Family Practice News articles from June 2003

Family Practice News archives from June 2003

Reporting errors in primary care: FP study in Wisconsin.(family physician)
June 1, 2003... ARLINGTON, VA. -- The outpatient primary care setting needs a system of reporting medical errors separate from those for hospital reporting, Dr. John W Beasley said at a meeting sponsored by the American Academy of Family Physicians National...

Young, healthy HRT users at low risk for CV event: WHI results may not apply to healthy women treating menopausal symptoms. (Data From Four Large Trials).(hormone replacement therapy; cardiovascular events)
June 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- The risk of cardiovascular events is extremely low in healthy women in early menopause who rely on hormone therapy to treat their menopausal symptoms, according to pooled data from four large randomized clinical trials. ...

MRI highlights cerebral atrophy in type 1 diabetes: patients' brains exhibit 'accelerated aging'. (Three Theories).
June 1, 2003... HONOLULU -- An MRI study of young, otherwise healthy individuals with type 1 diabetes has revealed significant cerebral atrophy that may underlie cognitive deficits, Dr. Richard K.T. Chan reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy...

Medicare among Americans' top health priorities for the President and Congress. (Vital Signs).
June 1, 2003... VITAL SIGNS Medicare Among Americans' Top Health Priorities for the President and Congress Percent Saying Percent Saying "Very Important "Most Important Helping elderly pay...

Experts debate new Swedish mammography study: 44% decrease in mortality. (News).(breast cancer diagnosis)
June 1, 2003... A new Swedish study linking routine screening mammography with a 44% decrease in breast cancer mortality hasn't convinced some experts, who claim it suffers from the same flaws that plagued a 2002 study by the same authors. The new...

Medicare tests coverage of PET scans for dementia diagnosis: cost could be an issue. (News).
June 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has decided to implement a "demonstration program" to test coverage of PET scans for use in diagnosing suspected dementia, but experts disagree over whether the test is worth covering...

Patients with 2 resistant bugs at risk for VRSA. (Burn Unit Patients).(vancomycinresistant S. aureus infections)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... ARLINGTON, VA. -- A study documenting patient-to-patient transmission allowing cocolonization with two antibiotic-resistant organisms with potential for gene transfer raises the specter of the sudden emergence of vancomycin-resistant...

Chronically ill children up to date on shots. (National Health Interview).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Children with chronic medical conditions are more likely than their healthy counterparts to receive age-appropriate immunizations, data from nationally representative population-based surveys show. The findings, which...

SARS appears less severe in young children. (Report On Hong Kong Patients).( severe acute respiratory syndrome )
June 1, 2003... Data on the first 10 pediatric patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome suggest that young children develop a milder form of disease with a less aggressive clinical course than teens and adults, said Dr. K.L.E. Hon of the Chinese...

Letters.(Choosing Family Practice)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2003... Choosing Family Practice I feel bad about saying it, but I would not recommend a residency in family medicine to medical students ('Another Dreary Match Day for FP," April 15, 2003, p. 1). I finished my family medicine residency in...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
June 1, 2003... In "Fondaparinux Matches Heparins for Venous Thromboembolism" (May 1, 2003, p. 13), the outcome measure "rate of recurrent venous thromboembolic events" was incorrectly cited in both studies as "death rate." In the article "Reduce the Risk...

Building coalitions. (Guest Editorial).
June 1, 2003... Today's leaders of the American Academy of Family Physicians are strengthening and forming partnerships with other medical organizations at an unprecedented level. Over the past 2 years, the leaders of the AAFP, the American College of...

Do all ultrasound units need 3-D capabilities? (Pro & Con).
June 1, 2003... YES Three-dimensional capabilities should be on every ultrasound machine, but 3-D doesn't have to be used on every patient who gets an ultrasound. If I'm in a room that doesn't have 3-D, I will often move to a different room, because I'm...

Polio-like paralysis reported in some cases of West Nile infection. (Autopsy Results).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... HONOLULU -- Muscle weakness and acute flaccid paralysis can be features of infection with West Nile virus, Dr. Jonathan Fratkin reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. Dr. Fratkin and his colleagues at the...

