Family Practice News articles from June 2004, page 3

Family Practice News archives from June 2004

Got milk? Got acne? New research suggests link: eliminate dairy.(Children's Health)
June 1, 2004... BOSTON -- Milk intake may influence comedogenesis in adolescent acne, and hormones are likely to blame, Dr. William F. Danby said at the Atlantic Dermatological Conference. It's not just the raging hormones of puberty that are suspect,...

Working together helps in Dx of intratracheal hemangioma: often seen first at hospital.(Children's Health)
June 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Pediatric dermatologists must work with pediatricians, family physicians, and other children's care providers to properly diagnose and treat intratracheal hemangiomas, Dr. Howard Pride said at a meeting of the Society for...

Prevention program reduces adolescent suicide attempts: awareness, peer intervention.(Children's Health)(Signs of Suicide prevention program)
June 1, 2004... The Signs of Suicide prevention program significantly reduced self-reported suicide attempts among high school students in high-risk settings in the 3 months after exposure to the program, reported Robert H. Aseltine Jr., Ph.D., of the...

Cons, pros seen with compressed vaccine plan: more fever, same hospitalizations.(Children's Health)
June 1, 2004... OLD GREENWICH, CONN. -- An ongoing study is finding more fever, partial work-ups, and antibiotic use, but not more infections or hospitalizations, in infants immunized under a new compressed vaccination plan that uses the combination Pediarix...

Parents may be fearful of corticosteroid therapy: more education needed.(Children's Health)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... OLD GREENWICH, CONN. -- Physicians need to do more to allay parents' fears about the side effects of anti-inflammatory medicines for asthma, Dr. Anne Gordon and Dr. Katherine O' Conner advised at a meeting of the Eastern Society for Pediatric...

Allergen testing rare for inner city children: urban asthma.(Children's Health)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... OLD GREENWICH, CONN. -- Allergen testing is an underused tool that could help inner city children with asthma, many of whom are exposed to high levels of allergens in their homes, Dr. Karen Warman said at a meeting of the Eastern Society for...

Refer patients with low bone mineral density: false alarm can be harmful.(Children's Health)
June 1, 2004... MIAMI -- Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry findings can have a powerful effect on the lives of children with low bone density, so refer parents and children to a specialist for interpretation and counseling, Dr. Laura K. Bachrach said at the...

Chronic hepatitis C.(Drug Update)
June 1, 2004... Treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection has improved tremendously over the past decade. The current standard of care is a regimen that combines a pegylated, long-acting form of interferon plus the oral antiviral ribavirin. This...

New and approved: Nasacort HFA Nasal Aerosol, Advair Diskus.(Rx)
June 1, 2004... Nasacort HFA Nasal Aerosol (triamcinolone acetonide, Aventis Pharmaceuticals) The Food and Drug Administration approved Nasacort HFA Nasal Aerosol for treatment of nasal symptoms associated with seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis...

FDA turns down request to take leflunomide off the market: risk-benefit ratio acceptable.(Rx)
June 1, 2004... The Food and Drug Administration denied a health advocacy group's request to remove the rheumatoid arthritis drug leflunomide from the market, rejecting the argument that the risks associated with the drug outweigh its benefits. After a...

Hepatic failure reports added to label of leukotriene inhibitor zafirlukast: FDA MedWatch report.(Rx)
June 1, 2004... Reports of life-threatening hepatic failure in people taking zafirlukast for asthma have been reported in patients on the asthma drug and the label has been revised to reflect these reports, according to a Food and Drug Administration...

Leflunomide may be linked to interstitial pneumonia in Japan: six deaths.(Rx)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Six people in Japan taking leflunomide for rheumatoid arthritis died from interstitial pneumonia, and another 11 contracted the illness during the drug's first 4 months on the market there, according to a spokesperson at Aventis...

