations -- programming Atrial Tachy Episode Data Storage to 0 percent -- can cause latching in a subset of AVT devices that have previously stored atrial episode data." Instead, the letter said, doctors "as soon as possible" should call back any patients who were reprogrammed to 0 percent or less than 20 percent and program the data storage to 20 percent.
Drug Industry Proposes Ad Revisions
The pharmaceutical industry has proposed new guidelines that call for educating doctors about new drugs before ads for them are released.
But the draft code stops short of setting a time span between a drug's release and the beginning of ads, as had been called for by industry critics who say doctors need time to understand drugs before patients start asking for them, The New York Times reported. The guidelines say only that drug makers should have "conversations with physicians" before advertising new products.
The guidelines, whose final wording is still being worked out, try to address growing pressure from a variety of fronts, including Capitol Hill and the American Medical Association, and even from within the industry itself.
A large consumer group reacted on Thursday with skepticism to the industry guidelines. "It appears the pharmaceutical industry has produced a placebo rather than supporting real reform of drug advertising," said Rob Schneider of Consumers Union, who called the guidelines primarily a good-will gesture aimed at calming Congress.
Details of the code will be disclosed at a news conference next month, the newspaper reported.
The guidelines, adopted unanimously by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America's board Thursday, also call for TV ads appropriate for the audience and age, ads that promote disease awareness, and ads that notify patients about low-cost drugs for the uninsured.
6 Floridians Died From Generator Exhaust After 2004 Hurricanes
At least six people in Florida were killed by portable generator exhaust in the wake of last year's four major hurricanes that left millions without power, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report released Thursday.
Misplacement of the gasoline-powered generators led to the carbon monoxide (CO) deaths of at least six people and caused non-fatal cases of CO poisoning in at least 167 others, the agency said in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
The CDC said the tolls may have been higher because it measured statistics from a sample of 10 hospitals. Between Aug. 13 and Sept. 25 last year, the state was battered by a record four major hurricanes: Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne.
The agency reminded the public that these generators should never be used indoors, in garages, or outdoors near windows. A typical 5.5 kW generator produces as much carbon monoxide -- an odorless, colorless gas that can kill within minutes -- as six idling cars, the CDC said. Symptoms of CO poisoning include headache, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, shortness of breath, and loss of consciousness.
In a related report, the CDC said 48.7 percent of Florida residents had no evacuation plan before any of the hurricanes; this included people in the direct paths of the storms. The agency called on the state and local governments to do a better job of devising hurricane-preparedness programs.
3 Deaths Linked to Recalled Medical Pumps
Baxter Healthcare is recalling all models of its Colleague Volumetric Infusion Pumps that could shut down while delivering vital fluids or medications to patients, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday.
Baxter has reports of three deaths and six serious injuries associated with the pumps. The FDA issued a statement saying it has categorized the recall as Class I, its most serious recall in which there is a reasonable likelihood that the product could cause death.
Affected models include: 2M8151, 2M8151R, 2M8161, 2M8161R, 2M8153, 2M8153R, 2M8163, and 2M8163R. In addition to the shut-down problem, the FDA said users might inadvertently press the on/off key instead of the start key when attempting to start an infusion.
Some 255,000 of these pumps are now in use, including 206,000 distributed in the United States. They have been sold to physicians, hospitals, pharmacies, and other medical facilities.
Consumers who have questions about the recall should contact Baxter Healthcare at 800-422-9837. Those with technical questions should call the company at 800-THE-PUMP (800-843-7867).
Medicare to Offer Doctors a Free Electronic Records System
Medicare will soon offer U.S. doctors free software that will allow them to computerize their patient records, The New York Times reported Thursday.
An office with five doctors could save more than $100,000 by choosing the software provided by Medicare rather than buying a similar product from a private provider, the newspaper said. Medicare has said it considers lack of electronic records a major impediment to improving health care.
The software is a version of a program called Vista, which has been used for 20 years by hospitals and doctors associated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Times said.
However, the program has a history of being difficult to install, the newspaper said, which is why Medicare will also provide doctors with a list of companies that have been trained to install and maintain it.
Fast Food Trivia
The typical American now consumes approximately three hamburgers and four orders of French fries every week.
Almost 1,000 quarter-pound burgers can come from the ground beef in one 1,000 pound steer (from just the normal beef ground into ground beef).
World Record: The most expensive burger commercially available is the DB Burger Royale, created by French chef Daniel Boulud and available on the menu of DB Bistro Moderne, New York, for $50.
Saturday, July 23, 2005
Health Headlines - July 23
Health Tip: If Your Teen Smokes
If your child is lighting up, these suggestions from St. Louis Children's Hospital may help your teen quit:
* Make it difficult for your teen to light up by banning smoking in your home and car.
* If you smoke, stop. Children often take their cues from their parents.
* Don't be a supplier. Refuse to buy your son or daughter cigarettes.
* Spend more time talking about tobacco and its dangers.
Smoking is a serious addiction, so be patient. Don't give up trying to help your child quit.
Health Tip: Exercising to Excess
There's little doubt about the health benefits of exercise, but in an effort to control their weight, some teens work out compulsively.
Over-exercising, especially when coupled with an eating disorder, can lead to stress on the heart, according to Akron Children's Hospital in Ohio.
Your child's exercise routine may have turned into an unhealthy obsession if he or she:
* Forces herself to work out, even if she doesn't feel well.
* Chooses exercise over spending time with friends.
* Becomes upset over a missed workout.
* Bases the amount she exercises on how much she eats.
* Has trouble sitting still because she doesn't think she's burning enough calories.
* Is never satisfied with her physical achievements.
* Uses diet aids, steroids or chemicals to help enhance her physique.
If this sounds like your child, discuss the problem with her doctor.
Health Tip: Bringing Your Lunch to Work
If last night's leftovers are tomorrow's hot lunch, make sure the food is safe.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency offers these tips for taking hot food to work:
* Heat dishes like soups, chili and stews above 140 degrees.
* Use an insulated container to store hot foods, and keep it closed until lunchtime.
* Preheat the insulated container by filling it with boiling water. Let it stand a few minutes, pour out the water and add the hot food right away.
Health Tip: Keeping Baby Food Safe
Protect your infants against foodborne illnesses by taking special precautions with the foods they eat.
The U.S. National Network for Child Care offers these tips:
* Keep formula-filled bottles cold until feeding time, and throw out any formula that's left in the bottle after feeding.
* Cover home-prepared baby food immediately and put it in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it in ice cube trays. Once the food is frozen, put the cubes in a plastic freezer bag to prevent freezer burn, and don't refreeze thawed food.
* If the food comes from a baby food jar, put the amount to be eaten in a bowl and refrigerate the rest. The refrigerated portion should be eaten within two days.
6 Floridians Died From Generator Exhaust After 2004 Hurricanes
At least six people in Florida were killed by portable generator exhaust in the wake of last year's four major hurricanes that left millions without power, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report released Thursday.
Misplacement of the gasoline-powered generators led to the carbon monoxide (CO) deaths of at least six people and caused non-fatal cases of CO poisoning in at least 167 others, the agency said in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
The CDC said the tolls may have been higher because it measured statistics from a sample of 10 hospitals. Between Aug. 13 and Sept. 25 last year, the state was battered by a record four major hurricanes: Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne.
The agency reminded the public that these generators should never be used indoors, in garages, or outdoors near windows. A typical 5.5 kW generator produces as much carbon monoxide -- an odorless, colorless gas that can kill within minutes -- as six idling cars, the CDC said. Symptoms of CO poisoning include headache, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, shortness of breath, and loss of consciousness.
In a related report, the CDC said 48.7 percent of Florida residents had no evacuation plan before any of the hurricanes; this included people in the direct paths of the storms. The agency called on the state and local governments to do a better job of devising hurricane-preparedness programs.
3 Deaths Linked to Recalled Medical Pumps
Baxter Healthcare is recalling all models of its Colleague Volumetric Infusion Pumps that could shut down while delivering vital fluids or medications to patients, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday.
Baxter has reports of three deaths and six serious injuries associated with the pumps. The FDA issued a statement saying it has categorized the recall as Class I, its most serious recall in which there is a reasonable likelihood that the product could cause death.
Affected models include: 2M8151, 2M8151R, 2M8161, 2M8161R, 2M8153, 2M8153R, 2M8163, and 2M8163R. In addition to the shut-down problem, the FDA said users might inadvertently press the on/off key instead of the start key when attempting to start an infusion.
Some 255,000 of these pumps are now in use, including 206,000 distributed in the United States. They have been sold to physicians, hospitals, pharmacies, and other medical facilities.
Consumers who have questions about the recall should contact Baxter Healthcare at 800-422-9837. Those with technical questions should call the company at 800-THE-PUMP (800-843-7867).
Cholesterol Drugs Could Harm Some Diabetics: Study
Cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins could harm, and possibly kill, some severely ill diabetics, new research finds.
A study of Lipitor conducted by the drug's maker found that diabetics who required kidney dialysis and took the medication were twice as likely to die of a stroke, the Associated Press reported.
The study, funded by Pfizer Inc., involved 1,255 Europeans with Type 2 diabetes. There were 27 fatal strokes among the 619 people on Lipitor, compared to 13 among the 636 users who took a placebo, the AP said. The findings were reported in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine.
Dr. Robert Stanton, chief of kidney diseases at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, said this single study probably didn't offer enough proof to limit the use of statins like Lipitor in this group of patients, the AP quoted him as saying. He was not involved in the research.
Lipitor is the world's most prescribed drug, the wire service said.
