Family Practice News articles from January 2007

Family Practice News archives from January 2007

School transforms overweight teens.(Obesity)
January 1, 2007... BOSTON -- The first boarding school for obese adolescents is having unprecedented success in helping overweight teens lose significant quantities of weight, increase their level of fitness, and reap emotional rewards of improved self-esteem,...

Breast cancer numbers topple as women shun HT: from 2002 to 2003, incidence fell 7%.(hormone therapy)
January 1, 2007... SAN ANTONIO -- A dramatic and unprecedented decline in the incidence of breast cancer in the United States in 2003 appears to have been the result of massive numbers of women discontinuing hormone replacement therapy just the year before, Dr....

Medicare fee cuts averted, E&M payment to increase.(News)(evaluation and management )
January 1, 2007... In one of its last actions, the 109th Congress approved a sweeping tax and health bill that included a 1-year delay in the scheduled cut in physician fees under the federal Medicare program. In 2007, physicians were due to see a 5%...

Percentage of nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke on the decline.(VITAL SIGNS)(Statistical table)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Percentage of nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke on the decline 1989-91 88% 1991-94 80% 1999-2000 51% 2001-02 43% Note: Based on National Health and Nutrition Examination surveys; participants...

Pediatric hypertension could suggest sleep-disordered breathing.(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... SAN ANTONIO -- Hypertension in children and adolescents may constitute a novel risk factor for sleep-disordered breathing, Dr. Alisa A. Acosta said at a meeting of the American Heart Association Council for High Blood Pressure Research. ...

SSRIs' suicide risks in young adults scrutinized.(selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors)
January 1, 2007... SILVER SPRING, MD. -- Concerns about the risk of suicidality in patients on antidepressant therapy have deepened as a result of a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel's recommendation to expand a black box warning to include young...

Volunteers to Medicare's quality program will receive 1.5% bonus.(News)
January 1, 2007... Physicians who report quality data to Medicare will receive bonus payments of 1.5% starting in July, under a provision of the omnibus legislation passed at the end of the 109th Congress. Under the provision, bonus payments would be linked...

Sleep apnea linked to type 2 complications.
January 1, 2007... SALT LAKE CITY -- Obstructive sleep apnea in patients with well-controlled type 2 diabetes appears to be associated with increased risk of diabetic complications, Dr. Semaan G. Kosseifi said at the annual meeting of the American College of...

Off-label drug-eluting stent use seen as risky; at least 60% of these stents are used off label to treat, for example, complex, multivessel disease.
January 1, 2007... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- When used off label, coronary drug-eluting stents are associated with a greater risk of stent thrombosis, death, and myocardial infarction, and this critical information needs to be communicated to physicians and patients,...

Bariatric surgery found to halve coronary heart disease risk.
January 1, 2007... PALM BEACH, FLA. -- Gastric bypass surgery does more than just cause weight loss. It produces rapid improvements in glucose tolerance, blood pressure, lipid levels, diabetes, and the risk of coronary heart disease as measured by the Framingham...

ABFM needs to tune into reality.(Letters)(American Board of Family Medicine's)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2007... I was inspired by Dr. John Whyte's "Tuning In to the Boards" (Guest Editorial, Nov. 15, 2006, p. 13). I have been in family practice for 30 years and have passed my recertification examinations throughout my career. Last year, I failed the...

Dr. Whyte's attempt at humor falls flat.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2007... Dr. John Whyte's description of how he studied for his board examination by watching medical TV shows was vaguely amusing. I assume his lead-in comments, in which he accused the board examination of being "esoteric" and clinically...

Is the public health message on secondhand smoke based on science?(Point/Counterpoint)
January 1, 2007... No, it's driven by politics, not good science. The news media has parroted the idea that secondhand smoke is harmful, and a recent survey finds that more than 80% of adults now believe that it is. But the secondhand smoke scare is based...

Rx, lifestyle changes rival angioplasty post MI.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(myocardial infarction)
January 1, 2007... CHICAGO -- Routine late coronary intervention to open a persistently occluded infarct-related artery in stable patients is no longer appropriate in light of the findings of the 2,166-patient Occluded Artery Trial, said Dr. Judith S. Hochman at...

