| Monday, February 27, 2006 |
| Medicare May Limit Drug Plan Offerings |
By KEVIN FREKING, Associated Press WriterSat
The Bush administration is looking at ways to simplify the new Medicare prescription drug benefit, but initial proposals are unlikely to win over the program's critics.
In a 39-page draft memorandum to insurers, employers and others administering the drug benefit, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services asked for advice on how to simplify the program in 2007.
The agency proposed limiting to two the number of drug plans a company can offer per region. Many insurers now offer three, and since there are often more than a dozen insurers per region, consumers often have more than 40 choices.
The agency also said it expects that an insurer's two plans must have meaningful differences to make comparisons easier.
The recommendations appear to be a direct response to concerns that some older and disabled people are confused by the vast array of options.
Ron Pollack, executive director of the activist group Families USA, said the plans can't generate enough enrollment to generate bargaining clout with drug manufacturers. Slightly reducing the number of plans won't change that scenario, he said, nor will it make the program easier to understand.
"When you have such a huge number of companies providing this coverage and no effort to standardize benefits it creates chaos," Pollack said.
Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., a frequent critic of the program, gave the Medicare-Medicaid agency credit for seeking to simplify the plan, but he did so while also chiding the administration.
"It is too bad this recognition comes 2 1/2 years after passage of the law, and two months into implementation," Stark said.
The administration said competition from insurers is lowering the cost of the program. In early February, it said premiums will average about $25 a month, as opposed to the $37 projected when the program was approved. It now estimates the program will cost about $678 billion over 10 years rather than about $730 billion estimated originally.
"We're seeing the cost of drugs come down in a rapid way because of an organized, competitive marketplace," Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said earlier this month.
A spokesman for the Medicare-Medicaid agency, Gary Karr, said the draft memorandum should not be viewed as a sign the administration is backing away from the view that all the choices are a good thing for the elderly and disabled.
"It's simply asking for comment," Karr said. "Earlier, there were predictions we would not have enough plans. That's clearly not the case now. The question is will it still be of service to beneficiaries if you had fewer. Again, it's not a commitment."
About 42 million people are eligible to enroll in a private plan that is designed to subsidize some of their prescription drug expenses. Most of the larger insurers give beneficiaries more than one option.
For example, one company will offer a plan that charges consumers less, but the trade-off can be a more limited choice of drugs. Another plan will offer more drug coverage but the customer will have to pay higher premiums.
The range of plans available vary by region. In Alaska, there are 11 insurers offering 27 drug plans. In Pennsylvania, there are 23 insurers offering 52 plans.
Beneficiaries also can choose from more comprehensive medical coverage, called Medicare Advantage, which operates like an HMO. Most beneficiaries can choose from more than a dozen Medicare Advantage plans.
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On the Net:
Government's Medicare site: www.medicare.gov |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 8:55 AM |
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| Saturday, February 25, 2006 |
| Improvement In Erectile Performance For Some Men With The Use Of Statins |
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine say preliminary results of a small study show promise in improving erectile dysfunction (ED) in men who had shown minimal reaction to Viagra. The study results are published in the March issue of the "Journal of Sexual Medicine."
Erectile dysfunction is often a sign of a more severe vascular problem that involves abnormalities in the lining of the blood vessels. And often, endothelial dysfunction is an underlying problem for ED - it can be one of the first signs of atherosclerosis, a build-up of plaque and blockages in the arteries.
"It's already known that there is a connection between erectile dysfunction and coronary disease. The risk factors are the same for both, and thus, ED can be a marker for coronary disease," explains lead author Howard Herrmann, MD, Professor of Medicine and Director of the Interventional Cardiology and Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. "Normal erections are caused when nitric oxide is made, but with endothelial dysfunction, the body doesn't make enough of it, causing the erectile dysfunction. Normally, Viagra prevents the breakdown of the little nitric oxide that is there, so that there is enough of it for an erection to occur."
However, about 10-30 % of men are classified as "Viagra non-responders" - in these men, Viagra did not significantly help their erectile dysfunction. So in a small, double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study at Penn, Herrmann looked at a dozen patients with ED who had not responded well to Viagra. He gave them either a high-dose Lipitor or a placebo. He then rechallenged them with Viagra and asked if the ED had improved.
"There did seem to be some improvement for those who received Lipitor versus the placebo," said Herrmann. "We theorized that if you could make the edothelium healthier through the use of statins -- so that there is more nitric oxide available -- you would improve the endothelial dysfunction and Viagra would work better for the patient."
And there are other potential benefits too. Stan Schwartz, MD, Director of the Diabetes Disease Management program at Penn and co-author, states, "Patients with Diabetes, both Type 1 and Type 2, are plagued with complications of the diabetic state that involve endothelial dysfunction. This research points us in a direction that says any drug class that improves endothelial dysfunction may also be beneficial to patients with diabetes."
Additionally, Emile Mohler, MD, Director of Vascular Medicine at Penn and co-author, cautions, "ED is a sign that cholesterol plaque may be present in the heart, neck or leg arteries. Men with ED should be evaluated for vascular disease."
"These preliminary results show promise," adds Herrmann. "They support the hypothesis that erectile dysfunction may be one sign of a generalized vascular disorder characterized by endothelial dysfunction and that statin drugs may improve the endothelial dysfunction, even before altering the lipid profile. But the results are preliminary and warrant further testing in a larger clinical trial," he cautions.
It should be noted that beyond endothelial dysfunction, there are other reasons Viagra may not work well for someone.
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The results of this study were published in the March 2006 issue of the "Journal of Sexual Medicine." Members can access the journal on-line at: http://jsm.issir.org/. The article is titled, "Can Atorvastatin Improve the Response to Sildenafil in Men with Erectile Dysfunction Not Initially Responsive to Sildenafil? Hypothesis and Pilot Trial Results."
This study was supported by an unrestricted medical center grant from Pfizer.
Editor's Notes: Dr. Howard Herrmann has received honorarium from Pfizer and Lilly ICOS. Dr. Stan Schwartz is a consultant and has received a speaker's honoraria from Lilly ICOS. Dr. Emile Mohler is part of the speaker's bureau for Pfizer.
To schedule an interview with Dr. Howard Herrmann, please contact Susanne Hartman at 215-349-5964 or susanne.hartman@uphs.upenn.edu.
PENN Medicine is a $2.7 billion enterprise dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and high-quality patient care. PENN Medicine consists of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System.
Penn's School of Medicine is ranked #2 in the nation for receipt of NIH research funds; and ranked #4 in the nation in U.S. News & World Report's most recent ranking of top research-oriented medical schools. Supporting 1,400 fulltime faculty and 700 students, the School of Medicine is recognized worldwide for its superior education and training of the next generation of physician-scientists and leaders of academic medicine.
The University of Pennsylvania Health System includes three hospitals [Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, which is consistently ranked one of the nation's few "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S. News & World Report; Pennsylvania Hospital, the nation's first hospital; and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center]; a faculty practice plan; a primary-care provider network; two multispecialty satellite facilities; and home care and hospice.
Contact: Susanne Hartman
susanne.hartman@uphs.upenn.edu
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 3:58 AM |
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| Friday, February 24, 2006 |
| FDA Approves First Generic Version Of Flonase |
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved Fluticasone Propionate Nasal Spray, the first generic version of the brand name drug Flonase, giving American consumers an additional, lower cost alternative when choosing prescription drug products.
"Except for their price, which is much lower, generic drugs are in every way equivalent to their brand name counterparts," said Dr. Steven Galson, Director of FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "Offering consumers a choice of safe, effective, and reasonably priced generic drug products is an extremely important priority for FDA. Today's approval is part of our ongoing commitment to provide generic forms of products to the public."
