Family Practice News articles from March 2002

Family Practice News archives from March 2002

Flu vaccine urged for infants, families. (Up to 7.6 Million Household Contacts).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... ATLANTA - New guidelines "encourage" influenza vaccination of infants aged 6-23 months of age, with an eye toward a stronger universal recommendation in 1-3 years. The guidelines, approved at a meeting of the Centers for Disease Control...

USPSTF endorses mammography for women in forties: Expanded federa1 recommendations aim to quell uncertainty about value of screening. (Every 1-2 Years).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... WASHINGTON - Federal health officials have rallied to defend mammography amid renewed controversy over its value for breast cancer screening. In a move aimed at reassuring physicians and patients, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force...

Perioperative cardiac exam guidelines get an update: Stronger evidence, more randomized trials. (For Noncardiac Surgery).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... The best way to clear patients for noncardiac surgery is now based on evidence rather than just expert opinion. A joint task force of the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association published last month an update of...

New anti-integrins to fight inflammatory diseases. (Psoriasis, Multiple Sclerosis, Osteoporosis).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- The second wave of anti-integrin drugs is likely to start reaching the marketplace within the year--and that's welcome news for patients with psoriasis and many other chronic inflammatory diseases ranging from inflammatory...

Live virus in intranasal flu vaccine can be transmitted to unvaccinated children. (No Clinical Illness Seen).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... CHICAGO -- The live intranasal influenza vaccine can be transmitted to unvaccinated children in a day care setting, but at a very low rate and without evidence of clinical illness, Dr. Timo Vesikari said at the Annual Interscience Conference...

Intranasal flu vaccine not risky in asthma. (Well Tolerated).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... The intranasal cold-adapted influenza virus vaccine is generally safe and well tolerated by children with asthma, reported Dr. Gregory Redding of the University of Washington, Seattle, and his colleagues. In a randomized, double-blind...

Ablation or Excision? (Guest Editorial).(Brief Article)(Editorial)
March 15, 2002... The growing interest in nonsurgical ablation of small breast cancers reflects a triumph of marketing over substance. All of these nonsurgical ablation methods--cryotherapy, laser, radiofrequency ablation, high-frequency focused...

Is 'concierge' care an ethical alternative? (Pro & Con).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... YES The spread of "boutique" or "concierge" medical practices--in which patients pay a yearly fee for services superior to those offered by government-sponsored health care or private plans--has been generating a chorus of moral outrage....

Letters.(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... Statins Are 'Not for Everyone' I appreciate the effects and benefits of statins, but unfortunately the article about the results of the Heart Protection Study did not emphasize the potential side effects of statin treatment, which can...

ProstaScint scans find prostate cancer metastases. (Confirm Clinical Staging).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- A novel imaging study can determine which patients with biopsy-proven prostate cancer have lymph node metastases. A whole-body ProstaScint scan plus a single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scan can...

Prostate cancer risk unrelated to patient's ABO blood type. (Study of 407 Prostatectomy Patients).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... EXETER, ENGLAND -- The premise that risk for prostate cancer is linked to blood type failed to hold up in a recent study of men who underwent radical prostatectomy. Dr. Darlene L. Ramsum reported at a health care symposium sponsored by...

Tomato sauce in diet cuts DNA oxidation in cancerous prostates. (Possible Role of Lycopene).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... A diet high in tomato sauce appears to have antioxidant effects that might benefit patients with prostate cancer, reported Dr. Longwen Chen of the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Chicago, and colleagnes. In their...

A glimpse at the future of imaging technology. (New Uses for Older Systems).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... ATLANTA -- Advances in imaging technology and techniques seem to be occurring at a dizzying pace. Dr. Mark Needham outlined some of the more recent advances in technology at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Family...

Exercise offers small but meaningful HDL effect. (Rise of 5% in Previously Sedentary).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... ANAHEIM, CALIF. -- A previously sedentary individual can reasonably expect a modest, yet clinically meaningful, 5% rise in HDL cholesterol by adopting an aerobic exercise training program, Dr. Arthur S. Leon reported at the annual scientific...

Homocysteine and Alzheimer's. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... A high plasma homocysteine level doubles the risk for Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, reported Dr. Sudha Seshadri and associates at Boston University. Noting that Alzheimer's patients tended to have high homocysteine levels,...

MRI angiography spots CAD. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... Noncontrast coronary magnetic resonance angiography detects 94% of cases of coronary artery disease identified by the invasive standard diagnostic strategy, according to Dr. W. Yong Kim of Harvard Medical School, Boston, and associates. ...

