Clinical Psychiatry News articles from December 2006

Clinical Psychiatry News archives from December 2006

Tip on atypicals: track triglycerides.(Adult Psychiatry)
December 1, 2006... ORLANDO -- Elevated triglycerides are the first sign that a patient taking an atypical antipsychotic might be heading for metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and/or cardiovascular disease, according to a presentation at a psychopharmacology congress...

Psychiatrists in the west earn more.(VITAL SIGNS)
December 1, 2006... Psychiatrists in the West Earn More Note: Based on median income of psychiatrists in group practice. Source: 2005 survey data, Medical Group Management Association ELSEVIER GLOBAL MEDICAL NEWS

Psychiatrists face 7% pay cut unless congress steps in: Medicare patients' access could suffer.(Practice Trends)
December 1, 2006... Physicians may be feeling a sense of deja vu in response to the announcement from Medicare that physician payments will be cut by 5% as of Jan. 1, 2007. This is the fifth consecutive year that physicians have been threatened with a payment...

For many female vets, PTSD tied to sex trauma.(News)(posttraumatic stress disorder)
December 1, 2006... ALBUQUERQUE -- Sexual trauma is the primary cause of posttraumatic stress disorder in female veterans, according to a psychologist who provides care at a trauma clinic for female veterans in New Mexico. Diane T. Castillo, Ph.D., estimates...

New antidepressant targets circadian rhythm.(News)
December 1, 2006... PARIS -- Two clinical trials have found agomelatine, an investigational drug that affects circadian rhythm, to be as effective as venlafaxine in treating major depressive disorder but with fewer side effects. Sexual dysfunction, in...

Antidepressant use tied to suicide attempts.(News)
December 1, 2006... PARIS -- A cohort study of 15,390 suicide-prone people in Finland found those who used antidepressants were much more likely to attempt suicide, but also much less likely to complete suicide or to die of any cause. The use of...

Low remission seen with third antidepressant: STAR*D trial calls into question the practice of switching classes when an SSRI doesn't help.(selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors)
December 1, 2006... Less than 20% of patients switched to a third consecutive antidepressant for major depressive disorder achieved remission in a study published by the STAR*D trial investigators. They reported low remission rates for mirtazapine and...

FDA issues warning on venlafaxine.(Food and Drug Administration)
December 1, 2006... A warning about an increased risk of overdose associated with venlafaxine and a recommendation to prescribe small quantities of the pills have been issued by the Food and Drug Administration and Wyeth, manufacturer of the antidepressant. ...

Store-brand acetaminophen recalled due to metal fragments.(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Perrigo Co. is voluntarily recalling approximately 11 million bottles of store-brand 500-mg acetaminophen caplets because of possible contamination with very small metal fragments. To date no illnesses, injuries, or consumer complaints...

Helping patients conquer sleep problems.(use of hypnotics)
December 1, 2006... A report issued earlier this year from the Institute of Medicine said that 50-70 million Americans struggle with chronic sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea, and restless legs syndrome. The report said not enough health care...

Dr. Fenton and boundary issues.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... Thanks for the article on the tragic death of Dr. Wayne S. Fenton at the hands of a patient ("Assisting Patients, Staying Safe: A Delicate Balance," October 2006, p. 1). At the risk of seeming insensitive and appearing to blame the victim,...

Califano advocates for HMOs.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... Since when has former Health, Education, and Welfare Secretary Joseph A. Califano Jr. become such a big physician advocate worried about "a lack of intelligent and patient-friendly health care policy right now?"("It's No 'Holiday' for...

Respecting the disabled.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... I would like to clarify many of the points made about me in an article about my life and artwork ("The Art of Anita Dallar," Visionary Art, May 2006, p. 20). The article states I have dissociative identity disorder. What I have is complex...

Bring in the jury on antidepressants.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... It seems like every month, there is some "new" article about the serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants that tells us stuff we already know but don't want to believe ("New Study on Antidepressants Far From Definitive," September 2006, p....

