Archive for the ‘General Information’ Category

In U.S., No Comeback Seen for Hormone Therapy

Thursday, November 26th, 2009

Hormone replacement therapy once seemed like a wonderful means to help women age gracefully. By dosing menopausal women with estrogen and progesterone as their bodies began to produce decreased amounts of those hormones, doctors believed they could help fend off heart disease, osteoporosis and cancer.

But those beliefs collapsed in 2002, when researchers pulled the plug three years early on the Women’s Health Initiative, a large-scale, federally funded study of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). They had found that the therapy produced an increased risk of breast cancer, heart attack, stroke and blood clots. HRT has been pretty much taboo ever since.

Or has it?

Several studies released in the past year have revealed ways in which HRT might still be beneficial. Under certain conditions and with the right timing, they found, some women could be helped by the therapy.

Despite these findings, experts with the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association say there’s scant chance there will be any revision on the position on HRT in the United States anytime in the near future.

“In an effort to decrease hot flashes, it’s hard to tell someone to take the breast cancer risk and the heart and stroke risk shown in other studies,” said Dr. Vincent Bufalino, a spokesman for the American Heart Association and president and chief executive of Midwest Heart Specialists, in Naperville, Ill. “If you can put up with the menopausal symptoms, you’re better off doing that than taking the risks related to hormone replacement therapy.”

Research that has shown the more positive side of HRT has included:
A report on a Mayo Clinic study that found a lower rate of colorectal cancer among older women taking HRT.
A report by American Cancer Society epidemiologists that found that women could use an estrogen-progesterone combination for less than two years with no increased risk of breast cancer. It also found that cancer risk increased dramatically after three or more years of hormone therapy and that increased risk disappeared two years after stopping HRT.
A Danish study that found an increased risk of heart attack in women 51 to 54 years old who took hormone replacement therapy, especially those who’d taken it for a long time. But it found no correlation between hormone therapy and elevated heart attack risk in older women.
A Canadian study that found women who have a genetic predisposition to breast cancer actually reduced their breast cancer risk after taking HRT.

The American and Danish studies also found that HRT involving just estrogen was far safer than HRT that included a combination of estrogen and progesterone.

Based on research like this, Canadian doctors are revising their guidelines on hormone replacement therapy.

But Bufalino and Susan M. Gapstur, vice president of epidemiology for the American Cancer Society, said that the studies do not provide enough evidence to sway current medical thinking in the United States.

“I would not say the philosophy is changing,” Gapstur said. “The critical question becomes, there’s this balance between the long-term risk of chronic diseases versus immediate concerns of hot flashes and quality of life around the postmenopausal period.”

Short-term use of hormone replacement therapy might be helpful in alleviating menopause symptoms, she said, but more study is needed to fully assess the impact of that therapy — particularly because the younger women who might benefit most from such therapy appear to be most at risk.

“What we thought we knew about hormone replacement therapy and cardiovascular disease might not be true for older women, but I think there are still a lot of questions about the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy for younger women,” Gapstur said. “That’s where we need to focus our attention.”

Bufalino agrees, arguing there’s little point in pushing such therapy when there’s so much downside and so little benefit.

“There are some small subgroups inside the groups that show some statistical benefit, but I think we would all be cautious at this time based on this report,” Bufalino said of the American Cancer Society research. “If you just look at it on the surface, it’s not clearly definitive.”

And perhaps adding fuel to the fire of doubts, reports emerged Aug. 5 that a pharmaceutical company that makes HRT had paid a medical communications firm to help produce 26 studies supporting its use. Those studies were published in 18 medical journals between 1998 and 2005, according to a report first published by the New York Times.

The drug maker, Wyeth, contends that the studies were scientifically accurate. None of the papers disclosed Wyeth’s role in initiating and funding the work.

