Hormones can worsen and cause incontinence.
For several decades, doctors have been prescribing estrogen to
older women with urinary incontinence. But new findings show that
hormones worsen the symptoms. What's more, they increase the risk
of . . .
Mammography: a high rate of false alarms.
A false alarm will occur in one out of every 20 fifty-something
women who undergo mammography screening every other year for the next 20
years. That's the odds for Norwegian women, according to a . . .
Health consequences of too much fast food.
Eating fast food regularly increases the odds of becoming obese
and/or a type 2 diabetic. That's the conclusion of the CARDIA study
(Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults), which . . .
Prenatal ultrasound--safe, so far.
The prenatal ultrasound examination is an example of a medical test
widely accepted before it was proven safe for the developing embryo or
fetus. Ultrasound imaging has been standard prenatal care . . .
St. John's wort effective as an antidepressant.
The herbal remedy, St. John's wort, is just as effective as
the standard antidepressant drugs in treating people with mild to
moderate depression. This has already been demonstrated in . . .
Best way to avoid another ulcer while taking daily
aspirin.
An estimated 50 million Americans take low-dose aspirin daily to
prevent a heart attack and stroke *. Few are told that aspirin carries
the risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding even at doses as . . .
The routine urine test: what's the point? Who is it for?(RX
News)(Brief Article)
Ever wonder about the urine test that's usually given to
adults as part of a routine physical exam? Is there evidence to support
its use for all adults?
We checked with the U.S. Agency for . . .
Melanoma and sun exposure: only part of the story.(RX
News)
In last month's issue of HealthFacts, the lead article about
vitamin D deficiency contained the following sentence: "...the most
deadly form of skin cancer, melanoma, is unrelated to sun exposure, . . .
Patient safety update: campaign to save 100,000 lives.(RX
News)
The Institute for Health Care Improvement (IHI), a non-profit
organization dedicated to improving the safety and quality of health
care has just announced an ambitious campaign to save 100,000 . . .
Early promoters of PSA screening do a turnabout.
At first, it appeared to be heresy. A paper published last October
in the Journal of Urology indicates that the PSA screening test for
prostate cancer has lead to widespread cancer diagnoses in men . . .
C-reactive protein testing not for everyone.
The upbeat cardiac news last month involved a protein in the blood
called C-reactive protein, or CRP. High levels are a sign of
inflammation within the artery walls, which some researchers see as . . .
Medicare misinformation hotline.(prescription drug benefit
questions unanswered)(Brief Article)
Ever since the new Medicare prescription-drug law was passed last
year, there has been widespread confusion among Medicare recipients who
now have a complex array of insurance options and benefits. . . .
Non-drug approaches to osteoarthritis pain.
Now that the most common osteoarthritis medicines have either been
removed from the market or are under a cloud of suspicion, it's
worth taking a look at some non-drug approaches to pain. Since . . .
How to increase your life expectancy without drugs.
A steady diet of wine, fish, dark chocolate, fruits, vegetables,
garlic, and almonds will add years to your life. The health benefit has
been calculated in terms of a 75% reduction in . . .
A new argument against stopping painkillers abruptly.
A new harm has been identified for the widely used over-the-counter
painkillers, such as ibuprofen and naproxen. People who took these drugs
regularly showed an increased risk of heart attack in . . .
Vitamin D deficiency: common cause of many ailments.
The Institute of Medicine brought experts together recently to
explore the question of whether the RDA or recommended daily allowance,
of vitamin D has been set too low. The impetus for the . . .
Journal editors stand up to the drug industry--no public
disclosure, no published study results.
Last month, 11 medical journal editors announced a policy that will
go a long way toward ending the common, unethical pharmaceutical
industry practice of withholding negative clinical trial . . .
Lifestyle changes--even when started in old age--can improve body
and mind.
By the time they reach advanced age, many people think there's
no point in trying to improve their diet or even to starting a minimal
exercise routine. Two new studies show that it is never too . . .
High cost of drugs has little to do with innovation.(Rx
News)
For older folks enrolled in Medicare (and this writer is one) the
news of late has been mostly bad. For example, Medicare's trustees
estimate that out of pocket expenses for Medicare premiums, . . .
Benign positional vertigo: common problem with a low-tech cure
that takes minutes.
Dizziness and nausea. When these two symptoms come on suddenly,
they can continue for weeks or even months. In most people over the age
of 50 years, the problem is entirely benign and so is the . . .
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