TB risk shifts to foreign-born. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... The number of U.S. tuberculosis cases continues to decline, but the case rate in foreign-born individuals in this country remains far higher than in U.S.-born individuals, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. The...

FDA message to IBS patients. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... The Food and Drug Administration has issued a letter to people with irritable bowel syndrome, informing them that the agency is working with GlaxoSmithKline "to find a way to make Lotronex available to people who need it, while assuring that...

Stapled hemorrhoidectomy. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... Stapled hemorrhoidectomy seems to be a safe and effective procedure, judging from early U.S. experience, reported Dr. Marc A. Singer of the University of Illinois at Chicago and his associates. Only two U.S. centers have been using the...

Spare oral quinolone expense in CAP outpatients. (Less Costly Antibiotics can Cure Pneumonia).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... CHICAGO -- Older, less expensive antibiotics are about as good as the newer oral quinolones for treating community-acquired pneumonia in otherwise healthy adults who are treated as outpatients. In a metaanalysis of 12 controlled trials of...

CAP guidelines may be unsuitable for treating nursing home residents. (Linked to Higher Death Rate).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... CHICAGO -- Adherence to guidelines for treating community-acquired pneumonia was associated with a higher death rate and more adverse effects in elderly patients in chronic care facilities. The findings, from an observational study of 638...

Six clinical features flag higher pneumonia risk. (Nursing Home Residents).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... CHICAGO -- Nursing home-acquired pneumonia--the most common infection in long-term care facilities--may be preventable for some nursing home residents. Researchers compared 96 nursing home residents who had pneumonia with 106 who had...

Pneumonia guidelines yield benefits. (Shorter Hospital Stays).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... SAN FRANCISCO -- Treating community-acquired pneumonia using antimicrobials recommended in national guidelines pays off in terms of significantly shorter hospital stays, even in lower-risk cases, Dr. Mark A. Jewell said at the annual meeting...

Managing endometriosis. (Products).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... Lupron Depot (leuprolide acetate for depot suspension), 3.75 mg and Lupron Depot-3 Month 11.25 mg are now indicated for the initial management of endometriosis, as well as recurring symptoms, in combination with norethindrone acetate (5 mg...

Hypertension treatment. (Products).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... Diovan (valsartan), indicated for the treatment of hypertension, is now available in a tablet. It may be used alone or with other antihypertensive agents. For more information, contact Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. at 973-781-8300, or visit...

Unrefrigerated acne gel. (Products).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... BenzaClin topical gel (clindamycin 1%-benzoyl peroxide 5% gel) can now be stored at room temperature for up to 2 months after pharmacy dispensing. The label change eliminates the refrigeration requirement. For more information, contact Dermik...

Electronic Stethoscope. (Products).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... The 3M Littmann Electronic Stethoscope Model 4000 provides 18 times the amplification of conventional stethoscopes and can digitally record, store, and transmit sound via infrared to another Model 4000 or to a PC. An LCD display in the chest...

Anemia management. (Products).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... Aranesp (darbepoetin alfa) is now indicated for the treatment of anemia associated with chronic renal failure, in patients who are on or off dialysis. The recommended starting dose is 0.45 [micro]g/kg administered intravenously or...

Oral suspension for otitis media. (Products).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... Augmentin ES-600 (amoxicillin / clavulanate potassium) powder for oral suspension is now indicated for the treatment of children with recurrent or persistent middle ear infections due to Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, or...

Web-based scheduling system. (Products).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... Compass software is a Web-based scheduling system that can be used on a desktop computer or a personal digital assistant. The Compass system handles tasks involving multiple locations, physicians, or laboratories. Physicians can view their...

Weight loss assistance. (Products).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... XENICare is a weight loss support program designed to assist patients taking Xenical (orlistat). Initially, Xenical patients have a free telephone consultation with a registered nurse or dietitian, then they receive ongoing health care...

Online reference library. (Products).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... UpToDate in Family Practice is a comprehensive electronic clinical reference library for family physicians. Available online or on CD-ROM, the software program synthesizes scientific evidence and expert opinion to answer clinical questions...

HRT's effects on quality of life: Mixed results. (Postmenopausal Women With Heart Disease).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... The finding that hormone replacement therapy is associated with a decline in quality of life in some postmenopausal women with preexisting heart disease should not be applied to other populations, experts caution. In a new analysis of...

HRT may worsen symptoms in asthma patients. (Preliminary Causal Link).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... PHILADELPHIA -- Hormone replacement therapy appears to worsen asthma, especially in women who had asthma before menopause. The causal link between estrogen use and exacerbation of asthma is preliminary, but it is suggestive enough to...

