Internal Medicine News articles from February 2006

Internal Medicine News archives from February 2006

Ultrasound quells fibroid symptoms.(News)
February 1, 2006... CHICAGO -- The first noninvasive therapy for the treatment of uterine fibroids provides symptom relief for 1 year and beyond without serious side effects, according to a clinical trial of magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery...

Rise in national health expenditures slows.(VITAL SIGNS)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Rise in National Health Expenditures Slows Source: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

PPIs, surgery are equally effective for reflux disease: most surgical patients will still need PPIs.(News)(Proton pump inhibitors)
February 1, 2006... Proton pump inhibitors are as effective as surgery for the treatment of most patients with uncomplicated gastroesophageal reflux disease, according to a new report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, Md. The...

Oregon experience sheds light on end-of-life care.(News)
February 1, 2006... SANTA ANA PUEBLO, N.M. -- The key factor motivating the terminally ill to seek assisted suicide under Oregon's Death with Dignity Act--a sense of control--should prompt a rethinking of end-of-life care, Dr. Linda Ganzini said at the annual...

CDC updates guidelines on prevention of tuberculosis in health care settings.(News)(The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
February 1, 2006... The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention closed out 2005 by updating its 1994 guidelines for preventing Mycobacterium tuberculosis in health care settings. The exhaustive guidelines were updated in an effort to respond to "shifts in...

Laparoscopic fundoplication for GERD offers lasting benefits.(News)(gastroesophageal reflux disease)(laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication)
February 1, 2006... COPENHAGEN -- The long-term efficacy and durability of laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication for refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease was similar to that of conventional surgery during 5 years of follow-up in 148 patients. "Laparoscopic...

Lung transplant recipients benefit from GERD surgery.(News)(laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication)(gastroesophageal reflux)
February 1, 2006... NEW YORK -- Surgeons at Columbia University in New York are performing laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication in many lung transplant recipients who show evidence of significant gastroesophageal reflux and chronic rejection, Dr. Joshua R. Sonett...

Uterine artery embolization effective with adenomyosis.(News)(annual meeting of the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe)(Uterine artery embolization )
February 1, 2006... NICE, FRANCE -- Uterine artery embolization should not be withheld from women with adenomyosis, according to investigators who conducted a prospective, multicenter study in 42 symptomatic patients. At a median clinical follow-up of 17...

Laparoscopic myomectomy was safe for infertility.(News)(international congress of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- Laparoscopic myomectomy for large intramural myomas is a safe and useful treatment in select women with infertility problems, Dr. Mineto Morita reported in a poster session at an international congress of the Society of...

NYC diabetes registry raises privacy concerns: city health department to collect lab data and send letters to diabetic patients and their physicians.(News)
February 1, 2006... A diabetes monitoring program that started in January in New York City is drawing praise--but is also raising questions about confidentiality. Under the program, clinical laboratories now send the results of all hemoglobin [A.sub.1c] tests...

Modest weight loss improved insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes.(News)
February 1, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO -- A relatively modest amount of weight loss can normalize fasting plasma glucose and greatly improve insulin sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes, according to a study reported by Dr. Gerald I. Shulman at the Third World...

A dwindling medical workforce.(GUEST EDITORIAL)
February 1, 2006... America is facing a major shortage of nurses and doctors, with no real solution in sight. For more than a half a century, we have depended on the foreign health professionals to satisfy our domestic requirements. U.S. medical and nursing...

Should physicians encourage pill splitting as a way to help patients save money?(PRO & CON)
February 1, 2006... YES In a perfect world, patients would be able to get the medications they need at prices they can afford. Of course, our world of health care is not perfect. For the millions who are uninsured or have difficulty paying for their...

Is the FDA neglecting patient safety?(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2006... I was prompted to write after reading Dr. Lazar J. Greenfield's comments about problems that don't seem to be addressed as they should be by the Food and Drug Administration ("Truth Decay at the FDA," Guest Editorial, Dec. 1, 2005, p. 12). ...

