Health Tip: Stop Smoking, Save Your Bones
Smoking can affect many parts of your body, even your bones and joints.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons lists these musculoskeletal problems that can be triggered by smoking:
* Increased risk of osteoporosis.
* Decreased bone density.
* Reduced ability to absorb calcium.
* Reduced protection provided by estrogen replacement therapy.
* Increased risk of hip fracture as a person ages.
* Increased risk of developing an exercise-related injury.
Health Tip: Exposure to Secondhand Smoke
Just because a person isn't a smoker doesn't mean they are immune to the harmful effects of tobacco smoke.
Children are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of secondhand smoke, says the American Lung Association, which offers this list of how it can harm youngsters:
* They are more likely to develop bronchitis, pneumonia and other respiratory diseases.
* They are more prone to ear infections.
* They are more likely to develop asthma.
* If already asthmatic, they are prone to more frequent asthma attacks.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Health Headlines - July 19
Gene That Governs Ovulation Identified
A gene that governs ovulation -- the release of a mature egg from a female's ovary -- has been identified by researchers in Canada and France, Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper reported Friday.
The finding means that a drug affecting the gene could be developed to treat infertility caused by a female's inability to ovulate. Conversely, a genetically based contraceptive could stimulate the gene to prevent ovulation, the newspaper said.
Researchers at the University of Montreal and at the Université Louis Pasteur deleted the gene, called Lrh1, from mice. This stopped ovulation, affected hormone cycles, seemed to prevent eggs from maturing, and stopped them from leaving the ovaries, the Globe and Mail reported.
The next step, the scientists said, is to collect ovarian cells from fertility clinics to see if these cells contain a defective Lrh1 gene.
The research is published in the current issue of the journal Genes and Development.
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Global Warming Poses Major Health Threat: EPA
An increase in heat waves, more powerful hurricanes, disease, and depletion of drinking water are likely in the coming decades as a result of global climate change, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warns in a new report.
"It is very likely" that more people will die from weather conditions such as heat waves, said the report, issued Thursday. The elderly, economically disadvantaged, and inner-city dwellers are most at risk, according to report data cited by the Washington Post.
Ironically, the EPA decided last week not to immediately assume authority over carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act, the newspaper said.
"Today typifies the climate-change schizophrenia in the Bush Administration," said Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), who chairs the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. "On one hand, government scientists are saying that global warming poses grave threats to our health and our welfare, and, on the other hand, there are White House political hacks following the oil industry's bidding to do nothing."
The newspaper quoted White House spokesman Tony Fratto as saying that EPA administrator Stephen Johnson made the decision about greenhouse gasses on his own.
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U.S. Set Birth Record Last Year
There were more births in the United States last year than at any time in the nation's history, according to a National Center for Health Statistics report cited by the Associated Press.
Some 4,315,000 babies were born in 2007, agency demographer Stephanie Ventura said.
While that amounts to roughly 15,000 more births than during the peak baby-boom year of 1957, Ventura discounted the notion of a new baby boom. She noted that there were far fewer women of childbearing age 50 years ago.
"What this really reflects is that the population has grown so much in the United States, so you naturally expect more births," she said. "It's hard to call this a baby boom at this point."
-----
HIV Vaccine Trial Canceled Over Possible Volunteer Risk
The sponsors of a planned human trial for an AIDS vaccine canceled the project Thursday, saying they doubted the vaccine's effectiveness and noted that the trial could actually put volunteers at risk of acquiring HIV, The New York Times reported.
The trial, called PAVE (Partnership for AIDS Vaccine Evaluation), was to be conducted by a consortium of U.S. agencies and private organizations. It was to have begun enlisting 8,500 volunteers last October to evaluate a vaccine developed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
The trial was shelved, however, after a similar vaccine developed by Merck & Co. failed to prevent the infection and lower blood levels of HIV among people who had already acquired the AIDS-causing virus, the newspaper said.
Data from the Merck vaccine trial also suggested that the shot might have increased some users' risk of acquiring an HIV infection.
Attempts to create an effective HIV/AIDS vaccine have been in the making for more than 25 years, and developing one still appears years away, scientists told the Times.
-----
Bullies at Greater Health Risk Than Victims: Study
Bullies are more likely than their victims to become substance abusers and develop accidental or self-injuries that require hospitalization, say researchers at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
People who bully also are more likely than their victims to hurt other people or animals, use weapons, avoid school, and get poor grades, the study found.
"We see that the [obvious] victims are not the only victims," lead author Jorge Srabstein said in a statement cited by United Press International. "The bullies are also victims of their own emotional problems."
The research was published in the International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health.
Last Updated: July 18, 200Gene That Governs Ovulation Identified
A gene that governs ovulation -- the release of a mature egg from a female's ovary -- has been identified by researchers in Canada and France, Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper reported Friday.
The finding means that a drug affecting the gene could be developed to treat infertility caused by a female's inability to ovulate. Conversely, a genetically based contraceptive could stimulate the gene to prevent ovulation, the newspaper said.
Researchers at the University of Montreal and at the Université Louis Pasteur deleted the gene, called Lrh1, from mice. This stopped ovulation, affected hormone cycles, seemed to prevent eggs from maturing, and stopped them from leaving the ovaries, the Globe and Mail reported.
The next step, the scientists said, is to collect ovarian cells from fertility clinics to see if these cells contain a defective Lrh1 gene.
The research is published in the current issue of the journal Genes and Development.
-----
Global Warming Poses Major Health Threat: EPA
An increase in heat waves, more powerful hurricanes, disease, and depletion of drinking water are likely in the coming decades as a result of global climate change, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warns in a new report.
"It is very likely" that more people will die from weather conditions such as heat waves, said the report, issued Thursday. The elderly, economically disadvantaged, and inner-city dwellers are most at risk, according to report data cited by the Washington Post.
Ironically, the EPA decided last week not to immediately assume authority over carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act, the newspaper said.
"Today typifies the climate-change schizophrenia in the Bush Administration," said Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), who chairs the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. "On one hand, government scientists are saying that global warming poses grave threats to our health and our welfare, and, on the other hand, there are White House political hacks following the oil industry's bidding to do nothing."
The newspaper quoted White House spokesman Tony Fratto as saying that EPA administrator Stephen Johnson made the decision about greenhouse gasses on his own.
-----
U.S. Set Birth Record Last Year
There were more births in the United States last year than at any time in the nation's history, according to a National Center for Health Statistics report cited by the Associated Press.
Some 4,315,000 babies were born in 2007, agency demographer Stephanie Ventura said.
While that amounts to roughly 15,000 more births than during the peak baby-boom year of 1957, Ventura discounted the notion of a new baby boom. She noted that there were far fewer women of childbearing age 50 years ago.
"What this really reflects is that the population has grown so much in the United States, so you naturally expect more births," she said. "It's hard to call this a baby boom at this point."
-----
HIV Vaccine Trial Canceled Over Possible Volunteer Risk
The sponsors of a planned human trial for an AIDS vaccine canceled the project Thursday, saying they doubted the vaccine's effectiveness and noted that the trial could actually put volunteers at risk of acquiring HIV, The New York Times reported.
The trial, called PAVE (Partnership for AIDS Vaccine Evaluation), was to be conducted by a consortium of U.S. agencies and private organizations. It was to have begun enlisting 8,500 volunteers last October to evaluate a vaccine developed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
The trial was shelved, however, after a similar vaccine developed by Merck & Co. failed to prevent the infection and lower blood levels of HIV among people who had already acquired the AIDS-causing virus, the newspaper said.
Data from the Merck vaccine trial also suggested that the shot might have increased some users' risk of acquiring an HIV infection.
Attempts to create an effective HIV/AIDS vaccine have been in the making for more than 25 years, and developing one still appears years away, scientists told the Times.
-----
Bullies at Greater Health Risk Than Victims: Study
Bullies are more likely than their victims to become substance abusers and develop accidental or self-injuries that require hospitalization, say researchers at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
People who bully also are more likely than their victims to hurt other people or animals, use weapons, avoid school, and get poor grades, the study found.
"We see that the [obvious] victims are not the only victims," lead author Jorge Srabstein said in a statement cited by United Press International. "The bullies are also victims of their own emotional problems."
The research was published in the International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health.
Health Tips for July 19
Health Tip: Staying Emotionally Healthy
People who are emotionally healthy handle stress well, have a positive self-image, and are able to sustain healthy relationships.
The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these suggestions to help you stay emotionally healthy:
* Establish what you are feeling, and what's causing those feelings.
* Be open with yourself and others about your emotions, instead of keeping the sources of stress and anxiety to yourself.
* Focus on the positive things in your life instead of dwelling on the negative. Deal with what's bothering you, but don't let it overwhelm you.
* Try relaxation methods, including meditation, yoga or deep breathing exercises.
* Take care of your physical self with a healthy diet, regular exercise and a good sleep schedule.
Health Tip: Symptoms of a Social Phobia
A social phobia occurs when a person has unusually high anxiety before a social situation, such as going to a party, giving a speech, or going to a job interview.
It may include some or all of these physical symptoms, says the American Academy of Family Physicians:
* Blushing.
* Sweating.
* Feeling nauseous.
* Trembling or shaking.
* Having trouble talking to or making eye contact with another person.
If you have these symptoms, a doctor should evaluate you for a social phobia. The physician can also recommend treatment options, including medication and/or behavioral therapy.
People who are emotionally healthy handle stress well, have a positive self-image, and are able to sustain healthy relationships.
The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these suggestions to help you stay emotionally healthy:
* Establish what you are feeling, and what's causing those feelings.
* Be open with yourself and others about your emotions, instead of keeping the sources of stress and anxiety to yourself.