Prescribe frequent or intense exercise to improve patients' cardiovascular health: combine factors for greatest impact. (Clinical Rounds).
June 1, 2003... SALT LAKE CITY -- Physical activity must be either intense or frequent--preferably both--in order to exert cardiovascular benefits on sedentary individuals. Exercising at a moderate intensity only three or four times a week provides no...

Exercise may lower level of C-reactive protein: anti-inflammatory effect. (Clinical Rounds).
June 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Regular exercise may reduce levels of C-reactive protein, the inflammatory marker now recognized as a novel risk factor for coronary heart disease, Dr. Michelle A. Albert said at the annual meeting of the American College of...

Noninvasive procedure eyed for heart failure: enhanced external counterpulsation. (Clinical Rounds).
June 1, 2003... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- Enhanced external counterpulsation shows intriguing promise as a treatment for congestive heart failure, Dr. George A. Beller said at a conference sponsored by the American College of Cardiology. This noninvasive therapy...

Kyphoplasty offers advantages over vertebroplasty: reduces angle of deformity. (Clinical Rounds).(osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture treatment)
June 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Kyphoplasty offers advantages over vertebroplasty as the first-line surgical treatment for patients who have failed medical management for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures, Dr. Frank Phillips said at a meeting sponsored...

Choose wisely between new, established osteoporosis drugs: more data needed. (Clinical Rounds).
June 1, 2003... CLEVELAND -- Clinicians treating osteoporosis should be selective in their use of new anabolic therapies that are expensive but not necessarily more effective, until more data become available, Dr. Michael McClung advised at a meeting on...

Avocado, soy unsaponifiables for osteoarthritis. (Alternative Medicine).
June 1, 2003... * Blinded studies suggest that a mixture of avocado and soy unsaponifiables may provide relief of osteoarthritis symptoms. * No serious adverse effects have been seen after 2 years of treatment. Rationale for Use A proprietary...

Wrist-fracture test detects osteoporosis. (Simple Intervention).
June 1, 2003... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- A simple emergency-department--based quality improvement intervention can sharply increase the rate of detection and treatment of osteoporosis in older patients with a wrist fracture, Dr. Sumit R. Majumdar reported at the...

Modest steps could restrain U.S. obesity trend: more exercise, fewer bites. (Clinical Rounds).
June 1, 2003... The constant expansion of the national waistline seems inexorable, but reversing the trend could be relatively simple. All that's needed is 15 minutes of walking a day--or just fewer bites of oversized portions, according to James O. Hill,...

Derm diagnosis.(Degos disease)
June 1, 2003... A 36-year old man presented with pain and redness in one eye which was diagnosed as scleritis of unknown etiology. He later complained of progressive joint pain in the knees anti heels and was prescribed an NSAID. Papular le sions developed on...

Specialist 'division of labor' confounds latex allergy treatment: frustrating for patients. (Clinical Rounds).
June 1, 2003... MAUI, HAWAII -- Dermatologists and allergists have specialty tunnel vision when it comes to diagnosing occupational skin disease in health professionals and other glove wearers, according to Dr. Curtis P. Hamann. Very few dermatologists...

Latex allergy in health care settings declining: contact dermatitis on the rise. (Clinical Rounds).
June 1, 2003... MAUI, HAWAII -- There is both good news and bad news regarding current trends in latex allergy among health professionals and others with occupational exposure. The good news: The incidence of type I immediate hypersensitivity to latex...

Heyday's over for sigmoidoscopy in primary care: cost, training cited as barriers. (Clinical Rounds).
June 1, 2003... SAN DIEGO -- Flexible sigmoidoscopy as a screening tool for colorectal cancer is losing its appeal in primary care offices because of significant barriers to its use, Dr. Gregory Ginsberg said at the annual meeting of the American College of...

Rate of colorectal cancer screening remains low: 87,729 adults surveyed. (Clinical Rounds).
June 1, 2003... A little more than half of all people in the United States aged 50 years or older were screened for colorectal cancer within recommended periods in 2001, according to a large survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention....

Serologic test a must for suspected genital herpes: three are FDA approved. (Clinical Rounds).
June 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- "The clinical diagnosis of genital herpes is both insensitive and nonspecific [and] should be confirmed by laboratory testing." So say the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's most recent Sexually Transmitted Diseases...