Video games often cause aggression.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... I read with interest the article concerning aggression in children which discussed the work of Dr. Susan Lomax ("Source of Aggression Should Determine Therapy," September 2006, p. 35). I have been treating children with aggression in my...

What's right with Medicare.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... I was pleasantly surprised to see the report on payer performance because I'm tired of reading articles that badmouth Medicare ("Humana, Medicare Lead in Payer Performance," August 2006, p. 82). For many years, Medicare has been our best...

APA takes stand against racism.(GUEST EDITORIAL)(American Psychiatric Association)
December 1, 2006... The American Psychiatric Association has taken stands against racism many times over the years. But for the first time, the organization's board of trustees has adopted a position specifically calling for the elimination of racism and racial...

Does drug testing have a place in our schools?(POINT/COUNTERPOINT)
December 1, 2006... Testing is a deterrent that works. Addiction is a pediatric-onset disease that needs a public health response. In much the same way that school tuberculosis tests identify children who are sick and can spread a dangerous disease, student...

Mentally ill need humane resolutions.(GUEST EDITORIAL)
December 1, 2006... It's painful to turn in a family member to law enforcement--but most painful when your loved one faces a possible death sentence. In 1995, after my wife, Linda, and I read the Unabomber's published "Manifesto," we grew suspicious that my...

Health IT adoption is critical.(GUEST EDITORIAL)(Editorial)
December 1, 2006... The field of medicine has been on the cutting edge of technology in many areas. For example, medical imaging technologies are state of the art and have changed the way we practice. Take a peek into any hospital surgical suite in this country,...

Treating anxiety, mood disorders takes time.
December 1, 2006... SANTA FE, N.M. -- Anxiety disorders are a common comorbidity that lead to worse outcomes for patients with major depressive and bipolar disorders, speakers warned at a psychiatric symposium sponsored by the University of Arizona. Dr. A....

Improved monitoring of lipids, glucose needed.(Adult Psychiatry)
December 1, 2006... NEW YORK -- Adherence to consensus recommendations on monitoring for lipids and glucose among patients treated with atypical antipsychotics is poor, increasing these patients' already high risk for heart disease, according to Brian Cuffel,...

Heart disease, diabetes risk appear absent with ziprasidone.(Adult Psychiatry)
December 1, 2006... NEW YORK -- Unlike other atypical antipsychotics, ziprasidone was not found to increase the risk for diabetes or cardiovascular disease in an analysis of data from the Clinical Antipsychotic Trials in Intervention Effectiveness study. ...

Women prefer to disclose violence on written or computerized forms.(Adult Psychiatry)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... When being screened for exposure to domestic violence, women prefer to fill out written or computerized questionnaires rather than to be interviewed face-to-face by their health care providers, reported Dr. Harriet MacMillan of McMaster...

Group Tx model helps at-risk soldiers in Iraq.(Adult Psychiatry)
December 1, 2006... NEW YORK -- A program of group therapy using cognitive-behavioral concepts was a successful intervention for soldiers considered at risk for suicide or homicide at Camp Taji, Iraq. Military psychiatrists in England during World War II...

Suicide rate of U.S., Caribbean blacks rivals that of whites.(Adult Psychiatry)
December 1, 2006... For the first time, epidemiologists say they can accurately estimate the prevalence of suicide attempts among African Americans and Caribbean Americans in the United States: It is 4.1%, which is higher than the 2%-3% reported in community...

Relaxation techniques: adjuncts to therapy.(THE PSYCHIATRIST'S TOOLBOX)
December 1, 2006... In a recent column, I wrote about the psychiatric/psychological assistance we can offer in treating TMD ("Stress-Related Temporomandibular Dysfunction," The Psychiatrist's Toolbox, October 2006, p. 60). As I examined the techniques that I...

Intervention may help couples in transition to parenthood.(Adult Psychiatry)
December 1, 2006... SAN ANTONIO -- Couples adjusting to the birth of their first child may weather the storm better and protect the quality of their relationship with the help of an intervention program, according to the results of a pilot study. The Family...