Roadblocks to liability reform.(Policy & Practice)(political reasons for stall in medical liability reform)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Roadblocks to Liability Reform Democratic senators have been the "number one roadblock" to a legislative solution to the medical liability crisis, Patrick Hope, legislative council for government affairs and public policy at the American...

Rising costs of education.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Rising Costs of Education Liability premiums are not the only skyrocketing costs affecting doctors. Medical education debt is 4.5 times higher in 2003 than it was in 1984, while average tuition and fees rose 2.7-fold in private medical...

It's a federal problem.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... It's a Federal Problem Many state officials see the implementation of the Medicare-approved discount drug cards and the new Medicare prescription drug benefit as a federal responsibility, said Jack Hoadley, Ph.D., research professor at the...

Health savings accounts set to boom.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Health Savings Accounts Set to Boom Introduced last November as part of the Medicare reform legislation, health savings accounts "seem poised to take root quickly," according to a survey of 991 employers by Mercer Human Resource Consulting....

Nurses make a difference.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Nurses Make a Difference Hospitals with low nurse staffing levels tend to have higher rates of poor patient outcomes such as pneumonia, shock, cardiac arrest, and urinary tract infections, according to a series of studies funded by the Agency...

How to start your own solvent free clinic: steps to avoid liability.(Practice Trends)
June 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Yes, you can start your own free clinic without getting sued or going into the red to support the venture, Dr. Mohan Nadkarni said at the annual meeting of the American College of Physicians. Liability is the biggest...

Some win, some lose under Stark Version II: easier for rural physicians.(Practice Trends)
June 1, 2004... It's a good news/bad news situation with the final federal physician self-referral regulations. The good news: The regulations, known as "Stark II," make it easier for rural physicians to refer patients to practices, hospitals, and other...

Congress eyes 'black cloud' on Medicare horizon: subcommittee hearing.(Practice Trends)
June 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Last year's Medicare reform legislation forestalled cuts to the physician fee schedule for the next couple of years, but starting in 2006, doctors are in line for 5% annual cuts in payment for the following 6 years. At a...

Less news is better news: studies get overhyped: investigator dialogue.(Practice Trends)
June 1, 2004... MINNEAPOLIS -- Too many medical studies make it to the pages of the nation's newspapers, Dr. Mark Zweig said at the annual meeting of the Association of Health Care Journalists. Dr. Zweig, a clinical pathologist and former assistant chief...

Expect consolidation of medical device companies: pressure to generate revenue.(Practice Trends)
June 1, 2004... MINNEAPOLIS -- Expect to see lots of consolidation in the medical device industry in the coming year, Thomas Gunderson said at the annual meeting of the Association of Health Care Journalists. "The big guys are going to buy the little...

Advance directives not a substitute for a doctor at bedside: practical problems.(Practice Trends)
June 1, 2004... ARLINGTON, VA. -- Designed to preserve individual autonomy, advance directives may prevent some patients from getting the best possible care, members of the President's Council on Bioethics concluded at a meeting. An advance directive...

UCSF 'Cardiology Council' raises ethical issues: cardiac concierge care?(Practice Trends)
June 1, 2004... A program at the University of California-San Francisco Medical Center that offers amenities to donors has some people asking if better care can be bought. The Cardiology Council was established in 1997 as a way for UCSF to support...

MedPAC to study specialty hospitals' community impact: focus on physician-owned hospitals.(Practice Trends)
June 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission will spend the next year studying physician-owned specialty hospitals. The study, which is due to Congress next February, will focus on cardiac, orthopedic, and surgical specialty...

Cart for lighter equipment.(Products)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The Trolley Lite can hold up to 100 pounds of equipment. It comes with one shelf and 5-inch casters. For more information, contact Anthro Corp., www.anthro.com, 800-325-3841.

Laser keyboard.(Products)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The iBIZ virtual computer keyboard uses a laser to project on any flat area, which can be sprayed with chemical disinfectant, reducing the potential spread of bacteria in offices. The device analyzes what is being typed and is compatible with...