Connecting the musical docs.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2006... I was surprised to see the recent article on music, since I had just returned from playing in the 30th year of the Chicago "Do-It-Yourself Messiah" concerts ("Physicians of Notes Share Their Love of Music," The Rest of Your Life, Dec. 15, 2005,...

Actinic keratosis therapy boosts immune responses.(Dermatology)
February 1, 2006... LAS VEGAS -- New data based on the use of confocal microscopy confirm that treating actinic keratoses with imiquimod stimulates immune activation, Dr. Roger I. Ceilley said at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference. Dr. Ceilley described...

History can reveal cause of neuropathic pruritus: although notoriously difficult to treat, neuropathic pruritis sometimes responds to certain medications.(Dermatology)
February 1, 2006... SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. -- When a patient comes to you with neuropathic pruritus, the most important thing to do is listen, not just look. If you see anything on the skin at all, it will be a vague, after-the-fact sign such as erythema or...

Chronic itch: research on mechanisms leads to novel therapies.(Dermatology)
February 1, 2006... SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. -- The "itch-scratch" cycle is the dermatologic equivalent of chronic pain syndrome, and should be treated as such, Dr. Timothy Berger said at the annual meeting of the California Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic...

Chronic wounds usually don't need antibiotics.(Dermatology)(annual meeting of the Pacific Dermatologic Association)
February 1, 2006... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- If physicians had a better understanding of the bacteriology of chronic wounds, they would stop overprescribing antibiotics for this indication--a strategy that rarely works and contributes to antibiotic resistance. ...

New hydrating topical product speeds healing of wounds.(Dermatology)(annual meeting of the Florida Society of Dermatologic Surgeons)
February 1, 2006... ORLANDO -- A new wound dressing emulsion speeds healing without the sensitivity issues of a topical antibiotic and is expected on the U.S. market soon, according to a presentation by Dr. Susan H. Weinkle at the annual meeting of the Florida...

Vascular parkinsonism displays array of traits.(Neurology)(Fourth International Congress on Vascular Dementia)(vascular parkinsonism )
February 1, 2006... PORTO, PORTUGAL -- Vascular parkinsonism displays a range of noncognitive symptoms, which explains why its diagnosis can depend on the bias of the specialist doing the evaluation, said Dr. Joseph Ghika at the Fourth International Congress on...

Impulsive behavior found to be common in Parkinson's disease.(Neurology)
February 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- Obsessive or impulsive reward-based behavior was reported by nearly 6 in 10 patients with Parkinson's disease who answered an anonymous survey, adding to the suspicion that dopaminergic medications may influence impulse control....

Hallucinations not benign in Parkinson's.(Neurology)
February 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- So-called benign hallucinations associated with dopaminergic treatment for Parkinson's disease rarely remain "benign," calling into question the accuracy of the term. Researchers at Rush University in Chicago studied the...

Atypical Parkinson's disease takes heaviest toll on patients.(Neurology)(annual meeting of the American Neurological Association)
February 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- Atypical Parkinson's disease took the most profound toll on patients' ability to carry out essential daily activities among six chronic neurologic disorders evaluated in a study of disability and quality of life. Dr. Lisa M....

High-dose triptan advocated for acute migraine: 'we want to get treatment right the first time' so lack of efficacy doesn't make patients skeptical.(Neurology)
February 1, 2006... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- When it comes to triptan use in treatment of acute migraine, consider the maxim: Go big or stay home. A high dose of a given triptan may be associated with an elevated risk for side effects, but it also is more likely...

Updates to MS diagnostic criteria will rely more on MRI.(Neurology)
February 1, 2006... Changes to the international criteria for multiple sclerosis should speed up the diagnostic process without sacrificing accuracy, researchers say. The updates to the McDonald Criteria maintain the diagnostic hallmarks of disease...

Who should get long-term venous prophylaxis? With treatments available, the risk factors for pulmonary embolism recurrence need to be studied.(Hematology)(annual meeting of Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe)
February 1, 2006... NICE, FRANCE -- Now that safe and effective thrombolytic agents are available for short-term treatment of venous disease, Dr. Patrick Mismetti has two questions he would like to see answered. The first is how long to treat venous disease in...