Pain relievers.(Adult Psychiatry)(Cartoon)
December 1, 2006... "The good news is, we've found your inner child. The bad new is, he's not potty trained."

Mood, anxiety disorders complicate ADHD Tx.(PRACTICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY)
December 1, 2006... Adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder frequently have other psychiatric problems as well. The National Comorbidity Survey Replication found 12-month prevalence rates of 38% for mood disorders and 47% for anxiety disorders in this...

Response to antidepressants linked to genetic patterns.(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Responses to different antidepressants have been linked to polymorphisms in the monoamine transporter genes. If confirmed, this finding will open the door to more individualized selection of effective drug therapy for patients with depression,...

The art of Dr. Leonard Aschenbrand.(www.betterphoto.com)(www.fountaingallerynyc.com)
December 1, 2006... Dr. Leonard Aschenbrand spends many weekends taking photographs, scouting locations for good shots, and developing the pictures himself. "Photography is a way of being expressive, and it's relaxing," said Dr. Aschenbrand, who has been...

Anger may affect lung function.(aging declines lung function)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Men with chronically high hostility experience poorer lung function and faster rates of pulmonary decline as they age, said Laura D. Kubzansky, Ph.D., of the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, and her colleagues. Their prospective...

Dementia risk inreases with age.(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... People older than 95 are nearly 20 times as likely to die with dementia as those who die between the ages of 65 and 69, according to a population-based study in England and Wales. The study demonstrates that the prevalence of dementia...

Managing mood disorders in diabetes.(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Panic episodes are strongly associated with worsened disease status and poorer functioning in patients with diabetes, Evette Ludman, Ph.D., has reported. Dr. Ludman and colleagues surveyed patients included in their population-based...

Watch out for avoidance after traumatic injury.
December 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- Children who are hospitalized for moderate to severe physical injuries face a high risk of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and psychological impairment if they display certain avoidance behaviors, Dr. Christopher Petersen...

Psychiatric hospitalization up 40% for kids, 39% for teens.(Survey)
December 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- Between 1996 and 2004, the rate of psychiatric hospitalization for children increased 40% while the rate for adolescents increased 39%, according to an analysis of National Hospital Discharge Survey data. At the same time, the...

IM ziprasidone effective for youth with acute agitation.(intramuscular)
December 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- Intramuscular ziprasidone was well tolerated and effective in a group of children and adolescents who were hospitalized for acute agitation, results from a single-center study showed. "Some of the typical [antipsychotics cause]...

Most teens with IBD have psych disorders.(inflammatory bowel disease)(psychological)
December 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- More than half of adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease met criteria for one or more DSM-IV disorders, in particular adjustment disorders and major depressive disorder, Dr. Andreas Richterich reported during a poster session...

Depression, not anxiety, linked to sleep problems in school children.(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Sleep problems in school-aged children appear to be associated with depression but not with anxiety, reported Alice M. Gregory, Ph.D., of King's College of London, and her colleagues. Their study of sleep problems in twins suggests that...

ChIPS better than K-SADS in detecting psychopathology.(Childhood Inventory of Psychiatric Syndromes)(Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia Mania Rating Scale)
December 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- Agreement between the Children's Interview for Psychiatric Syndromes and the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children ranges from 66% to 90%. But the ChIPS instrument is more sensitive than the...

Depression diagnoses rose 2.4-fold from 1990 to 2001.(Survey)
December 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- Between 1990 and 2001, the number of children and adolescents diagnosed with depression increased 2.4-fold, and the use of antidepressants increased from 44% to 59%, according to a nationwide study of physician office visits. ...

Autism-specific screen outdoes general tool.
December 1, 2006... PHILADELPHIA -- Autism-specific screening conducted at critical intervals is more effective in the early identification of autism than is using a general developmental instrument as a first-line screening technique, Dr. Susan E. Levy said at...

