White House to Run Bird Flu Response Drill
The Bush administration plans to test the government's ability to respond to an outbreak of bird flu on Saturday, the Associated Press reported.
The four-hour tabletop exercise will include Cabinet secretaries and government officials, although President Bush and Vice Presient Dick Cheney will not be present.
"It is part of the administration's effort to be ready and have the entire federal government ready to respond in the event of a pandemic," White House Press Secretary Trent Duffy told the wire service. "It's a drill."
However, he would not discuss the exact scenario that will be played out during the exercise. The administration is working under a worst-case theory that up to 90 million Americans would become sick, and 2 million would die from the disease.
Fears of a pandemic have become real in recent months as a virulent virus infecting millions of birds has spread throughout Asia and parts of Europe. So far, the virus has killed roughly half of the 120 who have contracted it.
CDC Officials Plan Changes to Oral HIV Test Because of False Positives
Federal health authorities plan to issue new guidelines on how to use an oral HIV test after clinics in San Francisco and New York City reported a high number of false positives with the fast-acting screen in recent months, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Saturday.
Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in March 2004, the Oraquick Advance was considered a breakthrough in HIV detection because it produces results within 20 minutes using a swab from the mouth. It is currently being considered for over-the-counter sales use because of its convenience and ease of use.
But San Francisco officials have recorded at least 49 instances since May where people tested positive for HIV with the oral test, but were later found to be free of the virus. In New York City, health officials recorded 10 false positives in October and 30 in November alone, the Chronicle reported.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will issue an advisory that clinics start offering patients who test positive on the oral test an immediate follow-up blood droplet test to doublecheck the results, Dr. Bernard Branson, associate director for Laboratory Diagnostics at the federal agency, told the paper.
"What we intend to suggest is that if someone is tested with oral fluid and is positive, that person -- if it is possible at the clinic -- should get a finger stick test," he told the paper. Even if that second test is negative, the person would still need the more sophisticated lab test for a definitive diagnosis, he noted.
Environmental Damage Threatens Human Health: WHO
Global environmental degradation is a threat to human health and may be partly responsible for the spread of new diseases such as SARS and bird flu, says a World Health Organization report released Friday.
It warned that environmental changes are already having an impact on human health and the effects could become more pronounced over the next 50 years, Agence France Presse reported.
Fresh water, clean air and a stable climate are basic human needs threatened by environmental damage. The report noted that water-borne diseases kill 3.2 million people a year -- about 6 percent of all deaths annually. More than a billion people have no clean drinking water and 2.6 billion lack proper sanitation, according to the report.
"Human health is strongly linked to the health of ecosystems, which meet many of our critical needs," said Maria Neira, who heads the WHO's department to protect the human environment.
"SARS may have entered the human population via wild species, also raised domestically, and consumed as food in China. It is clear that ecosystem changes, including changed biodiversity, influences the risk of transmission of many diseases to humans," the report said.
Stopping Tamoxifen Early May Save Lives of Breast Cancer Patients
Women with breast cancer might have a better chance of beating their disease if they are switched from tamoxifen to one of the newer aromatase inhibitors after two to three years instead of the current standard of five years, the Associated Press reported.
Researchers who presented the findings at a breast cancer symposium in San Antonio Friday noted this is the first time that aromatase inhibitors have been shown to actually save lives, not just prevent recurrences.
"This is a first attempt to get a grip on duration" of treatment, Mayo Clinic researcher Dr. James Ingle told the wire service. "Longer is better."
Tamoxifen has been a mainstay of breast cancer treatment for decades, but aromatase inhibitors have emerged as a potentially more effective way of keeping estrogen from fueling the cancer.
The biggest qustion now is whether women would be better off taking an aromatase inhibitor first, or switch to one after a couple of years on tamoxifen, Dr. Eric Winer, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, told the AP.
Breast Cancer Study Boosts Herceptin's Promise
New research shows it may be possible to avoid the heart damage sometimes caused by the breast cancer drug Herceptin, a finding that makes the drug look more promising as a treatment for early- and late-stage breast cancer.
Finnish doctors said they found that nine weeks of Herceptin treatment, instead of the usual year of treatment, prevented cancer recurrence and did not increase the risk of heart failure. The research was presented Thursday at a breast cancer conference in San Antonio, the Associated Press reported.
The finding that Herceptin may also be effective when given for a shorter period of time could reduce the cost of the expensive treatment.
The Finnish study supports the use of the drug earlier in breast cancer treatment, said Stanford University breast cancer expert Dr. Robert Carlson. "The jury is in, and the jury has a very strong verdict," Carlson told the AP.
He said the findings suggest that virtually all women with breast cancer tumors of the type targeted by Herceptin should be given the drug, which is designed to act against a gene that's overactive in about 25 percent of breast cancers, the AP reported.
Herceptin is approved for treatment of late-stage breast cancer. The drug's maker, Genentech, wants to get approval to market Herceptin for treatment of early stage breast cancer. Most women have early-stage disease when they receive their diagnosis.
Roche Close to Deal to Increase Tamiflu Production: Report
It's expected that pharmaceutical company Roche will soon announce deals with 15 drug companies or governments to help produce the influenza drug Tamiflu, which is being stockpiled worldwide in anticipation of a flu pandemic, The New York Times reported.
On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) said that Switzerland-based Roche had reached agreements with 15 entities to help increase the supply of Tamilfu. These include generic drug makers Mylan Laboratories and Teva Pharmaceuticals.
Those were the only companies identified by Roche, which acknowledged that it was in "advanced discussions" with potential partners to boost Tamiflu production, the Times reported.
Food Fact:
Miso hungry!
This fermented soybean paste packs a lot of flavor in a very small quantity. The Japanese staple is usually made from a combination of soybeans and rice, although additional soybeans or barley may be used in place of the rice. Miso is usually sold in pint-sized recloseable plastic tubs at large supermarkets, whole foods stores and Asian markets. Refrigerated miso will keep for several months. Miso is very high in sodium, so use it sparingly in soups, marinades and salad dressings.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Get a grip.
Grab a tennis or racquetball for a quick workout off the court. Squeeze one and strengthen the muscles of your hands and arms at the same time. Simply grasp the ball and perform 12 - 15 reps per hand. You may want to start with a "used" tennis ball at the start, then graduate to a ball with more resistance as your conditioning improves.
FAQ of the day:
Do I really need a "cooldown" after a workout?
Cooling down after a workout is even more important than the preworkout warm-up. During a cooldown, blood slowly returns from the extremities to the heart, capillaries return to normal dilation, and your respiration and heart rate slow down. If you skip your cooldown, you risk light-headedness and muscle spasms. It's also harder on your heart to go suddenly from 60 to zero. Walk slowly at the end of a run, do a few slower minutes on the stair climber or bike, and remember to stretch.
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Friday, December 09, 2005
Health Headlines - December 9
Environmental Damage Threatens Human Health: WHO
Global environmental degradation is a threat to human health and may be partly responsible for the spread of new diseases such as SARS and bird flu, says a World Health Organization report released Friday.
It warned that environmental changes are already having an impact on human health and the effects could become more pronounced over the next 50 years, Agence France Presse reported.
Fresh water, clean air and a stable climate are basic human needs threatened by environmental damage. The report noted that water-borne diseases kill 3.2 million people a year -- about 6 percent of all deaths annually. More than a billion people have no clean drinking water and 2.6 billion lack proper sanitation, according to the report.
"Human health is strongly linked to the health of ecosystems, which meet many of our critical needs," said Maria Neira, who heads the WHO's department to protect the human environment.
"SARS may have entered the human population via wild species, also raised domestically, and consumed as food in China. It is clear that ecosystem changes, including changed biodiversity, influences the risk of transmission of many diseases to humans," the report said.
Kellogg to Use Soybean Oil to Lower Trans Fats in Products
U.S.-based Kellogg Co. says that, starting early in 2006, it will make some of its products with oils derived from genetically modified soybeans, to reduce or eliminate trans fatty acids in those products.
The company will use a Monsanto product called Vistive, a soybean oil low in trans fatty linolenic acid, the Associated Press reported. According to Kellogg, it will be one of the first food makers to use this oil to reduce the amounts of trans fat and saturated fats in its products.
Kellogg did not say which of its products would be the first to be made with the genetically modified soybean oil.
The company also said it plans to start using Nutrium, another brand of soybean oil that's low in linolenic acid, in its products in 2007, the AP reported.
Research indicates that trans fats contribute to higher levels of bad LDL cholesterol, which increases the risk of coronary heart disease.
Japanese Encephalitis Threatens Millions of Children in India
There isn't enough vaccine to protect the 70 million to 75 million children in India at risk of contracting deadly Japanese encephalitis, which has already claimed 1,402 lives in the state of Uttar Pradesh since the mosquito-borne disease broke out there in July, officials say.
"Around 70 to 75 million children in India are at high risk from Japanese encephalitis which can kill or maim them. We have recommended to the health ministry to get enough vaccines by April next year before the rainy season starts as the vaccines take about three weeks to take effect," Marzio Babille, UNICEF's chief of health for India, told Agence France Presse.
However, India's health ministry has decided to only increase its vaccine supply from 300,000 doses to 600,000 doses, UNICEF said. The majority of those doses will come from China, which has a surplus of 15 million doses that are available for export.
Mosquitoes transmit Japanese encephalitis from pigs to humans during the monsoon season, which runs from June to September.
UNICEF said the goal is to immunize 66 million children, ages 1 to 5, in India against the disease over the next five years, AFP reported.
Breast Cancer Study Boosts Herceptin's Promise
New research shows that it may be possible to avoid heart damage sometimes caused by the breast cancer drug Herceptin, a finding that makes the drug look more promising as a treatment for early- and late-stage breast cancer.
Finnish doctors said they found that nine weeks of Herceptin treatment, instead of the usual year of treatment, prevented cancer recurrence and did not increase the risk of heart failure. The research was presented Thursday at a meeting of 7,000 breast cancer experts in San Antonio, Texas, the Associated Press reported.
The finding that Herceptin may also be effective when given for a shorter period of time could reduce the cost of the expensive treatment.
The Finnish study supports the use of the drug earlier in breast cancer treatment, said Stanford University breast cancer expert Dr. Robert Carlson. "The jury is in and the jury has a very strong verdict," Carlson told the AP.
He said the findings suggest that virtually all women with breast cancer tumors of the type targeted by Herceptin should be given the drug, which is designed to act against a gene that's overactive in about 25 percent of breast cancers, the AP reported.
Herceptin is approved for treatment of late-stage breast cancer. The drug's maker, Genentech, wants to get approval to market Herceptin for treatment of early stage breast cancer. Most women have early stage disease when they receive their diagnosis.
Roche Close to Deal to Increase Tamiflu Production: Report
It's expected that pharmaceutical company Roche will soon announce deals with 15 drug companies or governments to help produce the influenza drug Tamiflu, which is being stockpiled worldwide in anticipation of a flu pandemic, The New York Times reported.
On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) said that Switzerland-based Roche had reached agreements with 15 entities to help increase the supply of Tamilfu. These include generic drug makers Mylan Laboratories and Teva Pharmaceuticals.
Those were the only companies identified by Roche, which acknowledged that it was in "advanced discussions" with potential partners to boost Tamiflu production, the Times reported.
Roche has been under increasing pressure to allow other manufacturers to make Tamiflu.
In related news, it's estimated that a widespread outbreak of bird flu in humans would reduce U.S. economic production by more than 5 percent and cost the economy $675 billion, including supply disruptions and lost work time. The estimate comes from a pending Congressional Budget Office report, Bloomberg News reported.
Thailand Announces 14th Human Bird Flu Death
A 5-year-old boy is the 14th person to die of bird flu in Thailand, officials announced Friday.
At first, it was believed the boy had pneumonia and doctors only began to treat him for bird flu a few hours before he died on Wednesday. He'd been sick since Nov. 25.
He had the same H5N1 bird flu strain that has killed 69 other people in Asia and millions of birds worldwide since 2003, the Associated Press reported.
The boy came from the Ongkarak district of Nakhon Nayok province, northeast of Bangkok. He lived next door to an uncle who raised chickens. Some of those chickens had recently died, public health officials said.
There have been 22 confirmed human cases of bird flu in Thailand.
China's fifth confirmed human case was reported Friday. It involves a 31-year-old woman who fell ill after she came into contact with dead birds. The woman has since recovered, Agence France Presse reported.
Health Tip: Protect Your Skin Against Winter Weather
Warnings about skin protection abound in summer, but it's important to maintain proper skin care in winter, too.
Dry, itchy skin is common in these months, so it's necessary to moisturize.
Heres a list of winter skin-care tips, courtesy of the American Academy of Dermatology:
Apply moisturizers within three minutes of exiting a bath or shower.
Wear and reapply a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher to combat the damaging rays of the sun, usually reflected by snow.
Use a lip balm with an SPF of 15 or higher to prevent chapped lips.
Use a humidifier to keep the humidity in your house higher in winter months.
Dab petroleum jelly on problem areas to heal dry skin.
After washing hands, immediately apply hand cream to seal in moisture.
Health Tip: Diverticulosis and Abdomen Pain
Diverticulosis, a condition that is mainly found in older people, refers to the presence of small sacs that can develop in the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. Although most patients don't have any symptoms, some experience discomfort in the left lower abdomen, bloating and a change in bowel habits.
The American College of Gastroenterology notes diverticulosis can be diagnosed through a barium enema, colonoscopy or a CT scan. Treatment usually includes antibiotics and, in severe cases, hospitalization.
Those who experience diverticulosis are encouraged to avoid foods that contain indigestible particles, such as nuts and fruits with small seeds.
Food Fact:
Tempeh -- jewel of the Southwest?
It may sound like a town in Arizona, but it's actually the meatiest of soy foods. Chewy and full-flavored, tempeh is made from whole soybeans, which means it's loaded with beneficial soy isoflavones. Tempeh slices easily, holds its shape during cooking and loves a good marinade.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Run for your life?
If you don't want to run alongside traffic, you're not alone. If you need to run or walk in an area where traffic is an issue, always run against the flow of traffic. Also be certain to wear reflective clothing so that you are clearly visible at all times.
FAQ of the day:
Why warm up before a workout?
During a warm-up, your body gradually prepares to bring extra blood and oxygen to the muscles during your workout. Your heart and respiration rate slowly increase, capillaries dilate and blood supplies flow to your extremities, which will need extra oxygen to fuel your muscles when you pick up the pace. The added heat and blood flow allow muscles to become more compliant, and thus less prone to injury. Finally, a proper warm-up is likely to improve your performance.
Global environmental degradation is a threat to human health and may be partly responsible for the spread of new diseases such as SARS and bird flu, says a World Health Organization report released Friday.
It warned that environmental changes are already having an impact on human health and the effects could become more pronounced over the next 50 years, Agence France Presse reported.
Fresh water, clean air and a stable climate are basic human needs threatened by environmental damage. The report noted that water-borne diseases kill 3.2 million people a year -- about 6 percent of all deaths annually. More than a billion people have no clean drinking water and 2.6 billion lack proper sanitation, according to the report.
"Human health is strongly linked to the health of ecosystems, which meet many of our critical needs," said Maria Neira, who heads the WHO's department to protect the human environment.
"SARS may have entered the human population via wild species, also raised domestically, and consumed as food in China. It is clear that ecosystem changes, including changed biodiversity, influences the risk of transmission of many diseases to humans," the report said.
Kellogg to Use Soybean Oil to Lower Trans Fats in Products
U.S.-based Kellogg Co. says that, starting early in 2006, it will make some of its products with oils derived from genetically modified soybeans, to reduce or eliminate trans fatty acids in those products.
The company will use a Monsanto product called Vistive, a soybean oil low in trans fatty linolenic acid, the Associated Press reported. According to Kellogg, it will be one of the first food makers to use this oil to reduce the amounts of trans fat and saturated fats in its products.
Kellogg did not say which of its products would be the first to be made with the genetically modified soybean oil.
The company also said it plans to start using Nutrium, another brand of soybean oil that's low in linolenic acid, in its products in 2007, the AP reported.
Research indicates that trans fats contribute to higher levels of bad LDL cholesterol, which increases the risk of coronary heart disease.
Japanese Encephalitis Threatens Millions of Children in India
There isn't enough vaccine to protect the 70 million to 75 million children in India at risk of contracting deadly Japanese encephalitis, which has already claimed 1,402 lives in the state of Uttar Pradesh since the mosquito-borne disease broke out there in July, officials say.
"Around 70 to 75 million children in India are at high risk from Japanese encephalitis which can kill or maim them. We have recommended to the health ministry to get enough vaccines by April next year before the rainy season starts as the vaccines take about three weeks to take effect," Marzio Babille, UNICEF's chief of health for India, told Agence France Presse.
However, India's health ministry has decided to only increase its vaccine supply from 300,000 doses to 600,000 doses, UNICEF said. The majority of those doses will come from China, which has a surplus of 15 million doses that are available for export.
Mosquitoes transmit Japanese encephalitis from pigs to humans during the monsoon season, which runs from June to September.
UNICEF said the goal is to immunize 66 million children, ages 1 to 5, in India against the disease over the next five years, AFP reported.
Breast Cancer Study Boosts Herceptin's Promise
New research shows that it may be possible to avoid heart damage sometimes caused by the breast cancer drug Herceptin, a finding that makes the drug look more promising as a treatment for early- and late-stage breast cancer.
