Harvard Health Letter articles from January 2004

Harvard Health Letter archives from January 2004

Should you enroll in a clinical trial?
January 1, 2004... Volunteering for a study is a great public service, but don't forget that you're participating in an experiment. Know the risks, and ask plenty of questions. Clinical trials are the way that many of the most important questions in medicine...

Are they better than Viagra?
January 1, 2004... Two drugs for erectile dysfunction work like Viagra and carry similar risks and benefits. Their subtle differences, however, may make a difference for some men. Talk about a makeover: Viagra (sildenafil, pronounced sill-DEN-a-fill) not...

Cancer: How not to go there.
January 1, 2004... The secret to cancer prevention may be in the gym. Or in the spice rack. Let's hope researchers find it soon. The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), a leading organization in that field, held a meeting on cancer prevention in...

Dietary fat.
January 1, 2004... Things have gotten more complicated since nutrition researchers discovered that we need to pay closer attention to the type of fat we eat, not just how much. Clip and save this table to chart your way through the monos-, the polys-, the...

Six steps to help your knees.
January 1, 2004... The achy, balky knee: Everyone seems to have one at some time or another. To get some tips about how to prevent knee problems or treat them while they're mild, we spoke to Kathleen Shillue, a physical therapist and clinical manager of...

In Brief - Antibiotics: Achilles' heel of the Achilles' tendon.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Doctors prescribe quinolone antibiotics, like ciprofloxacin (Cipro), levofloxacin (Levaquin), and ofloxacin (Floxin), because they're "broad spectrum" - powerful drugs that quell many types of bacterial infections. But with power come side...

In Brief - Sweet stuff may sour your digestion.(fructose intolerance)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Most people have heard of lactose intolerance, but our increasing consumption of sweetened food and drinks may be causing another problem: fructose intolerance. Fructose is fruit sugar, but it isn't found just in fruit. It's one of the two...

By the Way, Doctor - Can blood pressure be too low?(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Q Much is made about high blood pressure, but little is said when it's really low. At what levels are systolic and diastolic readings considered too low? Are there any symptoms? What about treatments? A My patients often ask me the same...

By the Way, Doctor - Why bother with risk factors for heart disease when there are more direct tests?
January 1, 2004... Q Why do doctors try to determine if a person has heart disease by asking about smoking, high cholesterol, or family history? Why can't they just examine the heart and blood vessels directly, and get a precise answer? A The kind of heart...