Medicare to Offer Doctors a Free Electronic Records System
Medicare will soon offer U.S. doctors free software that will allow them to computerize their patient records, The New York Times reported Thursday.
An office with five doctors could save more than $100,000 by choosing the software provided by Medicare rather than buying a similar product from a private provider, the newspaper said. Medicare has said it considers lack of electronic records a major impediment to improving health care.
The software is a version of a program called Vista, which has been used for 20 years by hospitals and doctors associated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Times said.
However, the program has a history of being difficult to install, the newspaper said, which is why Medicare will also provide doctors with a list of companies that have been trained to install and maintain it.
Merck Says It Didn't Perform Early Heart Studies on Vioxx
Merck & Co. didn't conduct any studies on whether Vioxx caused heart attacks or other cardiovascular problems before the painkiller was approved in 1999, the company's top epidemiologist testified Wednesday.
Testifying in an Angleton, Texas, courtroom at the nation's first Vioxx-related lawsuit to go to trial, Nancy Santanello said Merck had no indication before the painkiller went on the market that it could cause heart attacks, the Associated Press reported.
The plaintiff in the case, Carol Ernst, contends that her 59-year-old husband, Robert, developed an abnormal heart rhythm after taking Vioxx for eight months. He died in 2001. Merck, which has vowed to fight all Vioxx-related suits, contends there's no proof that Ernst's heart problem was caused by the once-popular painkiller.
A 2000 study showed Vioxx could increase some users' risks of heart attack by five times, compared with people who used older painkillers, the AP said. Vioxx was pulled from the U.S. market in September.
Colleagues Seek Liver for Dying PR Exec
Two years ago, Shari Kurzrok was spearheading the public-relations push for the nation's largest-ever blood drive, for the American Red Cross.
Today she's fighting for her life.
The 31-year-old executive for Ogilvy Public Relations in New York City needs a liver transplant. Doctors say she'll die within days if she doesn't get one.
Kurzrok was admitted to New York University Hospital last weekend, and within 24 hours was told she needed a new liver to save her life. Her still-unexplained sudden illness has taken her family, friends, and doctors by surprise, colleagues say.
Kurzrok led the 345-city "Save-a-Life Tour," which collected 3.2 million pints of blood in 2003 and registered more than 38,000 new potential donors, a statement from Ogilvy said.
Blood is a factor in her plight too, since she needs a liver from someone who is Type A or Type O. For more information or to help, call 877-223-3386, or email: liverforalife@yahoo.com.
Food Fact:
Ginger, no ail.
Want a neat trick for making health-giving ginger easier to grate? Freeze it first. You'll be glad you did: Spicy, lively, fresh ginger has a way of waking up all the other flavors around it. Look for large, firm, buff-colored knobs when buying fresh ginger. Traditionally used in Asian cooking, it's making its way into all sorts of savory dishes and delivering loads of healthful antioxidant compounds. Ginger may also decrease your heart attack risk. A few studies have found that both fresh and dried ginger inhibits blood levels of thromboxane B-2, a compound that promotes dangerous blood clots. It also has a longstanding folk reputation as a remedy for nausea. Clinical studies have found it useful in treating motion sickness, as well as post-surgical nausea.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Dyna-band on the run.
Next time you head out on a business trip, pack a Dyna-band and a jump rope -- small items with big rewards. When time or the weather doesn't permit a gym visit or running, you can work up a sweat in your room with resistance training and cardio exercise using these two compact helpers. Nothing boosts your energy, creativity and effectiveness on the road like a workout.
FAQ of the day:
Can I be fit and fat?
While obesity is strongly associated with increased health risks, recent population studies suggest much of that risk may stem from poor fitness. Increased physical activity makes a difference when combined with a calorie-controlled diet. As your fitness improves, you'll boost your health and feel better, even with only modest weight loss.
If your child is lighting up, these suggestions from St. Louis Children's Hospital may help your teen quit:
* Make it difficult for your teen to light up by banning smoking in your home and car.
* If you smoke, stop. Children often take their cues from their parents.
* Don't be a supplier. Refuse to buy your son or daughter cigarettes.
* Spend more time talking about tobacco and its dangers.
Smoking is a serious addiction, so be patient. Don't give up trying to help your child quit.
Health Tip: Exercising to Excess
There's little doubt about the health benefits of exercise, but in an effort to control their weight, some teens work out compulsively.
Over-exercising, especially when coupled with an eating disorder, can lead to stress on the heart, according to Akron Children's Hospital in Ohio.
Your child's exercise routine may have turned into an unhealthy obsession if he or she:
* Forces herself to work out, even if she doesn't feel well.
* Chooses exercise over spending time with friends.
* Becomes upset over a missed workout.
* Bases the amount she exercises on how much she eats.
* Has trouble sitting still because she doesn't think she's burning enough calories.
* Is never satisfied with her physical achievements.
* Uses diet aids, steroids or chemicals to help enhance her physique.
If this sounds like your child, discuss the problem with her doctor.
Health Tip: Bringing Your Lunch to Work
If last night's leftovers are tomorrow's hot lunch, make sure the food is safe.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency offers these tips for taking hot food to work:
* Heat dishes like soups, chili and stews above 140 degrees.
* Use an insulated container to store hot foods, and keep it closed until lunchtime.
* Preheat the insulated container by filling it with boiling water. Let it stand a few minutes, pour out the water and add the hot food right away.
Health Tip: Keeping Baby Food Safe
Protect your infants against foodborne illnesses by taking special precautions with the foods they eat.
The U.S. National Network for Child Care offers these tips:
* Keep formula-filled bottles cold until feeding time, and throw out any formula that's left in the bottle after feeding.
* Cover home-prepared baby food immediately and put it in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it in ice cube trays. Once the food is frozen, put the cubes in a plastic freezer bag to prevent freezer burn, and don't refreeze thawed food.
* If the food comes from a baby food jar, put the amount to be eaten in a bowl and refrigerate the rest. The refrigerated portion should be eaten within two days.
6 Floridians Died From Generator Exhaust After 2004 Hurricanes
At least six people in Florida were killed by portable generator exhaust in the wake of last year's four major hurricanes that left millions without power, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report released Thursday.
Misplacement of the gasoline-powered generators led to the carbon monoxide (CO) deaths of at least six people and caused non-fatal cases of CO poisoning in at least 167 others, the agency said in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
The CDC said the tolls may have been higher because it measured statistics from a sample of 10 hospitals. Between Aug. 13 and Sept. 25 last year, the state was battered by a record four major hurricanes: Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne.
The agency reminded the public that these generators should never be used indoors, in garages, or outdoors near windows. A typical 5.5 kW generator produces as much carbon monoxide -- an odorless, colorless gas that can kill within minutes -- as six idling cars, the CDC said. Symptoms of CO poisoning include headache, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, shortness of breath, and loss of consciousness.
In a related report, the CDC said 48.7 percent of Florida residents had no evacuation plan before any of the hurricanes; this included people in the direct paths of the storms. The agency called on the state and local governments to do a better job of devising hurricane-preparedness programs.
3 Deaths Linked to Recalled Medical Pumps
Baxter Healthcare is recalling all models of its Colleague Volumetric Infusion Pumps that could shut down while delivering vital fluids or medications to patients, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday.
Baxter has reports of three deaths and six serious injuries associated with the pumps. The FDA issued a statement saying it has categorized the recall as Class I, its most serious recall in which there is a reasonable likelihood that the product could cause death.
Affected models include: 2M8151, 2M8151R, 2M8161, 2M8161R, 2M8153, 2M8153R, 2M8163, and 2M8163R. In addition to the shut-down problem, the FDA said users might inadvertently press the on/off key instead of the start key when attempting to start an infusion.
Some 255,000 of these pumps are now in use, including 206,000 distributed in the United States. They have been sold to physicians, hospitals, pharmacies, and other medical facilities.
Consumers who have questions about the recall should contact Baxter Healthcare at 800-422-9837. Those with technical questions should call the company at 800-THE-PUMP (800-843-7867).
Cholesterol Drugs Could Harm Some Diabetics: Study
Cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins could harm, and possibly kill, some severely ill diabetics, new research finds.
A study of Lipitor conducted by the drug's maker found that diabetics who required kidney dialysis and took the medication were twice as likely to die of a stroke, the Associated Press reported.
The study, funded by Pfizer Inc., involved 1,255 Europeans with Type 2 diabetes. There were 27 fatal strokes among the 619 people on Lipitor, compared to 13 among the 636 users who took a placebo, the AP said. The findings were reported in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine.
Dr. Robert Stanton, chief of kidney diseases at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, said this single study probably didn't offer enough proof to limit the use of statins like Lipitor in this group of patients, the AP quoted him as saying. He was not involved in the research.
Lipitor is the world's most prescribed drug, the wire service said.
Medicare to Offer Doctors a Free Electronic Records System
Medicare will soon offer U.S. doctors free software that will allow them to computerize their patient records, The New York Times reported Thursday.
An office with five doctors could save more than $100,000 by choosing the software provided by Medicare rather than buying a similar product from a private provider, the newspaper said. Medicare has said it considers lack of electronic records a major impediment to improving health care.
The software is a version of a program called Vista, which has been used for 20 years by hospitals and doctors associated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Times said.
However, the program has a history of being difficult to install, the newspaper said, which is why Medicare will also provide doctors with a list of companies that have been trained to install and maintain it.
Merck Says It Didn't Perform Early Heart Studies on Vioxx
Merck & Co. didn't conduct any studies on whether Vioxx caused heart attacks or other cardiovascular problems before the painkiller was approved in 1999, the company's top epidemiologist testified Wednesday.