Finnish doctors said they found that nine weeks of Herceptin treatment, instead of the usual year of treatment, prevented cancer recurrence and did not increase the risk of heart failure. The research was presented Thursday at a meeting of 7,000 breast cancer experts in San Antonio, Texas, the Associated Press reported.
The finding that Herceptin may also be effective when given for a shorter period of time could reduce the cost of the expensive treatment.
The Finnish study supports the use of the drug earlier in breast cancer treatment, said Stanford University breast cancer expert Dr. Robert Carlson. "The jury is in and the jury has a very strong verdict," Carlson told the AP.
He said the findings suggest that virtually all women with breast cancer tumors of the type targeted by Herceptin should be given the drug, which is designed to act against a gene that's overactive in about 25 percent of breast cancers, the AP reported.
Herceptin is approved for treatment of late-stage breast cancer. The drug's maker, Genentech, wants to get approval to market Herceptin for treatment of early stage breast cancer. Most women have early stage disease when they receive their diagnosis.
Roche Close to Deal to Increase Tamiflu Production: Report
It's expected that pharmaceutical company Roche will soon announce deals with 15 drug companies or governments to help produce the influenza drug Tamiflu, which is being stockpiled worldwide in anticipation of a flu pandemic, The New York Times reported.
On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) said that Switzerland-based Roche had reached agreements with 15 entities to help increase the supply of Tamilfu. These include generic drug makers Mylan Laboratories and Teva Pharmaceuticals.
Those were the only companies identified by Roche, which acknowledged that it was in "advanced discussions" with potential partners to boost Tamiflu production, the Times reported.
Roche has been under increasing pressure to allow other manufacturers to make Tamiflu.
In related news, it's estimated that a widespread outbreak of bird flu in humans would reduce U.S. economic production by more than 5 percent and cost the economy $675 billion, including supply disruptions and lost work time. The estimate comes from a pending Congressional Budget Office report, Bloomberg News reported.
Thailand Announces 14th Human Bird Flu Death
A 5-year-old boy is the 14th person to die of bird flu in Thailand, officials announced Friday.
At first, it was believed the boy had pneumonia and doctors only began to treat him for bird flu a few hours before he died on Wednesday. He'd been sick since Nov. 25.
He had the same H5N1 bird flu strain that has killed 69 other people in Asia and millions of birds worldwide since 2003, the Associated Press reported.
The boy came from the Ongkarak district of Nakhon Nayok province, northeast of Bangkok. He lived next door to an uncle who raised chickens. Some of those chickens had recently died, public health officials said.
There have been 22 confirmed human cases of bird flu in Thailand.
China's fifth confirmed human case was reported Friday. It involves a 31-year-old woman who fell ill after she came into contact with dead birds. The woman has since recovered, Agence France Presse reported.
Health Tip: Protect Your Skin Against Winter Weather
Warnings about skin protection abound in summer, but it's important to maintain proper skin care in winter, too.
Dry, itchy skin is common in these months, so it's necessary to moisturize.
Heres a list of winter skin-care tips, courtesy of the American Academy of Dermatology:
Apply moisturizers within three minutes of exiting a bath or shower.
Wear and reapply a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher to combat the damaging rays of the sun, usually reflected by snow.
Use a lip balm with an SPF of 15 or higher to prevent chapped lips.
Use a humidifier to keep the humidity in your house higher in winter months.
Dab petroleum jelly on problem areas to heal dry skin.
After washing hands, immediately apply hand cream to seal in moisture.
Health Tip: Diverticulosis and Abdomen Pain
Diverticulosis, a condition that is mainly found in older people, refers to the presence of small sacs that can develop in the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. Although most patients don't have any symptoms, some experience discomfort in the left lower abdomen, bloating and a change in bowel habits.
The American College of Gastroenterology notes diverticulosis can be diagnosed through a barium enema, colonoscopy or a CT scan. Treatment usually includes antibiotics and, in severe cases, hospitalization.
Those who experience diverticulosis are encouraged to avoid foods that contain indigestible particles, such as nuts and fruits with small seeds.
Food Fact:
Tempeh -- jewel of the Southwest?
It may sound like a town in Arizona, but it's actually the meatiest of soy foods. Chewy and full-flavored, tempeh is made from whole soybeans, which means it's loaded with beneficial soy isoflavones. Tempeh slices easily, holds its shape during cooking and loves a good marinade.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Run for your life?
If you don't want to run alongside traffic, you're not alone. If you need to run or walk in an area where traffic is an issue, always run against the flow of traffic. Also be certain to wear reflective clothing so that you are clearly visible at all times.
FAQ of the day:
Why warm up before a workout?
During a warm-up, your body gradually prepares to bring extra blood and oxygen to the muscles during your workout. Your heart and respiration rate slowly increase, capillaries dilate and blood supplies flow to your extremities, which will need extra oxygen to fuel your muscles when you pick up the pace. The added heat and blood flow allow muscles to become more compliant, and thus less prone to injury. Finally, a proper warm-up is likely to improve your performance.
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Health Headlines - December 8
Paxil Warning Upgraded
A stronger warning that the antidepressant Paxil may be associated with birth defects was ordered Thursday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in response to early findings from two studies that indicate the drug increases the risk of fetal heart defects.
The FDA instructed drug maker GlaxoSmithKline to reclassify Paxil from a Category C to D (a stronger warning) for pregnant women. Category D means studies in pregnant women have demonstrated a risk to the fetus.
One study found about a 2 percent risk of heart defects in babies born to mothers who took Paxil early in their pregnancy, compared with a 1 percent risk in the general population, the FDA said in a prepared statement.
The second study found the risk of heart defects was 1.5 percent in babies whose mothers took Paxil in the first three months of pregnancy, compared with 1 percent in babies whose mothers took other antidepressants in the first trimester.
Thursday's warning follows one issued in September by the FDA, also on possible birth defects in women who took Paxil early in their pregnancy.
Balloon Angioplasty Devices Recalled
A worldwide recall of balloon angioplasty devices meant to treat blocked coronary arteries was announced Thursday by medical device maker Boston Scientific Corp.
The recall of about 40,000 Flextome cutting angioplasty balloon devices came after the company said it has received eight reports that the end of the device detached from the catheter as it was removed from patients. In three cases, surgery was required to remove the detached tip, the Associated Press reported.
Boston Scientific said it was working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the recall and is also notifying health officials in other countries.
Angioplasty balloons are used to reopen narrowed arteries and push back accumulated plaque in the arteries. The Flextome device differs from standard angioplasty balloons in having three or four microsurgical blades on its exterior.
This is the second recall of a Boston Scientific device within a week. Last week, the company announced a recall of about 18,000 devices designed to filter and dissolve blood clots in order to protect the lungs, the AP reported.
Jury Deliberations to Begin in Third Vioxx Trial
The jury in the third Vioxx trial began deliberations Thursday in Houston after hearing closing arguments in the lawsuit against drug company Merck & Co., maker of the painkiller Vioxx, the Associated Press reported.
The plaintiff's attorney, lawyer Andy Birchfield, told jurors in his closing argument that Merck knew Vioxx increased heart attack risks but misled doctors and the public because it was more concerned with profits.
But Merck's lead attorney, Phil Beck, in his closing arguments, said the pharmaceutical giant issued adequate warnings based on studies showing Vioxx was safe. He said Merck scientists put patient safety first and were not "evil" or "out to make an extra buck."
The legal action was launched by Evelyn Irvin Plunkett over the death of her husband Richard Irvin. The 53-year-old man died of a heart attack in 2001 after he'd been taking Vioxx for about a month to treat back pain.
The lawsuit alleges that Vioxx caused Irvin's death and that Merck failed to issue safety warnings about the drug, which was taken off the market in September 2004 after a study showed that long-term use of Vioxx doubled the risk of stroke or heart attack.
This is the first federal trial over Vioxx. Merck has lost one state trial and won another state trial. The company faces about 7,000 Vioxx-related lawsuits.
U.S. Recorded 37 Measles Cases in 2004
There were only 37 cases of measles in the United States in 2004, the lowest tally in more than 90 years of record keeping, the U.S. government announced Thursday, citing the country's vaccination program as the reason for the success.
Almost all of the 37 measles cases originated abroad, including 14 U.S. travelers who were infected in other countries and 13 foreign visitors who brought the disease with them, the Associated Press reported.
Many of the 2004 cases could have been prevented if people had received proper measles immunization, said Dr. Gustavo Dayan, an epidemiologist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Before a measles vaccine became available in 1963, the United States recorded more than 500,000 measles cases and about 450 measles-related deaths each year. The current U.S. measles immunization rate is more than 90 percent.
Slow Response to New Medicare Drug Plan Subsidy
Poor people in the United States apparently aren't showing much enthusiasm for the new Medicare prescription drug benefit that begins in January.
So far, only 661,000 applications have been approved for a subsidy that makes the new drug benefit much more affordable for disabled people and low-income seniors, says the Social Security Administration.
The government sent application letters to about 19 million people and about 7 million people are believed to be eligible for the subsidy, the Associated Press reported.
About one million applications are still under review and about 100,000 new applications are arriving each week, Social Security said. At this point, the ratio of rejections to approvals is about 3-to-1.
The response is a disappointment but not unexpected, say some representatives of advocacy and research groups.
"We knew it was going to be difficult to find and enroll people. We also knew the strategy of going to 19 million people was likely to backfire," James Firman, chairman of the Access to Benefits Coalition, told the AP.
"Unfortunately, these numbers are very discouraging, and it now appears likely that many millions of low-income seniors will be without the help they need to make drugs affordable," Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, told the AP.
Pollack's group has criticized the new drug benefit plan as too complex.
Bone Marrow Cells Aid Cancer Spread
Cancers take advantage of bone marrow cells to spread tumors, says a Cornell University study published Thursday in the journal Nature.
The study of mice with lung cancer found that bone marrow cells assist in the creation of new blood vessels that provide nutrients and oxygen to spreading cancers, Bloomberg News reported.
The Cornell researchers injected lung cancer cells into mice and expected that the cancer cells would migrate straight to the lungs. However, they saw that bone marrow cells reached the lungs days before the cancer cells and prepared the way for the cancer cells to grow in the lungs.
It's believed the marrow cells assist the cancer cells by producing a protein called vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1), which triggers the formation of tumor-feeding blood vessels, Bloomberg News reported.
When the Cornell team injected the mice with molecules that blocked VEGFR1, the spread of cancer was halted.
"Without the bone marrow cells, the tumors have nowhere to land," study co-author David Lynden, an associate professor in pediatrics and developmental biology, told Bloomberg News.
Food Fact:
Thrilla in vanilla
In low-fat desserts, high-quality vanilla can make you a champ. Vanilla imparts a warm, rounded flavor of its own and serves as a backdrop for other spices. Its quality is crucial in low-fat desserts, because without a lot of fat the other flavors stand out more. Avoid imitation extracts; they simply taste bad. Buy vanilla extract that is labeled "pure." Or better yet, make your own: Slit 4 whole vanilla beans lengthwise, place in a jar, cover with vodka or brandy, and let steep for at least 2 weeks.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Keep it clean.
Could your water bottle be making you sick? The gym is a great place to get fit; it is also a great place to pick up unwanted germs. If you use a water bottle during your workouts, clean it with mild detergent and water after each use. Also, be sure to wash your hands as often as possible or wear gloves when exercising.
FAQ of the day:
Are walking shoes a waste of money?
To find the right shoe, start with knowledgeable salespeople. If someone suggests a shoe designed for another sport as a walking shoe, move on. Ask a salesperson to measure your feet every time you buy new walking shoes -- foot size and width can change over time. Try on shoes after you've exercised and your feet are at their largest. Put on the socks you normally wear when you're walking. Make sure the shoe fits in the heel -- many women mistakenly choose shoes that are too small just because they feel secure in the heel as they walk. Replace walking shoes every 500 miles, or about twice a year.
A stronger warning that the antidepressant Paxil may be associated with birth defects was ordered Thursday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in response to early findings from two studies that indicate the drug increases the risk of fetal heart defects.
The FDA instructed drug maker GlaxoSmithKline to reclassify Paxil from a Category C to D (a stronger warning) for pregnant women. Category D means studies in pregnant women have demonstrated a risk to the fetus.
One study found about a 2 percent risk of heart defects in babies born to mothers who took Paxil early in their pregnancy, compared with a 1 percent risk in the general population, the FDA said in a prepared statement.
The second study found the risk of heart defects was 1.5 percent in babies whose mothers took Paxil in the first three months of pregnancy, compared with 1 percent in babies whose mothers took other antidepressants in the first trimester.
Thursday's warning follows one issued in September by the FDA, also on possible birth defects in women who took Paxil early in their pregnancy.
Balloon Angioplasty Devices Recalled
A worldwide recall of balloon angioplasty devices meant to treat blocked coronary arteries was announced Thursday by medical device maker Boston Scientific Corp.
The recall of about 40,000 Flextome cutting angioplasty balloon devices came after the company said it has received eight reports that the end of the device detached from the catheter as it was removed from patients. In three cases, surgery was required to remove the detached tip, the Associated Press reported.
Boston Scientific said it was working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the recall and is also notifying health officials in other countries.
Angioplasty balloons are used to reopen narrowed arteries and push back accumulated plaque in the arteries. The Flextome device differs from standard angioplasty balloons in having three or four microsurgical blades on its exterior.
This is the second recall of a Boston Scientific device within a week. Last week, the company announced a recall of about 18,000 devices designed to filter and dissolve blood clots in order to protect the lungs, the AP reported.
Jury Deliberations to Begin in Third Vioxx Trial
The jury in the third Vioxx trial began deliberations Thursday in Houston after hearing closing arguments in the lawsuit against drug company Merck & Co., maker of the painkiller Vioxx, the Associated Press reported.
The plaintiff's attorney, lawyer Andy Birchfield, told jurors in his closing argument that Merck knew Vioxx increased heart attack risks but misled doctors and the public because it was more concerned with profits.
But Merck's lead attorney, Phil Beck, in his closing arguments, said the pharmaceutical giant issued adequate warnings based on studies showing Vioxx was safe. He said Merck scientists put patient safety first and were not "evil" or "out to make an extra buck."
The legal action was launched by Evelyn Irvin Plunkett over the death of her husband Richard Irvin. The 53-year-old man died of a heart attack in 2001 after he'd been taking Vioxx for about a month to treat back pain.
The lawsuit alleges that Vioxx caused Irvin's death and that Merck failed to issue safety warnings about the drug, which was taken off the market in September 2004 after a study showed that long-term use of Vioxx doubled the risk of stroke or heart attack.
This is the first federal trial over Vioxx. Merck has lost one state trial and won another state trial. The company faces about 7,000 Vioxx-related lawsuits.
U.S. Recorded 37 Measles Cases in 2004
There were only 37 cases of measles in the United States in 2004, the lowest tally in more than 90 years of record keeping, the U.S. government announced Thursday, citing the country's vaccination program as the reason for the success.
Almost all of the 37 measles cases originated abroad, including 14 U.S. travelers who were infected in other countries and 13 foreign visitors who brought the disease with them, the Associated Press reported.
Many of the 2004 cases could have been prevented if people had received proper measles immunization, said Dr. Gustavo Dayan, an epidemiologist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Before a measles vaccine became available in 1963, the United States recorded more than 500,000 measles cases and about 450 measles-related deaths each year. The current U.S. measles immunization rate is more than 90 percent.
Slow Response to New Medicare Drug Plan Subsidy
Poor people in the United States apparently aren't showing much enthusiasm for the new Medicare prescription drug benefit that begins in January.
So far, only 661,000 applications have been approved for a subsidy that makes the new drug benefit much more affordable for disabled people and low-income seniors, says the Social Security Administration.
The government sent application letters to about 19 million people and about 7 million people are believed to be eligible for the subsidy, the Associated Press reported.
About one million applications are still under review and about 100,000 new applications are arriving each week, Social Security said. At this point, the ratio of rejections to approvals is about 3-to-1.
The response is a disappointment but not unexpected, say some representatives of advocacy and research groups.
"We knew it was going to be difficult to find and enroll people. We also knew the strategy of going to 19 million people was likely to backfire," James Firman, chairman of the Access to Benefits Coalition, told the AP.
"Unfortunately, these numbers are very discouraging, and it now appears likely that many millions of low-income seniors will be without the help they need to make drugs affordable," Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, told the AP.
Pollack's group has criticized the new drug benefit plan as too complex.
Bone Marrow Cells Aid Cancer Spread
Cancers take advantage of bone marrow cells to spread tumors, says a Cornell University study published Thursday in the journal Nature.
The study of mice with lung cancer found that bone marrow cells assist in the creation of new blood vessels that provide nutrients and oxygen to spreading cancers, Bloomberg News reported.
The Cornell researchers injected lung cancer cells into mice and expected that the cancer cells would migrate straight to the lungs. However, they saw that bone marrow cells reached the lungs days before the cancer cells and prepared the way for the cancer cells to grow in the lungs.
It's believed the marrow cells assist the cancer cells by producing a protein called vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1), which triggers the formation of tumor-feeding blood vessels, Bloomberg News reported.
When the Cornell team injected the mice with molecules that blocked VEGFR1, the spread of cancer was halted.
"Without the bone marrow cells, the tumors have nowhere to land," study co-author David Lynden, an associate professor in pediatrics and developmental biology, told Bloomberg News.