* Focus on the positive things in your life instead of dwelling on the negative. Deal with what's bothering you, but don't let it overwhelm you.
* Try relaxation methods, including meditation, yoga or deep breathing exercises.
* Take care of your physical self with a healthy diet, regular exercise and a good sleep schedule.
Health Tip: Symptoms of a Social Phobia
A social phobia occurs when a person has unusually high anxiety before a social situation, such as going to a party, giving a speech, or going to a job interview.
It may include some or all of these physical symptoms, says the American Academy of Family Physicians:
* Blushing.
* Sweating.
* Feeling nauseous.
* Trembling or shaking.
* Having trouble talking to or making eye contact with another person.
If you have these symptoms, a doctor should evaluate you for a social phobia. The physician can also recommend treatment options, including medication and/or behavioral therapy.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Health Headlines - July 18
HIV Vaccine Trial Canceled Over Possible Volunteer Risk
The sponsors of a planned human trial for an AIDS vaccine canceled the project Thursday, saying they doubted the vaccine's effectiveness and noted that the trial could actually put volunteers at risk of acquiring HIV, The New York Times reported.
The trial, called PAVE (Partnership for AIDS Vaccine Evaluation), was to be conducted by a consortium of U.S. agencies and private organizations. It was to have begun enlisting 8,500 volunteers last October to evaluate a vaccine developed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
The trial was shelved, however, after a similar vaccine developed by Merck & Co. failed to prevent the infection and lower blood levels of HIV among people who had already acquired the AIDS-causing virus, the newspaper said.
Data from the Merck vaccine trial also suggested that the shot might have increased some users' risk of acquiring an HIV infection.
Attempts to create an effective HIV/AIDS vaccine have been in the making for more than 25 years, and developing one still appears years away, scientists told the Times.
-----
Bullies at Greater Health Risk Than Victims: Study
Bullies are more likely than their victims to become substance abusers and develop accidental or self-injuries that require hospitalization, say researchers at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
People who bully also are more likely than their victims to hurt other people or animals, use weapons, avoid school, and get poor grades, the study found.
"We see that the [obvious] victims are not the only victims," lead author Jorge Srabstein said in a statement cited by United Press International. "The bullies are also victims of their own emotional problems."
The research was published in the International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health.
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Kidney Donation Through the Navel Speeds Recovery
A novel procedure for people who donate a kidney involves removing the organ through the belly button, the Associated Press reports.
The operation requires a single incision that's smaller than an inch -- instead of as many as six "keyhole" incisions for more traditional surgery -- and it makes for a faster recovery, say doctors at the Cleveland Clinic. They have performed the procedure 10 times and have scheduled the 11th for Thursday. A report on the clinic's first four patients appears in the August issue of the Journal of Urology.
Preliminary data from the first nine patients showed they recovered in about a month, versus about three months for donors who had a typical laparoscopic procedure, the wire service said.
And people who had the new procedure were on pain medication for an average of about four days, compared with 26 days for laparoscopic patients.
The belly button procedure isn't recommended for people who have had major abdominal surgery, or for the obese, a Cleveland Clinic surgeon who has been involved in the operations told the AP.
The list of people awaiting kidney transplants in the United States exceeds 80,000. But only about 13,300 donors were available last year, the wire service said.
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Senate Bill Would Relax U.S. Ban on Visitors With HIV
An amendment to a global AIDS bill working its way through the U.S. Senate would ease a two-decade-old ban on people with HIV/AIDS entering the country, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.
Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) have attached the repeal to a measure that combats AIDS and other diseases in impoverished areas including Africa.
The United States is among about a dozen nations that don't allow entry by visitors and immigrants with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Others include Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Libya, and Russia, the AP said.
"There is no excuse for a law that stigmatizes a particular disease," Kerry was quoted as saying Tuesday at a policy speech. China is among nations that recently relaxed its entry policy for people with HIV/AIDS, he said.
In attempting to relax the ban that has been in place since 1987, the Kerry-Smith proposal would equate HIV with other infectious diseases. As such, federal health officials would decide who is eligible to visit the United States, not consular officials at embassies and other diplomatic posts, the AP said.
Former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton sought to change the policy, but Congress balked. Current opposition includes Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), who says ending the ban could cost the government more than $80 million over the next decade, the wire service reported. Sessions is contemplating his own measure to remove the Kerry-Smith proviso from the rest of the AIDS bill.
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E. coli Outbreak in Beef May Have Widened to 5 States
An outbreak of E. coli-tainted beef in Ohio and Michigan has produced additional cases in the states of New York, Kentucky, and Indiana, the Associated Press reported.
The outbreak has been traced to a meat supplier of the Kroger supermarket chain and other retailers in Ohio and Michigan. The supplier, Nebraska Beef Ltd., has recalled 5.3 million pounds of beef. Kroger also has recalled ground beef sold in both states.
The three new states each have a single confirmed case of the bacterial infection that matches 41 others confirmed in Ohio and Michigan, the wire service said, citing information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
While the stricken person in Kentucky lives near Ohio, the other two recent victims did not travel to either Midwestern state where the outbreak originated, a CDC spokesman told the AP.
The outbreak emerged between May 30 and June 24. While 21 of those stricken have been hospitalized, none has died, the CDC said.
Infection with this strain, E. coli O157:H7, can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration, and in severe cases, kidney failure. Children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of serious infection.
Health Tips for July 18
Health Tip: Risk Factors for Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis -- caused when the body can't replace bone calcium as fast as it is lost -- is common as people age, particularly among women.
More than 1.5 million Americans each year sustain a bone fracture related to osteoporosis.
Here are common risk factors for osteoporosis, courtesy of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:
* Getting older.
* Not doing enough weight-bearing exercises.
* Insufficient estrogen levels after menopause.
* Not getting enough calcium or vitamin D in your diet.
* Certain hormonal imbalances.
* Heredity, including being white or Asian.
* Drinking alcohol or smoking.
Health Tip: Weight-Bearing Exercises Strengthen Bones
Getting plenty of calcium and vitamin D in your diet are great ways to ward off the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis. Weight-bearing exercises are another way to help maintain bone health.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends these forms of weight-bearing exercise:
* Brisk walking, jogging or hiking.
* Strenuous yard work such as pushing a lawn mower, or active gardening.
* Sports such as soccer, basketball, baseball, tennis or racquetball.
* Climbing the stairs, step aerobics or dancing.
* Activities such as skiing, bowling, skating or karate.
* Use of free weights or weight machines.
Osteoporosis -- caused when the body can't replace bone calcium as fast as it is lost -- is common as people age, particularly among women.
More than 1.5 million Americans each year sustain a bone fracture related to osteoporosis.
Here are common risk factors for osteoporosis, courtesy of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:
* Getting older.
* Not doing enough weight-bearing exercises.
* Insufficient estrogen levels after menopause.
* Not getting enough calcium or vitamin D in your diet.
* Certain hormonal imbalances.
* Heredity, including being white or Asian.
* Drinking alcohol or smoking.
Health Tip: Weight-Bearing Exercises Strengthen Bones
Getting plenty of calcium and vitamin D in your diet are great ways to ward off the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis. Weight-bearing exercises are another way to help maintain bone health.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends these forms of weight-bearing exercise:
* Brisk walking, jogging or hiking.
* Strenuous yard work such as pushing a lawn mower, or active gardening.
* Sports such as soccer, basketball, baseball, tennis or racquetball.
* Climbing the stairs, step aerobics or dancing.
* Activities such as skiing, bowling, skating or karate.
* Use of free weights or weight machines.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Health Headlines - July 17
Senate Bill Would Relax U.S. Ban on Visitors With HIV
An amendment to a global AIDS bill working its way through the U.S. Senate would ease a two-decade-old ban on people with HIV/AIDS entering the country, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.
Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) have attached the repeal to a measure that combats AIDS and other diseases in impoverished areas including Africa.
The United States is among about a dozen nations that don't allow entry by visitors and immigrants with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Others include Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Libya, and Russia, the AP said.
"There is no excuse for a law that stigmatizes a particular disease," Kerry was quoted as saying Tuesday at a policy speech. China is among nations that recently relaxed its entry policy for people with HIV/AIDS, he said.
In attempting to relax the ban that has been in place since 1987, the Kerry-Smith proposal would equate HIV with other infectious diseases. As such, federal health officials would decide who is eligible to visit the United States, not consular officials at embassies and other diplomatic posts, the AP said.
Former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton sought to change the policy, but Congress balked. Current opposition includes Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), who says ending the ban could cost the government more than $80 million over the next decade, the wire service reported. Sessions is contemplating his own measure to remove the Kerry-Smith proviso from the rest of the AIDS bill.
-----
E. coli Outbreak in Beef May Have Widened to 5 States
An outbreak of E. coli-tainted beef in Ohio and Michigan has produced additional cases in the states of New York, Kentucky, and Indiana, the Associated Press reported.
The outbreak has been traced to a meat supplier of the Kroger supermarket chain and other retailers in Ohio and Michigan. The supplier, Nebraska Beef Ltd., has recalled 5.3 million pounds of beef. Kroger also has recalled ground beef sold in both states.
The three new states each have a single confirmed case of the bacterial infection that matches 41 others confirmed in Ohio and Michigan, the wire service said, citing information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
While the stricken person in Kentucky lives near Ohio, the other two recent victims did not travel to either Midwestern state where the outbreak originated, a CDC spokesman told the AP.
The outbreak emerged between May 30 and June 24. While 21 of those stricken have been hospitalized, none has died, the CDC said.
Infection with this strain, E. coli O157:H7, can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration, and in severe cases, kidney failure. Children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of serious infection.