Generic drug products are used to fill over 50 percent of all prescriptions, and since they cost a fraction of the price of trade name drugs, the economic impact of FDA's generic drug program is profound. Through hard work, prioritization, and optimizing efficiencies, FDA's Office of Generic Drugs continues to make record numbers of generic products available. In 2005 alone, FDA approved 452 generic drug applications, the second highest total on record.
Fluticasone Propionate Nasal Spray treats the nasal symptoms of seasonal and chronic (long-lasting) allergic and nonallergic rhinitis, an inflammation of the lining of the nose that can make it stuffy and runny. This product is approved for use in both adults and children 4 years and older.
Fluticasone Propionate Nasal Spray contains a synthetic, trifluorinated corticosteroid with anti-inflammatory activity. Corticosteroids are natural substances found in the body that help fight inflammation. Fluticasone propionate, like other corticosteroids, does not have an immediate effect on allergic symptoms. A decrease in nasal symptoms (stuffiness, runniness, itching, and sneezing) has been noted in some patients 12 hours after initial treatment. Common side effects of fluticasone propionate nasal spray are headache, sore throat and nose bleed.
The brand name product or innovator drug for fluticasone propionate is Flonase, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline and approved in October, 1994. The drug's patent, including the pediatric exclusivity, expired in May 2004 and the new dosing schedule exclusivity with its associated pediatric exclusivity expired on November 23, 2005. FDA received several citizen petitions questioning the approval criteria for the drug's bioequivalence and for other aspects of nasal sprays related to today's action. The FDA submits generic drug applications to the same thorough and rigorously scientific review for safety, effectiveness and quality as the applications for new drugs. Consumers and health professionals can be assured that an approved generic drug is bioequivalent to a brand name drug and is its equal in dosage form, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics, and intended use.
After reviewing the issues raised in the petitions, FDA determined that its current standards for approval are appropriate.
Fluticasone propionate nasal spray is manufactured by Roxane Laboratories of Columbus, OH.
For additional information related to FDA's Office of Generic Drugs, click here.
http://www.fda.gov |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 3:40 AM |
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| Thursday, February 23, 2006 |
| Stressed-out Women Are Three Times More Likely To Miscarry Early |
Women who exhibit signs of stress are three times more likely to miscarry during the first three weeks of the pregnancy, a recent study of a small population of women found.
Pablo Nepomnaschy and a group of University of Michigan researchers measured the cortisol levels---a stress induced hormone---in urine samples taken three times weekly for a year from 61women in a rural Guatemalan community. Nepomnaschy conducted the fieldwork while he was a doctoral student at U-M both at the Anthropology Department and the School of Natural Resources and Environment. He is now a post-doctoral fellow at the Epidemiology Branch of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
The Guatemalan study is the first known study to link increases in cortisol levels to very early-stage pregnancy loss.
According to previous scientific reports, anywhere from 31 percent to 89 percent of all conceptions result in miscarriage. Most studies begin when women notice they are pregnant, about six weeks after conception. Most miscarriages, however, are known to happen during the first three weeks of pregnancy.
"The only way to capture the first three weeks of pregnancy is to begin collecting their urine from before they become pregnant. That is extremely labor intensive and expensive," Nepomnaschy said.
In the Guatemalan study, 22 pregnancies occurred in 16 women, and each woman's cortisol levels were measured against their own baseline levels. Researchers found that 90 percent of women, whose ages ranged from 18 to 34, with elevated levels of the stress-induced hormone miscarried during the first three weeks of pregnancy, compared to 33 percent of those with normal levels.
The body may recognize the elevated cortisol levels as an alarm that conditions are unfavorable for pregnancy.
"Maybe increased cortisol is understood by the body as a cue that the context is uncertain, changing, or the quality of the environment is deteriorating," Nepomnaschy said. "The body's response is to stop any extra activity and go back to its most basic functions."
Given that previous studies focus on later pregnancy stages did not find an association between elevated cortisol and miscarriage, Nepomnaschy and colleagues speculate that stress may be more likely to lead to loss during the earliest stages of pregnancy, while the embryo is just beginning to develop. They caution, however, that more research is necessary on this topic before definitive conclusions can be reached.
It's unclear if cortisol is directly involved with the miscarriages or if it signals some other mechanism in the body that causes the miscarriage. However, the results are consistent with a 2004 study in which Nepomnaschy his colleagues found that elevated cortisol levels were associated with lower progesterone levels---a hormone that prepares the uterus for the implantation of the fertilized ovum.
"The two pieces of research are consistent in this sense," Nepomnaschy said.
The next step, Nepomnaschy said, is to attempt to replicate these results in a larger population.
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Co-authors on the Guatemalan study include Kathleen Welch, Center for Statistical Consultation and Research; Daniel McConnell, Department of Epidemiology and the Reproductive Sciences Program; Bobbi Low, SNRE; Beverly Strassmann, Department of Anthropology and the Research Center for Group Dynamics; and Barry England, Department of Pathology and the Reproductive Sciences Program.
Contact: Laura Bailey
baileylm@umich.edu
University of Michigan |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 3:37 AM |
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| Wednesday, February 22, 2006 |
| Track Your Kid's Eating Habits Online |
Soon parents in Houston, Texas, may have more influence on what their children eat by keeping track of eating habits via computer and blocking certain foods from the menu. At an automated cafeteria, parents will be able to know what choices their children are making.
You can make certain foods off limits for your child. In order to do this you have to sign up to a prepaid account. As a subscriber, you can go online, see what your child has been eating, and make alterations (basically, tell the child what is permitted and what is not).
Imagine you wish to allow your son or daughter French fries just once a week - you can do this. Go online, get into your account, and arrange it so that French fries are on the menu for just Mondays.
A great device for parents who are concerned about what their children are eating at school. Some say that parents who already provide their children with a balanced diet may be the only ones who sign up to this.
The company providing this service is called Pearland Food Services.
Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 9:53 AM |
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| Tuesday, February 21, 2006 |
| New Oral Contraceptive, Loestrin(R) 24 Fe, Approved By FDA |
Warner Chilcott announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its 24-day oral contraceptive, Loestrin(R) 24 Fe (norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol tablets, USP and ferrous fumarate tablets), for the prevention of pregnancy. Loestrin 24 Fe ("Loestrin 24") is the first birth-control pill approved in the United States that provides 24 days of active hormonal therapy and four days of iron containing placebo pills.
"This FDA approval is a significant step forward for Warner Chilcott as we continue to sharpen our therapeutic focus on women's health and expand our product portfolio in this area," said Roger Boissonneault, Chief Executive Officer of Warner Chilcott.
Warner Chilcott is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on two areas: women's healthcare and dermatology.
Warner Chilcott
http://www.warnerchilcott.com |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 9:07 AM |
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| Monday, February 20, 2006 |
| Low Back Pain Relieved By Acupressure |
Acupressure (applying pressure with the thumbs or fingertips to the same points on the body stimulated in acupuncture) seems to be more effective in reducing low back pain than physical therapy, finds a study published online by the BMJ today.
Low back pain is a common health problem worldwide. In previous studies, acupressure has been shown to be effective in alleviating various types of pain, but little is known about its effect on low back pain.
Researchers in Taiwan recruited 129 patients with chronic low back pain from a specialist orthopaedic clinic. All patients completed a standard disability questionnaire before being randomly allocated to two treatment groups: 64 patients received six sessions of acupressure and 65 patients received physical therapy. Results were analysed immediately after treatment and again after six months.
The mean disability score after treatment was significantly lower in the acupressure group than in the physical therapy group.
In fact acupressure conferred an 89% reduction in disability compared with physical therapy, after adjusting for pre-treatment disability. This improvement lasted for six months.
Benefit was also greater in the acupressure group for variables such as "leg pain," "pain interferes with normal work," and "days off from work/school."
This study shows that acupressure is more effective in alleviating low back pain than physical therapy in terms of pain scores, functional status, and disability, say the authors. The effect was not only seen in the short term, but lasted for six months.