Food Fact:
Thrilla in vanilla
In low-fat desserts, high-quality vanilla can make you a champ. Vanilla imparts a warm, rounded flavor of its own and serves as a backdrop for other spices. Its quality is crucial in low-fat desserts, because without a lot of fat the other flavors stand out more. Avoid imitation extracts; they simply taste bad. Buy vanilla extract that is labeled "pure." Or better yet, make your own: Slit 4 whole vanilla beans lengthwise, place in a jar, cover with vodka or brandy, and let steep for at least 2 weeks.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Keep it clean.
Could your water bottle be making you sick? The gym is a great place to get fit; it is also a great place to pick up unwanted germs. If you use a water bottle during your workouts, clean it with mild detergent and water after each use. Also, be sure to wash your hands as often as possible or wear gloves when exercising.
FAQ of the day:
Are walking shoes a waste of money?
To find the right shoe, start with knowledgeable salespeople. If someone suggests a shoe designed for another sport as a walking shoe, move on. Ask a salesperson to measure your feet every time you buy new walking shoes -- foot size and width can change over time. Try on shoes after you've exercised and your feet are at their largest. Put on the socks you normally wear when you're walking. Make sure the shoe fits in the heel -- many women mistakenly choose shoes that are too small just because they feel secure in the heel as they walk. Replace walking shoes every 500 miles, or about twice a year.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Health Headlines - December 7
Cheap Drug Waiver for Poor Nations Made Permanent
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has decided to make permanent a 2003 waiver that permits poor nations to import cheaper generic copies of patented drugs to help them combat serious diseases such as HIV/AIDS.
They will be allowed to import generic drugs for humanitarian reasons but not for commercial purposes. The measure will become permanent by Dec. 1, 2007, and the current waiver will remain in effect until then, BBC News reported.
The move demonstrates the humanitarian concern of the organization, said WTO chief Pascal Lamy.
The move was backed by the United States and the European Union, BBC News reported.
"This is a landmark achievement that we hope will help developing countries devastated by HIV/AIDS and other public health crises," said U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman.
Larger Head at Birth May Increase Childhood Brain Cancer Risk
Babies born with larger heads may have a greater risk of childhood brain cancer than other children, says a Norwegian study based on the health records of more than one million children.
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health researchers concluded that for every centimeter increase in head circumference at birth, there was a 27 percent increase in relative tumor risk, BBC News reported.
They noted that further research is needed to confirm their findings.
The findings suggest that brain cancers might begin to develop before birth, the researchers said. The study found no significant association between head size at birth and risk for other forms of cancer, BBC News reported.
"To our knowledge, this is the first study to report an association between increased head circumference at birth and brain cancer in childhood," said lead researcher Dr. Sven Ove Samuelsen. "Our findings suggest that brain pathology originates during fetal life in children diagnosed with brain cancer."
China Confirms Fourth Human Bird Flu Case
China's fourth human case of bird flu has been confirmed and the World Health Organization is warning that more bird-flu outbreaks can be expected in China over the next few weeks.
The latest human case involves a 10-year-old girl from the southern Guangxi region who contracted the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu. She fell ill about two weeks ago and is currently receiving emergency treatment, but no longer has a fever, Agence France Presse reported.
The girl's parents are also hospitalized under medical supervision but show no signs of infection.
So far, there have been 30 H5N1 bird flu virus outbreaks confirmed in China this year. Most of those have been reported over the past five to six weeks. More than 20 million poultry have been killed in an effort to halt the spread of the disease, AFP reported.
The WHO praised Chinese government actions to control bird flu. Even so, there will likely be more outbreaks in that country in the weeks ahead, the WHO said.
The H5N1 bird flu virus has killed nearly 70 people in South East Asia -- most of them in Vietnam and Thailand -- since the outbreak began in 2003. While person-to-person transmission of the H5N1 strain is rare, health officials are worried that the germ could mutate, making human transmission much easier, leading to a global pandemic of the disease.
DNA Testing to Begin on Unidentified Katrina Victims
DNA testing will begin immediately on the hundreds of unidentified victims of Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana officials said.
Several private companies have been hired to do the genetic tests on the 263 unidentified bodies. DNA collected from the victims will be compared with DNA from relatives of missing people or from personal items of the missing, CNN reported.
Bob Johannessen, a spokesman for the state coroner, said that by the end of the year, there should be significant progress in identifying many of the victims.
He noted that officials already have good leads on the identities of 140 of the bodies but identifying the remainder could prove difficult, even with DNA testing, CNN reported.
The DNA testing will be paid for by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency.
FDA Official Third to Quit Since Summer
The third official to quit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration since summer announced Tuesday that he's leaving the agency to work in the private sector.
Dr. David Orloff is a division director who oversees reviews of drugs designed to treat metabolic and endocrine disorders. His office was involved in a recent controversial application for approval of a diabetes drug called Pargluva, The New York Times reported.
In September, an FDA advisory panel recommended that the drug be approved. However, a decision about the drug has been postponed indefinitely due to concerns about cardiovascular risks.
Orloff has been at the FDA for 11 years and spent five years as a division director. He said his decision to leave the agency wasn't related to any problems or frustrations, the Times reported.
After he leaves the FDA, Orloff will join Medpace, a Cincinnati-based contract research organization that conducts clinical drug trials.
In September, FDA Commissioner Dr. Lester M. Crawford resigned for reasons that haven't been fully explained. He resigned just weeks after being appointed to the job. In August, the FDA's top women's health official, Dr. Susan F. Wood, resigned to protest delays in agency approval for over-the-counter sales of the Plan B contraceptive, the newspaper reported.
Both Sides Prepare for Lawsuit Over School Soda Sales
Battle preparations are being made in advance of an expected lawsuit to be filed within the next few months that will seek a sales ban of sugary beverages in American schools.
The action will be taken by Stephen Gardner, staff lawyer for the Center for Science in the Public Interest and about a half dozen other lawyers, including some who were involved in successful legal action against big tobacco companies, The New York Times reported.
The lawsuit, which will be filed in Massachusetts, will name Coca-Cola and its local bottlers. Some of the lawyers are based in Massachusetts, which has strong consumer-protection laws.
The lawyers said this will be the first of many such state lawsuits against the beverage industry, the Times reported.
In anticipation of the legal challenge, the American Beverage Industry last week released a study that indicated that soda sales in schools aren't a major factor in rising childhood obesity rates in the United States.
The study was paid for by the association and conducted by an outside economist.
The beverage industry has a lot to lose if it's banned from schools. A U.S. Government Accountability Office report released in August said that 75 percent of high schools, 65 percent of middle schools and 30 percent of elementary schools have exclusive contracts with beverage companies.
While these deals are often promoted as an important source of revenue for schools, a study of public school beverage contracts in Oregon found that most of the revenue goes to the beverage companies, not to the schools, the Times reported.
Food Fact:
Like buttermilk...
Despite its rich-sounding name, buttermilk is tremendous for low-fat cooks. Today's commercial buttermilk is made from skim or low-fat milk that has healthful bacteria added to it, which thickens the milk and gives it a pleasant dairy tang. Use buttermilk in salad dressings, low-fat biscuits and muffins, or in our favorite, buttermilk mashed potatoes. But what about that name? It's a relic of the past, when buttermilk was the liquid left after churning butter.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Sore feet?
The problem may be your running shoes. Buy new footwear every time you log 300 - 500 miles, or every 6 months or so. You'll avoid blisters, corns, calluses and many more serious injuries. Your shoes should be suitable for daily workouts -- be sure they're the right size and in good shape. If you have persistent knee, hip or back pain after walking or running, or problems that don't respond to self-treatment, see a podiatrist.
FAQ of the day:
Does "spot reducing" really work?
Steve Blair of the Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research says: While specific exercises have specific effects -- for example, a leg press on a weight machine will improve strength and endurance of the involved muscles -- fat isn't selectively metabolized by exercise. The possible exception is "abdominal obesity," the "apple shape" common in men and some women. There is some evidence that exercise effectively targets this "visceral fat" associated with a high risk of heart attack and Type 2 diabetes. Generally speaking, as you burn more calories than you consume, you will burn fat from all over your body. Focus on a balanced exercise program for both aerobic and musculoskeletal fitness, which can give you a strong, healthy, fit body, no matter what its shape.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has decided to make permanent a 2003 waiver that permits poor nations to import cheaper generic copies of patented drugs to help them combat serious diseases such as HIV/AIDS.
They will be allowed to import generic drugs for humanitarian reasons but not for commercial purposes. The measure will become permanent by Dec. 1, 2007, and the current waiver will remain in effect until then, BBC News reported.
The move demonstrates the humanitarian concern of the organization, said WTO chief Pascal Lamy.
The move was backed by the United States and the European Union, BBC News reported.
"This is a landmark achievement that we hope will help developing countries devastated by HIV/AIDS and other public health crises," said U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman.
Larger Head at Birth May Increase Childhood Brain Cancer Risk
Babies born with larger heads may have a greater risk of childhood brain cancer than other children, says a Norwegian study based on the health records of more than one million children.
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health researchers concluded that for every centimeter increase in head circumference at birth, there was a 27 percent increase in relative tumor risk, BBC News reported.
They noted that further research is needed to confirm their findings.
The findings suggest that brain cancers might begin to develop before birth, the researchers said. The study found no significant association between head size at birth and risk for other forms of cancer, BBC News reported.
"To our knowledge, this is the first study to report an association between increased head circumference at birth and brain cancer in childhood," said lead researcher Dr. Sven Ove Samuelsen. "Our findings suggest that brain pathology originates during fetal life in children diagnosed with brain cancer."
China Confirms Fourth Human Bird Flu Case
China's fourth human case of bird flu has been confirmed and the World Health Organization is warning that more bird-flu outbreaks can be expected in China over the next few weeks.
The latest human case involves a 10-year-old girl from the southern Guangxi region who contracted the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu. She fell ill about two weeks ago and is currently receiving emergency treatment, but no longer has a fever, Agence France Presse reported.
The girl's parents are also hospitalized under medical supervision but show no signs of infection.
So far, there have been 30 H5N1 bird flu virus outbreaks confirmed in China this year. Most of those have been reported over the past five to six weeks. More than 20 million poultry have been killed in an effort to halt the spread of the disease, AFP reported.
The WHO praised Chinese government actions to control bird flu. Even so, there will likely be more outbreaks in that country in the weeks ahead, the WHO said.
The H5N1 bird flu virus has killed nearly 70 people in South East Asia -- most of them in Vietnam and Thailand -- since the outbreak began in 2003. While person-to-person transmission of the H5N1 strain is rare, health officials are worried that the germ could mutate, making human transmission much easier, leading to a global pandemic of the disease.
DNA Testing to Begin on Unidentified Katrina Victims
DNA testing will begin immediately on the hundreds of unidentified victims of Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana officials said.
Several private companies have been hired to do the genetic tests on the 263 unidentified bodies. DNA collected from the victims will be compared with DNA from relatives of missing people or from personal items of the missing, CNN reported.
Bob Johannessen, a spokesman for the state coroner, said that by the end of the year, there should be significant progress in identifying many of the victims.
He noted that officials already have good leads on the identities of 140 of the bodies but identifying the remainder could prove difficult, even with DNA testing, CNN reported.
The DNA testing will be paid for by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency.
FDA Official Third to Quit Since Summer
The third official to quit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration since summer announced Tuesday that he's leaving the agency to work in the private sector.
Dr. David Orloff is a division director who oversees reviews of drugs designed to treat metabolic and endocrine disorders. His office was involved in a recent controversial application for approval of a diabetes drug called Pargluva, The New York Times reported.
In September, an FDA advisory panel recommended that the drug be approved. However, a decision about the drug has been postponed indefinitely due to concerns about cardiovascular risks.
Orloff has been at the FDA for 11 years and spent five years as a division director. He said his decision to leave the agency wasn't related to any problems or frustrations, the Times reported.
After he leaves the FDA, Orloff will join Medpace, a Cincinnati-based contract research organization that conducts clinical drug trials.
In September, FDA Commissioner Dr. Lester M. Crawford resigned for reasons that haven't been fully explained. He resigned just weeks after being appointed to the job. In August, the FDA's top women's health official, Dr. Susan F. Wood, resigned to protest delays in agency approval for over-the-counter sales of the Plan B contraceptive, the newspaper reported.
Both Sides Prepare for Lawsuit Over School Soda Sales
Battle preparations are being made in advance of an expected lawsuit to be filed within the next few months that will seek a sales ban of sugary beverages in American schools.
The action will be taken by Stephen Gardner, staff lawyer for the Center for Science in the Public Interest and about a half dozen other lawyers, including some who were involved in successful legal action against big tobacco companies, The New York Times reported.
The lawsuit, which will be filed in Massachusetts, will name Coca-Cola and its local bottlers. Some of the lawyers are based in Massachusetts, which has strong consumer-protection laws.
The lawyers said this will be the first of many such state lawsuits against the beverage industry, the Times reported.
In anticipation of the legal challenge, the American Beverage Industry last week released a study that indicated that soda sales in schools aren't a major factor in rising childhood obesity rates in the United States.
The study was paid for by the association and conducted by an outside economist.
The beverage industry has a lot to lose if it's banned from schools. A U.S. Government Accountability Office report released in August said that 75 percent of high schools, 65 percent of middle schools and 30 percent of elementary schools have exclusive contracts with beverage companies.
While these deals are often promoted as an important source of revenue for schools, a study of public school beverage contracts in Oregon found that most of the revenue goes to the beverage companies, not to the schools, the Times reported.
Food Fact:
Like buttermilk...
Despite its rich-sounding name, buttermilk is tremendous for low-fat cooks. Today's commercial buttermilk is made from skim or low-fat milk that has healthful bacteria added to it, which thickens the milk and gives it a pleasant dairy tang. Use buttermilk in salad dressings, low-fat biscuits and muffins, or in our favorite, buttermilk mashed potatoes. But what about that name? It's a relic of the past, when buttermilk was the liquid left after churning butter.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Sore feet?
The problem may be your running shoes. Buy new footwear every time you log 300 - 500 miles, or every 6 months or so. You'll avoid blisters, corns, calluses and many more serious injuries. Your shoes should be suitable for daily workouts -- be sure they're the right size and in good shape. If you have persistent knee, hip or back pain after walking or running, or problems that don't respond to self-treatment, see a podiatrist.
FAQ of the day:
Does "spot reducing" really work?
Steve Blair of the Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research says: While specific exercises have specific effects -- for example, a leg press on a weight machine will improve strength and endurance of the involved muscles -- fat isn't selectively metabolized by exercise. The possible exception is "abdominal obesity," the "apple shape" common in men and some women. There is some evidence that exercise effectively targets this "visceral fat" associated with a high risk of heart attack and Type 2 diabetes. Generally speaking, as you burn more calories than you consume, you will burn fat from all over your body. Focus on a balanced exercise program for both aerobic and musculoskeletal fitness, which can give you a strong, healthy, fit body, no matter what its shape.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Health Headlines - December 6
U.S. Warns Consumers About Miracle II Neutralizer
Consumers should not use Miracle II Neutralizer and Miracle II Neutralizer Gel Drug products, which are not approved and are contaminated with bacteria that can cause severe infections, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Tuesday.
The products, made by Tedco Inc. of West Monroe, La., pose the greatest risk to children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems, the FDA said.
Miracle II Neutralizer is sold as an eye-care product, but should never be used in the eyes because it is not sterile, the FDA said. The product is also marketed for other uses, including treatment of AIDS, cancer, Crohn's disease, dermatitis, diaper rash, diabetes, ear ache, hemorrhoids, hives, gout, psoriasis, and skin cancer.
Miracle II Neutralizer Gel is marketed for many of the same uses. Neither product has FDA approval for any of those uses.
"We will not tolerate the marketing of products that use deceptive and untruthful claims to lure consumers into potentially dangerous situations," Margaret O'K. Glavin, the FDA's associate commissioner for regulatory affairs, said in a prepared statement.
"We consider it a significant public health hazard when consumers are deliberately deceived into using potentially dangerous products that promise health benefits but deliver only the risk of harm," she said.
Early Detection, Treatment Emphasized for Peripheral Artery Disease
New guidelines that promote the early detection and treatment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) were released Tuesday by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology.
PAD, which affects about 12 million Americans, includes diseases of the arteries that supply blood to the arteries outside the heart. These include arteries that supply the legs, feet, kidneys and intestines.
The new guidelines include:
Recommended questions and observations that can uncover hidden signs of PAD.
Clinical clues that a patient may have renal artery stenosis, a narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the kidneys and a possible cause of poorly controlled high blood pressure or kidney failure.
Recommendations on when an aneurysm -- a weakening and bulging of an arterial wall -- should be treated with surgery or catheterization-based therapy or when "watchful waiting" is the best course.
A critical analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of vascular imaging tests and other diagnostic methods.
An emphasis on treatment choices, including the role of exercise, diet, smoking cessation, and medications, along with an objective review of the benefits and drawbacks of surgical and catheter-based treatments.
"These guidelines provide a concise diagnostic and treatment guidebook for patients suffering from PAD and for physicians, physicians assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses who are now offering care to treat them," Dr. Alan T. Hirsch, chairman of the guidelines writing committee, said in a prepared statement.
Molecule Could Offer Down Syndrome Treatment Target
A molecule that may offer a target for treatment of mental impairment in people with Down Syndrome has been identified by scientists at the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London, England.