ACE inhibitors in elderly. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Elderly hypertensive patients had better outcomes when treated with ACE inhibitors than with diuretics in a large Australian study even though the two agents induced similar blood pressure reductions. The study involved relatively healthy...

Decline in food-borne illnesses. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Incidence of major bacterial food-borne illnesses such as Campylobacter, Listeria, and Yersinia is declining, but Escherichia coli and Salmonella are still going strong. In 2002 there were 5,006 cases of Campylobacter infection, (a 24%...

Light delays AD agitation. (Clinical Capsules).(Alzheimer's disease)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Morning bright light postponed, but did not reduce, agitation in patients with severe Alzheimer's disease, said Sonia Ancoli-Israel, Ph.D., of the University of California, San Diego, and her colleagues. Reduction of agitation in AD patients...

Triptans not tied to CV events. (Clinical Capsules).(cardiovascular events)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Triptan use is not associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, or overall mortality, according to a study of 130,411 migraineurs and an equal number of nonmigraineurs matched for age, sex, and health plan, Priscilla T....

No shortage of treatment options for IBD: use azathioprine before infliximab. (Clinical Rounds).(inflammatory bowel disease )
June 1, 2003... COLORADO SPRINGS -- The rule of thumb in treating inflammatory bowel disease is that what's good for inducing remission generally isn't good for maintenance-and vice versa, according to Dr. William J. Tremaine. The notable exception is...

Inflammatory bowel disease patient numbers mounting: epidemiology akin to multiple sclerosis. (Clinical Rounds).
June 1, 2003... COLORADO SPRINGS -- A patient's smoking history can provide important clues to help differentiate ulcerative colitis from Crohn's disease, Dr. William J. Tremaine said at a meeting of the Colorado Chapter of the American College of Physicians....

Database programs: HanDBase v3.0. (Digital Assistance).
June 1, 2003... Overview: HanDBase is a highly customizable database program for Palm and Pocket PC handheld devices. Intuitive configuration allows easy creation, use, and sharing of database for virtually any type of information. The wide variety of free...

Patients not filling asthma prescriptions: low rates of controller medication use. (Clinical Rounds).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... DENVER -- Three months after visiting an emergency room or being hospitalized for an acute asthma attack, only a quarter of patients are using asthma controller medications, Adam Atherly Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy...

Pilot study shows azithromycin may improve asthma symptoms: anti-inflammatory effect unlikely. (Clinical Rounds).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... ARLINGTON, VA. -- Adjunctive treatment with azithromycin appears to improve asthma symptoms in adults, Dr. David Hahn said at a meeting sponsored by the American Academy of Family Physicians National Research Network. In a randomized pilot...

Clinical history holds clue to nipple discharge: benign on suspicious? (Women's Health).(breast cancer risk)
June 1, 2003... SAN DIEGO -- Bureau Clinical history is the most important factor in determining if nipple discharge is significant, Dr. Julia A. Files said at the annual meeting of the American College of Physicians. "Nipple discharge is an alarming...

103 pregnant women exposed to smallpox vaccine: low risk of fetal vaccinia. (Women's Health).
June 1, 2003... In recent months, 103 women in the United States either received the smallpox vaccine before they knew they were pregnant or conceived within 4 weeks after being vaccinated, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. ...

Insulin resistance seen in lupus atherosclerosis: [beta]-cells work overtime. (Women's Health).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Insulin resistance is linked to the accelerated atherosclerosis seen in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. In a study that included 27 women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 48 healthy age-matched...

Serial ultrasound OK for certain ovarian cysts: surgery may not be necessary. (Women's Health).
June 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Uniocular ovarian cysts are fairly common but rarely malignant in postmenopausal women, and most can safely be followed conservatively with serial ultrasounds. That finding emerged from a large study consisting of more than...

Variety of contraceptives OK for disabled women: health conditions dictate. (Women's Health).
June 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- Although contraceptive injection is widely used in mentally and physically disabled women, many of these patients are candidates for a much wider variety of contraceptive methods, Dr. Maida Taylor reported at a gynecology symposium...