Concerta effective for ADHD plus epilepsy in small study.(attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)(use of osmotic release oral system methylphenidate )
December 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- In children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and epilepsy, treatment with osmotic release oral system methylphenidate produced no serious adverse events, no increase in seizures, and a significant decrease in the ADHD...

Atomoxetine may improve comorbid ADHD, Tourette's.(attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)(Tourette's syndrome)
December 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- Atomoxetine appears to be safe in children and adolescents who have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and comorbid Tourette's syndrome, Dr. Thomas J. Spencer reported during a poster session at the annual meeting of the...

Doctors urged to join anti-bullying efforts.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
December 1, 2006... Part of the problem with addressing bullying is that it is accepted as a normative behavior, Dr. Joseph L. Wright said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics. "In the United States, we are quite behind the eight ball in...

Bipolar adolescents battle with higher risk for substance abuse.
December 1, 2006... MENDOZA, ARGENTINA -- All co-morbid conditions increase the likelihood of substance abuse in adolescents with bipolar disorder, Dr. Harold I. Eist said at the Sixth World Congress on Depressive Disorders. Many of the traits that...

Foster care intervention may lower depression, anxiety.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
December 1, 2006... PHILADELPHIA -- A study assessing the impact of institutional living on Romanian children shows that foster care is effective at reversing some developmental delays, as well as decreasing rates of depression and anxiety, Charles A. Nelson III,...

Response to sertraline varies with age.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Children aged 6-11 years with major depressive disorder had a significantly faster first response to both sertraline and placebo, compared with adolescents aged 12-17 years, Dr. Craig L. Donnelly of Dar-mouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in...

Somatic symptoms, childhood anxiety.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... A majority of children with a DSM-IV anxiety disorder report at least one somatic symptom, according to data from 128 children and adolescents aged 6-17 years, wrote Golda S. Ginsburg, Ph.D., of Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. ...

Nicotine use not linked to psychosis.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Dependence on nicotine is significantly associated with substance use disorders rather than psychotic disorders, a study of 342 adolescent psychiatric inpatients shows. These results are in contrast to those on nicotine use and psychiatric...

White matter lesions may affect Alzheimer's Tx.(Geriatric Psychiatry)(Disease/Disorder overview)
December 1, 2006... ATLANTA -- Fast fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery MR images reveal that the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease show more extensive areas of focal white matter hyperintensities than do those of normal controls, and the extent of...

Moderate daily wine intake improves cognition.(Geriatric Psychiatry)
December 1, 2006... MENDOZA, ARGENTINA -- Many studies show that light to moderate drinkers have better cognitive function than do abstainers--particularly in old age--Dr. Roger Pinder reported at the Sixth World Congress on Depressive Disorders. In addition,...

Hypersexuality resolves with oxcarbazepine.(Geriatric Psychiatry)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... MADRID -- Oxcarbazepine appears to significantly decrease hypersexual behavior in patients with Alzheimer's disease, Dr. Joshua Shua-Haim reported in a poster presented at the 10th International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease and Related...

Simvastatin may cut Alzheimer's, Parkinson's risk.(Geriatric Psychiatry)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... ATLANTA -- Simvastatin use for at least 7 months reduced the incidence of Alzheimer's disease by 30% and Parkinson's disease by 24% in older people, according to an analysis of a Department of Veterans Affairs pharmaceutical database. ...

Late-onset GAD more common than thought.(Geriatric Psychiatry)(generalized anxiety disorder)
December 1, 2006... PARIS -- Generalized anxiety disorder occurs as a late-onset condition more often than is recognized, according to investigators who presented the first large treatment trial in elderly patients during the annual congress of the European...

Occupational therapy improves daily functioning in dementia.(Geriatric Psychiatry)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Occupational therapy improves the daily functioning of patients with mild to moderate dementia, results of a randomized, controlled trial show. "We believe that, in the long term, occupational therapy will result in less dependence on...