Thromboprophylaxis may be unnecessary in leg fractures.(Hematology)
February 1, 2006... ATLANTA -- Thromboprophylaxis is used routinely in patients with isolated leg fractures, but findings from a large prospective cohort study suggest this practice is not warranted, Dr. Rita Selby reported at the annual meeting of the American...

Peptide signals pulmonary HT in patients with sickle cell.(Hematology)(hypertension)
February 1, 2006... ATLANTA -- Brain natriuretic peptide is a marker for pulmonary hypertension in patients with sickle cell disease, and abnormally high levels of the peptide are a clear predictor of mortality, Dr. Roberto Machado reported at the annual meeting...

New combo therapies aid older cancer patients: two studies show promise of radiation and antibody regimens in hematologic malignancies.(Hematology)(treatment of hematologic malignancies)
February 1, 2006... ATLANTA -- Innovative radiation and antibody therapy combinations are providing hope for better-tolerated treatments and improved survival in some older patients with hematologic malignancies, according to data from two separate studies...

Reduced-dose therapy is promising in Hodgkin's disease, study finds.(Hematology)
February 1, 2006... DENVER -- Dosing of combined chemo- and radiotherapy can be reduced to levels well below those considered standard with no significant loss of effectiveness in patients with early-stage Hodgkin's disease, according to the interim analysis of a...

Lenalidomide is effective in relapsed multiple myeloma.(Hematology)
February 1, 2006... ATLANTA -- Patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma have a new, more effective treatment option that some experts believe will also prove effective in previously untreated patients. In a randomized, placebo-controlled, phase...

U.S. activity levels stagnant.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(research of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Most U.S. adults did not engage in the minimum recommended level of physical activity in 2003, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Results from the nationwide Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)...

Limit snacking to aid weight loss.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Limiting the variety of snack foods consumed to a subject's favorite snack may decrease the craving for that food, according to a study by Hollie A. Raynor, Ph.D., and her colleagues at Brown University, Providence, R.I. Thirty overweight...

Growth in bariatric surgery.(obesity)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... The recent growth of bariatric surgery in the United States appears highly correlated with the development of laparoscopic bariatric surgery, reported Dr. Ninh T. Nguyen and colleagues at the University of California, Irvine. From 1998...

Fitness, fatness both key in metabolic syndrome.(cohort study)
February 1, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO -- Prospective longitudinal studies of a large cohort suggest that a patient's fitness level is at least as important as obesity in the development of metabolic syndrome and in all-cause mortality, Steven N. Blair reported at the...

Study exonerates high-carb diets as weight-gain cause in older women.(low fat diet reduces obesity)
February 1, 2006... Diets that are low in fat and high in carbohydrates from vegetables, fruits, and whole grains do not cause weight gain in postmenopausal women, reported Barbara V. Howard, Ph.D., and her associates in the Women's Health Initiative Dietary...

Physicians reluctant to diagnose weight woes.(start weight watchers class)
February 1, 2006... QUEBEC CITY -- Society may be willing to label anyone who's not rail thin as being overweight, but a new study suggests that physicians are loath to use such labels, even for the obese. Researchers randomly identified 486 obese or...

Adherence not better with weekly bisphosphonates.(for osteoporosis)
February 1, 2006... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Women with postmenopausal osteoporosis are no more likely to adhere to bisphosphonate therapy with weekly dosing than with daily dosing, according to data presented in a poster at the annual meeting of the American Society...

Don't stop bisphosphonates if benefit not apparent at first.
February 1, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO -- If the first bone density reading after starting bisphosphonate therapy shows bone loss, don't stop or alter therapy, Dr. Steven R. Cummings advised at a meeting on osteoporosis sponsored by the University of California, San...

