Vaccine for the 2011-12 flu season is now available, and health experts recommend that all of us get immunized for the fall and winter months that lie ahead. The recommendation, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), applies to everyone over six months of age.
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Doctors typically prescribe statin medications to treat patients with high cholesterol; however, those with normal cholesterol levels may still be at risk of heart attack and stroke if they have elevated levels of coronary artery calcium (CAC).
In June, the U.S. House of Representatives caving to the demands of several colleagues from salmon-producing states voted to prohibit the FDA from investigating the benefits and risks of allowing genetically modified Aquabounty salmon onto the market. As we noted at the time, the detractors argued despite evidence to the contrary that the GM fish would decimate wild salmon populations and cause allergies in humans.
These days, already-hurting pharmaceutical companies are fighting a new uphill battle obtaining insurance reimbursement for newly approved drugs. Not only must companies prove to the FDA that their medications are safe and effective, but they now must demonstrate to insurance companies that these drugs are worth paying for.
For those who are daunted by the current federal recommendation of 150 minutes of physical activity a week, new findings suggest that as little as 10 or 15 minutes a day could still reduce the risk of heart disease. In a review published in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) updated its exercise guidelines for the first time since 1998.
It turns out that, for heart attack patients, one is indeed the loneliest number. A new study published in the American Journal of Cardiology found that, four years after suffering a heart attack, people who lived alone had a 35 percent higher risk of death compared to those who lived with others.
Losing weight may not be as simple as just cutting a prescribed number of calories, finds a new study published in The Lancet. Led by Dr. Kevin D. Hall of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases in Bethesda, the new research finds that the standard weight-loss rule that one pound is equal to 3,500 calories is actually flawed.
In a special series on obesity, The Lancet haspublished four papers, the first of which warns that nearly half of all U.S. men and women will be obese by 2030. Led by Dr. Claire Wang at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, researchers caution obesity will replace tobacco as the single most preventable cause of chronic non-communicable diseases.
Bariatric surgery has become one of the most effective treatments for severely obese patients. The surgery promotes weight loss by changing the digestive system s anatomy, limiting the amount of food that can be consumed and digested. Now, a recent meta-analysis of 52 studies has found that, in addition to losing large amounts of weight, patients who underwent a particular type of bariatric surgery reduced their predicted risk of cardiovascular disease by almost one-half.
The number of adults smoking 10 or more cigarettes a day has declined slightly, but more adults now smoke one to nine cigarettes daily, according to the latest report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
We say potato, but the National School Lunch Program is saying potat-no. According to the agency's proposed federal nutritional guidelines, cafeterias will not be allowed to serve more than one cup of starchy vegetables per week a category that includes white potatoes, corn, peas, and fresh lima beans.
The results of a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report have corrected a long held misconception of the number of fatalities associated with foodborne illnesses. Most news media typically report that there are thousands of foodborne-related deaths annually, yet the latest statistics from 2008 put the number at just 22.
A study just published in BMJ disputes the long-held belief that the onset of menopause is linked to an increased rate of heart disease in women. Yes, say the researchers, heart disease mortality in women increases with age but the increase is steady, with no acceleration at the time of menopause.
In yesterday s Dispatch, we reported on new statistics from the CDC on foodborne illness, noting that the latest numbers of such illnesses were far lower than we expected. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Vincent Ianelli, associate professor of Pediatrics at Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas who blogs at keepkidshealthy.com, wrote in to point out that, while our analysis focused on the study s concrete numbers, other data based on estimates reveal a different picture:
Will limiting your salt intake, as the federal government recommends doing, actually lower your risk of stroke, heart attack, or other cardiovascular diseases? A new Reuters Special Report takes a close look at the science behind this contentious question.
What s in a name? Well, when it comes to marketing, most people believe that what s called sea salt is healthier than table salt and also packs less sodium. Although, in truth, the two varieties are hardly different, you can t blame folks for these false impressions, since many food manufacturers insinuate that sea salt is a healthy seasoning added to all natural and healthy products.
Washington state has one of the lowest childhood vaccination rates in the US: Currently, 6 percent of kids receive exemptions from a state law requiring that children be vaccinated before attending school. This is an abysmal rate, considering that, when community-level protection falls below a certain rate, the rate of infections will rise.
New research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds that saw palmetto, which was widely believed to relieve symptoms of prostate enlargement called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), is no more effective than a placebo pill.
Counterfeit prescription medications have become a major problem and, in response, Pfizer Inc. and a pharmacy standards group have joined forces to warn consumers of the risks. Such counterfeit drugs pose a health threat to the consumers who unwittingly purchase them, as well as to the financial livelihoods of pharmacies and legitimate drug manufacturers.
A recent Los Angeles Times headline reads, Breast cancer: Pollution link remains hazy but upon reading the whole article, readers will soon realize that no actual link exists, says Dr. Ross. Reporter Jill U.
We've been saying it for nearly a decade now: Vaccinating infants and schoolchildren against the flu will result in major health benefits. Now the results of a new study led by Dr. John Brownstein of Children's Hospital Boston and published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal provide further evidence that herd immunity (protecting non-immunized populations by increasing overall rates of vaccination) is very effective.
In an article for The New York Times, columnist Mark Bittman lauds the Danish government for its most recent implementation: an excise tax on foods high in saturated fat. At a rate of slightly under $3 per kilogram of saturated fat content, the new regulation means that a half-pound of butter will now cost 15 cents more.
Nausea and vomiting, possibly the most unpleasant side effects of chemotherapy, have been treated for the past twenty years with a drug called ondansetron (Zofran). Now, though, the FDA has issued a warning that the drug may lead to dangerous heart arrythmias called prolonged QT intervals a disconcerting prospect for the cancer patients who rely on the drug to quell their chemo-induced nausea. As ACSH s Dr. Josh Bloom notes, Zofran revolutionized the field of chemotherapy.
In a number of U.S. cities (New York, for instance), bedbugs have become a relatively common concern. Do you also need to be worried about the insecticides used to combat them? Well ¦yes and no.
Systemic insulin resistance is the hallmark of type 2 (adult onset) diabetes. Studies done over the past several years have also found that a similar mechanism applies in the brain cells of Alzheimer s patients. Now, a study of over 1,000 people in Japan has found that diabetics may be at an increased risk for Alzheimer s disease (AD).
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