Low bone density linked to myocardial ischemia.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... CHICAGO -- Low bone-mineral density was associated with exercise-induced myocardial ischemia in a retrospective analysis of more than 1,000 patients. These are the first study results to show a link between bone mineral density (BMD) and...

Screen stroke offspring early for hypertension.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
January 1, 2007... TUCSON, ARIZ. -- Patients with a parental history of stroke should be screened early for raised blood pressure, Dr. Nigel Hart said at the annual meeting of the North American Primary Care Research Group. The recommendation was drawn from...

Torcetrapib's failure may not doom rest of class.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
January 1, 2007... The demise of torcetrapib may be a "bitter disappointment" to researchers, but it's too soon to give up on the entire class of HDL cholesterol-raising agents, several of which are still under development, experts say. "While this is a huge...

Polycystic ovary syndrome is clouded by myths.(Metabolic Disorders)(Discussion)
January 1, 2007... SAN FRANCISCO -- Many myths surround polycystic ovary syndrome, according to two speakers at Perspectives in Women's Health, a meeting sponsored by OB.GYN. NEWS, a sister publication of FAMILY PRACTICE NEWS. On hand to clear up some...

Little consensus on gestational thyroid screening.(Metabolic Disorders)
January 1, 2007... VERONA, ITALY -- Newly developed consensus guidelines recommend thyroid-function screening in high-risk pregnant women, but stop short of calling for universal screening. An international task force, under the auspices of the Endocrine...

Triple threat for hepatitis C patients.(Metabolic Disorders)(Clinical report)
January 1, 2007... TUCSON, ARIZ. -- Depression is a risk factor for poor glycemic control in diabetic patients infected with hepatitis C, according to an analysis of data from a preliminary cohort study in 462 patients. The association between depression and...

Apathy tied to poor glycemic control.(Metabolic Disorders)
January 1, 2007... TUCSON, ARIZ. -- Apathy is not recognized as a psychiatric disorder, but treating it may improve glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a poster presented at the annual meeting of the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine....

Agent promises new metabolic syndrome strategy.(Metabolic Disorders)(treating with combination drug therapy)
January 1, 2007... SAN ANTONIO -- The discovery that the angiotensin II receptor blocker telmisartan also acts as a partial agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-[gamma] makes it a uniquely promising candidate for the treatment of metabolic...

Recommended immunization schedule for ages 0-6 years: United States * 2007.(Infectious Diseases)(Table)
January 1, 2007... Recommended Immunization Schedule for Ages 0-6 Years UNITED STATES * 2007 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES * CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION Age Birth 1 2 Vaccine ...

Recommended immunization Schedule for Ages 7-18 years: United States * 2007.(Infectious Diseases)(Table)
January 1, 2007... Recommended Immunization Schedule for Ages 7-8 Years UNITED STATES * 2007. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES * CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION Age 7-10 11-12 13-14 Vaccine...

Recommended immunization schedule for children and adolescents who start late or who are more than 1 month behind: United States * 2007.(Infectious Diseases)(Table)
January 1, 2007... Recommended Immunization Schedule for Children and Adolescents Who Start Late or Who Are More Than 1 Month Behind The tables below give catch-up schedules and minimum intervals between doses for children who have delayed immunizations....

Rheumatoid arthritis drug use tied to psoriasis cases.(Skin Disorders)(Clinical report)
January 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- The use of anti-tumor necrosis factor--[alpha] (TNF-[alpha]) agents in patients with rheumatoid arthritis is associated with an increased risk for the development of palmoplantar psoriasis, Dr. Jacob A. Aelion reported at the...

Cradle cap responds to a lactic-acid derivative.(Skin Disorders)(Brief article)(Clinical report)
January 1, 2007... RHODES, GREECE -- Lactamide monoethanolamine, a lactic acid-derived humectant commonly found in over-the-counter lotions and bath gels, appears to be beneficial for the treatment of cradle cap, Virginie Ribet, Ph.D., said at the 15th Congress...

