| General Medicine/Family Medical
Controversial Diabetes Drug Harms Heart, U.S. Concludes
Hundreds of people taking Avandia, a controversial diabetes medicine, needlessly suffer heart attacks and heart failure each month, according to confidential government reports that recommend the drug be removed from the market.
The reports, obtained by The New York Times, say that if every diabetic now taking Avandia were instead given a similar pill named Actos, about 500 heart attacks and 300 cases of heart failure would be averted every month because Avandia can hurt the heart. Avandia, intended to treat Type 2 diabetes, is known as rosiglitazone and was linked to 304 deaths during the third quarter of 2009.
"Rosiglitazone should be removed from the market," one report, by Dr. David Graham and Dr. Kate Gelperin of the Food and Drug Administration, concludes. Both authors recommended that Avandia be withdrawn.
U.S. requires new warnings for asthma drugs
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. health officials on Thursday called for new warnings on certain asthma drugs to help reduce overall use of these medications, saying the medicines should not be used unless taken in combination with other inhaled drugs.
The Food and Drug Administration said its review of the drugs -- long-acting beta-agonists (LABAs) that include GlaxoSmithKline PLC's Symbicort -- found they can increase the risk that asthma symptoms will worsen, and lead to hospitalizations and death.
The restrictions also affect two lesser-used medicines, Glaxo's Serevent and Novartis AG's Foradil.
Future of AIDS gels may lie in drugs, experts say
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The quest for a cream or gel to prevent AIDS infection has narrowed to using powerful HIV pills that are already on the market, scientists say.
AIDS experts have long been searching for a microbicide -- a cream, gel or vaginal ring that women or men could use as a chemical shield to protect themselves from sexual transmission of the deadly and incurable virus.
AIDS vaccine effects may wear off, researchers say
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An AIDS vaccine that appears to have worked at least partly in Thailand may only temporarily protect patients, with the effects starting to wane after a year or so, researchers reported on Thursday.
That may explain why results of the experimental vaccine have been so difficult to interpret, said Dr. Nelson Michael, a colonel at the Walter Reed Army Research Institute of Research in Maryland, who helped lead the trial,
Gene test can identify bits of cancer in blood
CHICAGO (Reuters) - A personalized blood test can tell whether a patient's cancer has spread or come back, offering a better way to see if treatments are working, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.
Having a test that can detect tumors in the blood could help doctors customize cancer treatments, offering more aggressive therapy to some patients while sparing others from unneeded chemotherapy or radiation.
"We're talking about what could be a management tool for a number of patients," said Dr Bert Vogelstein of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, who worked on the study published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
Road bumps may trick defibrillators in ambulances
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Using an automated defibrillator - a device that figures out whether to shock the chests of patients whose hearts have stopped beating - in a moving ambulance may not be a good idea, Korean researchers found in studies of pigs and mannequins.
Previous studies have found that the devices work just fine in moving planes and ships. Jong Geun Yun of Dongkong College in Gwangju, South Korea, and colleagues found that when an ambulance was stopped, the devices they tested correctly analyzed heart rhythms generated on mannequins used in cardiac pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training.
Occasional binges may undo alcohol's heart benefits
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - While research has linked moderate drinking to better heart health, a new study suggests that those benefits disappear when drinkers add the occasional binge to the mix.
Pooling data from 14 previous studies of moderate drinkers, researchers found that those who drank heavily every so often were 45 percent more likely to develop coronary heart disease -- where plaque buildup in the heart arteries impedes the flow of blood and oxygen.
New drug class offers hope against "superbugs"
LONDON (Reuters) - Swiss scientists have found a new class of antibiotics, offering drug developers a fresh weapon in the fight against multi-drug resistant bacteria or "superbugs."
Researchers from a privately held Swiss biotech company Polyphor and the University of Zurich said the potential medicines are effective against a type of bacteria known as "gram-negative," and offer hope for new treatments for serious and often life-threatening infections.
Cigar, pipe smoking may raise lung disease risk, too
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - If you thought it was only cigarettes that were dangerous to smoke, think again: People who smoke cigars or pipes have a heightened risk of airway damage that could put them on a path toward emphysema and other diseases, a new study finds.
Cigarette smoking is a well-known risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a group of lung diseases that includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. But few studies have looked at whether other types of smoking contribute to COPD as well.
Diabetes drug stinks, doctors find
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The commonly used diabetes drug metformin stinks, literally, and this may explain why many patients stop taking it, U.S. doctors reported on Monday.
The drug smells like fish or dirty socks to some people and this could account for the well-known side effects of the drug, which can make people nauseated, they said.