Two-rod contraceptive implant can speed removal: 4.5 minutes vs. half-hour. (Women's Health).(Jadelle contraceptive implant)
June 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- The two-rod levonorgestrel contraceptive implant Jadelle is almost identical to Norplant in terms of efficacy and side effects, but it's easier to remove than the six-rod device, Dr. Livia Wan said. In fact, removal of the...

Over-the-counter access sought for emergency contraceptive pills: prescription seen as barrier. (Women's Health).
June 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Makers of the prescription emergency contraceptive Plan B have applied to the Food and Drug Administration to obtain over-the-counter status for their product. If the agency approves the application, U.S. women should be able...

Hysteroscopic sterilization widens birth control options: through counseling a must. (Women's Health).
June 1, 2003... BIG SKY, MONT. -- Hysteroscopic sterilization is a new and appealing option for selected women seeking sterilization, Dr. Eric Bieber said at a meeting on gynecology gynecologic oncology and reproductive endocrinology. Hysteroscopic...

Drug update: oral agents for type 2 diabetes. (Rx).
June 1, 2003... Treatment of type 2 diabetes has come a long way in a few years. Until 1994, the only drug options in the United States were sulfonylureas and insulin. Today, there are four additional classes of glucose-lowering drugs. Diet and exercise...

Insulin pump therapy may benefit preteens, too: less risk of microvascular morbidity? (Children's Health).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Insulin pump therapy was associated with a significant drop in hemoglobin [A.sub.1c] levels for preteens as well as teens with type 1 diabetes, Dr. Jordan Pinsker reported at the southern regional meeting of the American...

Insulin pump gives more flexibility to diabetic children: ketoacidosis risk unclear. (Chidren's Health).
June 1, 2003... Motivated children and adolescents may benefit from using insulin pumps to treat their type 1 diabetes, said Dr. Leslie Plotnick of Johns Hopkins University and her colleagues. The ability to adjust insulin with a pump allows children more...

Impact of diabetes on school performance remains unclear: large study of Iowa children. (Children's Health).
June 1, 2003... Lower academic performance in children with type 1 diabetes may have more to do with socioeconomic status and behavioral problems than with medical variables such as poor metabolic control, said Ann Marie Mccarthy Ph.D., and her associates at...

Cognitive declines temporary after severe hypoglycemia: aged 6-15 years. (Children's Health).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Severe hypoglycemia in diabetic children aged 6-15 years does not appear to permanently impair cognitive function, reported Tim Wysocki, Ph.D., of Nemours Children's Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla., and his associates. In an 18-month...

Child's atopic dermatitis takes toll on family: multidisciplinary treatment warranted. (Children's Health).
June 1, 2003... DENVER -- Ratings of child and family functioning by parents of 44 children with atopic dermatitis indicated significantly greater impairment, compared with norms for children with asthma, Astrida Kaugars, Ph.D., said in a poster presentation...

Fibromyalgia: behavioral intervention helps; less pain, better outlook. (Children's Health).
June 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Cognitive-behavioral therapy can dramatically improve functional status and quality of life for children with fibromyalgia. Patients with juvenile primary fibromyalgia syndrome who completed a manualized cognitive-behavioral...

Older children more accepting of alopecia areata: reactings to photo. (Children's Health).
June 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Children become more tolerant in their attitudes and perceptions about alopecia areata as they get older, Dr. Jeffrey J. Miller said at a meeting sponsored by the National Alopecia Areata Foundation. Physicians should be...

Macrolides show promise for persistent asthma: steroid-sparing effect. (Children's Health).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... GREENWICH, CONN. -- Macrolides may benefit children with mild to severe persistent asthma who don't respond to conventional therapy Dr. lain Gainov said in a poster presentation at a meeting of the Eastern Society for Pediatric Research. ...

Developmental assessment need not be arduous: seek out key moments. (Children's Health).
June 1, 2003... KOHALA, HAWAII -- Busy physicians rarely have time to do complete behavioral and development assessments of newborns and infants, but there are a few "critical moments" a physician can use to pay attention to development that will particularly...

