Family Practice News articles from February 2005

Family Practice News archives from February 2005

Colorado has no malpractice crisis.
February 1, 2005... In places like Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Florida, some physicians are reportedly giving up providing high-risk services, retiring, or packing their bags for somewhere else because of the current professional liability crisis. Colorado,...

Family physicians worked more than 35 clinical hours per week in 2003.(Vital Signs)(Illustration)
February 1, 2005... Family Physicians Worked More Than 35 Clinical Hours per Week in 2003 General Pediatrics (n = 1,548) 47.22 General Internal Medicine (n = 4,972) 36.36 Family Practice: Sports Medicine (n = 44) 36.34 Family...

Industry issues its plan for clinical trials registration: voluntary program to launch this year.
February 1, 2005... In the face of bad publicity and impending restrictions, trade groups representing pharmaceutical companies have proposed a voluntary plan for using a clinical trials registry as well as results databases by midyear. The "Joint position on...

Teens may not be safer as drug use declines.
February 1, 2005... Fewer teenagers used drugs and tobacco this past year, continuing a trend that has been seen for the past 3 years among high school seniors and for the last 8 years among younger teens, according to the annual Monitoring the Future Survey. ...

Food guide: exercise; cut calories, salt.(News)
February 1, 2005... The nation's revised dietary guidelines call on Americans to double their exercise; eat more fruits and vegetables; cut back on calories, fat, and sugar; and limit sodium consumption to 1 teaspoon or less each day. The "Dietary Guidelines...

Women protest for OTC Emergency contraceptive: decision is expected soon on a second application for over-the-counter sales of Barr's Plan B.(News)
February 1, 2005... ROCKVILLE, MD. -- A coalition of women's groups recently called for the Food and Drug Administration to approve over-the-counter marketing status for the emergency contraceptive Plan B (levonorgestrel). Waving banners and colorful signs,...

FDA staff felt pressured into approving drugs, watchdog says.(News)
February 1, 2005... Nearly one in five Food and Drug Administration scientists in a federal survey said they were pressured to approve or recommend approval for a drug despite reservations about its safety. Half of the 400 scientists who participated in this...

New DNA test: prescription for genetic precision: knowledge of genetic variations can help you select more appropriate drugs, dosages for your patients.(News)
February 1, 2005... U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of the first DNA microarray test will allow physicians to consider patient-specific genetic information before prescribing medications for a wide variety of conditions such as cardiac disease,...

Big pharma's annum horribilis.(News)
February 1, 2005... Not everything went wrong for big pharma last year, but it might have seemed that way to some companies. Attacks came on several fronts, from journal articles to journal editors to the courts, and even legislators in the U.S. Congress and...

HHS advisors weigh more coverage for bariatric surgery.(News)
February 1, 2005... BALTIMORE -- Proposals to expand Medicare coverage for bariatric surgery received mixed reactions at a meeting of the Medicare Coverage Advisory Commission. The MedCAC panel concluded that "bariatric surgery... will positively affect...

Medicare poised to cover smoking cessation counseling.(News)
February 1, 2005... Medicare is investigating ways to help its beneficiaries quit smoking. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed to extend smoking cessation coverage to beneficiaries who smoke and have been diagnosed with a smoking-related...

Final Medicare Part D formulary model 'workable'.(News)
February 1, 2005... The standard-setting group U.S. Pharmacopeia has established 146 unique therapeutic categories and pharmacologic classes to guide the establishment of formularies under the new Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit. The model...

CMS will review proposed drug benefit formularies for Medicare Part D.(News)
February 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Drug plans that participate in the new Medicare prescription drug benefit next year will face higher hurdles than just meeting the formulary guidelines being set by the U.S. Pharmacopeia. "It's only the beginning of the review...

FDA approves eszopiclone to treat insomnia.(News)
February 1, 2005... The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new, nonnarcotic therapy for insomnia, eszopiclone. Most sleep aids are approved for only short-term use of a week to 10 days, but eszopiclone can be safely prescribed for longer, according to the...

