CHRONIC PAIN
• Practicing Yoga May Reverse Effects Chronic Pain Has on the Brain: “Studies of people with depression show
they also have reduced gray matter, and this could contribute to the gray
matter changes in pain patients who are depressed. For yogis, however, there
seem to be more gray matter in multiple brain regions, including those
responsible for pain modulation. Modulation refers to how the brain interprets
and perceives pain. The more yogis practiced this mind-body technique, the more
gray matter they had. American Pain Society
• Insomniacs May be More Sensitive to Pain: The more frequent and severe the
insomnia, the greater the sensitivity to pain, a Norwegian study showed.
Additionally, people with insomnia who also suffer from chronic pain have an
even lower threshold for physical discomfort. Wolters Kluwer Health
COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
• Mindfulness Based Therapy as Good as Meds for Depression: Mindfulness
Based Cognitive Therapy was found to be was as effective as
antidepressant drugs in preventing a recurrence of depression over a two-year
period. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy brings together two treatment
approaches. Guided mindfulness practices, which aim to increase awareness of
negative spirals, are combined with aspects of cognitive behavioral training, a
short-term therapy that teaches skills to help resist or counter damaging
thoughts or moods. The Lancet
• Nurses Cut Stress 40 percent with relaxation steps at Work: It's
estimated that one million people a day miss work in the United States because
they're too stressed out. To help lower stress in the workplace, researchers
conducted a study with staff members in a surgical intensive care unit. They
found that a mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) cut stress levels by 40
percent and lowered the risk of burnout. Ohio State University
• FDA Weighs Tighter Regulation of Homeopathic Medicines: Critics say
these natural remedies are ineffective, potentially dangerous; backers contend
current oversight is sufficient. The agency last reviewed its regulation
of homeopathic products in 1988, when it issued a policy guide that allowed the
natural remedies to be placed on shelves without any pre-market approval, said
Cynthia Schnedar, director of the Office of Compliance in the FDA's Center for
Drug Evaluation and Research.
• How Relaxation Response May Help Treat Two Gastrointestinal Disorders: Participating in a nine-week training program including
elicitation of the relaxation response had a significant impact on clinical
symptoms of the gastrointestinal disorders irritable bowel syndrome and
inflammatory bowel disease and on the expression of genes related to
inflammation and the body's response to stress. PLOS ONE
• Medical Marijuana Pill Falls Short in Dementia Study: In a trial of 50 dementia
patients, researchers found that pills containing the main active ingredient in
marijuana were no better than placebo pills in easing agitation, aggression and
wandering.
However, that doesn't mean the approach is a failure,
the investigators report in the May 13 online edition of Neurology. The researchers say the medical marijuana pills were
well-tolerated, so it seems safe to test a higher dose in future studies.
FDA ACTION
• Warning about
bogus botox
• Recommended that bottled water manufacturers, distributors and
importers limit the amount of fluoride they add to bottled water so that it
contains no more than 0.7 milligrams per liter (mg/L).
• Approved KAMRA inlay, a device implanted
in the cornea of one eye (the clear, front surface) to improve near vision in
certain patients with presbyopia.
• Approved treatment for fat below the chin
• Approved first generic aripiprazole to treat mental
illness
• Approved fibrin sealant to help control bleeding during surgery
PREVENTION
• Another Study Finds No Vaccine-Autism Link:
Yet another study finds no evidence that the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR)
vaccine raises the risk of autism -- even among children who are at increased
genetic risk. JAMA
• Study Supports HPV Vaccination: New research finds that young women who
get the HPV vaccine gain significant protection against infection in three
parts of the body if they haven't already been exposed to the human papillomavirus
(HPV). HPV can separately infect the
cervical, anal, or oral sites, which can occasionally lead to cancer. The study
involved more than 4,100 women in Costa Rica, aged 18 to 25. American
Association for Cancer Research
• Aspirin
May Help Ward off Gastro Cancers: There was a 20 percent lower
risk of cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, especially in the colon and
rectum in people taking aspirin regularly for several years. "If
considered alongside the known benefits of aspirin in the prevention of heart
attacks and strokes, our data suggest the possibility that long-term regular
aspirin use may have a significant benefit in prevention of the two leading
causes of sickness and death in the U.S. and much of the world.” American
Association for Cancer Research meeting
• Mammograms a Personal Decision for Women in Their 40s: Women in their 40s should talk with their doctors and
then decide for themselves whether they need regular mammograms to screen for
breast cancer before age 50, according to draft U.S. federal health guidelines.