Cryotherapy advocated for breast fibroadenomas. (Surgery Alternative is 'Virtually' Painless).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... CHICAGO -- The use of cryotherapy to ablate breast fibroadenomas appears to provide a safe and effective alternative to surgery, Dr. Peter Littrup said at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. In an...

Mastectomy avoidable with large tumors. (Miniflap Repair, Neoadjuvant Hormones).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... SAN ANTONIO -- Breast-conserving surgery can now be extended to many women not traditionally considered good candidates because of large tumor size, Dr. J. Michael Dixon said at the annual breast cancer symposium sponsored by the San Antonio...

Breast cancer patients advised to avoid soy. ('Theoretical' Concern).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... ARLINGTON, VA. -- Caution is the word for now on soy consumption for women with a history of breast cancer. Epidemiologic data document a lower breast cancer risk in women whose diets include soy, but recent studies have raised a...

Anti-infectives. (Drug, Pregnancy, and Lactation).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... This is the third part in a series of columns on anti-infective drugs. * Sulfonamides. Drugs in this class--rated C during most of pregnancy and D near term--readily cross the placenta throughout pregnancy; significant levels may persist...

Nicotine patch proves effective in pregnancy. (For Highly Addicted Patients).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... NEW ORLEANS -- Nicotine patches may help highly addicted but highly motivated pregnant women quit smoking, according to results of a study presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Of 21 women who used...

Perinatal mortality rate unaffected by cannabis use. (Reductions in Birth Weight Seen).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... Maternal cannabis use may significantly reduce birth weight but is not associated with perinatal mortality, said Dr. David M. Fergusson of Christchurch (New Zealand) Hospital, and his associates. Prior studies on the effects of prenatal...

WCD 2000 system. (New & Approved).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... (wearable cardioverter defibrillator, Lifecor) A device worn around the chest that monitors for and treats arrhythmias in people at risk for sudden cardiac death. This is the first cardioverter defibrillator that can be worn outside the...

Don't sweat day care colds. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... Large day care centers can be training grounds for children's immune systems, said Dr. Thomas M. Ball and his colleagues at the University of Arizona, Tucson. Of 60 children attending large day care centers, 52% had frequent colds (six...

H. influenzae resistance risk. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... A small but worrisome rise in strains of Haemophilus influenzae with reduced susceptibility to fluoroquinolones could pose a threat to immunosuppressed patients or infants under 1 year of age who are not yet fully vaccinated, Dr. Stuart Levy...

Raccoon disease. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... Ten of the 12 severe or fatal cases of raccoon roundworm encephalitis identified in the United States since 1981 have occurred in children aged 9 months-6 years (MMWR 50[51]:1153-55, 2002). Humans become infected by ingesting infected...

Lyme disease confusion. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... Misdiagnosis of Lyme disease and inappropriate antibiotic treatment were common in Long Island, N.Y., an area highly endemic for the vector-borne disease, said Dr. Muhammad Zahid Qureshi and his associates at the State University of New York...

Boys safe in disposable diapers. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... No connection between the use of disposable diapers in infancy and testicular cancer in adulthood emerged from a follow-up study of 296 men with testicular cancer and 287 controls, reported Dr. Henrik Moller of King's College, London. ...

MMR, varicella vaccine shortages elicit interim plans. (Long-Range Plan Being Developed).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... ATLANTA -- Shortages of varicella and measles-mumps-rubella vaccines have triggered new interim recommendations for their use. Until further notice, all physicians are being asked to delay routine varicella vaccination in all children...

Public perceptions must factor into vaccine policy decisions. (Correcting Parental Misconceptions).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... SEATTLE -- Immunization Policy decisions need to take public perception into account to maintain acceptability, Dr. Edgar K. Marcuse said at an immunization conference sponsored by the Institute of Medicine. "In the past, we've analyzed...

Multiple vaccines rejected as cause of immune dysfunction. (Third Report on Vaccine Safety).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... ATLANTA -- Epidemiologic evidence favors rejection of a causal link between multiple immunizations and type 1 diabetes, but there is not enough evidence to assess the issue for allergic disease, particularly asthma. Those conclusions...

Drop the kid gloves in confronting child obesity. (Aggressive, Multidisciplinary Approach).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... STANFORD, CALIF. - It's time to take off the kid gloves in the fight against childhood obesity, Dr. Robert M. Suskind said at a conference on perinatal and pediatric nutrition. He and his colleagues at the Committed to Kids program in New...