Quarter of stroke patients die within a year: U.S. study
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - One in four people who have a stroke will likely die within one year from any cause and 8 percent who have a stroke will have another one soon, U.S. researchers said on Monday.
The risks were higher for African-Americans compared to whites and increased with age and the number of other ailments stroke patients had, the researchers wrote in the journal Neurology.
Blood disease flare-ups raise risk of blood clots
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People with active forms of a group of conditions known as inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, seem to be at far greater risk of developing potentially life-threatening blood clots than previously recognized, a British study released Monday indicates.
The study, appearing in the Lancet, found that non-hospitalized patients dealing with an IBD flare-up are 16 times more likely to suffer a blood clot in a vein than the general (non-hospitalized) population. That translates into about a one in 100 risk per person with IBD per year. Such clots, which often develop in the legs, sometimes travel to the lungs and can become life-threatening.
Pill shows lasting benefits against hay fever
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A medication that allows hay fever sufferers to get allergy shots in the form of a pill seems to have lasting benefits, a new study finds.
The drug, called Grazax, is a prescription medication approved in Europe for the treatment of allergies to grass pollen, one of the major triggers of springtime hay fever.
H1N1/Seasonal Influenza
WHO may declare post-peak pandemic phase next week
GENEVA (Reuters) - Flu experts will advise next week whether the world is in a post-peak phase of the H1N1 pandemic, signaling infections are falling in most countries but new waves may still occur, the World Health Organization said on Friday.
The U.N. agency declared last June that the new virus was causing the first influenza pandemic in more than 40 years and raised the alert level to the maximum 6.
New seasonal flu vaccine to contain H1N1 strain
GENEVA (Reuters) - This year's seasonal flu vaccine in the northern hemisphere should include protection against three strains, including the pandemic H1N1 virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended on Thursday.
The composition, announced after a four-day meeting of experts, means H1N1 swine flu vaccine still held by drugmakers in bulk form may be used for part of the seasonal flu vaccine mix for autumn/winter 2010/2011, WHO's flu expert Keiji Fukuda said.
Swine flu outbreak threatens at World Cup: minister
CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa faces a possible health crisis if a swine flu outbreak strikes during the soccer World Cup this year, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi told parliament on Monday.
"One of our biggest nightmares is the fact that 2010 is going to be held in June when there is a possibility of another bout of H1N1," Motsoaledi said.
Women's Health
Aspirin cuts death risk after breast cancer: U.S. study
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Breast cancer survivors who take aspirin regularly may be less likely to die or have their cancer return, U.S. researchers reported Tuesday.
The study of more than 4,000 nurses showed that those who took aspirin -- usually to prevent heart disease -- had a 50 percent lower risk of dying from breast cancer and a 50 percent lower risk that the cancer would spread.
Diabetes helps explain obesity-birth defect link
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - While some research has suggested that obese women have an increased risk of having a baby with a birth defect, a new study shows that diabetes may at least partly account for the link.
Studies on whether obesity raises the odds of birth anomalies such as spina bifida, cleft palate and heart defects have so far come to conflicting conclusions. One question is whether obesity, per se, is the problem -- or whether certain factors associated with obesity are at work.
Type 2 diabetes, which is closely related to obesity, has been linked to a heightened risk of birth defects in a number of studies.
Mom's diet may alter infant's allergies
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Eating lots of vegetables and fruits during pregnancy may lower the chance of having a baby with certain allergies, hint study findings from Japan.
Greater intake of green and yellow vegetables, citrus fruit, and veggies and fruits high in beta carotene (generally those colored red and orange) may lessen the risk of having a baby with eczema (itchy, dry, red patched skin), Dr. Yoshihiro Miyake at Fukuoka University and colleagues found.
Average birth weight decreases in the U.S
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Reversing a trend of nearly five decades, birth weight in the U.S. may be on the decline, according to a new study.
From 1990 to 2005, birth weight decreased by 52 grams (1.83 oz) on average. The drop - from 3441 to 3389 grams - leaves the vast majority of babies in the safe range, and the overall health consequences of this development are unclear.
"It is important to study trends in low birth weight over time because an increasing proportion of the smallest babies could lead to increased resource requirements to address health concerns," Sara Donahue of Boston University, who worked on the study, told Reuters Health.
Men's Health
Obesity tied to poorer sperm quality
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Adding to evidence that obesity may affect a man's sperm quality, a new study finds that obese men tend to have less-mobile sperm than their thinner counterparts.
