Family Practice News articles from November 2003

Family Practice News archives from November 2003

Just say no more to liability insurance? FP opens practice without coverage.
November 1, 2003... BERWYN, ILL. -- As his fiance of 1 week answered phones in the tiny reception area of his new practice, Dr. Mark Macumber leaned against the doorway to his one sparsely equipped exam room and considered his new role as either a trailblazer...

Hormone therapy: no big rise in ovarian Ca risk: more results from the WHI: bone benefit and decline in endometrial cancer risk do not outweigh risk.
November 1, 2003... Two new Women's Health Initiative final analyses have concluded that combination hormone therapy may result in a slight but insignificant increase in ovarian cancer and that, despite offering fracture protection to healthy postmenopausal women,...

Top 10 drugs mentioned during office visits in 2001.(Vital Signs)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Millions of Mentions Lipitor 21.2 Celebrex 17.6 Vioxx 15.3 Claritin 14.6 Lasix 13.8 Synthroid 13.7 Premarin 13.0 Tylenol 12.6 Prednisone 12.2 Albuterol...

Leaders mull challenges to future of family medicine: more research, better reimbursement: improving academic respect is one hurdle.
November 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- "Family physicians are driven by the need to help make people whole by humanizing medicine and providing science-based, quality care." Would you agree with this definition? That's what leaders in family medicine asked as...

CDC campaign: physician, vaccinate thyself: don't pass flu on.(News)
November 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging physicians and other health care professionals to get their flu shots this year, in an attempt to raise vaccination rates among this group and help prevent the transmission...

S. pneumoniae resistance levels off, but too high: latest trends.(News)
November 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- There is both good and bad news regarding the latest trends in Streptococcus pneumoniae antimicrobial resistance, Daniel E. Sahm, Ph.D., announced at a satellite symposium held in conjunction with the annual Interscience Conference...

New fasting glucose level means more prediabetes: cutoff drops to 100 mg/dl.(News)
November 1, 2003... New guidelines from the American Diabetes Association will place even more people into the "prediabetes" category. The ADA's Follow-up Report on the Diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus reduces the lower limit for the diagnosis of "impaired...

Screening adults for prediabetes likely to be cost effective, but methods vary: cost analysis.(News)
November 1, 2003... PARIS -- Screening for and treating prediabetes in adults aged 45-74 years are likely to be cost effective, Ping Zhang, Ph.D., said at the 18th International Diabetes Federation Congress. Most currently available screening methods could...

Acarbose appears to reduce cardiovascular events: impaired glucose tolerance.(News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... VIENNA -- Treatment of patients with impaired glucose tolerance with acarbose led to a substantial drop in the incidence of cardiovascular events during 3.3 years of follow-up in a controlled study with about 1,400 patients. "This is the...

HIPAA could undermine state 'prompt pay' laws: may redefine 'clean claim'.(News)
November 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- State "prompt pay" laws could be affected by the "transaction and code set" provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) that went into effect last month, Ann Leopold Kaplan said at a forum...

Fulvestrant trial seeks volunteers.(News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Researchers are recruiting participants for a randomized, double-blinded phase III trial to assess the efficacy and tolerability of fulvestrant (Faslodex) injection. EFECT (Evaluation of Faslodex vs. Exemestane Clinical Trial) aims to enroll...

A model of inefficiency.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2003... I read with interest Dr. Jonathan B. Perlin's guest editorial "VA as Performance Model" (July 15, 2003, p. 12). Recently, I applied to serve at a Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic and was surprised to learn certain facts....

Many problems, one solution.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2003... It looks like critics of a single-payer plan have it backward ("Group Tries to Reignite Debate on Single-Payer Plan," Sept. 15, 2003, p. 1). We would not "be trading one problem for a whole set of others," as American Medical Association...

Talk back online.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Would you agree to report incidents immediately in exchange for lower malpractice premiums? NO 13% YES 88% To Talk Back, visit www.efamilypracticenews.com Note: Table made of pie chart.

Guest editorial: our relationship with industry.(Guest Editorial)(Editorial)
November 1, 2003... Over the past few years there has been increased scrutiny of the relationship between physicians and the health care industry. Voluntary guidelines from numerous organizations promote self-regulation, but if interactions do not remain...

Should immunotherapy be recommended for patients with allergic asthma?(Pro & Con)
November 1, 2003... YES Immunotherapy may perhaps make only a subtle difference in the lung function of asthmatic patients, according to data from clinical trials, but it may have additional benefits that are not reflected in lung function measures. By...