They found that people with Down Syndrome have higher levels of the molecule myo-inositol in their brains than healthy people, and that higher levels of the molecule are associated with lower levels of intellectual ability, BBC News reported.
The study authors said they also suspect that high levels of the molecule may predispose people with Down Syndrome to early-onset Alzheimer's disease. It's already known that myo-inositol promotes formation of amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease.
The findings appear in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry.
FDA Official Criticizes Agency Over Suspension
A drug safety officer with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Monday that her career and reputation were harmed when she was suspended from reviewing a dog heartworm drug because the drug's maker complained about her.
The action against Dr. Nancy Hampshire was taken after the FDA received a complaint from Wyeth that she had a relationship with an Internet veterinary pharmacy that offered products competing with the drug, ProHeart 6, The New York Times reported.
Hampshire was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing. But, the Times reported, she's angry that FDA officials didn't inform her of the accusations and didn't offer her the chance to explain herself before suspending her, a move that she said damaged her career.
"Everybody jumped to the conclusion that I was guilty before they knew the answers, and no public apology was ever made," Hampshire told the newspaper.
In 2003, she raised concerns about ProHeart 6, which was later linked with the deaths of about 500 dogs and sickness in 5,000 other dogs. Wyeth withdrew ProHeart 6 from the market in 2004, after being pressured to do so by the FDA.
As for the FDA's action against Hampshire, an agency spokesperson said the FDA acted properly and considers the matter concluded, the Times reported.
U.S. Nursing Home Quality Stagnant: Report
Nursing home quality in the United States has stagnated, says a ratings report released Tuesday by HealthGrades, a health-care ratings organization.
The report on 15,375 Medicare/Medicaid-certified nursing homes found that deficiencies causing actual harm to nursing home residents declined from 7 percent to 6.5 percent from 2003 to 2004, while patient abuse remained stable at 17 percent of complaints.
Overall, the number of deficiencies per nursing home declined 2 percent from 2003 to 2004.
"We're not seeing the declines in actual harm to the nation's 1.6 million nursing home residents that we should," Dr. Samantha Collier, vice president of medical affairs for HealthGrades, said in a prepared statement.
"But we did discover some interesting facts that will help people make a smarter decision, including the finding that the top 10 nursing homes in each state tend to have nearly half as many beds as the worst 10 in each state -- something that everyone should think about when choosing a nursing home," Collier added.
School Bake Sales Linked to Student Obesity
They're a cherished tradition, but school bake sales may contribute to childhood weight problems, according to new University of Minnesota research.
The study of 3,088 eighth-grade students at 16 schools found that there were more overweight students at schools that ran bake sales and allowed teachers to use candy, donuts and other unhealthy treats to reward students, the Associated Press reported.
The study doesn't actually prove that such food practices contribute to student obesity, but there appears to be a connection, said study lead author Martha Kubik.
"I think we all have to step back and look at what we're doing to contribute to practices that might not support children developing healthy dietary behavior," Kubik told the AP.
The study findings were published Monday in the journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
Health Tip: Double Vision Has Many Causes
Double vision occurs when a person sees two images of the same object, sometimes as completely separate items and sometimes as an overlapping image. This can be caused by a multitude of conditions, such as diabetes, cataracts, brain tumors and dry eyes.
The University of Iowa warns that many types of double vision can't be prevented, but safety precautions can be taken. Some of these include wearing safety goggles and headgear for sports and high-risk occupations. Those with the condition should also always wear seatbelts while driving. Diabetics should keep their sugars under control to decrease the risk of developing double vision.
Patients with double vision can usually do eye exercises or consider surgical straightening of the eye to treat the condition.
Health Tip: Want Those Pearly Whites Brighter?
Everyone wants a brighter smile, but with all the new teeth whitening products on the market, it's hard to know your options.
The American Dental Association (ADA) says some approaches to teeth whitening include in-office bleaching, at-home bleaching and whitening toothpastes.
Your dentist may suggest in-office bleaching, which may require more than one visit taking 30 minutes to an hour. During this procedure, the dentist will apply a bleaching agent to the teeth, and a special light may be used to enhance the action of the agent.
Bleaching solutions that you can use at home include peroxide that bleaches your tooth enamel. These kits usually come in gel form, but usage regimens vary.
Toothpastes are also effective for removing surface stains, but whitening toothpastes have special chemical agents that provide additional stain removal. These products do not alter the intrinsic color of teeth.
Regardless of the procedure you use, it is recommended you speak with your dentist beforehand, and be sure to look for products with the ADA Seal of Acceptance.
Food Fact:
Rejoice, cocoa nuts!
Choose the right chocolate treat, and you can have all the flavor you savor with next-to-no fat. Three tablespoons of cocoa powder (the equivalent of 1 oz. of chocolate in flavor intensity) has only 1.5 grams of fat. By comparison, a 1-oz. square of premium unsweetened chocolate has 16 grams of fat. In addition, cocoa's main fat, stearic acid, may be heart-healthy. Our bodies convert it to a monounsaturated fat. Limit any chocolate that adds "hydrogenated oils," which add cholesterol-raising fats to the mix.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Muscled out?
Inactive adults over age 30 lose about 3 - 5% of muscle tissue every 10 years; here's what you can do. Go to the weight room. Strength training prevents the reduction in muscle tissue that causes the body metabolism to slow and makes the bones more vulnerable to conditions like osteoporosis.
FAQ of the day:
Does variety in exercise matter?
Miavita Scientific Advisor Steve Blair of the Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research says: I advise exercisers to engage in at least one aerobic activity and do some resistance exercise for musculoskeletal fitness, along with stretching to maintain joint flexibility. If there's one routine you like to do again and again in each category, that's OK. If you like to do different aerobic and musculoskeletal exercises at different times, all the better. What really counts is to find the exercise program you like enough to stick with over time. Keep it up, and you'll reap the incredible benefits that come from a fit, active way of life.
Consumers should not use Miracle II Neutralizer and Miracle II Neutralizer Gel Drug products, which are not approved and are contaminated with bacteria that can cause severe infections, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Tuesday.
The products, made by Tedco Inc. of West Monroe, La., pose the greatest risk to children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems, the FDA said.
Miracle II Neutralizer is sold as an eye-care product, but should never be used in the eyes because it is not sterile, the FDA said. The product is also marketed for other uses, including treatment of AIDS, cancer, Crohn's disease, dermatitis, diaper rash, diabetes, ear ache, hemorrhoids, hives, gout, psoriasis, and skin cancer.
Miracle II Neutralizer Gel is marketed for many of the same uses. Neither product has FDA approval for any of those uses.
"We will not tolerate the marketing of products that use deceptive and untruthful claims to lure consumers into potentially dangerous situations," Margaret O'K. Glavin, the FDA's associate commissioner for regulatory affairs, said in a prepared statement.
"We consider it a significant public health hazard when consumers are deliberately deceived into using potentially dangerous products that promise health benefits but deliver only the risk of harm," she said.
Early Detection, Treatment Emphasized for Peripheral Artery Disease
New guidelines that promote the early detection and treatment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) were released Tuesday by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology.
PAD, which affects about 12 million Americans, includes diseases of the arteries that supply blood to the arteries outside the heart. These include arteries that supply the legs, feet, kidneys and intestines.
The new guidelines include:
Recommended questions and observations that can uncover hidden signs of PAD.
Clinical clues that a patient may have renal artery stenosis, a narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the kidneys and a possible cause of poorly controlled high blood pressure or kidney failure.
Recommendations on when an aneurysm -- a weakening and bulging of an arterial wall -- should be treated with surgery or catheterization-based therapy or when "watchful waiting" is the best course.
A critical analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of vascular imaging tests and other diagnostic methods.
An emphasis on treatment choices, including the role of exercise, diet, smoking cessation, and medications, along with an objective review of the benefits and drawbacks of surgical and catheter-based treatments.
"These guidelines provide a concise diagnostic and treatment guidebook for patients suffering from PAD and for physicians, physicians assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses who are now offering care to treat them," Dr. Alan T. Hirsch, chairman of the guidelines writing committee, said in a prepared statement.
Molecule Could Offer Down Syndrome Treatment Target
A molecule that may offer a target for treatment of mental impairment in people with Down Syndrome has been identified by scientists at the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London, England.
They found that people with Down Syndrome have higher levels of the molecule myo-inositol in their brains than healthy people, and that higher levels of the molecule are associated with lower levels of intellectual ability, BBC News reported.
The study authors said they also suspect that high levels of the molecule may predispose people with Down Syndrome to early-onset Alzheimer's disease. It's already known that myo-inositol promotes formation of amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease.
The findings appear in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry.
FDA Official Criticizes Agency Over Suspension
A drug safety officer with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Monday that her career and reputation were harmed when she was suspended from reviewing a dog heartworm drug because the drug's maker complained about her.
The action against Dr. Nancy Hampshire was taken after the FDA received a complaint from Wyeth that she had a relationship with an Internet veterinary pharmacy that offered products competing with the drug, ProHeart 6, The New York Times reported.
Hampshire was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing. But, the Times reported, she's angry that FDA officials didn't inform her of the accusations and didn't offer her the chance to explain herself before suspending her, a move that she said damaged her career.
"Everybody jumped to the conclusion that I was guilty before they knew the answers, and no public apology was ever made," Hampshire told the newspaper.
In 2003, she raised concerns about ProHeart 6, which was later linked with the deaths of about 500 dogs and sickness in 5,000 other dogs. Wyeth withdrew ProHeart 6 from the market in 2004, after being pressured to do so by the FDA.
As for the FDA's action against Hampshire, an agency spokesperson said the FDA acted properly and considers the matter concluded, the Times reported.
U.S. Nursing Home Quality Stagnant: Report
Nursing home quality in the United States has stagnated, says a ratings report released Tuesday by HealthGrades, a health-care ratings organization.
The report on 15,375 Medicare/Medicaid-certified nursing homes found that deficiencies causing actual harm to nursing home residents declined from 7 percent to 6.5 percent from 2003 to 2004, while patient abuse remained stable at 17 percent of complaints.
Overall, the number of deficiencies per nursing home declined 2 percent from 2003 to 2004.
"We're not seeing the declines in actual harm to the nation's 1.6 million nursing home residents that we should," Dr. Samantha Collier, vice president of medical affairs for HealthGrades, said in a prepared statement.
"But we did discover some interesting facts that will help people make a smarter decision, including the finding that the top 10 nursing homes in each state tend to have nearly half as many beds as the worst 10 in each state -- something that everyone should think about when choosing a nursing home," Collier added.
School Bake Sales Linked to Student Obesity
They're a cherished tradition, but school bake sales may contribute to childhood weight problems, according to new University of Minnesota research.
The study of 3,088 eighth-grade students at 16 schools found that there were more overweight students at schools that ran bake sales and allowed teachers to use candy, donuts and other unhealthy treats to reward students, the Associated Press reported.
The study doesn't actually prove that such food practices contribute to student obesity, but there appears to be a connection, said study lead author Martha Kubik.
"I think we all have to step back and look at what we're doing to contribute to practices that might not support children developing healthy dietary behavior," Kubik told the AP.
The study findings were published Monday in the journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
Health Tip: Double Vision Has Many Causes
Double vision occurs when a person sees two images of the same object, sometimes as completely separate items and sometimes as an overlapping image. This can be caused by a multitude of conditions, such as diabetes, cataracts, brain tumors and dry eyes.
The University of Iowa warns that many types of double vision can't be prevented, but safety precautions can be taken. Some of these include wearing safety goggles and headgear for sports and high-risk occupations. Those with the condition should also always wear seatbelts while driving. Diabetics should keep their sugars under control to decrease the risk of developing double vision.
Patients with double vision can usually do eye exercises or consider surgical straightening of the eye to treat the condition.
Health Tip: Want Those Pearly Whites Brighter?
Everyone wants a brighter smile, but with all the new teeth whitening products on the market, it's hard to know your options.
The American Dental Association (ADA) says some approaches to teeth whitening include in-office bleaching, at-home bleaching and whitening toothpastes.
Your dentist may suggest in-office bleaching, which may require more than one visit taking 30 minutes to an hour. During this procedure, the dentist will apply a bleaching agent to the teeth, and a special light may be used to enhance the action of the agent.
Bleaching solutions that you can use at home include peroxide that bleaches your tooth enamel. These kits usually come in gel form, but usage regimens vary.
Toothpastes are also effective for removing surface stains, but whitening toothpastes have special chemical agents that provide additional stain removal. These products do not alter the intrinsic color of teeth.
Regardless of the procedure you use, it is recommended you speak with your dentist beforehand, and be sure to look for products with the ADA Seal of Acceptance.
Food Fact:
Rejoice, cocoa nuts!
Choose the right chocolate treat, and you can have all the flavor you savor with next-to-no fat. Three tablespoons of cocoa powder (the equivalent of 1 oz. of chocolate in flavor intensity) has only 1.5 grams of fat. By comparison, a 1-oz. square of premium unsweetened chocolate has 16 grams of fat. In addition, cocoa's main fat, stearic acid, may be heart-healthy. Our bodies convert it to a monounsaturated fat. Limit any chocolate that adds "hydrogenated oils," which add cholesterol-raising fats to the mix.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Muscled out?
Inactive adults over age 30 lose about 3 - 5% of muscle tissue every 10 years; here's what you can do. Go to the weight room. Strength training prevents the reduction in muscle tissue that causes the body metabolism to slow and makes the bones more vulnerable to conditions like osteoporosis.
FAQ of the day:
Does variety in exercise matter?
Miavita Scientific Advisor Steve Blair of the Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research says: I advise exercisers to engage in at least one aerobic activity and do some resistance exercise for musculoskeletal fitness, along with stretching to maintain joint flexibility. If there's one routine you like to do again and again in each category, that's OK. If you like to do different aerobic and musculoskeletal exercises at different times, all the better. What really counts is to find the exercise program you like enough to stick with over time. Keep it up, and you'll reap the incredible benefits that come from a fit, active way of life.
Monday, December 05, 2005
Health Headlines - December 5
Modified Atkins Diet Reduces Epileptic Seizures
A modified form of the Atkins diet reduced epileptic seizures in children, according to a small study by researchers at Johns Hopkins Children's Center.
The study found that two thirds of the children benefited from being put on this diet, which included fewer carbohydrates than the standard Atkins diet.
The children, ages 3 to 18, were having between four and 470 seizures a week and were unresponsive to drug therapy. They were put on the modified version of the Atkins diet for six months. Of the 16 children who completed the study, 13 had a greater than 50 percent reduction in the number of seizures, seven of them had greater than 90 percent improvement, and four were seizure-free.
The researchers concluded that this modified Atkins diet was nearly as effective at controlling seizures as the highly restrictive ketogenic diet, which has been used since 1921 to control seizures in children.
"Our findings suggest relatively good efficacy compared to the ketogenic diet," Dr. Eric Kossoff, a pediatric neurologist, said in a prepared statement. "With 20 patients, our study wasn't large enough to say patients and physicians should replace the proven, but highly restrictive ketogenic diet, but the results are encouraging and intriguing."
The study was presented Monday at a meeting of the American Epilepsy Society.
U.S. and State Officials Begin Pandemic Planning
The U.S. federal government began Monday to work with states to begin planning for a possible flu pandemic.
With an understanding that communities will be on the front lines of any effort to halt or contain a pandemic, senior state and local officials met to establish an integrated federal-state flu pandemic planning process. The meeting included officials from every state, territory, tribal government and from Puerto Rico.
"By their nature, pandemics happen across the globe, but their effects are excruciatingly local," U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said in a prepared statement. "Pandemic planning needs to go beyond public health. Discussion at the state and local level needs to address how schools, businesses, public agencies and others participate in pandemic preparedness."
Leavitt asked the meeting participants to prepare for a series of in-state pandemic planning summits, to be held in every state over the next several months. The summits will help public health and emergency-response officials in each state inform and involve political, economic and community leaders in the pandemic planning process, he said.
Measles Outbreak Hits Romania
A measles outbreak in Romania has infected more than 4,000 children and killed 10 others, officials reported Monday.
The Black Sea port of Constanta has been especially hard hit. So far this year, more than 1,000 children in that city have contracted measles; more than half of them are younger than 1 year old.
In response to the outbreak, Health Minister Eugen Nicolaescu ordered a hastening of the nation's measles-vaccination campaign. He also disbanded Romania's Center for Disease Control, saying the agency had failed to coordinate vaccinations and prevent the spread of measles, the Associated Press reported.
Nicolaescu said the outbreak occurred because the immunization program had missed some children. In addition, a shortage of vaccines disrupted measles, mumps and rubella vaccination schedules this year.
Opposition politicians said the outbreak was caused by the government's failure to react quickly after the first measles cases were detected in March, the AP reported.
Doctor Comes Clean on Head Lice Treatment
A California doctor has admitted that what he sold as a expensive experimental head lice treatment for children was really an over-the-counter skin cleanser available at drug stores across the United States.
Dr. Dale Pearlman charged parents $285 for the lice treatment he called Nuvo lotion. It was actually Cetaphil cleanser, which sells for about $10 a bottle, the Associated Press reported.
Parents weren't the only ones fooled by Pearlman. Last year, the journal Pediatrics published a study by Pearlman outlining his results with Nuvo lotion, which he described as a "dry-on suffocation-based pediculocide." He said it was the first in a new class of nontoxic lotions to treat head lice.