Testifying in an Angleton, Texas, courtroom at the nation's first Vioxx-related lawsuit to go to trial, Nancy Santanello said Merck had no indication before the painkiller went on the market that it could cause heart attacks, the Associated Press reported.
The plaintiff in the case, Carol Ernst, contends that her 59-year-old husband, Robert, developed an abnormal heart rhythm after taking Vioxx for eight months. He died in 2001. Merck, which has vowed to fight all Vioxx-related suits, contends there's no proof that Ernst's heart problem was caused by the once-popular painkiller.
A 2000 study showed Vioxx could increase some users' risks of heart attack by five times, compared with people who used older painkillers, the AP said. Vioxx was pulled from the U.S. market in September.
Colleagues Seek Liver for Dying PR Exec
Two years ago, Shari Kurzrok was spearheading the public-relations push for the nation's largest-ever blood drive, for the American Red Cross.
Today she's fighting for her life.
The 31-year-old executive for Ogilvy Public Relations in New York City needs a liver transplant. Doctors say she'll die within days if she doesn't get one.
Kurzrok was admitted to New York University Hospital last weekend, and within 24 hours was told she needed a new liver to save her life. Her still-unexplained sudden illness has taken her family, friends, and doctors by surprise, colleagues say.
Kurzrok led the 345-city "Save-a-Life Tour," which collected 3.2 million pints of blood in 2003 and registered more than 38,000 new potential donors, a statement from Ogilvy said.
Blood is a factor in her plight too, since she needs a liver from someone who is Type A or Type O. For more information or to help, call 877-223-3386, or email: liverforalife@yahoo.com.
Food Fact:
Ginger, no ail.
Want a neat trick for making health-giving ginger easier to grate? Freeze it first. You'll be glad you did: Spicy, lively, fresh ginger has a way of waking up all the other flavors around it. Look for large, firm, buff-colored knobs when buying fresh ginger. Traditionally used in Asian cooking, it's making its way into all sorts of savory dishes and delivering loads of healthful antioxidant compounds. Ginger may also decrease your heart attack risk. A few studies have found that both fresh and dried ginger inhibits blood levels of thromboxane B-2, a compound that promotes dangerous blood clots. It also has a longstanding folk reputation as a remedy for nausea. Clinical studies have found it useful in treating motion sickness, as well as post-surgical nausea.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Dyna-band on the run.
Next time you head out on a business trip, pack a Dyna-band and a jump rope -- small items with big rewards. When time or the weather doesn't permit a gym visit or running, you can work up a sweat in your room with resistance training and cardio exercise using these two compact helpers. Nothing boosts your energy, creativity and effectiveness on the road like a workout.
FAQ of the day:
Can I be fit and fat?
While obesity is strongly associated with increased health risks, recent population studies suggest much of that risk may stem from poor fitness. Increased physical activity makes a difference when combined with a calorie-controlled diet. As your fitness improves, you'll boost your health and feel better, even with only modest weight loss.
Friday, July 22, 2005
Health Headlines - July 22
Benign breast disease, family history studied
Women diagnosed with the most common form of benign breast disease but who do not have a strong family history of breast cancer have no heightened risk of developing a tumor, according to a new study.
Wife influences husband's marijuana use - study
A newlywed wife can help determine whether her husband smokes marijuana, U.S. researchers said.
Estrogen gene helps explain some infertility-study
Fertility drugs may not help certain women if they lack a certain estrogen-related gene, scientists studying mice suggested.
U.S. lawmakers renew call for abortion-pill ban
Several conservative lawmakers urged Congress to order a halt to sales of the abortion pill RU-486 and require further safety review after the drug's maker announced that five women taking it had died from bacterial infections.
Cosmetic surgery firm riles Spanish nurses
Spain's nurses have told a cosmetic surgery firm to apologize after it paraded 50 mini-skirted models, sporting uniforms and stethoscopes, onto the stock market for its share launch.
Chiron flu vaccine supply short outside U.S.
Troubled flu vaccine maker Chiron Corp. on Wednesday said it is unable to supply a German-made flu vaccine in key European markets for the 2005-2006 season, days after reporting it would slash production due to potential contamination at a German plant.
Chronically tired? Help may be at hand
Help may finally be at hand for sufferers of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) thanks to a group of British researchers who have found abnormalities in the white blood cells of the afflicted.
Molecular link between obesity and diabetes found
Scientists have discovered a molecular link between obesity and type 2 diabetes that could be a potential target for new drugs to treat the disease.
Food Fact:
Smashing!
To get the most from garlic, you may have to rough it up a little. When you cook garlic, cut it, smash it and then let it sit for about 10 minutes. This allows plenty of time for the formation of garlic's mother compound, allicin, the sulfur compound that gives garlic its unique potential benefits, including an ability to inhibit blood clots. Raw and cooked garlic may reduce elevated blood cholesterol and blood pressure. In population studies, people who eat more alliums (garlic family members) have lower rates of stomach and other cancers; indeed, just one clove of garlic a day can lower the risk. Raw garlic and onion kill bacteria and fungi, making them natural antibiotics. When buying garlic, choose firm heavy heads and store in an open container in a cool, dry place.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Be a road scholar.
It's easy to find out where you can work out on a business trip, if you know where to look online. Before you leave, go to a travel or city guide Web site for your destination and research the parks, community centers, tracks and fitness centers where you can get a little exercise. Nothing boosts your energy, creativity and effectiveness on the road like a workout. Bonus: Explore the local jogging paths, and you'll get a taste of city life you'll never find in a hotel or pitch meeting.
FAQ of the day:
How can I get heart-healthy omega-3s without fish?
First, make sure you include plant sources of omega-3s every day. It's also important to limit the amount of highly polyunsaturated oils in your diet, because they compete with omega-3s. Olive oil is a safe choice. Plant-based sources of omega-3s such as English walnuts, soy foods, flax seeds and leafy green vegetables.
Women diagnosed with the most common form of benign breast disease but who do not have a strong family history of breast cancer have no heightened risk of developing a tumor, according to a new study.
Wife influences husband's marijuana use - study
A newlywed wife can help determine whether her husband smokes marijuana, U.S. researchers said.
Estrogen gene helps explain some infertility-study
Fertility drugs may not help certain women if they lack a certain estrogen-related gene, scientists studying mice suggested.
U.S. lawmakers renew call for abortion-pill ban
Several conservative lawmakers urged Congress to order a halt to sales of the abortion pill RU-486 and require further safety review after the drug's maker announced that five women taking it had died from bacterial infections.
Cosmetic surgery firm riles Spanish nurses
Spain's nurses have told a cosmetic surgery firm to apologize after it paraded 50 mini-skirted models, sporting uniforms and stethoscopes, onto the stock market for its share launch.
Chiron flu vaccine supply short outside U.S.
Troubled flu vaccine maker Chiron Corp. on Wednesday said it is unable to supply a German-made flu vaccine in key European markets for the 2005-2006 season, days after reporting it would slash production due to potential contamination at a German plant.
Chronically tired? Help may be at hand
Help may finally be at hand for sufferers of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) thanks to a group of British researchers who have found abnormalities in the white blood cells of the afflicted.
Molecular link between obesity and diabetes found
Scientists have discovered a molecular link between obesity and type 2 diabetes that could be a potential target for new drugs to treat the disease.
Food Fact:
Smashing!
To get the most from garlic, you may have to rough it up a little. When you cook garlic, cut it, smash it and then let it sit for about 10 minutes. This allows plenty of time for the formation of garlic's mother compound, allicin, the sulfur compound that gives garlic its unique potential benefits, including an ability to inhibit blood clots. Raw and cooked garlic may reduce elevated blood cholesterol and blood pressure. In population studies, people who eat more alliums (garlic family members) have lower rates of stomach and other cancers; indeed, just one clove of garlic a day can lower the risk. Raw garlic and onion kill bacteria and fungi, making them natural antibiotics. When buying garlic, choose firm heavy heads and store in an open container in a cool, dry place.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Be a road scholar.
It's easy to find out where you can work out on a business trip, if you know where to look online. Before you leave, go to a travel or city guide Web site for your destination and research the parks, community centers, tracks and fitness centers where you can get a little exercise. Nothing boosts your energy, creativity and effectiveness on the road like a workout. Bonus: Explore the local jogging paths, and you'll get a taste of city life you'll never find in a hotel or pitch meeting.
FAQ of the day:
How can I get heart-healthy omega-3s without fish?
First, make sure you include plant sources of omega-3s every day. It's also important to limit the amount of highly polyunsaturated oils in your diet, because they compete with omega-3s. Olive oil is a safe choice. Plant-based sources of omega-3s such as English walnuts, soy foods, flax seeds and leafy green vegetables.
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Health Headlines - July 21
Health Tip: Your Child May Need Glasses
Not being able to see the chalk board in class is not the only clue that your child may have problems with his vision, according to the University of Iowa Health Care consumer Web site.
You should have your child's eyes tested if he:
* Rubs his eyes excessively.
* Squints or covers one eye.
* Holds objects close to his eyes.
* Blinks frequently when doing close work.
* Complains that his eyes itch or burn.
* Complains of headaches or dizziness when doing close work.
* Complains of blurred or double vision.
Health Tip: A Compulsion to Work
Are you a workaholic or merely a hard worker? And do you know the difference?
According to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, compulsive over-workers:
* Are usually in a hurry.
* Have a need to control.
* Expect perfection of themselves and others.
* Have difficulty in relationships.
* Can't relax and have fun.
* Are usually impatient and irritable.
* Often do several things at the same time, such as eat breakfast while listening to voice mail messages, or return phone calls while on the computer.
