Previous Medical News
2010/07/31
1. Bedbugs Biting All Over U.S.: NYC looks to stop spreading bedbug infestations (National Pest Management Association and the University of Kentucky: "Bugs Without Borders" survey, 7/10)
Bedbug-related calls to exterminators have risen by 81% over the last decade and by 57% over the last five years. A panel appointed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently reported a 63% increase in residential bedbug complaints in 2008, following a 35% increase in 2007. Bedbug infestations are clearly on the rise, in part because the bugs have developed a resistance to many commonly used chemical pesticides and, in part, because people are traveling more. When Bedbugs start biting, some people don’t notice because they are not allergic. People who are allergic may experience redness and itching at the site of the bite. But bedbugs are not known to transmit disease the way ticks, mosquitoes, and other insect parasites do. When a bedbug has fed, it is about a quarter-inch long, reddish brown, and round like a tick. But young bedbugs and hungry ones are much harder to spot because they are much smaller and flat and can be white or straw colored.
2. ER Wait Times Getting Longer: Fast Treatment Rare in Emergency Departments (2010 Emergency Department Pulse Report by Press Ganey, 7/25/10)
The average time a patient spent in the emergency department ticked up by four minutes from 2008 to 2009, which brought the total time to four hours and seven minutes, an increase of 31 minutes since 2002.
3. Hands-only CPR, pushy dispatchers are lifesavers (New England Journal of Medicine, 7/29/10)
"Hands-only" chest compression is enough to save a life. Breathing into a victim's mouth is not needed except for children or adults who have stopped breathing because of choking, drowning or other respiratory problems. Use the beat of the old disco song "Stayin' Alive" as a guide to providing chest compression which is advised at a rate of about 100 per minute. There was no significant difference in the survival rates of people who got conventional CPR and those who got the hands-only version.
4. Test designed to screen resistance to cancer drug (Clinical Cancer Research, 7/29/10)
Researchers in Japan have designed a test to identify patients who are likely to be resistant to Imatinib (brand name Gleevac) the standard drug for treating leukemia or cancer of the blood cells. Such a test is important as Imatinib resistance occurs usually to relapse patients, who tend to deteriorate very rapidly if they are given the wrong treatment.
5. Cuvposa Approved for Chronic Drooling in Children (FDA, 7/29/10)
Cuvposa (glycopyrrolate) Oral Solution has been approved by the FDA to treat chronic drooling in children aged 3 to 16. Neuromuscular problems among the developmentally disabled is a prime cause of chronic drooling in this age group. The drug is designed to reduce the amount of saliva produced. Common side effects of the medication are dry mouth, constipation and retention of urine. Cuvposa is marketed by Shionogi Pharma Inc., based in Osaka, Japan.
6. Wide Social Networks Are Key to Good Health: New health policy-encouraging friendships? (PLoS Medicine, 7/27/10)
Having good social relationships -- friends, marriage or children -- may be every bit as important to a healthy lifespan as quitting smoking, losing weight or taking certain medications. People with strong social relationships were 50 percent less likely to die early than people without such support. A lack of social relationships was equivalent to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, equivalent to being an alcoholic, was more harmful than not exercising and was twice as harmful as obesity. The researchers looked at 148 studies that covered more than 308,000 people for their analysis.
7. Relationship Insecurity May Undermine Your Health (Health Psychology, 7/10)
There’s some new information about how emotions affect our health: People who feel insecure in their relationships, or getting close to others, may be at increased risk for heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, chronic pain such as frequent or severe headaches, and ulcers.
8. Listening to Music While Working Hurts Performance (Applied Cognitive Psychology, 9/10)
Listening to songs while performing tasks can impair concentration. What you hear while trying to concentrate can be distracting and impair your ability to memorize and recall information.
9. Guzzling diet soda raises premature birth risk (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 7/10)
Drinking lots of artificially sweetened beverages may be linked with an increased risk of premature births. Women who had at least one serving of artificially sweetened soda a day while they were pregnant were 38 percent more likely to deliver preterm than women who drank no diet soda at all. Women who had at least four diet sodas a day were nearly 80 percent more likely to deliver preterm. The association was the same for normal-weight and overweight women.