Pearlman confessed in a letter published Monday in the December issue of Pediatrics.
In an interview with the AP, Pearlman said he had withheld the truth until now "because I wanted to get rich" and because he had hoped a drug company would pay him to further develop a Cetaphil-based head lice treatment.
There were no takers, so Pearlman decided to write the letter.
Dr. Jerold Lucey, editor of Pediatrics, called Pearlman "a bit of a huckster" and said that, in hindsight, when Pearlman submitted his original study, "I probably would have said: 'We can't publish this if you can't tell us what it is.'"
Lack of Brain Activation Linked to Autism
Children with autism have reduced activity in an area of the brain that helps them understand other people's intentions and feelings, says a University of California, Los Angeles study in the journal Nature Neuroscience.
The finding supports the concept that neurological defects are responsible for the social problems associated with autism, which affects a person's ability to communicate with other people and to respond appropriately to environmental cues, BBC News reported.
The study included 10 autistic children, aged 10 to 14, and 10 normally developing children. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to measure the children's brain activity while they looked at and imitated 80 pictures that depicted various emotions.
The MRI results showed that the autistic children had virtually no activity in a brain area called the mirror neuron system, which in involved in understanding other people's emotions and intentions, BBC News reported.
"Our findings suggest that a dysfunctional mirror neuron system may underlie the social deficits observed in autism," researcher Dr. Mirella Dapretto said.
Movie Chains to Install Systems for Visual and Hearing Impaired
Under pressure from state governments, movie theater chains in the United States are equipping more theaters with special systems for the deaf, hard of hearing, blind or visually impaired.
Currently, about 150 theaters across the nation have such systems, mostly in major cities. States are using the threat of discrimination lawsuits in order to get theater chains to install these systems in many more theaters, the Associated Press reported.
On Monday, a deal was announced in New York that involves eight national theater chains. They agreed to have systems in 140 theaters across the state to help hearing and visually impaired people enjoy movies. Currently, there are about a dozen theaters in New York state with such systems.
Health Tip: If Your Voice is Hoarse
If your voice gets hoarse when you overuse it or when you have a cold, the Center for Voice at Northwestern University suggests how you can treat a croaky voice or prevent its recurrence:
Drink plenty of water.
If you smoke, quit and avoid secondhand smoke.
Avoid yelling, screaming and talking loudly for long periods.
Don't whisper. It's just as hard on your voice as talking loudly.
Avoid agents that dehydrate the body, such as alcohol and caffeine.
Keep your home humidified.
To keep your throat moist, suck on lozenges, chew gum or gargle with salt water.
Avoid spicy foods.
Health Tip: Home Remedies for Finger Injuries
If you're planning to treat a mild finger injury at home, here are some suggestions, courtesy of the University of Maryland Medical Center:
Apply an ice pack to decrease swelling.
Use over-the-counter medications to relieve pain.
If you experience excessive pain or there is blood under the fingernail, see a doctor.
Do not splint a finger or try to drain a swollen finger before consulting a physician.
Always consult a doctor if the injury involves a finger joint.
Food Fact:
Zest for life.
Don't toss away that orange peel -- it may help protect you against cancer. Grated citrus zest -- the outmost layer of the peel, not the white pith -- includes compounds may provide health benefits, such as inhibiting development of some cancers and lowering cholesterol. Scrub the rind with warm water and a drop of soap before starting to grate. Press a piece of wax paper onto the grater to make clean-up easier; the zest accumulates on the paper instead of getting stuck in the holes of the grater. Best of all, you can use the zest for a flavor boost in low-fat baked goods, pilafs, salad dressings, marinades and fruit salads.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Ice it down.
Running can place a great deal of stress on the knees; here's a tip for do-it-yourself massage packs. Simply fill small paper cups up with water and place in the freezer. Gently massage the area with the frozen cups for 15 - 20 minutes your knees will thank you for it!
FAQ of the day:
What's the "best" exercise?
Steve Blair of the Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research says: Instead of looking for the "best" exercise, think about the best reasons to exercise. Take weight control. If you burn more calories than you consume you'll lose weight. It doesn't matter if you do it by running, washing your car or digging in your garden. Likewise, your heart and muscles aren't picky about the activity you choose; they'll be happy whether you choose to jog or play tennis. What matters is the regular physiological stress placed on the various body systems, which results in improved fitness. Even the "best" exercise program is worthless if you won't do it. A "lesser" program that you follow regularly is much better for you than no exercise at all. The bottom line is to find any activity you enjoy that gets you up out of your chair and moving. The best exercise is the one that you like to do!
A modified form of the Atkins diet reduced epileptic seizures in children, according to a small study by researchers at Johns Hopkins Children's Center.
The study found that two thirds of the children benefited from being put on this diet, which included fewer carbohydrates than the standard Atkins diet.
The children, ages 3 to 18, were having between four and 470 seizures a week and were unresponsive to drug therapy. They were put on the modified version of the Atkins diet for six months. Of the 16 children who completed the study, 13 had a greater than 50 percent reduction in the number of seizures, seven of them had greater than 90 percent improvement, and four were seizure-free.
The researchers concluded that this modified Atkins diet was nearly as effective at controlling seizures as the highly restrictive ketogenic diet, which has been used since 1921 to control seizures in children.
"Our findings suggest relatively good efficacy compared to the ketogenic diet," Dr. Eric Kossoff, a pediatric neurologist, said in a prepared statement. "With 20 patients, our study wasn't large enough to say patients and physicians should replace the proven, but highly restrictive ketogenic diet, but the results are encouraging and intriguing."
The study was presented Monday at a meeting of the American Epilepsy Society.
U.S. and State Officials Begin Pandemic Planning
The U.S. federal government began Monday to work with states to begin planning for a possible flu pandemic.
With an understanding that communities will be on the front lines of any effort to halt or contain a pandemic, senior state and local officials met to establish an integrated federal-state flu pandemic planning process. The meeting included officials from every state, territory, tribal government and from Puerto Rico.
"By their nature, pandemics happen across the globe, but their effects are excruciatingly local," U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said in a prepared statement. "Pandemic planning needs to go beyond public health. Discussion at the state and local level needs to address how schools, businesses, public agencies and others participate in pandemic preparedness."
Leavitt asked the meeting participants to prepare for a series of in-state pandemic planning summits, to be held in every state over the next several months. The summits will help public health and emergency-response officials in each state inform and involve political, economic and community leaders in the pandemic planning process, he said.
Measles Outbreak Hits Romania
A measles outbreak in Romania has infected more than 4,000 children and killed 10 others, officials reported Monday.
The Black Sea port of Constanta has been especially hard hit. So far this year, more than 1,000 children in that city have contracted measles; more than half of them are younger than 1 year old.
In response to the outbreak, Health Minister Eugen Nicolaescu ordered a hastening of the nation's measles-vaccination campaign. He also disbanded Romania's Center for Disease Control, saying the agency had failed to coordinate vaccinations and prevent the spread of measles, the Associated Press reported.
Nicolaescu said the outbreak occurred because the immunization program had missed some children. In addition, a shortage of vaccines disrupted measles, mumps and rubella vaccination schedules this year.
Opposition politicians said the outbreak was caused by the government's failure to react quickly after the first measles cases were detected in March, the AP reported.
Doctor Comes Clean on Head Lice Treatment
A California doctor has admitted that what he sold as a expensive experimental head lice treatment for children was really an over-the-counter skin cleanser available at drug stores across the United States.
Dr. Dale Pearlman charged parents $285 for the lice treatment he called Nuvo lotion. It was actually Cetaphil cleanser, which sells for about $10 a bottle, the Associated Press reported.
Parents weren't the only ones fooled by Pearlman. Last year, the journal Pediatrics published a study by Pearlman outlining his results with Nuvo lotion, which he described as a "dry-on suffocation-based pediculocide." He said it was the first in a new class of nontoxic lotions to treat head lice.
Pearlman confessed in a letter published Monday in the December issue of Pediatrics.
In an interview with the AP, Pearlman said he had withheld the truth until now "because I wanted to get rich" and because he had hoped a drug company would pay him to further develop a Cetaphil-based head lice treatment.
There were no takers, so Pearlman decided to write the letter.
Dr. Jerold Lucey, editor of Pediatrics, called Pearlman "a bit of a huckster" and said that, in hindsight, when Pearlman submitted his original study, "I probably would have said: 'We can't publish this if you can't tell us what it is.'"
Lack of Brain Activation Linked to Autism
Children with autism have reduced activity in an area of the brain that helps them understand other people's intentions and feelings, says a University of California, Los Angeles study in the journal Nature Neuroscience.
The finding supports the concept that neurological defects are responsible for the social problems associated with autism, which affects a person's ability to communicate with other people and to respond appropriately to environmental cues, BBC News reported.
The study included 10 autistic children, aged 10 to 14, and 10 normally developing children. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to measure the children's brain activity while they looked at and imitated 80 pictures that depicted various emotions.
The MRI results showed that the autistic children had virtually no activity in a brain area called the mirror neuron system, which in involved in understanding other people's emotions and intentions, BBC News reported.
"Our findings suggest that a dysfunctional mirror neuron system may underlie the social deficits observed in autism," researcher Dr. Mirella Dapretto said.
Movie Chains to Install Systems for Visual and Hearing Impaired
Under pressure from state governments, movie theater chains in the United States are equipping more theaters with special systems for the deaf, hard of hearing, blind or visually impaired.
Currently, about 150 theaters across the nation have such systems, mostly in major cities. States are using the threat of discrimination lawsuits in order to get theater chains to install these systems in many more theaters, the Associated Press reported.
On Monday, a deal was announced in New York that involves eight national theater chains. They agreed to have systems in 140 theaters across the state to help hearing and visually impaired people enjoy movies. Currently, there are about a dozen theaters in New York state with such systems.
Health Tip: If Your Voice is Hoarse
If your voice gets hoarse when you overuse it or when you have a cold, the Center for Voice at Northwestern University suggests how you can treat a croaky voice or prevent its recurrence:
Drink plenty of water.
If you smoke, quit and avoid secondhand smoke.
Avoid yelling, screaming and talking loudly for long periods.
Don't whisper. It's just as hard on your voice as talking loudly.
Avoid agents that dehydrate the body, such as alcohol and caffeine.
Keep your home humidified.
To keep your throat moist, suck on lozenges, chew gum or gargle with salt water.
Avoid spicy foods.
Health Tip: Home Remedies for Finger Injuries
If you're planning to treat a mild finger injury at home, here are some suggestions, courtesy of the University of Maryland Medical Center:
Apply an ice pack to decrease swelling.
Use over-the-counter medications to relieve pain.
If you experience excessive pain or there is blood under the fingernail, see a doctor.
Do not splint a finger or try to drain a swollen finger before consulting a physician.
Always consult a doctor if the injury involves a finger joint.
Food Fact:
Zest for life.
Don't toss away that orange peel -- it may help protect you against cancer. Grated citrus zest -- the outmost layer of the peel, not the white pith -- includes compounds may provide health benefits, such as inhibiting development of some cancers and lowering cholesterol. Scrub the rind with warm water and a drop of soap before starting to grate. Press a piece of wax paper onto the grater to make clean-up easier; the zest accumulates on the paper instead of getting stuck in the holes of the grater. Best of all, you can use the zest for a flavor boost in low-fat baked goods, pilafs, salad dressings, marinades and fruit salads.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Ice it down.
Running can place a great deal of stress on the knees; here's a tip for do-it-yourself massage packs. Simply fill small paper cups up with water and place in the freezer. Gently massage the area with the frozen cups for 15 - 20 minutes your knees will thank you for it!
FAQ of the day:
What's the "best" exercise?
Steve Blair of the Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research says: Instead of looking for the "best" exercise, think about the best reasons to exercise. Take weight control. If you burn more calories than you consume you'll lose weight. It doesn't matter if you do it by running, washing your car or digging in your garden. Likewise, your heart and muscles aren't picky about the activity you choose; they'll be happy whether you choose to jog or play tennis. What matters is the regular physiological stress placed on the various body systems, which results in improved fitness. Even the "best" exercise program is worthless if you won't do it. A "lesser" program that you follow regularly is much better for you than no exercise at all. The bottom line is to find any activity you enjoy that gets you up out of your chair and moving. The best exercise is the one that you like to do!
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Health Headlines - December 4
Indonesian Woman Dies of Bird Flu
Indonesian health officials have confirmed that a woman who died last week was killed by bird flu, making her the country's eighth victim of the disease.
Tests done in Hong Kong showed that the 25-year-old woman died from the lethal H5N1 strain of bird flu, BBC News reported Saturday.
The woman had had contact with dead chickens before being admitted to a Jakarta hospital, the news service said.
The H5N1 bird flu virus has killed nearly 70 people in South East Asia -- most of them in Vietnam and Thailand -- since the outbreak began in 2003.
Meanwhile, officials in Ukraine acknowledged Saturday that country's first outbreak of bird flu, discovered among some 1,500 dead chickens and geese in the Black Sea region of Crimea, the Associated Press reported.
The dead birds, mostly domesticated chickens and geese, tested positive for the H5 type of bird flu, the Agriculture Ministry said. Samples would be sent to laboratories in Italy and England for tests to determine whether it is the H5N1 strain, the AP said.
While person-to-person transmission of the H5N1 strain is rare, health officials are worried that the germ could mutate, making human transmission much easier, leading to a global pandemic of the disease.
FDA Approves Test for West Nile Virus in Donated Blood, Tissues
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first West Nile Virus blood test to screen donors of blood, organs, cells and tissues.
The Procleix WNV Assay detects viral genetic material called ribonucleic acid, or RNA. This new test will help protect patients who receive blood and other such products against West Nile infection, the FDA said. So far, there have been 30 documented cases of people who probably acquired West Nile Virus from a blood transfusion, including nine who died, the agency said.
West Nile Virus is typically transmitted to humans by mosquito bites. It was first detected in the United States in 1999, and has reemerged each year for seven consecutive years, causing close to 20,000 human cases of disease and at least 762 deaths since 2002. It is estimated that between 1 million and 2 million people have been infected with the virus, the FDA said.
In 2002, it was discovered that West Nile Virus could be transmitted in blood. The new test was developed by Gen-Probe Inc. and is marketed by Chiron Corporation, the FDA said.
"To develop an investigational test to screen blood, tissue and organ donors, and to get this test in blood banks throughout the country, and then licensed this quickly is a remarkable achievement for public health and patient safety," said Dr. Jesse Goodman, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
Massachusetts Company Recalls Blood-Filter Device
Boston Scientific has recalled a device designed to filter clots out of the bloodstream. The move, done in concert with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, came after eight complaints, including two serious injuries and one patient death, the Boston Globe reported.
The Massachusetts company is recalling 18,000 Greenfield vena cava filters made before March 10, 2004, the newspaper said.
The filter is a cone-shaped steel device that is installed in one of the body's largest veins to catch clots before they can reach the lungs. The recalled filter was made with a defect that occasionally allowed the device to detach before it had been implanted, blocking blood flow itself, according to the newspaper.
People with a filter already implanted aren't at risk because the problem was in the delivery system and not the filter itself, said company spokesman Charles Rudnick.
The company had detected a problem with the filter and changed its manufacturing process in March 2004, but did not issue a recall at the time. Eight months later, a patient died when the filter became detached, the Globe said.
The firm waited another year to recall the product because not enough information was available about the incident, said Rudnick. "We only recently obtained the information we needed to assess what happened," he said.
According to Boston Scientific's Web site, more than 600,000 people have had a Greenfield filter implanted. The product has been on the market since 1972, the Globe said.
The recall affects only filters made before March 10, 2004; the updated version of the filter remains on the market, according to the Globe.
Heparin Antibodies May Pose Risk for Heart-Surgery Patients
Patients who develop antibodies to the anti-clotting drug heparin nearly double their risk of death or serious complication after heart surgery, a new study suggests.
"Complications after heart surgery are typically attributed to the surgery alone," said Dr. Thomas Slaughter, co-principal investigator on the project and a professor of anesthesiology at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. "Our study examined whether development of heparin antibodies before surgery poses an independent risk."
The study, which involved 466 patients scheduled to undergo either coronary artery bypass or valve replacement surgery, was done by investigators at Wake Forest University Baptist and Duke University medical centers. It's the first study to demonstrate a relationship between heparin antibodies and complications after cardiac surgery, the researchers said.
Heparin is administered intravenously during many procedures, including kidney dialysis, heart catheterization or angioplasty, as well as during heart and vascular surgeries. Estimates suggest that nearly half of patients treated with heparin develop the antibodies, which may last for months.
The researchers theorized that in patients with heparin antibodies, subsequent treatment with heparin activates blood components that cause clotting and inflammation, increasing the risk for heart attacks, heart rhythm problems, strokes and other complications.
The study results appear in the December issue of the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.
Face Transplant Patient's First Word Was 'Merci'
The first word spoken by a French woman who had the world's first partial face transplant was "merci," one of her doctors said at a news conference Friday in Lyon.
The surgeons, Dr. Jean-Michel Dubernard and Dr. Bernard Devauchelle, said that the 38-year-old woman regained consciousness 24 hours after Sunday's transplant and there were no post-surgical problems, the Associated Press reported.
The woman, whose identity hasn't been disclosed, suffered severe facial injuries in May when she was attacked by a dog. The damage made it difficult for her to speak and eat. Doctors transplanted a section of nose, lips and chin that were taken from a brain-dead woman.