Citalopram may ease depression in heart disease.(Mental Health)(treating depressed persons)
January 1, 2007... TUCSON, ARIZ. -- A randomized, multicenter Canadian trial testing interpersonal psychotherapy and citalopram in 284 depressed patients with stable coronary artery disease produced mixed results, investigators reported at the annual meeting of...

New ultrasound method detects breast cancer; elastic imaging techniques incorporate manual exam principles to detect how the tissue moves.(Women's Health)(modern methods of diagnosing breast cancer)(Clinical report)
January 1, 2007... CHICAGO -- Elastic imaging, a noninvasive ultrasound technique, can help radiologists improve the accuracy of breast cancer diagnosis in women with abnormal mammograms, according to a study of 99 women. Elastic imaging works by combining...

Epilepsy should trigger birth control counseling.(Women's Health)(Survey)
January 1, 2007... SAN DIEGO -- A survey of women with epilepsy showed that only about half used a highly effective method of birth control, Dr. Alison M. Pack reported in a poster session at the annual meetings of the American Epilepsy Society and the Canadian...

In utero exposure to valproate tied to poor cognitive outcomes.(Women's Health)
January 1, 2007... SAN DIEGO -- In utero exposure to valproate is associated with a greater risk of cognitive impairment in offspring, compared with exposure to other commonly used antiepileptic medications, Dr. Kimford J. Meador reported at the annual meetings...

Glyburide for gestational diabetes.(Drugs, Pregnancy, And Lactation)
January 1, 2007... When treatment for gestational diabetes is indicated, the drug of choice, insulin, can be problematic for some women because of the need for daily injections, which can affect compliance. The cost of therapy may also be an issue for women in...

Lipid levels, prostate disease linked.(Men's Health)
January 1, 2007... BOSTON -- Among men with prostate cancer, those with low plasma cholesterol are significantly less likely to develop more aggressive forms of the disease, compared with those who have higher cholesterol levels, Elizabeth A. Platz, Sc.D.,...

Lumpectomy is a prostate cancer option.(Men's Health)(Clinical report)
January 1, 2007... CHICAGO -- Focal cryoablation results in better local control of prostate cancer than other standard treatments, Dr. Gary Onik said at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. "This is a very aggressive treatment,...

Hormones may underlie recalcitrant obesity.(Obesity)
January 1, 2007... SAN DIEGO -- A hormonal imbalance may be the reason that some obese patients fail to lose weight despite appropriate efforts to do so, Dr. Neil W. Hirschenbein said at a symposium on obesity sponsored by the American Society of Bariatric...

Focus on borderline overweight cases to have most impact.(Obesity)
January 1, 2007... CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Primary care physicians should provide brief, focused advice to parents whose school-aged children are on the brink of overweight and by doing so, they can make a real difference, Dr. Stephen Cook said at a pediatric meeting...

Experience counts when imaging a limping child.(Musculoskeletal Disorders)
January 1, 2007... LAS VEGAS -- If a limping child presents to your office and imaging is being considered, make sure to consult a radiologist who has experience imaging the pediatric hip and spine, Dr. Melvin O. Senac Jr. advised at a meeting sponsored by the...

Racket, technique adjustments ease tennis elbow.(Sports Medicine)
January 1, 2007... SAN FRANCISCO -- Modifications to equipment and playing style can be combined to decrease the chances of acquiring tennis elbow, a troublesome and painful disorder most commonly seen in the casual player, Dr. Marc R. Safran said at a meeting on...

Waiting rivals injections for tennis elbow.(Sports Medicine)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Both physiotherapy and a wait-and-see approach to treating tennis elbow outperformed corticosteroid injections over the course of a year, even though patients receiving the injections were experiencing less pain at 6 weeks, according to study...

Home nebulizer misuse is cited in asthma deaths.(Pulmonary Medicine)
January 1, 2007... SALT LAKE CITY -- Misuse of home nebulizers seems to be an important factor in many asthma deaths in children and young adults, Dr. Amit Gupta said at the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians. His retrospective study...

