Previous Medical News
2010/01/30
1. FDA Approves First Catheter-Placed Heart Valve (FDA, 1/25/10)
Federal health officials have approved a first-of-a-kind heart valve from Medtronic that can be implanted without open heart surgery. The Food and Drug Administration cleared the company's Melody Pulmonary Valve for adults and children with a heart defect that disrupts blood flow between the heart's right chambers and lungs. Patients with the condition currently receive replacement valves that can break down over time, requiring multiple heart surgeries to replace them. Medtronic's device is implanted using a small catheter that is inserted through an incision in the leg, postponing the need for surgery. The FDA's approval of Melody allows patients to undergo a much less invasive procedure to treat their condition.
2. Surgical procedure urged for atrial fibrillation: Ablation Therapy Controls Atrial Fibrillation (Journal of the American Medical Association, 1/26/10)
People with atrial fibrillation, a common type of irregular heartbeat, should be referred for a surgical treatment called catheter ablation if an oral medication is not effective. This study finds catheter ablation is highly effective when medication doesn't work. The irregular-heartbeat disorder, once considered benign, is now seen as a precursor to stroke that needs treatment.
3. CT Scans Reduce Unneeded Appendectomies in Women (Radiology, 2/10)
Using computed tomography (CT) scans to assess woman 45 years and younger with suspected acute appendicitis may help reduce unnecessary surgeries.
4. More melamine-tainted milk products found in China (AP, 1/25/10)
Melamine-tainted dairy products were pulled from convenience store shelves in southern China more than a year after hundreds of thousands of children had been sickened in a massive milk safety scandal. Melamine is used in the manufacture of plastics and fertilizer.
5. Most Holocaust survivors battle depression (Center for Research on Aging of the Israeli Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute, 1/26/10)
A majority of Israel's Holocaust survivors suffer from depression, sleeping disorders or other emotional distress. Two-thirds of Israel's 220,000 survivors experience some form of distress permanently scarred by their experiences during the Holocaust.
6. Pernell Roberts, last star of TV's 'Bonanza,' dies: Adam Cartwright (AP, 1/25/10)
Pernell Roberts, the ruggedly handsome actor who shocked Hollywood by leaving TV's "Bonanza" at the height of its popularity, then found fame again years later on "Trapper John, M.D.," has died. He was 81. Roberts, the last surviving member of the classic Western's cast, died of pancreatic cancer.
7. Cutting Salt as Good as Quitting Smoking (New England Journal of Medicine, 1/20/10)
Cutting U.S. salt intake by just half a teaspoon a day would prevent up to 92,000 deaths, 99,000 heart attacks, and 66,000 strokes -- a benefit as big as smoking cessation. Cutting daily salt intake by a half teaspoon -- about 3 grams -- would not be enough to bring most Americans down to the goal of 3.7 grams a day recommended for about 70% of adults.
8. New morning-after pill works for up to 5 days: ellaOne (ulipristal acetate) (Lancet, 1/10)
A new type of morning-after pill is more effective than the most widely used drug at preventing pregnancies in women who had unprotected sex and also works longer, for up to five days. Levonorgestrel, the most widely used emergency contraceptive pill, is only effective if women take it within three days of having sex. It is sold under various brand names including Levonelle and Plan B and is available in more than 140 countries, including the United States.
9. Discovery Links Genes to Pancreatic Cancer (Nature Genetics, 1/24/10)
Researchers have identified four regions of the human genome that predict a heightened risk of pancreatic cancer as a result of what they describe as the biggest-ever sweep of the genome for genes related to the disease. Though the regions are conclusively associated with the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, it doesn't mean if you have a variation in that region you're going to get pancreatic cancer.
10. NSAIDs may beat acetaminophen for menstrual cramps (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 1/10)
The class of painkillers that includes ibuprofen (motrin) and naproxen (aleve) seems to work well against menstrual cramps, and may be more effective than acetaminophen.
11. Half With Diabetes Skip Insulin Injections (Diabetes Care, 2/10)
More than half of the people prescribed insulin injections to control their diabetes have skipped their injections in the past, and one in five do so sometimes or often. More than 25% of people with diabetes take insulin. All people with type 1 diabetes and some people with type 2 diabetes require insulin injections to manage their disease and to prevent and slow the progression of potentially dangerous complications. This study showed that people with type 1 diabetes who didn't follow their recommended diet were most likely to skip their insulin injections. Among those with type 2 diabetes, younger people, those with a lower income, and those who perceived their insulin injections as painful or embarrassing were more likely to skip them.
12. FDA approves Novo's blockbuster diabetes drug: Victoza (liraglutide) (FDA, 1/26/10)
The FDA has extended its approval for the blockbuster new type 2 diabetes drug Victoza (liraglutide). The FDA's expert committee split their vote on the new drug, concerned that the therapy was linked to a higher risk of tumors in lab animals. But the drug offers some distinct advantages over standard therapy. It doesn't risk pushing blood sugar too low and there's clear evidence that the drug triggers weight loss.
13. Fake forms of Glaxo diet drug Alli can be dangerous: Sibutramine (FDA, 1/25/10)
Fake versions of GlaxoSmithKline's over-the-counter diet pill were contaminated with dangerously high levels of a prescription weight loss ingredient Sibutramine. Sibutramine is the active ingredient in Abbott Laboratories Inc's prescription diet drug Meridia. The amount of sibutramine in the counterfeit Alli poses a serious health risk to some individuals. Sibutramine should not be used by people with a history of cardiovascular disease because it can raise the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
14. Vitamin D May Ease Asthma (American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 1/28/10)
Not getting enough vitamin D may make asthma worse. Low vitamin D levels are associated with worse lung function.