Expert urges autism screening at child's 18-month exam: early diagnosis is critical. (Children's Health).
June 1, 2003... KOHALA, HAWAII -- Every toddler should be screened for autism, because early behavioral therapy can make a difference, Dr. Martin Stein said at a meeting sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Consider incorporating such screening...

Finding and working with a public relations firm. (Career Tracks).
June 1, 2003... Set goals and a budget before you hire a public relations firm to promote your practice, "otherwise it's going to be a scattershot effort," says Scott Farmelant, senior vice president of Boston based Regan Communications Group, a full-service...

Inspector general faults FDA drug review process: urges more attention to workload. (Practice Trends).
June 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- The Food and Drug Administration's process for approving new drugs needs to be changed, according to a report from the Health and Human Services Department's Office of Inspector General. The report, issued in late March, drew...

New enrollment process. (Policy & Practice).(Medicare simplifies enrollment)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... NEW ENROLLMENT PROCESS Medicare is proposing to simplify the enrollment policy for health providers and suppliers and to raise the bar on qualifications at the same time. Under the proposal, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services would...

Physician services growth chart. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... PHYSICIAN SERVICES GROWTH CHART Imaging appears to be the fastest growing service physicians are billing for under the Medicare program, researchers told the Medicare Payment Advisory Committee. Analysis of physician services is an ongoing...

Drug purchasing habits. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... DRUG PURCHASING HABITS Physicians would eventually like to get out of the drug sale business, a MedPAC researcher says. "Working with five insurers, each with a different designated vendor, physicians feel like they're losing control of the...

Temporary docs. (Policy & Practice).(spending report)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... TEMPORARY DOCS Spending on temporary doctors in the United States more than quadrupled from 1997 to 2002, to $2.08 billion, according to Staff Care Inc., the temporary placement division of the physician recruitment firm Merritt Hawkins &...

Speedy appeal. (Policy & Practice).(Medicare Plus Choice patients receive speedy independent review of claims against their health plans)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... SPEEDY APPEAL Medicare Plus Choice patients under a new final rule get a speedy independent review when they disagree with their health plan's decision that services should end. CMS believes the quick appeals process should minimize paperwork...

Surprise survey. (Policy & Practice).(Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... SURPRISE SURVEY Group practices accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations shouldn't be surprised if JCAHO shows up at the door--unannounced. Starting in January 2006, JCAHO will be conducting impromptu...

Liability reform kit. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... LIABILITY REFORM KIT Physicians fighting the medical liability crisis can request a special kit from the American Medical Association and redecorate their waiting rooms with posters and patient brochures. This "physician action kit" is part of...

California docs take on language access issues: first forum of its kind. (Practice Trends).
June 1, 2003... Results from a survey of leading physician organizations, medical groups, and other health care associations in California suggest that nearly half (48%) of the 293 respondents knew of an instance in which a patient's limited English...

Sun-protective clothing. (Products).(Coolibar offers line of children's protective clothing)(www.coolibar.com)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Sun-protective clothing is one means to keep children safe from ultraviolet radiation, particularly infants, who cannot have sunscreen applied directly to their skin because their bodies are not able to tolerate the chemicals in sunscreens....

Rapid-acting insulin pen. (Products).(Novolog (insulin aspart, [rDNA origin] injection) FlexPen from Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals Inc.)(www.novolog.com)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Novolog (insulin aspart, [rDNA origin] injection)--a rapid-acting insulin analogue--is now available in the FlexPen prefilled syringe for the treatment of diabetes. With faster absorption and onset, and a shorter duration of action, the insulin...

New class of HIV treatment. (Products).(Fuzeon (enfuvirtide) from Roche)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Fuzeon (enfuvirtide) is approved for use in combination with other anti-HIV medications to treat advanced HIV-1 infection in adults and children aged 6 years and older. The product is the first in a new class of fusion inhibitors to receive...

Germicidal hand wipes. (Products).(Hibistat germicidal hand rinse from Regent Medical)(www.regentmedical.com)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Hibistat germicidal hand rinse now comes in a towelette application. Users should rub hands vigorously with the towelette for 15 seconds to cleanse hands. For more information on these hand wipes, contact Regent Medical, 800-843-8497,...