FDA issues new warning for ADHD drug.(News)(Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The Food and Drug Administration has issued a new warning for atomoxetine HC1 concerning the potential for severe liver injury. The drug, available since 2002, is indicated for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults...

Iron deficiency, development in toddlers.(Guest Editorial)
February 1, 2005... The current "screen and treat" recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics for iron deficiency anemia in toddlers have been largely unsuccessful. These recommendations, as stated in the 5th edition of the Pediatric Nutrition Handbook,...

Is membrane stripping appropriate for encouraging labor?(Pro & Con)
February 1, 2005... YES Membrane stripping is an intervention sometimes performed in the obstetric office setting. This technique involves a digital exam followed by gently sweeping the presenting membrane, separating the membrane from its neighboring lower...

A-HeFT trial results.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2005... The recent article on the A-HeFT trial neglected an important issue ("A-HeFT Results Held Applicable to All Races," Dec. 1, 2004, p. 22). The rationale for A-Heft, as well as the African American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension,...

An alarming trend.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2005... The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and the trend toward widespread, worsening resistance with this particular organism pose a serious challenge to clinicians nationwide ("MRSA Growing as Cause of...

Pain relief in circumcision.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2005... I am not surprised by the findings of Praveen Kumar, M.D., of reluctance on the part of physicians to use adequate analgesia during circumcision ("Majority of Circumcisions Are Performed Without Analgesia," Nov. 15, 2004, p. 63). My...

Will the HPV vaccine backfire?(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2005... While I congratulate those who developed a vaccine that is very effective in preventing the development of cervical dysplasia by human papillomavirus strain 16--purely because of the work and expertise involved--I can't help but think that we...

Waist circumference foretells CV risk.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
February 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- Waist circumference is increasingly supplanting body mass index as the preferred indicator of obesity-related cardiovascular risk, both in research studies and clinical practice, Robert H. Eckel, M.D., said at the annual...

Cardiovascular risk predicted by left atrial size.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... MUNICH -- Echocardiographically measured left atrial diameter is an independent predictor of long-term cardiovascular mortality risk in a general population of middle-aged men, Jauri A. Laukkanen, M.D., reported at the annual congress of the...

Folate intake reduces risk of hypertension in young women.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
February 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- High folate intake may lower the risk of hypertension, particularly in young women, according to data presented at a conference of the Council for High Blood Pressure Research. Young women who consumed at least 800 mcg/day of...

Ultrasound plus clot buster better for acute stroke.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
February 1, 2005... Patients suffering from acute ischemic stroke are significantly more likely to achieve recanalization and/or early or dramatic clinical recovery if thrombolytic therapy is combined with continuous transcranial Doppler sonography, according to a...

Compression quality affects heart attack survival.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
February 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- The timing of chest compressions in CPR can mean life or death to some patients in cardiac arrest, Lance B. Becker, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American College of Emergency Physicians. An observational study...

Depression screening averts 'Diabetes Burnout'.(Metabolic Disorders)
February 1, 2005... QUEBEC CITY -- Diabetes patients and their physicians are at high risk for burnout, but they can sidestep some of that risk by ruling out depression, William Polonsky, Ph.D., said at the joint annual meeting of the Canadian Diabetes Association...

Insulin pumps are underused for achieving glycemic control.(Metabolic Disorders)
February 1, 2005... QUEBEC CITY -- Diabetes care is "on the path to automated glucose control," with the promise of "intelligent" insulin pumps and devices in the near future, according to John Walsh, P.A. Today's insulin pumps have an impressive capacity to...

Vardenafil improves erectile dysfunction in diabetic patients.(Metabolic Disorders)
February 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- Regardless of glycemic control, vardenafil significantly improves intercourse success rates, compared with placebo, for diabetic men who do not respond to sildenafil, Culley Carson, M.D., reported in a series of posters presented...

Neuropsychiatric illness linked to type 2 diabetes: the relationship between the two is not completely clear and is likely to have many factors.(Metabolic Disorders)
February 1, 2005... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Nearly 20% of children and adolescents have a neuropsychiatric diagnosis at the time they are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, according to a retrospective study presented at the annual scientific sessions of the American...