* Seldom delegate.
If these characteristics sound familiar, try introducing more balance into your life. Work addictions can affect your health and your relationship with your family.
Cosmetic surgery firm's stunt riles Spanish nurses
Spain's nurses have told a cosmetic surgery firm to apologize after it paraded 50 mini-skirted models, sporting uniforms and stethoscopes, onto the stock market for its share launch.
U.S. warns Abbott, Cytogen on 'misleading' ads
U.S. regulators warned Cytogen Corp. and Abbott Laboratories Inc. about promotional materials that overstated prescription drugs' effectiveness and understated risks, according to letters released on Tuesday.
US health officials try to head off autism debate
Federal health officials affirmed the safety of vaccines on Tuesday in an unusual news conference called to counter a growing movement alleging that vaccines can cause autism.
NY gov, officials propose Medicaid fraud crackdown
New York Gov. George Pataki on Tuesday unveiled a plan to fight Medicaid fraud, while a U.S. congressman and a state senator called for an audit of the $93 million spent to prevent Medicaid abuse in New York.
Very small newborns face hurdles, study says
Babies who weigh only 2.2 pounds (1 kg) or less at birth are much more likely than those with normal weight to develop chronic physical and mental problems by age eight, researchers said Tuesday.
DuPont sued in Teflon class action case
Two Florida law firms said on Tuesday they had filed class action lawsuits against DuPont Co., charging the giant chemicals producer hid the potential health hazards of its Teflon nonstick cookware coatings.
Testicular cancer patients can have children
Most testicular cancer patients who try to father children after completing their treatment succeed, scientists said Tuesday.
Change rules to battle health racism, group says
Unconscious racism is so entrenched in U.S. medical system that the only way to eliminate disparities is to change the rules, according to a new report released on Tuesday.
Good news for dark chocolate-lovers
Dark chocolate can not only soothe your soul but can lower blood pressure too, researchers reported.
Food Fact:
No freezer burn!
Some frozen veggies may actually be a better bet than fresh. Produce headed for the freezer case usually goes directly from the field or orchard to the processing plant. It doesn't languish in railroad cars or tractor trailer trucks, waiting to be shipped cross-country to end up at your supermarket a week later. The nutrient levels in frozen fruits and vegetables are nearly as high as fresh-picked and are often better than in produce that has undergone temperature changes, exposure to light and other rigors of travel. Some favorites include baby peas, edamame, collard greens, mango pieces and blackberries.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Lose 5 lbs. a year without dieting.
One simple change in your daily routine can help you burn extra calories and shed excess pounds. Anything you do every day to burn an extra 50 calories will save you the equivalent of five extra pounds over the course of a year. It can be as easy as parking your car a mere five minutes further from your office each morning and then walk briskly to your desk and back again after work. That's easy weight loss in just 10 minutes a day!
FAQ of the day:
Which oil should I use?
Each has advantages. Olive oil is highest in heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids (about 84%); canola oil has less (about 60%), but it contains omega-3 fatty acids and less saturated fat than olive oil. All fats contain varying amounts of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids; they are usually referred to according to the type of fatty acid that predominates. Omega-3s are a special type of polyunsaturated fat that's been shown to support a healthy heart.
Not being able to see the chalk board in class is not the only clue that your child may have problems with his vision, according to the University of Iowa Health Care consumer Web site.
You should have your child's eyes tested if he:
* Rubs his eyes excessively.
* Squints or covers one eye.
* Holds objects close to his eyes.
* Blinks frequently when doing close work.
* Complains that his eyes itch or burn.
* Complains of headaches or dizziness when doing close work.
* Complains of blurred or double vision.
Health Tip: A Compulsion to Work
Are you a workaholic or merely a hard worker? And do you know the difference?
According to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, compulsive over-workers:
* Are usually in a hurry.
* Have a need to control.
* Expect perfection of themselves and others.
* Have difficulty in relationships.
* Can't relax and have fun.
* Are usually impatient and irritable.
* Often do several things at the same time, such as eat breakfast while listening to voice mail messages, or return phone calls while on the computer.
* Seldom delegate.
If these characteristics sound familiar, try introducing more balance into your life. Work addictions can affect your health and your relationship with your family.
Cosmetic surgery firm's stunt riles Spanish nurses
Spain's nurses have told a cosmetic surgery firm to apologize after it paraded 50 mini-skirted models, sporting uniforms and stethoscopes, onto the stock market for its share launch.
U.S. warns Abbott, Cytogen on 'misleading' ads
U.S. regulators warned Cytogen Corp. and Abbott Laboratories Inc. about promotional materials that overstated prescription drugs' effectiveness and understated risks, according to letters released on Tuesday.
US health officials try to head off autism debate
Federal health officials affirmed the safety of vaccines on Tuesday in an unusual news conference called to counter a growing movement alleging that vaccines can cause autism.
NY gov, officials propose Medicaid fraud crackdown
New York Gov. George Pataki on Tuesday unveiled a plan to fight Medicaid fraud, while a U.S. congressman and a state senator called for an audit of the $93 million spent to prevent Medicaid abuse in New York.
Very small newborns face hurdles, study says
Babies who weigh only 2.2 pounds (1 kg) or less at birth are much more likely than those with normal weight to develop chronic physical and mental problems by age eight, researchers said Tuesday.
DuPont sued in Teflon class action case
Two Florida law firms said on Tuesday they had filed class action lawsuits against DuPont Co., charging the giant chemicals producer hid the potential health hazards of its Teflon nonstick cookware coatings.
Testicular cancer patients can have children
Most testicular cancer patients who try to father children after completing their treatment succeed, scientists said Tuesday.
Change rules to battle health racism, group says
Unconscious racism is so entrenched in U.S. medical system that the only way to eliminate disparities is to change the rules, according to a new report released on Tuesday.
Good news for dark chocolate-lovers
Dark chocolate can not only soothe your soul but can lower blood pressure too, researchers reported.
Food Fact:
No freezer burn!
Some frozen veggies may actually be a better bet than fresh. Produce headed for the freezer case usually goes directly from the field or orchard to the processing plant. It doesn't languish in railroad cars or tractor trailer trucks, waiting to be shipped cross-country to end up at your supermarket a week later. The nutrient levels in frozen fruits and vegetables are nearly as high as fresh-picked and are often better than in produce that has undergone temperature changes, exposure to light and other rigors of travel. Some favorites include baby peas, edamame, collard greens, mango pieces and blackberries.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Lose 5 lbs. a year without dieting.
One simple change in your daily routine can help you burn extra calories and shed excess pounds. Anything you do every day to burn an extra 50 calories will save you the equivalent of five extra pounds over the course of a year. It can be as easy as parking your car a mere five minutes further from your office each morning and then walk briskly to your desk and back again after work. That's easy weight loss in just 10 minutes a day!
FAQ of the day:
Which oil should I use?
Each has advantages. Olive oil is highest in heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids (about 84%); canola oil has less (about 60%), but it contains omega-3 fatty acids and less saturated fat than olive oil. All fats contain varying amounts of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids; they are usually referred to according to the type of fatty acid that predominates. Omega-3s are a special type of polyunsaturated fat that's been shown to support a healthy heart.
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Health Headlines - July 20
Abortion pill maker alerts doctors to five deaths
Five women who took the abortion pill RU-486 have died from bacterial infections since its U.S. introduction nearly five years ago, the manufacturer reported.
Another reason to eat chocolate -- blood pressure
Dark chocolate can not only soothe your soul but can lower blood pressure too, researchers reported.
Medical device monitoring needs work - report
U.S. health officials need a better system for tracking the safety of medical devices after they are approved for the sale, especially ones used to treat children, a report released said.
Ducks may silently pass along bird flu - study
The bird flu virus that experts fear will jump from birds to humans seems to be mutating yet again, and may be able to hide in healthy-looking ducks, thus putting both other birds and people at risk, experts said.
SIDS linked to nitrogen dioxide pollution
High outdoor levels of nitrogen dioxide apparently raise the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), according to California-based researchers.
Teen girls have healthier stress response than boys
Adolescent girls may be better protected against the effects of stress than teenage boys, according to a team of Georgia researchers. In a study of teenagers' responses to mental stress, they found that girls did not exhibit the same increase in blood pressure as did their male peers.
Stroke prevention surgery safe for 90-year-olds
Carotid endarterectomy (CEA), a type of surgery that may help prevent strokes, can be safely performed in elderly individuals, new research suggests.
Risk of common infections elevated in diabetics
People with diabetes are at increased risk for urinary tract infections, pneumonia and other common infections, Dutch researchers report in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Dark chocolate lowers high blood pressure
Eating dark chocolate may help lower blood pressure, boost normal responses to insulin to keep blood sugar levels down, and improve blood vessel function in patients with high blood pressure, according to new research findings.
Inactivity may be main factor in girls' obesity
Waning exercise levels, even more than overeating, may be a major reason that many U.S. girls become overweight as teenagers, new study findings suggest.
Food Fact:
Fennel club.
Seeds of this parsley kin can be a life saver if you have stomach pain. Fennel has long been part of folk remedies for indigestion, colic, bloating and heartburn, and modern research has shown that fennel seeds are rich in anethole, a compound that relaxes the smooth muscles of the stomach and acts as an anti-spasmodic. When shopping for fennel bulbs, avoid any that have droopy tops, are brownish or look dry. At home, store them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, and sprinkle lemon juice on sliced fennel to prevent browning. Fennel has an affinity for fish. It's particularly good with grilled mackerel and sardines.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Hit that perfect beat.