10. Home births can be 'harmful,' journal says (Lancet, 7/10)
Home birth can be harmful to newborn babies. Planned home births compared with planned hospital births double the risk of neonatal deaths, with breathing difficulties and failed attempts at resuscitation playing major factors. Hospital delivery should be the preferred method of delivery for high-risk pregnancies.
11. Receipts Could Be Harmful to Your Health (Environmental Working Group, 7/26/10)
Cash-register receipts from many fast-food outlets, groceries, pharmacies, big-box stores and U.S. post offices contain high levels of the endocrine-disrupting chemical bisphenol A. A study released by the Environmental Working Group reported that a laboratory analysis it commissioned found the plastic component BPA on 40 percent of receipts from McDonald's, CVS, KFC, Whole Foods, Wal-Mart, Safeway and other businesses. The scientists did not detect any BPA or only trace amounts in receipts from Target, Starbucks, some bank ATMs and other enterprises. BPA is used to coat thermal paper, which reacts with dye to form black print on receipts handled by millions of Americans every day. BPA from register receipts can enter the skin to such a depth that it can no longer be washed off. According to the CDC, retail workers carry an average of 30 percent more BPA in their bodies than other adults. In animal tests, scientists have produced evidence that BPA can induce abnormal reproductive system development, diminished intellectual capacity and behavioral abnormalities and can set the stage for other serious conditions, such as reproductive system cancer, obesity, diabetes, early puberty, resistance to chemotherapy, asthma and cardiovascular system disorders.
12. More Evidence Links Fractures to Diabetes Drugs: Avandia, Actos Boost Fracture Risk in Older Women (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 7/29/10)
The popular diabetes drugs Actos and Avandia boost the risk of fracture in older women.
13. Longer Time Frame for Clot-Busting Drug May Help Beat Stroke (Lancet Neurology, 7/26/10)
Extending the time window to treat stroke patients with the clot-dissolving drug tPA from 3 hours to up to 4.5 hours after the onset of stroke doesn't result in any significant delays in treatment and appears to be a safe option for saving lives.
14. Alcohol eases rheumatoid arthritis (Rheumatology, 7/10)
Drinking alcohol may help reduce the severity of rheumatoid arthritis and cut the risk of developing the painful and crippling disease. Alcohol can relieve pain, and decrease the response of the inflammatory system. Drink in moderation.
15. Synthetic marijuana, legal in U.S., causing outcry (American Association of Poison Control Centers, 7/29/10)
An herb and chemical blend dubbed K2 that is sold legally in the U.S. as incense but produces a marijuana-like high when smoked is landing a rising number of people in emergency rooms. The surge in calls to poison control centers across the country has spurred 10 states to ban K2 and other similar brands of so-called synthetic marijuana products. Users ranging from teens to adults in their 60s have suffered from agitation, anxiety, hypertension, vomiting and in some cases severe paranoia and hallucinations. These people come into an ER, they are extremely agitated. They feel like their heart will beat out of their chest. The substance has also been linked to a suicide.
16. In Young Girls, Obesity linked to Early Puberty (Journal of Adolescent Health, 7/10)
Obesity is associated with early puberty in young girls. There are other factors which may affect the timing of puberty including an increase in hormone-disrupting chemicals in the environment and more chronic stress in children's homes. Early onset of puberty puts girls at increased risk for negative body image, depression and other mental health issues. Girls who reach puberty early can also end up in social situations they aren't psychologically prepared to handle, which may lead to mental health problems.
17. Calcium supplements linked to heart attacks (British Medical Journal)
Ordinary calcium supplements taken by the elderly to strengthen bones may boost the risk of heart attacks. This is a review 11 separate clinical trials involving 12,000 patients. Calcium supplements were associated with about a 30 percent jump in heart attack risk. The chances of stroke and mortality also increased to a lesser extent. The link was independent of age, sex, and type of supplement. Increasing calcium intake through changes in diet does not increase cardiovascular problems. The risks appear restricted to supplements. Calcium supplements are probably not very efficient in reducing fractures in any case. Rich dietary sources of calcium include: dairy products, broccoli, cooked kale, canned salmon with bones, oats, and soy products. To lower your risk of osteoporosis: increase your dietary intake of calcium, increase your vitamin-D intake, exercise regularly, and avoid smoking as well as excessive alcohol, and consider with your physician the risks and benefits of hormone replacement.