BNP assays underline heart failure diagnosis: 'modest' gain over clinical judgment.(Clinical Rounds brain natriuretic peptide)
November 1, 2003... COLORADO SPRINGS -- Brain natriuretic peptide assays are "a real advance" in diagnosis and management of congestive heart failure, provided that physicians understand their proper use and limitations, Dr. JoAnn Lindenfeld said at a meeting of...

CMS expands coverage of LVAD for heart failure: private insurers expected to follow suit.(Clinical Rounds left ventricular assist devices)
November 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- The decision by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to cover left ventricular assist devices as destination therapy in patients with chronic end-stage heart failure is "extremely good news," according to Dr. Mandeep...

Latest COMET trial data stir continued debate on comparison: Metoprolol vs. Carvedilol.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2003... VIENNA -- New data from the controversial Carvedilol or Metoprolol European Trial continue to demonstrate major clinical advantages for carvedilol. But COMET remains dogged by sharp criticism that dosage differences made for an unfair...

Low-dose morphine, THC useful in dementia: help for agitation, anorexia.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Australian and American dementia patients in some nursing homes are benefiting from some nontraditional pharmacotherapy In the United States, a synthetic tetrahy-drocannabinol (THC) compound called dronabinol has been found...

Alzheimer's caregivers benefit from counseling: social support important.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Caregivers for Alzheimer's disease patients responded positively to counseling for the stresses involved in their tasks, but differences in caregiver demographics and reactions to counseling in different countries raise new...

SARS crisis led to psychological trauma in patients and their doctors: lessons from Toronto.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- The Toronto outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome led to many cases of posttraumatic stress disorder--both in infected patients and in the health care professionals providing care for them, researchers reported at the annual...

Preparation, written plan crucial in case of SARS reemergence: a model for preparedness.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2003... SAN DIEGO -- With respiratory disease season underway, make sure to have plans in place to prepare for a possible reemergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome, Dr. Daniel R. Lucey advised in an interview during a poster session at the...

SARS response was historic: cooperation was key.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Severe acute respiratory syndrome--and the often--heroic medical response to it--deserve acceptance as among the most extraordinary events in the history of medicine, Dr. John G. Bartlett asserted at a satellite symposium held in...

Derm diagnosis.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2003... A 64-year-old woman with a 5-year history of pustular lesions on her palms and the soles of her feet presented complaining of pain her hands, shoulders, and knees. She reported morning stiffness lasting more than 2 hours a day and limited...

Autoimmune urticaria: try autologous serum skin test: differential DX.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2003... STEVENSON, WASH. -- An autologous serum skin test is the most practical way to diagnose the 50% of patients with chronic urticaria who have autoimmune disease, Dr. Leonard C. Altman said at the annual meeting of the Pacific Northwest...

Several treatment options available: autoimmune urticaria.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2003... STEVENSON, WASH. -- Patients with chronic autoimmune urticaria respond to a variety of antihistamines and immunosuppressants, said Dr. Leonard C. Altman at the annual meeting of the Pacific Northwest Dermatological Society, but there are few...

Gout: get serum uric acid level below 6 mg/dL: prevention is key.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2003... SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. -- Once an acute attack of gout subsides, patients with two or more episodes a year should have a strategy mapped out for managing the condition in the long term, Dr. H. Ralph Schumacher Jr. said at a symposium sponsored...

Cementless knee replacement fits younger patients: 60 years and younger.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Total knee replacements in osteoarthritic patients age 60 and younger often require revision in the second decade after surgery, Dr. Louis Jordan reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. ...

RA response much improved by combo: infliximab-methotrexate.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2003... LISBON -- Aggressive treatment with infliximab in combination with methotrexate packs a significantly stronger punch in the fight against early rheumatoid arthritis than methotrexate alone, according to results from the largest trial comparing...

Boswellia as an anti-inflammatory.(Alternative medicine: an evidence-based approach)
November 1, 2003... ** Traditional use and in vitro studies suggest that extracts of Boswellia serrata have potent anti-inflammatory properties. ** Initial studies are showing benefits in osteoarthritis, asthma, and colitis, and preliminary research suggests...

MRI makes early diagnosis of multiple sclerosis: new diagnostic guideline.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2003... ROCKVILLE, MD. -- Magnetic resonance imaging can be used to diagnose suspected multiple sclerosis more quickly than current diagnostic standards, according to a new guideline issued by the American Academy of Neurology. Studies have shown...

FP counseling improves cancer screening rates: CA info best from physicians.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2003... ATLANTA -- Family physicians are instrumental in encouraging cancer screening compliance among middle-aged women, according to the results of a descriptive, cross--sectional survey. Of 202 women aged 50-75 years who had been seen at a...

