Previous Medical News
2010/05/29
1. Many Sunscreens May Be Accelerating Cancer: Only 8% of Sunscreens Are Safe and Effective (Environmental Working Group, 2010 Sunscreen Report, 5/24/10)
Almost half of the 500 most popular sunscreen products may actually increase the speed at which malignant cells develop and spread skin cancer because they contain vitamin A or its derivatives. The report says only 39 of the 500 products they examined were considered safe and effective to use.
The report cites these problems with bogus sun protection factor (SPF) numbers:
- The use of the hormone-disrupting chemical oxybenzone, which penetrates the skin and enters the bloodstream.
- Overstated claims about performance.
- The lack of needed regulations and oversight by the Food and Drug Administration.
But the most alarming finding is that that vitamin A and its derivatives, retinol and retinyl palmitate, may speed up the cancer that sunscreen is used to prevent. In that yearlong study, tumors and lesions developed up to 21 percent faster in lab animals coated in a vitamin A-laced cream than animals treated with a vitamin-free cream.
2. Holiday weekend raises risk of injury (Pediatrics, 5/10)
On major holidays, children are more likely to suffer injuries from everyday activities, such as playing football, than they are to be victims of holiday-specific pitfalls. Labor Day and Memorial Day are the top two, likely because they are often celebrated outdoors and people are more likely to take part in physical activities.
3. Diff’rent Strokes’ star Gary Coleman dies at 42 (AP, 5/28/10)
42 year old Gary Coleman died 5/28/10 after suffering a brain hemorrhage. He fell at home on 5/26/10. His short stature stemmed from a serious health problem, kidney failure. He got his first of at least two transplants at age 5 and required dialysis. Even as an adult, his height reached only 4 feet 8 inches. He had twice tried to kill himself by overdosing on pills.
4. NY man's kidney transplant gave him woman's cancer: NYC hospital wins kidney transplant cancer lawsuit (AP, 5/28/10)
The jury found for NYU Langone Medical Center in the medical malpractice case surrounding Vincent Liew's 2002 death. It may be the only case of uterine cancer being transmitted by transplant, though the hospital has suggested Liew died of another form of cancer derived from the transplant. Liew, a 37-year-old diabetic who had been on dialysis for four years, got a kidney transplant on Feb. 25, 2002. The donor had died of a stroke, and her cancer wasn't discovered until she was autopsied. Liew's surgeon, Dr. Thomas Diflo, didn't learn about her cancer until about six weeks after the transplant. Liew decided to keep the kidney after Diflo concluded there was only a slim chance he'd be sickened by the feminine cancer. Liew ultimately had the kidney removed in August 2002 but died the next month of a cancer his autopsy said came from the donor. His widow said the hospital should have urged him to have the organ removed immediately.
5. Lohan's ankle bracelet has breathalyzer technology: Acts as an alcohol-monitoring bracelet (Alcohol Monitoring Systems Inc., 5/25/10)
The bracelet uses the same technology as a Breathalyzer, but instead of checking the breath for alcohol, it samples the perspiration on the skin. After alcohol is consumed, it eventually enters the bloodstream and a small amount is expelled through the skin.
The bracelet tests the skin every half hour. Usually once a day, the information is sent over phone lines to the company, which alerts the courts or probation officer if alcohol is detected at a blood-alcohol level of 0.02 or higher.
6. Britain bans doctor who linked autism to vaccine (Britain's General Medical Council, 5/24/10)
The doctor whose research linking autism and the vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella was banned from practicing medicine in his native Britain. Dr. Andrew Wakefield's 1998 study was discredited — but vaccination rates have never fully recovered. This has resulted in a resurgence of measles in Western countries where it had been mostly stamped out, with hospitalizations and deaths of children.
7. Indoor Tanning Linked to Melanoma (Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 5/27/10)
People who use any type of tanning bed for any amount of time are 74 percent more likely to develop melanoma. Frequent users of indoor tanning beds are 2.5 to 3 times more likely to develop melanoma than those who never use tanning devices. The study defines frequent uses as people who used indoor tanning for 50 plus hours, more than 100 sessions, or for 10-plus years. This increased risk applies similarly to all ages and genders.
8. Drinking Milk May Boost Benefits of a Workout (Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise, 6/10)
Women who drank two large glasses of fat-free white milk after weight-lifting exercises gained more muscle and lost more fat than women who drank sugar-based energy drinks.