These results support the conclusion of previous studies. Acupressure may thus be useful for reducing pain and improving body function and level of disability in low back pain, they conclude.
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Contact: Emma Dickinson
edickinson@bmj.com
BMJ-British Medical Journal |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 7:07 AM |
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| Sunday, February 19, 2006 |
| Levitra May Protect The Heart, VCU Study Shows |
The widely used erectile dysfunction drug Levitra is now the second drug in its class found to protect the heart against tissue damage following acute heart attack, according to a new study by Virginia Commonwealth University researchers.
"Our findings further support the concept that the novel class of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, or PDE-5 inhibitors, including Levitra and Viagra, may have a new utility in cardiac protection, in addition to their well-known use for the management of erectile dysfunction in men," said Rakesh C. Kukreja, Ph.D., professor of medicine, physiology, biochemistry and emergency medicine at VCU. Kukreja is lead author of the study.
In the study, currently available online and to be published in the March issue of the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, Kukreja and his team demonstrated for the first time that pretreatment with a clinically relevant dose of Levitra, generically known as vardenafil, induces a protective effect against heart attack injury by opening the mitochondrial KATP channel in an animal model. The Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology is the official publication of the International Society for Heart Research.
According to Kukreja, PDE-5 is an enzyme responsible for the destruction of cGMP, an intracellular messenger molecule, in heart cells. He said that the mitochondrial KATP channel and cGMP play an important role in preconditioning of the heart following a heart attack. The cGMP also has a hand in the dilation of arteries in the body. PDE-5 inhibitor drugs, such as vardenafil, sildenafil, the generic term for Viagra, and tadalafil, the generic name for Cialis, are able to preserve cGMP, and therefore dilation of the arteries by inhibiting PDE-5.
Vardenafil, like sildenafil, stabilizes the mitochondria and protects against damage of the heart by opening the mitochondrial KATP channels in cardiac cells. Mitochondria are cellular organelles critical for converting oxygen into ATP, the key fuel for cellular function.
"This study provides important information about the mechanism by which the PDE-5 inhibitors work. Furthermore, it is proof that the positive findings of prior studies on sildenafil extend to another PDE-5 inhibitor," said George Vetrovec, M.D., chair of cardiology at VCU's School of Medicine, who is internationally recognized for his research on coronary artery disease.
Vetrovec suggested that PDE-5 inhibitors such as sildenafil and vardenafil may one day be given to patients who are at high risk for acute heart attack or prior to undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery to optimize heart protection.
In addition, Kukreja said that the PDE-5 inhibitors may be developed for future use to protect the brain, liver and other organs against ischemic injury, those injuries that are caused by lack of oxygen.
Kukreja and his colleagues began studying sildenafil in 2002 as part of ongoing research into "preconditioning," a way to protect the heart muscle from serious damage in the future by subjecting it to very brief periods of deprivation of blood flow and, therefore, oxygen.
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This work was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health.
Kukreja collaborated with VCU researchers, Fadi N. Salloum, Ph.D., Ramzi A. Ockaili Ph.D., Michael Wittkamp Ph.D., and Vijay R. Marwaha, Ph.D.
About VCU and the VCU Medical Center: Located on two downtown campuses in Richmond, Va., Virginia Commonwealth University is ranked nationally by the Carnegie Foundation as a top research institution and enrolls more than 29,000 students in more than 181 certificate, undergraduate, graduate, professional and doctoral programs in the arts, sciences and humanities in 15 schools and one college. Forty of the university's programs are unique in Virginia, and 20 graduate and professional programs have been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as among the best of their kind. MCV Hospitals, clinics and the health sciences schools of Virginia Commonwealth University compose the VCU Medical Center, one of the leading academic medical centers in the country. For more, see http://www.vcu.edu/.
Contact: Sathya Achia-Abraham
sbachia@vcu.edu
Virginia Commonwealth University |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 8:57 AM |
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| Saturday, February 18, 2006 |
| Benefits Of Estrogen Shouldn't Be Overlooked, USC Physician Says |
Results released this week from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) trial clarifies estrogen's role in protecting women from heart attacks. A USC medical researcher encourages women and doctors not to dismiss hormone therapy as the research continues to sort out mixed results from the last few years.
“It remains a very active area for women's research - it's a very unsettled area, and the trials to date show differing outcomes,” says Howard N. Hodis, MD, director of the atherosclerosis research unit in the Keck School of Medicine of USC. In the meantime, women can still find benefits from taking hormones, including the relief of menopausal symptoms, preserving bone density and reducing risk of diabetes, even if their long-term benefits and risks are still being clarified.
“Are there risks? Yes, like any other medication, but they're not great enough to create panic and make everyone using hormones get off them,” he says.
An article published in the Feb. 13 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine concludes that estrogen therapy does not appear to raise or reduce the risk of heart attack in healthy postmenopausal women overall, but it does appear to lower the risk of heart disease in women aged 50 to 59 years. These results are consistent with a previous trial conducted at USC and dozens of previous observational studies conducted over several decades, Hodis says.
However, the popularity of hormone replacement therapy dropped dramatically after a WHI study of estrogen-only therapy was cut short in 2003 when it appeared to increase the risk of stroke in women aged 50 to 79 who had had hysterectomies. After that study, much of the other data that showed a benefit was set aside, and women were advised to avoid hormone replacement therapy - a recommendation that Hodis says was unnecessary.
One problem with ruling out estrogen for everyone based on the WHI study, as some doctors have done, is that the findings aren't the same for women of different ages and risk groups.
“To get a cardiovascular benefit, it appears that hormone therapy may need to be started within six years of menopause, and continued for 10 or more years, a theory that we are currently studying,” Hodis says. “So women who have recently experienced menopause and starting taking estrogen right away may derive the most benefit.”
Other trials of an estrogen-progestin combination therapy, including a WHI trial, have found that it reduces the risk of developing diabetes by up to 30 percent. It remains to be seen if estrogen alone has this same benefit, he says.
Hodis is among those participating in the effort to clarify the benefits of hormones. He is leading the National Institutes of Health funded trial of estrogen called ELITE (Early vs. Late Intervention Trial of Estradiol) to see how effective it is in slowing the hardening of arteries, the earliest stage of heart disease, in healthy post-menopausal women. He is hoping to determine whether the benefit depends on how soon after menopause women begin taking the hormones.
University of Southern California
1975 Zonal Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90033
http://www.usc.edu |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 2:53 AM |
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| Thursday, February 16, 2006 |
| Vitamins C and E May Help Lower Smokers' Cancer Risk |
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Vitamin C supplements can help halt the serious depletion of vitamin E in smokers and possibly help prevent cancer, U.S. researchers report.
The study led by investigators at Oregon State University is the first to demonstrate this type of interaction between the two antioxidants in humans. They researchers say the findings also suggest a possible mechanism by which smoking causes cancer.
Reporting in the Feb. 15 issue of Free Radical Biology and Medicine, the study researchers found that giving smokers 1,000 milligrams per day of vitamin C could reduce by up to 45 percent the rate of disappearance of one form of vitamin E. Vitamin C supplements also helped protect the function and plasma levels of vitamin E, the study authors found. Smokers who took vitamin C supplements had nearly the same amount of antioxidant protection as non-smokers.
Vitamin E is one of the lungs' first lines of defense against cigarette smoke, which creates destructive free radicals. Adequate levels of vitamin E can help prevent destruction of lung membranes. But, through this protective process, vitamin E itself can become a destructive radical, the scientists said.
This study found that sufficient levels of vitamin C help vitamin E return to non-radical form and continue to protect the lungs.
"What this clearly shows is that to perform their vital roles, vitamins C and E work together," Maret Traber, professor of nutrition, said in a prepared statement. "They have a synergistic effect that will not be gained just by intake of one or the other, and adequate levels of these nutrients is especially important for people who smoke."
