According to a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, "prepared foods may contain an average of 8% more calories than their package labels own up to, and restaurant meals may contain a whopping 18% more." The misleading labels are also said to be "perfectly o.k." with the Food and Drug Administration, which "plays no role in checking the calorie claims in restaurants." Without federal regulation, "it's up to the states to handle the job - with the predictable patchwork results." Susan Roberts, who conducted the study, described the unregulated menu counts as "the Wild West when it comes to this."
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Showing posts with label medicines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label medicines. Show all posts
Friday, March 30, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Sharing hospital room may increase infection risk during stay
Sharing a hospital room increases your risk of picking up an infection during your stay, a new study shows." The work, by researchers from Queen's University in Kingston, Ont., "found that each new roommate raised a patient's risk of picking up an infection in hospital by about 10 percent." The study's senior author, Dr. Dick Zoutman, said in a statement, "That's a substantial risk, particularly for longer hospital stays when you can expect to have many different roommates."
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Americans living longer than ever
Americans living longer than ever. And every year that gets tacked on to the average life expectancy costs an extra trillion dollars in expenditures by Social Security and Medicare.
Americans are living a record 77 years and 11 months on average...according to two studies that led researchers to suggest raising the retirement age." The first study, from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, found that in the "US in 2007, the latest year for which figures are available," the "0.76 percent death rate is the lowest ever," driven by "a decline in deaths from heart disease and other ailments." Meanwhile, a second study published Dec. 14 in the health journal Milbank Quarterly, found that "every year that gets tacked on to the average life expectancy costs an extra trillion dollars in expenditures by Social Security and Medicare."
Overall, the 2007 data "show continued improvements in life expectancy for all Americans, although women are faring better than men, and whites fare better than other racial groups" by a "race differential" of about "4.6 years." But, even amid this progress, vast geographical discrepancies remain -- with people in southern states still facing higher death rates than those living in other parts of the country." And, "even though Americans can expect to live longer than their parents, life expectancy in the" US "is still lower than in many other industrialized countries, including Canada and Japan. Even so, the "dramatic improvements in the health of Americans over the last 20 years" will "have unforeseen effects on the country. The Social Security and Medicare "programs weren't designed to support people for that long."
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Americans are living a record 77 years and 11 months on average...according to two studies that led researchers to suggest raising the retirement age." The first study, from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, found that in the "US in 2007, the latest year for which figures are available," the "0.76 percent death rate is the lowest ever," driven by "a decline in deaths from heart disease and other ailments." Meanwhile, a second study published Dec. 14 in the health journal Milbank Quarterly, found that "every year that gets tacked on to the average life expectancy costs an extra trillion dollars in expenditures by Social Security and Medicare."
Overall, the 2007 data "show continued improvements in life expectancy for all Americans, although women are faring better than men, and whites fare better than other racial groups" by a "race differential" of about "4.6 years." But, even amid this progress, vast geographical discrepancies remain -- with people in southern states still facing higher death rates than those living in other parts of the country." And, "even though Americans can expect to live longer than their parents, life expectancy in the" US "is still lower than in many other industrialized countries, including Canada and Japan. Even so, the "dramatic improvements in the health of Americans over the last 20 years" will "have unforeseen effects on the country. The Social Security and Medicare "programs weren't designed to support people for that long."
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Maternal Use of Sertaline, Citalopram Linked to Septal Heart Defects in Offspring
Women who use the antidepressants sertraline (Zoloft) or citalopram (Celexa) early in pregnancy face increased risk for septal heart defects in their offspring, BMJ reports online.
Researchers examined data on more than 490,000 infants born in Denmark between 1996 and 2003. They found that women who filled prescriptions for sertraline and citalopram (but not other SSRIs) during their first trimester were significantly more likely to have children with septal heart defects (but not other malformations) than those who didn't use SSRIs (odds ratios: 3.2 and 2.5, respectively).
The authors and an editorialist (both with ties to SSRI manufacturers) note that the absolute risks for septal heart defects were low: 0.9% in children exposed to at least one SSRI and 2.1% in those exposed to more than one.
The editorialist concludes: "Clinicians and patients need to balance the small risks associated with SSRIs against those associated with undertreatment or no treatment."
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Researchers examined data on more than 490,000 infants born in Denmark between 1996 and 2003. They found that women who filled prescriptions for sertraline and citalopram (but not other SSRIs) during their first trimester were significantly more likely to have children with septal heart defects (but not other malformations) than those who didn't use SSRIs (odds ratios: 3.2 and 2.5, respectively).
