Aug
01
2006

New Screening For Cardiovascular Disease

By | Health, Heart Disease, Nutrition

Checking out the patient’s heart disease risk factors used to be very basic. Lifestyle questions were one aspect: was the patient smoking? Did he have a lack of exercise? Did he have a risk of heart disease in the family? The patient’s diet was analyzed and the body weight was assessed. Cholesterol and triglyceride levels were the basic labs that provided more information. The risk factor assessment, as exemplified by criteria from the Framingham study, made a lot of sense.

In the meantime cardiologists are concerned that all these points are no longer sufficient in identifying individuals at risk for heart disease. Dr. Morteza Naghavi, president for the Association for the Eradication of Heart Attacks, is concerned that it is not only obesity and hypertension that bear the risk for heart attacks, but atherosclerosis. A lot of heart attacks occur in the low- and moderate risk groups. As far as he is concerned, every man aged 45-75 and every woman from 55-75 needs to be screened. We are better equipped to do something for people who have a high plaque burden (deposits in the blood vessels.) Statins are the medication of choice to help these patients.

Screening techniques have become less invasive, as imaging technology has made large progress in recent years. The condition of the carotid artery can be assessed by ultrasound (carotid intima-media thickness or CIMT). Coronary calcification score (CACS) can be measured by CT scanner. The tests are done in a few minutes, and the cost at the most is a few hundred dollars. A patient would only be screened every five years. Screening procedures work and save lives, as demonstrated in the screening for breast cancer. The SHAPE team (The Screening for Heart Attack Prevention and Education) has calculated that the screening cost is even better than breast cancer screening. There are other tests that improve the sensitivity of traditional criteria, like the blood test for C-reactive protein, but in assessing the patient’s risk, it does make sense to go to the source of disease. The striking color image that demonstrates the atherosclerotic burden will allow the patients to see the problem with their own eyes.

New Screening For Cardiovascular Disease

New Screening For Cardiovascular Disease

It may be a healing shock that has a beneficial effect on the compliance of patients. Test results of laboratory work are words, but here a picture is worth a thousand words when it comes to encourage the patient to actively work on prevention.

More information on heart attacks: http://nethealthbook.com/cardiovascular-disease/heart-disease/heart-attack-myocardial-infarction-or-mi/

Reference: National Review Of Medicine, July 30, 2006, page 7

Last edited November 1, 2014

Jul
01
2006

Avian Flu Threat Exaggerated

By | Health, Infectious Disease, Lung Disease, Prevention

Disconcerting headlines about avian influenza has caused widespread concern. Warnings have been issued to brace for an onslaught of a pandemic that could paralyze and decimate entire nations. Countries that showed cases of avian flu were scrutinized closely. Travel stopped to areas where poultry was affected. Despite reassurance to the consumer, buyers felt unsure about choosing chicken for dinner. It has been stated before, that at this point the virus of the avian flu has not made a mutation, and it is not passed from human to human. It can be transmitted from diseased fowl to human who are in close contact with the diseased animal.
The word pandemic seems to trigger a response of fear, but it has to be mentioned that a pandemic is not new. It is universally accepted that there have been 3 pandemics in the 20-th century. Pandemics are defined by an increased number of influenza deaths. One influenza wave hit in 1968, prior to this the year 1957 showed a similar picture. Pandemics are not all equal. The outbreak of influenza in 1918/19 was severe, and young and old were affected alike. Death was in many cases due to the primary viral infection.
In the meantime flu preparedness is much more common than in previous years. Flu shots are available, antibiotics can help treat secondary infection, laboratories are working on vaccines for new influenza strains, and lately antiviral medications have come into the picture.
While the work of scientists is invaluable, in some cases the statements are too simplistic. The avian flu virus H5N1 could mutate. Looking at the facts, the virus has been around since 1997, and it has not mutated. Reporters write stories about possible future pandemics, and there is worry in the population. They need to know the truth! The truth is that we should plan. The truth is also, that a pandemic is not more imminent today than it has been since 1918. In fact it is not more imminent than a multitude of other emergencies. The outbreak of SARS has shown that it is the front-line public health and hospital staff that handles the virus most of all. The production of vaccines and a strong vaccination program is being worked on. This does not leave the rest of the population with nothing what they can do.