9. Study links viral infection to juvenile diabetes (American Society for Microbiology, 5/24/10)
A small study of 112 children with juvenile diabetes at the University of Insubria in Varese, Italy, found that more than 80 percent had evidence of enterovirus infection in their blood.
10. Irregular menstrual periods tied to heart disease (Fertility and Sterility, 5/7/10)
Women with a history of irregular menstrual periods may have a higher risk of developing heart disease than do other women. There was no increased risk seen among women who reported regularly long menstrual cycles (30 or more days between periods) or regularly short cycles (26 or fewer days between periods).
11. Herbal Supplements May Pose Health Risk (Government Accountability Office, 5/26/10)
Natural supplements, now taken by at least a quarter of adult Americans, are often laced with lead, mercury, arsenic and potentially dangerous levels of pesticides. Investigators tested 40 herbal supplements. Of those, 37 contained trace amounts of heavy metals, especially lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic which all lead to cancer. Herbal supplements tested included chamomile, echinacea, garlic, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, peppermint, saw palmetto and St. John's wort.
12. Fewer sugary drinks may lower blood pressure (Circulation, 5/10)
Drinking fewer sugary drinks may help lower blood pressure. Just another reason to cut back on sweetened beverages.
13. Many Delusional About Smelling Bad (American Psychiatric Association, 5/25/10)
A psychiatric condition characterized by a person's mistaken belief that he or she smells bad is vastly under-recognized and is "probably very common." Called olfactory reference syndrome, these patients are preoccupied with the belief that they are emitting a foul or offensive body odor, which is not perceived by others. They’re impaired in terms of functioning and they have high rates of suicide.
14. Drinking alcohol can lower chance of diabetes (National Institute for Public Health and Environment, 5/25/10)
Healthy adults who drink one to two glasses of alcohol per day have a smaller chance of developing one form of diabetes than those who abstain from alcohol. People who consumed alcohol moderately and met at least three of four conditions of a healthy lifestyle, had 40 percent less chance of developing Type 2 diabetes than those who abstained from alcohol completely. Following adults between the ages of 20 and 70, the study defined moderate alcohol consumption as a maximum of one glass per day for women and two glasses per day for men. The four conditions of a healthy lifestyle were defined as obesity prevention, adequate exercise, not smoking and a balanced diet.
15. Voice Is Key in Sexual Attraction (Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 4/11/10)
Men and Women Use Lower-Pitched Voice to Indicate Sexual Attraction. Lowering your voice can communicate sexual desire.
16. Brushing Teeth May Keep Away Heart Disease (BMJ, 5/27/10)
Brushing your teeth decreases your chances of suffering a heart attack. In this study, 62% of participants said they went to a dentist every six months and 71% said they brushed their teeth twice a day. People who admitted to brushing their teeth less frequently had a 70% extra risk of heart disease. People who reported poor oral hygiene also tested positive for bloodstream inflammatory markers such as fibrinogen and C-reactive protein.
17. Anxiety disorders may boost heart attack risk (American Heart Journal, 5/10)
Veterans with anxiety disorders have an increased risk of heart attack adding to evidence that mental health conditions may affect heart health.
18. Women Feel Gloomier After Heart Bypass Surgery (American Psychiatric Association, 5/26/10)
After bypass surgery to open clogged heart arteries, women are more likely than men to suffer persistent feelings that life is not worth living -- feelings that impede their physical recovery.
19. Food Manufacturers Trimming the Trans Fat (The New England Journal of Medicine, 5/27/10)
Trans fat and saturated fat have been reduced from most supermarket and restaurant products.
20. Yoga May Help Fight Depression (American Psychiatric Association, 5/26/10)
Yoga may be helpful in the treatment of depression. Yoga produced greater improvements in mood than walking, suggesting its beneficial effect is not just from physical activity. Yoga increases levels of the brain chemical GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) that's reduced in depression, and doesn't work well in people with anxiety.
21. Brain Injuries May Lead to Sleep Problems (Journal of Neurology, 5/25/10)
People with traumatic brain injuries may produce reduced amounts of melatonin, causing sleep problems.