Commercial snoring remedies fail clinical test: seeking silent nights.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2003... ORLANDO, FLA. -- It was a hard day's night for three over-the-counter snoring aids that failed to reduce snoring in a clinical test. These products don't significantly ease snoring and may distract patients from seeking appropriate medical...

MRSA, VRE far less common in rural hospitals: surveillance finds 753 cases in two states.(Clinical Rounds methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant enterococcal )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... BETHESDA, MD. -- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections rarely occur outside of large urban medical centers, "but most small rural hospitals have seen a case or two," Dr. Kurt B. Stevenson said at the annual conference on...

Dying patients need tailored mental health care: common conditions look similar.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2003... New ORLEANS -- Mental disorders can be difficult to diagnose in terminal patients, but not impossible, said Dr. Steve Taylor at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Often, the symptoms overlap and the patient...

End-of-life care takes compassion and finesse: involvement doesn't stop at diagnosis.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- When the 43-year-old man checked into the hospital with severe stomach pain, 2 months later it wasn't his doctor who told him and his family that he was dying. It was a palliative care consultant they had not met before. ...

Allow dying patients to guide you in pain management treatments: social, emotional, spiritual pain.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- It's important to understand the different types of pain that terminal patients experience and what treatments work best for each, because relieving physical pain is one of the primary aims of end-of-life care, said Dr. John P....

Many men would use hormonal contraceptive: experimental methods highlighted.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2003... LA JOLLA, CALIF. -- Many men are receptive to the idea of using hormonal contraceptives designed especially for them should they ever hit the market, Dr. John Amory said at the annual meeting of the Association of Reproductive Health...

Sizing up CHD risk factors.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Two analyses now show that 80%-90% of CHD patients--and 95% of those with fatal CHD events--have, at least one of four major risk factors (smoking, hypertension, high cholesterol, or diabetes). Dr. Philip Greenland of Northwestern...

Sexually transmitted MRSA?(Clinical Capsules methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection may be a sexually transmitted disease among urban men who have sex with men, Chris J. Jimmerson reported at the annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and...

Hepatitis a vaccination.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Healthy people who receive the hepatitis A primary vaccination course receive long-term immunity and do not require booster vaccination, an international consensus panel concluded. The panel evaluated reports published between 1990 and 2002...

Campylobacter risks.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Five independent risk factors accounting for 69% of cases of campylobacter infection were identified in a retrospective cohort study. Of 1,357 patients with gastrointestinal symptoms, 213 had campylobacter infections. The strongest risk...

Attitudes on hormone therapy vary by specialty: internists the most reluctant prescribers.(Women's Health)
November 1, 2003... MIAMI BEACH -- Although about 60% of physicians overall remain comfortable offering their patients hormone therapy for relief of menopausal symptoms, internists and family physicians are far more cautious about its prescribing than ob.gyns.,...

Trial: phytoestrogens not better than placebo: hot flashes.(Women's Health)
November 1, 2003... VANCOUVER, B.C.-- Neither of two popular commercially available phytoestrogen supplements reduced menopausal hot flashes more than placebo in a multicenter double-blind randomized clinical trial. "These supplements do not have a clinically...

Most women who stop HT remain off therapy: practice-based study.(Women's Health)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Most women in a study on discontinuation of hormone therapy were satisfied with their decision to stop therapy and were still off it at a 3-to 4-month follow-up, Dr. Steve Hasley reported at the annual meeting of the American...

Social anxiety disorder often goes untreated: SSRI most common treatment.(Women's Health)
November 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Only 57% of primary care patients with social anxiety disorder receive treatment, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Overall, 20% of patients with social...

Presumed cystitis well managed via telephone: large kaiser experience.(Women's Health)
November 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Telephone treatment of women with presumed cystitis by a specially trained nurse was shown robe safe, effective, and convenient for patients in a study of more than 4,000 women. Because bladder infections are so common--they...

Hair, scalp disorders often undiagnosed in blacks: cicatricial alopecia, traction folliculitis.(Women's Health)
November 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Cicatricial alopecia, traction folliculitis, and seborrheic dermatitis were only a few of the diagnoses discovered when researchers queried 62 African American women about hair and scalp problems unrelated to their reasons for...

Melasma severity eased by dual therapy: microdermabrasion + bleaching cream.(Women's Health)
November 1, 2003... PHILADELPHIA -- A dual-therapy regimen of microdermabrasion and a skin-bleaching cream led to substantial improvements in melasma in a series of 50 patients over a 2-year period. Other steps that can cut the severity of melasma are sun...