The authors and an editorialist (both with ties to SSRI manufacturers) note that the absolute risks for septal heart defects were low: 0.9% in children exposed to at least one SSRI and 2.1% in those exposed to more than one.
The editorialist concludes: "Clinicians and patients need to balance the small risks associated with SSRIs against those associated with undertreatment or no treatment."
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Banned Herbal Ingredient Linked to Urinary Tract Cancer
Natural does not equal safe, and any herb strong enough to have a potential benefit is strong enough to have potential to cause harm."
Exposure to aristolochic acid, found in some Chinese herbal products such as Mu Tong and Fangchi, significantly increased the risk for urinary tract cancer, according to a retrospective study.Researchers in Taiwan found prescription of more than 60 grams of Mu Tong and consumption of more than 150 mg aristolochic acid were independently associated with an increased risk for urinary tract cancer.
• Mu Tong, 61 to 100 g: OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.3 to 2.1
• Mu Tong, >200 g: OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.3 to 3.4
• Aristolochic acid, 151 to 250 mg: OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1 to 1.8
• Aristolochic acid, >500 mg: OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.4 to 2.9
Used in Chinese herbal preparations taken for weight loss or urinary tract infections, aristolochic acid has been banned in several countries, including in Taiwan and in the U.S.The latest study found a linear, dose-dependent relationship between the amount of aristolochic acid consumed and an increased risk for urinary tract cancer (P<0.001). This was independent of arsenic exposure through drinking water, which has also been associated with bladder and urinary tract cancers.Among the more than 4,000 patients analyzed, 57% had bladder cancer and 43% had upper urinary tract cancer.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified herbal remedies containing high concentrations of aristolochic acid as carcinogenic. Traces of aristolochic acid may still be found in adulterated remedies currently on the market.
Wang, et al "Population-based case-control study of chinese herbal products containing aristolochic acid and urinary tract cancer risk" J Nat Can Inst 2009; DOI:10.1093/jnci/djp467.
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Exposure to aristolochic acid, found in some Chinese herbal products such as Mu Tong and Fangchi, significantly increased the risk for urinary tract cancer, according to a retrospective study.Researchers in Taiwan found prescription of more than 60 grams of Mu Tong and consumption of more than 150 mg aristolochic acid were independently associated with an increased risk for urinary tract cancer.
• Mu Tong, 61 to 100 g: OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.3 to 2.1
• Mu Tong, >200 g: OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.3 to 3.4
• Aristolochic acid, 151 to 250 mg: OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1 to 1.8
• Aristolochic acid, >500 mg: OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.4 to 2.9
Used in Chinese herbal preparations taken for weight loss or urinary tract infections, aristolochic acid has been banned in several countries, including in Taiwan and in the U.S.The latest study found a linear, dose-dependent relationship between the amount of aristolochic acid consumed and an increased risk for urinary tract cancer (P<0.001). This was independent of arsenic exposure through drinking water, which has also been associated with bladder and urinary tract cancers.Among the more than 4,000 patients analyzed, 57% had bladder cancer and 43% had upper urinary tract cancer.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified herbal remedies containing high concentrations of aristolochic acid as carcinogenic. Traces of aristolochic acid may still be found in adulterated remedies currently on the market.
Wang, et al "Population-based case-control study of chinese herbal products containing aristolochic acid and urinary tract cancer risk" J Nat Can Inst 2009; DOI:10.1093/jnci/djp467.
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Certain dietary supplements Selenium and Omega-3s may reduce colorectal cancer risk
Certain dietary supplements appear to affect the development of colorectal cancer or its recurrence," according to two new studies presented during a medical conference. In one, "researchers from the US National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences found that eating a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids cut the risk of developing colorectal cancer by nearly 40 percent. In the other study, from cancer researchers in Italy, consumption of a dietary supplement containing selenium was found to reduce the chances of having polyps recur by a similar amount."
In one study, researchers from the U.S. National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences found that eating a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids cut the risk of developing colorectal cancer by nearly 40 percent. In the other study, from cancer researchers in Italy, consumption of a dietary supplement containing selenium was found to reduce the chances of having polyps recur by a similar amount.