Avian Flu Threat Exaggerated

Avian Flu Threat Exaggerated

Good hygienic measures have to be followed. The most important one (and often neglected one) is hand washing. It does not stop a pandemic like the one in 1918/19, but it certainly makes a difference to annual influenza rates. The annual vaccination against influenza is a highly effective weapon against the influenza outbreak that happens every year, and improved vaccines will make a difference between wellness and the opposite!

More information about:

The flu: http://nethealthbook.com/infectious-disease/respiratory-infections/flu/

The swine flu: http://nethealthbook.com/infectious-disease/respiratory-infections/swine-flu/

Reference: The Medical Post, June 20, 2006, page 47

Last edited Nov. 1, 2014

Jun
01
2006

Uterine Artery Embolization Against Fibroids

By | Health, obstetrics, Women’s Diseases

Uterine fibroids are the most common uterine tumors that affect women in North America. At least 25% have the symptoms that point to a diagnosis of fibroids, and as many as 77% may have fibroids that are asymptomatic. Symptoms of fibroids can be a feeling of fullness in the pelvic area, heavy periods and bleeding between the periods resulting in anemia. Infertility and miscarriages can also be a consequence.
About 60% of women with fibroids will undergo surgery, but the trend is moving towards nonsurgical treatment. 40% of fibroid patients will receive uterine artery embolization (UAE).

The advantages are significant, reports Dr. Sanjoy Kundu, a radiologist at Scarborough General Hospital in Toronto. Compared to the less invasive UAE, fibroid surgery has a higher rate of major complications like infection and pulmonary embolism. None of the patients undergoing uterine artery embolization experienced any complications of infection or pulmonary embolism. UAE patients also have shorter hospital stays ranging from 1 to 4 days, whereas surgical patients had hospital stays ranging from 2 to 25 days.

Uterine Artery Embolization Against Fibroids

Uterine Artery Embolization Against Fibroids

Due to these positive findings, 60% of treatments for uterine fibroids at Scarborough General Hospital are now done exclusively with the less invasive procedure, and researchers suggest that UAE for the removal of fibroids should become first-line therapy.

More information about fibroids: http://nethealthbook.com/womens-health-gynecology-and-obstetrics/abnormal-vaginal-bleeding-common-menstrual-abnormalities-2/abnormal-uterine-bleeding/fibroids/

Reference: The Medical Post, April18, 2006, page 16

Last edited Nov. 1, 2014

Jun
01
2006

Probiotics Help Gut Against Stress

By | Cancer, Gastrointestinal Disease, Health, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Nutrition

In times of stress our bodies react: the heart will beat faster, palms will feel sweaty, and a difficult situation may manifest itself in other reactions of the body. In every day’s terms we speak about something “being a pain in the neck”, or the fear of an exam showing up as “butterflies in the stomach”.
Dr. Mary Perdue of the Intestinal Diseases Research Program at Mc Master University in Hamilton, Ontario went a step further. The fact that mental stress can bring physiologic changes in the lining of the intestine has been known for some time. As a result the epithelium (the lining) is more vulnerable to the attack of pathogenic bacteria. The researchers put a solution of lactobacillus to the test, to see whether these gut-friendly bacilli could offer some help. Stressed rats that received the treatment with lactobacillus showed a remarkable degree of protection. The stressed and treated animals were almost as resistant to intestinal pathogens as animals that had not been stressed at all. Contrary to that the non-stressed animals did not show much evidence of bacterial adhesion or penetration: they were more resistant to the attack of bacteria to their guts.
Dr. Perdue explains that it may be difficult to extrapolate from the rat model to the human model. Yet it is clear that humans who are stressed can develop intestinal dysfunction over time, or gastrointestinal symptoms can be exacerbated by stress.
In the meantime probiotics are recommended by many doctors and nutritionists to help restore the gut’s natural flora. New guidelines from Yale Medical School recommend them for diarrhea in children and adults and in diarrhea, which comes as a result of treatment with antibiotics.

Probiotics Help Gut Against Stress

Probiotics Help Gut Against Stress

More research is needed, but existing data suggest that probiotics can help manage lactose intolerance, prevent infections, and reduce inflammation. It can lower cholesterol and lower blood pressure and may help with prevention of colon cancer.