"A lot of nutrition research in the past has been done by studying one nutrient or another in isolation, sometimes with conflicting results," Traber noted.
"What this and other studies like it are showing is that the protection we get from proper diet or supplements often comes from combinations of nutrients working together. This has implications not only for smokers but also for many other people."
The findings come on the heels of a study published Tuesday in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute that found that vitamin E supplements appeared to cut the risk of prostate cancer for men who smoke -- but not for non-smokers.
-- Robert Preidt
SOURCE: Oregon State University, news release, Feb. 15, 2006 |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 11:55 AM |
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| Red Grapefruit Appears To Lower Cholesterol, Fight Heart Disease |
A grapefruit a day - particularly the red variety - can help keep heart disease at bay, according to a new study by Israeli researchers. In a controlled study group of patients with heart disease, the scientists found that feeding some patients the equivalent of one grapefruit daily significantly reduced levels of cholesterol in comparison to patients that did not eat grapefruit. Chronic high blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease.
The study, which strengthens a growing body of evidence supporting the heart-healthy benefits of eating citrus fruit, was published Feb. 3 on the website of the American Chemical Society's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry . The findings come at an appropriate time: The month of February has been designated as American Heart Month and heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States. The study will appear in the journal's March 22 print issue.
The study included 57 patients, both men and women, with hyperlipidemia (high blood cholesterol) who recently had coronary bypass surgery and whose high lipid levels failed to respond significantly to statin drugs. Statins are commonly prescribed to lower cholesterol, according to study leader Shela Gorinstein, Ph.D., a chief scientist at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The patients, equally divided into three treatment groups, were given either a single serving of fresh red grapefruit, white (blond) grapefruit or no grapefruit, along with regular, balanced meals for 30 consecutive days. Israeli Jaffa red and white grapefruit varieties, which are available in the U.S., were used in this study.
The patients who received either red or white grapefruit showed significant decreases in blood lipid levels, whereas the patients that did not eat grapefruit showed no changes in lipid levels, according to the researchers. Red grapefruit was more effective than white in lowering lipids, particularly blood triglycerides, a type of cholesterol whose elevated levels are often associated with heart problems, the researchers say.
It is likely that antioxidants in the grapefruits are responsible for their health benefits, says Gorinstein, adding that the red variety generally has higher antioxidants than the white. But it's also possible that red grapefruit may contain unknown chemicals that are responsible for the observed triglyceride-lowering effect, she says. Additional studies are planned.
Both the fresh fruit and the juice are believed to be equally beneficial, Gorinstein and her associates say. One cup of fresh grapefruit is roughly equivalent to half a cup of juice.
Grapefruit is known to interact with certain medications -sometimes adversely - so the researchers caution people on prescription medication to consult with their doctor or pharmacist to determine whether their medicine will interact before consuming grapefruit products. Appropriate exercise, well-balanced nutrition and avoidance of tobacco also are important factors in reducing the risk of heart disease, health experts say.
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The American Chemical Society - the world's largest scientific society - is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.
Contact: Michael Bernstein
m_bernstein@acs.org
American Chemical Society |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 4:29 AM |
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| Wednesday, February 15, 2006 |
| Anti-obesity Drug Helps Weight Loss, Problem Is People's Staying Power |
An anti-obesity drug, Acomplia (rimonabant) showed promise in a two year study. However, researchers at New York's Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons said there was a very high drop-out rate.
The researchers said further study is needed to monitor the drug's long term effects.
Rimonabant belongs to Sanofi-Aventis S.A., they also funded the study. An approval decision on Rimonabant should be made soon by the FDA (USA). Many say it could become a blockbuster (big seller).
You can read about this study in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association).
The study involved over 3,000 patients. According to the report, Acomplia, combined with diet and exercise promotes modest but sustained reductions in weight and waist circumference. It also brings about improvements in cholesterol and triglyceride levels - apparently, twice that expected from weight loss alone.
After one year, 48% of the participants experienced a minimum weight loss of 5%. The amount of weight lost correlated with the dosage of the drug.
Acomplia (rimonabant) blocks canabinoid receptors which stimulate eating. That is why many people are hungry after consuming marijuana. The canabinoid receptors can be found in the brain and other body tissues.
There was a higher incidence of psychiatric disorders among the rimonabant users when compared to those who were on placebos.
The number of obese and overweight people is increasing dramatically all over the world. The USA was the first country to notice its people were getting fatter and fatter, then Canada, Australia and Western Europe, and now the rest of the world. Nutritionists and health experts say the main reason is diet and physical inactivity.
Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 11:52 AM |
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| Monday, February 13, 2006 |
| Overweight Women Risk Problem Pregnancies |
By Kathleen Doheny
HealthDay Reporter, HealthDay News
With one-third of American women heavy enough to be termed obese, and many others at a weight deemed unhealthy, it's no surprise doctors are becoming more concerned about women who are too heavy before they get pregnant.
The reason: They -- and their babies -- are at higher risk for health problems.
So last August, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists issued an opinion on obesity during pregnancy, cautioning women and doctors about the risk that obesity poses to pregnant women and their babies.
For women who are obese before becoming pregnant, there is a heightened risk of miscarriage, blood-pressure problems, pregnancy-related diabetes and, perhaps, a greater need for Caesarean-section delivery, said Dr. Laura Riley, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and former chairwoman of ACOG's obstetric practice committee.
"There's also a higher risk of the baby being overweight," she said, adding that a baby of about 10 pounds at birth is deemed overweight. Babies of heavy mothers are at greater risk of stillbirth, prematurity, neural tube defects and higher rates of childhood obesity, according to ACOG.
Women who aren't obese but are heavy -- with a body mass index (a ratio of weight to height) of between 25 and 30 -- are also at increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and a C-section if they gain too much weight during pregnancy, Riley said. A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal; a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight; a BMI higher than 30 is deemed obese.
Ideally, "women should get down to their ideal body weight before they get pregnant," Riley said. "But it is not always easy." And not always feasible. "If you are 41, do you want to wait a year to lose the weight? Probably not," she added.
"But if you could get to your ideal body weight, that is what you should do," Riley said. "At the very least, you should see a nutritionist and figure out how you can minimize your weight gain" during pregnancy.
According to the ACOG recommendations, women of normal weight before pregnancy should gain 25 to 35 pounds while expecting; overweight women 15 to 25 pounds; and obese women, 15 pounds.
Netty Levine, a registered dietitian at the Nutrition Counseling Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, often works with pregnant women who are heavy. She cautions them not to diet, which is not recommended during pregnancy, but to focus on making "lifestyle changes for you and your future family."
For instance, Levine recommends that overweight women sit down and complete a food diary of what they eat for several days. Then she evaluates that record to see if the women are getting enough protein and calcium, and if they are eating too much fat or sugar. She also looks to see if portion sizes are too large -- one of the most common weight-control mistakes.
"This is no time to lose weight," Levine tells women who were too heavy when they got pregnant. "But you can keep it to a minimum." For obese women, that means 15 pounds or so.
For women who are heavy and hoping to get pregnant, Levine agreed with Riley -- the best idea is to slim down first. That might not require drastic changes, she tells women. Make small changes. "Get off those smoothies, drink more water. If you like waffles, top them with strawberries, just pass on the butter and syrup," she said.
Levine evaluates a woman's entire day -- and lifestyle -- and decides where the problem spots are when it comes to overeating. "Some people eat healthfully at home but have a business lunch every day. Or they eat healthfully at work and get home at night and overeat." Zeroing in on the trouble spots can help women fix the problem, she said.