Health Tip: Avoiding Salmonellosis

Friday, November 6th, 2009

Salmonellosis is caused by eating foods contaminated with salmonella bacteria. Symptoms usually include severe diarrhea and abdominal cramps.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers this additional information about salmonellosis:
Salmonellosis can come from many foods, including vegetables. But salmonella contamination is most common in animal products such as eggs, milk, poultry and beef.
Salmonella can also contaminate pet feces, and can be transmitted to people who don’t wash their hands after handling pets or pet feces.
Cooking food thoroughly usually prevents salmonellosis.
Don’t allow uncooked meat to come in contact with other foods that already may be cooked.
Wash hands and utensils frequently before, during and after preparing food.

A New Type of Levitra will be Available Soon

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

We have all heard about the normal Levitra tablets available for men with ED but what about a new type of orodispersible tablets that work faster? This article is going to give you some insight on whats to come.

The very popular erectile dysfunction medication Levitra might be sold in a different form, as an orodispersible tablet which could be much more effective and faster acting than the usual Levitra tablet. Bayer, the makers of Levitra just recently announced this new release and submitted documentation to be able to market and sell the new orodispersible tablets which will have 10mg of its popular Vardenafil ingredient. But what is the difference and will this new Levitra be any better than the one available now? Let’s take a closer look and answer some questions men might have about it:

So why is this new Levitra better?
The orodispersible tablets work in a much different way and have a few more advantages that set it apart from the normal 10mg Levitra tablet. The best part about them is you do not need a glass of water or 30 minutes of time to take them. They can be taken without water and dissolve within seconds, which for men with limited time is very beneficial.

Will it work faster than regular Levitra?
Many men prefer this type of tablet especially when it comes to taking erectile dysfunction medication such as Levitra. The reason for this is simple, time is of the essence and men do not always have a glass of water with them or do not know exactly when that moment is going to happen. If taking a normal Levitra tablet, you would have to wait at least 30 minutes for them to work depending on several factors of course. With these new orodispersible tablets Bayer is releasing for its top seller Levitra, things will work much faster and you do not have to wait 30 minutes.

Advantage during foreplay
This new Levitra tablet is a different approach towards the market; it works faster and is easier to take, this is a huge advantage if men are engaged in foreplay and have a short window of time. During foreplay you can’t just get up, go to the kitchen and grab a glass of water to take your Levitra tablet. The orodispersible tablets can be taken during foreplay and work much faster so when that window closes and you need to perform you will be ready.

How does it compare to the others?
Bayer has tested this new orodispersible tablet and according to their studies they have the same results as a regular Levitra 10mg tablet. This is a very big jump once it gets approved by the proper medical authorities. Viagra is the most popular erectile dysfunction medication in the world and was the first to be introduced to men. Cialis has the advantage of lasting 36 hours and has been called the weekend pill but now Levitra has come to the table offering a faster solution that does not need a glass of water or a 30 minute window. Although clinical trials have proven that all 3 main erectile dysfunction medications are equally beneficial in treating impotence, many men have preferred Levitra of Viagra.

Testosterone Influences Women’s Career Moves

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

Higher testosterone levels may make some women more likely to choose high-risk financial careers, a U.S. study suggests.

“In general, women are more risk-averse than men when it comes to making important financial decisions, which in turn can affect their career choices,” Paola Sapienza, an associate professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, said in a news release. “For example, in our sample set, 36 percent of female MBA students chose high-risk financial careers such as investment banking or trading, compared to 57 percent of male students. We wanted to explore whether these gender differences are related to testosterone, which men have, on average, in higher concentrations than women.”

For this study, Sapienza and colleagues measured testosterone levels in saliva samples collected from about 500 MBA students at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. The students also took part in an experiment to determine the link between testosterone levels and risk aversion.

Higher levels of testosterone were associated with a greater taste for risk in women, but not in men. But in women and men with similar levels of testosterone, there was no gender difference in risk aversion.

The researchers also found that the link between risk aversion and testosterone predicted post-graduation career choices. Those with high levels of testosterone and low risk aversion were more likely to go into high-risk financial careers.

