Harvard Women's Health Watch articles from March 2003

Harvard Women's Health Watch archives from March 2003

Which blood pressure drug is best for you?
March 1, 2003... If you need medication to control your blood pressure, it may be reassuring to know that the best choice is also the cheapest. Results are in from the first trial comparing the effectiveness of several blood pressure-lowering drugs in...

Forestalling frailty.
March 1, 2003... The average woman can now expect to live into her 80s. Whether she enjoys her later years may depend on avoiding a common, though not inevitable, consequence of aging. A longer life span can be a double-edged sword if it merely means more...

Healthy mouth, healthy life.
March 1, 2003... New understanding of the relationship between oral health and general health bolsters the tried-and-true advice to brush, floss, and see your dentist often. Only a generation or so ago, most people who lived long enough lost their teeth...

Conditions - Dry mouth: More than just an annoyance.
March 1, 2003... Most of us know what it's like to have an occasional bout of dry mouth, also known as xerostomia. We suddenly become saliva-less when it's time to speak publicly, or run out of saliva after talking for a long time. Many common medications also...

Costochondritis: Not a heart attack but it feels like one.
March 1, 2003... If you experience sharp chest pain, your natural first thought may be to wonder if you're having a heart attack. You may be. But the culprit could also be costochondritis, a relatively harmless disorder that has brought many a woman to the...

In Brief - Readers question waist whereabouts.
March 1, 2003... We've heard from several readers who take issue with our measuring instructions in "Whither thy waist?" (HWHW, January 2003, p. 7), a sidebar to an article about measures of health risk. Research suggests that waist size is a better indicator...

By the Way, Doctor - Should I take Forteo to prevent osteoporosis?
March 1, 2003... Q I recently read that the new osteoporosis drug Forteo is better than any available alternative. Since so many of us who are postmenopausal are at risk for osteoporosis, shouldn't we be taking it? A Forteo (teriparatide) is a synthetic...

By the Way, Doctor - Why do I get gas from healthy foods?
March 1, 2003... Q The more I eat a healthy diet - one that's rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables - the more trouble I have with flatulence. Is this unusual? Any suggestions? A Flatulence (intestinal gas) is a byproduct of eating many of the...