Dancing raises your pulse -- a key to a healthy heart. Running and biking will do the same. Regular physical activity has many other disease-fighting benefits. It reduces your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, lowers your risk of developing cancer, and helps you prevent bone loss (osteoporosis), and maintain mobility and independence in later years.
FAQ of the day:
What are the fattiest foods?
The worst offenders are stick margarine, solid vegetable shortening and commercially baked products, including donuts, cookies, cakes, pies and pastries. Foods that seem a little more wholesome, such as toaster waffles and wheat crackers, can also contain significant amounts of trans fats. A general rule of thumb: The higher the total fat in a product, and the higher hydrogenated oils appear in the ingredient list, the more trans fat it contains.
Five women who took the abortion pill RU-486 have died from bacterial infections since its U.S. introduction nearly five years ago, the manufacturer reported.
Another reason to eat chocolate -- blood pressure
Dark chocolate can not only soothe your soul but can lower blood pressure too, researchers reported.
Medical device monitoring needs work - report
U.S. health officials need a better system for tracking the safety of medical devices after they are approved for the sale, especially ones used to treat children, a report released said.
Ducks may silently pass along bird flu - study
The bird flu virus that experts fear will jump from birds to humans seems to be mutating yet again, and may be able to hide in healthy-looking ducks, thus putting both other birds and people at risk, experts said.
SIDS linked to nitrogen dioxide pollution
High outdoor levels of nitrogen dioxide apparently raise the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), according to California-based researchers.
Teen girls have healthier stress response than boys
Adolescent girls may be better protected against the effects of stress than teenage boys, according to a team of Georgia researchers. In a study of teenagers' responses to mental stress, they found that girls did not exhibit the same increase in blood pressure as did their male peers.
Stroke prevention surgery safe for 90-year-olds
Carotid endarterectomy (CEA), a type of surgery that may help prevent strokes, can be safely performed in elderly individuals, new research suggests.
Risk of common infections elevated in diabetics
People with diabetes are at increased risk for urinary tract infections, pneumonia and other common infections, Dutch researchers report in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Dark chocolate lowers high blood pressure
Eating dark chocolate may help lower blood pressure, boost normal responses to insulin to keep blood sugar levels down, and improve blood vessel function in patients with high blood pressure, according to new research findings.
Inactivity may be main factor in girls' obesity
Waning exercise levels, even more than overeating, may be a major reason that many U.S. girls become overweight as teenagers, new study findings suggest.
Food Fact:
Fennel club.
Seeds of this parsley kin can be a life saver if you have stomach pain. Fennel has long been part of folk remedies for indigestion, colic, bloating and heartburn, and modern research has shown that fennel seeds are rich in anethole, a compound that relaxes the smooth muscles of the stomach and acts as an anti-spasmodic. When shopping for fennel bulbs, avoid any that have droopy tops, are brownish or look dry. At home, store them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, and sprinkle lemon juice on sliced fennel to prevent browning. Fennel has an affinity for fish. It's particularly good with grilled mackerel and sardines.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Hit that perfect beat.
Dancing raises your pulse -- a key to a healthy heart. Running and biking will do the same. Regular physical activity has many other disease-fighting benefits. It reduces your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, lowers your risk of developing cancer, and helps you prevent bone loss (osteoporosis), and maintain mobility and independence in later years.
FAQ of the day:
What are the fattiest foods?
The worst offenders are stick margarine, solid vegetable shortening and commercially baked products, including donuts, cookies, cakes, pies and pastries. Foods that seem a little more wholesome, such as toaster waffles and wheat crackers, can also contain significant amounts of trans fats. A general rule of thumb: The higher the total fat in a product, and the higher hydrogenated oils appear in the ingredient list, the more trans fat it contains.
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Health Headlines - July 19
Health Tip: Pain in the Pearly Whites at Night
It's the middle of the night and your tooth is throbbing. What can you do to relieve the pain until you can get to a dentist?
John Hopkins Health After 50 recommends you:
* Rinse your mouth with warm water.
* Apply an over-the-counter medication containing benzocaine or take aspirin or ibuprofen.
* Use a cold compress on the outside of your cheek.
* Floss around the affected area in case a trapped food particle is causing the pain.
Health Tip: When Driving Alone
If you're a woman who often drives alone, you should take extra precautions, advises the American Automobile Association.
Here are some safety tips:
* Drive with your doors locked and windows rolled up to the three-quarter mark.
* Always have at least half a tank of gas in your car.
* Never park next to a van with no windows.
* Park in areas that will be well-lighted when you return to your car.
* In large parking areas, use landmarks to remember where you parked.
* If you're involved in a fender bender at night or in an isolated area, signal the other driver to follow you and drive to the nearest open business or police station.
* If you suspect you're being followed, drive to the nearest open business for help. Don't drive to your home.
* Don't leave your house keys with your car keys when your car is being serviced.
* If you have car trouble, raise your hood or turn on your flashers. Stay inside your vehicle with the doors locked and use your cell phone to call for help.
In truth, these common sense guidelines are good for everyone's automobile adventures, regardless of gender.
Quitting smoking helps heal chronic gum disease
Smokers are more than 6 times more likely to develop gum disease than non-smokers but kicking the habit can prevent them from losing their teeth prematurely, according to new research published Monday.
Chinese most prone to colorectal cancer in Asia
A study spanning 14 cities across Asia has found the highest incidence of colorectal cancer among ethnic Chinese, a trend which researchers in Hong Kong on Monday blamed on a more westernized diet.
UK health watchdog warns over maternity care risk
Overcrowding, dirty toilets and a shortage of midwives are putting the lives of mothers and babies at risk on British maternity wards, a health watchdog said on Monday.
Clinton takes cheap AIDS drugs to African children
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton hopes his foundation will help treat more than 60,000 children suffering from HIV/AIDS as part of a plan to fight the disease in poor countries, he said.
Scientists find gene defect link to heart disease
Five generations of a family in Dallas, Texas have helped scientists discover a genetic mutation that causes a common birth defect and contributes to heart disease in adults.
Rat race Hong Kong comes to terms with depression
Very few people in Hong Kong recognized depression as an illness until the end of 2003 when popular television actress Victoria Lam openly admitted her condition, which had by then destroyed her career.
More scandals possible after BALCO, scientist says
The scientist whose laboratory helped unravel the BALCO doping scandal that brought global attention to the use of drugs in sport fears there may be more scandals.
FDA approves Cyberonics depression device
A stopwatch-sized device that uses electrical impulses to treat chronic depression won U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval, Cyberonics said.
Being smart no guarantee to happiness in old age
Being intelligent is no guarantee of a happy old age, researchers said.
US to rule on Barr contraceptive by Sept.
U.S. regulators will decide by Sept. 1 whether to approve Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s bid to sell the Plan B "morning-after" contraceptive without a prescription, two Senate Democrats said.
Food Fact:
Soy to the world.
Think soy is boring? Edamame just might change your mind. Baby green soybeans are unlike tofu or soy milk in taste, look and feel, but are just as packed with protein and protective soy isoflavones. Edamame are sold frozen in the pod or shucked. Cook for 7 or 8 minutes in boiling water until tender. Serve plain as a snack or add to stir-fries, bean salads or vegetables mixes. A 1/4-cup serving contains about 110 calories and 9 grams of protein.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Huffing, not puffing.
Exercise increases your chances of quitting smoking or cutting back on cigarettes. It also helps you maintain a healthy weight after you've completed a weight loss program, increases muscle strength and endurance, and pumps up the size of your working muscles, which reduces the number of calories converted into body fat.
FAQ of the day:
Can I take a pill to get the benefits of soy food?
In order to get the benefits of soy, a supplement alone won't do. You'll need to eat soy food, for both soy protein and soy isoflavones, to get the full range of health benefits. Pills will just give you the isoflavones. Only soy foods like tofu, tempeh, soy milk and soy protein powder provide both.
It's the middle of the night and your tooth is throbbing. What can you do to relieve the pain until you can get to a dentist?
John Hopkins Health After 50 recommends you:
* Rinse your mouth with warm water.
* Apply an over-the-counter medication containing benzocaine or take aspirin or ibuprofen.
* Use a cold compress on the outside of your cheek.
* Floss around the affected area in case a trapped food particle is causing the pain.
Health Tip: When Driving Alone
If you're a woman who often drives alone, you should take extra precautions, advises the American Automobile Association.
Here are some safety tips:
* Drive with your doors locked and windows rolled up to the three-quarter mark.
* Always have at least half a tank of gas in your car.
* Never park next to a van with no windows.
* Park in areas that will be well-lighted when you return to your car.
* In large parking areas, use landmarks to remember where you parked.
* If you're involved in a fender bender at night or in an isolated area, signal the other driver to follow you and drive to the nearest open business or police station.
* If you suspect you're being followed, drive to the nearest open business for help. Don't drive to your home.
* Don't leave your house keys with your car keys when your car is being serviced.
* If you have car trouble, raise your hood or turn on your flashers. Stay inside your vehicle with the doors locked and use your cell phone to call for help.
In truth, these common sense guidelines are good for everyone's automobile adventures, regardless of gender.
Quitting smoking helps heal chronic gum disease
Smokers are more than 6 times more likely to develop gum disease than non-smokers but kicking the habit can prevent them from losing their teeth prematurely, according to new research published Monday.
Chinese most prone to colorectal cancer in Asia
A study spanning 14 cities across Asia has found the highest incidence of colorectal cancer among ethnic Chinese, a trend which researchers in Hong Kong on Monday blamed on a more westernized diet.
UK health watchdog warns over maternity care risk
Overcrowding, dirty toilets and a shortage of midwives are putting the lives of mothers and babies at risk on British maternity wards, a health watchdog said on Monday.