More information on:

1. Stress management: http://nethealthbook.com/health-nutrition-and-fitness/fitness/stress-management-relaxation-techniques/

2. Probiotics: https://www.askdrray.com/probiotics-important-for-your-health/

Reference: National Review of Medicine, May 15, 2006, page 8

Last edited Oct. 31, 2014

May
01
2006

Blood Clots Related To Air Travel

By | Health, Heart Disease

Extended air travel and sitting in the narrow seat of a plane has been blamed for the risk of deep vein thromboses (DVT). The formation of a blood clot in the leg veins is not only an inconvenience that causes severe leg swelling. It cannot be ignored, as untreated it may progress to an embolus, a clot that travels in the blood stream to lung or brain. Pulmonary embolism can kill! The affected patient needs treatment with blood thinners to dissolve the clot.
Pamphlets in planes encourage the traveler to move legs, feet and toes to counteract a stagnant blood flow in the leg veins. It remains a good practice for any traveler to get up and move about on lengthy flights. Some individuals are more susceptible than others to develop blood clots. It has been known for a while that the use of oral contraceptives is associated with a risk of clotting.
Dutch researchers under the leadership of Dr. Frits Rosendaal of Leiden Medical Center in the Netherlands recently published some of their findings.

They examined, whether sitting for extended periods in narrow spaces would be the main risk for the formation of DVT. The volunteers were 15 individuals with no known risk factors for DVT. The group also had 11 women, who were carrying the factor V gene (a known risk for blood clotting), 15 women who were taking oral contraceptives, and another group of 15 women who had the factor V Leiden and were taking oral contraceptives. The entire group was taken on an 8-hour flight aboard a chartered 757 jet. Blood samples were taken before, during and after the flight. Several weeks later the same people sat through a movie marathon at a cinema, where the seats had the same legroom as the plane. Blood work was done as with the previous setting on the plane. No one was allowed to drink alcohol, take aspirin or wear compression stockings during the experiments. The test persons were asked to remain seated as much as possible, both during the flight and at the movies.
Finally the group was monitored for 8 hours while they went about their normal day-to-day routines.
The results showed that 17% of the entire group had early signs of possible clotting in their blood after the flight. After the movie marathon only 3% showed the same signs. The rates dropped to 1% during normal everyday routines. As predictable, the group with the factor V gene who were also taking oral contraceptives was at the highest risk.

Blood Clots Related To Air Travel

Blood Clots Related To Air Travel

As a result of these findings, the researchers believe, that sitting is not the only risk for the development of blood clots. The combination of low cabin pressure and low oxygen levels in jet travel may increase the risk for DVT in susceptible individuals.

More on blood clots: http://nethealthbook.com/lung-disease/pulmonary-emboli/

Reference: The Medical Post, March 28,2006, page 50

Last edited Oct. 31, 2014

Apr
01
2006

Sexually Transmitted Disease Up In Middle Age

By | Health, Infectious Disease, Prevention

Physicians are warning that people in middle age should be vigilant about risky sexual behavior. So far it was assumed that sexually transmitted diseases are largely affecting teens and young adults, but Dr. Colm O’Mahony from Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Trust in the U.K. warned at a conference of the Women’s Health Education and Research Society that STD’s are not reserved for the young population. The rising divorce rate has resulted in a second wave of sexually transmitted diseases in the population over 40.

It is also a fallacy to believe that only men are affected. Women are part of the patient crowd. Often people are asymptomatic, and as a result long-term physical damage can be the result, if disease goes undetected. The most common STD remains chlamydia, but other STD’s like gonorrhea, syphilis, genital warts, herpes and HIV show relentless increases. It is also noteworthy that the newly single middle-age population finds it harder to handle STD’s. They are embarrassed to go to a sexual health clinic, and there is the false belief that they are not the ones at risk.

Targeted screening is the answer, especially if a person is in a new relationship. Preaching chastity has been shown not to work, reported doctors.

Sexually Transmitted Disease Up In Middle Age

Sexually Transmitted Disease Up In Middle Age

What is needed is education that empowers people to build good relationships and self-esteem and to make sensible decisions. Sex education and condoms are not just for teenagers.