-----
Congress Overrides Bush Veto of Physician Medicare Bill
Within hours of President Bush's veto of legislation designed to restore a 10.6 percent cut to Medicare reimbursement fees paid to doctors, the House and Senate on Tuesday both voted overwhelmingly to override the veto.
In restoring the money to doctors, the legislation makes up the resulting shortfall by trimming fees to private insurers who participate in a program called Medicare Advantage.
In vetoing the measure Tuesday, Bush said that while he supported restoring the cut aimed at doctors, he disapproved of shifting the cuts to the insurers. "Taking choices away from seniors to pay physicians is wrong," Bush said in his veto message.
But Congress disagreed. The Senate voted 70-26 to override the veto, shortly after the House did so by a lopsided vote of 383-41, the Bloomberg news service reported.
"We thank the bipartisan majority in Congress who voted to put patients first," Dr. Nancy Nielsen, president of the American Medical Association, said in a news release hailing the Congressional action.
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Recalled 'Lean Pockets' Sandwiches May Contain Plastic Pieces
| Nestle is recalling 199,417 pounds of "Lean Pockets" frozen stuffed chicken sandwiches that may contain pieces of plastic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said. The recall involves 9-ounce boxes of "Lean Pockets Spinach Artichoke Chicken - 2 sandwiches." Affected packages have a "best before" date of "Nov 2009," followed by a package code starting with "8144 544616." The establishment number "P7721A" is printed on the side of the package. The sandwiches were produced May 23 and distributed to retailers nationwide. |  |
Two unspecified injuries have been reported to the company, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service said on its Web site.
Consumers with questions should contact Nestle at 800-350-5016.
-----
Drug Thwarts Bone Loss in Prostate Cancer Patients: Study
Amgen's experimental bone-loss drug denosumab increased bone density and prevented fractures among clinical trial participants being treated for prostate cancer, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing company research.
The injected drug was evaluated among 1,400 men who were being treated with prostate cancer therapy that blocks male hormones including testosterone, increasing their risk for weakened bones and fractures. Those who took denosumab fractured vertebrae at less than half the rate of those who took a placebo, the newspaper said.
The drug works by blocking certain immune system defenses, which could increase users' risk of infection. Serious infections were reported among 6 percent of denosumab users, versus 5 percent of those who took a placebo.
An estimated 186,000 U.S. men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, the American Cancer Society predicts. And according to the National Cancer Institute, about half of all men with the disease are treated at some point with hormone therapy, the newspaper said.
Health Tips for July 17
Health Tip: Signs of Problems at Daycare
Daycare centers can be a great source of comfort for working parents. But sometimes there are warning signs that your child should be cared for elsewhere.
Here's a list of daycare red flags to watch for, courtesy of the American Academy of Family Physicians:
* You cannot get the staff to answer your questions or address your concerns.
* The staff does not allow parents to participate in daily practices at the center.
* You hear about problems at daycare from your child, or your child doesn't seem happy there.
* Accidents happen frequently and without explanation.
* There is frequent staff turnover.
* Other parents tell you about problems they have encountered.
Health Tip: Toddler-Proof Your Home
As your baby grows and learns to walk, it's important to prepare your home to keep your toddler safe and injury-free.
The U.S. National Library of Medicine suggests how to toddler-proof your home:
* Use safety devices such as electrical outlet covers, baby gates, window guards, and toilet seat and cabinet locks.
* Never leave your toddler alone, even for a short time. More toddlers have dangerous accidents than do children of any other age.
* Prevent falls by keeping doors closed, stairs gated off, and keep chairs and ladders away from your toddler.
* Keep all medications and household cleaning products locked up and out of your toddler's way.
* Keep your child out of the kitchen to prevent burns and other injuries.
Daycare centers can be a great source of comfort for working parents. But sometimes there are warning signs that your child should be cared for elsewhere.
Here's a list of daycare red flags to watch for, courtesy of the American Academy of Family Physicians:
* You cannot get the staff to answer your questions or address your concerns.
* The staff does not allow parents to participate in daily practices at the center.
* You hear about problems at daycare from your child, or your child doesn't seem happy there.
* Accidents happen frequently and without explanation.
* There is frequent staff turnover.
* Other parents tell you about problems they have encountered.
Health Tip: Toddler-Proof Your Home
As your baby grows and learns to walk, it's important to prepare your home to keep your toddler safe and injury-free.
The U.S. National Library of Medicine suggests how to toddler-proof your home:
* Use safety devices such as electrical outlet covers, baby gates, window guards, and toilet seat and cabinet locks.
* Never leave your toddler alone, even for a short time. More toddlers have dangerous accidents than do children of any other age.
* Prevent falls by keeping doors closed, stairs gated off, and keep chairs and ladders away from your toddler.
* Keep all medications and household cleaning products locked up and out of your toddler's way.
* Keep your child out of the kitchen to prevent burns and other injuries.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Health Headlines - July 16
Bush Vetoes Bill to Reverse Medicare Cuts to Doctors
President Bush has vetoed legislation that would have restored a 10.6 percent cut in payments made to doctors for treating Medicare patients, the Associated Press reported Tuesday afternoon.
While the White House said it supported restoration of the cut, Bush said he vetoed the legislation because it made up the resulting shortfall by reducing reimbursements to private insurers who participate in a program called Medicare Advantage.
The original cut to doctors, which took effect July 1, had been required by law because Medicare spending exceeded budgetary limits. The Bush Administration has ordered a one-month freeze on processing Medicare payments in hopes that a compromise could be reached.
In restoring the cut to doctors, the legislation would have frozen rates to the private insurers in 2008 and increased them by 1.1 percent next year, the AP said.
"I support the primary objective of this legislation, to forestall reductions in physician payments," the wire service quoted Bush as saying in a statement. "Yet taking choices away from seniors to pay physicians is wrong."
News reports say House and Senate supporters of the vetoed legislation believe they have enough votes to override Bush's action, which had been expected.
-----
Recalled 'Lean Pockets' Sandwiches May Contain Plastic Pieces
| Nestle is recalling 199,417 pounds of "Lean Pockets" frozen stuffed chicken sandwiches that may contain pieces of plastic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said. The recall involves 9-ounce boxes of "Lean Pockets Spinach Artichoke Chicken - 2 sandwiches." Affected packages have a "best before" date of "Nov 2009," followed by a package code starting with "8144 544616." The establishment number "P7721A" is printed on the side of the package. The sandwiches were produced May 23 and distributed to retailers nationwide. | |
Two unspecified injuries have been reported to the company, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service said on its Web site.
Consumers with questions should contact Nestle at 800-350-5016.
-----
Drug Thwarts Bone Loss in Prostate Cancer Patients: Study
Amgen's experimental bone-loss drug denosumab increased bone density and prevented fractures among clinical trial participants being treated for prostate cancer, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing company research.
The injected drug was evaluated among 1,400 men who were being treated with prostate cancer therapy that blocks male hormones including testosterone, increasing their risk for weakened bones and fractures. Those who took denosumab fractured vertebrae at less than half the rate of those who took a placebo, the newspaper said.
The drug works by blocking certain immune system defenses, which could increase users' risk of infection. Serious infections were reported among 6 percent of denosumab users, versus 5 percent of those who took a placebo.
An estimated 186,000 U.S. men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, the American Cancer Society predicts. And according to the National Cancer Institute, about half of all men with the disease are treated at some point with hormone therapy, the newspaper said.
-----
Auditors Getting a Portion of Medicare Payments Recovered
Private auditing firms have gotten back more than $690 million in overcharges paid by Medicare, and under a new program that's irking health care "providers," the companies that identify the overpayments are getting a portion of the monies they recover, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The program has identified about $1.03 billion in "improper" payments over three years, mostly in New York, California and Florida, the newspaper said. About $992.7 million was in overpayments.
Industry groups representing the providers, mostly hospitals, call the new program an overaggressive "bounty hunter" arrangement. Nonetheless, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMMS) said it is planning to expand the program nationwide, the Journal reported.
Just over $187 million has been paid to the auditors, and some $60 million more was reclaimed by providers who successfully challenged the auditors' findings. That left about $694 million that has been returned to Medicare, the newspaper said.
The CMMS said the auditors don't get paid if their findings are successfully appealed, and they are paid using the same formulas whether they identify Medicare overpayments or underpayments.
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Illinois Governor: Insurers Should Pay for Autism
Insurers in Illinois should be required to absorb the skyrocketing costs of diagnosing and treating autism, Gov. Rod Blagojevich proposed Sunday.
Under the proposal, insurance companies would be bound to pay up to $36,000 annually and cover an unlimited number of medical visits for autistic children until they turned age 21, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Some states set a higher monetary limit, but the Illinois proposal would amount to the most comprehensive guarantee for autistic children in the United States, Mike McRaith, insurance director of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, told the newspaper.
Some 26,000 state residents have been diagnosed with the mysterious neurologic disorder, he said. Currently, only people with policies from large-group insurers are covered in the state, the Sun-Times said.
Blagojevich made his proposal under his power to rewrite legislation. The proposal would become law if three-fifths of the state House and Senate support it, according to the newspaper.
Health Tips for July 16
Health Tip: Keep Your Kitchen Clean
Proper food storage and preparation are important ways to prevent food-borne illness, as is keeping your kitchen germ-free.
Here are suggestions for a clean kitchen, courtesy of the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse:
* Each week, wash all sponges, dish rags and towels in the washing machine with hot water.
* Make sure all cooking utensils are clean before you use them, and wash them thoroughly immediately after cooking.
* Keep all kitchen counters and surfaces clean before and after preparing food. Clean them with a solution of one teaspoon of bleach to one quart of water.
* Always wash your hands with warm water and soap before working in the kitchen, especially when handling food.