First suspicion index developed for elder abuse.(Geriatric Psychiatry)(Elder Abuse Suspicion Index)
December 1, 2006... TUCSON, ARIZ. -- Canadian researchers have developed and validated a user-friendly six-question index that can be used in the office to elicit suspicion of elder abuse in seniors who are cognitively intact. The goal of the Elder Abuse...

Screen for mood disorders in patients with addictions.(Addiction Psychiatry)
December 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- People who abuse substances are more likely to develop a mood disorder than are those who do not, Dr. Kathleen T. Brady said during the annual conference of the Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse....

What reduces smokers' reluctance to talk to a physician about quitting.(DATA WATCH)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Having a smoking-related illness 62% Having better rapport with doctor 37% Feeling that doctor really cares 36% Feeling that doctor is knowledgeable ...

Bar association opposes execution of mentally ill.(Forensic Psychiatry)
December 1, 2006... NEW YORK -- The American Bar Association is leading the way in an effort to create legislation that will eliminate the application of the death penalty in cases involving mentally ill defendants, Ronald S. Honberg said at the American...

Perspective.(Community Psychiatry)
December 1, 2006... When it comes to suicide prevention in youth, we should strive to recognize the maxim that "risk factors are not predictive factors due to protective factors." At-risk youth are usually pretty easy to identify, as they tend to let you know...

Teen suicide: a multifaceted problem.(PREVENTION IN ACTION)
December 1, 2006... "Why are teenagers killing themselves?" This question accompanies nearly every headline about adolescent suicide. A litany of possible reasons follows, including drugs, mental illness, physical or sexual abuse, social and academic...

Adverse events occur in 35% of VNS patients.(Neuropsychiatric Medicine)(vagus nerve stimulator)
December 1, 2006... PITTSBURGH -- Treatment-limiting adverse events occurred in more than 30% of patients who received a vagus nerve stimulator for the treatment of seizure disorders, Dr. Phillip Pearl reported at the annual meeting of the Child Neurology Society....

High TNF-[alpha] in spinal fluid could be an early sign of neuroinflammation, autism.(Neuropsychiatric Medicine)(tumor necrosis factor)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... CHICAGO -- A high level of tumor necrosis factor-[alpha] in cerebrospinal fluid, but not serum, may be an early indicator for neuroinflammation and possibly autism, according to a study of eight autistic children with regression. Although...

Younger, older autistic males have smaller corpora callosa.(Neuropsychiatric Medicine)(Disease/Disorder overview)
December 1, 2006... PITTSBURGH -- The corpora callosa of individuals with autism are smaller than those of healthy controls both during early childhood and after age 30 years, according to data presented during a poster session at the annual meeting of the Child...

[beta]-blockers may have short-term benefit for aphasia.(Neuropsychiatric Medicine)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... CHICAGO -- The [beta]-blocker propranolol may help some aphasic patients communicate more easily, at least in the short term, Dr. Yutaka Tanaka reported in a poster session at the annual meeting of the American Neurological Association. ...

Switch pain patients to methadone with caution.(Pain Medicine)
December 1, 2006... Clinicians should not rely on standard conversion tables when switching chronic pain patients to methadone from other opioid analgesics, according to three pain experts who have published guidance on methadone prescribing. The widely...

Zolmitriptan quickly aids acute cluster headache.(Pain Medicine)
December 1, 2006... Intranasal zolmitriptan is an effective, well-tolerated treatment for acute cluster headache, a study has shown. Both 5-mg and 10-mg doses of the selective serotonin (5-HT) receptor agonist demonstrated significantly higher rates of...

Acupuncture shows clinical, cost effectiveness.(Pain Medicine)
December 1, 2006... A short course of traditional acupuncture can relieve nonspecific lower-back pain better than usual care at a small increased cost to payers, a new study has found. The study (BMJ 2006 [Epub doi: 10.1136/bmj.38878.907361.7C]) randomized...

Approval of triptan for kids still pending.(Pain Medicine)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... LOS ANGELES -- A relatively low dose of oral almotriptan significantly relieved migraine pain, photophobia, and phonophobia in a large, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel group study of adolescent patients, Dr. Steven L. Linder reported...