Accidents cause almost half of all deaths in 15- to 24-year-olds.(Data Watch)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Accidents Cause Almost Half of All Deaths in 15- to 24-Year-Olds Accidents 46% Homicide 15% Suicide 12% Malignant neoplasms 5% Heart disease 3% All other causes 19% Note:...

Pioglitazone improved lipids better than rosiglitazone.(Metabolic Disorders)
February 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- Treatment with pioglitazone led to better improvements in serum lipid measures compared with rosiglitazone in a study of 735 patients with type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia. "Whether these differences in lipid measures...

Ertapenem effective for diabetic foot infection: response to the single drug was similar to that of the combination of piperacillin and tazobactam.(Metabolic Disorders)
February 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Once-daily treatment with ertapenem was as safe and effective as a four-times daily regimen with two other antibiotics for treating diabetic patients with moderate to severe foot infections in a controlled study with 445 evaluable...

Resident reward program leads to increased diabetic foot exams.(Metabolic Disorders)
February 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- To improve the level of foot care that family medicine residents provided to diabetic patients, their teachers at the Medical College of Wisconsin put a sock in it. Literally. "We came up with this idea that to bring...

Outcomes of Staph wound infections worse in diabetes.(Metabolic Disorders)
February 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- Diabetes appears to be a predictor for identifying which patients with Staphylococcus aureus-infected wounds will develop severe complications or even die as a result, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Wound...

CV risk not caused by radioiodine therapy.(Metabolic Disorders)
February 1, 2005... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- The increased risk of vascular death seen in a recent study of hyperthyroid patients treated with radioiodine was confined to the period before they became hypothyroid and went on thyroxine replacement therapy, Jayne A....

Food interferes with rapid-release L-T4.(Metabolic Disorders)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Bioavailability of even the newer rapid-release formulation of levothyroxine known as Levoxyl is reduced 40% by taking the tablets close to a meal, Michael J. Lamson, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Thyroid...

Nuclear meds set off sensors up to 3 months.(Metabolic Disorders)
February 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- Patients given radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostic or therapeutic nuclear medicine procedures can trigger radiation detectors up to 3 months after the procedure, Lionel S. Zuckier, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the Radiological...

Soldiers back from Iraq may develop cutaneous leishmaniasis months later.(Infectious Diseases)
February 1, 2005... MIAMI BEACH -- Some American soldiers are returning from Iraq with a dormant pathogen in tow: cutaneous leishmaniasis. Symptoms of the infection can take 4-6 months after a bite from an infected sand fly to appear, and unknowingly infected...

GIs in Iraq got rare pneumonia.(Infectious Diseases)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... A Cute eosinophilic pneumonia is considered a rare disease, but it occurred at an increased rate among a population of soldiers serving in or near Iraq between March 2003 and March 2004, and may be associated with new-onset smoking and/or dust...

Researchers still puzzled about U.S. monkeypox outbreak.(Infectious Diseases)
February 1, 2005... MIAMI BEACH -- Investigators at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are still perplexed as to why a monkeypox outbreak in the United States was less virulent than a simultaneous outbreak in Africa. But genetic differences in the pox...

Daptomycin studied for bone, joint infections: the drug's off-label use may be less likely to cause drug resistance due to long-term therapy.(Infectious Diseases)
February 1, 2005... BOSTON -- Daptomycin may effectively treat gram-positive bone and joint infections and may be less likely than standard antimicrobials to cause drug resistance as a consequence of long-term therapy, Michael S. Finney, M.D., said at the annual...

Drug-resistant bloodstream infections respond to Daptomycin.(Infectious Diseases)
February 1, 2005... BOSTON -- Daptomycin may be an effective option for difficult-to-treat gram-positive bloodstream infections, John Segreti, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. In a retrospective study, 31...