Studies have come to conflicting conclusions as to whether obesity impairs a man's fertility. But several recent ones have found that obese men tend to have poorer quality sperm than leaner men do -- including lower sperm counts and fewer progressively motile sperm, which refers to sperm that swim forward in a straight line rather than moving about aimlessly.
Poor fit may explain why men refuse condoms
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Condoms that do not fit right could break and may reduce sexual pleasure for both partners, suggesting reasons why men and women often fail to use them, researchers reported on Monday.
The study has implications for countries trying to encourage people to use condoms to reduce the risk of AIDS, other sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy, the researchers reported in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections.
Pediatric Health
Many U.S. kids have chronic health problems: study
CHICAGO (Reuters) - More than a quarter of American children have a chronic health condition such as obesity or asthma, but many children overcome these problems with time, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.
They said the findings make clear that chronic health conditions are rising among children, and access to healthcare is essential to diagnose and treat them.
Very premature twins do just as well as singletons
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Overall, very premature twins fare just as well as single babies born very early, and they may even face a lower risk of certain complications, new research shows.
But for twin pairs of the same sex but sharply different sizes who are born before 28 weeks, the risks of death and bleeding on the brain are higher than they are for single babies born at the same time, Dr. Jennifer Zeitlin of the Hopital Saint-Vincent de Paul in Paris and her colleagues found.
Exercise may not boost obese teens' metabolism
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A few months of moderate aerobic exercise may not rev up obese teenagers' ability to burn calories, even though it may increase thinner teens' ability to burn dietary fat, new research suggests.
In a study of 28 obese and normal-weight teenagers, researchers found that after 12 weeks of treadmill and exercise-bike sessions, the heavier teens showed no changes in their bodies' calorie- and fat-burning throughout the day.
Aging
Diet changes improve older adults' cholesterol too
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Older adults can cut their cholesterol levels by revamping their dietary fat intake, even if they are already on cholesterol-lowering statins, a new study finds.
Conventional wisdom holds that people should follow a healthful diet and get regular exercise to help control their cholesterol and triglycerides (another type of blood fat). But there has actually been little research into how well older adults' cholesterol and triglyceride levels respond to diet changes.
Mental Health News
Drinking may not worsen bipolar symptoms
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Among people with bipolar disorder who strictly followed their medication plan, drinking alcohol did not appear to worsen their mood symptoms, hint findings of a small study from the Netherlands.
Bipolar disorder can cause extreme mood swings that require medication to control, and among those with the disease about half abuse alcohol and other drugs, Dr. Jan van Zaane, at University Medical Center Amsterdam, and colleagues note in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.
Happiness makes for a healthy heart
LONDON (Reuters) - People who are usually happy and enthusiastic are less likely to develop heart disease than those who tend to be glum, scientists said on Thursday, and boosting positive emotions could help cut heart health risks.
U.S. researchers said their observational study was the first to show an independent relationship between positive emotions and coronary heart disease, but stressed that more work was needed before any treatment recommendations could be made.
Nutrition/Diet/Healthy Recipes
Overcome the Fear of Frying
Health-conscious people have a fear of frying - certainly I have felt the aversion. You have to use fat to fry, and many of us think of fat as a root cause of poor health.
snip
But there are fats ... and there are fats. Saturated fatty acids, like those found in dairy products and meat, contribute to heart disease. Substituting monounsaturated fats, like those found in olive oil, may help prevent heart disease, and research shows that certain polyunsaturated fats may be beneficial as well. As for obesity, studies increasingly suggest that simple, low-quality carbohydrates are driving the epidemic. Not dietary fats.
Sweet Potato Chips
If you deep-fry properly - allowing the oil to reach 360 to 375 degrees, letting it return to high temperature between batched, and not crowding the pan with items - your food will not absorb much of the oil. I find it easiest to make these addictive chips in a wok or a deep-fryer. The contrast of toasty and sweet flavors is delightful. I use a Japanese slicer to get uniform, paper-thin slices. Seek out organic oils.
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced paper-thin
3 to 4 cups organic canola oil (or enough for about 3 inches in a wok, deep-fryer or wide saucepan)
Salt to taste (optional)
1. Prepare the sweet potatoes while you heat the oil in a wok, deep-fryer or deep frying pan to 360 to 375 degrees. Use a deep-fry thermometer to measure the temperature. Cook a handful of sweet potato slices at a time. They are ready as soon as the edges curl and brown, which should take no more than a minute and probably will take much less. Do not crowd the pan.
2. Using a deep-fry skimmer, remove from the oil and drain on paper towels on a rack. Allow the oil to come back up to 360 to 375 degrees between batches. Season with salt if desired and serve.
Yield: Serves six.