Health Tip: Wash Fruits and Vegetables
While it's important to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables each day, it's also crucial to wash them before eating.
Here are some guidelines, courtesy of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension:
* Wash any raw fruit or vegetable before peeling, cutting, eating or cooking.
* Try a fruit and vegetable wash that is designed to remove bacteria and pesticides.
* Soak and wash produce in distilled water for one to two minutes.
* Use a vegetable brush to scrub any produce with a thick skin.
* Wash any produce that you grew yourself, or that was grown by someone else.
* Thoroughly wash your hands and any cutting or preparation surfaces before preparing fresh produce.
Proper food storage and preparation are important ways to prevent food-borne illness, as is keeping your kitchen germ-free.
Here are suggestions for a clean kitchen, courtesy of the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse:
* Each week, wash all sponges, dish rags and towels in the washing machine with hot water.
* Make sure all cooking utensils are clean before you use them, and wash them thoroughly immediately after cooking.
* Keep all kitchen counters and surfaces clean before and after preparing food. Clean them with a solution of one teaspoon of bleach to one quart of water.
* Always wash your hands with warm water and soap before working in the kitchen, especially when handling food.
Health Tip: Wash Fruits and Vegetables
While it's important to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables each day, it's also crucial to wash them before eating.
Here are some guidelines, courtesy of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension:
* Wash any raw fruit or vegetable before peeling, cutting, eating or cooking.
* Try a fruit and vegetable wash that is designed to remove bacteria and pesticides.
* Soak and wash produce in distilled water for one to two minutes.
* Use a vegetable brush to scrub any produce with a thick skin.
* Wash any produce that you grew yourself, or that was grown by someone else.
* Thoroughly wash your hands and any cutting or preparation surfaces before preparing fresh produce.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Health Headlines - July 15
Auditors Getting a Portion of Medicare Payments Recovered
Private auditing firms have gotten back more than $690 million in overcharges paid by Medicare, and under a new program that's irking health care "providers," the companies that identify the overpayments are getting a portion of the monies they recover, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The program has identified about $1.03 billion in "improper" payments over three years, mostly in New York, California and Florida, the newspaper said. About $992.7 million was in overpayments.
Industry groups representing the providers, mostly hospitals, call the new program an overaggressive "bounty hunter" arrangement. Nonetheless, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMMS) said it is planning to expand the program nationwide, the Journal reported.
Just over $187 million has been paid to the auditors, and some $60 million more was reclaimed by providers who successfully challenged the auditors' findings. That left about $694 million that has been returned to Medicare, the newspaper said.
The CMMS said the auditors don't get paid if their findings are successfully appealed, and they are paid using the same formulas whether they identify Medicare overpayments or underpayments.
-----
Illinois Governor: Insurers Should Pay for Autism
Insurers in Illinois should be required to absorb the skyrocketing costs of diagnosing and treating autism, Gov. Rod Blagojevich proposed Sunday.
Under the proposal, insurance companies would be bound to pay up to $36,000 annually and cover an unlimited number of medical visits for autistic children until they turned age 21, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Some states set a higher monetary limit, but the Illinois proposal would amount to the most comprehensive guarantee for autistic children in the United States, Mike McRaith, insurance director of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, told the newspaper.
Some 26,000 state residents have been diagnosed with the mysterious neurologic disorder, he said. Currently, only people with policies from large-group insurers are covered in the state, the Sun-Times said.
Blagojevich made his proposal under his power to rewrite legislation. The proposal would become law if three-fifths of the state House and Senate support it, according to the newspaper.
-----
As Gas Prices Rise, U.S. Traffic Deaths Fall
A new study finds that the steep rise in the price of gas may be translating into fewer deaths on America's roads.
A study co-authored by Michael Morrisey of the University of Alabama and David Grabowski of Harvard Medical School found that for each 10 percent rise in gas prices between 1985 and 2006, there was a 2.3 percent decline in vehicular deaths. Young drivers fared even better: for every 10 percent rise in the price at the pump the decline in traffic deaths among drivers ages 15 to 17 has been 6 percent, and for ages 18 to 21, 3.2 percent.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Morrisey noted that the data used in the study only went to 2006, when gas was about $2.50 per gallon. With gas now reaching more than $4 a gallon, he expects a much greater drop in roadway deaths -- perhaps 1,000 fewer fatalities each month.
Morrisey noted that annual U.S. auto deaths now total between 38,000 and 40,000 per year, so a drop of 12,000 deaths would represent a third fewer fatalities annually.
"I think there is some silver lining here in higher gas prices in that we will see a public health gain," Grabowski told the AP.
Morrisey noted that the relation between gas prices and highway deaths can work in the opposite direction, too, with fatalities rising as gas gets cheaper. "When that happens we drive more, we drive bigger cars, we drive faster and fatalities are higher," he said.
One highway safety expert said the findings make sense.
"There are a whole bunch of factors that are influenced by higher gasoline prices -- teenagers don't have as much money, so you have the most risky drivers driving less; people are switching out of the bigger, older more dangerous vehicles, and people also know if they drive slower they're going to save gasoline," Clarence Ditlow, executive director of the nonprofit Cener for Auto Safety, told AP.
The findings were presented last month at a meeting of the American Society of Health Economists in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., last month. The study was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Famed Heart Surgeon Michael DeBakey Dead at 99
Michael DeBakey, the man who first performed heart bypass surgery, died Friday night at Methodist Hospital in Houston at the age of 99 from natural causes, the Associated Press reported Saturday.
The renowned cardiovascular surgeon invented many devices to help the ailing human heart; while still in medical school in 1932, he designed the roller pump, which became a key part of the heart-lung machine and opened the door to open-heart surgery. He also was behind the first efforts to develop artificial hearts and heart pumps for those waiting for heart transplants.
In 2006, DeBakey even underwent a procedure that he himself had developed -- the surgical repair of a damaged aorta.
While at the Baylor College of Medicine, officials there said, he helped transform the school into a nationally respected medical institution.
"Dr. DeBakey's reputation brought many people into this institution, and he treated them all: heads of state, entertainers, businessmen and presidents, as well as people with no titles and no means," Ron Girotto, president of the Methodist Hospital System, told the AP.
Cardiovascular surgeon Dr. George Noon called his professional partner "the greatest surgeon of the 20th century," who "single-handedly raised the standard of medical care, teaching and research around the world."
-----
Is Your Grocer Involved in Meat Recall? USDA Will Name Names
The next time there's a serious recall of meat or poultry in the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says it will tell you if your local grocer had once sold any of the affected product.
USDA Secretary Edward Schafer announced the policy change Friday, following the nation's largest-ever recall of 143 million pounds of beef produced at a California slaughterhouse, MSNBC reported.
The policy is to take effect next month, Schafer said. Up till now, there's been no federal edict requiring the government to reveal where potentially tainted meat was sold.
While consumer groups applauded the move, they noted that it only applied to the most serious Class I recalls, thought to pose the greatest health risk.
"We're pleased that USDA will no longer keep consumers in the dark about recalled meat," said a news release from Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports magazine. "Up until now, when USDA announced a recall of contaminated meat, it would only tell the public the states where the product was distributed. The specific names and locations of stores that got the product -- the information that can actually help the consumer -- were kept confidential."
The California recall would not have been affected by the new rule, since it was designated a less-significant Class II recall, Consumers Union noted.
Health Tips for July 15
Health Tip: Keep Stitches Clean and Dry
Stitches are used to close deep cuts in the skin. They need to be properly cared for to prevent significant scarring and infection.
Here are suggestions on caring for stitches, courtesy of the American Academy of Family Physicians:
* Keep the stitches clean and dry. You should be able to wash the area within one to three days of getting the stitches.
* If recommended by your doctor, after 24 hours, gently clean the wound with water, thoroughly dry, and re-bandage it.
* Gently wash off the dirt and crust that forms over the stitches.
* If a light, yellow fluid drains from the wound, you may need to keep it covered.
* With your doctor's approval, use a bit of antibiotic ointment on the wound to reduce the risk of infection.
* To reduce pain and swelling, for up to two days after getting the stitches, try to keep the wound elevated above your heart as much as possible.
Health Tip: Poison Ivy Rash
Poison ivy is a plant that can cause a red, itchy rash on the skin.
The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these tips to treat the rash. It also identifies signs that you may need a doctor's attention:
* Try over-the-counter medications to control itching, such as an antihistamine (like Benadryl), calamine lotion and hydrocortisone creams.
* Take oatmeal baths to soothe the skin.
* Fevers of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit require a doctor's attention.
* Rashes that cover the eyes, mouth, genitals or a large area across the body should be treated by a doctor.
* If pus is oozing from the rash, see your doctor.
* See your doctor if the rash does not improve.
Stitches are used to close deep cuts in the skin. They need to be properly cared for to prevent significant scarring and infection.
Here are suggestions on caring for stitches, courtesy of the American Academy of Family Physicians:
* Keep the stitches clean and dry. You should be able to wash the area within one to three days of getting the stitches.
* If recommended by your doctor, after 24 hours, gently clean the wound with water, thoroughly dry, and re-bandage it.
* Gently wash off the dirt and crust that forms over the stitches.
* If a light, yellow fluid drains from the wound, you may need to keep it covered.
* With your doctor's approval, use a bit of antibiotic ointment on the wound to reduce the risk of infection.
* To reduce pain and swelling, for up to two days after getting the stitches, try to keep the wound elevated above your heart as much as possible.
Health Tip: Poison Ivy Rash
Poison ivy is a plant that can cause a red, itchy rash on the skin.
The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these tips to treat the rash. It also identifies signs that you may need a doctor's attention:
* Try over-the-counter medications to control itching, such as an antihistamine (like Benadryl), calamine lotion and hydrocortisone creams.