Steroid-induced osteoporosis: alendronate bests alfacalcidol.(Endocrinology)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... VIENNA -- Alendronate is markedly more effective than 1-hydroxyvitamin [D.sub.3] (alfacalcidol) as prophylaxis against glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, Dr. Johannes W.J. Bijlsma said at the annual European Congress of Rheumatology. He...

Reduced bone mineralization seen in idiopathic osteoporosis.(Endocrinology)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Women with idiopathic osteoporosis appear to have a low mineralization in trabecular bone, which suggests that alterations in the mineralization processes could be responsible for bone fragility, Dr. Jochen G. Hofstatter reported at the annual...

Lifetime physical activity key for lowering breast cancer risk.(Women's Health)
February 1, 2006... SAN ANTONIO -- The three most practical public health-type lifestyle interventions at present for reducing breast cancer risk are to encourage breast-feeding, get young girls started exercising regularly to lay the groundwork for a lifelong...

Many at-risk women decline to use tamoxifen.(Women's Health)
February 1, 2006... SAN ANTONIO -- Lifestyle approaches to breast cancer risk reduction have assumed considerable importance for the many women who have decided against using tamoxifen for chemoprevention, according to Leslie Bernstein, Ph.D., professor of...

Urine test promising for assessing breast cancer risk.(Women's Health)
February 1, 2006... SAN ANTONIO -- A simple urine test for selected matrix metalloproteinases may provide a novel noninvasive means of assessing a woman's risk of developing breast cancer, Dr. Susan E. Pories reported at a breast cancer symposium sponsored by the...

Target pregnant women for exercise pep talks.(Women's Health)
February 1, 2006... Pregnant women perform fewer intense physical activities, with less duration and frequency than nonpregnant women, and only 16% of pregnant women and 27% of nonpregnant women meet physical activity recommendations, said Ann M. Petersen, Ph.D.,...

Certain pregnancy complications may portend future strokes.(Women's Health)
February 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- Some pregnancy complications appear to be strongly associated with stroke later in life, offering a golden opportunity for early education and prevention efforts, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American...

GERD common in pregnancy, yet often remains undertreated.(Women's Health)
February 1, 2006... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Gastroesophageal reflux disease may be significantly underreported and undertreated in pregnant women, according to a poster presented at the annual meeting of the Central Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. ...

Earplugs are essential at all types of concerts.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2006... LOS ANGELES -- It doesn't matter if your patients are heading to a concert by Barry Manilow or Metallica, they should be advised to wear earplugs. A prospective study found a high incidence of spontaneous hearing threshold shifts in...

Elderly patients often benefit from cochlear implantation.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Patient age has little effect on postoperative outcomes for recipients of cochlear implants, reported Janice Leung and her associates at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore. Among 749 patients with profound hearing loss, the 258 who were...

Melatonin for cancer.(benefits of melatonin)
February 1, 2006... The indolamine hormone melatonin, secreted by the pineal gland, is widely acknowledged for its effects on sleep and circadian rhythm, and is used by many people as a sleep aid and to prevent jet lag. Less widely known are its antiproliferative,...

Sublingual immunotherapy earns some respect.(allergies)
February 1, 2006... ANAHEIM, CALIF. -- Sublingual immunotherapy, widely used for allergy control and prevention in Europe and South America, is starting to draw the attention of mainstream allergists in the United States, Dr. Jay M. Portnoy said at the annual...

Thermometers recalled for overheating.(services)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Omron Healthcare is voluntarily recalling certain three-way instant thermometers because of a potential problem that can cause the thermometer tip to overheat. The recall applies to model numbers MC-600 and MC-600CAN. The recall was...

Robotic surgery brings high precision, high cost.(cardiothoracic diseases)
February 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- When precision matters, robotic surgery offers visual features that are "unparalleled by any other laparoscopic or open operation," Dr. William E. Kelley Jr. said at an international congress of the Society of Laparoendoscopic...

Test identifies flu A or B.(identification of avian influenza)
February 1, 2006... The BD Directigen Flu A + B test kit differentiates flu A from flu B in two steps. In addition, analytical studies have demonstrated that the kit can detect avian influenza (H5N1) isolates and the A/California/07/2004 strain. For more...