Factors driving anorexia, bulimia are complex: about two-thirds of eating disorder patients have comorbid diagnosis of anxiety or depression.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
December 1, 2006... BETHESDA, MD. -- A complex set of predisposing, precipitating, and perpetuating factors appears to play a major role in driving the behavioral and neurochemical changes of patients with anorexia or bulimia, Craig Johnson, Ph.D., said at the...

CPAP withdrawal alters brain function in apnea patients.(Psychosomatic Medicine)(continuous positive airway pressure)
December 1, 2006... MONTREAL -- Sleep apnea patients receiving continuous positive airway pressure therapy have changes in brain function that can be seen with functional magnetic resonance imaging when the therapy is withdrawn for just 2 consecutive nights. ...

Depression twice as common in diabetes patients.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
December 1, 2006... KEYSTONE, COLO. -- Depression is twice as common in adults with diabetes as in the general population, William H. Polonsky, Ph.D., said at a conference on the management of diabetes in youth. Moreover, coexistent depression and diabetes is...

After the cancer: depression and anxiety missed in older survivors.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
December 1, 2006... ATLANTA -- Anxiety, depression, and pain are often overlooked in older cancer survivors, according to results of a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. In this study of 150 men who had been...

Group therapy of benefit to COPD patients with anxiety.(Psychosomatic Medicine)(chronic obstructive lung disease)
December 1, 2006... SALT LAKE CITY -- Anxiety in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is common, disruptive, and responds favorably to cognitive behavioral group therapy, Dr. Sandra G. Adams reported at the annual meeting of the American College of...

Study of anxiety, physical conditions is a first.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
December 1, 2006... Anxiety disorders are associated with a broad range of physical conditions, including respiratory diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, arthritic conditions, allergic conditions, thyroid diseases, and migraines, reported Dr. Jitender Sareen of...

Depression, anxiety may worsen asthma.(Psychosomatic Medicine)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The presence of an anxiety or depressive disorder in asthmatic children aged 11-17 years is associated with an increase in asthma symptoms, reported Dr. Laura P. Richardson of the University of Washington, Seattle, and her colleagues. "We...

CDC campaign targets chronic fatigue syndrome.(Across Specialties)
December 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- Chronic fatigue syndrome has gained new stature as a public health concern with the launch by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of a national education campaign aimed at promoting diagnosis and treatment of the...

CFS traced to childhood trauma, emotional instability, stress.(Across Specialties)(chronic fatigue syndrome)
December 1, 2006... Childhood trauma and neglect, long-standing emotional instability, and stress all were forerunners of chronic fatigue syndrome that developed decades later, researchers reported in two separate studies. The findings support the idea that...

Cancer guidelines focus on weight management.(Across Specialties)
December 1, 2006... Advising patients to maintain a healthy weight can help them reduce their risk for several kinds of cancer, according to updated guidelines from the American Cancer Society. The new guidelines focus on maintaining a healthy weight...

Type 'D' personality predicts cardiac events.(Across Specialties)
December 1, 2006... BARCELONA -- Type D personality is a powerful independent predictor of future cardiac events in patients with coronary heart disease, Johan Denollet, Ph.D., reported at the joint meeting of the European Society of Cardiology and the World Heart...

PEACE curbs rampant anxiety, depression in ICD recipients.(Across Specialties)(implantable cardioverter defibrillator)(Psychoeducational Intervention in Internal Cardiac Defibrillator Patients)
December 1, 2006... CHICAGO -- A brief psycho-educational intervention quelled anxiety and depression during the year after implantable cardioverter defibrillator insertion in the randomized multicenter PEACE trial, Sandra B. Dunbar, D.S.N., reported at the annual...

Statin may slow lung function decline in smokers.(Across Specialties)
December 1, 2006... SALT LAKE CITY -- Statin therapy may slow the decline in lung function in smokers and ex-smokers with chronic lung disease, Dr. Walid G. Younis said at the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians. This preliminary...