This week, we haven t had much that s positive to say about dietary supplements. However, the results of a new Norwegian study have reminded us that, despite the questionable utility of most supplements, folic acid actually offers real benefits. Folic acid supplementation in women of childbearing age has long been shown to help prevent major birth defects in a fetus developing brain and spine.
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Typically, a patient who undergoes a coronary angioplasty is monitored overnight at the hospital just in case of complications. However, a study just published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that this may not be necessary for many low-risk patients.
If you happen to be a fan of ACSH Director of Pharmaceutical Sciences Dr. Josh Bloom s frequently irreverent interjections in our Dispatch, we recommend that you check out his blog posts over at Medical Progress Today, where he will be a regular contributor. There, he will have more space to devote to analyzing select issues with his customary cheekiness.
New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley took up his Pouring on the Pounds campaign once again yesterday to coincide with the nation s first Food Day, which its organizers purport promotes healthy food and eating habits. Though he was previously accused by his own staff members of exaggerating the adverse health effects associated with consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), Dr.
We ve previously read some claims that soda consumption is tied to obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, but we ve yet to hear one this ridiculous: Drinking lots of soda may increase the risk of violent behavior among teenagers.
Good news for women considering in vitro fertilization (IVF): Improved technology has increased the likelihood that they ll give birth to a healthy singleton from just one implanted embryo instead of having to navigate the health risks associated with multiple births. IVF currently accounts for 1 percent of U.S. births each year, but it s responsible for 17 percent of twins.
While there's a well established link between HPV and cervical, genital, anal, and pharyngeal cancer, Dr. Kenichi Fujise, a cardiologist at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, has found that women infected with the virus also have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. While Dr.
We previously reported on the ongoing critical drug shortage crisis, but now the problem has garnered the attention of President Obama, who issued an executive order Monday in hopes of resolving the issue or at least improving it.
Two recent news stories take a look at innovative means of handling the serious nicotine addiction that haunts cigarette smokers. The first, a New York Magazine feature that gives its readers the lowdown on e-cigarettes, conveys much of what anyone trying to quit cigarettes should know about this option.
There have been concerns that medications used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children could increase their risk for serious cardiovascular events, such as stroke or sudden cardiac death. However, a large new study reports that there is no evidence that this is a valid concern.
Two drugs used to help people stop smoking varenicline (Chantix) and bupropion (Zyban) carry a significantly increased risk of depression and suicidal or self-injurious behavior, according to a new study published in the Public Library of Science.
Used pacemakers may be a safe option for poor patients in developing countries, a new study suggests.
It turns out that losing weight and keeping it off is not only a question of willpower. New research published today in the New England Journal of Medicine investigated the issue by limiting 50 obese or overweight adult men and women to a very low-calorie liquid diet for 10 weeks. After reintroduction of regular foods, the participants were followed for an additional year to determine whether they could keep the excess weight off, and how their physiology changed.
It s been in the works for some time now, but on Wednesday, three U.S. cancer groups proposed new cervical cancer screening guidelines. The American Cancer Society, the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology, and the American Society for Clinical Pathology jointly proposed guidelines that largely accord with two recent evidence reviews by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
In a disconcerting trend, there has been an increase in the number of women experiencing precancerous growths on the genitals. As reported in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, the number of women who have had these growths has increased fourfold between 1973 and 2000, with women in their 40s the most affected.
Most grown-ups think about the TDAP vaccine (against tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis), if at all, only when they glance over childhood immunization records, and forget about it thereafter.
Is eating more whole grains also an effective way to lower the toll of colorectal cancer in the U.S.? As far back as C.W. Post s early twentieth-century introduction of cold cereal to the public, Americans have hoped to reap benefits from the fiber found in whole grains. Since then, various studies have both bolstered and undermined the correlation between dietary fiber and a lower risk of colorectal cancer.
Today marks the 36th annual Great American Smokeout a yearly event sponsored by the American Cancer Society that encourages smokers to quit for at least one day in the hope that it will eventually lead to quitting for good.
The evidence supporting the benefits of using statins to reduce cardiovascular events has been well documented, especially in the prevention of subsequent events in people who have suffered a heart attack (secondary prevention). But do different statin drugs differ in their ability to reduce plaque build-up and reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol levels?
Oral contraceptives are one of the most effective means of preventing an unwanted pregnancy, yet different versions of the Pill carry different risk-benefit profiles. Now, a new study has shed light on what may be a risk for women who use a newer variety of birth control pill that contains the hormone drospirenone, which includes popular brand names like Yaz and Yasmin.
We ve said it before, but now we ll say it again: Reducing your sodium intake may not only do you no good in fact, it may actually cause harm. According to a new study published in the American Journal of Hypertension, low salt intake may increase a person's levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, and other heart disease risk factors.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting about one in 110 U.S. children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Though the disorder itself is well characterized, its cause has eluded researchers for decades.
In a new blog post for Medical Progress Today, ACSH's Dr. Josh Bloom takes a humorous look at a serious subject: How the FDA is making it impossible for companies to develop new and much needed antibiotics. His piece, "Where is Mel Blanc When You Need Him?" can be found here.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a psychotherapeutic approach used to modify problematic behaviors, is recognized as a viable means of encouraging weight loss in obese and overweight patients.
The results of a double-blind, controlled clinical trial the gold standard in medical testing bring welcome news to patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), meaning those with acute angina or heart attack.
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