Previous Medical News
2009/10/31
1. WHO to Announce Cell Phone, Brain Tumor Link (WHO, 10/26/09)
A groundbreaking, $30 million study into cell phones has found a link between long term use and brain tumors. The World Health Organization is about to reveal that its decade-long investigation has found the devices can lead to cancer — and the internationally-respected body will soon issue a public health message with its findings. The conclusion goes against years of assurances by cell phone companies and scientists that cell phone use is safe.
2. How to … avoid Halloween candy hazards (MCT News Service, 10/30/09)
To avoid digestive upset, agree in advance on how many treats your child can eat on Halloween night. Let him or her pick out those two or three favorite pieces of candy and immediately put the rest aside. Don't eat during trick-or-treating. Make sure kids come home with their loot so you can inspect it before they dig in. Feed them a healthy dinner before they go out so they're not as tempted to snack. Beware of choking hazards. Very young children shouldn't have small, hard items such as chewing gum, peanuts or hard candies. Older children should be sitting down when they eat, not running around or wrestling with each other. Spare the braces. Sticky, chewy or hard candy can bend or break wires in a child's mouth. Kids with braces should stay away from treats such as jawbreakers, caramel candies, nut-filled chocolates, taffy, licorice, gummies and chewing gum. Throw out unwrapped treats. Also avoid anything with loose or torn wrappers or small holes in the packaging; when in doubt, throw it out. And stay away from homemade treats unless you know the person who made it well. Control leftovers. Limit kids to about two pieces a day from their stash of goodies, or have them trade in their candy for a toy, book or family outing. You can save the candy for a special occasion – a birthday party pinata, for example – or put it out in a bowl at work. Many dentists also offer buy-back programs.
3. President Obama declares swine flu a national emergency (Washington, 10/25/09)
President Barack Obama declared the swine flu outbreak a national emergency, giving his health chief the power to let hospitals move emergency rooms offsite to speed treatment and protect noninfected patients. More than 1,000 people in the United States, including almost 100 children, have died from the strain of flu known as H1N1.
4. Obama lifts ban on US entry for those with HIV (Washington, 10/30/09)
President Barack Obama said 10/30/09 the U.S. will overturn a 22-year-old travel and immigration ban against people with HIV early next year. The U.S. has been among a dozen countries that bar entry to travelers with visas or anyone seeking a green card based on their HIV status.
5. H1N1 spreading even as supply of vaccine grows: too few seek treatment (CDC, 10/30/09)
As the new H1N1 flu virus keeps spreading, more vaccine is available to fight it. There have been 114 pediatric deaths since April, when the H1N1 virus first emerged, with 19 reported to the CDC in the past week. In the past two months, more people younger than 65 have been hospitalized than would be expected in a full season of more common strains of flu. People with underlying illnesses who exhibit flu symptoms should seek medical attention promptly. Only half of the people in this high-risk group appear to be doing so. 26.6 million doses of vaccine are now available in the United States, up more than 10 million doses from a week ago. However, the CDC had hoped to have 40 million doses by the end of October.
6. 140 Times More Early Swine Flu Than Reported (CDC, 10/29/09)
By the end of July, up to 5.7 million Americans -- 140 times the reported number -- had H1N1 swine flu. As many as 21,000 were hospitalized by July 23, the CDC now estimates.
7. Children’s Swine Flu Deaths in U.S. Rise 20% to 114 (CDC, 10/30/09)
Swine flu has killed 114 children in the U.S. since the outbreak surfaced in April, including 19 reported in the week from Oct. 18 to Oct. 24, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
8. Kids Shed H1N1 Virus 6 Days After Fever (Infectious Diseases Society of America, 10/29/09)
The CDC recommends that children with flu-like symptoms stay home and not return to school until at least 24 hours after they are free of a fever of 100 degrees or more without using fever-reducing medicines. While someone who has been without fever for 24 hours without use of fever-reducing medicine can in fact shed virus, it is currently believed they don’t shed enough virus to make others sick. However, this issue is currently under active investigation.
9. Statin Drugs May Reduce Flu Deaths (Infectious Diseases Society of America 47th Annual Meeting, Oct. 29-Nov. 1, 2009)
Patients taking statin drugs were almost 50 percent less likely to die from flu.
10. U.S. may end up discarding unused H1N1 vaccine (CDC, 10/28/09)
The U.S. government may end up throwing away unused doses of swine flu vaccine if people cannot get it soon enough. President Obama’s daughters Malia and Sasha were both vaccinated for H1N1 last week. Priority groups for vaccination include young people under the age of 24, pregnant women, and people with underlying conditions.
11. Coffee may slow liver damage from hepatitis C (Hepatology, 11/09)
A few cups of coffee everyday may help slow the progression of liver disease associated with long-term infection with the hepatitis C virus. Those who drank three or more cups of coffee per day were 53 percent less likely than non-drinkers to see their liver disease progress over four years.
12. Some IBD Drugs May Raise Skin Cancer Risk (American College of Gastroenterology, 10/26/09)
Patients with inflammatory bowel disease or IBD may be at an increased risk for getting skin cancer. The risk appears to be linked to medications to control IBD. Patients on immunosuppressant medications, particularly of the thiopurine class, have an increased risk of skin cancer, greater than three times, compared to patients with IBD who do not use these medications. Purinethol and Imuran are examples of thiopurines.