Exercise may help cut colon cancer risk in men.(Digestive Disorders)
January 1, 2007... BOSTON -- An exercise program consisting of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity 6 hours per week was associated with reduced incidence of precancerous colon changes in men who participated in a year-long clinical trial looking at the effect...

Drug combination targets H. pylori.(Helicobacter pylori)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Axcan's Pylera 3-in-1 capsules have been approved for the treatment of Heliobacterpylori infection, the main cause of gastric and duodenal ulcers. Each capsule contains 140 mg of biskalcitrate potassium, 125 mg of metronidazole, and 125 mg of...

Adult cyclic vomiting syndrome is easy to miss.(Digestive Disorders)
January 1, 2007... BOSTON -- Cyclic vomiting syndrome in adults often goes unrecognized for years after onset, despite its severe and disabling consequences. The disorder may be the cause of repeat visits to emergency departments, unnecessary surgeries and...

Mirapex.(drug for restless legs syndrome)(Drug overview)
January 1, 2007... Mirapex (pramipexole, Boehringer Ingelheim) A dopamine agonist approved by the Food and Drug Administration for moderate to severe restless legs syndrome (RLS). This is the second drug and the second dopamine agonist approved for this...

Warning about car seats.(risk for airway obstructions)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Infants allowed to sleep unattended in semireclining car safety seats may be at risk for life-threatening airway obstructions, warn Dr. Shirley L. Tonkin and her colleagues of the New Zealand Cot Death Association, Auckland. Earlier...

Weight cycling raises gallstone risks.(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Overweight men who undergo several cycles of intentional weight loss or unintentional weight gain are at risk for gallstone disease, reported Dr. Chung-Jyi Tsai of Harvard Medical School, Boston, and colleagues. Larger weight fluctuations also...

Being active cuts breast cancer link.(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... High levels of recreational physical activity seem to lower the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women, according to data from the Iowa Women's Health Study. In this prospective cohort analysis of 36,363 women aged 55-69 years,...

Schools put the kibosh on gifts from drug reps.(Practice Trends)
January 1, 2007... SACRAMENTO -- Another medical school has joined what could be a growing movement to ban faculty and residents from accepting any gifts whatsoever from drug company representatives. The University of California, Davis, Health System decided...

Public NPI directory possible.(Policy & Practice)(National Provider Identifiers)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is strongly considering publishing a directory of physicians who have National Provider Identifiers. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) mandated that all...

Poll: no off-label use.(Policy & Practice)(Survey)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... About half of Americans said physicians should not be allowed to prescribe pharmaceuticals for unapproved uses, according to a recent WSJ.com/Harris Interactive poll. About half of those polled--approximately 3,000 adults in November--were not...

Better quality at integrated groups?(Policy & Practice)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... University of Pittsburgh researchers say patients receiving care at integrated medical groups may be getting better-quality care, according to a study in the Dec. 5 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. Dr. Ateev Mehrotra and colleagues...

Consumer-directed plans dictated.(Policy & Practice)(Survey)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Many individuals enrolled in consumer-directed health plans may not have much of a choice in the matter, according to a report from the Center for Studying Health System Change. The report, based on survey responses from employers, found that...

Medicare advantage costs more.(Policy & Practice)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... If the incoming Democrat-majority Congress is looking for funding to expand the Medicare drug benefit, Medicare Advantage may be a ripe target, according to an analysis from the Commonwealth Fund. Researchers at the fund estimate that in 2005...

ALS linked to military service.(amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... There is "limited and suggestive evidence" of a link between military service and the later development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to a report from the Institute of Medicine. A panel of experts convened by IOM reviewed...

Oldest seniors shift away from nursing homes: alternatives, such as assisted-living facilities, house about 1 million residents with an average age over 80.(Practice Trends)
January 1, 2007... Nursing home use by the "oldest old"--or those aged 85 and older--has declined sharply since 1984, according the Lewin Group. The national health care and human services consulting firm cites less disability, new alternatives to nursing homes,...