Preoperative skin prep available.
February 1, 2006... The ChloraPrep 26-mL preoperative skin prep with Scrub Teal tint contains the amount of chlorhexidine gluconate preferred by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For more information, contact Medi-Flex Inc. by visiting...

Lab coats inhibit microbial spread.
February 1, 2006... The Doc's Duds line of lab coats is manufactured with yarn treated with a silver ceramic additive, which inhibits the spread of bacterial and fungal nosocomial infections. Three lab coat designs and colors are available for women (sizes 4-18)....

HIV therapy more convenient.
February 1, 2006... The HIV protease inhibitor Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir) is approved in a new tablet formulation. The new formulation reduces the number of pills per day from six to four. The tablets may be taken with or without food and do not require...

Generic Ribavirin for hepatitis C.(PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2006... Generic Ribavirin (tablets), used in combination with peginterferon alfa-2a, has been approved for the treatment of adults with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. To obtain more information, contact Teva Pharmaceuticals USA by visiting...

Auto-adjusting system for OSA.(PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2006... The BiPAP Auto is an auto-adjusting bilevel positive airway pressure sleep system for adults with obstructive sleep apnea. For more information, contact Respironics Inc. by visiting http://bipap.respironics.com or by calling 800-345-6443.

Venlafaxine for panic disorder.(PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2006... Effexor XR (venlafaxine HCI) is indicated for the treatment of adults with long- and short-term panic disorder. For more information, contact Wyeth by visiting www.effexorxr.com or by calling 800-934-5556.

Implant treats spinal stenosis.(PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2006... The X STOP Interspinous Process Decompression System is approved for alleviation of the symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis. The device can be implanted under local anesthesia in less than an hour. The procedure is completely reversible. For...

Hyaluron Tx changes name.(PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2006... The highly purified hyaluronan therapy, formerly called Nuflexxa, will now be known as Euflexxa. The non-avian-derived hyaluronic acid is indicated for a three-injection regimen for patients who have failed to respond adequately to conservative...

Pap test identifies breast disease.(PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2006... The Halo Breast Pap Test System is a noninvasive test to detect abnormal breast cells and to identify breast disease earlier than with mammography or self-examination. The test cytologically assesses breast duct fluid or nipple aspirate fluid....

Soltamox for breast cancer.(PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2006... Soltamox (tamoxifen citrate) oral solution 10 mg/5 mL is indicated for metastatic breast cancer, adjuvant treatment of breast cancer, ductal carcinoma in situ, and the reduction of breast cancer incidence in high-risk women. For more...

Updated label for ParaGard IUD.(PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2006... The label for ParaGard T 380A intrauterine copper contraceptive includes new prescribing information. Nulliparity or a history of sexually transmitted diseases is no longer a contraindication. For more information, contact FEI Women's Health by...

Rosiglitazone associated with macular edema.(Rx)
February 1, 2006... The Food and Drug Administration and GlaxoSmithKline are notifying physicians of the possibility of new onset or worsening diabetic macular edema associated with drugs containing rosiglitazone. In a "Dear Health Care Provider" letter posted...

FDA recalls lot of injectable Methotrexate.(Rx)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... The Food and Drug Administration's MedWatch program has announced a voluntary recall of one lot of Methotrexate for Injection (preservative free) due to the presence of low levels of ethylene glycol. Bedford Laboratories, a division of Ben...

Migraine prophylaxis.(DRUG UPDATE)(Treatment of migraine prophylaxis)
February 1, 2006... Headache experts generally recommend that prophylactic treatment of migraines be offered to those patients reporting 4-5 migraine days per month with normal functioning, 3 migraine days per month with some impairment, or 2 migraine days per...

Derm drug interactions: top ten to watch for.(Rx)
February 1, 2006... NEW YORK -- Systemic drugs used used to treat skin conditions can interact in myriad ways, with results ranging from rashes to death, but some commonly held assumptions about drug interactions are either untrue or controversial. At a...