13. Migraine With Aura Can Double Stroke Risk (British Medical Journal, 10/27/09)
Women who get migraine headaches with aura should stop smoking and using birth control pill because they may increase their risk of stroke. For people who suffer migraine headaches with aura -- visual disturbances before or during the migraine -- the risk for ischemic stroke is doubled. Being female, under age 45, smoking and using oral contraceptives that contain estrogen added to the risk.
14. Sex, alcohol, fat among world's big killers (WHO, 10/28/09)
Tackling just five health factors could prevent millions of premature deaths and increase global life expectancy by almost 5 years. Poor childhood nutrition, unsafe sex, alcohol, bad sanitation and hygiene, and high blood pressure are to blame for around a quarter of the 60 million premature deaths around the world each year.
15. Decline in Fitness Accelerates After Age 45 (Archives of Internal Medicine, 10/26/09)
Fitness levels decline with age and accelerate after age 45 in men and women. But staying at a healthy weight and engaging in regular physical activity can help.
16. Low vitamin D tied to heart, stroke deaths (American Journal of Epidemiology, 10/15/09)
Low vitamin D levels in the body may be deadly. Adults with lower, versus higher, blood levels of vitamin D may be more likely to die from heart disease or stroke.
17. Coffee may slow liver damage from hepatitis C (Hepatology, 11/09)
A few cups of coffee everyday may help slow the progression of liver disease associated with long-term infection with the hepatitis. Researchers found that among 766 patients with hepatitis C-related liver damage, those who drank three or more cups of coffee per day were 53 percent less likely than non-drinkers to see their liver disease progress over four years.
18. Most Women End Up Looking Like Their Mothers (American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 10/27/09)
There may be some truth to the saying that all women will eventually turn into their mothers, with a study finding daughters age and wrinkle like their mothers. Daughters' faces tend to follow their mothers in terms of sagging and volume loss, particularly around the corners of their eyes and lower eyelids.
19. Upping fiber intake could help defeat belly fat (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 11/09)
Eating just a little bit more fiber could have a big impact in trimming the waistlines of America's young people.
20. Scientists say curry compound kills cancer cells (British Journal of Cancer, 10/09)
A molecule found in a curry ingredient can kill esophageal cancer cells in the laboratory, suggesting it might be developed as an anti-cancer treatment. Curcumin -- a chemical found in the spice turmeric, which gives curries a distinctive yellow color -- starts to kill esophageal cancer cells within 24 hours.
21. Genes key in compulsive urge to hoard (American Journal of Psychiatry, 10/09)
People who have a compulsive urge to collect and clutter their homes with junk can partly attribute their problem to genes.
22. Rates of heart attacks increasing for middle-age women (Archives of Internal Medicine, 10/26/09)
Middle-aged men still have higher rates of heart attacks and heart disease than middle-aged women, but those gender differences appear to be narrowing. Women have been thought to be largely protected from heart attacks and stroke prior to menopause due to hormonal influences. But the rising rate of obesity, which is higher in middle-aged women than middle-aged men, could undermine that natural benefit.
23. Fructose May Raise Blood Pressure (American Society of Nephrology, 10/30/09)
A diet high in fructose, a common sweetener, boosts the risk of high blood pressure.
24. Sex May Affect Obesity-Blood Clot Link (Circulation, 10/29/09)
Obesity is a risk factor for blood clots in veins, and that may be especially true for men with big waists and women with big hips.
25. Halloween face paints contain hidden dangers (Pediatrics, 11/09)
Some children's face paints contain lead, which can impact brain development at extremely low doses. Tests also found nickel, cobalt and chromium, which can cause lifelong skin sensitization and contact dermatitis. When the investigators sent 10 children's face paints for independent testing they found that 10 out of 10 children's face paints contained lead; Six out of 10 children's face paints contained potent skin allergens; and one labeled as non-toxic and hypoallergenic contained some of the highest levels of lead, nickel and cobalt found in the study.
26. Let Kids Sleep Late on Weekends to Fight Fat (Pediatrics, 11/09)
Letting children sleep late on weekends and holidays might help them avoid becoming overweight or obese.
27. 1 in 5 kids get little vitamin D (Pediatrics, 11/09)
At least one in five U.S. children aged 1 to 11 don't get enough vitamin D and could be at risk for a variety of health problems including weak bones. Recent studies suggest vitamin D also might help prevent serious diseases, including infections, diabetes and even some cancers. Children can get 400 units daily by drinking four cups of fortified milk, or eating lots of fish.
28. Recall: Massachusetts Company (South Shore Meat Company of Brockton) Recalls Beef After Rhode Island Kids Sickened (Department of Public Health, Massachusetts, 10/27/09)
Massachusetts health officials say a meat company is voluntarily recalling beef products after more than 20 school children and adults from Rhode Island were sickened by E. coli.
29. Recall: Qualitest Pharmaceuticals Issues a Voluntary Nationwide Recall of All Accusure® Insulin Syringes (FDA, 10/27/09)
Consumers who have any Accusure® Insulin Syringes should stop using them and contact Qualitest at 1-800-444-4011 for reimbursement.