In the selenium study, 411 people, 25 to 75 years old, who'd had one or more colorectal polyps removed took either a supplement or a placebo. The supplement, described as an antioxidant compound, contained 200 micrograms of selenomethionnine (a combination of selenium and methionnine), 30 milligrams of zinc, 6,000 international units of vitamin A, 180 milligrams of vitamin C and 30 milligrams of vitamin E.
Participants had a colonoscopy one year, three years and five years after starting the regimen.
The researchers estimated that, after 15 years, about 48 percent of those taking the supplement were free of polyps, versus about 30 percent of those not taking the supplement.
Among the white participants, those whose diets were in the highest fourth of omega-3 fatty acid consumption were 39 percent less likely to have colorectal cancer than those in the lowest fourth. However, for reasons the authors said they did not know, no association was noted between omega-3s and a reduction of colorectal cancer risk among black participants. The disease occurs at a higher rate among blacks than whites.
"Our finding clearly supports the evidence from previous experimental and clinical studies showing that long-chain omega-3 fatty acids inhibit tumor growth," said the study's lead author, Sangmi Kim, a postdoctoral fellow at the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, N.C.
Kim said the research supports boosting omega-3 intake through diet or perhaps by taking an omega-3 supplement. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish, especially oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, anchovies, sardines and tuna. Plant-based sources include flax and flaxseed oil, Brussels sprouts, soybeans and soybean oil, canola oil, spinach, walnuts and kiwi.
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
In one study, researchers from the U.S. National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences found that eating a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids cut the risk of developing colorectal cancer by nearly 40 percent. In the other study, from cancer researchers in Italy, consumption of a dietary supplement containing selenium was found to reduce the chances of having polyps recur by a similar amount.
In the selenium study, 411 people, 25 to 75 years old, who'd had one or more colorectal polyps removed took either a supplement or a placebo. The supplement, described as an antioxidant compound, contained 200 micrograms of selenomethionnine (a combination of selenium and methionnine), 30 milligrams of zinc, 6,000 international units of vitamin A, 180 milligrams of vitamin C and 30 milligrams of vitamin E.
Participants had a colonoscopy one year, three years and five years after starting the regimen.
The researchers estimated that, after 15 years, about 48 percent of those taking the supplement were free of polyps, versus about 30 percent of those not taking the supplement.
Among the white participants, those whose diets were in the highest fourth of omega-3 fatty acid consumption were 39 percent less likely to have colorectal cancer than those in the lowest fourth. However, for reasons the authors said they did not know, no association was noted between omega-3s and a reduction of colorectal cancer risk among black participants. The disease occurs at a higher rate among blacks than whites.
"Our finding clearly supports the evidence from previous experimental and clinical studies showing that long-chain omega-3 fatty acids inhibit tumor growth," said the study's lead author, Sangmi Kim, a postdoctoral fellow at the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, N.C.
Kim said the research supports boosting omega-3 intake through diet or perhaps by taking an omega-3 supplement. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish, especially oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, anchovies, sardines and tuna. Plant-based sources include flax and flaxseed oil, Brussels sprouts, soybeans and soybean oil, canola oil, spinach, walnuts and kiwi.
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Autism increases in the US
Almost one percent of American children had an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in a large CDC surveillance study whose lead author called the condition a "significant public health issue."
Across 11 sites in the U.S., ASD prevalence in 2006 ranged from about one out of 80 children to one out of every 240 children, with an overall prevalence of one in 111 youngsters, according to a report by investigators from the CDC's Autism and Developmental Disorders Monitoring (ADDM) Network.
Among 10 ADDM sites that reported data in both 2002 and 2006, there was an average 57% increase in ASD prevalence. No single factor could explain the rise, researchers said. Overall ASD prevalence was 4.5 times higher in boys than in girls: about one in every 70 boys and one in every 315 girls.
From 2002 to 2006, prevalence increased 60% in boys and 48% in girls (P<0.001 for both).
The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that all children be screened for autism when they are 18 and 24 months old which is especially important, as early recognition and treatment improves outcomes.
ASD diagnosis was made at a slightly younger age in 2006 than in 2002, but it was still delayed to an average age of 53 months. That was so despite the fact that anywhere from 70% to 95% of children had developmental concerns noted in their records before age 3.
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Across 11 sites in the U.S., ASD prevalence in 2006 ranged from about one out of 80 children to one out of every 240 children, with an overall prevalence of one in 111 youngsters, according to a report by investigators from the CDC's Autism and Developmental Disorders Monitoring (ADDM) Network.