New fumaric acid for psoriasis is better tolerated.(Rx)
February 1, 2006... LONDON -- A new formulation of fumaric acid has demonstrated "quite impressive" results in a phase III study of patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, Thomas A. Luger, M.D., said at the 14th Congress of the European Academy of...

HIV-positive patients should not use alefacept.(Rx)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... The use of alefacept (Amevive) is contraindicated in patients who are HIV positive, according to a "Dear Doctor" letter issued by its manufacturer. Alefacept is used in treating moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis. The letter,...

High-dose statins standard for coronary disease.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
February 1, 2006... DALLAS -- Aggressive statin therapy is now the standard of care for patients with established coronary heart disease, even though the results from the most recent major study of a high-dose statin regimen failed to show a statistically...

Statins don't affect risk of cancer, metaanalysis finds.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
February 1, 2006... Statins neither raise nor lower the risk of cancer or cancer mortality, according to a metaanalysis of 26 randomized clinical trials. Several retrospective studies have suggested that statins reduce the risk of developing cancer by as much...

Fiber intake may influence C-reactive protein level in higher-risk patients.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(North American Primary Care Research Group annual meeting)
February 1, 2006... QUEBEC CITY -- Increasing dietary fiber intake might be warranted in patients with diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, Dr. Dana King said at the North American Primary Care Research Group annual meeting. Dr. King presented a study in which...

Bone marrow cells boost left ventricular function post MI.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(myocardial infarction)
February 1, 2006... DALLAS -- Infusion of bone marrow progenitor cells into a coronary artery after a myocardial infarction led to significantly improved left ventricular function in a controlled study with almost 200 patients. "This is the first large,...

L-arginine given after MI may elevate mortality.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(Myocardial Infarction)
February 1, 2006... The addition of L-arginine to standard post-MI therapy does not decrease vascular stiffness or improve ejection fraction and may be related to an increase in postinfarction mortality, according to the results of the Vascular Interaction With...

Brief questionnaire detects anxiety after myocardial infarction.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(Brief Symptom Inventory)
February 1, 2006... DALLAS -- A quick, six-question survey can diagnose anxiety in patients who've had a myocardial infarction and identify those who need treatment with an anxiolytic. "The Brief Symptom Inventory [BSI] is performed similarly to the State...

Management of peripheral arterial disease.(THE EFFECTIVE PHYSICIAN)
February 1, 2006... Background Diseases of arteries outside the coronary circulation contribute to significant morbidity and mortality in adults. The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association recently released guidelines for the management of...

Fibrinogen and coronary disease tied to PVD risk.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(Peripheral vascular diseases)
February 1, 2006... Coronary artery disease and elevated serum fibrinogen were stronger predictors of peripheral vascular disease in subjects younger than 60 years than in older subjects, according to a study based on data from the National Health and Nutrition...

PAD deaths reduced with statins, aspirin, beta-blockers.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(peripheral artery diseases)
February 1, 2006... DALLAS -- Treatment with each of four drug classes--statins, [beta]-blockers, aspirin, and ACE inhibitors--was associated with significant cuts in mortality in patients with peripheral artery disease during an average follow-up of 8 years, Dr....

Pharmacy service helps PAD patients attain lipid control.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(peripheral arterial disease)
February 1, 2006... Patients with peripheral arterial disease often are undertreated with regard to atherosclerotic risk factor modification. Such patients can benefit from the use of a clinical pharmacy service in conjunction with physician recommendations for...

Tooth loss linked to CHD.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Coronary heart disease)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Loss of permanent teeth may raise the risk for coronary heart disease, and the risk could increase as the extent of tooth loss worsens, reported Catherine A. Okoro and her associates at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta....

Diesel fumes harm vascular function.
February 1, 2006... Inhaling diesel exhaust impairs two complementary aspects of vascular function: the regulation of vascular tone and the performance of endogenous fibrinolysis. This may be the mechanism by which air pollution exerts its well-known adverse...