Manuka Honey May Fight Superbugs

Research presented this past week at the UK Society for General Microbiology meeting suggests that manuka honey may have a role in defending our bodies from antibiotics-resistent bacteria. Manuka honey is harvested in New Zealand from bees which feed on the manuka plant. For centuries humans have known about the healing properties of this honey and, in fact, purified forms of it are currently available on the market as wound-care products. However, the researchers wanted to find out whether or not the honey would help with infections caused by certain hospital bacteria. To their surprise, the manuka honey was able to prevent attachment of bacteria to tissue, effectively preventing them from forming biofilms, a property of bacteria which allows them to multiply and escape attack by antibiotics. The scientists believe that manuka honey, in conjunction with current antibiotics, could mean greater efficacy against multi-drug resistant bacteria such as MRSA and pseudomonas, among othe

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Ovarian Cancer Starts In The Fallopian Tubes

Scientists at the renowned Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston have discovered that ovarian cancer actually starts in the fallopian tubes, not the ovaries. Previous studies have suggested that ovarian cancer may originate elsewhere in the body, but this is the first study to demonstrate how the cancer has its origins inside the fallopian tubes, which are located adjacent to the ovaries. Ovarian cancer is sometimes called the silent killer because its early symptoms can be so subtle and commonplace. These symptoms can include unexplained discomfort in the pelvic region, indigestion, bloating, pain with sexual intercourse and abdominal pain. Each year, approximately 200,000 women worldwide are diagnosed with ovarian cancer and about 115,000 die of the disease. The hope is that by understanding how cancers start, new screening tests may improve rates of early detection. The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

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Suicide Rates Correlate With Economy

A new CDC study published in the American Journal of Public Health demonstrates the correlation between suicide and periods of economic downturn. The study shows, as one would expect, that more people commit suicide when the economy falls and less people do so when the economy rises. After looking at various economic cycles between the years of 1928 and 2007, researchers noted this trend during the most significant economic periods listed below. The link between the two is most pronounced among people between the ages of 25 and 64 – individuals of prime working ages.

According to the report:

During periods of economic crisis the overall suicide rate rose, examples include:

• 1929-1933 – the Great Depression
• 1937-1938 – the end of the New Deal
• 1973-1975 – the Oil Crisis
• 1980-1982 – The Double-Dip Recession

During periods when the economy did well the overall suicide rate dropped, examples include:

• 1939-1945 – World War II
• 1991-2001 – The longest period of economic expansion and low unemployment

More Than Half of Americans Use Supplements

A report released yesterday from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that over half of all Americans use some form of dietary supplement. That increase, from 42% in 1988 to 53% in 2006, has made nutritional supplements a $27 billion industry. An estimated 39% of Americans take multivitamins, making them the most popular supplements. The largest increase in use for any supplement was calcium among older women. Currently, it's estimated that more than two-thirds of women over 60 years of age take supplemental calcium. What the report doesn't tell is is whether all these supplements are doing us any good. Are we, in fact, living healthier lives? Dietary supplements are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the same way as drugs, and the manufacturers do not have to prove any safety or effectiveness. Yet, many of us take for granted that they will make us healthier, which is not the case. Taking a multivitamin will never provide you with all the nutrition your body needs. There are compounds found only in fresh fruits and vegetables which we cannot put into a capsule – yet. Furthermore, taking a supplement will never make up for poor diet and lifestyle choices, no matter how much you take

Study: Physicians Not Always Objective In Decision Making

Study: Physicians Not Always Objective In Decision Making

A new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that physicians may not always be objective when it comes to decision making. Almost 1000 physicians were asked to make theoretical decisions for patients and themselves. The majority of those surveyed reported that they would choose treatment options for their patients which had the least risk of death, but higher rate of side effects. However, if they were to choose for themselves, the majority of physicians would opt for interventions which had greater risk of death, but lower risk of side effects. The researchers concluded that, "The act of making a recommendation changes the ways that physicians think regarding medical choices." This type of decision-making is logical since, in most cases, patients would prefer to live with side effects than risk death. However, the thought of experiencing certain side effects yourself may make you shy away from the interventions which could cause them. So what's the take home message? Your physician may not always be objective. According to the study, "…the advice you get could depend on whether your doctor is thinking about what you should do, or instead thinking about what he or she would do in your situation."