New protease inhibitor may held when others fail.(Infectious Diseases)
February 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- A new protease inhibitor, tipranavir, was effective for controlling HIV infection in patients who had failed treatment with the standard protease inhibitors now on the U.S. market, in a phase III study with 620 patients. ...

Two new anti-HIV drugs provide effective combo.(Infectious Diseases)
February 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- The best strategy for using two of the newest anti-HIV drugs, tipranavir and enfuvirtide, may be to use them together because each appears to work better when coupled with at least one other active antiretroviral drug, several...

Thorough anal exam crucial, especially in HIV disease.(Infectious Diseases)
February 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- A look at the epidemiology of anal cancer demonstrates the need for thorough anal exams, particularly in individuals of both sexes with HIV disease, Joel M. Palefsky, M.D., said at a meeting on HIV management sponsored by the...

HIV is an independent heart disease risk factor.(Infectious Diseases)
February 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- People infected with HIV are diagnosed with acute coronary syndromes an average of 11 years earlier than their HIV-negative counterparts, Priscilla Hsue, M.D., said at a meeting on HIV management sponsored by the University of...

Reengineered T cells may block spread of HIV.(Infectious Diseases)
February 1, 2005... MINNEAPOLIS -- A gene therapy appears to block the spread of HIV virus in humans, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Gene Therapy. Three patients with drug-resistant strains of HIV have undergone...

Behavior training interrupts itch-scratch cycle.(Skin Disorders)
February 1, 2005... Florence, Italy -- A brief series of cognitive-behavioral training sessions had a highly significant impact on scratching and profoundly improved the ability of patients with atopic dermatitis to cope with the itching that accompanies the...

Desloratadine eases urticaria in real-world trial.(Skin Disorders)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Victoria, B.C. -- An open-label trial of Canadian patients seen in regular clinics and offices has confirmed that desloratadine treatment of chronic idiopathic urticaria is highly effective, Charles W. Lynde, M.D., said at the annual meeting of...

Evoclin foam, atrovent HFA.(New & Approved)
February 1, 2005... Evoclin Foam (clindamycin phosphate foam, 1%, Connetics Corp.) The Food and Drug Administration approved Evoclin Foam, 1% for topical treatment of ache vulgaris in patients 12 years and older. * Recommended Dosage: First wash...

Tacrolimus, pimecrolimus eyed for off-label use: the drugs are seen as good potential alternatives to mid- to high-potency topical steroids.(Skin Disorders)
February 1, 2005... Vienna -- The topical calcineurin inhibitors constitute the most important advance in topical therapy of inflammatory dermatoses in half a century, Thomas A. Luger, M.D., said at a satellite symposium held in conjunction with the annual meeting...

Child's dermatitis, family's quality of life improve with pimecrolimus treatment.(Skin Disorders)
February 1, 2005... Boston -- Pimecrolimus cream for atopic dermatitis leads to itch-free kids and happier parents, a study has shown. In a randomized, double-blind trial enrolling 275 children from 3 months to 11 years old with moderate to severe atopic...

Topical imiquimod useful for treatment of lentigo maligna.(Skin Disorders)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Vienna -- Imiquimod appears to be an excellent off-label treatment option in selected patients with lentigo maligna, Ingrid H. Wolf, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the European Society for Dermatological Research. She reported on five...

Child nail problems often spontaneously regress.(Skin Disorders)
February 1, 2005... Florence, Italy -- Unusually shaped or discolored nails may point to congenital abnormalities in children but rarely require surgical intervention, Bianca Maria Piraccini, M.D., noted at the 13th Congress of the European Academy of Dermatology...

DNA testing proves of diagnostic benefit in Genodermatoses.(Skin Disorders)
February 1, 2005... Florence, Italy -- A decade of remarkable progress in molecular genetics has brought new clarity to the diagnosis of skin diseases. DNA-based testing is providing important information to clinicians and offering families predictions about...

Propranolol among drugs eyed to prevent PTSD.(Mental Health)(Posttraumatic stress disorder)
February 1, 2005... Over the next several years, victims of car accidents, crimes, or other traumas treated at Boston's Massachusetts General Hospital will be offered a common heart drug--the [[beta]-adrenergic blocker propranolol--to potentially help lessen the...