22. Moderate Drinking May Protect Brain From Alzheimer's (Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 5/10)
Moderate drinking may help protect against the onset of Alzheimer's disease among otherwise healthy people. Women who don't smoke appear to gain the most benefit from alcohol consumption. A standard drink is generally considered to be 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits. Each of these drinks contains roughly the same amount of absolute alcohol--approximately 0.5 ounce or 12 grams. A drink doesn't kill brain cells. It damages the way brain cells communicate and the damage is largely reversible.
23. Beta-Blockers May Help COPD Patients (Archives of Internal Medicine, 5/24/10)
Beta-blocker medications, which are not commonly prescribed for patients with chronic lung disease, may actually be of benefit to them. The medications, prescribed for high blood pressure and cardiac disorders, may help lengthen survival and reduce respiratory flare-ups.
24. FDA Warns of Fracture Risk From Acid Reflux Drugs (FDA, 5/25/10)
Popular PPI antacids -- Aciphex, Dexilant, Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec, Protonix, Vimovo, and Zegerid -- raise the risk of bone fracture, especially when used for a year or more or at high doses, the FDA. There is a possible increased risk of fractures of the hip, wrist, and spine.
25. Swallowing Batteries a Growing Risk for Kids (Pediatrics, 6/10)
The rate of severe poisonings from battery ingestion among U.S. children has risen in the past 25 years, along with the growing use of lithium "button" batteries in a wide range of consumer products.
26. A Little Gratitude Keeps Relationships Strong (Personal Relationships, 6/10)
Small thoughtful gestures and a little everyday gratitude toward one's partner can yield a great deal of happiness and help strengthen relationships.
27. Long-Term Antidepressants to Prevent Depression? (American Psychiatric Association, 5/24/10)
Long-term use of antidepressants may not always be needed to prevent future bouts of depression. At least two-thirds of depressed patients who will relapse do so in the first six months after stopping antidepressant medication. If you don't get depressed within the first six months after coming off the medication, you may not be at any higher risk of being depressed than any other patient.
28. Women less trusting when taking testosterone (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 5/10)
Women become less trusting, less open, more vigilant, and more skeptical and cynical if they are given the male hormone testosterone.
29. Distress of 9/11 may have led to miscarriages (BMC Public Health, 5/10)
The shock and stress felt by pregnant women after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, may have contributed to an increase in miscarriages in the United States.
30. No Ill Effects When Kids Get Vaccines on Time (Pediatrics, 6/10)
Children should be vaccinated on time because this results in better outcomes than delaying immunization. The research also shows that children who are vaccinated on time have no adverse effects on neuropsychological evaluation seven to 10 years later.
31. Swim lessons for toddlers get doctors' approval: Kids as little as 1 OK for swim lessons (Pediatrics (American Academy of Pediatrics), 5/24/10)
The nation's largest pediatricians group is relaxing its stance against swimming lessons for children younger than 4. The studies show that toddlers may be less likely to drown if they've had swim lessons. That's why the American Academy of Pediatrics says it's fine to enroll children as young as 1 in classes. Some parents may feel their little ones aren't ready for the water and that's OK.
32. Should some kids take fish oil supplements? (Pediatrics, 5/17/10)
Fish oil supplements could lower blood pressure in slightly overweight teenage kids, and their hearts may reap the benefits years later.
33. Recall: Fresh Express Recalls Romaine-based Salads with Use-by Dates of May 13-16th Due to Possible Health Risk: Salmonella (FDA, 5/24/10)
Fresh Express, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chiquita Brands International, is voluntarily recalling a specific selection of Fresh Express Romaine-based ready-to-eat salads with the expired Use-by Dates of May 13th through May 16th and an "S" in the Product Code because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.
34. Recall: Recalled sprouts sold to Wal-Marts in 15 states (Caldwell Fresh Foods, 5/24/10)
Alfalfa sprouts recalled because of salmonella poisoning were sold to more than 400 Wal-Mart stores in 15 states. The raw sprouts sold by Caldwell Fresh Foods were sold to Wal-Marts in Alabama, California, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon and Wisconsin.
35. Recall: New Recall of Kids’ OTC Cough and Cold Meds (Blacksmith Brands, 5/28/10)
Blacksmith Brands has recalled all lots of four Pediacare children's cough and cold products that were manufactured for the company by McNeil Consumer Healthcare, makers of the Tylenol and Motrin products involved in last month's massive recall.