“This is the first study showing that gender differences in financial risk aversion have a biological basis, and that differences in testosterone levels between individuals can affect important aspects of economic behavior and career decisions,” study co-author Dario Maestripieri, a professor in comparative human development at the University of Chicago, said in the news release. “That the effects of testosterone on risk aversion are strongest for individuals with low or intermediate levels of this hormone is similar to what has been shown for the effects of testosterone on spatial cognition.”

It’s Back to Basics to Save a Life

Friday, September 25th, 2009

Medics and doctors are used to participating in a flurry of activity when trying to save a person who’s had a cardiac arrest — inserting IVs, placing a breathing tube, performing defibrillation to restart the heart.

But studies now show that none of those advanced techniques saves lives as well as ordinary cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR. And what’s more, those studies have also found that a truncated version of CPR that tosses out mouth-to-mouth in favor of simple and sustained chest compressions increases survival rates dramatically.

“It’s been shown to work, while these other things have not been shown to improve survival,” said Dr. Alex Garza, an associate professor of emergency medicine at the Washington Hospital Center and Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C. “They were just things we thought would be good.”

“The important thing now is to step back, do chest compressions and proceed methodically,” he said.

Both the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association have endorsed chest compressions as an acceptable alternative for people who witness a cardiac arrest but aren’t trained in CPR.

By simplifying the process, they hope to get more bystanders to step in and perform chest compressions on the ailing person until help arrives. The American Heart Association estimates that fewer than a third of those who suffer cardiac arrest in a public place receive any form of CPR.

Bystanders simply are “worried about making an error, and they forget a lot of the steps,” said Dr. Marc Eckstein, associate professor of emergency medicine at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California and medical director of the Los Angeles Fire Department. “Mouth-to-mouth is complex, and many people are reluctant to perform it. Performing compression only, the results are comparable to full CPR — and you can teach someone to do it in a matter of minutes.”

The compressions need to be applied in the center of the chest at a rate of about 100 a minute — ironically, about the same rhythm as the Bee Gees’ song “Stayin’ Alive.” One study has found that performing chest compressions while listening to that song improved the CPR technique of physicians and medical students.

“Laypersons with no formal training in CPR, when they’re presented with someone in cardiac arrest, can do a pretty decent job with chest compressions,” Garza said.

Garza and Eckstein go further than the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association, however, saying that even trained rescuers should focus on uninterrupted chest compressions rather than trying to juggle compressions with mouth-to-mouth or other treatments.

It takes many repeated chest compressions to increase pressure enough to begin driving blood into heart tissue, Garza said. “By the time you got to your 15th chest compression, you’d just gotten to where you were doing some good, and then you’d stop to perform mouth-to-mouth, and it went back to zero,” he said.

Both doctors have studied what happens when paramedics change their cardiac protocols to focus more on chest compressions, Garza in Kansas City and Eckstein in Los Angeles. They both found that survival rates improved when paramedics delayed intubating patients, administering medications or performing defibrillation in favor of consistent compressions.

Chest compression CPR is more valuable than defibrillation because rescuers often arrive too late for effective defibrillation, which needs to occur within five minutes of cardiac arrest, Garza said.

“The problem is, most paramedics don’t arrive in the first five minutes,” he said. By the time rescuers arrive, the body’s tissues are starved for oxygen and the heart cells are depleted of energy. “If you attempt a defibrillation at that time, it’s less likely to be successful,” Garza said. “They’re more likely to flat-line.”

Airports and casinos boast excellent heart attack survival rates “because there’s always a defibrillator within a five-minute walk,” Garza said. Security guards are trained in the use of defibrillators, and both types of facilities have excellent closed-circuit monitoring.

If defibrillation isn’t available, it’s best for bystanders to start providing chest compressions, the experts say. That way, the stores of oxygen still in the blood will continue to circulate and feed the body’s tissues, keeping the person’s body and brain alive.

“When the heart stops, it’s not a problem of not having oxygen in the blood,” Eckstein said. “It’s a pump problem. You have to circulate that oxygen.”