Clinton takes cheap AIDS drugs to African children
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton hopes his foundation will help treat more than 60,000 children suffering from HIV/AIDS as part of a plan to fight the disease in poor countries, he said.
Scientists find gene defect link to heart disease
Five generations of a family in Dallas, Texas have helped scientists discover a genetic mutation that causes a common birth defect and contributes to heart disease in adults.
Rat race Hong Kong comes to terms with depression
Very few people in Hong Kong recognized depression as an illness until the end of 2003 when popular television actress Victoria Lam openly admitted her condition, which had by then destroyed her career.
More scandals possible after BALCO, scientist says
The scientist whose laboratory helped unravel the BALCO doping scandal that brought global attention to the use of drugs in sport fears there may be more scandals.
FDA approves Cyberonics depression device
A stopwatch-sized device that uses electrical impulses to treat chronic depression won U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval, Cyberonics said.
Being smart no guarantee to happiness in old age
Being intelligent is no guarantee of a happy old age, researchers said.
US to rule on Barr contraceptive by Sept.
U.S. regulators will decide by Sept. 1 whether to approve Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s bid to sell the Plan B "morning-after" contraceptive without a prescription, two Senate Democrats said.
Food Fact:
Soy to the world.
Think soy is boring? Edamame just might change your mind. Baby green soybeans are unlike tofu or soy milk in taste, look and feel, but are just as packed with protein and protective soy isoflavones. Edamame are sold frozen in the pod or shucked. Cook for 7 or 8 minutes in boiling water until tender. Serve plain as a snack or add to stir-fries, bean salads or vegetables mixes. A 1/4-cup serving contains about 110 calories and 9 grams of protein.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Huffing, not puffing.
Exercise increases your chances of quitting smoking or cutting back on cigarettes. It also helps you maintain a healthy weight after you've completed a weight loss program, increases muscle strength and endurance, and pumps up the size of your working muscles, which reduces the number of calories converted into body fat.
FAQ of the day:
Can I take a pill to get the benefits of soy food?
In order to get the benefits of soy, a supplement alone won't do. You'll need to eat soy food, for both soy protein and soy isoflavones, to get the full range of health benefits. Pills will just give you the isoflavones. Only soy foods like tofu, tempeh, soy milk and soy protein powder provide both.
Monday, July 18, 2005
Health Headlines - July 18
Birth Control Patch Linked to Deaths, Strokes
About a dozen young women died last year from blood clots believed to be related to the birth-control patch Ortho Evra, and dozens more survived strokes and other clot-related problems, safety reports reveal.
The federal drug safety reports obtained by The Associated Press under a Freedom of Information Act request appear to indicate that in 2004 -- when 800,000 women were on the patch -- the risk of dying or suffering a survivable blood clot while using the device was about three times higher than while using birth control pills.
The Food and Drug Administration and patch-maker Ortho McNeil both maintain that the patch is as safe as the pill, but they both saw warning signs of possible problems with the patch well before it reached the market, AP reports.
Ortho McNeil, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, says none of the deaths can be directly attributed to the patch.
"Although we are investigating each and every one of the reports that we get, we have not drawn any causal relationships to the medication," said Dr. Katherine LaGuardia, Ortho McNeil's director of women's health care, told AP.
Several lawsuits have already been filed by families of women who died or suffered blood clots while using the patch, and lawyers said more are planned.
U.S. Regulators Approve Brain Stimulator for Depression
U.S. health officials approved on Friday an implantable electronic device designed to help treat severe depression in patients who have failed to respond to all other treatments.
Houston-based Cyberonics said the Food and Drug Administration had signed off on its Vagus Nerve Stimulation Therapy System. The pacemaker-like device sends electrical impulses to the brain, which can apparently result in improvement in those suffering from severe depression. The system was originally designed to treat epilepsy, according to MarketWatch.
The FDA approved the VNS system with the caveat that it be used with more traditional psychiatric therapies. The device costs about $15,000, MarketWatch said.
The company, which estimates that about 4 million Americans suffer from intractable depression, said the market for the device could reach $1.2 billion by the end of the decade, MarketWatch said.
The system has already been approved to treat depression by regulators in Europe and Canada.
Critics said there has been a lack of rigorous scientific research to prove the VNS system really works, according to the Associated Press.
But FDA medical device chief Dr. Daniel Schultz said he was persuaded by Cyberonics' research, despite initial skepticism within his agency. "These are patients pretty much at the end of the line in terms of what treatment options are available to them," he said.
FDA to Rule on 'Morning-After Pill' by September
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will decide by Sept. 1 whether the controversial "morning-after" contraceptive pill can be sold without a prescription.
The announcement was contained in a letter from Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt to high-ranking senators. The news led two Democratic senators, Patty Murray of Washington and Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, to say they'd allow a vote on the confirmation of Lester Crawford as commissioner of the FDA, the Associated Press reported.
The two lawmakers had held up a vote on Crawford's nomination because of a decision delay on the pill, also known as "Plan B."
"After more than two years of waiting, American consumers and American women will finally get an answer," the two Democrats said.
In December 2003, an FDA advisory panel recommended in a 24-3 vote that the pill be approved for over-the-counter sales. But the FDA ignored that recommendation, citing concerns that the pill could lead young teens to have sex, leaving them susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases. The pill's manufacturer, Barr Laboratories, filed a second application with the agency to address those concerns, the AP said.
Supporters of over-the-counter Plan B said the pill would help women prevent unintended pregnancies and reduce the need for abortions, the news service said.
FDA Investigating Pain Patch Deaths
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating 120 deaths among users of patches that emit the painkiller fentanyl. The agency also warned patients Friday to be sure to use the potent narcotic properly to avoid accidental overdose, the Associated Press reported.
The FDA is reviewing whether any of the deaths were related to inappropriate use of the painkiller or factors related to the product's quality.
Fentanyl is a strong narcotic painkiller that could cause death from overdose if the product's directions aren't strictly followed, the agency said in issuing Friday's public health advisory. The patch is available under the brand name Duragesic, and as a generic version.
The agency said Fentanyl skin patches should be used only when chronic pain isn't controlled with shorter-acting painkillers, and should not be used to treat short-term pain, pain that isn't constant, or for post-surgical pain.
The agency also reminded users to properly dispose of used, unneeded or defective patches by folding the sticky sides together and flushing them down the toilet, to prevent possible abuse by children.
Friday's warning followed by two days the FDA's ban on sales of the narcotic painkiller Palladone, citing the potential for deadly reactions if the drug was used with alcohol.
In a separate action, a healthcare accrediting group is warning about the potential misuse of a cancer drug the could kill or permanently paralyze patients.
The drug vincristine is supposed to be injected into a vein, but on rare occasions has been added to spinal catheters used by leukemia and lymphoma patients, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations said.
The group noted some 49 cases of vincristine mix-ups worldwide since 1968, killing about 90 percent of these patients, the Associated Press reported.
Food Fact:
Slice of heaven?
Is pizza healthy any way you slice it? No, but you can make it so... To make healthy pizza, you've got to attack the fat. Instead of full-fat mozzarella, sausage and pepperoni, increase the variety and quantity of vegetables and use a small amount of flavorful cheese, such as feta or Parmesan. Given the amount of pizza Americans eat, any choice to cut calories helps; collectively, we eat about 100 acres of pizza each day, which works out to 46 slices of pizza for every man, woman and child over the course of a year.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Knock down cholesterol.
It's not just about diet -- physical activity makes a huge difference, too. Exercise improves your blood cholesterol profile by lowering your levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and, more important, boosting your levels of HDL (protective) cholesterol. It also reduces your overall risk of dying prematurely and helps you control your weight; significantly reduces your risk of dying from coronary artery disease or a heart attack; helps your heart pump more blood with each contraction; reduces your risk of developing high blood pressure and helps lower existing high blood pressure; and improves blood circulation throughout your body.
FAQ of the day:
Can soy save me from prostate cancer?
Soy's isoflavones exhibit several cancer-protective effects, but one relates directly to reducing prostate cancer risk. Isoflavones inhibit an enzyme that converts testosterone into an active form (dehydrosterone) associated with prostate cancer risk. Dehydrotestosterone, made primarily in the prostate, regulates the prostate cell's growth. Soy isoflavones have little effect on testosterone itself.
About a dozen young women died last year from blood clots believed to be related to the birth-control patch Ortho Evra, and dozens more survived strokes and other clot-related problems, safety reports reveal.
The federal drug safety reports obtained by The Associated Press under a Freedom of Information Act request appear to indicate that in 2004 -- when 800,000 women were on the patch -- the risk of dying or suffering a survivable blood clot while using the device was about three times higher than while using birth control pills.
The Food and Drug Administration and patch-maker Ortho McNeil both maintain that the patch is as safe as the pill, but they both saw warning signs of possible problems with the patch well before it reached the market, AP reports.
Ortho McNeil, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, says none of the deaths can be directly attributed to the patch.
"Although we are investigating each and every one of the reports that we get, we have not drawn any causal relationships to the medication," said Dr. Katherine LaGuardia, Ortho McNeil's director of women's health care, told AP.
Several lawsuits have already been filed by families of women who died or suffered blood clots while using the patch, and lawyers said more are planned.
U.S. Regulators Approve Brain Stimulator for Depression
U.S. health officials approved on Friday an implantable electronic device designed to help treat severe depression in patients who have failed to respond to all other treatments.
