Previous Medical News
2009/07/11
1. Jackson's Brain Could Be Key to Determining Cause of Death
Investigators will try to determine whether any type of the unusual behaviors he demonstrated throughout the years may be associated with an abnormality of the brain, including injury from drugs, possible beatings as a child or whether he was born with some sort of congenital abnormality.
2. Michael Jackson's Arms Marred by Track Marks Consistent with Potent Sedative Use
Both of Michael Jackson arms were scarred with track marks.
3. Was Lupus the Reason for Michael Jackson's Glove? (Dr. Arnie Klein, 7/8/09)
Dr. Arnie Klein, Jackson's physician revealed he had diagnosed Michael Jackson with lupus, a disease in which the body comes under attack from its own immune system. The result is inflammation, pain and damage to certain tissues of the body. He had a form of skin lupus, called discoid lupus, which affects about 40 percent of the patients with lupus. This condition can lead to depigmentation of the skin, among other things. Lupus may explain why Jackson was often seen carrying an umbrella, as these patients are normally advised to avoid sun exposure. The singer's famous single white glove may have been camouflage for his condition. Lupus can cause hair loss and coronary artery disease.
4. Jackson Family Attempted Drug Interventions
Jackson’s family and friends had long known of his drug abuse and twice attempted interventions in the past four years. Drugs reportedly abused by Jackson include: Diprivan, Demerol, OxyContin, Xanax, and Zoloft.
5. FDA orders overdose warnings for Darvon, Darvocet (FDA, 7/7/09)
The government is letting the painkillers Darvocet, Darvon and their generic cousins stay on the market but ordered stronger warnings against deadly overdoses. Britain banned these drugs several years ago, citing a trail of suicides and accidental overdoses.
6. More Americans than ever are obese (CDC, 7/8/09)
Americans are getting heavier than ever, with more than 26 percent of the population now fully obese. Two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. Body mass index, a measure of height to weight, is used to calculate obesity. A person is considered overweight with a BMI of 25 or more and obese with a BMI of 30 or above. At least 30 percent of adults are obese in six states -- Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia.
7. Obesity health Care Costs Spike 80%: Obese Account for Greatest Jump in Healthcare Spending (Agency for health care Research & Quality, 7/9/09)
Health care spending on obese patients in the United States has ballooned, growing more than 80 percent over a five-year period.
8. Obesity emerges as new risk factor for severe flu (CDC, 7/11/09)
People who are obese but otherwise healthy may be at special risk of severe complications and death from the new H1N1 swine flu virus.
9. 1 in 3 breast cancer patients over treated (BMJ, 7/10/09)
One in three breast cancer patients identified in public screening programs may be treated unnecessarily. Women need to be informed of the potential benefits and harms of screening by their physician.
10. Migraines Linked to Lower Breast Cancer Risk (Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 7/09)
Women who experience migraine headaches have a significantly lower risk of getting breast cancer than those who don't suffer the headaches. There is a 26% reduction in risk associated with migraine.
11. FDA approves blood thinner from Eli Lilly: Effient (FDA, 7/10/09)
The FDA has approved the blood thinner Effient from Eli Lilly, though the drug must carry the agency's sternest warning because of its bleeding risks. A study of over 13,000 patients conducted by Lilly found that Effient prevents more heart attacks than Plavix, but also causes more internal bleeding. But where Plavix is approved for use in a wide range of patients, Effient is only approved for those undergoing angioplasty, a procedure in which an inflatable balloon is used to clear arteries clogged with plaque, which are often propped open with a stent.
12. Diet, Smoking, Exercise Key in Colon Cancer Risk (International Journal of Cancer, 7/09)
People who want to reduce their risk of colon cancer may want to start exercising more and cutting down on red meat and alcohol as well as not smoking.
13. Beer Belly Myth: Study Finds Beer Not Linked to Big Gut (European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 7/09)
Beer lovers can drink as much as they like without having to worry about developing a beer-belly. A beer-belly is purely the result of genetics. An eight-year study of more than 20,000 beer drinkers found that although heavy drinkers put on weight, it wasn’t necessarily around the belly.
14. Use of vibrators common, surveys show (Journal of Sexual Medicine, 7/09)
Two Indiana University surveys suggest that vibrator use during sexual encounters is common among American men and women and is linked to better sexual health. Women who used vibrators, and particularly recent users, reported more desire, arousal, lubrication, and orgasm, and less pain.
15. Mass transit noise may threaten passengers' hearing (American Journal of Public Health, 8/09)
Noise from public transportation, especially subways, may be loud enough to harm some passengers' hearing. Decibel levels on subway platforms reached as high as 102.1 -- louder than the noise level of a chain saw. People who frequent mass transit should consider wearing protective gear; even inexpensive foam earplugs are helpful if worn properly. MP3 users try special noise-blocking headphones so they can keep their music at a safe volume.