Jury still out on viability of health courts system.(Practice Trends)(civil trials)
January 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- The concept of using administrative law judges instead of civil jury trials to settle malpractice suits has gained some admirers in the U.S. Congress and generated interest among state legislatures. But it is uncertain whether...

Consumer-driven health plans fall short in survey.(Practice Trends)(Survey)
January 1, 2007... American consumers and their employers are treading cautiously when it comes to switching from traditional, more comprehensive health insurance to consumer-driven health plans, with few actually adopting the new plans, according to survey...

Detailed patient records key to navigating HIPAA.(Practice Trends)(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
January 1, 2007... NEW YORK -- Consistent, detailed record keeping and patient communication are key to avoiding legal complications and navigating HIPAA requirements, Dr. Noah Scheinfeld said at meeting on medical and surgical dermatology sponsored by Mount...

Barbecue breath next.(cases of drug abuse)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... A Massachusetts man is suing the Scotts Miracle-Gro company after he was fired when his blood test came back positive for nicotine content, Reuters reports. Massachusetts, unlike some other states, does not have laws that protect employees from...

But who smells worse?(endotoxins induced whezing controlled by pet dogs)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... According to a report published in the December issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, infants in homes with high levels of endotoxins had a lower incidence of wheezing when the home was shared with multiple pet dogs. Dr....

Blackhawk fans unaffected.(ambient noise may induce hearing loss)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... A study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, reports that the ambient noise (for example, cheering after goals are scored) experienced at hockey games can induce heating loss. William Hodgetts and Dr. Richard Liu of the...

Two words: sphinx bite.(leg wound, found to be the reason of Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun's death)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... A report presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago, says the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun was likely killed by a leg wound, not a head injury, as previously believed. He most likely died after his...

Boasting sexiest, say U.S. men.(United States)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... To sell the erectile dysfunction drug Levitra in Hong Kong, the Wall Street Journal reports, Bayer HealthCare AG has had to tailor its message to the local culture in unexpected ways. Specifically, cartoons. Because Hong Kong men are generally...

Canned entertainment.(use of spray-on condom)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... For men without ED, German researchers have designed a spray-on condom, Reuters reports. The male partner inserts his member into a handheld spray canister, which, via multiple spray nozzles, coats said appendage in latex. This will ostensibly...

Biofeedback eases abdominal pain.(Digestive Disorders)
January 15, 2007... ORLANDO -- Therapeutic biofeedback reduces pain intensity, pain frequency, and health care utilization among children with recurrent abdominal pain, according to two posters presented at the annual meeting of the North American Society for...

Split decision on off-label drug use.(VITAL SIGNS)(Survey)(Brief article)
January 15, 2007... Split Decision on Off-Label Drug Use Doctors should be allowed to prescribe drugs to treat diseases or conditions other than those for which the drugs have been approved. Agree strongly (16%) Agree (29%)...

Low-fat diet may prevent a breast cancer recurrence; more data needed before changing practice.(News)
January 15, 2007... SAN ANTONIO -- A low-fat diet that achieved modest weight loss in women with early-stage breast cancer resulted in a striking 54% reduction in cancer relapse or death among those with hormone receptor negative tumors, according to a second...

Folate levels decline in women; impact unknown.(News)(Survey)
January 15, 2007... Women appear to be consuming less folate, according to federal data showing an 8% drop in red blood cell folate levels among nonpregnant women of childbearing age between 1999-2000 and 2003-2004. But whether this trend will result in an...

Tamoxifen's clinical value rises with 10-year follow-up.(News)
January 15, 2007... SAN ANTONIO -- A new 10-year follow-up from a landmark clinical trial of tamoxifen for breast cancer prevention indicates that the benefit continues strongly throughout the next half decade following completion of the standard 5 years of...

Breast density predicts risk of recurrence after treatment.(News)
January 15, 2007... SAN ANTONIO -- Women who are treated for ductal carcinoma in situ are threefold more likely to develop invasive breast cancer in the other breast if their breasts are mammographically dense, Dr. E. Shelley Hwang said at a breast cancer...