The transplant triggered a debate over ethics. One French surgeon charged that the transplant team violated advice from the French medical ethics panel because they didn't first attempt reconstructive surgery on the woman's face.
However, a member of the committee said that at long as the face transplant was not total, it was not unethical, the AP reported.
Food Fact:
Got your bacteria?
Yogurt is crawling with bacteria -- and the more of it you eat, the better. Be sure to buy yogurt with a seal that guarantees it has live, active cultures. These cultures -- especially acidophilus and bifida -- colonize the lower intestines with beneficial bacteria while muscling out disease-causing bacteria. Eating yogurt may help prevent diarrhea in people taking antibiotics. Yogurt is easy to digest, especially for those who are lactose-intolerant, and is an excellent source of calcium, protein, riboflavin (a B vitamin), vitamin B-12 (which may be low in vegetarian diets) and vitamin A. To avoid unwanted saturated fat, choose nonfat or low-fat yogurt.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Pre-wedding vows.
Instead of gifts of jewelry for your wedding party, give the gift of health. Buy short-term health club memberships for your bridesmaids and groomsmen. Just don't lose too many inches before the fitting!
FAQ of the day:
Should I worry about eating proteins at each meal?
Pairing foods to provide all essential amino acids at one meal is no longer considered critical for vegetarians. Plant proteins are not as complete in all essential amino acids as animal proteins, so it became common advice for vegetarians to eat a food low in one essential amino acid in tandem with another that was high in that particular amino acid. But as scientists learned more about protein metabolism, they discovered that the body maintains a pool of amino acids it draws from to fill any gaps from meal to meal. There's no need to worry about matching foods at meals, as long as you eat a varied diet. Soy foods in particular are excellent sources of essential amino acids.
Indonesian health officials have confirmed that a woman who died last week was killed by bird flu, making her the country's eighth victim of the disease.
Tests done in Hong Kong showed that the 25-year-old woman died from the lethal H5N1 strain of bird flu, BBC News reported Saturday.
The woman had had contact with dead chickens before being admitted to a Jakarta hospital, the news service said.
The H5N1 bird flu virus has killed nearly 70 people in South East Asia -- most of them in Vietnam and Thailand -- since the outbreak began in 2003.
Meanwhile, officials in Ukraine acknowledged Saturday that country's first outbreak of bird flu, discovered among some 1,500 dead chickens and geese in the Black Sea region of Crimea, the Associated Press reported.
The dead birds, mostly domesticated chickens and geese, tested positive for the H5 type of bird flu, the Agriculture Ministry said. Samples would be sent to laboratories in Italy and England for tests to determine whether it is the H5N1 strain, the AP said.
While person-to-person transmission of the H5N1 strain is rare, health officials are worried that the germ could mutate, making human transmission much easier, leading to a global pandemic of the disease.
FDA Approves Test for West Nile Virus in Donated Blood, Tissues
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first West Nile Virus blood test to screen donors of blood, organs, cells and tissues.
The Procleix WNV Assay detects viral genetic material called ribonucleic acid, or RNA. This new test will help protect patients who receive blood and other such products against West Nile infection, the FDA said. So far, there have been 30 documented cases of people who probably acquired West Nile Virus from a blood transfusion, including nine who died, the agency said.
West Nile Virus is typically transmitted to humans by mosquito bites. It was first detected in the United States in 1999, and has reemerged each year for seven consecutive years, causing close to 20,000 human cases of disease and at least 762 deaths since 2002. It is estimated that between 1 million and 2 million people have been infected with the virus, the FDA said.
In 2002, it was discovered that West Nile Virus could be transmitted in blood. The new test was developed by Gen-Probe Inc. and is marketed by Chiron Corporation, the FDA said.
"To develop an investigational test to screen blood, tissue and organ donors, and to get this test in blood banks throughout the country, and then licensed this quickly is a remarkable achievement for public health and patient safety," said Dr. Jesse Goodman, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
Massachusetts Company Recalls Blood-Filter Device
Boston Scientific has recalled a device designed to filter clots out of the bloodstream. The move, done in concert with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, came after eight complaints, including two serious injuries and one patient death, the Boston Globe reported.
The Massachusetts company is recalling 18,000 Greenfield vena cava filters made before March 10, 2004, the newspaper said.
The filter is a cone-shaped steel device that is installed in one of the body's largest veins to catch clots before they can reach the lungs. The recalled filter was made with a defect that occasionally allowed the device to detach before it had been implanted, blocking blood flow itself, according to the newspaper.
People with a filter already implanted aren't at risk because the problem was in the delivery system and not the filter itself, said company spokesman Charles Rudnick.
The company had detected a problem with the filter and changed its manufacturing process in March 2004, but did not issue a recall at the time. Eight months later, a patient died when the filter became detached, the Globe said.
The firm waited another year to recall the product because not enough information was available about the incident, said Rudnick. "We only recently obtained the information we needed to assess what happened," he said.
According to Boston Scientific's Web site, more than 600,000 people have had a Greenfield filter implanted. The product has been on the market since 1972, the Globe said.
The recall affects only filters made before March 10, 2004; the updated version of the filter remains on the market, according to the Globe.
Heparin Antibodies May Pose Risk for Heart-Surgery Patients
Patients who develop antibodies to the anti-clotting drug heparin nearly double their risk of death or serious complication after heart surgery, a new study suggests.
"Complications after heart surgery are typically attributed to the surgery alone," said Dr. Thomas Slaughter, co-principal investigator on the project and a professor of anesthesiology at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. "Our study examined whether development of heparin antibodies before surgery poses an independent risk."
The study, which involved 466 patients scheduled to undergo either coronary artery bypass or valve replacement surgery, was done by investigators at Wake Forest University Baptist and Duke University medical centers. It's the first study to demonstrate a relationship between heparin antibodies and complications after cardiac surgery, the researchers said.
Heparin is administered intravenously during many procedures, including kidney dialysis, heart catheterization or angioplasty, as well as during heart and vascular surgeries. Estimates suggest that nearly half of patients treated with heparin develop the antibodies, which may last for months.
The researchers theorized that in patients with heparin antibodies, subsequent treatment with heparin activates blood components that cause clotting and inflammation, increasing the risk for heart attacks, heart rhythm problems, strokes and other complications.
The study results appear in the December issue of the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.
Face Transplant Patient's First Word Was 'Merci'
The first word spoken by a French woman who had the world's first partial face transplant was "merci," one of her doctors said at a news conference Friday in Lyon.
The surgeons, Dr. Jean-Michel Dubernard and Dr. Bernard Devauchelle, said that the 38-year-old woman regained consciousness 24 hours after Sunday's transplant and there were no post-surgical problems, the Associated Press reported.
The woman, whose identity hasn't been disclosed, suffered severe facial injuries in May when she was attacked by a dog. The damage made it difficult for her to speak and eat. Doctors transplanted a section of nose, lips and chin that were taken from a brain-dead woman.
The transplant triggered a debate over ethics. One French surgeon charged that the transplant team violated advice from the French medical ethics panel because they didn't first attempt reconstructive surgery on the woman's face.
However, a member of the committee said that at long as the face transplant was not total, it was not unethical, the AP reported.
Food Fact:
Got your bacteria?
Yogurt is crawling with bacteria -- and the more of it you eat, the better. Be sure to buy yogurt with a seal that guarantees it has live, active cultures. These cultures -- especially acidophilus and bifida -- colonize the lower intestines with beneficial bacteria while muscling out disease-causing bacteria. Eating yogurt may help prevent diarrhea in people taking antibiotics. Yogurt is easy to digest, especially for those who are lactose-intolerant, and is an excellent source of calcium, protein, riboflavin (a B vitamin), vitamin B-12 (which may be low in vegetarian diets) and vitamin A. To avoid unwanted saturated fat, choose nonfat or low-fat yogurt.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Pre-wedding vows.
Instead of gifts of jewelry for your wedding party, give the gift of health. Buy short-term health club memberships for your bridesmaids and groomsmen. Just don't lose too many inches before the fitting!
FAQ of the day:
Should I worry about eating proteins at each meal?
Pairing foods to provide all essential amino acids at one meal is no longer considered critical for vegetarians. Plant proteins are not as complete in all essential amino acids as animal proteins, so it became common advice for vegetarians to eat a food low in one essential amino acid in tandem with another that was high in that particular amino acid. But as scientists learned more about protein metabolism, they discovered that the body maintains a pool of amino acids it draws from to fill any gaps from meal to meal. There's no need to worry about matching foods at meals, as long as you eat a varied diet. Soy foods in particular are excellent sources of essential amino acids.
Saturday, December 03, 2005
Health Headlines - December 3
Indonesian Woman Dies of Bird Flu
Indonesian health officials have confirmed that a woman who died earlier this week was killed by bird flu, making her the country's eighth victim of the disease.
Tests done in Hong Kong showed that the 25-year-old woman died from the lethal H5N1 strain of bird flu, BBC News reported.
The woman had had contact with dead chickens before being admitted to a Jakarta hospital, the news service said.
The H5N1 bird flu virus has killed nearly 70 people in South East Asia -- most of them in Vietnam and Thailand -- since the outbreak began in 2003.
Meanwhile, officials in Ukraine acknowledged Saturday that country's first outbreak of bird flu, discovered among some 1,500 dead chickens and geese in the Black Sea region of Crimea, the Associated Press reported.
The dead birds, mostly domesticated chickens and geese, tested positive for the H5 type of bird flu, the Agriculture Ministry said. Samples would be sent to laboratories in Italy and England for tests to determine whether it is the H5N1 strain, the AP said.
While person-to-person transmission of the H5N1 strain is rare, health officials are worried that the germ could mutate, making human transmission much easier, leading to a global pandemic of the disease.
Heparin Antibodies May Pose Risk for Heart-Surgery Patients
Patients who develop antibodies to the anti-clotting drug heparin nearly double their risk of death or serious complication after heart surgery, a new study suggests.
"Complications after heart surgery are typically attributed to the surgery alone," said Dr. Thomas Slaughter, co-principal investigator on the project and a professor of anesthesiology at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. "Our study examined whether development of heparin antibodies before surgery poses an independent risk."
The study, which involved 466 patients scheduled to undergo either coronary artery bypass or valve replacement surgery, was done by investigators at Wake Forest University Baptist and Duke University medical centers. It's the first study to demonstrate a relationship between heparin antibodies and complications after cardiac surgery, the researchers said.
Heparin is administered intravenously during many procedures, including kidney dialysis, heart catheterization or angioplasty, as well as during heart and vascular surgeries. Estimates suggest that nearly half of patients treated with heparin develop the antibodies, which may last for months.
The researchers theorized that in patients with heparin antibodies, subsequent treatment with heparin activates blood components that cause clotting and inflammation, increasing the risk for heart attacks, heart rhythm problems, strokes and other complications.
"While it is too early to recommend universal testing for the antibodies, our study is the most definitive evidence to date that heparin antibodies increase the risk for death and complications associated with cardiac surgery," Slaughter said.
The study results appear in the December issue of the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.
Face Transplant Patient's First Word is 'Merci'
The first word spoken by a French woman who had the world's first partial face transplant was "merci," one of her doctors said at a news conference Friday in Lyon.
The surgeons, Dr. Jean-Michel Dubernard and Dr. Bernard Devauchelle, said that the 38-year-old woman regained consciousness 24 hours after Sunday's transplant and there were no post-surgical problems, the Associated Press reported.
The woman, whose identity hasn't been disclosed, suffered severe facial injuries in May when she was attacked by a dog. The damage made it difficult for her to speak and eat. Doctors transplanted a section of nose, lips and chin that were taken from a brain-dead woman.
The transplant triggered a debate over ethics. One French surgeon charged that the transplant team violated advice from the French medical ethics panel because they didn't first attempt reconstructive surgery on the woman's face.
However, a member of the committee said that at long as the face transplant was not total, it was not unethical, the AP reported.
Carine Camby, director-general of the government agency that coordinates organ procurement, said that normal reconstructive surgery could not have been used in this case. "It is precisely because there was no way to restore the functions of this patient by normal plastic surgery that we attempted this transplant," Camby said. "She could no longer eat normally, she had great difficulty speaking, and there is no possibility with plastic surgery today to repair the muscles around the mouth, which allow people to articulate when they speak and not spit out food when they eat."
Many U.S. Companies Lack Flu Pandemic Plan
Many large businesses in the United States don't have a plan to keep operating during a flu pandemic, says a survey released Friday.
The survey of some of the largest U.S. companies found that two-thirds weren't adequately prepared to protect themselves during a pandemic and 39 percent said there wasn't much they could do to prepare, the Associated Press reported.
The results also cast doubt on whether companies would follow federal government advice to encourage potentially contagious workers to stay at home in order to prevent them from infecting co-workers.
According to the survey, 63 percent of companies said they were undecided and 10 percent said they wouldn't waive sick-leave restrictions to persuade employees with flu-like symptoms to stay home, the AP reported.
"Corporate America is like everybody -- they read it and see it on television but they really can't completely digest it," Tommy Thompson, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary, said in regard to the threat of a flu pandemic.
The survey was sponsored by his new industry think-tank, which is part of Deloitte & Touche USA.
The U.S. federal government plans next week to release a checklist of business pandemic preparations, including having contingency plans for doing without 10 percent to 20 percent of their work force for as long as two to four weeks, the AP reported.
WHO Won't Hire Smokers
The World Health Organization announced Friday that it will no longer hire smokers, a move it says is part of its commitment to discourage tobacco use.
Effective immediately, all job vacancy notices include a line explaining that the WHO doesn't promote tobacco use or recruit smokers. Job seekers are asked if they smoke or use other tobacco products. If they answer "yes," the job application process is halted, the Associated Press reported.
"WHO has taken a very public lead in the fight against tobacco use. As a matter of principle, WHO does not want to recruit smokers," spokesman Iain Simpson told the AP.
Current staffers who smoke or use tobacco products won't be penalized. However, they're not allowed to smoke on WHO premises.
This move is legal under international law and applies to all WHO sites worldwide.
Food Fact:
Go with the grain.
Older women who eat the right amount of whole grains cut their risk of a fatal heart attack significantly. At ages 55 - 69, women who eat whole grains for at least three of their daily carbohydrate servings were found to be in better heart health during the next 10 years. Whole grain breads, crackers and cereals -- made from grains that have not been stripped of their bran and germ -- protect against heart disease and diabetes. It's unclear which part of the whole grain -- the fiber, the vitamin E, the folate, the magnesium or some of the health-protective phytochemicals -- provides the health benefits. Read labels carefully. Look for "whole-grain" or "whole-wheat flour" as the first or second ingredient.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Getting to know you.
Saying "Hi" to your aerobics instructor may improve your group fitness experience. If you are joining a group exercise class for the first time, let your instructor know. Doing so will help the instructor ensure you get the most out of the class, and help protect you from injuries.
FAQ of the day:
Does fiber prevent colon cancer?
Many studies find a link between higher fiber intake and lower colon cancer risk, but not all do. It's possible that it's the cancer-fighting phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables rather than the fiber that are most protective. But one thing seems clear: People who eat more fiber-rich fruits and vegetables have much lower risk of colon cancer.
Indonesian health officials have confirmed that a woman who died earlier this week was killed by bird flu, making her the country's eighth victim of the disease.
Tests done in Hong Kong showed that the 25-year-old woman died from the lethal H5N1 strain of bird flu, BBC News reported.
The woman had had contact with dead chickens before being admitted to a Jakarta hospital, the news service said.
The H5N1 bird flu virus has killed nearly 70 people in South East Asia -- most of them in Vietnam and Thailand -- since the outbreak began in 2003.
Meanwhile, officials in Ukraine acknowledged Saturday that country's first outbreak of bird flu, discovered among some 1,500 dead chickens and geese in the Black Sea region of Crimea, the Associated Press reported.
The dead birds, mostly domesticated chickens and geese, tested positive for the H5 type of bird flu, the Agriculture Ministry said. Samples would be sent to laboratories in Italy and England for tests to determine whether it is the H5N1 strain, the AP said.
While person-to-person transmission of the H5N1 strain is rare, health officials are worried that the germ could mutate, making human transmission much easier, leading to a global pandemic of the disease.
Heparin Antibodies May Pose Risk for Heart-Surgery Patients
Patients who develop antibodies to the anti-clotting drug heparin nearly double their risk of death or serious complication after heart surgery, a new study suggests.
"Complications after heart surgery are typically attributed to the surgery alone," said Dr. Thomas Slaughter, co-principal investigator on the project and a professor of anesthesiology at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. "Our study examined whether development of heparin antibodies before surgery poses an independent risk."
The study, which involved 466 patients scheduled to undergo either coronary artery bypass or valve replacement surgery, was done by investigators at Wake Forest University Baptist and Duke University medical centers. It's the first study to demonstrate a relationship between heparin antibodies and complications after cardiac surgery, the researchers said.
Heparin is administered intravenously during many procedures, including kidney dialysis, heart catheterization or angioplasty, as well as during heart and vascular surgeries. Estimates suggest that nearly half of patients treated with heparin develop the antibodies, which may last for months.
The researchers theorized that in patients with heparin antibodies, subsequent treatment with heparin activates blood components that cause clotting and inflammation, increasing the risk for heart attacks, heart rhythm problems, strokes and other complications.
"While it is too early to recommend universal testing for the antibodies, our study is the most definitive evidence to date that heparin antibodies increase the risk for death and complications associated with cardiac surgery," Slaughter said.