Going Back to School With Asthma Takes Extra Work

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

There are a number of ways that parents of children with asthma can prepare for flu season and the new school year, says the American Lung Association.

“Good hygiene is the best and first line of defense against any type of cold or flu. This includes frequent handwashing and covering your mouth when coughing or sneezing,” Dr. Norman H. Edelman, the association’s chief medical officer, said in an association news release.

The lung association also strongly recommends that all children, especially those with asthma, get a flu shot. But only one-third of children with asthma get a seasonal flu vaccination, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Vaccination against seasonal influenza needs to be a higher priority in this country. Influenza is a serious disease with deadly consequences. Parents need to know that the best way to protect their kids against seasonal influenza is to ensure their child is vaccinated each and every year,” Edelman said.

The potential severity of the H1N1 swine flu this fall is uncertain, and parents of children with asthma should watch for advice from public health officials and organizations like the CDC, the news release noted.

“If a child has a fever or other flu-like symptoms, they should stay home. Children should not return to school for at least 24 hours after their fever or signs of fever are no longer present,” Edelman said.

In preparation for the new school year, parents of children with asthma should complete the following check list:

-Contact your child’s doctor to schedule an asthma check-up appointment.
-Get shots. Parents and children should be vaccinated against seasonal flu.
-Make sure your child has a written asthma action plan that details the symptoms, medications, physical limitations, and instructions on what to do if prescribed medications don’t improve an asthma attack.
-Know the asthma emergency plan at your child’s school and find out about the school’s history of dealing with asthma episodes. Find out if the school allows students to carry and independently use their asthma medication.

Top ED Causes That Can Be Treated With Levitra

Monday, September 7th, 2009

Erection is not just the product of the sole effort of the penis. There are several body parts working together to produce that famous erection. Thus, when one part of the body is not working well due to a medical condition then it might lead to an erection problem. Men who have erectile dysfunction problems as characterized by their failure to achieve an erection or to maintain one rely on erectile dysfunction drugs like Levitra to treat the symptoms. Levitra has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of the symptoms of erectile dysfunction. It is available by prescription in various dosages, 2.5 mg being the smallest dosage and Levitra 20 mg being the highest dosage, you can research 10mg and also where to buy levitra in the menu section. Levitra works by increasing the flow of blood to the genitals to help the penis achieve and keep an erection until the completion of the sexual act. The penis returns to its normal size after the sexual act but this does not mean he can no longer achieve another erection during the period when Levitra is still effective. There are several reasons why men suffer from the symptoms of erectile dysfunction. Levitra is able to help men achieve an erection even if they are suffering from the following health conditions and factors which may have triggered the erectile dysfunction in the first place.

Diabetes and Neurological Impotence

Diabetes can damage nerves and blood vessels and can cause impotence. Fifty percent of those who have diabetes suffer from erectile dysfunction. Nervous system disorders as well as spinal cord injuries can also damage nerves leading to impotence. Those who have these conditions and are suffering from the symptoms of erectile dysfunction can benefit from Levitra.

Medications

While there is no study as to which medicines can actually result to erectile dysfunction, most elderly men or even younger ones who take a lot of medications suffer from impotence. It is important to report your condition to your doctor so he can determine if the symptoms of erectile dysfunction in your case is a result of any of the medicines you are taking or something else. It is important to give your doctor a complete list of all the medications you are taking so he can diagnose your case properly. Reports show that 25% of erectile dysfunction cases are somehow caused if not related to the drugs the patients are taking in.

Hypertension, Atherosclerosis
Disease in the arteries as well as high blood pressure are the common causes of erectile dysfunction, The arteries play an important role in supplying blood to the penis so once the arteries are damaged it can lead to erection problems.

These are only some of the conditions and factors that can cause erectile dysfunction. However, it does not mean the end of the world for you because erectile dysfunction caused by these conditions can be treated with Levitra. It is important that you check with your doctor to ask how long does levitra last and to determine the real cause of your symptoms and if Levitra will work for you.