Emotional disclosure focus helps with posttraumatic stress.(Mental Health)
February 1, 2005... SANTA FE, N.M. -- A focus on emotional disclosure is better than a focus on cognitive restructuring when using a written disclosure paradigm for patients with posttraumatic stress disorder, Denise M. Sloan, Ph.D., reported in a poster...

Intervene early to prevent teen substance abuse.(Mental Health)
February 1, 2005... ASPEN, COLO. -- Surveys consistently show that 90% of all youths have experimented with drugs and alcohol by the time they finish high school. Yet only a minority develop substance abuse problems, Paula D. Riggs, M.D., said at a psychiatry...

Parents want to discuss family alcohol history.(Mental Health)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- A majority of parents in rural Kansas think children should know about problem drinkers in the family, reported Kimber Richter, Ph.D. Approximately 45% of alcoholism is genetic, and knowledge of family history might help...

Prison may be good place to help mentally ill.(Mental Health)
February 1, 2005... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Incarcerated women with both substance abuse problems and mental illnesses have many treatment needs, and even short-term incarceration is an excellent opportunity to help them deal with their problems, Debra Hrouda said at...

Test predicts chemo benefit in breast cancer.(Women's Health)
February 1, 2005... SAN ANTONIO -- A commercially available genetic test reliably predicts the magnitude of chemotherapy benefit in women with estrogen receptor-positive, lymph node-negative breast cancer, potentially enabling tens of thousands of women per year...

Blood test predicts breast Ca outcome.(Women's Health)
February 1, 2005... SAN ANTONIO -- An elevated circulating tumor cell count at any point during systemic therapy for metastatic breast cancer indicates a high likelihood of rapid disease progression and mortality from that time on, Daniel F. Hayes, M.D., said at a...

Flaxseed supplement curbed vasomotor symptoms.(Women's Health)
February 1, 2005... SAN ANTONIO -- Flaxseed relieved vasomotor hot flashes in postmenopausal women in a randomized blinded crossover trial, Lorraine E. Turner, Ph.D., reported at the annual breast cancer symposium sponsored by the Cancer Therapy and Research...

Anastrozole is a cost-effective alternative.(Women's Health)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... SAN ANTONIO -- Anastrozole is a cost-effective alternative to generic tamoxifen for primary adjuvant therapy in postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer, according to a new economic analysis. Based upon the 68-month efficacy and...

Anastrozole seen as first-line breast Ca therapy: anastrozole showed significant advantages over tamoxifen in time to local and distant recurrence.(Women's Health)
February 1, 2005... SAN ANTONIO -- Five years of the aromatase inhibitor anastrozole has now replaced tamoxifen as the endocrine therapy of choice for primary adjuvant therapy of women with hormone receptor--positive early-stage breast cancer, Anthony Howell,...

Menstrual timing of surgery not seen as prognostic factor.(Women's Health)
February 1, 2005... SAN ANTONIO -- The timing of breast cancer surgery with respect to menstrual cycle phase failed to affect prognosis in two large multicenter prospective observational studies presented at the annual breast cancer symposium sponsored by the...

Soy isoflavones did not cause breast proliferation in postmenopausal women.(Women's Health)
February 1, 2005... SAN ANTONIO -- Consumption of soy isoflavones by postmenopausal breast cancer survivors doesn't appear to stimulate epithelial proliferative activity in the contralateral breast, according to a small pilot study. This is an important and...

Adjuvant chemo best in ER-negative tumors.(Women's Health)
February 1, 2005... SAN ANTONIO -- Twenty years of refinements in adjuvant chemotherapy have brought dramatically improved outcomes in lymph node-positive breast cancer patients, but the benefit has been confined to those with estrogen receptor-negative tumors,...

Pelvic exercises may ease second-stage labor.(Women's Health)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Pelvic floor training during pregnancy appears to facilitate delivery and was associated with a decreased incidence of prolonged second-stage labor, Kjell Salvesen, M.D., and colleagues reported. The results were observed in a secondary...