Mesothelioma regimen.(Products)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Alimta (pemetrexed) is approved for use with cisplatin for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma in patients who are not candidates for surgery. Side effects include neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and anemia. To reduce the severity...

Speech, skill development tools.(Products)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The Special Kids Web site offers tools to help children with speech and developmental problems. Products include speech and development video-modeling programs, interactive flash cards, step-by-step behavior models, and positive message...

Medical records service.(Products)(Mobile Medical Information Services)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Mobile Medical Information Services allows patients to compile all of their medical records in one place for easy access. With patient authorization, physicians can have access to a patient's complete medical history. For more information,...

Imaging software for skin moles.(Products)(DermAlert software )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... DermAlert software allows patients at risk for melanoma to track new and changing skin moles. The software compares images that are taken using a digital camera. For more information, contact DermAlert Inc., 866-461-3376, www.dermalert.com.

Premixed fertility treatment.(Products)(Organon USA Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The Follistim AQ Cartridge (follitropin beta injection) is approved for women undergoing assisted reproductive treatments and for the induction of ovulation to achieve pregnancy. The premixed, prefilled cartridge is for use with the Follistim...

Saline nasal wash for rhinitis.(Products)(Med-Systems Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The SinuCleanse nasal wash system is a drug-free treatment option for patients suffering from sinusitis, congestion, and rhinitis. The system, sold for $14.95, includes a neti pot, saline solution packets, and instructions. For more...

Decapper removes vial seals.(Products)(Kebby Industries Inc)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The plier decapper removes crimped aluminum seals from vials and bottles. The tool comes in 8 mm, 11 mm, 13 ram, 20 mm, and 30 mm sizes and can be sterilized or autoclaved. For more information, contact Kebby Industries Inc., 815-963-1466,...

Glucose testing system.(Products)(Ascensia Contour )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The Ascensia Contour blood glucose monitoring system automatically corrects for several common testing mistakes, such as detecting improper sample size and adjusting for variations in temperature. For more information, contact Bayer...

Organ rejection drug.(Products)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Myfortic (mycophenolic acid) delayed-release tablets are approved for use in combination with cyclosporine and corticosteroids to prevent organ rejection in kidney transplant patients. For more information, contact Novartis Pharmaceuticals...

Vioxx for migraines.(Products)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Vioxx (rofecoxib) oral tablets are approved for the acute treatment of migraine in adults. For more information, contact Merck & Co. Inc., 908-423-1000, www. vioxx.com.

Nasal mask minimizes contact.(Products)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The ComfortLite nasal mask is smaller and lighter than others in the Comfort mask series. It offers two interchangeable cushions to provide minimal mask contact. For more information, contact Respironics Inc., 800-345-6443,...

Do they help because it hurts?(Indications)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Volunteering may be good for your soul, but apparently it's lousy for your health. Australian researchers found that folks who regularly give of their time have worse physical health than those who are just out for themselves. In interviews,...

Robo-Doc on rounds.(Indications)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Half of patients in a recent survey said they would rather see their own doctor on a video screen implanted in a robot than a real, live doctor they don't know. Fortunately, the folks at InTouch Health--the company that sponsored the Johns...

Shocking, indeed.(Indications)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Here's one way to reduce fat and calorie intake: A trifecta of natural disasters in Madagascar (destroyed the vanilla crop), political unrest in the Ivory Coast (cocoa shortages), and fluctuations in U.S. dairy prices have contributed to what...

Lucky guess?(Indications)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Ever wonder why the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV) criteria for diagnosing major depression require the presence of 5 out of 9 possible symptoms instead of, say, 3 out of 5, or 6 out of 127...

Slumming with the doctors.(Indications)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The city of Greenwich, Corm., is considering a sledding ban after a local urologist won a $6.3 million judgment against the municipality. The doctor broke his leg when he and his son crashed into a drainage ditch at the bottom of a public...