16. Travel more than doubles risk of blood clots (Annals of Internal Medicine, 8/4/09)
Long-distance travel can lead to potentially fatal blood clots in some people -- showing that the risk grows in tandem with the length of the trip. To help reduce the risk of clots in leg veins, long-distance travelers should periodically move around and stretch their legs, and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Certain people are at increased risk of blood clots, including cancer patients, people who have recently had major surgery such as a joint replacement, and women on birth control pills. They may want to talk with their doctors about any precautions they should take when traveling.
17. Low-calorie diet slows aging in monkeys: Restricting calories thwarts disease, aging (Science, 7/10/09)
A 20-year study of monkeys shows that a reduced-calorie diet pays off in less disease and longer life. The animals that ate less had half the amount of heart disease and cancer, and there were no cases of diabetes in the low-calorie group. Animals on a restricted diet also had more brain volume in some regions than the animals that ate freely.
18. Supplement eases hair-pulling in some (Archives of General Psychiatry, 7/09)
More than half the people participating in a study of hair-pullers got help for their compulsion from an over-the-counter supplement called N-acetylcysteine. Estimates of how many people suffer from chronic hair-pulling, or trichotillomania, vary between one and seven out of every 200 people. The compulsion can create bald spots, and anxiety if sufferers resist the urge to yank out hair. Some pull out the hair of others.
19. Acupuncture helps ease polycystic ovary symptoms (American Journal of Physiology, 6/3/09)
Acupuncture can help ease symptoms in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is a difficult-to-treat hormonal condition affecting about one in 10 women of childbearing age. Women with PCOS have high levels of testosterone and other "male hormones," cysts on their ovaries, irregular menstruation, and fertility problems, along with symptoms like excessive facial and body hair and acne.
20. Vegetable Protein Lowers Blood Pressure (Circulation, 7/6/09)
An amino acid known as glutamic acid, which is found in greater amounts in vegetable protein, is associated with lower blood pressure. This may also explain in more detail why the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet works at lowering high blood pressure: Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy products, beans, seeds and nuts.
21. No benefit in lowering BP below "standard" 140/90 mm Hg (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 7/8/09)
Lowering blood pressure below the "standard" target of 140/90 mm Hg is not beneficial in terms of reducing mortality or morbidity.
22. Blood Rush to the Brain When Angry Is a Good Sign (Cardiovascular Ultrasound, 7/3/9)
Anger and other forms of mental stress cause dilation of the neck's carotid arteries and a rush of blood to the brain in healthy people, but this doesn't occur in those with high blood pressure.
23. Daily Dose of Caffeine May Cure Alzheimer's (Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 7/09)
Three large cups of coffee a day could help to slow the progress of Alzheimer’s disease and even reverse the condition. This was a mouse study. They were given the equivalent of six espresso shots or 500 milligrams of pure caffeine per day. People with high blood pressure or who are pregnant need to limit their caffeine intake.
24. Better language skills may keep Alzheimer's at bay (Neurology, 7/09)
People with more developed language skills as young adults may be better able to stay sharp well into old age, even if they develop Alzheimer's-like abnormalities in their brains.
25. Positive family history worsens depression (Archives of General Psychiatry, 7/09)
People with a family history of depression, anxiety and alcohol and drug dependence are not only likely to develop these conditions, but tend to suffer more seriously and need more treatment.
26. Kids May 'Learn' to Tolerate Food Allergens (allergy and immunology section for the American Academy of Pediatrics, 7/5/09)
Doctors have long used allergy shots to desensitize children and adults to environmental allergens such as bee stings, pollen, mold and dust mites. Now researchers are trying to apply that theory to food allergies, through processes called oral immunotherapy and sublingual immunotherapy. They believe they can build up a child's tolerance for a food that prompts an allergic reaction by exposing the child to tiny amounts of that food. Do not attempt this without the assistance of an experienced physician.
27. Recall: Medtronic Recalls Insulin Infusion Sets (Medtronic’s, 7/10)
Medtronic Inc. is voluntarily recalling Lot 8 of its Quick-set infusion sets, which deliver insulin from MiniMed Paradigm insulin pumps to diabetes patients. The reason for the recall: Some of those infusion sets don't work properly and could lead to dangerous insulin doses.
28. Recall: Salmonella Risk Spurs Nature Valley Recall (General Mills, 7/10/09)
Due to salmonella risk, General Mills is recalling a limited quantity of its "Nut Lovers" flavor Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters product containing pecans. Pecans received from a supplier and used in the product may be tainted with salmonella.