Migraine medicine available. (Products).(Relpax (eletriptan HBr) from Pfizer Inc. )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Relpax (eletriptan HBr) is available for the acute treatment of migraine. The drug is available in 20- and 40-mg tablets. The maximal recommended single dose is 40 mg, and the daily dosage should not exceed 80 mg. It should not be given to...

Herpes treatment in HIV. (Products).(Valtrex (valacyclovir HCl) caplets)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Valtrex (valacyclovir HCl) caplets are indicated for the suppression of recurrent genital herpes in patients who are infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). For more information, contact GlaxoSmithKline, 888-825-5249, www.Valtrex.com....

Something to sniff at. (Indications).(SniffAway aromatic appetite suppressant)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... "Breathe in. Be Thin." That's the seductive pitch for SniffAway, an aromatic appetite suppressant that premiered at the Natural Products Expo in Anaheim, Calif. Sniffing the banana, mint, or green apple essences throughout the day purportedly...

Getting the dander up. (Indications).(overview of new vacuum-cleaners for cat dander removal)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... They're the hot rods of the vacuum-cleaner world, with names like "The Solution 500" and "Mitevak." But don't shell out big bucks for one if you want to reduce airborne allergens from cat dander. British researchers compared five new...

SARS booklist. (Indications).(Dhinese government releases an offical reading list to prevent severe acute respiratory syndrome)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Chinese government officials found a bright side of the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) epidemic. "We think this is just the time to catch up on reading," the General Administration of Press and Publication said in a statement...

Educated workforce blues. (Indications).(highly educated employees at risk for more home and work stress)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Highly educated workers at a large work site in Northern California had poorer mental health than the general population, Stanford University researchers found. They surveyed 460 predominantly highly educated workers about work and home stress...

Un-convent-ional exercise. (Indications).(Changing Habits: the Sisters' Workout)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Exercising one's spiritual muscles is not the path to physical fitness. Concerned about nuns' sedentary lifestyles, New York fitness trainer Debbie Mandel created a targeted workout to help them reduce stress and increase strength and fitness....

Multiple biomarkers define woman's risk in ACS: assessment more difficult in women. (Women's Health).(acute coronary syndrome)
June 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- A multimarker panel incorporating C-reactive protein and brain natriuretic peptide appears to provide the best means of risk stratifying women who present with an acute coronary syndrome, Dr. Stephen D. Wiviott reported at the annual...

Not so gently into the night. (Clinical Capsules).(breast cancer survivors may suffer sleep disturbances and hot flashes)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Breast cancer survivors are subject to both sleep disturbances and hot flashes, and the two symptoms are related, Janet S. Carpenter, Ph.D., reported at the annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine. Dr. Carpenter of the Vanderbilt...

Contraceptives and cervical ca. (Clinical Capsules).(hormonal contraceptive use may increase cervical cancer risk )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Women who use hormonal contraceptives may have a significantly increased risk of cervical cancer, especially after 10 years of use, according to a British study. These findings are based on a systematic review of data from 28 studies...

Yo-yo dieting linked to cv risk. (Clinical Capsules).(cardiovascular event risk)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Frequent yo-yo dieting and weight swings over a lifetime increased the risk of impaired vascular endothelial function after menopause, Dr. Claire Duvernoy said. Since endothelial dysfunction is known to be a risk factor for future...

Menses may spark suicide. (Clinical Capsules).
June 1, 2003... Women are more likely to attempt suicide during menses than at other times, said Dr. Enrique Baca-Garcia of the University of Alcala, Madrid, and colleagues. In a naturalistic replication study of 120 fertile women, the probability of...

New & approved: Vigamox ophthalmic solution, Menomune. (Rx).
June 1, 2003... Vigamox Ophthalmic Solution (moxifloxacin ophthalmic solution 0.5%, Alcon Inc.) The Food and Drug Administration approved Vigamox ophthalmic solution 0.5% for treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis in children as young as 1 year and adults....

Risk of stroke higher for black children, boys: results of two separate studies. (Children's Health).
June 1, 2003... PHOENIX, AREZ. -- Racial and gender disparities that mark epidemiologic studies of adult stroke are evident even in childhood, according to research presented at the 28th International Stroke Conference. Separate studies conducted by...