The study results appear in the December issue of the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.
Face Transplant Patient's First Word is 'Merci'
The first word spoken by a French woman who had the world's first partial face transplant was "merci," one of her doctors said at a news conference Friday in Lyon.
The surgeons, Dr. Jean-Michel Dubernard and Dr. Bernard Devauchelle, said that the 38-year-old woman regained consciousness 24 hours after Sunday's transplant and there were no post-surgical problems, the Associated Press reported.
The woman, whose identity hasn't been disclosed, suffered severe facial injuries in May when she was attacked by a dog. The damage made it difficult for her to speak and eat. Doctors transplanted a section of nose, lips and chin that were taken from a brain-dead woman.
The transplant triggered a debate over ethics. One French surgeon charged that the transplant team violated advice from the French medical ethics panel because they didn't first attempt reconstructive surgery on the woman's face.
However, a member of the committee said that at long as the face transplant was not total, it was not unethical, the AP reported.
Carine Camby, director-general of the government agency that coordinates organ procurement, said that normal reconstructive surgery could not have been used in this case. "It is precisely because there was no way to restore the functions of this patient by normal plastic surgery that we attempted this transplant," Camby said. "She could no longer eat normally, she had great difficulty speaking, and there is no possibility with plastic surgery today to repair the muscles around the mouth, which allow people to articulate when they speak and not spit out food when they eat."
Many U.S. Companies Lack Flu Pandemic Plan
Many large businesses in the United States don't have a plan to keep operating during a flu pandemic, says a survey released Friday.
The survey of some of the largest U.S. companies found that two-thirds weren't adequately prepared to protect themselves during a pandemic and 39 percent said there wasn't much they could do to prepare, the Associated Press reported.
The results also cast doubt on whether companies would follow federal government advice to encourage potentially contagious workers to stay at home in order to prevent them from infecting co-workers.
According to the survey, 63 percent of companies said they were undecided and 10 percent said they wouldn't waive sick-leave restrictions to persuade employees with flu-like symptoms to stay home, the AP reported.
"Corporate America is like everybody -- they read it and see it on television but they really can't completely digest it," Tommy Thompson, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary, said in regard to the threat of a flu pandemic.
The survey was sponsored by his new industry think-tank, which is part of Deloitte & Touche USA.
The U.S. federal government plans next week to release a checklist of business pandemic preparations, including having contingency plans for doing without 10 percent to 20 percent of their work force for as long as two to four weeks, the AP reported.
WHO Won't Hire Smokers
The World Health Organization announced Friday that it will no longer hire smokers, a move it says is part of its commitment to discourage tobacco use.
Effective immediately, all job vacancy notices include a line explaining that the WHO doesn't promote tobacco use or recruit smokers. Job seekers are asked if they smoke or use other tobacco products. If they answer "yes," the job application process is halted, the Associated Press reported.
"WHO has taken a very public lead in the fight against tobacco use. As a matter of principle, WHO does not want to recruit smokers," spokesman Iain Simpson told the AP.
Current staffers who smoke or use tobacco products won't be penalized. However, they're not allowed to smoke on WHO premises.
This move is legal under international law and applies to all WHO sites worldwide.
Food Fact:
Go with the grain.
Older women who eat the right amount of whole grains cut their risk of a fatal heart attack significantly. At ages 55 - 69, women who eat whole grains for at least three of their daily carbohydrate servings were found to be in better heart health during the next 10 years. Whole grain breads, crackers and cereals -- made from grains that have not been stripped of their bran and germ -- protect against heart disease and diabetes. It's unclear which part of the whole grain -- the fiber, the vitamin E, the folate, the magnesium or some of the health-protective phytochemicals -- provides the health benefits. Read labels carefully. Look for "whole-grain" or "whole-wheat flour" as the first or second ingredient.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Getting to know you.
Saying "Hi" to your aerobics instructor may improve your group fitness experience. If you are joining a group exercise class for the first time, let your instructor know. Doing so will help the instructor ensure you get the most out of the class, and help protect you from injuries.
FAQ of the day:
Does fiber prevent colon cancer?
Many studies find a link between higher fiber intake and lower colon cancer risk, but not all do. It's possible that it's the cancer-fighting phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables rather than the fiber that are most protective. But one thing seems clear: People who eat more fiber-rich fruits and vegetables have much lower risk of colon cancer.
Friday, December 02, 2005
Health Headlines - December 2
FDA Advisers Call ADHD Patch Safe, Effective
A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel ruled Friday that the first skin patch to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children is both effective and safe, the Associated Press reported.
But, the panel voted to recommend to the full FDA that the patch carry a label encouraging its use only as an alternative treatment for children with ADHD -- in effect, saying doctors should prescribe it if taking pills is too difficult for a child, the AP said.
The unanimous vote by the FDA's Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee came after a formerly critical FDA reviewer reversed his opinion about the patch.
The agency will now decide whether to approve the patch. It usually follows the recommendations of its advisory panels but is not required to.
ADHD is a neurobehavioral disorder that affects 3 percent to 5 percent of all American children. It interferes with the ability to focus on a task and to exercise age-appropriate inhibition. Some of the warning signs of ADHD include failure to listen to instructions, inability to organize oneself and school work, fidgeting with hands and feet, talking too much, leaving projects, chores and homework unfinished, and having trouble paying attention to and responding to details, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
Face Transplant Patient's First Word is 'Merci'
The first word spoken by a French woman who had the world's first partial face transplant was "merci," one of her doctors said at a news conference Friday in Lyon.
The surgeons, Dr. Jean-Michel Dubernard and Dr. Bernard Devauchelle, said that the 38-year-old woman regained consciousness 24 hours after Sunday's transplant and there were no post-surgical problems, the Associated Press reported.
The woman, whose identity hasn't been disclosed, suffered severe facial injuries in May when she was attacked by a dog. The damage made it difficult for her to speak and eat. Doctors transplanted a section of nose, lips and chin that were taken from a brain-dead woman.
The transplant triggered a debate over ethics. One French surgeon charged that the transplant team violated advice from the French medical ethics panel because they didn't first attempt reconstructive surgery on the woman's face.
However, a member of the committee said that at long as the face transplant was not total, it was not unethical, the AP reported.
Carine Camby, director-general of the government agency that coordinates organ procurement, said that normal reconstructive surgery could not have been used in this case. "It is precisely because there was no way to restore the functions of this patient by normal plastic surgery that we attempted this transplant," Camby said. "She could no longer eat normally, she had great difficulty speaking, and there is no possibility with plastic surgery today to repair the muscles around the mouth, which allow people to articulate when they speak and not spit out food when they eat."
Many U.S. Companies Lack Flu Pandemic Plan
Many large businesses in the United States don't have a plan to keep operating during a flu pandemic, says a survey released Friday.
The survey of some of the largest U.S. companies found that two-thirds weren't adequately prepared to protect themselves during a pandemic and 39 percent said there wasn't much they could do to prepare, the Associated Press reported.
The results also cast doubt on whether companies would follow federal government advice to encourage potentially contagious workers to stay at home in order to prevent them from infecting co-workers.
According to the survey, 63 percent of companies said they were undecided and 10 percent said they wouldn't waive sick-leave restrictions to persuade employees with flu-like symptoms to stay home, the AP reported.
"Corporate America is like everybody -- they read it and see it on television but they really can't completely digest it," Tommy Thompson, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary, said in regard to the threat of a flu pandemic.
The survey was sponsored by his new industry think-tank, which is part of Deloitte & Touche USA.
The U.S. federal government plans next week to release a checklist of business pandemic preparations, including having contingency plans for doing without 10 percent to 20 percent of their work force for as long as two to four weeks, the AP reported.
Marijuana Increases Fatal Crash Risk
Consuming a small amount of marijuana nearly doubles the risk of a fatal traffic crash, while larger amounts more than triple the risk, according to a French study in the British Medical Journal.
The French National Institute for Transport and Safety Research analyzed data on 10,748 drivers involved in fatal crashes between 2001 and 2003, BBC News reported.
As blood concentrations of marijuana increased, so did the risk of a fatal crash.
"Research like this proves just how dangerous it is to take drugs, and then get behind the wheel of a car," Roger Vincent of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, told BBC News. "It is totally irresponsible, as taking drugs such as cannabis does affect your reactions."
WHO Won't Hire Smokers
The World Health Organization announced Friday that it will no longer hire smokers, a move it says is part of its commitment to discourage tobacco use.
Effective immediately, all job vacancy notices include a line explaining that the WHO doesn't promote tobacco use or recruit smokers. Job seekers are asked if they smoke or use other tobacco products. If they answer "yes," the job application process is halted, the Associated Press reported.
"WHO has taken a very public lead in the fight against tobacco use. As a matter of principle, WHO does not want to recruit smokers," spokesman Iain Simpson told the AP.
Current staffers who smoke or use tobacco products won't be penalized. However, they're not allowed to smoke on WHO premises.
This move is legal under international law and applies to all WHO sites worldwide.
Risk of Vision Loss From Extended Wear Contacts Is Slight: Study
Thirty-day soft contact lenses pose only a small risk of vision loss from corneal infection, according to a study led by the Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute.
The study of 6,245 patients in North America who wore silicone hydrogel soft contact lenses for 30 consecutive 24-hour periods found that the overall annual rate of evident corneal infection was 18 per 10,000. There were two cases of corneal infection resulting in partial vision loss and eight cases of corneal infection without vision loss.
Users who wore the contact lenses for at least three weeks had lower infection rates than those who wore the lenses for less than the three-week continuous periods, the study said.
The infection rate associated with these 30-day extended-wear contact lenses is similar to that of older lens types worn for fewer consecutive 24-hour periods, the researchers said.
The study received funding from CIBA Vision, which makes the lenses used in the study. The findings are in the Dec. 1 issue of the journal Ophthalmology.
Health Tip: Bonding With Baby
Bonding is an intense attachment that develops between parents and their baby, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
Although babies and their mothers usually bond quickly, the process may take more time for fathers.
The AAFP offers these suggestions for new fathers:
Participate in labor and delivery.
Touch your baby.
Establish eye-to-eye contact.
Communicate vocally with your baby.
Feed and change the baby.
Mirror the baby's movements.
Let the baby touch you.
Use a front baby carrier while performing routine activities.
Health Tip: Signs of Domestic Abuse
Domestic violence is a fact of life in virtually all countries, cultures, classes and income groups. While ending it is never easy, recognizing its symptoms can be a first step.
Here, courtesy of the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, are signs that someone may be abusive:
A history of past battering.
Threats of violence.
Breaking objects.
Using force during arguments.
Unreasonable jealousy.
Controlling behavior.
Cruelty to animals and children.
Abrupt mood changes.
Food Fact:
Rind-boggling.
Juicy, red watermelon is not only delicious, it may help men avoid prostate cancer. As long as you spit out the seeds, watermelon is the biggest supplier among fresh fruits and vegetables in the antioxidant lycopene, which is believed to play a big role in the prevention of the killer disease. Antioxidants such as lycopene work in your body by disarming free oxygen radicals, which are thought to contribute to the development of many cancers. A 2-cup serving of watermelon contains 15 - 20 milligrams of this vital plant pigment. Other sources include tomatoes, red grapefruits and guavas.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Want strong bones?
All it takes is 20 minutes of the right weight-bearing exercise three days per week. Activity such as walking will stimulate bone growth and prevent bone loss throughout life. Strength training, such as weight lifting, fortifies bone and can reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis.
FAQ of the day:
Do I need fiber in my diet?
While psyllium-based supplements can help relieve constipation, and have been shown to reduce high blood cholesterol, dietary changes have the same benefits. Better yet, if you get your fiber from whole foods -- whole grains, fruits and vegetables -- you'll get hundreds of health-protective compounds that your fiber supplement won't provide.
A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel ruled Friday that the first skin patch to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children is both effective and safe, the Associated Press reported.
But, the panel voted to recommend to the full FDA that the patch carry a label encouraging its use only as an alternative treatment for children with ADHD -- in effect, saying doctors should prescribe it if taking pills is too difficult for a child, the AP said.
The unanimous vote by the FDA's Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee came after a formerly critical FDA reviewer reversed his opinion about the patch.
The agency will now decide whether to approve the patch. It usually follows the recommendations of its advisory panels but is not required to.
ADHD is a neurobehavioral disorder that affects 3 percent to 5 percent of all American children. It interferes with the ability to focus on a task and to exercise age-appropriate inhibition. Some of the warning signs of ADHD include failure to listen to instructions, inability to organize oneself and school work, fidgeting with hands and feet, talking too much, leaving projects, chores and homework unfinished, and having trouble paying attention to and responding to details, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
Face Transplant Patient's First Word is 'Merci'
The first word spoken by a French woman who had the world's first partial face transplant was "merci," one of her doctors said at a news conference Friday in Lyon.
The surgeons, Dr. Jean-Michel Dubernard and Dr. Bernard Devauchelle, said that the 38-year-old woman regained consciousness 24 hours after Sunday's transplant and there were no post-surgical problems, the Associated Press reported.
The woman, whose identity hasn't been disclosed, suffered severe facial injuries in May when she was attacked by a dog. The damage made it difficult for her to speak and eat. Doctors transplanted a section of nose, lips and chin that were taken from a brain-dead woman.
The transplant triggered a debate over ethics. One French surgeon charged that the transplant team violated advice from the French medical ethics panel because they didn't first attempt reconstructive surgery on the woman's face.
However, a member of the committee said that at long as the face transplant was not total, it was not unethical, the AP reported.
Carine Camby, director-general of the government agency that coordinates organ procurement, said that normal reconstructive surgery could not have been used in this case. "It is precisely because there was no way to restore the functions of this patient by normal plastic surgery that we attempted this transplant," Camby said. "She could no longer eat normally, she had great difficulty speaking, and there is no possibility with plastic surgery today to repair the muscles around the mouth, which allow people to articulate when they speak and not spit out food when they eat."
Many U.S. Companies Lack Flu Pandemic Plan
Many large businesses in the United States don't have a plan to keep operating during a flu pandemic, says a survey released Friday.
The survey of some of the largest U.S. companies found that two-thirds weren't adequately prepared to protect themselves during a pandemic and 39 percent said there wasn't much they could do to prepare, the Associated Press reported.
The results also cast doubt on whether companies would follow federal government advice to encourage potentially contagious workers to stay at home in order to prevent them from infecting co-workers.
According to the survey, 63 percent of companies said they were undecided and 10 percent said they wouldn't waive sick-leave restrictions to persuade employees with flu-like symptoms to stay home, the AP reported.
"Corporate America is like everybody -- they read it and see it on television but they really can't completely digest it," Tommy Thompson, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary, said in regard to the threat of a flu pandemic.
The survey was sponsored by his new industry think-tank, which is part of Deloitte & Touche USA.
The U.S. federal government plans next week to release a checklist of business pandemic preparations, including having contingency plans for doing without 10 percent to 20 percent of their work force for as long as two to four weeks, the AP reported.
Marijuana Increases Fatal Crash Risk
Consuming a small amount of marijuana nearly doubles the risk of a fatal traffic crash, while larger amounts more than triple the risk, according to a French study in the British Medical Journal.
The French National Institute for Transport and Safety Research analyzed data on 10,748 drivers involved in fatal crashes between 2001 and 2003, BBC News reported.
As blood concentrations of marijuana increased, so did the risk of a fatal crash.
"Research like this proves just how dangerous it is to take drugs, and then get behind the wheel of a car," Roger Vincent of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, told BBC News. "It is totally irresponsible, as taking drugs such as cannabis does affect your reactions."
WHO Won't Hire Smokers
The World Health Organization announced Friday that it will no longer hire smokers, a move it says is part of its commitment to discourage tobacco use.
Effective immediately, all job vacancy notices include a line explaining that the WHO doesn't promote tobacco use or recruit smokers. Job seekers are asked if they smoke or use other tobacco products. If they answer "yes," the job application process is halted, the Associated Press reported.
"WHO has taken a very public lead in the fight against tobacco use. As a matter of principle, WHO does not want to recruit smokers," spokesman Iain Simpson told the AP.
Current staffers who smoke or use tobacco products won't be penalized. However, they're not allowed to smoke on WHO premises.
This move is legal under international law and applies to all WHO sites worldwide.
Risk of Vision Loss From Extended Wear Contacts Is Slight: Study
Thirty-day soft contact lenses pose only a small risk of vision loss from corneal infection, according to a study led by the Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute.
The study of 6,245 patients in North America who wore silicone hydrogel soft contact lenses for 30 consecutive 24-hour periods found that the overall annual rate of evident corneal infection was 18 per 10,000. There were two cases of corneal infection resulting in partial vision loss and eight cases of corneal infection without vision loss.
Users who wore the contact lenses for at least three weeks had lower infection rates than those who wore the lenses for less than the three-week continuous periods, the study said.
The infection rate associated with these 30-day extended-wear contact lenses is similar to that of older lens types worn for fewer consecutive 24-hour periods, the researchers said.
The study received funding from CIBA Vision, which makes the lenses used in the study. The findings are in the Dec. 1 issue of the journal Ophthalmology.
Health Tip: Bonding With Baby
Bonding is an intense attachment that develops between parents and their baby, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
Although babies and their mothers usually bond quickly, the process may take more time for fathers.
The AAFP offers these suggestions for new fathers:
Participate in labor and delivery.
Touch your baby.
Establish eye-to-eye contact.