* Take oatmeal baths to soothe the skin.
* Fevers of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit require a doctor's attention.
* Rashes that cover the eyes, mouth, genitals or a large area across the body should be treated by a doctor.
* If pus is oozing from the rash, see your doctor.
* See your doctor if the rash does not improve.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Health Headlines - July 14
As Gas Prices Rise, U.S. Traffic Deaths Fall
A new study finds that the steep rise in the price of gas may be translating into fewer deaths on America's roads.
A study co-authored by Michael Morrisey of the University of Alabama and David Grabowski of Harvard Medical School found that for each 10 percent rise in gas prices between 1985 and 2006, there was a 2.3 percent decline in vehicular deaths. Young drivers fared even better: for every 10 percent rise in the price at the pump the decline in traffic deaths among drivers ages 15 to 17 has been 6 percent, and for ages 18 to 21, 3.2 percent.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Morrisey noted that the data used in the study only went to 2006, when gas was about $2.50 per gallon. With gas now reaching more than $4 a gallon, he expects a much greater drop in roadway deaths -- perhaps 1,000 fewer fatalities each month.
Morrisey noted that annual U.S. auto deaths now total between 38,000 and 40,000 per year, so a drop of 12,000 deaths would represent a third fewer fatalities annually.
"I think there is some silver lining here in higher gas prices in that we will see a public health gain," Grabowski told the AP.
Morrisey noted that the relation between gas prices and highway deaths can work in the opposite direction, too, with fatalities rising as gas gets cheaper. "When that happens we drive more, we drive bigger cars, we drive faster and fatalities are higher," he said.
One highway safety expert said the findings make sense.
"There are a whole bunch of factors that are influenced by higher gasoline prices -- teenagers don't have as much money, so you have the most risky drivers driving less; people are switching out of the bigger, older more dangerous vehicles, and people also know if they drive slower they're going to save gasoline," Clarence Ditlow, executive director of the nonprofit Cener for Auto Safety, told AP.
The findings were presented last month at a meeting of the American Society of Health Economists in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., last month. The study was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Famed Heart Surgeon Michael DeBakey Dead at 99
Michael DeBakey, the man who first performed heart bypass surgery, died Friday night at Methodist Hospital in Houston at the age of 99 from natural causes, the Associated Press reported Saturday.
The renowned cardiovascular surgeon invented many devices to help the ailing human heart; while still in medical school in 1932, he designed the roller pump, which became a key part of the heart-lung machine and opened the door to open-heart surgery. He also was behind the first efforts to develop artificial hearts and heart pumps for those waiting for heart transplants.
In 2006, DeBakey even underwent a procedure that he himself had developed -- the surgical repair of a damaged aorta.
While at the Baylor College of Medicine, officials there said, he helped transform the school into a nationally respected medical institution.
"Dr. DeBakey's reputation brought many people into this institution, and he treated them all: heads of state, entertainers, businessmen and presidents, as well as people with no titles and no means," Ron Girotto, president of the Methodist Hospital System, told the AP.
Cardiovascular surgeon Dr. George Noon called his professional partner "the greatest surgeon of the 20th century," who "single-handedly raised the standard of medical care, teaching and research around the world."
-----
Is Your Grocer Involved in Meat Recall? USDA Will Name Names
The next time there's a serious recall of meat or poultry in the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says it will tell you if your local grocer had once sold any of the affected product.
USDA Secretary Edward Schafer announced the policy change Friday, following the nation's largest-ever recall of 143 million pounds of beef produced at a California slaughterhouse, MSNBC reported.
The policy is to take effect next month, Schafer said. Up till now, there's been no federal edict requiring the government to reveal where potentially tainted meat was sold.
While consumer groups applauded the move, they noted that it only applied to the most serious Class I recalls, thought to pose the greatest health risk.
"We're pleased that USDA will no longer keep consumers in the dark about recalled meat," said a news release from Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports magazine. "Up until now, when USDA announced a recall of contaminated meat, it would only tell the public the states where the product was distributed. The specific names and locations of stores that got the product -- the information that can actually help the consumer -- were kept confidential."
The California recall would not have been affected by the new rule, since it was designated a less-significant Class II recall, Consumers Union noted.
-----
U.S. Olympic Swimmer Has Testicular Cancer
U.S. Olympic swimmer Eric Shanteau has testicular cancer, but has been medically cleared for next month's games in Beijing, China, he told the Associated Press.
Shanteau, 24, said that although his doctors approved his participation in the games, they advised him to have surgery now. While he plans to postpone an operation until after the Olympics, he pledged to drop out of the games if there were any sign that the cancer was spreading.
The Georgia native told the wire service that the illness was diagnosed June 19 -- a week before Olympic trials in Omaha, Neb. Shanteau wound up making the U.S. team in the 200-meter breaststroke.
"[The diagnosis] almost numbed me," he told the AP. "I'll remember that day for the rest of my life."
Shanteau said his doctors pronounced his cancer treatable and said it hadn't spread. He said he had heard from the agent who represents cyclist Lance Armstrong, who despite the same diagnosis went on to win seven straight Tour de France races.
"If I can have a fraction of the impact that [Armstrong has] had, just a tiny little bit, then I think what I'm going through will be good," Shanteau told the AP.
-----
Twins' Deaths Not Caused by Overdose: Hospital
Two newborn twins who died at a Texas hospital after receiving an overdose of the blood thinner heparin did not appear to die as a direct result of the mishap, according to a spokesperson for Christus Spohn Hospital South in Corpus Christi cited by the Associated Press.
The hospital said it found no direct link between the deaths of twins Keith and Kaylynn Garcia and the overdose of heparin, which was used to flush intravenous lines used by the newborns. As many as 17 infants in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit, including the Garcias, may have received the overdose. The mishap has been blamed on a mixing error by hospital pharmacists.
Keith Garcia, who died Tuesday, died of a blood infection called sepsis and from complications of being born premature, the AP said, citing a local newspaper report. A cause of death for the other twin, who died a day later, was not immediately revealed.
The infants' parents have received a judge's order that prevents the hospital from destroying any of the babies' records or accounts of the heparin overdose, the wire service said.
-----
Fewer Inhaling Secondhand Smoke: CDC
Fewer nonsmokers are inhaling secondhand smoke than in years past, thanks to recent laws that prohibit smoking in offices, bars, restaurants and other public places, a study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concludes.
A decline in the number of adult smokers to slightly below 20 percent also is a factor, the Associated Press reported.
Some 46 percent of nonsmokers had evidence of measurable blood nicotine levels between 1999 and 2004, compared with 84 percent of nonsmokers sampled in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Exposure to secondhand smoke can increase a nonsmoker's lung cancer risk by at least 20 percent and the risk of heart disease by at least 25 percent, the wire service said.
Despite the decline, study co-author Cinzia Marano said the numbers were still too high. "There is no safe level of exposure," Marano told the AP.
Health Tips for July 14
Health Tip: How a Pacemaker Helps the Heart
A pacemaker is a small, battery-powered device that is implanted in the skin of the chest or abdomen, and helps regulate the heartbeat.
Here are reasons for why a pacemaker may be prescribed, courtesy of the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute:
* To correct a slow, fast or irregular heartbeat.
* To ensure that the heart's ventricles contract normally, in cases of atrial fibrillation.
* To regulate the electrical signals between the upper and lower chambers of the heart, and in other cases, between the ventricles of the heart.
Health Tip: Living With a Pacemaker
A pacemaker is a device that's implanted in a person's chest to help maintain a regular heartbeat.
The American Heart Association offers these suggestions for managing with a pacemaker:
* Avoid applying pressure on the area where the pacemaker was implanted. You may want to wear a small pad over the area for comfort and protection.
* Your pacemaker cannot be damaged by bathing or swimming.
* Make sure to get some physical activity every day to improve your health and circulation. Feel free to resume the level of sexual activity that you had before the pacemaker was implanted.
* Don't push yourself too hard. Exercise so that you feel good, but stop if you start to feel too tired or sick.
* Always tell your doctor, a nurse, dentist or other health professional that you have a pacemaker. Carry an identification card that shows you have the device.
* Tell your doctor if you have trouble breathing, if you have swelling of the legs or ankles, if you have unexplained weight gain, or if you feel faint or dizzy.
* You shouldn't experience interference from most household electrical appliances.
A pacemaker is a small, battery-powered device that is implanted in the skin of the chest or abdomen, and helps regulate the heartbeat.
Here are reasons for why a pacemaker may be prescribed, courtesy of the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute:
* To correct a slow, fast or irregular heartbeat.
* To ensure that the heart's ventricles contract normally, in cases of atrial fibrillation.
* To regulate the electrical signals between the upper and lower chambers of the heart, and in other cases, between the ventricles of the heart.
Health Tip: Living With a Pacemaker
A pacemaker is a device that's implanted in a person's chest to help maintain a regular heartbeat.
The American Heart Association offers these suggestions for managing with a pacemaker:
* Avoid applying pressure on the area where the pacemaker was implanted. You may want to wear a small pad over the area for comfort and protection.
* Your pacemaker cannot be damaged by bathing or swimming.
* Make sure to get some physical activity every day to improve your health and circulation. Feel free to resume the level of sexual activity that you had before the pacemaker was implanted.
* Don't push yourself too hard. Exercise so that you feel good, but stop if you start to feel too tired or sick.
* Always tell your doctor, a nurse, dentist or other health professional that you have a pacemaker. Carry an identification card that shows you have the device.
* Tell your doctor if you have trouble breathing, if you have swelling of the legs or ankles, if you have unexplained weight gain, or if you feel faint or dizzy.