Houston-based Cyberonics said the Food and Drug Administration had signed off on its Vagus Nerve Stimulation Therapy System. The pacemaker-like device sends electrical impulses to the brain, which can apparently result in improvement in those suffering from severe depression. The system was originally designed to treat epilepsy, according to MarketWatch.
The FDA approved the VNS system with the caveat that it be used with more traditional psychiatric therapies. The device costs about $15,000, MarketWatch said.
The company, which estimates that about 4 million Americans suffer from intractable depression, said the market for the device could reach $1.2 billion by the end of the decade, MarketWatch said.
The system has already been approved to treat depression by regulators in Europe and Canada.
Critics said there has been a lack of rigorous scientific research to prove the VNS system really works, according to the Associated Press.
But FDA medical device chief Dr. Daniel Schultz said he was persuaded by Cyberonics' research, despite initial skepticism within his agency. "These are patients pretty much at the end of the line in terms of what treatment options are available to them," he said.
FDA to Rule on 'Morning-After Pill' by September
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will decide by Sept. 1 whether the controversial "morning-after" contraceptive pill can be sold without a prescription.
The announcement was contained in a letter from Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt to high-ranking senators. The news led two Democratic senators, Patty Murray of Washington and Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, to say they'd allow a vote on the confirmation of Lester Crawford as commissioner of the FDA, the Associated Press reported.
The two lawmakers had held up a vote on Crawford's nomination because of a decision delay on the pill, also known as "Plan B."
"After more than two years of waiting, American consumers and American women will finally get an answer," the two Democrats said.
In December 2003, an FDA advisory panel recommended in a 24-3 vote that the pill be approved for over-the-counter sales. But the FDA ignored that recommendation, citing concerns that the pill could lead young teens to have sex, leaving them susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases. The pill's manufacturer, Barr Laboratories, filed a second application with the agency to address those concerns, the AP said.
Supporters of over-the-counter Plan B said the pill would help women prevent unintended pregnancies and reduce the need for abortions, the news service said.
FDA Investigating Pain Patch Deaths
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating 120 deaths among users of patches that emit the painkiller fentanyl. The agency also warned patients Friday to be sure to use the potent narcotic properly to avoid accidental overdose, the Associated Press reported.
The FDA is reviewing whether any of the deaths were related to inappropriate use of the painkiller or factors related to the product's quality.
Fentanyl is a strong narcotic painkiller that could cause death from overdose if the product's directions aren't strictly followed, the agency said in issuing Friday's public health advisory. The patch is available under the brand name Duragesic, and as a generic version.
The agency said Fentanyl skin patches should be used only when chronic pain isn't controlled with shorter-acting painkillers, and should not be used to treat short-term pain, pain that isn't constant, or for post-surgical pain.
The agency also reminded users to properly dispose of used, unneeded or defective patches by folding the sticky sides together and flushing them down the toilet, to prevent possible abuse by children.
Friday's warning followed by two days the FDA's ban on sales of the narcotic painkiller Palladone, citing the potential for deadly reactions if the drug was used with alcohol.
In a separate action, a healthcare accrediting group is warning about the potential misuse of a cancer drug the could kill or permanently paralyze patients.
The drug vincristine is supposed to be injected into a vein, but on rare occasions has been added to spinal catheters used by leukemia and lymphoma patients, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations said.
The group noted some 49 cases of vincristine mix-ups worldwide since 1968, killing about 90 percent of these patients, the Associated Press reported.
Food Fact:
Slice of heaven?
Is pizza healthy any way you slice it? No, but you can make it so... To make healthy pizza, you've got to attack the fat. Instead of full-fat mozzarella, sausage and pepperoni, increase the variety and quantity of vegetables and use a small amount of flavorful cheese, such as feta or Parmesan. Given the amount of pizza Americans eat, any choice to cut calories helps; collectively, we eat about 100 acres of pizza each day, which works out to 46 slices of pizza for every man, woman and child over the course of a year.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Knock down cholesterol.
It's not just about diet -- physical activity makes a huge difference, too. Exercise improves your blood cholesterol profile by lowering your levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and, more important, boosting your levels of HDL (protective) cholesterol. It also reduces your overall risk of dying prematurely and helps you control your weight; significantly reduces your risk of dying from coronary artery disease or a heart attack; helps your heart pump more blood with each contraction; reduces your risk of developing high blood pressure and helps lower existing high blood pressure; and improves blood circulation throughout your body.
FAQ of the day:
Can soy save me from prostate cancer?
Soy's isoflavones exhibit several cancer-protective effects, but one relates directly to reducing prostate cancer risk. Isoflavones inhibit an enzyme that converts testosterone into an active form (dehydrosterone) associated with prostate cancer risk. Dehydrotestosterone, made primarily in the prostate, regulates the prostate cell's growth. Soy isoflavones have little effect on testosterone itself.
Sunday, July 17, 2005
Health Headlines - July 17
Health Tip: Staying Safe at the Playground
Each year, thousands of kids are hurt on playgrounds in the United States, according to the National Program for Playground Safety.
Keep your kids safe by:
* Making sure your child's clothing has no loose strings. If these get caught in the equipment, they can cause strangulation.
* Having your child play only on age-appropriate equipment.
* Avoiding playgrounds with concrete, asphalt, grass, blacktop, or packed dirt surfaces. The area beneath the equipment should be hardwood fiber or mulch, pea gravel, or sand and synthetic material that will cushion a child's fall.
* Checking that the equipment is firmly anchored to the ground, that S-hooks are closed, and that bolts aren't protruding.
Health Tip: When Baby Begins to Crawl
If your baby is learning to crawl, take extra care to ensure her safety. A baby on the move can get into trouble very quickly.
The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto offers these tips:
* Use safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs. Don't use a pressure gate at the top of the stairs. It can topple if your child leans on it.
* Keep medicines and cleaning products locked up.
* Make sure there's no furniture near windows or balcony rails.
* Keep large toys and stuffed animals out of the crib or playpen. Your baby could use them to climb over the side.
* Don't let your child stand up in the high chair.
* Use the safety strap to secure your baby in a shopping cart.
FDA approves Cyberonics depression device
A stopwatch-sized device that uses electrical impulses to treat chronic depression won U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval, Cyberonics said on Friday.
Being smart no guarantee to happiness in old age
Being intelligent is no guarantee of a happy old age, researchers said.
US to rule on Barr contraceptive by Sept.
U.S. regulators will decide by Sept. 1 whether to approve Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s bid to sell the Plan B "morning-after" contraceptive without a prescription, two Senate Democrats said.
Gene variants tied to melanoma risk
In a Mediterranean population typically at low risk for developing melanoma, carriers of mutations in the pigmentation gene MC1R are at increased risk of developing the skin cancer and having it progress, a study hints.
Asthma gene variants may cut risk of brain cancer
New research suggests that gene variants, which are known to raise the risk of asthma, decrease the risk of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a common type of brain cancer that is rapidly fatal.
U.S. probes deaths of patients using pain patches
U.S. regulators are investigating reports of deaths of patients who were using pain patches that contain the narcotic fentanyl, the Food and Drug Administration said.
Healing touch, music, aids heart surgery patients
People who learned about relaxed breathing and received soothing touch and music before heart surgery were more likely to be alive 6 months after the procedure, suggesting that these additional steps help speed recovery, according to a study released today.
Drug combo ups breast cancer survival-study
The combination of the anti-cancer drugs Herceptin and Taxotere appears to work better than Taxotere alone in women with advanced breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast, research shows. Moreover, there is little added toxicity when Herceptin is given.
Clot-buster more likely to work in women-study
Women suffering a sudden "ischemic" stroke caused by a blood clot in the brain are more likely than men to be helped from treatment with a commonly used clot-buster called tPA (tissue plasminogen activator), a study has shown.
Food Fact:
Kernels of wisdom.
The secret to tastier corn: Know exactly how long to cook it. Sweet and tender corn should be cooked in boiling water for no more than 1 or 2 minutes. For best flavor, cook corn the same day it's picked. It's naturally tasty - try it without butter to avoid added fat.There's nothing better than eating corn-on-the-cob on a summer's night. It's good for the soul and the body too. One ear's worth of kernels contains 85 calories and 3 grams fiber. Yellow corn contains lutein, a plant pigment that helps protect your eyes from macular degeneration. Hominy is corn that has been treated with an alkali to remove the hulls. The process boosts the availability of the niacin in corn as a nutrient.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Brain check.
Physical exercise may mean as much for your mind as it does for your body. Research shows exercise can relieve anxiety and depression, increase your energy levels, enhance your self-image, help release tension, and may improve sleeping patterns. Exercise also reduces your overall risk of dying prematurely and helps you control your weight.
FAQ of the day:
Do I need more soy if I'm menopausal?
There's some evidence that soy's isoflavones may help reduce hot flashes. More important is the benefit that soy foods rich in soy protein and isoflavones have on osteoporosis and heart disease. Like estrogen itself, soy's isoflavones help keep bones strong. You may want to take a soy protein isolate powder containing isoflavones daily to help prevent osteoporosis and lower blood cholesterol. With diet and exercise, you can greatly reduce your risk of heart disease after menopause, even without hormone replacement therapy.
Each year, thousands of kids are hurt on playgrounds in the United States, according to the National Program for Playground Safety.
Keep your kids safe by:
* Making sure your child's clothing has no loose strings. If these get caught in the equipment, they can cause strangulation.
* Having your child play only on age-appropriate equipment.
* Avoiding playgrounds with concrete, asphalt, grass, blacktop, or packed dirt surfaces. The area beneath the equipment should be hardwood fiber or mulch, pea gravel, or sand and synthetic material that will cushion a child's fall.