The draft mammography guidelines issued April 20 by the U.S. Preventive
Services Task Force (USPSTF) largely reiterate those that have been in place
since 2009, the last time they were updated. The guidelines still recommend
mammograms to screen for breast cancer every two years for women ages 50 to 74.
However, those recommendations are still at odds with
the American Cancer Society and the American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists. Both of those groups recommend annual screening beginning at age
40. US Preventive Services Task Force
• Orthopedist Offers Tips for Preventing Shoulder Injuries: Shoulder
muscles, ligaments and tendons can be injured by sports, household chores and
heavy lifting. These injuries sometimes take months to heal and can interfere
with everyday task. Exercises recommended include wall push ups and using a
stretch band attached to a door knob. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
• Breast-Feeding
May Lower Breast Cancer Recurrence, Death: Women who breast-feed their
babies and later develop breast cancer are less likely to have the cancer
return or to die from it than women who do not breast-feed, new research shows.
Journal of the National Cancer Institute
• Daily Aspirin Taken by More Than Half of Older US Adults:
Leading medical associations recommend use of low-dose aspirin mainly to
prevent a second heart attack or stroke. But many others who haven't had a
heart problem also take aspirin regularly, researchers found. Slightly more
than half of middle-aged adults and seniors in the United States take aspirin
daily to prevent heart attack, stroke or other serious illnesses, a new survey
has found. American Journal of Preventive Medicine
• Fitness May Help Lower Odds of Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma: A lifetime
of vigorous exercise may lower the risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma -- a form of
cancer that affects the lymph nodes, according to a new study. Activities that
significantly increase breathing and heart rate appear to have the most
benefit, the researchers said. American Association for Cancer Research
• 2-Minute Walk
Every Hour May Help Offset Effects of Sitting: Getting up and walking for two minutes every hour could
help reverse the negative health effects from prolonged sitting, new research
suggests. Trading two minutes of sitting for two minutes of light-intensity
activity each hour lowered the risk of premature death by 33 percent, the study
revealed. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology
• Even in Later Life, Exercise Seems to Pay Off: In a study of 6,000 Norwegian
men born from 1923 to 1932 and followed for 12 years, just 30 minutes of
moderate activity six days a week was associated with 40 percent lower risk of
death. More exercise reaped even greater benefits, decreasing the odds of death
from both heart disease or any cause, the researchers said. Looking back
further, men who were sedentary in their 40s lived five fewer years on average
than those who were the most active. British Journal of Sports Medicine
• Staying Fit May Delay Onset of High Cholesterol: Men who keep fit may find they
delay normal age-related increases in blood cholesterol levels by up to 15
years, a new study suggests. Journal of the American College of Cardiology
• Money
May Convince Smokers to Quit: Paying smokers to quit seems to work
better than offering them free counseling and nicotine replacement therapy, new
research suggests. NEJM
• Dietary Supplements Linked to Increased Cancer: A meta-analysis of two decades worth of research -- 12
trials that involved more than 300,000 people -- and found that a number of
supplements may actually increase risk. People who took high doses beta
carotene supplements had an increased risk for lung cancer. Selenium
supplements were associated with skin cancer. Men who took vitamin E had an
elevated risk for prostate cancer. Folic acid, a B vitamin, taken in excess
could lead to an increased risk for colon cancer. American Association for
Cancer Research Meeting
• A Diet Might Cut the Risk of Developing Alzheimer’s: A study comparing the MIND diet with the Mediterranean and
DASH diets found that while strict adherence to any of the diets lessened the
chance of Alzhemer’s, the MIND seemed to help counter the disease even
when people followed only some of the diet’s recommendations. The research was
observational, not randomized or controlled, and therefore isn’t evidence the
MIND diet caused a reduced risk for Alzheimer’s. Instead, the research shows there
is an association between the two. Alzheimer’s & Dementia.