18. Childhood abuse linked to adult heart disease (Child Abuse & Neglect, 7/10)
Adults who were physically abused during childhood are more likely later to develop heart disease. In fact, abused children have 45 percent higher odds of heart problems later in life compared with children who are not abused.
19. Is Your Blood Sugar High? (American Diabetes Association, 7/29/10)
You may have high blood sugar and not even know it. Signs and symptoms include:
- Blood or urine tests that reveal high levels of glucose.
- Feeling a frequent need to urinate.
- Excessive thirst.
According to the American Diabetes Association, a Hemoglobin A1C value of 6.5% or greater is used for the diagnosis of diabetes. HbA1C gives a picture of the average blood glucose level over the preceding 2 to 3 months. The ADA also recommended that the HbA1c assay be used to identify people with prediabetes, using an HbA1c range of 5.7% to 6.4%.
20. Evamist: Menopause Treatment Could Harm Kids, Pets (FDA. 7/29)
Evamist, a drug used to reduce menopause-related hot flashes in women, may harm children and pets who have skin contact with the drug. The product, which is sprayed on the skin between the elbow and wrist and on the inside of the forearm, contains an estrogen hormone called estradiol. Evamist was approved for use in the United States in 2007. Since then, the FDA has received eight reports of adverse events in children aged 3 to 5 who were unintentionally exposed to the drug. The adverse events include: premature puberty, nipple swelling and breast development in females; and breast enlargement in males. In addition, the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine has received two reports of dogs being exposed to Evamist. This may lead to mammary nipple enlargement and swelling of the vulvus. Women using Evamist need to keep both children and pets away from the the area of the arm where the product is sprayed. If a child does touch this area, wash the child's skin with soap and water as soon as possible. Women should consider wearing a garment that covers the area.
21. Stop-Smoking Aid Chantix Sparks Safety Concerns (Annals of Pharmacotherapy, 7/20/10)
Evidence is accumulating that the stop-smoking drug Chantix is linked with unprovoked acts and thoughts of aggression and violence. According to these researchers, its use should be restricted to exclude police, military, and similar occupations in which workers carry weapons.
22. Head Lice Is No Reason to Keep Kids Out of School (Pediatrics, 7/27/10)
According to this report, from the American Academy of Pediatrics, head lice do not pose enough of a contagious hazard to justify the strict policies that many schools use to keep infected children out of class.
23. Can secondhand smoke hurt kids' grades? (Journal of Pediatrics, 7/20/10)
Children and teenagers exposed to secondhand smoke at home may get poorer grades than their peers from smoke-free homes. Secondhand smoke is a well-known health threat to children, being linked to increased risks of asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia and other respiratory infections, as well as behavior problems and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
24. Recall: Procter & Gamble recalls 2 Iams cat food lots: salmonella contamination (Procter & Gamble, 7/25/10)
Procter & Gamble Co. is voluntarily recalling two lots of Iams brand prescription renal dry cat food because it could be contaminated with salmonella. The products are available by prescription through veterinary clinics. No illnesses have been reported, but an FDA analysis identified positive results on two lots of Iams Veterinary Formulas Feline Renal 5.5 lbs: numbers 01384174B4 0 19014 21405 1 and 01384174B2 0 19014 21405 1. Codes are found in the lower right corner on the back of the bag. Anyone owning the food should throw it out. Pets can become infected and people handling the dry pet food can become infected with salmonella as well if they do not wash their hands. Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, seniors and others with weakened immune systems.
25. Recall: Nap Nanny (Portable Baby) Recliners Recalled (Consumer Product Safety Commission, 7/26/10)
Portable baby recliners that are supposed to help fussy babies sleep better are being recalled after the death of an infant. The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall this week of 30,000 Nap Nanny recliners made by Baby Matters LLC of Berwyn, Pa. CPSC says it's investigating a report that a 4-month-old girl from Royal Oak, Mich., died in a Nap Nanny that was being used in a crib. The child was reportedly found hanging over the side of the foam recliner, caught between the Nap Nanny and the crib's bumper.