15. Magnesium May Improve Memory (Neuron, 1/28/10)
Increasing your intake of magnesium, an essential mineral that’s found in dark leafy vegetables and certain fruits, beans, and nuts, may help relieve memory lapses associated with aging. Mg increases strength among synapses and promotes the density of synapses in the hippocampus, a part of the brain that plays important roles in spatial navigation and long-term memory. The recommended dietary allowance for magnesium for adults 19-30 years old is 400 milligrams/day for men and 310 milligrams/day for non- pregnant women. For adults 31 and older, it is 420 milligrams/day for men and 320 milligrams/day for non-pregnant women.
16. Study finds drop in age-related hearing problems: Baby Boomers Hearing Better Than Expected (American Journal of Epidemiology, 1/10)
The rate of hearing problems at ages ranging from 45 to 75 has been dropping for years. There may be several reasons for the finding, like fewer very noisy jobs and better ear protection at worksites, as well as immunizations and antibiotics that prevent certain diseases, and maybe even a decline in smoking.
17. Pot smoking during pregnancy may stunt fetal growth (Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 12/09)
Women who smoke marijuana during pregnancy may impair their baby's growth and development in the womb.
18. Shot Protects Against Chickenpox After Exposure (Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 1/10)
There is good news for people who have never had chickenpox or received the vaccine but are exposed to the virus: vaccination within five days of exposure can significantly reduce the risk of illness, or at least make it less severe. Available varicella vaccines administered within five days after exposure to chickenpox are effective in preventing chickenpox and highly effective in attenuating the disease. Chickenpox often causes mild illness, but the virus can cause complications and scarring. Young children and teens are especially at risk of developing rare complications that can be serious.
19. Infant swimming tied to lung infection, asthma (European Respiratory Journal, 1/14/10)
Children who start swimming before the age of 2 may be at increased risk of a common infant lung infection, and possibly asthma and respiratory allergies later in life. Infant swimming -- whether in indoor or outdoor pools -- is linked to an increased risk of bronchiolitis. Bronchiolitis is an infection of the lungs' small airways, usually caused by the respiratory syncytial virus, that is common in infants. Infant swimmers who developed the infection were also at increased risk of developing asthma or respiratory allergies.
20. Many children ‘hear voices’; most aren’t bothered (The British Journal of Psychiatry, 1/10)
Nearly 1 in 10 seven- to eight-year-olds hears voices that aren't really there. But most children who hear voices don't find them troubling or disruptive to their thinking. And parents whose children hear voices should not be overly concerned. "In most cases the voices will just disappear. Just reassure the child and to watch him or her closely.
21. Ambidextrous Children at Higher Risk for Learning Problems (Pediatrics, 1/25/10)
Ambidextrous children are more likely to have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), problems with language and schoolwork, and other mental health issues than right-handed children. Children are considered ambidextrous if neither hand is dominant, where they switch between using the right and left hands for activities such as eating or writing, or they use their right hand for certain activities and the left for others.
22. Flame Retardant Exposure May Harm Fertility (Environmental Health Perspectives, 1/26/10)
Women with higher blood levels of flame retardants known as PBDEs, found in some household objects, took about twice as long to become pregnant as women with lower blood levels. The compounds are found in furniture, carpets, electronics, plastic, and food. Choose meat, fish, and dairy lower in fat because the compounds are fat-soluble. Don't reupholster foam-filled furniture yourself. The PBDEs are in the foam and can leach out. Limit exposure to old carpet padding, which is often recycled foam when you are replacing carpet.
23. Wooden Toilet Seats Can Trigger Children's Rash (Pediatrics, 2/10)
Harsh cleaning chemicals and wooden toilet seats -- especially those with varnishes and paints -- may be among the reasons why toilet seat-related skin irritations among children appear to be increasing. Children can develop toilet seat dermatitis after repeated exposure to residue from harsh cleaning chemicals or after several uses of a wooden seat.
24. Teen pregnancy rate up after 10-year decline (Guttmacher Institute, 1/26/10)
The U.S. teen pregnancy rate rose in 2006 for the first time in more than a decade, reversing a long slide. The overall teen pregnancy rate was up 3 percent in 2006, with a 4 percent rise in the rate of births and a 1 percent rise in the rate of abortions.
25. Recall: Salami recalled over salmonella concerns (USDA, 1/23/10)
Pepper, one of the most commonly used spices, could be the cause of a 1.24 million-pound salami recall. Daniele Inc., of Pascoag, R.I., recalled ready-to-eat pepper-coated salami, sausage and other cured meats 1/23/10, saying they may be contaminated with salmonella.
26. Recall: FDA Recalls Two Million Medical Needles (FDA, 1/26/10)
FDA officials have announced the recall of 2 million medical needles because of a risk they can push bits of silicone into patients' bodies. The Food and Drug Administration said Japanese manufacturer Nipro Medical Corp. has voluntarily recalled its Exel/Exelint Huber needles manufactured between January 2007 and August 2009. The needles are used to access injection ports, which are devices implanted beneath the skin of patients who require frequent injections. The ports connect to a vein and allow easy delivery of chemotherapy, antibiotics and other injectable drugs. Huber needles are designed to be non-coring, or to penetrate an injected material without retaining any of it. However, a months long FDA investigation found that the needles can dislodge bits of silicone from the ports, potentially pushing them into the patient's bloodstream. The problem can also damage the ports themselves, resulting in problems delivering drug therapy. An inspection at Nipro's manufacturing plant in Japan found that 60 to 72 percent of the company's needles had a design problem.