* You shouldn't experience interference from most household electrical appliances.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Health Headlines - July 13
Famed Heart Surgeon Michael DeBakey Dead at 99
Michael DeBakey, the man who first performed heart bypass surgery, died Friday night at Methodist Hospital in Houston at the age of 99 from natural causes, the Associated Press reported Saturday.
The renowned cardiovascular surgeon invented many devices to help the ailing human heart; while still in medical school in 1932, he designed the roller pump, which became a key part of the heart-lung machine and opened the door to open-heart surgery. He also was behind the first efforts to develop artificial hearts and heart pumps for those waiting for heart transplants.
In 2006, DeBakey even underwent a procedure that he himself had developed -- the surgical repair of a damaged aorta.
While at the Baylor College of Medicine, officials there said, he helped transform the school into a nationally respected medical institution.
"Dr. DeBakey's reputation brought many people into this institution, and he treated them all: heads of state, entertainers, businessmen and presidents, as well as people with no titles and no means," Ron Girotto, president of the Methodist Hospital System, told the AP.
Cardiovascular surgeon Dr. George Noon called his professional partner "the greatest surgeon of the 20th century," who "single-handedly raised the standard of medical care, teaching and research around the world."
-----
Is Your Grocer Involved in Meat Recall? USDA Will Name Names
The next time there's a serious recall of meat or poultry in the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says it will tell you if your local grocer had once sold any of the affected product.
USDA Secretary Edward Schafer announced the policy change Friday, following the nation's largest-ever recall of 143 million pounds of beef produced at a California slaughterhouse, MSNBC reported.
The policy is to take effect next month, Schafer said. Up till now, there's been no federal edict requiring the government to reveal where potentially tainted meat was sold.
While consumer groups applauded the move, they noted that it only applied to the most serious Class I recalls, thought to pose the greatest health risk.
"We're pleased that USDA will no longer keep consumers in the dark about recalled meat," said a news release from Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports magazine. "Up until now, when USDA announced a recall of contaminated meat, it would only tell the public the states where the product was distributed. The specific names and locations of stores that got the product -- the information that can actually help the consumer -- were kept confidential."
The California recall would not have been affected by the new rule, since it was designated a less-significant Class II recall, Consumers Union noted.
-----
U.S. Olympic Swimmer Has Testicular Cancer
U.S. Olympic swimmer Eric Shanteau has testicular cancer, but has been medically cleared for next month's games in Beijing, China, he told the Associated Press.
Shanteau, 24, said that although his doctors approved his participation in the games, they advised him to have surgery now. While he plans to postpone an operation until after the Olympics, he pledged to drop out of the games if there were any sign that the cancer was spreading.
The Georgia native told the wire service that the illness was diagnosed June 19 -- a week before Olympic trials in Omaha, Neb. Shanteau wound up making the U.S. team in the 200-meter breaststroke.
"[The diagnosis] almost numbed me," he told the AP. "I'll remember that day for the rest of my life."
Shanteau said his doctors pronounced his cancer treatable and said it hadn't spread. He said he had heard from the agent who represents cyclist Lance Armstrong, who despite the same diagnosis went on to win seven straight Tour de France races.
"If I can have a fraction of the impact that [Armstrong has] had, just a tiny little bit, then I think what I'm going through will be good," Shanteau told the AP.
-----
Twins' Deaths Not Caused by Overdose: Hospital
Two newborn twins who died at a Texas hospital after receiving an overdose of the blood thinner heparin did not appear to die as a direct result of the mishap, according to a spokesperson for Christus Spohn Hospital South in Corpus Christi cited by the Associated Press.
The hospital said it found no direct link between the deaths of twins Keith and Kaylynn Garcia and the overdose of heparin, which was used to flush intravenous lines used by the newborns. As many as 17 infants in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit, including the Garcias, may have received the overdose. The mishap has been blamed on a mixing error by hospital pharmacists.
Keith Garcia, who died Tuesday, died of a blood infection called sepsis and from complications of being born premature, the AP said, citing a local newspaper report. A cause of death for the other twin, who died a day later, was not immediately revealed.
The infants' parents have received a judge's order that prevents the hospital from destroying any of the babies' records or accounts of the heparin overdose, the wire service said.
-----
Fewer Inhaling Secondhand Smoke: CDC
Fewer nonsmokers are inhaling secondhand smoke than in years past, thanks to recent laws that prohibit smoking in offices, bars, restaurants and other public places, a study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concludes.
A decline in the number of adult smokers to slightly below 20 percent also is a factor, the Associated Press reported.
Some 46 percent of nonsmokers had evidence of measurable blood nicotine levels between 1999 and 2004, compared with 84 percent of nonsmokers sampled in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Exposure to secondhand smoke can increase a nonsmoker's lung cancer risk by at least 20 percent and the risk of heart disease by at least 25 percent, the wire service said.
Despite the decline, study co-author Cinzia Marano said the numbers were still too high. "There is no safe level of exposure," Marano told the AP.
-----
Drug Reps to Stop Doling Out Gifts to Doctors
Those free pens, note pads and coffee mugs emblazoned with drug company logos that adorn many physician offices may soon be a thing of the past.
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PRMA) says its new guidelines ban such gifts to doctors from drug company sales reps, the Associated Press reported. Also on the critical list are free trips to restaurants and other forms of entertainment and recreation.
An occasional quick bite in the doctor's office is still allowed, however.
"I don't think you'll find a physician who will acknowledge that the gift of a pen or a cup with a company's name on it influences their prescribing patterns," the wire service quotes PRMA CEO Billy Tauzin as saying. "But there are people who believe that, and as long as that's a perception out there, we felt we ought to end that."
The new guidelines take effect Jan. 1.
Health Tips for July 13
Health Tip: When to Induce Labor
Most pregnant women will go into labor naturally, but sometimes it's safer for doctors to induce labor.
Here are reasons for why a doctor might decide to induce labor, courtesy of the American Academy of Family Physicians:
* Going two weeks or longer past the due date.
* Having no contractions after the woman's water breaks.
* Having high blood pressure.
* Having an infection in the uterus.
* Having diabetes.
* Having an insufficient amount of amniotic fluid surrounding the baby.
Health Tip: Trying Pregnancy Again
Trying to get pregnant again after a miscarriage can be fraught with a host of emotional and physical concerns.
Here are suggestions when considering another pregnancy after a miscarriage, courtesy of the American Pregnancy Association:
* Doctors routinely recommend waiting six months to one year before trying to get pregnant again. This is to make sure that the woman's body to ready to handle another pregnancy. It's also important to make sure that you're emotionally ready to try again.
* About 85 percent of women who have had a miscarriage go on to have a successful pregnancy. Among those who have had more than one loss, the rate is about 75 percent.
* If you do get pregnant again, ask your doctor to help you more carefully monitor your health and progress.
* It's normal to still grieve for an earlier loss while celebrating the arrival of a new baby.
* It's common to be hesitant in bonding with your new baby, fearing another loss.
* Talk to your doctor about counselors or support groups if you are having a difficult time with your pregnancy or new baby.
Most pregnant women will go into labor naturally, but sometimes it's safer for doctors to induce labor.
Here are reasons for why a doctor might decide to induce labor, courtesy of the American Academy of Family Physicians:
* Going two weeks or longer past the due date.
* Having no contractions after the woman's water breaks.
* Having high blood pressure.
* Having an infection in the uterus.
* Having diabetes.
* Having an insufficient amount of amniotic fluid surrounding the baby.
Health Tip: Trying Pregnancy Again
Trying to get pregnant again after a miscarriage can be fraught with a host of emotional and physical concerns.
Here are suggestions when considering another pregnancy after a miscarriage, courtesy of the American Pregnancy Association:
* Doctors routinely recommend waiting six months to one year before trying to get pregnant again. This is to make sure that the woman's body to ready to handle another pregnancy. It's also important to make sure that you're emotionally ready to try again.
* About 85 percent of women who have had a miscarriage go on to have a successful pregnancy. Among those who have had more than one loss, the rate is about 75 percent.
* If you do get pregnant again, ask your doctor to help you more carefully monitor your health and progress.
* It's normal to still grieve for an earlier loss while celebrating the arrival of a new baby.
* It's common to be hesitant in bonding with your new baby, fearing another loss.
* Talk to your doctor about counselors or support groups if you are having a difficult time with your pregnancy or new baby.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Health Headlines - July 12
Is Your Grocer Involved in Meat Recall? USDA Will Name Names
The next time there's a serious recall of meat or poultry in the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says it will tell you if your local grocer had once sold any of the affected product.
USDA Secretary Edward Schafer announced the policy change Friday, following the nation's largest-ever recall of 143 million pounds of beef produced at a California slaughterhouse, MSNBC reported.
The policy is to take effect next month, Schafer said. Up till now, there's been no federal edict requiring the government to reveal where potentially tainted meat was sold.
While consumer groups applauded the move, they noted that it only applied to the most serious Class I recalls, thought to pose the greatest health risk.
"We're pleased that USDA will no longer keep consumers in the dark about recalled meat," said a news release from Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports magazine. "Up until now, when USDA announced a recall of contaminated meat, it would only tell the public the states where the product was distributed. The specific names and locations of stores that got the product -- the information that can actually help the consumer -- were kept confidential."
The California recall would not have been affected by the new rule, since it was designated a less-significant Class II recall, Consumers Union noted.
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U.S. Olympic Swimmer Has Testicular Cancer
U.S. Olympic swimmer Eric Shanteau has testicular cancer, but has been medically cleared for next month's games in Beijing, China, he told the Associated Press.
Shanteau, 24, said that although his doctors approved his participation in the games, they advised him to have surgery now. While he plans to postpone an operation until after the Olympics, he pledged to drop out of the games if there were any sign that the cancer was spreading.