* Checking that the equipment is firmly anchored to the ground, that S-hooks are closed, and that bolts aren't protruding.
Health Tip: When Baby Begins to Crawl
If your baby is learning to crawl, take extra care to ensure her safety. A baby on the move can get into trouble very quickly.
The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto offers these tips:
* Use safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs. Don't use a pressure gate at the top of the stairs. It can topple if your child leans on it.
* Keep medicines and cleaning products locked up.
* Make sure there's no furniture near windows or balcony rails.
* Keep large toys and stuffed animals out of the crib or playpen. Your baby could use them to climb over the side.
* Don't let your child stand up in the high chair.
* Use the safety strap to secure your baby in a shopping cart.
FDA approves Cyberonics depression device
A stopwatch-sized device that uses electrical impulses to treat chronic depression won U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval, Cyberonics said on Friday.
Being smart no guarantee to happiness in old age
Being intelligent is no guarantee of a happy old age, researchers said.
US to rule on Barr contraceptive by Sept.
U.S. regulators will decide by Sept. 1 whether to approve Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s bid to sell the Plan B "morning-after" contraceptive without a prescription, two Senate Democrats said.
Gene variants tied to melanoma risk
In a Mediterranean population typically at low risk for developing melanoma, carriers of mutations in the pigmentation gene MC1R are at increased risk of developing the skin cancer and having it progress, a study hints.
Asthma gene variants may cut risk of brain cancer
New research suggests that gene variants, which are known to raise the risk of asthma, decrease the risk of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a common type of brain cancer that is rapidly fatal.
U.S. probes deaths of patients using pain patches
U.S. regulators are investigating reports of deaths of patients who were using pain patches that contain the narcotic fentanyl, the Food and Drug Administration said.
Healing touch, music, aids heart surgery patients
People who learned about relaxed breathing and received soothing touch and music before heart surgery were more likely to be alive 6 months after the procedure, suggesting that these additional steps help speed recovery, according to a study released today.
Drug combo ups breast cancer survival-study
The combination of the anti-cancer drugs Herceptin and Taxotere appears to work better than Taxotere alone in women with advanced breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast, research shows. Moreover, there is little added toxicity when Herceptin is given.
Clot-buster more likely to work in women-study
Women suffering a sudden "ischemic" stroke caused by a blood clot in the brain are more likely than men to be helped from treatment with a commonly used clot-buster called tPA (tissue plasminogen activator), a study has shown.
Food Fact:
Kernels of wisdom.
The secret to tastier corn: Know exactly how long to cook it. Sweet and tender corn should be cooked in boiling water for no more than 1 or 2 minutes. For best flavor, cook corn the same day it's picked. It's naturally tasty - try it without butter to avoid added fat.There's nothing better than eating corn-on-the-cob on a summer's night. It's good for the soul and the body too. One ear's worth of kernels contains 85 calories and 3 grams fiber. Yellow corn contains lutein, a plant pigment that helps protect your eyes from macular degeneration. Hominy is corn that has been treated with an alkali to remove the hulls. The process boosts the availability of the niacin in corn as a nutrient.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Brain check.
Physical exercise may mean as much for your mind as it does for your body. Research shows exercise can relieve anxiety and depression, increase your energy levels, enhance your self-image, help release tension, and may improve sleeping patterns. Exercise also reduces your overall risk of dying prematurely and helps you control your weight.
FAQ of the day:
Do I need more soy if I'm menopausal?
There's some evidence that soy's isoflavones may help reduce hot flashes. More important is the benefit that soy foods rich in soy protein and isoflavones have on osteoporosis and heart disease. Like estrogen itself, soy's isoflavones help keep bones strong. You may want to take a soy protein isolate powder containing isoflavones daily to help prevent osteoporosis and lower blood cholesterol. With diet and exercise, you can greatly reduce your risk of heart disease after menopause, even without hormone replacement therapy.
Saturday, July 16, 2005
Health Headlines - July 16
U.S. girls weight gain blamed on drop in exercise
Adolescent girls in the United States are putting on weight because they are doing less physical activity than they did as children, according to a study released on Friday.
Washing hands with soap cuts diseases in children
Washing hands with soap can halve the number of young children suffering from pneumonia, the leading killer of youngsters under 5 years old worldwide.
Video games have therapeutic potential -expert
Parents take note -- video games are not all bad.
In young children and adolescents they can lead to excessive use and aggressive behavior but a leading expert said Friday that the games ease pain, distract patients undergoing chemotherapy for cancer and help to develop dexterity.
Forest Labs to continue Alzheimer drug work
Forest Laboratories Inc. on Thursday said it would continue developing its experimental treatment for Alzheimer's disease based on new clinical trial results.
Scientists decode three deadly parasite genomes
Three parasites that sicken or kill millions of people in the developing world every year have been genetically sequenced and are giving up clues that could be used to fight them, scientists said.
US group: Merck wrongly relied on Vioxx animal data
Merck & Co. Inc. knowingly put patients at risk by relying on limited animal studies to claim its arthritis drug Vioxx would not harm the heart and ignoring human data that suggested otherwise, a U.S. advocacy group said.
Weighted backpack device helps reduce fall risk
Elderly women with curved spines may be able to improve their balance and lower their risk of falls by using a weighted support device for their backs and participating in an exercise program, according to new study findings.
Risks associated with blood thinners rise with age
The risk of bleeding and thromboembolism (blood clots) in people who use anticoagulants increases with age, according to a new study.
Social cruelty is largely learned, not inherited
Children who ostracize or gossip about other kids have likely picked up that behavior from their peers, families or teachers, according to new study findings.
Low-dose OCs reduce painful periods
Low-dose oral contraceptives (OCs) may relieve painful menstruation in adolescent girls, according to study findings published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology this month.
Food Fact:
Juice vs. fruit.
A piece of fresh fruit has one key advantage over a glass of juice. When you eat an orange, an apple or a grapefruit, you're getting fiber, which isn't there in a glass of juice. Not only does fiber play a major role against diabetes and heart disease, but it fills you up with fewer calories, helping you control your weight. Fruit juices also tend to be high in added sugar. Citrus fruits in particular are loaded with antioxidant, cancer-preventing compounds, and they're bursting with vitamin C, folate and potassium.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Make a cardio-commute.
You're going to work anyway -- be creative, and you can squeeze in a little effortless exercise on the way. In the morning, walk or ride your bike to the train station or bus stop, or hop off the bus a few blocks from your normal stop and walk the rest of the way. At work, try talking the talk as you walk the walk. Suggest to your boss that you take your brainstorming sessions outside for a walk around the block or a stroll through the halls.
FAQ of the day:
Should I buy fat-free soy milk?
It's not a good idea; fat-free soy milk lacks the beneficial soy isoflavones. If you're concerned about the calories in whole soy milk, switch to 1%.
Adolescent girls in the United States are putting on weight because they are doing less physical activity than they did as children, according to a study released on Friday.
Washing hands with soap cuts diseases in children
Washing hands with soap can halve the number of young children suffering from pneumonia, the leading killer of youngsters under 5 years old worldwide.
Video games have therapeutic potential -expert
Parents take note -- video games are not all bad.
In young children and adolescents they can lead to excessive use and aggressive behavior but a leading expert said Friday that the games ease pain, distract patients undergoing chemotherapy for cancer and help to develop dexterity.
Forest Labs to continue Alzheimer drug work
Forest Laboratories Inc. on Thursday said it would continue developing its experimental treatment for Alzheimer's disease based on new clinical trial results.
Scientists decode three deadly parasite genomes
Three parasites that sicken or kill millions of people in the developing world every year have been genetically sequenced and are giving up clues that could be used to fight them, scientists said.
US group: Merck wrongly relied on Vioxx animal data
Merck & Co. Inc. knowingly put patients at risk by relying on limited animal studies to claim its arthritis drug Vioxx would not harm the heart and ignoring human data that suggested otherwise, a U.S. advocacy group said.
Weighted backpack device helps reduce fall risk
Elderly women with curved spines may be able to improve their balance and lower their risk of falls by using a weighted support device for their backs and participating in an exercise program, according to new study findings.
Risks associated with blood thinners rise with age
The risk of bleeding and thromboembolism (blood clots) in people who use anticoagulants increases with age, according to a new study.
Social cruelty is largely learned, not inherited
Children who ostracize or gossip about other kids have likely picked up that behavior from their peers, families or teachers, according to new study findings.
Low-dose OCs reduce painful periods
Low-dose oral contraceptives (OCs) may relieve painful menstruation in adolescent girls, according to study findings published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology this month.
Food Fact:
Juice vs. fruit.
A piece of fresh fruit has one key advantage over a glass of juice. When you eat an orange, an apple or a grapefruit, you're getting fiber, which isn't there in a glass of juice. Not only does fiber play a major role against diabetes and heart disease, but it fills you up with fewer calories, helping you control your weight. Fruit juices also tend to be high in added sugar. Citrus fruits in particular are loaded with antioxidant, cancer-preventing compounds, and they're bursting with vitamin C, folate and potassium.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Make a cardio-commute.
You're going to work anyway -- be creative, and you can squeeze in a little effortless exercise on the way. In the morning, walk or ride your bike to the train station or bus stop, or hop off the bus a few blocks from your normal stop and walk the rest of the way. At work, try talking the talk as you walk the walk. Suggest to your boss that you take your brainstorming sessions outside for a walk around the block or a stroll through the halls.
FAQ of the day:
Should I buy fat-free soy milk?
It's not a good idea; fat-free soy milk lacks the beneficial soy isoflavones. If you're concerned about the calories in whole soy milk, switch to 1%.
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