• Healthy Diet Linked to Lower Risk of Memory, Thinking Decline: People
who eat a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, nuts, fish, moderate
alcohol use, and not much red meat may be less likely to experience declines in
their memory and thinking skills. Neurology
•
Mediterranean Diet Plus Olive Oil or Nuts May Boosting Thinking and Memory: Adding
more olive oil or nuts to a Mediterranean diet -- one rich in fruits,
vegetables, fish and whole grains and low in red meat -- may help keep your
mind sharper as you age, a new study suggests. The Spanish researchers found
that seniors following such diets had greater improvements in thinking and
memory than people who were simply advised to eat a lower-fat diet. JAMA
• Sugary Drinks Boost Risk Factors for Heart Disease: Consumption
of sugary drinks increases risk factors for cardiovascular disease in a
dose-dependent manner -- the more you drink, the greater the risk. The study is
the first to demonstrate such a direct, dose-dependent relationship. Am J
Clin Nutr
• Moderate Drinking May Be Less Beneficial for
Blacks: Moderate
drinking appears to offer greater health benefits to whites than to blacks, a
new study suggests. Previous research found a link between moderate drinking
and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and premature death, but the
participants in those studies were mostly white. American Journal of Public
Health
• The Downside of Gluten Free Eating: A recent Consumer Reports survey
of 1,000 Americans found that 63 percent believed that following a gluten-free diet would be good for them, resulting in
better digestion, healthy weight loss, increased energy, lower cholesterol and
a stronger immune system. But the magazine's research of the scientific
evidence suggested otherwise. The investigation found that many products touted
as gluten-free aren't enriched or fortified with micro-nutrients such as folic
acid and iron, which are common additions to wheat flour. What's more, these
gluten-free products may be higher in fat and sugar than regular versions,
contain rice or rice flour, which in turn may expose you to more inorganic
arsenic than considered safe.
• Switching from US to African Diet May Lower Colon Cancer Risks in Blacks: When a
group of black Americans switched their diet from a typical American one
(high-protein, low-fiber) to that of South Africans (high-fiber, low-fat),
certain risk factors for colon cancer began to fade away, a small study found.
The change was rapid, the researchers noted, suggesting the power of diet to
alter colon cancer risk. Imperial College London
• Dropping One Sugary Soda a Day Decreases Diabetes Risk: People
who love sugary sodas and flavored milk may have a heightened risk of type 2
diabetes, regardless of their body weight, a large new study finds. Swapping
just one of those drinks each day -- for water or unsweetened coffee or tea --
could lower diabetes risk by up to 25 percent. Diabetologia
• Foods
that Help Keep the Pounds off as you age: While men and women who ate lots
of nuts, peanut butter, fish, yogurt and low-fat cheese tended to lose weight,
other foods commonly seen as "unhealthy" -- such as eggs, full-fat
cheese and whole milk -- did not seem to make a difference in weight. On the
other hand, sugary drinks and refined or starchy carbohydrates -- including
white bread, potatoes and white rice -- had the opposite effect. Red and
processed meats, meanwhile, were also tied to weight gain. Again, though, some
of the harm was reduced if a person's glycemic load was kept in check. American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition
• High Protein Diet May be Dangerous for those at Risk of Heart Disease: Replacing
carbohydrates and fats with protein is touted as a quick way to weight loss.
But this long-term Spanish study of older adults found these high-protein diets
-- think Atkins and South Beach, for example -- may be harmful. When protein replaced
carbohydrates, for instance, the eating plan was linked to a 90 percent greater
risk of gaining more than 10 percent of body weight. It was also linked to a 59
percent higher risk of death from any cause. When protein replaced fat, risk of
death rose 66 percent. European Congress on Obesity
•
Nicotinamide Linked to Reduced Risk of Skin Cancer: A form
of vitamin B3 called nicotinamide is linked to a reduction of non-melanoma skin
cancers by 23 percent when taken twice daily, according to Australian
researchers. American Society of Clinical Oncology
• Vitamin D Supplements Might Help Some Lose Weight: For obese Americans who are low
on vitamin D, taking a supplement of the nutrient might help them lose weight,
a new study suggests. European Congress on Obesity
TREATMENT
• Immune-Focused Drugs Show Promise Against Melanoma: Drugs that supercharge the body's immune system show
promise in treating advanced melanoma, according to a pair of clinical trials.
New England Journal of Medicine
• Treating Sleep Apnea May Help Those with Heart Rhythm Disorder: People with both atrial fibrillation and
obstructive sleep apnea are less likely to have a recurrence of the heart
rhythm disorder if they use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy,
a new report says. Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Clinical
Electrophysiology.