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Hair Braids May Lead To Baldness

A new study, published this week on the website of the Archives of Dermatology, shows an association between weaves and braids and a type of permanent hair loss called central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA). Researchers believe that these so-called "traction" hairstyles, which exert a great deal of stress on the scalp due to how tight the hairs are pulled, can lead to the development of pus-filled bumps which later become infected by bacteria and lead to scarring and thinning of hair. "Making matters worse, women who are already losing their hair are more likely to favor these hairstyles because they help disguise thinning hair, the study notes." The study doesn't show that these hairstyles directly cause CCCA, just that there may be an association. Furthermore, the study only included women. Those with CCCA were more likely to have balding maternal grandfathers, as well as diabetes. Based on the study the average age of women with CCCA was 58. However, the condition often presents itself among women in their 40s, and sometimes as young as their 20s and 30

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Is erectile dysfunction a problem with the veins?

A: Erectile dysfunction (ED) has many causes. Because male sexual arousal involves a complex coordination between the brain, peripheral nervous system, blood vessels (veins and arteries), muscles, hormones, as well as one's emotional state, anything that goes wrong with any of these components could contribute to ED. When it comes to blood vessels it's more common for arterial problems to cause ED, rather than venous problems. The most common arterial problem which contributes to ED is atherosclerosis – the hardening and narrowing of arteries due to plaques which build up inside them. Yes, this is the same atherosclerosis that can lead to heart disease. Atherosclerosis reduces the amount of blood that arteries can deliver to the heart and penis which, over time, can lead to heart disease and ED. As a matter of fact, because the arteries supplying the penis are much smaller than those supplying the heart, symptoms of atherosclerosis may first manifest as ED. Some even say that ED can be an early sign of heart disease. In this case, part of the treatment for ED is the same as for atherosclerotic heart disease – lifestyle changes, including weight loss, stopping smoking, and healthy dieting. More serious cases may warrant further investigation and treatment.

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Can Generic and Mail Order Drugs Save Us Billions?

The 2010 Drug Trend Report, a study on medication usage in the U.S., suggests that most patients prefer generic drugs and mail-order pharmacies. According to the report, sponsored by Express Scripts, 82% of patients who use brand name medications actually prefer generics. As well, 70% of patients who use retail pharmacies to fill medications for chronic conditions prefer to use a home delivery pharmacy because of discounts offered by their insurance companies. The study suggests that if physicians were to heed patient preferences in this manner, it could eliminate up to 33% of wasteful dollars spent on pharmacy-related costs annually. This amounts to a total of $134 billion dollars. Express Scripts is a publicly traded American company with a revenue of $25 billion and net income of over $800 million in 2009.

 

Sudden Cardiac Death Among Student Athletes More Common Than Previously Thought

A new study from the University of Washington suggests that the rate of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in college athletes is higher than previously thought. SCD is the leading medical cause of death and death during exercise in NCAA student-athletes. However, there is currently no formal measurement of SCD numbers. In fact, recent estimates of SCD have been based on questionable data sources, such as public media reports, and are believed to be underestimated. The current study attempts to more accurately identify cases of SCD by use of insurance claims databases, media reports, as well as NCAA information databases. Data from these sources between the years 2004 to 2008 showed there were 273 deaths among NCAA athletes, with 45 of them dying from SCD. Public media sources alone only identified 25 of these. Because of this, the study authors are emphasizing the importance of accurate data and its role in prevention of death from SCD. "Accurate assessment of SCD incidence is necessary to shape appropriate health policy decisions and develop effective strategies for prevention," they said.

 

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Heart Disease Plagued Ancient Egyptians Too

New research presented this week at the annual scientific session of the American College of Cardiology show that coronary artery disease (CAD), also known as coronary heart disease, is not an ailment of modernity. Coronary artery disease refers to the hardening and narrowing of blood vessels of the heart due to atherosclerosis, a process whereby plaques made of cholesterol, fat, calcium and minerals deposit and harden in the arteries. This can eventually lead to heart attacks and strokes. The scientists used CT scans to view the coronary arteries of 52 mummies and found that 20 of them had definite plaques and 8 of them had plaques in locations where they expected arteries to be. Each CT scan was read and confirmed by eight different cardiologists. The researchers say this is the earliest evidence we have of CAD in humans, putting into question the notion that CAD is due to our modern diet and sedentary lifestyle. One of the mummies was a princess that lived over 3,500 years ago. Perhaps she, too, led a pretty tame and glutinous life.

 

 

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