The Georgia native told the wire service that the illness was diagnosed June 19 -- a week before Olympic trials in Omaha, Neb. Shanteau wound up making the U.S. team in the 200-meter breaststroke.
"[The diagnosis] almost numbed me," he told the AP. "I'll remember that day for the rest of my life."
Shanteau said his doctors pronounced his cancer treatable and said it hadn't spread. He said he had heard from the agent who represents cyclist Lance Armstrong, who despite the same diagnosis went on to win seven straight Tour de France races.
"If I can have a fraction of the impact that [Armstrong has] had, just a tiny little bit, then I think what I'm going through will be good," Shanteau told the AP.
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Twins' Deaths Not Caused by Overdose: Hospital
Two newborn twins who died at a Texas hospital after receiving an overdose of the blood thinner heparin did not appear to die as a direct result of the mishap, according to a spokesperson for Christus Spohn Hospital South in Corpus Christi cited by the Associated Press.
The hospital said it found no direct link between the deaths of twins Keith and Kaylynn Garcia and the overdose of heparin, which was used to flush intravenous lines used by the newborns. As many as 17 infants in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit, including the Garcias, may have received the overdose. The mishap has been blamed on a mixing error by hospital pharmacists.
Keith Garcia, who died Tuesday, died of a blood infection called sepsis and from complications of being born premature, the AP said, citing a local newspaper report. A cause of death for the other twin, who died a day later, was not immediately revealed.
The infants' parents have received a judge's order that prevents the hospital from destroying any of the babies' records or accounts of the heparin overdose, the wire service said.
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Fewer Inhaling Second-Hand Smoke: CDC
Fewer nonsmokers are inhaling second-hand smoke than in years past, thanks to recent laws that prohibit smoking in offices, bars, restaurants and other public places, a study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concludes.
A decline in the number of adult smokers to slightly below 20 percent also is a factor, the Associated Press said, citing the study's conclusions.
Some 46 percent of nonsmokers had evidence of measurable blood nicotine levels between 1999 and 2004, compared with 84 percent of nonsmokers sampled in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Exposure to second-hand smoke can increase a nonsmoker's lung cancer risk by at least 20 percent and the risk of heart disease by at least 25 percent, the wire service said.
Despite the decline, study co-author Cinzia Marano said the numbers were still too high. "There is no safe level of exposure," Marano told the AP.
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Drug Reps to Stop Doling Out Gifts to Doctors
Those free pens, note pads and coffee mugs emblazoned with drug company logos that adorn many physician offices may soon be a thing of the past.
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PRMA) says its new guidelines ban such gifts to doctors from drug company sales reps, the Associated Press reported. Also on the critical list are free trips to restaurants and other forms of entertainment and recreation.
An occasional quick bite in the doctor's office is still allowed, however.
"I don't think you'll find a physician who will acknowledge that the gift of a pen or a cup with a company's name on it influences their prescribing patterns," the wire service quotes PRMA CEO Billy Tauzin as saying. "But there are people who believe that, and as long as that's a perception out there, we felt we ought to end that."
The new guidelines take effect Jan. 1.
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AMA Formally Apologizes for Policies Against Blacks
The American Medical Association issued a formal apology Thursday night for its discriminatory policies that prevented blacks from joining the physicians' group for more than a century, the Associated Press reported.
In a statement on its Web site, the association said it was sorry "for its past history of racial inequality toward African-American physicians and shares its current efforts to increase the ranks of minority physicians and their participation in the AMA."
The action came more than four decades after delegates first condemned racist policies at state and local chapters dating back to the 1800s, the wire service said.
"It is true that what the AMA did historically was awful," Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, told the AP. "There were AMA local chapters that actually had rules against black members well into the late 1960s, and policies that made blacks not feel comfortable well into the 1980s."
The apology is part of an effort by the group, long thought of as the voice of American doctors, to pare or eliminate racial disparities in medicine, the AP said.
Health Tips for July 12
Health Tip: Monitoring What You Drink
People with heart failure tend to retain fluid, making it important to monitor what they drink.
The doctor may prescribe medication to help rid the body of excess fluid, which puts less stress on the heart. While this type of drug, called a diuretic, may make you feel thirsty, it's important not to drink too much and negate the effects of the medication.
The American Heart Association offers these guidelines for what people with heart failure should drink:
* Talk to your doctor about how much fluid you should have every day.
* Carefully track how much you are drinking. Measure how many ounces each container that you drink from holds.
* Monitor all fluids, including water you use to wash down medicines, as well as fluid sources such as ice cubes, fruits, ice cream and yogurt.
* Do not drink alcohol, which affects the heart's ability to contract.
* Limit your intake of caffeine and salty fluids, such as tomato juice and other vegetable juices.
Health Tip: Living With a Pacemaker
A pacemaker is a device that's implanted in a person's chest to help maintain a regular heartbeat.
The American Heart Association offers these suggestions for managing with a pacemaker:
* Avoid applying pressure on the area where the pacemaker was implanted. You may want to wear a small pad over the area for comfort and protection.
* Your pacemaker cannot be damaged by bathing or swimming.
* Make sure to get some physical activity every day to improve your health and circulation. Feel free to resume the level of sexual activity that you had before the pacemaker was implanted.
* Don't push yourself too hard. Exercise so that you feel good, but stop if you start to feel too tired or sick.
* Always tell your doctor, a nurse, dentist or other health professional that you have a pacemaker. Carry an identification card that shows you have the device.
* Tell your doctor if you have trouble breathing, if you have swelling of the legs or ankles, if you have unexplained weight gain, or if you feel faint or dizzy.
* You shouldn't experience interference from most household electrical appliances.
People with heart failure tend to retain fluid, making it important to monitor what they drink.
The doctor may prescribe medication to help rid the body of excess fluid, which puts less stress on the heart. While this type of drug, called a diuretic, may make you feel thirsty, it's important not to drink too much and negate the effects of the medication.
The American Heart Association offers these guidelines for what people with heart failure should drink:
* Talk to your doctor about how much fluid you should have every day.
* Carefully track how much you are drinking. Measure how many ounces each container that you drink from holds.
* Monitor all fluids, including water you use to wash down medicines, as well as fluid sources such as ice cubes, fruits, ice cream and yogurt.
* Do not drink alcohol, which affects the heart's ability to contract.
* Limit your intake of caffeine and salty fluids, such as tomato juice and other vegetable juices.
Health Tip: Living With a Pacemaker
A pacemaker is a device that's implanted in a person's chest to help maintain a regular heartbeat.
The American Heart Association offers these suggestions for managing with a pacemaker:
* Avoid applying pressure on the area where the pacemaker was implanted. You may want to wear a small pad over the area for comfort and protection.
* Your pacemaker cannot be damaged by bathing or swimming.
* Make sure to get some physical activity every day to improve your health and circulation. Feel free to resume the level of sexual activity that you had before the pacemaker was implanted.
* Don't push yourself too hard. Exercise so that you feel good, but stop if you start to feel too tired or sick.
* Always tell your doctor, a nurse, dentist or other health professional that you have a pacemaker. Carry an identification card that shows you have the device.
* Tell your doctor if you have trouble breathing, if you have swelling of the legs or ankles, if you have unexplained weight gain, or if you feel faint or dizzy.
* You shouldn't experience interference from most household electrical appliances.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Health Headlines - July 11
AMA Formally Apologizing for Policies Against Blacks
The American Medical Association planned to issue a formal apology Thursday night for its discriminatory policies that prevented blacks from joining the physicians' group for more than a century, the Associated Press reported.
The action comes more than four decades after delegates first condemned racist policies at state and local chapters dating back to the 1800s, the wire service said.
"It is true that what the AMA did historically was awful," Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, told the AP. "There were AMA local chapters that actually had rules against black members well into the late 1960s, and policies that made blacks not feel comfortable well into the 1980s."
The apology is part of an effort by the group, long thought of as the voice of American doctors, to pare or eliminate racial disparities in medicine, the AP said.
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2nd Infant Dies in Texas Overdose Case
A second newborn infant accidentally given an overdose of the blood thinner heparin at a Texas hospital has died, the Associated Press reported Thursday.
The unidentified newborn died Wednesday, a day after the death of her twin brother who had also been given an overdose of the drug. It's not known if the heparin overdose, which was given to as many as 17 infants at Chritus Spohn Hospital South in Corpus Christi, played a role in the latest fatality.
The Corpus Christi Caller-Times reported Thursday that the death of the infant who died Tuesday was not related to the overdose, which involved a heparin dose of up to 100 times the prescribed amount.
Results of an autopsy on the latest infant to die are pending, the AP said.
All of the infants given the overdose were in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. The hospital has identified 14 infants given the overdose of heparin, which had been used as a routine way to prevent blood from clogging intravenous tubes. As many as three other infants may have been given the overdose, which is believed to have resulted from a July 3 mixing error in the hospital's pharmacy.
Hospital workers discovered the error on Sunday based on abnormal lab results from the newborns.
Two hospital workers have taken voluntary leave pending the outcome of a hospital investigation. The hospital said it had notified the Texas Department of Health Services and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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FDA Making Drug 'Non-Approval' Letters Easier to Swallow
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it wants to make it easier for drug companies and their investors when the agency decides a new drug isn't quite ready for approval.
In changes to take effect Aug. 11, the existing "not-approvable" letter will be replaced by a "complete response letter" when a drug isn't ready for sale in the United States, the agency said on its Web site.
"In the past, some drug manufacturers expressed concern that a not-approvable letter sent an unintended message that a marketing application would never be approved, which could adversely affect a company's ability to raise capital," according to a 122-page overview of the new policy cited by the Bloomberg news service.