• Effective
Sleep Apnoea Treatment Lowers Diabetes Risk: Using continuous positive airway
pressure (CPAP) therapy for 8 hours a night to treat sleep apnoea can help
people with pre-diabetes improve their blood sugar levels and may reduce the
risk of progressing to diabetes, according to a study published in the April 21
online edition of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care
Medicine.
• Antibiotic Commonly Prescribed for UTIs Less Effective Than Others: Older
women with urinary tract infections (UTIs) who are taking the commonly
prescribed antibiotic nitrofurantoin are more likely to experience treatment
failure, resulting in a second antibiotic prescription or a hospital visit,
than if they received another antibiotic. Canadian Medical Association Journal.
• Routine Health Care Similar from Nurse Practitioners, Doctors: Many patients with chronic heart disease
will receive the same quality of care from a nurse practitioner or physician
assistant as they would from a doctor, a new study suggests. Circulation:
Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes
• Good Bacteria Might Fight Common Hospital Infection:
Researchers may have found a new way to combat a stubborn and potentially
deadly gut infection Clostridium difficile a friendly version of the culprit
bacteria itself. Prolonged antibiotic use is often to blame because it can
knock out "good" gut bacteria that would normally keep toxin-producing
strains of C. difficile in check. Despite that, treatment with specific
antibiotics, like vancomycin, usually beats back the infection at first. With a
30% repeat illness rate, it’s welcome news that in a study of 125 patients who
received additional therapy treatment of a non toxic strain of C.difficile,
only 11 had a recurrent infection and a subgroup given a relatively high dose
of the good bug only had a recurrence of 5%. JAMA
• Contraceptive, cholesterol-lowering medications used to treat cancer: The
combination of a cholesterol-lowering drug, Bezafibrate, and a contraceptive
steroid, Medroxyprogesterone Acetate, could be an effective, non-toxic
treatment for a range of cancers, researchers have found. Early stage clinical
trials of the drugs in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have
shown promising results, with survival three months longer on average than
standard palliative care. The combination, known as BaP, has also been used
alongside chemotherapy to successfully treat children with Burkitt's lymphoma
(BL), Cancer Research
OTHER
• Some Arthritis Meds Cost Seniors Thousands Annually: Arthritis medications known as biologic
disease-modifying drugs can cost Medicare patients more than $2,700 in
co-payments a year, a new report finds. Biologic anti-rheumatic medications,
e.g. adalimumab (Humira), anakinra (Kineret) and etanercept (Enbrel), have
allowed patients to gain better control of rheumatoid arthritis when taken
early in the course of disease. Arthritis & Rheumatology
•
Antibiotic Shortage On the Rise: Shortages of antibiotics,
including those used to treat drug-resistant infections, may be putting
patients at risk for sickness and death, according to a new report. Clinical
Infectious Diseases
• Smog
May Be Harming Your Brain: Tiny particles of
pollution might shrink the brain and increase risk of 'silent' strokes, study
contends. Stroke
• Weak Bones and Sudden Hearing Loss: In a Taiwanese study, people with osteoporosis had a 76
percent higher risk of developing sudden deafness -- an unexplained, rapid loss
of hearing that typically occurs in one ear. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology
& Metabolism
• Traumatic Life Events May Harm Women’s Hearts: Middle-aged
and older women who experience a life-threatening illness or the death of a
loved one may face a 65 percent increased risk of heart attack, a new study
suggests. And having a history of money problems might double the heart attack
risk, the study authors added. Such traumatic events can increase a woman's
stress levels to the point where her heart health may be harmed. Circulation:
Cardiovascular Quality and Outcome
•
Viewing Violent News on Social Media Can Cause Trauma: Viewing
violent news events via social media can cause people to experience symptoms similar
to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). British Psychological Society
• Immune System Genes May Change with
the Season: Researchers
analyzed genes from more than 16,000 people worldwide, including those from
both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. They found that the activity of
nearly one-quarter of the genes differed according to the time of the year.
Some are more active in winter and some are more active in summer, the research
revealed. These findings might explain why conditions such as rheumatoid
arthritis and heart disease are worse in the winter than in the summer. Nature
Communications
• Lower Depression, Better Mental Health During the Great Recession: Americans
had fewer depression diagnoses and better mental health during the Great
Recession (2007-09) compared to pre-recession, according to a study. This
large, American study also showed that post-recession, women were more likely
to be diagnosed with anxiety disorders, while men were less likely to suffer
from psychological distress. University of Maryland
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