Pregnancy raises risk of varicose veins: population based-study.(Women's Health)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... SAN DIEGO -- The more pregnancies a woman has, the more likely she is to develop telangiectases and varicose veins, said Dr. Eberhard Rabe at a meeting of the International Union of Phlebology. Dr. Rabe of the University of Bonn (Germany)...

Lifetime of thyroid hormone replacement likely: indicated for cardioprotective effects.(Women's Health)
November 1, 2003... PALM BEACH, FLA. -- Women with subclinical hypothyroidism should receive thyroid hormone replacement therapy for life, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Thyroid Association. Subclinical hypothyroidism can...

Zyrtec may cut postmenopausal hot flashes: small trial.(Women's Health)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... MIAMI BEACH -- Zyrtec may be able to treat more than just allergies in some postmenopausal women, according to the results of a small study presented at the annual meeting of the North American Menopause Society. Zyrtec (cetirizine...

Exercise testing in women: clinical capsules.(Women's Health)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Exercise testing predicts all-cause and cardiovascular risk in asymptomatic women who have low or intermediate Framingham risk scores, said Dr. Samia Mora of Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, and associates. The use of...

Hearts of hemophilia carriers.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Women who are hemophilia carriers have a 36% lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease than women in the general population, which researchers attribute to their low levels of clotting factors. This finding highlights "the crucial...

Breast implants and suicide.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Swedish women who have breast implants are significantly more likely to commit suicide than women who do not have implants, said Dr. V.C.M. Koot of University Medical Centre in Utrecht, the Netherlands, and associates. In a prospective...

Job insecurity raises MI risk.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Women who are concerned about losing their jobs have almost twice the risk of a nonfatal MI within 2 years as those who aren't worried about their jobs, according to Sunmin Lee, Sc.D., of Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, and associates....

Caffeine and Parkinson's.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Women who take postmenopausal hormones and do not consume much caffeine are at a lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease than are women who never used postmenopausal hormones and consume a lot of caffeine, said Dr. Alberto Ascherio of the...

Gallbladder removal can be done in pregnancy: laparoscopic procedure.(Women's Health)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... LAS VEGAS -- A total of 150 successful laparoscopic cholecystectomies have been reported in pregnant women who were unresponsive to medical management, suggesting that this procedure is safe during pregnancy, Dr. Raymond J. Lanzafame said. ...

National Cancer Institute survey.(Women's Health)
November 1, 2003... The National Cancer Institute is looking for people to participate in telephone interviews. Patients with stage III or IV cancer, current or bereaved friends and family of cancer patients, and physicians who work with patients in advanced...

Gene therapy may advance cancer treatment: results of preliminary trials.(Rx)
November 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Gene therapy may be the key to defeating cancer, if the results of several preliminary trials are any indication. Four trials highlighted at the annual meeting of the American Society of Gene Therapy used viruses to attack...

Advisory issued on repaglinide + gemfibrozil use: increased hypoglycemia risk.(Rx)
November 1, 2003... ROCKVILLE, MD. -- The use of the lipid--lowering drug gemfibrozil and the insulin secretagogue repaglinide puts people with type 2 diabetes at an increased risk of hypoglycemia. Gemfibrozil inhibits the cytochrome P-450 enzyme system....

Drug update: overactive bladder.(Rx)
November 1, 2003... Mitchel L. Zoler, editor Steve Perlstein, writer Health professionals increasingly recognize that an overactive bladder (OAB) presents significant quality-of-life problems for patients and warrants aggressive treatment. More medications are...

Less blood, pain with tonsillectomy via coblation: compared with traditional electrocautery.(Children's Health)
November 1, 2003... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Coblation electrosurgery was associated with less postoperative pain and an easier recovery in pediatric patients compared with traditional electrocautery in two studies presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy...

Perform objective testing before tonsillectomy for sleep apnea: overnight oximetry or parental video.(Children's Health)
November 1, 2003... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Tonsillectomy is not something to be taken lightly, particularly for children with suspected sleep apnea, Dr. Sally L. Davidson Ward said at a pediatric pulmonology meeting sponsored by the American College of Chest...

'Top-down' approach treats chronic constipation: bowel clean-out, regular maintenance.(Children's Health)
November 1, 2003... KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. -- A thorough bowel clean-out followed by regular maintenance therapy is the key to correcting chronic functional constipation in children, Dr. Vita Goei said at a pediatric update sponsored by the Medical College of...

New hepatitis A vaccine efficacy may last 21 years: few local side effects.(Children's Health)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- A novel virosomal aluminum-free hepatitis A vaccine appears to provide protective titers of antibody for at least 21 years following administration to children as young as 18 months, Dr. Christian Herzog reported at the annual...