Obstetric applications studied for heart failure test.(Women's Health)
February 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- Measurement of B-type natriuretic peptide levels in pregnancy shows promise for the management of preeclamptic patients, Vikas Bhalla, M.D., said at the annual scientific sessions of the American Heart Association. The...

Knowledge gaps in postpartum BP management.(Women's Health)
February 1, 2005... VIENNA -- Guidelines are sorely needed for postpartum blood pressure management in women who experience hypertension during pregnancy, speakers said at the 14th World Congress of the International Society for the Study of Hypertension in...

Aspirin, heparin show preeclampsia benefits: outcomes improved in those with preeclampsia and a low-birth-weight infant in a previous pregnancy.(Women's Health)
February 1, 2005... VIENNA -- The use of low-molecular-weight heparin together with low-dose aspirin can improve pregnancy outcomes in women who previously had preeclampsia and low-birth-weight infants, Sergio Ferrazzani, M.D., reported. Women with...

Gestational hypertension linked to later ischemic heart disease.(Women's Health)
February 1, 2005... VIENNA -- Both increasing severity and recurrence of gestational hypertension increase a woman's chances of developing ischemic heart disease later in life, Anna-Karin Wikstrom, M.D., said at the 14th World Congress of the International Society...

Up in smoke: cigarettes are no protection against preeclampsia.(Women's Health)
February 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Aparadoxical benefit of cigarette smoking during pregnancy finally may have been explained. Smoking has long been linked to a decreased rate of preeclampsia. But rather than protecting against the disorder, smoking may mask...

Parental notification.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Florida voters recently passed a constitutional amendment that paves the way for required parental notification before a minor can have an abortion. The state's supreme court has twice struck down parental notification laws passed by the state...

Cervical infection risk.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Use of Depo-Provera was significantly associated with the development of cervical infections in a study of 819 women, said Charles S. Morrison, Ph.D. Even after adjustment for sexual behavior and demographic traits, including condom use...

Off-label antinausea drug.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Ondansetron is increasingly prescribed off label for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, and results of a new study suggest it is safe for this indication. In the prospective observational study, the drug, which is typically used for...

Stretch genes.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Genetic factors appear to play a role in the development of striae gravidarum, rather than prepregnancy weight or increases in weight during pregnancy, Anne Chang, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the Society for Investigative Dermatology in...

High-fiber diet delivers preeclampsia risk reduction.(Women's Health)
February 1, 2005... VIENNA -- A high-fiber diet reduces the risk for preeclampsia in pregnant women, Michelle A. Williams, Sc.D., reported at the 14th World Congress of the International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy. There is a wide body...

Obesity doesn't push mild hypertension to preeclampsia.(Women's Health)
February 1, 2005... VIENNA -- Obesity does not appear to increase the risk for progression to preeclampsia among women with mild gestational hypertension remote from term, John R. Barton, M.D., reported. Among women with mild gestational hypertension, however,...

Uterine artery velocimetry can predict preeclampsia's return.(Women's Health)
February 1, 2005... VIENNA -- Uterine artery velocimetry performed at 24 weeks' gestation is a useful tool for predicting recurrence of preeclampsia and other complications in women who had preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy, Tiziana Frusca, M.D., reported. ...

Severe maternal morbidity may be rare, but impact is large.(Women's Health)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... SALT LAKE CITY -- For every 1,000 deliveries in the United States between 1991 and 2000, 4.6 women experienced severe morbidity, William M. Callaghan, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the Society for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiologic...

Raloxifene, PTH are good osteoporosis combo: together, the two drugs could potentially maximize the formation and minimize the resorption of bone.(Musculoskeletal Disorders)
February 1, 2005... SAN ANTONIO -- Women who are taking raloxifene for osteoporosis do not need to stop taking the bisphosphonate to begin parathyroid hormone therapy. In fact, the two drugs may have some synergy, Chad Deal, M.D., said at the annual meeting...