Low physical activity tied to obesity in boys, but not girls. (Study of 106 Children).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... Indicators of obesity were associated with lower physical activity levels in boys but not in girls, reported Dr. Elizabeth J. Ball of the Children's Hospital at Westmead (Australia), and her colleagues. Sex differences in the relationship...

Membership program offers 'boutique' care. ($1,500 Per Year for 24/7 Access to Doctor).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... If the patient is willing to pay, the doctor is always in. That's the philosophy behind MDVIP of Boca Raton, Fla. For an annual membership fee of $1,500, patients get 24/7 access to their personal physician, as well as same- or next-day...

Medicare geography. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... Medicare spending is not equal across the states, researchers at Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, N.H. report in a February Web edition of Health Affairs. In some regions, Medicare pays more than twice as much per person for health care as...

Premium increase. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... Medicare Plus Choice, premiums are going up, the Commonwealth Fund reports. An analysis of trends from 1999 to 2001 showed that monthly premiums rose from $14.43 in 2000 to $22.94 in 2001, while the percentage of enrollees with prescription...

Missing reimbursement. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... The federal government has yet to enact a provision of a federal law that reimburses Medicare beneficiaries who self-inject certain drugs, leaders in the House Energy and Commerce Committee inform the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid...

Holes in the safety net. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... Uninsured adults' access to health care doesn't seem to be affected by how threatened their state's safety net is, the Urban Institute concludes in a brief focusing on 13 states. In the three states with the most vulnerable safety-net...

Want to earn $100? (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... The Food and Drug Administration is paying physicians to participate in a 15-minute telephone survey about direct-to-consumer television advertising. The agency plans to call at least 500 physicians, and claims that it would be too difficult...

Beneficial incentives. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... Financial incentives are more likely to reward physicians for quality of care rather than they are to conflict with patient interests, a study from the Center for Studying Health System Change says. The study analyzed national surveys from...

Docs don't do e-mail. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... Physicians are reluctant to embrace some technology trends. A survey of 1,200 U.S. physicians finds that only 23% interact with their patients by e-mail. Of those physicians not e-mailing their patients, 79% said their preference to...

Mandatory assignment laws draw plans' Ire. (State Legislation 2002).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... WASHINGTON -- Under new laws passed in Alabama and Alaska, health plans will pay physicians directly for their services this year whether or not they join provider networks. Susan Laudicina, director of state services research at the Blue...

Radio is 'trusted source' for diabetes information. (Health Educator Finds Success on the Air).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... SEATTLE -- Physicians looking for creative ways to educate their communities about health issues may want to turn to a venerable 20th-century medium--radio. By partnering with a radio station, a doctor can develop a regular call-in show...

Would your patients pay for educational materials? (Survey Of Mayo Clinic Patients).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... SEATTLE -- If you provide disease-specific education material to your patients and worry that they liken it to junk mail-- or use it to wrap fish--maybe you should think again. In fact, half of your patients might be willing to pay for...

Whose life is it, anyway? (Indications).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... Twins seem prone to memory mergers. Psychologist Mercedes Sheen of the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand, was inspired to study "disputed memories" after hearing her twin sister describe her first kiss at summer camp at age...

Dog-walk deficit disorder. (Indications).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... In other news from down under, researchers at the University of New South Wales, Sydney Australia, found that less than half of the state's dog owners walk their dogs, thus missing out on potential health benefits. In a survey of 894 adults,...

Toxic talk. (Indications).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... As the flu season winds down, consider this prevention tactic for next year: Talk less, and talk quietly A Chinese University of Hong Kong study found that flu and flu-like illness cost the city $4 billion annually. In a press interview, Dr....

Toy story. (Indications).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... Political correctness won a battle when a Wilmington, N.C., day care center's rating was downgraded after nine plastic army men were found in a play area. "These figures reflect stereotyping and violence, therefore credit cannot be given," an...

Reinventing the wheel. (Indications).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... A hard-hitting study on "Injuries Due to Falling Coconuts" won Dr. Peter Barss of McGill University the prize for medicine at the 11th annual Ig Nobel Prize ceremony at Harvard University. He reported that it's less dangerous to get knocked...

Gleevec. (New & Approved).(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... (imatinib mesylate, Novartis) A tyrosine kinase inhibitor for treating gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) that are positive for "c-kit," a tyrosine kinase that is thought to drive the growth of most tumors of this kind. Approved...

