FDA Warns of Contaminated Swabs in First Aid Kits: If you own a first-aid kit made by Atwater Carey, be careful. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning that the disinfecting iodine swabs included in certain kits might actually cause life-threatening infections.
World Health Organization (WHO) Warns of enormous burden of Chronic Disease: Chronic illnesses like cancer, heart disease and diabetes cause more deaths than all other diseases combined, WHO warned this week. Heart disease, cancer, diabetes and respiratory conditions, accounted for 36 million, or 63 percent, of the 57 million deaths worldwide in 2008. The WHO said three priorities for action were surveillance -- to monitor chronic diseases, prevention -- to let people know the about risks and help them adapt lifestyles, and healthcare -- to improve treatment and access for those who are sick. It listed its top 10 "best buys", including banning smoking in public places, enforcing tobacco advertising bans, restricting access to alcohol and cutting salt in food, and said these steps should be taken now to produce "results in terms of lives saved, diseases prevented and heavy costs avoided".
Depression Reported by 25 Percent of Caregivers: One in four caregivers for ill or elderly relatives and friends said in a survey released on Tuesday that they suffer from depression, a figure far higher than for the U.S. population in general.
By comparison, 9 percent of all Americans are estimated to suffer from depression, according to a study released last year by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. The California-based company Caring.com, a website for caregivers that commissioned the online survey of 400 respondents, said the high level of depression reported by those attending to a loved one comes as many face their own health issues. The survey also found that a third of family caregivers spend more than 30 hours a week in that role, and 77 percent are concerned about the impact of their duties on their savings. Most of the caregivers were attending to an infirm parent, while the rest were caring for a spouse, relative or friend.
Early anti-smoking drug start seems better: Getting a head start on Pfizer's anti-smoking drug Chantix may help smokers kick the habit, according to a preliminary study funded by the company. More than a third of smokers who started on the drug a month before quitting were still completely smoke-free 3 months later. That compared to about one in seven of those who only started Chantix the recommended one week before they quit. Although researchers warn the study was short and needs to be confirmed, they say it hints that decreasing smoking pleasure -- one of Chantix's effects -- early on might help smokers stay off cigarettes over the long haul. Archives of Internal Medicine 4/25/11
Low Vitamin D Levels Linked to Diabetes: After following more than 5,000 people for 5 years, the researchers found those with lower than average vitamin D levels had a 57 percent increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to people with levels in the recommended range. "Studies like ours have suggested that blood levels of vitamin D higher than what is recommended for bone health may be necessary to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes," said lead author Dr. Claudia Gagnon, a fellow at the Western Hospital at the University of Melbourne in Australia when the study was done. Diabetes Care, online March 23, 2011
Low Vitamin D Levels Linked to More Aggressive Breast Cancers: Breast cancer patients with low levels of vitamin D have more aggressive tumors and poorer outcomes, a new study finds. Experts say the new findings support what many oncologists have long suspected. American Society of Breast Surgeons Meeting
Low Vitamin D Levels Tied to Obesity in Kids: In the study, researchers checked vitamin D levels in 237 healthy obese and non-obese white and black children, aged 8 to 18. They found that most of them were vitamin D deficient. Low levels of vitamin D were associated with higher body mass index and fat levels, and lower levels of "good" high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Among those with vitamin D deficiency, white children were more likely to have higher levels of fat between their internal organs (visceral adipose tissue), while black children were more likely to have higher levels of fat just under the skin (subcutaneous adipose tissue), the investigators found. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism May
When Docs own MRIs, Back Pain Scans increase. Doctors are far more likely to refer patients complaining of lower back pain for an expensive MRI scan if they own or lease such imaging equipment, a new study indicates. The Stanford University School of Medicine researchers also found that after orthopedists bought MRI equipment, their patients were significantly more likely to have back surgery within six months of seeing the orthopedist for back pain. The study author noted that MRI and surgery for lower back pain "are quite controversial" because there are no proven benefits. Health Services Research.April
Americans May Not Consume Enough Calcium: A new study finds that Americans may not be consuming enough calcium. Researchers analyzed data from 9,475 adults who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of 2003 to 2006 and found that self-reported calcium density was not sufficient to meet recommended levels. Reported calcium supplement use increased with age in both men and women, but median dietary intake among those aged 81 and older was lower by 23 percent among men and by 14 percent among women, compared to those aged 19 to 30. Journal of the American Dietetic Association May
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