Chickpea Batter-Fried Vegetables
For the batter:
1 cup chickpea flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of cayenne (optional)
1 cup warm water
For the vegetables:
1 bunch or part of 1 bunch broccoli, tops broken into florets, stems peeled, quartered lengthwise and cut into 3-inch sticks (cut into eights if very thick)
3 carrots, peeled and cut in 3-inch long carrot sticks
1 sweet red pepper, seeded and cut in rings or strips
1 medium onion, cut in rings
Canola oil for frying
1. Sift together the chickpea flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and cayenne. Whisk in the water. If the batter is stiff, add more water. Allow the batter to rest for 30 minutes.
2. Steam the broccoli florets and stems for four minutes until just tender. Refresh with cold water, and pat dry.
3. Heat 3 or 4 inches of canola oil in a wok, frying pan or deep fryer to between 360 degrees and 375 degrees. It's important that the oil be hot enough that the vegetables will cook quickly without absorbing much oil. Use a deep-fry thermometer, and make sure to bring the oil back up to temperature between batches. Whisk the batter, which will have separated. Working in batches so that you don't crowd the pan, dip the vegetables in the batter to coat thoroughly, and carefully place in the hot oil. It should take less than two minutes to achieve a golden brown crust. Carefully remove from the oil using a deep-fry skimmer, tongs or a spider, and drain on paper towels, then transfer to a baking sheet. Keep warm in a 200-degree oven while you continue to cook the remaining vegetables. Serve once all the vegetables have been cooked.
Yield: Serves six.
Advance preparation: You can make the batter an hour before frying the vegetables, but you should serve the vegetables shortly after you fry them. They will not remain crisp if they sit for too long.
Oven Fries
1 pound waxy potatoes, such as red potatoes
1 pound sweet potatoes, cut in half crosswise
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt or coarse sea salt
1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil, shiny side up. Place in the oven while you prepare the potatoes.
2. Cut the potatoes into wedges that are about 1/4 inch thick at the thickest point. Place in a large bowl, and toss with the olive oil and salt to taste.
3. Remove the hot pan from the oven, and add the potatoes to the pan in an even layer. They should sizzle. Return to the oven, and lower the heat to 450 degrees. Roast 25 minutes or until tender.
4. Remove the pan from the oven, and loosen the potatoes from the foil using an offset spatula. Return to the oven and cook for another five minutes. Serve at once, seasoned with more salt if desired.
Yield: Serves four to six.
Advance preparation: These are best served right away, but can hold in a warm oven for about 30 minutes.
Seared Brussels Sprouts
1 pound brussels sprouts
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Trim the ends off the brussels sprouts, and cut in half lengthwise through the stem end.
2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat. When the skillet is just short of smoking, place the brussels sprouts cut side down in the oil. Turn the heat to medium, and sear on one side until nicely browned, about three minutes. Turn the brussels sprouts over and cook on the other side until nicely browned and tender, three to five minutes. Some of the leaves can be charred dark brown or black. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and serve.
Yield: Serves four to six.
Advance preparation: You can make these an hour or so before serving and reheat, but they're best when served right away.
Greek Zucchini Fritters
2 pounds large zucchini, trimmed and grated on the wide holes of a grater or food processor
Salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as fennel, dill, mint, parsley (I like to use mostly dill)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 cup fresh or dry breadcrumbs, more as necessary
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup crumbled feta
All-purpose flour as needed and for dredging
Olive oil for frying
1. Salt the zucchini generously and leave to drain in a colander for one hour, tossing and squeezing the zucchini from time to time. Take up handfuls of zucchini, and squeeze out all of the moisture. Alternately, wrap in a clean dish towel, and squeeze out the water by twisting at both ends.
2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and add the shredded zucchini, herbs, cumin, bread crumbs, salt and pepper to taste and feta. Mix together well. Take up a small handful of the mixture; if it presses neatly into a patty, it is the right consistency. If it seems wet, add more breadcrumbs or a few tablespoons of all-purpose flour. When the mixture has the right consistency, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour or longer.
3. Heat 1 inch of olive oil in a large frying pan until rippling, or at about 275 degrees. Meanwhile, take up heaped tablespoons of the zucchini mixture, and form balls or patties. Lightly dredge in flour.
4. When the oil is very hot, add the patties in batches to the pan. Fry until golden brown, turning once with a spider or slotted spoon. Remove from the oil, and drain briefly on a rack. Serve with plain Greek style yogurt if desired.
Yield: Serves six to eight.
Advance preparation: The mixture can be assembled up to a day before you make and fry the fritters. |