Communicate vocally with your baby.
Feed and change the baby.
Mirror the baby's movements.
Let the baby touch you.
Use a front baby carrier while performing routine activities.
Health Tip: Signs of Domestic Abuse
Domestic violence is a fact of life in virtually all countries, cultures, classes and income groups. While ending it is never easy, recognizing its symptoms can be a first step.
Here, courtesy of the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, are signs that someone may be abusive:
A history of past battering.
Threats of violence.
Breaking objects.
Using force during arguments.
Unreasonable jealousy.
Controlling behavior.
Cruelty to animals and children.
Abrupt mood changes.
Food Fact:
Rind-boggling.
Juicy, red watermelon is not only delicious, it may help men avoid prostate cancer. As long as you spit out the seeds, watermelon is the biggest supplier among fresh fruits and vegetables in the antioxidant lycopene, which is believed to play a big role in the prevention of the killer disease. Antioxidants such as lycopene work in your body by disarming free oxygen radicals, which are thought to contribute to the development of many cancers. A 2-cup serving of watermelon contains 15 - 20 milligrams of this vital plant pigment. Other sources include tomatoes, red grapefruits and guavas.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Want strong bones?
All it takes is 20 minutes of the right weight-bearing exercise three days per week. Activity such as walking will stimulate bone growth and prevent bone loss throughout life. Strength training, such as weight lifting, fortifies bone and can reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis.
FAQ of the day:
Do I need fiber in my diet?
While psyllium-based supplements can help relieve constipation, and have been shown to reduce high blood cholesterol, dietary changes have the same benefits. Better yet, if you get your fiber from whole foods -- whole grains, fruits and vegetables -- you'll get hundreds of health-protective compounds that your fiber supplement won't provide.
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Health Headlines - December 1
Face Transplant Raises Ethical Concerns
While some doctors have welcomed news of the world's first partial face transplant, announced Wednesday in France, others expressed concern about ethical issues and said more research is needed into the long-term risks of such an operation.
Paris-based reconstructive surgeon Dr. Laurent Lantieri said the doctors who performed the transplant on the French woman -- whose face was disfigured by a dog attack in May -- did not first try normal reconstructive surgery, which is a violation of advice from a government ethics panel, the Associated Press reported.
Lantieri also expressed concern that the woman, who was given a new nose, lips and chin, may not be psychologically fit to endure this kind of transplant and the requirement to remain on a life-long drug regimen after the operation.
The women is in excellent condition and her organs looked normal, said a statement from the hospital where doctors performed the transplant.
This case opens up many moral and ethical issues, according to Iain Hutchinson, chief executive of Saving Faces, the Facial Surgery Research Foundation.
"This was a quality-of-life operation rather than a life-saving operation and has many implications for the recipient and donor's families," Hutchinson told CNN.
"The recipient chose to take the risk of the operation failing if the blood vessels become blocked. There's a medium-term risk of the immunosuppressant drugs failing to control rejection of the donor tissue, and a long-term risk of the drugs causing cancers," Hutchinson said. "She could be back to square one without a face, needing further reconstruction operations."
In the United States, only one medical institution -- the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio -- has the approval of its internal review board to perform a full face transplant. No suitable patient has yet been found for a transplant, which would only be conducted on severely disfigured patients, a Cleveland Clinic official told CNN.
ADHD Patch Not Safe: FDA Panel
An experimental skin patch to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children can't be marketed safely, according to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel.
The patch, which contains the active ingredient methylphenidate, could not be proven safe, according to the clinical review summary posted on the FDA's Web site, the Associated Press reported.
The review found that that the patch, meant for children 6 to 12 years old, caused " a high incidence of insomnia, anorexia or decreased appetite, headache, and gastrointestinal symptoms."
The FDA panel also concluded that the patch was associated with a relatively high risk of developing tic disorder, the AP reported. The FDA typically heeds the advice of the panel.
Deadly Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria More Common : CDC
U.S. federal health officials warned Thursday that a deadly bacterial illness that commonly afflicts people on antibiotics seems to becoming more common, even among people not taking antibiotics.
Clostridium difficile is turning into a common threat in nursing homes and hospitals. Last year, the germ was blamed for 100 deaths over 18 months at a hospital in Quebec, Canada, the Associated Press reported.
A report in this week's "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report" from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that 33 recent cases in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey and New Hampshire suggest that C-diff is showing up more often in healthy people who haven't taken antibiotics and have not been admitted to medical facilities.
"What exactly has made C-diff act up right now, we don't know," CDC epidemiologist Dr. L. Clifford McDonald told the AP.
C-diff, which is found in the colon, can cause diarrhea and more serious intestinal problems. The bacteria are spread by spores in feces. Conventional household cleaners are often ineffective against these spores.
Drug Discount Card Program Had Numerous Problems: Report
The U.S. government's drug discount card program for Medicare beneficiaries was plagued by a number of serious problems, said a Government Accountability Office (GOA) report released Wednesday.
The discount cards were issued to 6.4 million Medicare users and was a forerunner to the new drug benefit that takes effect next year.
According to the GOA report, the federal government and insurance companies often gave consumers inaccurate and incomplete information about the cards. It also said the discount cards were sometimes used to buy barbiturates and other drugs forbidden under the program, The New York Times reported.
The Bush administration had said prescription drug costs would be cut by 10 percent to 25 percent for card users. However, the GOA investigators noted that Medicare officials couldn't document the savings due to a lack of reliable data on price breaks obtained from drug makers and pharmacies, the newspaper reported.
The GOA study was requested by Rep. Henry A. Waxman, a Democrat from California. He noted there are "fundamental similarities" between the card program and the new drug benefit and said the report may be a sign of possible problems with the new drug benefit.
Soft Drink Sales Decline at U.S. Schools: Report
The amount of non-diet soft drinks sold in American schools declined more than 24 percent between 2002 and 2004, according to an American Beverage Association report released Thursday.
Over that same two-year period, the amount of sports drinks sold increased nearly 70 percent, while bottled water, diet soda, and fruit juice increased by 23 percent, 22 percent and 15 percent, respectively, the Associated Press reported.
Even with the decline, regular soft drinks still have the highest sales in U.S. schools, accounting for 45 percent of beverages sold in 2005, compared to 57 percent in 2002, the beverage industry said.
From 2002 to 2005, the amount of sports drinks sold increased from nearly 7 percent to more than 14 percent, and water jumped from 9 percent to nearly 13 percent, the AP reported.
The report is seen as an effort to ease lawsuit threats against soft-drink companies. In addition, many schools have limited or banned soda sales in response to mounting concerns about childhood obesity, the AP account said.
Fruit Bats May Harbor Ebola Virus
Three species of African fruit bats carry the deadly Ebola virus and may be the reservoir where the virus resides between outbreaks in humans and primates, says an international team of scientists.
The researchers found fragments of the Ebola virus or evidence of immune response to it in three species of fruit bats in Gabon and Congo. These bats are eaten by people in central Africa, where Ebola outbreaks have occurred, The New York Times reported.
The findings appear in the Dec. 1 issue of the journal Nature.
While this study suggests that the bats may play a role in transmitting the Ebola virus to people and primates, "there is still insufficient evidence to conclude that they are the natural reservoir of the disease," Marian Cheng, a World Health Organization spokeswoman, told the Times.
Health Tip: Using a Nasal Spray
Cold season is here, stuffy nose symptoms and all. A nasal spray can be an effective remedy, but it must be used properly.
Here are some suggestions, courtesy of the American Academy of Family Physicians:
Blow your nose.
Shake the canister or pump several times before using it.
Close the nostril on the side not receiving the medication.
Press down on the canister or squeeze the pump bottle as you begin to breathe in slowly through your nose. Repeat these steps for the other nostril.
Try not to sneeze or blow your nose just after using the spray.
Don't use the spray beyond the limit suggested by the manufacturer without consulting your doctor.
Health Tip: Skateboard Safely
Skateboarding is as popular as ever, especially among younger children and teens.
To keep them safe, here's a list of suggestions to prevent skateboard injuries, courtesy of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:
Use a quality skateboard, and keep it in working order.
Learn the basic skills of the sport.
Wear protective equipment, including a helmet, wrist guards, knee and elbow pads, and proper shoes.
Be careful with tricks and jumps.
Stay in shape.
Don't use headphones while skateboarding.
Know what to do in an emergency.
Food Fact:
Billions and billions served.
We're not talking about Big Macs; it's the number of people around the world who eat tofu every day. Tofu is an excellent source of protein and health-supportive soy isoflavones. It's also an excellent starting point for culinary creativity. Tofu comes in a range of densities: silken, soft, firm and extra firm. Firm or extra-firm tofu holds its shape when sliced. Use it for stir-fries, stews and braises. Soft and silken tofu is creamier. When pureed, tofu adds richness to dips and dressings like hummus and baba ghanoush. Smoked pressed tofu is very convenient -- it can be sliced and eaten as is in salads or sandwiches, or cooked in stir-fries and braises, and it comes in several flavors. Look for plain smoked, Thai seasoning, barbecue or lemon-garlic at your supermarket or whole-foods store.
Fitness Tip of the day:
On-the-job training.
Make your workstation a "workout station" -- our tips show you how. Simple objects such as staplers and tape dispensers can be used as weights to perform simple exercises at your desk. Perform curling and pressing movements while seated in your chair. Make sure to get up every 30 minutes or so to stretch your legs and back.
FAQ of the day:
What's the best breakfast cereal?
Oddly enough, not necessarily the one with the most fiber. Breakfast cereals range from 0 to 14 grams of fiber. But you'll want one that not only contains whole grains, but has little sugar; is fat-free or low in fat; and is moderate in sodium.
While some doctors have welcomed news of the world's first partial face transplant, announced Wednesday in France, others expressed concern about ethical issues and said more research is needed into the long-term risks of such an operation.
Paris-based reconstructive surgeon Dr. Laurent Lantieri said the doctors who performed the transplant on the French woman -- whose face was disfigured by a dog attack in May -- did not first try normal reconstructive surgery, which is a violation of advice from a government ethics panel, the Associated Press reported.
Lantieri also expressed concern that the woman, who was given a new nose, lips and chin, may not be psychologically fit to endure this kind of transplant and the requirement to remain on a life-long drug regimen after the operation.
The women is in excellent condition and her organs looked normal, said a statement from the hospital where doctors performed the transplant.
This case opens up many moral and ethical issues, according to Iain Hutchinson, chief executive of Saving Faces, the Facial Surgery Research Foundation.
"This was a quality-of-life operation rather than a life-saving operation and has many implications for the recipient and donor's families," Hutchinson told CNN.
"The recipient chose to take the risk of the operation failing if the blood vessels become blocked. There's a medium-term risk of the immunosuppressant drugs failing to control rejection of the donor tissue, and a long-term risk of the drugs causing cancers," Hutchinson said. "She could be back to square one without a face, needing further reconstruction operations."
In the United States, only one medical institution -- the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio -- has the approval of its internal review board to perform a full face transplant. No suitable patient has yet been found for a transplant, which would only be conducted on severely disfigured patients, a Cleveland Clinic official told CNN.
ADHD Patch Not Safe: FDA Panel
An experimental skin patch to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children can't be marketed safely, according to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel.
The patch, which contains the active ingredient methylphenidate, could not be proven safe, according to the clinical review summary posted on the FDA's Web site, the Associated Press reported.
The review found that that the patch, meant for children 6 to 12 years old, caused " a high incidence of insomnia, anorexia or decreased appetite, headache, and gastrointestinal symptoms."
The FDA panel also concluded that the patch was associated with a relatively high risk of developing tic disorder, the AP reported. The FDA typically heeds the advice of the panel.
Deadly Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria More Common : CDC
U.S. federal health officials warned Thursday that a deadly bacterial illness that commonly afflicts people on antibiotics seems to becoming more common, even among people not taking antibiotics.
Clostridium difficile is turning into a common threat in nursing homes and hospitals. Last year, the germ was blamed for 100 deaths over 18 months at a hospital in Quebec, Canada, the Associated Press reported.
A report in this week's "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report" from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that 33 recent cases in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey and New Hampshire suggest that C-diff is showing up more often in healthy people who haven't taken antibiotics and have not been admitted to medical facilities.
"What exactly has made C-diff act up right now, we don't know," CDC epidemiologist Dr. L. Clifford McDonald told the AP.
C-diff, which is found in the colon, can cause diarrhea and more serious intestinal problems. The bacteria are spread by spores in feces. Conventional household cleaners are often ineffective against these spores.
Drug Discount Card Program Had Numerous Problems: Report
The U.S. government's drug discount card program for Medicare beneficiaries was plagued by a number of serious problems, said a Government Accountability Office (GOA) report released Wednesday.
The discount cards were issued to 6.4 million Medicare users and was a forerunner to the new drug benefit that takes effect next year.
According to the GOA report, the federal government and insurance companies often gave consumers inaccurate and incomplete information about the cards. It also said the discount cards were sometimes used to buy barbiturates and other drugs forbidden under the program, The New York Times reported.
The Bush administration had said prescription drug costs would be cut by 10 percent to 25 percent for card users. However, the GOA investigators noted that Medicare officials couldn't document the savings due to a lack of reliable data on price breaks obtained from drug makers and pharmacies, the newspaper reported.
The GOA study was requested by Rep. Henry A. Waxman, a Democrat from California. He noted there are "fundamental similarities" between the card program and the new drug benefit and said the report may be a sign of possible problems with the new drug benefit.
Soft Drink Sales Decline at U.S. Schools: Report
The amount of non-diet soft drinks sold in American schools declined more than 24 percent between 2002 and 2004, according to an American Beverage Association report released Thursday.
Over that same two-year period, the amount of sports drinks sold increased nearly 70 percent, while bottled water, diet soda, and fruit juice increased by 23 percent, 22 percent and 15 percent, respectively, the Associated Press reported.
Even with the decline, regular soft drinks still have the highest sales in U.S. schools, accounting for 45 percent of beverages sold in 2005, compared to 57 percent in 2002, the beverage industry said.
From 2002 to 2005, the amount of sports drinks sold increased from nearly 7 percent to more than 14 percent, and water jumped from 9 percent to nearly 13 percent, the AP reported.
The report is seen as an effort to ease lawsuit threats against soft-drink companies. In addition, many schools have limited or banned soda sales in response to mounting concerns about childhood obesity, the AP account said.
Fruit Bats May Harbor Ebola Virus
Three species of African fruit bats carry the deadly Ebola virus and may be the reservoir where the virus resides between outbreaks in humans and primates, says an international team of scientists.
The researchers found fragments of the Ebola virus or evidence of immune response to it in three species of fruit bats in Gabon and Congo. These bats are eaten by people in central Africa, where Ebola outbreaks have occurred, The New York Times reported.
The findings appear in the Dec. 1 issue of the journal Nature.
While this study suggests that the bats may play a role in transmitting the Ebola virus to people and primates, "there is still insufficient evidence to conclude that they are the natural reservoir of the disease," Marian Cheng, a World Health Organization spokeswoman, told the Times.
Health Tip: Using a Nasal Spray
Cold season is here, stuffy nose symptoms and all. A nasal spray can be an effective remedy, but it must be used properly.
Here are some suggestions, courtesy of the American Academy of Family Physicians:
Blow your nose.
Shake the canister or pump several times before using it.
Close the nostril on the side not receiving the medication.
Press down on the canister or squeeze the pump bottle as you begin to breathe in slowly through your nose. Repeat these steps for the other nostril.
Try not to sneeze or blow your nose just after using the spray.
Don't use the spray beyond the limit suggested by the manufacturer without consulting your doctor.
Health Tip: Skateboard Safely
Skateboarding is as popular as ever, especially among younger children and teens.
To keep them safe, here's a list of suggestions to prevent skateboard injuries, courtesy of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:
Use a quality skateboard, and keep it in working order.
Learn the basic skills of the sport.
Wear protective equipment, including a helmet, wrist guards, knee and elbow pads, and proper shoes.
Be careful with tricks and jumps.
Stay in shape.
Don't use headphones while skateboarding.
Know what to do in an emergency.
Food Fact:
Billions and billions served.
We're not talking about Big Macs; it's the number of people around the world who eat tofu every day. Tofu is an excellent source of protein and health-supportive soy isoflavones. It's also an excellent starting point for culinary creativity. Tofu comes in a range of densities: silken, soft, firm and extra firm. Firm or extra-firm tofu holds its shape when sliced. Use it for stir-fries, stews and braises. Soft and silken tofu is creamier. When pureed, tofu adds richness to dips and dressings like hummus and baba ghanoush. Smoked pressed tofu is very convenient -- it can be sliced and eaten as is in salads or sandwiches, or cooked in stir-fries and braises, and it comes in several flavors. Look for plain smoked, Thai seasoning, barbecue or lemon-garlic at your supermarket or whole-foods store.
Fitness Tip of the day:
On-the-job training.
Make your workstation a "workout station" -- our tips show you how. Simple objects such as staplers and tape dispensers can be used as weights to perform simple exercises at your desk. Perform curling and pressing movements while seated in your chair. Make sure to get up every 30 minutes or so to stretch your legs and back.
FAQ of the day:
What's the best breakfast cereal?
Oddly enough, not necessarily the one with the most fiber. Breakfast cereals range from 0 to 14 grams of fiber. But you'll want one that not only contains whole grains, but has little sugar; is fat-free or low in fat; and is moderate in sodium.
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