More about STD’s: http://nethealthbook.com/infectious-disease/sexually-transmitted-disease/

Reference: The Medical Post, March 14, 2006, page 53

Last edited Oct. 31, 2014

Apr
01
2006

Sleep Medication Unlocks Eating Disorder

By | Health, Prevention

A sleep disorder may drive people to use sleeping pills on a regular basis. Even though all efforts are made to minimize harmful side effects, emerging medical case studies are uncovering disturbing findings with the use of the sleeping pill Ambien (zolpidem). While many users report no incident with the use of this medication, others are developing a sleep-related eating disorder. They rummage through their fridges and indiscriminately consume calories ranging into the thousands. The night eaters have no recollection of their nocturnal foraging, but thy will find telltale signs of food leftovers and snacks on counters and even in their beds. Dr. Mark Mahowald, director of the Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center in Minneapolis is one of the sleep experts researching the problem. He and his team are not the only ones. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. have made similar findings. Sanofi-Adventis, the French company that makes the drug, has defended its safety in 13 years of use in the U.S. A company spokesperson however has conceded that the package insert for Ambien carries a warning about a sleep-related eating disorder that could occur. Several sleep specialist and a number of patients tell a more specific story. Sleep-eating is one of the varieties of unusual reactions to the drug. Other reactions range from fairly benign incidents of sleepwalking to hallucinations, violent outbursts, and the most troubling one of all driving while asleep.

Sleep Medication Unlocks Eating Disorder

Sleep Medication Unlocks Eating Disorder

Dr. Carlos H. Schenck, a sleep disorders expert in Minneapolis believes that two basic instincts, sleeping and eating, become linked and two instinctive behaviors become intertwined in the sleep stage.

More about eating disorders: http://nethealthbook.com/mental-illness-mental-disorders/eating-disorders/

Reference: NY Time Digest, Tuesday, March14, 2006, page 5

Last edited Oct. 30, 2014

Mar
01
2006

Knowledge Needed For Herbal Remedies

By | Health, Nutrition, Vitamins and supplements

Herbal remedies have stood the test of time, and today roughly 80% of the world’s population relies on traditional medicines for primary health care needs. Herbal remedies and their efficacy have been confirmed in research, but nevertheless caution is necessary.
Not all herbal preparations are equal. Herb potency can differ due to growing and storage conditions. Toxic contaminants can be present in herbal preparations, and the best way to ensure a quality product is to purchase a product from a quality controlled source.

Anybody using herbal products should bear in mind that “natural” does not mean “harmless”. Many plants like catnip, juniper, lobelia, jimson weed, wormwood and nutmeg can inhibit the parasympathetic nervous system significantly and cause severe hallucinogenic effects. Patients with allergies to asters, chrysanthemums and ragweed should avoid teas from goldenrod, marigold, yarrow, St. John’s Wort and chamomile, as there is the possibility of cross-reactivity. Comfrey, which is a commonly used folk remedy in Europe and North America, has been shown to contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which causes liver damage and cancer in animals and in humans.
There is a common notion that herbal teas that are used as laxatives would be entirely safe. Unfortunately it is not as simple as that. The continued use of cathartics (herbs that are laxatives) can be dangerous, as they cause a dependency or the so-called lazybowel problem.
If herbs are used it is important to be vigilant to negative interactions with medications. St. John’s Wort interferes with cyclosporin, digoxin, epileptic drugs and indinavir. Gingko should be used with caution by patients who are on warfarin (a blood thinner) because it can cause excessive bleeding. Deaths have been associated with the use of ephedra.
It is also of importance that herbal remedies should not been taken during pregnancy, unless the safety of taking them has been assured. To get qualified information the consumer should beware of flashy headlines promising miracle cures and seek the advice from a licensed health professional who is properly trained in the prescription of herbs.

Knowledge Needed For Herbal Remedies

Knowledge Needed For Herbal Remedies

It is also of importance to mention the use of herbal medications along with other medications that are used in order to assure the therapeutic benefits for the patients who uses them.