SOURCES: Laura Riley, M.D., obstetrician-gynecologist, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; Netty Levine, M.S., R.D. certified diabetes educator, clinical dietitian at the Nutrition Counseling Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 5:46 AM |
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| Sunday, February 12, 2006 |
| Periodontitis Is Associated With Pregnancy Complications |
Results of a new study support the hypothesis that chronic periodontal infection increases the risk of developing preeclampsia in pregnant women. This study printed in February's issue of the Journal of Periodontology. The results also suggest that maternal chronic periodontal disease is a risk factor for low birthweight babies among preeclamptic mothers compared to those women who did not have preeclampsia.
"We found that chronic periodontitis was more prevalent in the preeclamptic group by almost 64 percent than the non-preeclamptic group at 36 percent," said Dr. Adolfo Contreras from the School of Dentistry, University of Valle, Cali-Columbia. "Women in the preeclamptic group had more clinical attachment loss than the healthy women group. Moreover, mothers having preeclampsia showed greater periodontal destruction."
Researchers also found that chronic periodontal disease and the presence of the microorganisms, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.gingivalis); Tannerella forsythia (T. forsythia); and Eikenella corrodens (E.corrodens) were significantly associated with preeclampsia in pregnant women.
This might mean that periodontal bacterium could find its way into the bloodstream in patients with periodontal disease. "P. gingivalis has not only been found in the blood circulation but also in atherosclerotic plaques, which has been linked to periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease," explains Contreras.
"The results of this study provide additional evidence that periodontal infection is linked to preeclampsia; however, further research is needed to support a causal association and its clinical implications," said Kenneth A. Krebs, DMD and AAP president. "Pregnancy-associated gingivitis is a preventable and easy to treat disease. It is still not known what is the precise mechanisms involved are in the association between periodontal infections and preterm birth. To date, no harmful damaging effect caused by periodontal intervention in pregnant women has been reported."
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Background Information The study included 130 preeclamptic and 243 non-preeclamptic women between 26 to 36 weeks of pregnancy. A clinical record regarding personal information, marital status, race, education level, number of pregnancies and medical examination was completed for all patients. Preeclampsia was defined as high protein levels in urine (2+ proteinuria), confirmed by at least 0.3 g proteinuria/24 hours and hypertension. Clinical measures of periodontal health were determined in all subjects, including sulcus/probing depth (PD), gingival recession, and periodontal clinical attachment loss (CAL).
The American Academy of Periodontology is an 8,000-member association of dental professionals specializing in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the gums and supporting structures of the teeth and in the placement and maintenance of dental implants. Periodontics is one of nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association.
Contact Information:
Amy Duff
The American Academy of Periodontology
http://www.perio.org/ |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 3:44 AM |
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| Saturday, February 11, 2006 |
| Girls Try Drugs, Alcohol at Higher Rates |
By KAREN MATTHEWS, Associated Press Writer
Even as teen drug use is declining overall, a new government analysis shows that teenage girls are trying marijuana, alcohol and cigarettes at higher rates than boys — a reversal of past trends that is causing alarm among experts.
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health, released by John Walters, the national drug policy director, indicates 1.5 million girls ages 12 to 17 started drinking alcohol in 2004, the most recent year for which data is available. That compares with 1.28 million boys
"This is the first time that we've recorded this kind of relationship between boys' and girls' drug use," Walters said at a news conference Thursday. "In the past, boys have had higher rates of use — and significantly higher rates of use at certain times in the past."
Among the same age group, 730,000 girls started smoking cigarettes in 2004, compared with 565,000 boys, and 675,000 girls starting using marijuana, compared with 577,000 boys, the survey found.
The nationwide survey, based on interviews with 70,000 families, also found that girls surpassed boys in abusing prescription drugs. Of the youths surveyed in 2004, 14.4 percent of girls and 12.5 percent of boys reported misusing prescription drugs.
Overall illicit drug use among youths 12 to 17 has declined 19 percent since 2001, according to the survey.
"In order to drive it down further, we have to deal with today's substance abuse reality, and today's reality is, girls have been using at higher rates than boys in critical areas," Walters said.
Experts who joined Walters at the news conference said girls' use of drugs, alcohol and cigarettes is particularly alarming because girls are more vulnerable to their effects.
"Boys and girls react to drugs differently," said Dr. Warren Seigel, past president of the New York state chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Seigel said research has shown that girls may become addicted to nicotine faster than boys and even moderate drinking can disrupt their growth and the development of their reproductive systems.
"It's imperative that parents understand that these differences exist, and understand the differences between girls and boys, because it requires some different parenting skills," he said.
Dr. Ralph Lopez, an associate professor at Cornell University's Weill Medical College and the author of "The Teen Health Book: A Parents' Guide to Adolescent Health and Well-Being," said teenage girls are at risk for drug and alcohol use because they feel pressure to succeed academically and also to look perfect.
"They have to be skinny and gorgeous," he said. "We don't do that to the boys."
www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 6:41 AM |
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| Thursday, February 09, 2006 |
| Prescription Painkillers Effective In Patients With Dormant Inflammatory Bowel Disease |
Bethesda, Maryland (Feb. 2, 2006) - According to two studies published today in the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, prescription painkillers are effective in easing the pain of patients with dormant inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and are not likely to cause symptom flare-ups in IBD patients in remissions. Both studies examined the benefits of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including COX-2 inhibitors, in a patient population with ulcerative colitis and/or Crohn's disease. Study findings show that NSAIDs were well-tolerated, with COX-2 inhibitors offering the most effective pain relief in this group.
"In the past, physicians have considered ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease as contraindications for prescribing NSAIDs. These studies represent an important advance for patients with inflammatory bowel disease and their gastroenterologists searching for safe medications to help with pain relief," said Joshua R. Korzenik, MD, author of an accompanying editorial from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. "Patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease can now use COX-2 inhibitors for brief periods of time to relieve pain with the assurance that they are not risking a flare-up of their disease symptoms."
COX-2 Inhibitors Effective in Providing Pain Relief and Avoiding Relapse of IBD
(Prevalence and Mechanism of NSAID-Induced Clinical Relapse in Patients with IBD, Takeuchi et al.) Patients with IBD often need anti-inflammatory painkillers for peripheral arthritis, back pain, fractures and osteoarthritis. However, some researchers have argued that these painkillers have negative effects on IBD patients in remission. According to a study in this month's issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, patients with IBD who use NSAIDs tolerate the drugs well and less than one in three patients experiences a flare-up in symptoms. Furthermore, the study shows COX-2 inhibitors, previously thought to cause symptom recurrence in IBD patients, significantly reduce the likelihood of disease relapse.
To date, this is the most comprehensive study to address the effects of NSAIDs on disease activity in patients with IBD.
"Our findings suggest that patients with 'silent' inflammatory bowel disease requiring anti-inflammatory drugs tolerate NSAIDs very well, despite the minimal risk for disease relapse," said Ingvar Bjarnason, MD, study author. "If a patient with IBD requires an NSAID for pain relief then these drugs should not be withheld on the belief that they will cause worsening of disease symptoms."
Researchers from Guy's, Kings and St. Thomas' Medical School in London conducted a study that involved 209 patients with inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease) between the ages of 20 and 70 years old who were in full clinical remission for six weeks prior to the start of the study. Patients were given several painkillers, including acetaminophen, naproxen and a COX-2 inhibitor nimesulide for four weeks to determine rate of relapse. This study shows that NSAIDs cause clinical relapse within a few days of ingestion in only 17 to 28 percent of asymptomatic patients with IBD while drugs that were selective for COX-1 and COX-2 were not associated with relapse.
Celecoxib Provides Short-Term Pain Relief to Patients with Ulcerative Colitis in Remission (Safety of Celecoxib in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis in Remission: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study, Sandborn et al.) Another study published in this month's Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology addresses the gastrointestinal safety of COX-2 inhibitors in providing pain relief without relapse in IBD patients in remission. Therapy with celecoxib (Celebrex), a COX-2 inhibitor, for up to 14 days did not have a greater relapse rate than placebo in patients with ulcerative colitis in remission with a history of arthritis, arthralgia or other conditions causing them to need pain relievers.