The redesigned letter, the agency said, will elaborate on what's missing from the original application, and how the company may be able to correct it.
Currently, when drug makers apply for a brand-name drug's approval, they pay application fees in exchange for a promise from the FDA that it will act within 180 days. The new rules include provisions for how long the process will be extended when the companies are asked for additional information, Bloomberg said.
The new response letter may not be as accessible to investors as the current FDA protocol dictates, prompting some critics to wonder whether shareholders will be in the dark about the status of drugs' "approvability," the news service said.
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Controlled Drugs Easily Obtained Online Without Prescription
Powerful addictive drugs -- known as controlled substances because of their potential for abuse -- are easily ordered online, and in most cases without a prescription, a new Columbia University study finds.
Of 365 Web sites that sold controlled substances regulated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), 85 percent of the sites did not require a prescription, according to an Associated Press analysis of the study.
Examples of drugs that could be purchased this way included the potent painkillers morphine and oxycodone, and amphetamine stimulants.
The study found that the number of sites that sold controlled substances actually fell 37 percent from last year's analysis. The researchers cited efforts by law enforcement to crack down on illegal online drug sales.
About 80 percent of online prescriptions are for controlled substances, according to DEA statistics cited by the wire service. By contrast, these same drugs account for just 11 percent of sales at traditional pharmacies, the DEA said.
The House of Representatives is considering a bill to ban the sale of controlled substances online without a prescription. The Senate has already passed the measure.
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U.S. Wants to Snuff Out Federal Sanction for 'Light' Cigarettes
Tobacco makers would no longer be able to cite U.S. government approval for "light" or "low-tar" cigarettes under a rule change proposed by the Federal Trade Commission, USA Today reported.
The agency said it wants to end a 1966 policy that allows cigarette makers to mention tar and nicotine amounts "per FTC method," the newspaper reported Wednesday.
In seeking to "clarify the FTC's position," associate director Mary Engle said "this test method does not have our stamp of approval." The new proposal explains that in 1966, it was thought that the amount of tar in a cigarette could affect a smoker's risk of cancer," USA Today reported.
But the agency now says that people who smoke "light" cigarettes tend to take bigger puffs or inhale more frequently to gain the same effect as regular cigarettes. So the agency is prepared to recommend that consumers not use the amount of tar or nicotine in a cigarette as a measure of a safer smoke.
The public has until Aug. 12 to comment on the proposal.
Health Tips for July 11
Health Tip: Keep Teen Conflicts Under Control
Learning how to deal with conflicts is an important part of maturing, and will help you build healthy relationships throughout your life.
Here, for teens, are suggestions for dealing with conflicts in a healthy way, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:
* Calm down and stay in control. Use techniques such as counting, breathing, and thinking relaxing thoughts to keep you from losing your temper.
* Figure out what's really upsetting you, and address that issue.
* Deal with the issue in private, and only with the people involved. Don't bring other people into the discussion.
* Listen to the other person talk. Understand their side of the story and their point of view.
* Don't be afraid to compromise, change, say you're sorry, or forgive.
Health Tip: Parenting Twins
Taking care of a newborn baby is demanding and exhausting enough, but parenting twins is a double dose of work.
The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these suggestions to make parenting twins a bit easier:
* Find other parents of twins to talk with, or join a group for parents of twins.
* Read books and magazines about taking care of twins.
* Know that you will be tired. Take every opportunity to rest.
* It's normal to feel that taking care of twins is too much to manage. But remind yourself that you'll eventually work it all out.
* Spend time alone with each twin to help each establish a unique identity.
* Speak and read regularly to each child. This may help prevent the delay in language development that sometimes affects twins.
Learning how to deal with conflicts is an important part of maturing, and will help you build healthy relationships throughout your life.
Here, for teens, are suggestions for dealing with conflicts in a healthy way, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:
* Calm down and stay in control. Use techniques such as counting, breathing, and thinking relaxing thoughts to keep you from losing your temper.
* Figure out what's really upsetting you, and address that issue.
* Deal with the issue in private, and only with the people involved. Don't bring other people into the discussion.
* Listen to the other person talk. Understand their side of the story and their point of view.
* Don't be afraid to compromise, change, say you're sorry, or forgive.
Health Tip: Parenting Twins
Taking care of a newborn baby is demanding and exhausting enough, but parenting twins is a double dose of work.
The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these suggestions to make parenting twins a bit easier:
* Find other parents of twins to talk with, or join a group for parents of twins.
* Read books and magazines about taking care of twins.
* Know that you will be tired. Take every opportunity to rest.
* It's normal to feel that taking care of twins is too much to manage. But remind yourself that you'll eventually work it all out.
* Spend time alone with each twin to help each establish a unique identity.
* Speak and read regularly to each child. This may help prevent the delay in language development that sometimes affects twins.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Health Headlines - July 10
Texas Infant Dies After Heparin Overdose; Drug's Role Unclear
A newborn baby has died at a Corpus Christi, Texas, hospital after receiving an overdose of the blood thinner heparin, the local Caller-Times newspaper reported Wednesday.
Whether the drug played a role in the infant's death is under investigation, the newspaper said. The child, already seriously ill and in neonatal intensive care, was one of as many as 17 newborns in the unit who received the overdose of the drug.
The infant died Tuesday morning, said a spokesman for Christus Spohn Hospital. The drug was applied routinely to flush IV tubes, to prevent blood clots from forming. Hospital workers discovered the overdose based on lab results for the infants.
The Caller-Times said the overdose, thought to be a result of a mixing error at the hospital's pharmacy, may have led to the infants receiving up to 100 times the recommended dosage of heparin.
Two members of the hospital's pharmacy have taken voluntary leave pending the hospital's investigation of the incident, the newspaper reported. The hospital said it had notified the Texas Department of Health Services and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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Controlled Drugs Easily Obtained Online Without Prescription
Powerful addictive drugs -- known as controlled substances because of their potential for abuse -- are easily ordered online, and in most cases without a prescription, a new Columbia University study finds.
Of 365 Web sites that sold controlled substances regulated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), 85 percent of the sites did not require a prescription, according to an Associated Press analysis of the study.
Examples of drugs that could be purchased this way included the potent painkillers morphine and oxycodone, and amphetamine stimulants.
The study found that the number of sites that sold controlled substances actually fell 37 percent from last year's analysis. The researchers cited efforts by law enforcement to crack down on illegal online drug sales.
About 80 percent of online prescriptions are for controlled substances, according to DEA statistics cited by the wire service. By contrast, these same drugs account for just 11 percent of sales at traditional pharmacies, the DEA said.
The House of Representatives is considering a bill to ban the sale of controlled substances online without a prescription. The Senate has already passed the measure.
-----
U.S. Wants to Snuff Out Federal Sanction for 'Light' Cigarettes
Tobacco makers would no longer be able to cite U.S. government approval for "light" or "low-tar" cigarettes under a rule change proposed by the Federal Trade Commission, USA Today reported.
The agency said it wants to end a 1966 policy that allows cigarette makers to mention tar and nicotine amounts "per FTC method," the newspaper reported Wednesday.
In seeking to "clarify the FTC's position," associate director Mary Engle said "this test method does not have our stamp of approval." The new proposal explains that in 1966, it was thought that the amount of tar in a cigarette could affect a smoker's risk of cancer," USA Today reported.
But the agency now says that people who smoke "light" cigarettes tend to take bigger puffs or inhale more frequently to gain the same effect as regular cigarettes. So the agency is prepared to recommend that consumers not use the amount of tar or nicotine in a cigarette as a measure of a safer smoke.
The public has until Aug. 12 to comment on the proposal.
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Hospital Agency Takes Aim at Workers Who Behave Badly
Hospital employees who use foul language and other bad behaviors against their colleagues pose a serious threat to patient safety, a U.S. accrediting agency says.
The Joint Commission is proposing new standards that require more than 15,000 accredited organizations to create a code of conduct that defines and manages unacceptable practices. These include ignoring questions; insulting, threatening or intimidating behavior; and speaking in a condescending way, MSNBC reported Wednesday.
These behaviors affect employee morale and could increase the likelihood of medical errors, the commission said.
An industry survey of some 2,000 clinicians found that more than 90 percent said they had been a victim of condescending language. And nearly 60 percent reported being verbally abused or encountering threatening body language, MSNBC said.
Set to take effect Jan. 1, the proposed conduct standards would affect hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, laboratories, ambulatory care facilities and behavioral health facilities nationwide.
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Agency Chief Backs Testing of Unproven Autism Treatment
The director of U.S. National Institute of Mental Health, pressured by the anxious parents of children with autism, is advocating testing chelation therapy as a treatment for the little-understood neurological disorder, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.
Chelation therapy aims to purge the body of heavy metals. Its use in children with autism is based on the unproven notion that mercury in the vaccines is responsible for cases of the disorder, the AP reported. With the exception of certain flu shots, mercury hasn't been used in pediatric vaccines since 2001.
NIMH director Dr. Thomas Insel told the wire service that he supports testing the therapy on autistic children. "So many moms have said, 'It's saved my kids,'" he said.
Several thousand children are already believed to be using the therapy, despite its fringe status. The drugs are relatively easy to get, some being marketed as dietary supplements, the AP reported.
Safety concerns over chelation have postponed the government testing for now, Insel said. One of the drugs used in the process, called DMSA, can have adverse effects including low white blood cell count and rashes. Research also has shown that the process may shift metals from elsewhere in the body to the central nervous system, the AP reported.
In adults, chelation has proven ineffective unless there are high concentrations of metals in the blood, the wire service said.
Austim describes a variety of disorders that affect victims' ability to communicate and interact. There is no proven cure.
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