Age affects clinical presentation of influenza: key symptoms useful in differential DX.(Children's Health)
November 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- A temperature of 100.4[degree]F or higher is clinically useful in differentiating influenza from other flu-like illnesses, but significantly more so in patients aged 19 years or older than in children and adolescents, Dr. Dominick A....

Tailor type 1 diabetes technology to the family: start simply.(Children's Health)
November 1, 2003... STANFORD, CALIF. -- Help diabetic children and their parents choose the technological tools for disease management that best fit them, Gretchen Flanagan, a registered dietitian, said in a panel presentation at a conference on perinatal and...

Emphasize behavioral goals to win obesity battle: do not offer nutritional advice only.(Children's Health)
November 1, 2003... STANFORD, CALIF. -- Focus on simple, explicit, and measurable behavioral changes to help overweight children, Dr. Thomas N. Robinson said at a conference on perinatal and pediatric nutrition. Rather than giving a vague recommendation for...

New immunization standards address challenges: cost, reimbursement, scheduling.(Children's Health)
November 1, 2003... The National Vaccine Advisory Committee has issued a newly revised set of standards for child and adolescent immunization practices that reflect important changes in vaccine delivery that have occurred since the standards were first developed...

Pertussis booster could prevent 68,000 cases: impact of vaccinating 80% of U.S. teens.(Children's Health)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Modeling suggests routine administration of a booster dose of pertussis vaccine to adolescents would be a highly cost-effective strategy, Dr. J. Jaime Caro reported at the annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and...

Stop all use of lead-containing litargirio powder: FDA warning.(Children's Health)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The Food and Drug Administration has warned the public to avoid using a traditional product called Litargirio because it contains toxic levels of lead. Litargirio is used as a foot fungicide, a deodorant, and for burns and wound healing....

Nonfatal self-inflicted injury rate highest in girls: majority probable suicide attempts.(Children's Health)
November 1, 2003... SANTA Fe, N.M. -- More than 289,000 nonfatal self-inflicted injuries are treated in the nation's emergency departments annually, with the highest rates occurring in teenage girls, Dr. Robin M. Ikeda reported at the annual conference of the...

Darvocet A500 approved.(Products)
November 1, 2003... Darvocet A500 (propoxyphene napsylate and acetaminophen) is approved for the treatment of mild to moderate pain. The drug combines 500 mg of acetaminophen with 100 mg propoxyphene napsylate. For more information, contact aaiPharma Inc.,...

Oral moisturizer.(Products)
November 1, 2003... Salivart is an over-the-counter oral moisturizer for the relief of dry mouth often associated with antidepressant use. For more information, contact Gebauer Co., 800-321-9348, www.gebauerco.com.

Trileptal approved for children.(Products)
November 1, 2003... Trileptal (oxcarbazepine) tablets and oral suspension are indicated for use as monotherapy for children aged 4-16 years with epilepsy who have partial seizures. For more information, contact Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp., 888-669-6682,...

New metadate CD strengths.(Products)
November 1, 2003... Metadate CD (methylphenidate hydrochloride) extended-release capsules are available in 10- and 30-mg dosing strengths for the treatment of attention--deficit hyperactivity disorder. For more information, contact Celltech Pharmaceuticals Inc.,...

Insulin pump software.(Products)
November 1, 2003... Solutions Software 5.0 transforms insulin, carbohydrate, and blood glucose information from selected insulin pumps and blood glucose meters into charts and graphs. For more information, contact Medtronic MiniMed, 800-MINIMED, www.minimed.com.

Rythmol SR approved.(Products)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Rythmol SR (propafenone hydrochloride) is approved to prolong the time to recurrence of symptomatic atrial fibrillation in patients without structural heart disease. For more information, contact Abbott Laboratories, 800-633-9110, fax,...

Oral solution metformin.(Products)
November 1, 2003... Riomet (metformin HCI, 500 mg/5 mL) oral solution is approved for use as a monotherapy as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. For more information, contact Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Inc.,...

Fosamax oral solution.(Products)
November 1, 2003... Fosamax (alendronate sodium) oral solution is approved for treatment and prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis, treatment of Paget's disease of bone, treatment to increase bone mass in men with osteoporosis, and treatment of...

Cream for injection pain.(Products)
November 1, 2003... L.M.X.4 (lidocaine 4%) is available over the counter to relieve the pain associated with injections. The cream is safe for use in children. For more information, contact Ferndale Laboratories Inc., 877-352-6294, www.ferndalelabs.com.

Aesthetic laser.(Products)
November 1, 2003... The GentleLASE family of lasers has received marketing clearance for permanent hair reduction for all skin types and for the treatment of benign pigmented lesions. For more information, contact Candela Corp., 800-733-8550, www....