Reference: The Canadian Journal Of Diagnosis, January 2006,page 35 and 36

Last edited December 6, 2012

Feb
01
2006

Using Cell Phone Not Causing Brain Cancer

By | Cancer, Health, Prevention

Of all the common brain tumors in adults, gliomas are the most common cancers. The prognosis for patients who are diagnosed with this type of brain cancer is extremely poor. Researchers are still attempting to pinpoint the reasons why these tumors are starting to grow, as they have a very distinct formation of cells and seem to be different from other brain tumors.
In the recent past, a lot of attention has been focused on the aspect of mobile telephones and a possible risk of gliomas and other brain tumors associated with their use. The energy of the radio frequency fields emitted by cell phones is thought to be insufficient to cause DNA damage to brain cells that lead to the formation of cancer cells.
Epidemiologists have done studies on users of mobile telephones and have not generally reported an increased brain cancer risk in overall or long-term use. Individual studies have found positive associations between high-grade astrocytoma (glioma) and phone use, brain tumor and phone use in rural areas and use of analogue mobile phones.
A large population based case-control study of 966 patients with glioma in the United Kingdom was designed to investigate cell phone use and the risk of brain tumors. It was part of the Interphone project, which is an international collaboration of 13 countries that concerns itself with the risks of cell phone use and tumors. The south east of England as well as four areas to the north and southern Scotland was the area studied with a total catchment, which amounts to 48.3% if the UK population of 28.4 million. Cases with intercranial tumors were ascertained from various sources, hospital departments (neurology and others) as well as cancer registries. The study was introduced as one to examine risks factors for brain cancers without stressing cell phone use. During the interview those who were mobile phone users were asked detailed questions on cell phone use, which included the recording of all makes and models of phone. Regular phone use was defined as a period of at least six months in the time frame of more than a year before the patient had been diagnosed with glioma.

Using Cell Phone Not Causing Brain Cancer

Using Cell Phone Not Causing Brain Cancer

When all the data had been evaluated, there was no association of risk with lifetime years of use, cumulative use or cumulative hours. There was also no association with cell phone use in urban or rural areas and high or low-grade gliomas. The use of analogue phones was also scrutinized and there were no significant odds ratios with any exposure.
This study has nearly twice as many cases as the previously largest study on glioma patients and the use of mobile phones. In addition it has a large amount of comprehensive and relevant collection data. The results are also consistent with findings from investigations of mobile phone use in the US, Denmark and Sweden. Overall there are no substantially raised risks of of glioma in the 10 years after first mobile phone use. Only future studies will be able to address longer latency periods.

More information on brain cancer: http://nethealthbook.com/cancer-overview/brain-cancer/

Reference: Brit. Med. Journal (doi: 10.1136/bmj.38720.687975.55; published January 20, 2006)

Last edited October 30, 2014

Jan
01
2006

Face Transplants For Disfigured Patients

By | Cosmetic surgery, Health

Patients with severe burns to their face have been treated with skin transplants in order to help them cope with common body functions which the average person takes for granted, like opening and closing of eyelids or breathing. Patients have to undergo numerous skin grafts, where skin is transplanted from other body areas. The process can take years, as multiple surgeries are needed. Facial skin is also more tender and pliable, making it different from the type of skin in other areas of the body, and plastic surgeons are working to make the facial appearance of the patient less mask-like. The journey to recovery becomes a long and difficult one, which can be likened to an emotional roller coaster: there is surgery and the time to heal, after which more surgery is required.
The possibility of a face transplant sounded like a futuristic item till a short time ago, but French doctors have used new techniques to restore the facial features of a 38-year-old woman, whose face had been mauled by a dog. The partial transplant was done using the mouth, nose and chin of a brain dead donor.
Maria Siemionow, the director of plastic-surgery research at the Cleveland Clinic states, that facial transplant can only be considered as a treatment for severely disfigured patients who have exhausted all conventional options. The procedure itself remains controversial and risky. It involves harvesting the face from a brain-dead organ donor in a 4 to 6 hour surgery. In the following 10 to 15 hour procedure the face is draped over the bones and muscles of the recipient. Following surgery the transplant patients needs to take medication to prevent the rejection of the transplant. Even though the risk is not any different than the risk, which goes along with a kidney transplant, there is the possibility of transplant rejection and of side effects from immunosuppressants. Patients, who take this medication that will cost about $2000 per month, are more susceptible to infection, cancer, metabolic disorders, and liver and kidney damage. The psychological impact on the patient will also be significant, as there could be a feeling of having a different identity. Dr. James Zins, chairman for plastic surgery at the Cleveland Clinic, insists that there are no races to be won and the approach to this new option should be methodical and slow.

Face Transplants For Disfigured Patients

Before and after face transplant

Not all potential candidates for the surgery are willing to take the risk of life-long immuno-suppressants and it is only a consideration for physical as well as psychologically suitable patients who are willing to take the risk of receiving a new face after devastating accidents.

Reference: December 12, 2005 issue of Newsweek, pages 60-61

Last edited December 6, 2012