Viagra, Levitra and Cialis may deserve a second look in women with sexual dysfunction (2)

Sunday, July 26th, 2009

While they don’t fully understand the swing, the unique female response likely provides more evidence that sexual function is more complex in females, says Dr. R. Clinton Webb, chair of the MCG Department of Physiology and a study author. Scientists define female sexual dysfunction as a multifaceted disorder that includes anatomical, psychological, physiological and social-interpersonal aspects.

MCG researchers have shown part of that complexity may be the smooth muscle cells in the internal pudendal arteries of females communicate, agreeing to contract and relax, while male smooth muscle cells make independent decisions to just relax.

They found one other distinction: females were more sensitive to Viagra, or sildenafil, while males were most sensitive to Levitra, or vardenafil.

Previous studies on the effectiveness of these drugs focused on the cavernosal tissue, or penis. The internal pudendal artery actually feeds the penile artery which is buried deep in the penis where numerous caverns enable it to be flaccid when not engorged with blood. Physical stimulation of the area causes the tissue, endothelial cells and nerves to release nitric oxide, a powerful dilator of blood vessels. The system works pretty much the same way in the vagina and clitoris.

Viagra, Levitra and Cialis may deserve a second look in women with sexual dysfunction (1)

Monday, July 20th, 2009

New studies indicate the three drugs used to treat male impotence also appear to work in females, albeit a little differently, and should give the scientific community pause to take a second look at their potential in the 40 percent of women who report sexual dysfunction, researchers say.

In one of the first studies of the effect of phosphodiesterase Type 5 inhibitors - Viagra, Levitra and Cialis - on the pudendal arteries that supply the penis, vagina and clitoris the blood needed to produce a satisfying sexual experience, Medical College of Georgia researchers showed the drugs relax the artery in male and female rats.

“It shows the drugs need to be investigated more for women and small alterations could make these compounds more effective for women living with these disorders,” says Dr. Kyan J. Allahdadi, postdoctoral fellow in physiology at MCG. He’s presenting the findings during the 122nd Annual Meeting of the American Physiological Society held in New Orleans April 18-22 as part of the Experimental Biology 2009 scientific conference.

Although there was talk years ago of a pink pill for women to parallel the blue Viagra for men, early clinical trials found essentially no response in women.

MCG researchers decided to look again, first giving a drug to constrict the internal pudendal arteries in male and female rats - as they would be in a non-erect state - then giving doses of each impotency drug to see the impact. The arteries from male rats displayed a relatively standard concentration-dependent relaxation - the more drug they got, the more they relaxed - while in females arteries, there was an initial relaxation then an odd oscillation between relaxation and contraction with subsequent dosing.

Research looks for best treatment for erectile dysfunction

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

A new report issued today by HHS’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found that there isn’t enough evidence to determine which drugs work best to treat erectile dysfunction and which cause the least harm. Erectile dysfunction is a common sexual disorder that prevents men from getting or keeping an erection. It affects between 15 million and 30 million men in the United States.

The authors found that men who took oral phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (also known as PDE-5 inhibitors) had improved erectile function as compared to men who didn’t take the medication. However, head-to-head trials comparing three erectile function medications - sildenafil (Viagra), vardenafil (Levitra), and tadalafil (Cialis) — were inconclusive as to which medication worked best.

The most common short-term side effects in men taking PDE-5 inhibitors were headache, flushing, abdominal pain, and runny nose, and although the types of reactions varied with the drugs studied, there were no significant differences in side effects associated with either Viagra, Levitra, or Cialis.

According to Alexander Tsertsvadze, M.D. of the AHRQ-supported University of Ottawa Evidence-based Practice Center, who led the review, more studies are needed to clarify the best treatment management options for different groups of patients as well as more clinical trials to compare PDE-5 inhibitors to hormonal, injection, and creams or other topical treatments for erectile dysfunction.