"Previous uncontrolled pilot studies have shown a potential association between COX-2 inhibitors and clinical relapse in patients with ulcerative colitis," said William J. Sandborn, MD, lead study author. "However, the findings of our placebo-controlled study represent the first concrete evidence that short-term therapy with celecoxib does not lead to increased disease relapse in these patients. Additional studies should be conducted in other inflammatory bowel disease patient populations to determine if this class of drugs would be equally as beneficial to the patients."
This multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial was conducted by researchers from the Mayo Clinic at 34 centers in the United States, Argentina, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Russia, Turkey and Sweden between August 2001 and March 2004. The study included 222 patients with ulcerative colitis in remission who were randomized to receive celecoxib (200 mg) or placebo twice daily for 14 days. While these researchers are optimistic about the benefit provided to these patients, they advise physicians to heed the recent findings that COX-2 inhibitors can increase the risk of cardiovascular toxicity.
"While these findings show promise for short-term pain relief in IBD patients in remission, further studies need to be conducted to determine the efficacy for longer durations, in patients with active disease or those already being treated with steroids," said Dr. Korzenik.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a term that refers to both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. According to the most recent data from the National Health Interview Survey, there are more than two million prevalent cases of Crohn's disease and more than one million cases of ulcerative colitis in the U.S. Ulcerative colitis, a condition in which the lining of the large intestine becomes inflamed and ulcerated, most commonly affects people between 15 and 40 years of age. Common symptoms include abdominal cramps, bloody diarrhea, fever, weight loss and rectal bleeding. People with chronic, severe ulcerative colitis are at an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer. Crohn's disease causes chronic inflammation of the intestinal wall. While the cause of Crohn's is relatively unknown, it usually starts during the teenage years or early adulthood and is characterized by pain in the abdomen, diarrhea and weight loss.
More information on inflammatory bowel disease is available at www.gastro.org.
About the AGA
The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) is dedicated to the mission of advancing the science and practice of gastroenterology. Founded in 1897, the AGA is the oldest medical-specialty society in the United States. Comprised of two non-profit organizations--the AGA and the AGA Institute--our more than 14,500 members include physicians and scientists who research, diagnose and treat disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and liver. The AGA, a 501(c6) organization, administers all membership and public policy activities, while the AGA Institute, a 501(c3) organization, runs the organization's practice, research and educational programs. On a monthly basis, the AGA Institute publishes two highly respected journals, Gastroenterology and Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. The organization's annual meeting is Digestive Disease Week®, which is held each May and is the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery.
About Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology
The mission of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology is to provide readers with a broad spectrum of themes in clinical gastroenterology and hepatology. This monthly peer-reviewed journal includes original articles as well as scholarly reviews, with the goal that all articles published will be immediately relevant to the practice of gastroenterology and hepatology. For more information, visit www.cghjournal.org.
Contact: Kimberly Wise
media@gastro.org
American Gastroenterological Association |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 4:25 AM |
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| Wednesday, February 08, 2006 |
| Most Doctors Mishandling Teen Drug Tests |
TUESDAY, Feb. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Urine tests aimed at detecting teen drug abuse are more widely used than ever before, but a new study suggests most doctors don't have enough training to ensure test results are correct and unadulterated.
According to experts, a properly collected urine sample includes: making sure those being tested provide identification; having patients empty their pockets and use the bathroom without running water; checking the sample immediately for proper temperature; and placing blue dye in any standing water. Also, a staff member should directly observe the patient as they provide the sample, or at least be present inside the bathroom.
But when researchers at Harvard Medical School and Children's Hospital in Boston surveyed of 360 primary-care doctors, they found that most reported failed to use these techniques when collecting urine samples from kids aged 12 to 18. Many were also unaware of the tests' limitations.
"This study shows that although most primary-care physicians order urine drug tests, most do not use recommended procedures for urine test collection, validation and confirmation and lack the knowledge needed to correctly interpret positive and negative results," the study authors wrote in the February issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
The study found that only 23 percent of doctors used an effective method of collecting urine samples and only 10 percent knew that nitrous oxide, ecstasy and oxycodone could not be detected in standard urine tests. Sixty-one percent of the doctors gave the incorrect answer or said "don't know" when asked if secondhand exposure to marijuana smoke would bring about a positive result on a urine drug test.
"Physicians and parents may be falsely reassured that their child is not using a particular drug when the child never underwent proper testing for it," the Boson team conclude. On the other hand, "misinterpretation of a false-positive finding can put adolescents at risk for false accusation of substance use and diminished trust from parents, school personnel and counselors."
More information
The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more about urine drug screening. |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 6:24 AM |
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| Tuesday, February 07, 2006 |
| Low Fat Diet Does Not Protect From Cancer - It Is Quality, Not Quantity, Isn't It? |
Researchers found that women who ate less fat did not have a lower risk of developing cancer or heart disease after eight years. Health experts say this study could encourage people to go hell bent on eating whatever they liked.
Cutting down on all fats is not what most nutritionists would advise people to do anyway, said one health expert to Medical News Today. ‘There are good fats and bad fats - there are saturated fats, transfats and the good fats you can get from nuts, olive oil and sardines. Cutting down on all types of fats seems to be nutritionally stupid.'
In this study 20,000 women, aged 50-79 were told to cut down on their intake of dietary fat - all fats. They had to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, plus six servings of grains. They were monitored for eight years.
The researchers found that the 20,000 women who cut down on fats for eight years were not at a significantly lower risk of developing cancer or heart disease when compared to another group of 20,000 women who did not cut down on fats.
Both groups of women had identical levels of good cholesterol, the low fat diet women had ever so very slightly lower levels of bad cholesterol.
Another health expert wrote in to Medical News Today and said:
‘If you just reduce fats, all fats, then sugars start making up a larger part of the diet. Sugars have an effect on insulin levels, over the long term how effective your insulin is can change for the worse. Just reducing fats seems to be a pointless study.”
“Why not compare good fats, plus fruit and vegetables in one group of people, with bad fats and no fruit and vegetables in another group, and if you like have a third group that just cuts down on all fats. You could even go one step further and have a proper study - have another group that consumes good fats, fruit and vegetable and does regular exercise.”
“This study has no meaning at all because all fats, even the ones we need for good health, were reduced. It is like having a car with a driver who likes to drive with his eyes closed. We are comparing accident rates with one type of car oil against another type of car oil, but in both studies the driver has his eyes closed. The researchers then conclude that both types of car oils have similar accident rates. The study would tell us nothing (except that perhaps the driver should open his eyes).
Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 7:19 AM |
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| Stress And Obesity Triggering Early Puberty In Girls |
One of the reasons girls may be reaching puberty earlier could be stress - plus unhealthy lifestyle and unstable family environment, say researchers from Bristol, UK.
Girls in the UK are reaching puberty one and a half years before their mothers did and two years before their grandmothers did. Onset of puberty in the UK now starts when a girl is ten years and three months old. It seems that this trend (puberty starting earlier) is still advancing.
The researchers found that over 15% of girls are reaching puberty before they are eight years old.
There may be a link between the production of leptin and early puberty, say experts. Leptin is produced by fat tissue. As girls in the UK are heavier than they used to be, they are also carrying more fat - this means they are producing more leptin.
The study focussed on families where the girl is aged 16-20, mother 40-50 and grandmother 65-75.
Dr. Sigman and his team found that girls eat more sweets (candy) and junk foods than her mothers or grandmothers. They also found that girls today eat much less fruit and vegetables than their predecessors. Girls today are less physically active.
Dr. Sigman said that physical inactivity plus poor diet was creating a population of fat girls.