Panel swayed by Cochrane critique of mammography: Review of evidence reopens debate whether screening reduces breast cancer mortality. (If it's a Close Call' let Patient Decide).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The benefits of screening mammography have been called into question yet again, this time by an independent panel that reviewed the evidence on behalf of the National Cancer Institute. The panel, called the Physician Data Query (PDQ)...

Antibiotic prescribing rate took plunge during 1990s: Office-based scripts down 31% for children. (FPs had Biggest Rollback).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... CHICAGO -- Physicians began to put a lid on antibiotic prescribing during the 1990s-and family physicians led the way. From 1992 through 1999, the population-based rate of prescriptions for antibiotics for patients in ambulatory care...

Oseltamivir reduces flu's spread by 63%. (Household Prophylaxis).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... CHICAGO -- Prophylaxis with an antiviral drug safely prevented the household spread of influenza, Dr. Robert B. Belshe reported at the annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy sponsored by the American Society...

CD4 count beats viral load for initiating anti-HIV treatment. (When to Treat Asymptomatic Patients).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... CHICAGO -- CD4 cell levels have become the primary criteria for deciding when to start treating asymptomatic HIV-infected patients, experts said at the annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy sponsored by the...

The heart of family practice. (Opinion).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Heart Sounds BY JUDITH A. BELLOWS After medical school graduation, I spent a year as a stay-at-home mom with my young son. I truly enjoyed medical school and was convinced that nothing else in the world was better than medicine......

Is catheter ablation the treatment of choice for atrial fibrillation after one failed antiarrhythmic drug? (Pro & Con).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... YES I believe that the recognition that the triggers for atrial fibrillation originate from atrialization of the pulmonary veins will be looked upon as one of the seminal observations in cardiology of the last century. We now have...

Profession, heal thyself. (Guest Editorial).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Physicians, like other people, have a responsibility to play an active role in their own health, both physical and mental. Yet sometimes a healer--or a healing profession--faces an illness that is severe, even life threatening. Assistance...

Correction.(To: "New & Approved" in February 15, 2002 issue, p 18)(Correction Notice)
March 1, 2002... A product name was misspelled in the New & Approved column (Feb. 15, 2002, p. 18). The correct name of the first product discussed is the Activa Parkinson's Control System.

Allergic rhinitis, asthma called parts of continuum. (Treating Allergy Limits Asthma Risk).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... ORLANDO -- Anew initiative from the World Health Organization emphasizes that allergic rhinitis and asthma are different components of a single disease process. Patients with persistent allergic rhinitis should be evaluated for asthma;...

Nasal stimuli can affect lower airway. (Clinical Rounds).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Growing evidence suggests that stimulating the upper airway causes hyperresponsiveness in the lower airway thus adding support to the idea that rhinitis and asthma are closely related. "We have enough evidence to put together a model that...

Intranasal steroids speed recovery from rhinosinusitis. (In Addition to Antibiotics).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... DENVER -- Routinely adding 3 weeks of intranasal corticosteroids to conventional antimicrobial therapy for acute rhinosmusitis accelerates recovery and boosts cure rates, Dr. Rowena Dolor said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of...

One-sheet reminder tool guides asthma care. (Putting Recommendations into Practice).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... ORLANDO, FLA. -- A simplified guideline reminder can help you assess, classify, and treat patients with asthma. The Multi-Colored Simplified Asthma Guideline Reminder (MSAGR) is a tool for adhering to guidelines from the National Asthma...

Evidence-based dietary guidelines target diabetes. (American Diabetes Association).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... New dietary guidelines from the American Diabetes Association focus on prevention as well as treatment, are evidence-based for the first time, and allow patients a few spoonfuls of sugar. The new document also addresses several...

Nine-item screen effective in detecting depression. (Tool Based on DSM-IV Criteria).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... A brief, nine-item questionnaire is a valid way to screen for depression and measure its severity in primary care practice, reported Dr. Kurt Kroenke of the Regenstrief Institute for Health Care and Indiana University, Indianapolis, and his...

Hawthorn for heart failure. (Alternative Medicine).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... * Hawthorn extract is considered a safe, effective therapy for mild to moderate congestive heart failure in some European countries, particularly Germany. * A large, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial is underway to...

Possible therapeutic role for acupuncture in CHF treatment. (Preliminary Study).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... ANAHEIM, CALIF. -- Acupuncture inhibited muscle sympathetic nerve activity in a short-term trial involving 14 patients with advanced congestive heart failure, Dr. Holly R. Middlekauff reported at the annual scientific sessions of the American...