OTC pain drug warnings augmented.(NEWS FROM THE FDA)(Over the Counter)
January 15, 2007... The Food and Drug Administration is proposing that all over-the-counter analgesic, antipyretic, arid antirheumatic drugs carry new, stronger warnings on the potential for hepatic toxicity and gastrointestinal bleeding. The warnings will be...

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy cap okayed.(NEWS FROM THE FDA)(approvals)
January 15, 2007... A patient registry is part of the Food and Drug Administration approval of the "Cool-Cap" device for treating full-term newborns with moderate to severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Specifically, the manufacturer must enroll patients in...

Red light for unapproved quinine drugs.(NEWS FROM THE FDA)
January 15, 2007... The Food and Drug Administration has ordered companies making unapproved versions of quinine formulations to stop their manufacture by mid-February and to halt shipment by June or face seizure of their products. The move is the latest in...

Parkinson's drugs associated with valvular disease.(News)
January 15, 2007... Patients with Parkinson's disease who received the drugs pergolide or cabergoline had profoundly higher rates of clinically significant valvular heart disease than did those taking other dopamine agonists, in two European studies. An...

Celecoxib for JRA under surveillance.(News)(drug approvals for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis)
January 15, 2007... Long-term surveillance for safety is part of the Food and Drug Administration's recent approval of celecoxib for treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. In a statement issued last month, the Food and Drug Administration announced the...

Recertify those who need testing.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
January 15, 2007... Thank you, thank you, thank you, for the recent article on recertification ("Tuning In to the Boards," Guest Editorial, Nov. 15, 2006, p. 13). The hypocrisy is that those who must be certified the most are grandfathered in, and those who...

Much of our work can't be measured.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
January 15, 2007... You reported that the Washington State Medical Association and six of the state's physicians sued an HMO because its pay-for-performance standards excluded many physicians ("Doctors Sue Over Network Exclusion," Nov. 1, 2006, p. 1). ...

Clarification on weight-loss therapy.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
January 15, 2007... A recent article stated that Dr. Kishore Gadde, director of obesity clinical trials at Duke University in Durham, N.C., holds a patent for the combination of phentermine and topiramate ("Combination Regimens Enhance Weight Loss," Nov 15, 2006,...

The demise of 21/7 contraceptive regimens.(EXPERT COMMENTARY)
January 15, 2007... The 21/7-day oral contraceptive regimen (21 days active/7 days hormone-free) was arbitrarily created to mimic the average spontaneous menstrual cycle of 28 days. After more than 40 years of use, the traditional 21 / 7-day OC regimen is...

What is the best way to reform the U.S. health care system? Single payer is the way to go.(POINT / COUNTERPOINT)
January 15, 2007... The health care financing organ in the United States is failing. It has all the manifestations of a patient with heart failure. We have poor output, where we can't circulate health insurance to cover the entire population, so we have poor...

What is the best way to reform the U.S. health care system? A universal health care tax credit is the solution.(POINT / COUNTERPOINT)
January 15, 2007... Dr. Grumbach recommends transplant surgery. I suggest practicing the diet and exercise of serious economic discipline. Let's keep our perspective. Roughly 84% of Americans have public or private insurance coverage, and they are mostly...

Big gains in blood pressure control since JNC-7.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
January 15, 2007... CHICAGO -- Hypertension control has improved markedly in the United States since spring of 2003--and the JNC-7 guidelines deserve most of the credit, James Jackson, Pharm.D., said at the annual scientific sessions of the American Heart...

Patients overestimate survival gain from ICDs.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(implantable cardioverter defibrillators)(Survey)
January 15, 2007... CHICAGO -- Most heart failure patients overestimate the survival benefit provided by implantable cardioverter defibrillators, according to a new survey, Dr. Garrick C. Stewart said at the annual scientific sessions of the American Heart...

NSAIDs during a heart attack raise death rate.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)
January 15, 2007... CHICAGO -- Being on a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug when an ST-elevation MI strikes is associated with markedly worse 30-day outcomes in fibrinolytic-treated patients, Dr. C. Michael Gibson said at the annual scientific sessions of the...