Stress Linked to Early Puberty
The researchers also found that a stressful home-life made it more likely that a girl would experience early puberty. It seems that girls who live with a stepfather are more likely to enter puberty earlier than girls who live with their biological fathers.
Early puberty comes with many risks
The researchers found that girls who entered puberty earlier were less able to control impulses. Even though the body has matured early, the brain has not. This may explain the rise in early teenage pregnancies in the UK.
Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 6:16 AM |
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| Monday, February 06, 2006 |
| Medical Research Must Put Public Interests Before Commercial Decisions, Warns UK Faculty |
Doctors employed by pharmaceutical companies must always put the best interests of patients before their medical research, even if it brings them into conflict with their employers, according to new practical advice from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine published in the February issue of IJCP.
The Ethical Issues Committee of the Faculty - part of the UK's Royal Colleges of Physicians - has also endorsed the move towards registering all clinical trials before studies are initiated and called for all results to be reported. “Sometimes doctors working in clinical research find themselves facing difficult ethical dilemmas, especially if the company they work for decides not to publish negative research findings” says Committee Member Dr Ken Paterson from the Department of Clinical Pharmacology at Glasgow's Royal Infirmary.
“These situations place a heavy burden on individuals and our practical advice aims to give them external backing when they need to take a stand.”
The Faculty's paper provides practical day-to-day advice for doctors working in pharmaceutical research, based on the organisation's recently developed guiding ethical principles, which appear in the same issue of IJCP.
This advice stresses that publication of any results should be agreed between the sponsor and the researcher before the clinical trial starts.
“Sponsors have an ethical responsibility to publish or make available negative research findings which may affect prescribing practices, especially if the medication is already on the market” says co-author and Committee Chair Dr Roger Bickerstaffe, Global Vice President for Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Luxembourg. “The advent of the Internet means that pharmaceutical companies now have a vehicle for publicising their own results to a mass audience, so there is no excuse for withholding negative results.
“Medical practitioners working in pharmaceutical medicine are bound by the same ethical standards which apply to all doctors, regardless of whether they are working for a company, regulatory body or academic institution” he adds. “Our guidance clearly places the doctor's responsibility to patients and society ahead of their allegiance to an individual employer.”
The aim of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine, which was established in 1989, is:
“To advance the science and practice of pharmaceutical medicine by working to develop and maintain competence, ethics and integrity and the highest professional standards in the specialty for the benefit of the public.”
“Both we and the Faculty hope that the material published in IJCP will provide support and advice for physicians and other professionals working in pharmaceutical medicine and that it will stimulate wider discussion and debate on the key issues” says Chris Graf, Publisher of IJCP, the International Journal of Clinical Practice.
-- Ethics and pharmaceutical medicine - the full report of the Ethical Issues Committee of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK. Bickerstaffe et al. IJCP, the International Journal of Clinical Practice Volume 60.2, pages 242-252. (February 2005)
-- Guiding principles for pharmaceutical physicians from the Ethical Issues Committee of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK. Bickerstaffe et al. IJCP, the International Journal of Clinical Practice Volume 60.2, pages 238-241. (February 2005)
-- IJCP, the International Journal of Clinical Practice was established in 1946 and is edited by Dr Graham Jackson from Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK. It provides its global audience of clinicians with high-calibre clinical papers, including original data from clinical investigations, evidence-based analysis and discussions on the latest clinical topics. The journal is published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd, part of the international Blackwell Publishing group.
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine
1 St Andrews Place
Regent's Park
London NW1 4LB
UK
http://fpm.org.uk |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 4:13 AM |
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| Sunday, February 05, 2006 |
| Obese Women Suffer More Pregnancy Complications |
Compared to normal-weight women, overweight and obese women suffer more pregnancy complications and their babies have more medical problems at birth, according to a position paper of the Public Affairs Committee of the Teratology Society. The position paper published online February 3, 2006 in Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology, and is available via Wiley InterScience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/bdr).
Obesity afflicts men and women of all ages across the United States and it is on the rise. Among women aged 20 to 39, more than half are overweight and nearly a third are obese, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Obese women face increased risk of infertility and problems during pregnancy, including hypertension, gestational diabetes and thromboembolic events and are more likely to need a cesarean section. One French study found that overweight women had higher prenatal medical costs, and spent more time in the hospital recovering from childbirth.
In addition, the babies of obese mothers are more likely to be admitted to neonatal intensive care units. They also have a higher incidence of neural tube defects. "The literature suggests that compared to normal weight women, women whose body mass index (BMI) is greater than or equal to 30 have approximately double the risk of having an affected child," according to the Public Affairs Committee. The increased risk cannot be explained by folic acid intake, or by maternal diabetes.
The relationship between obesity and other birth defects remains unclear, according to the paper, because limited data is available, though some studies suggest a correlation.
"The Public Affairs Committee views obesity as a pregnancy risk factor and supports the public health initiatives identified by the FDA and the research initiatives identified by the NIH," the Committee writes. The national agencies are addressing the problem of obesity and acknowledging pregnancy as an important subject of further study.
The paper suggests that weight reduction efforts should be made well before conception is attempted, and dieters should avoid pregnancy. "Adequate nutrition is important for pregnant women and women planning pregnancy," the paper says. The committee recommends that clinicians counsel pregnant women about appropriate caloric intake and exercise.
While weight reduction surgery can improve the health and also the fertility of overweight women, the committee does not make a recommendation regarding surgery. They note that some recent reports have shown that women with gastric banding can have normal pregnancies and better pregnancy outcomes than obese women who do not have the surgery.
"Because some weight loss procedures can result in nutritional deficiencies, it appears reasonable to recommend that pregnancy be delayed until surgery-related weight loss has stabilized," writes the Committee.
Lastly, the paper recommends that all parents be educated about appropriate childhood nutrition, including the value of breastfeeding, which has been shown to have a protective effect against childhood obesity. "Prevention of childhood obesity is expected to be important in the prevention of obesity during the reproductive years," the paper concludes.
Article: "Maternal Obesity and Pregnancy," by the Public Affairs Committee of the Teratology Society, Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology; Published Online: February 3, 2006 (DOI: 10.1002/bdra.20236).
Contact: David Greenberg
dgreenbe@wiley.com
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 11:12 AM |
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| Friday, February 03, 2006 |
| Chinese men spurn traditional virility medicines |
Chinese men are selectively switching from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to Viagra to treat erectile dysfunction, but sticking with tradition for ailments such as arthritis, indigestion and gout, according to new research published in Environmental Conservation.
The finding supports a prediction made by Australian and Alaskan researchers at the advent of Viagra's commercial release in 1998 that the new impotence drug might reduce demand for several animal species that are over-harvested to treat impotence with TCMs.
Animals such as seals, sea horses and tigers have long been hunted because practitioners of TCM use their body parts for their presumed healing and virility qualities.
The researchers surveyed 256 Chinese men, aged 50 to 76, who sought treatment at a large TCM clinic in Hong Kong. The men were questioned about their previous and current use of TCM and Western treatments for arthritis, indigestion, gout and impotence.
The study's lead authors are Dr Bill von Hippel, a psychologist from the University of New South Wales (Sydney, Australia), and his brother, Dr Frank von Hippel, a biologist from the University of Alaska, Anchorage. The von Hippels cite three key findings from the research.
"First, significantly more men had formerly used a TCM treatment for impotence than were current users," says Bill von Hippel.
"Second, they were significantly more likely to be using a Western treatment for impotence than a TCM treatment.
"Finally, among men who formerly used either Western or TCM treatments for impotence, they were more likely to switch from a TCM treatment to a Western drug than vice versa. In fact, nobody had switched from a Western drug to a TCM treatment for impotence.
"This was in contrast to their behaviour with the other three ailments - arthritis, indigestion and gout, where the men were more likely to be current users of a TCM treatment than a Western treatment."