Among 10 ADDM sites that reported data in both 2002 and 2006, there was an average 57% increase in ASD prevalence. No single factor could explain the rise, researchers said. Overall ASD prevalence was 4.5 times higher in boys than in girls: about one in every 70 boys and one in every 315 girls.
From 2002 to 2006, prevalence increased 60% in boys and 48% in girls (P<0.001 for both).
The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that all children be screened for autism when they are 18 and 24 months old which is especially important, as early recognition and treatment improves outcomes.
ASD diagnosis was made at a slightly younger age in 2006 than in 2002, but it was still delayed to an average age of 53 months. That was so despite the fact that anywhere from 70% to 95% of children had developmental concerns noted in their records before age 3.
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Concerned About Switching From A Brand Name To A Generic?
For many people, generic drugs work very well. But if you are concerned about switching from a brand name to a generic, or among different generics, then you need to keep tabs on your meds and how they are affecting you.
Here’s some guidance:
1. KEEP THE PACKAGING If you take a generic medication or are switched to one, keep the label.
Most state laws require that the manufacturer’s name be on the label, according to Kathleen Jaeger, chief executive of the Generic Pharmaceutical Association.
If the label does not state the name of the maker, ask your pharmacist to add it or write it down for you. You can also look up the pill at Drugs.com or RxList.com (click on pill identifier) to find the maker.
2. KEEP A DIARY Or at least make notes about any side effects you experience when taking a new drug.
Generic drugs are allowed to contain different inactive ingredients from the brand drug — like flavors, fillers and dyes — which could potentially cause side effects.
3. BE CHOOSY If one generic version works better than another, shop around for it.
“Don’t assume your pharmacist will continue to carry a specific product indefinitely,” said Joe Graedon, who runs a consumer advocacy Web site, the People’s Pharmacy (peoplespharmacy.com). “Call ahead and ask.”
4. ENLIST YOUR DOCTOR If you are convinced that only the brand name of a drug works for you, discuss the issue with your doctor.
You can ask him or her to write “DAW” — dispense as written — on your prescription. This will usually ensure that the pharmacist gives you exactly what the doctor ordered.
If your insurer balks, ask your doctor to make a phone call for you or write a letter explaining why only the brand name is appropriate for you. Sometimes this actually works.
5. REPORT PROBLEMS If you do have side effects or reactions to a specific drug, tell your doctor and then report it to the Food and Drug Administration’s MedWatch Web site and post a message on the People’s Pharmacy Web site.
If enough people complain about a specific medication, there’s a good chance the F.D.A. or an independent group will investigate it.
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
Here’s some guidance:
1. KEEP THE PACKAGING If you take a generic medication or are switched to one, keep the label.
Most state laws require that the manufacturer’s name be on the label, according to Kathleen Jaeger, chief executive of the Generic Pharmaceutical Association.
If the label does not state the name of the maker, ask your pharmacist to add it or write it down for you. You can also look up the pill at Drugs.com or RxList.com (click on pill identifier) to find the maker.
2. KEEP A DIARY Or at least make notes about any side effects you experience when taking a new drug.
Generic drugs are allowed to contain different inactive ingredients from the brand drug — like flavors, fillers and dyes — which could potentially cause side effects.
3. BE CHOOSY If one generic version works better than another, shop around for it.
“Don’t assume your pharmacist will continue to carry a specific product indefinitely,” said Joe Graedon, who runs a consumer advocacy Web site, the People’s Pharmacy (peoplespharmacy.com). “Call ahead and ask.”
4. ENLIST YOUR DOCTOR If you are convinced that only the brand name of a drug works for you, discuss the issue with your doctor.
You can ask him or her to write “DAW” — dispense as written — on your prescription. This will usually ensure that the pharmacist gives you exactly what the doctor ordered.
If your insurer balks, ask your doctor to make a phone call for you or write a letter explaining why only the brand name is appropriate for you. Sometimes this actually works.
5. REPORT PROBLEMS If you do have side effects or reactions to a specific drug, tell your doctor and then report it to the Food and Drug Administration’s MedWatch Web site and post a message on the People’s Pharmacy Web site.
If enough people complain about a specific medication, there’s a good chance the F.D.A. or an independent group will investigate it.
Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice. For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.
Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com
For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com
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