These findings stand in contrast to prior research suggesting a mistrust of Western medicine in Asian markets.
"When we proposed that Viagra might make inroads into TCM treatments for impotence, conservationists told us we were naïve and that TCM consumers were unwilling to use a product outside their own medical tradition," says Bill von Hippel. "For example, there is still strong demand for tiger bone among TCM apothecaries who use it in the treatment of pain relief, despite the widespread availability of aspirin.
"But the failure to achieve an erection isn't comparable to having a headache or the many other ailments for which consumers still prefer TCM treatments. Furthermore, Viagra differs from many other Western drugs, in that the effects are rapid and visible to the naked eye.
"The fact is that prior to the commercial availability of Viagra in 1998, no product in any medical tradition had been proven to be an effective and non-intrusive treatment of erectile dysfunction. So despite their history of using traditional medicines and their alleged suspicions of Western medicine, the men we interviewed chose the product that works best."
These findings are consistent with previous research by the von Hippels showing evidence of a post-Viagra decline during the 1990s in the harvesting of three species used in TCM impotence treatments.
The pair attributed some of this decline to Viagra, despite scepticism among many academics and wildlife experts.
In 2002, the global market for TCM products and treatments was valued at more than $20 billion, according to the Chinese firm Shenzhen Matrix Information Consulting.
About Bill Von Hippel:
Bill von Hippel, PhD, is associate professor in the school of psychology at the University of New South Wales (Sydney, Australia). His research interests include prejudice and stereotyping, social-cognitive ageing, and evolutionary psychology.
psy.unsw.edu.au/Users/BHippel
The research was assisted by research grants from Pfizer Inc.
Dan Gaffney
dreaming@bigpond.net.au
61-411-156-015
University of New South Wales
unsw.edu.au |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 6:50 AM |
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| Wednesday, February 01, 2006 |
| Celexa Not Associated With Increased Risk Of Birth Defects, Study Says |
Pregnant women who take the antidepressant citalopram, known by the brand name of Celexa, during pregnancy do not increase their risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including birth defects and neonatal complications, according to a Canadian study published in the December issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reuters UK reports (Reuters UK, 12/16). Anna Sivojelezova and colleagues from the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and the University of Toronto evaluated three groups of 132 pregnant women who contacted Motherisk, a teratogen information center in Toronto, with questions about the safety of citalopram use during pregnancy. One hundred and twenty-five women took citalopram during at least the first trimester, and 71 women continued taking the drug throughout pregnancy. The researchers reported that 114 women had live births, 14 miscarried, two underwent abortions, and two experienced stillbirths. Of the 108 live-birth infants whose mothers were exposed to citalopram in the first trimester, one male infant was born with a "major" birth defect. Fetal survival rates, average birthweights and gestational periods were statistically consistent among the three groups (Sivojelezova et al., AJOG, 12/19). The researchers reported no additional birth defect risk for women who took citalopram in the third trimester. However, the risk of admission to the neonatal intensive care unit increased fourfold for infants exposed to the drug in the third trimester compared with those who were not exposed. Researchers said this increase might be because of the late exposure to the drug, but more research needs to be done to prove this theory. The authors wrote, "In summary, our findings do not support an association between citalopram [and] any major teratogenic risk in humans" (Reuters UK, 12/16).
"Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved. |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 8:06 AM |
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| New Drugs Bring Health, But at What Price? |
By E.J. Mundell
HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Jan. 27 (HealthDay News) -- The latest wonder drugs are helping keep cholesterol numbers low, mood high, pain at bay and sexual prowess strong, among other things.
But with the prescription drug costs reported to be rising at twice the rate of inflation, many Americans are feeling the pain in their pocketbooks, instead.
"These drugs do help a lot of people -- that's why it's such a shame that they are so expensive and out of reach for so many," said Dee Mahan, deputy director of health policy at Families USA, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., that has long lobbied for lower drug prices.
"Prices are much lower in other countries," Mahan said. "You can't help but feel as an American that you're getting gouged with the prices here."
But Jeff Trewhitt, a spokesman for the industry group Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), begged to differ.
"The critics have done a good job of distorting the cost record," he said. "The fact is, prescription drugs (including generics) account for about 11 percent of each health-care dollar, with hospitals, doctors, surgeries, the cost of medical equipment and other expenses accounting for the remaining 89 cents."
Furthermore, Trewhitt said, the disease-management powers of many of these drugs -- such as cholesterol-lowering statins or antidepressant SSRIs -- are actually saving the health-care system (and consumers) "billions of dollars" as they prevent expensive, acute care such as hospitalizations and surgery.
"For example, the average cost of an anti-ulcer drug is about $900 a year," Trewhitt said. "When a patient takes the medicine and [thereby] avoids the surgery, he avoids paying an average of $28,000 for the operation. The average cost of a heart disease drug is $1,200 a year, compared to an average of about $42,000 for coronary artery bypass surgery."
Mahan said she doesn't dispute either of Trewhitt's points, although she believes the share of prescription drugs in health-care spending is "a little higher" than the 11 percent he cited.
She agreed that many expensive new medications are saving lives and keeping users from having to undergo even costlier interventions.
"But that's exactly why we think it's incredibly important that people be able to afford these products," Mahan said. "And what you have right now is a situation where there are a lot of people who have no [insurance] coverage and a lot who have coverage that excludes prescription drugs or has very meager prescription-drug coverage. So the cost of these products hits people very hard."
Some facts: According to AARP's latest "Rx Watchdog Report," issued in August, prices for 195 of the most popular brand-name medications rose by 6.6 percent between the spring of 2004 and the spring of 2005 -- more than double the 3 percent annual rate of inflation.
Overall, AARP estimates that the typical older American taking three prescription medications now spends an average $866 more per year for his or her drugs than five years ago.
At the time of the report's release, PhRMA's senior vice president Ken Johnson said in a statement that the AARP used "fuzzy math in reaching its flawed conclusions."
According to Trewhitt, "Today's pharmaceutical price increases, which are at near decade-low levels, are in line with those of other health-care services, which aren't as cost-effective."
He believes the real problem lies in the growing ranks of America's uninsured.
"Today, about 45 million Americans lack adequate insurance or any insurance," Trewhitt said. "They often pay cash on the barrelhead for medicines at retail pharmacies and they don't have anyone negotiating good discounts on their behalf."
Again, Mahan agreed -- and disagreed. "We certainly do have too many people without coverage -- I'm not arguing with him on that one," she said. But she countered that health plans are cutting out prescription-drug coverage precisely because prices have soared so high.
Barring a voluntary price rollback from industry, her group is lobbying for some sort of federal price controls as occurs in Europe and Canada. And while industry representatives say such controls could hurt research and development, Mahan said she isn't buying it.
"We've looked at profits and spending patterns in pharmaceutical companies and what you see consistently is that R&D is well overshadowed by spending on marketing, advertising and administration," she said. "It's also well overshadowed by profits."
Price controls in the United States do seem only a remote possibility, however, and in the meantime both Trewhitt and Mahan advise consumers to shop carefully, using all the discount plans and comparison shopping at their disposal. There's also the much-anticipated Medicare drug benefit for those over 65, set to kick off in January.
Both sides agree that most of the highly popular, expensive prescription drugs are improving people's lives.
"I spend a lot of my time at my work trying to get policy changes that would help people access affordable drugs," Mahan said. "If I didn't think the drugs were good and worth it, I'd be doing something else."
SOURCES: Dee Mahan, deputy director, health policy, Families USA, Washington, D.C.; Jeff Trewhitt, spokesman, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, Washington, D.C.; Aug. 16, 2005, AARP report, Trends in Manufacturer Prices of Prescription Drugs Used by Older Americans -- First Quarter 2005 Update
Copyright © 2006 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved. |
| posted by Jennie Tate @ 4:08 AM |
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