Internal Medicine News articles from October 2003

Internal Medicine News archives from October 2003

Opinions split on coronary calcium; role of electron beam CT.(News)
October 1, 2003... The role of coronary calcium scores in assessing a person's risk of having asymptomatic coronary artery disease remains controversial. The reported experience using electron beam CT (EBCT) to measure the extent, of calcium deposits in...

Few patients willing to pay higher premiums for higher quality care.(Vital Signs)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Few Patients Willing to Pay Higher Premiums For Higher Quality Care Would not pay 60% Not sure 23% Would pay significantly more 16% Note: Based on a nationwide online survey of 2,357 adults conducted...

All stable coronary patients should get ACE inhibitors, regardless of risk level: EUROPA was the largest clinical trial ever conducted in patients with stable CHD. (coronary heart disease).(News)
October 1, 2003... VIENNA -- A landmark clinical trial in secondary cardiovascular prevention has shown that all patients with stable coronary heart disease, regardless of risk level, ought to receive an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor. Results of...

Medicare will cover LVRS for certain patient groups, based on NETT survival data: some critics say criteria are too narrow. (lung volume reduction surgery, National Emphysema Treatment Trial).(News)
October 1, 2003... Some emphysema patients can breathe a sigh of relief with the recent announcement that Medicare will offer limited coverage for surgery to resect diseased portions of their lungs--a procedure that has been widely debated in recent years. ...

Atrial fibrillation's impact much worse in women than in men; cardiovascular mortality.(News)
October 1, 2003... VIENNA -- Atrial fibrillation is a far more powerful risk factor for both stroke and cardiovascular death in women than in men, according to new data from the Copenhagen City Heart Study The Danish epidemiologic study is a population-based...

Supplemental Vitamin E linked to heart failure; effect appears specific to CHF. (congestive heart failure).(News)
October 1, 2003... VIENNA -- A daily vitamin E supplement can harm patients by raising their risk of heart failure, and their risk of acute heart failure exacerbations that require hospitalization. This startling finding came from the continuation phase of a...

Regular NSAID use may block heart benefits of aspirin: study of American male doctors.(News)
October 1, 2003... Adults taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for pain plus aspirin to prevent heart attacks may risk losing their heart protection. Men who took NSAIDs at least 60 days per year plus aspirin every other day had more than twice the...

Low-dose spiral CT helps detect early lung Ca in smokers: PET can clarify indeterminate lesions. (cancer).(News)
October 1, 2003... Low-dose spiral CT selectively followed up with PET can effectively detect early lung cancer in smokers, while minimizing the likelihood of false positives, Italian researchers said. The combined approach diagnosed lung cancer in 22 of...

Pain relievers.(Opinion)
October 1, 2003... "It works on humans, but we don't know about mice." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Sun safety for all ages.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2003... I congratulate Dianne E. Godar, Ph.D., and her associates on their findings ("UV Exposure Occurs Mainly During Adult Years," Aug. 1, 2003, p. 10), which I believe are accurate. But I strongly disagree with their belief that this should serve as...

Correction.('UV Exposure Occurs Mainly During Adult Years,' in August 1, 2003 issue)(Correction Notice)
October 1, 2003... In "UV Exposure Occurs Mainly During Adult Years" (Aug. 1, 2003, p. 10), Dr. Howard Cyr should have been identified as acting branch chief of the radiation biology branch at the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Devices and Radiological...

Talk back online.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Are you in compliance with the HIPAA rule on electronic health transactions? (Sept. 1, 2003, p. 5) NO 100% To Talk Back, visit www.einternalmedicinenews.com

Dress rehearsal for disaster.(Editorial)
October 1, 2003... When the lights suddenly went out in the late afternoon at Lenox Hill Hospital, a 652-bed community hospital in Manhattan's Upper East Side, nobody knew what had happened. By the time the Blackout of 2003 ended for us, more than 24 hours...

Is HIPAA helping in any way? (Health insurance Portability and Accountability Act).(Pro & Con)
October 1, 2003... [YES] One of the positive things about the Health insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is that the statute outlines a set of minimum national requirements. This makes it possible for vendors, the health care information...

OTC product beats sumatriptan for early migraine; study of 171 patients. (over the counter).(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- The first prospective trial pitting an over-the-counter product against a prescription medication gave the edge to the OTC product for early treatment of migraine headache. Results of a multicenter trial showed that...

Eletriptan beats sumatriptan for acute migraine relief in pooled, randomized double-blind trials; at both 40-mg and 80-mg dosages.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Eletriptan, at both 40-mg and 80-mg dosages, provides better relief of acute migraine than sumatriptan at 100 mg, according to a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American Headache Society. Data were pooled from...

Naratriptan may help refractory migraine; small, open-label study.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... HONOLULU -- Naratriptan appeared to be effective for treating refractory chronic migraine in a retrospective, open. label study of 27 patients, Dr. Marcelo E. Bigal reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. At...

Transdermal sumatriptan may relieve migraines; rivals injections, no side effects.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Transdermal sumatriptan provides fast, effective relief from headache pain and associated migraine symptoms, Dr. Ronald Aung-Din reported in a poster session at the annual meeting of the American Headache Society. Within 30...

Opioids can create sexual, mood problems in men; permanent damage possible.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... PHILADELPHIA -- Men with chronic nonmalignant pain who take long-acting opioids are subject to decreased sexual function and depressed mood, Dr. Harry Daniell reported at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society. "Long-acting opioids...

Extra tablets help in monitoring use of narcotic drugs; addictive disorders.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... TUCSON, ARIZ. -- When physicians must prescribe high-risk narcotic medications to patients with addictive disorders, they might wish to prescribe one or two extra tablets, Dr. Michael E. Scott reported at a psychopharmacology conference that...

Additional therapeutic strategies needed in RA; few reach remission. (rheumatoid arthritis).(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... LISBON -- Clinical experience with biologic therapies for rheumatoid arthritis mirrors improvements achieved in premarketing blinded studies, but clinical remission is still an unmet goal, according to a survey of the Danish Database for...

Two noninvasive tests can identify joint pain; Paxinos test plus a bone scan.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... SAN DIEGO -- Combined use of two tests--a bone scan and a test in which the clavicle and acromion are compressed--effectively and noninvasively screen patients for possible acromioclavicular joint pain, Dr. George Murrell reported in a poster...

Chronic joint symptoms often don't lead to medical visits; 212,510 people surveyed.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... More than 20% of adults with chronic joint symptoms have never seen a health care provider for their condition, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These patients are passing up opportunities to limit joint damage...

Adalimumab + methotrexate slows RA progression; about 60% achieve ACR 20. (rheumatoid arthritis).(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... LISBON -- Adalimumab in combination with methotrexate can be added to the list of treatments reported to inhibit the progression of structural joint damage in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis, Dr. Edward C. Keystone said at the annual...

Etanercept safe, effective for RA in 5-year study; open-label trials. (rheumatoid arthritis).(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Etanercept maintained its safety and efficacy in treating rheumatoid arthritis in as many as 2,054 patients for up to 5 years in open-label extension studies, Dr. Mark Lebwohl reported. Of the total, 1,566 patients had been on...

Search for ideal early RA regimen hits speed bumps; within 3-month window. (rheumatoid arthritis).(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... CLEVELAND -- The "hit hard and early" strategy that's most effective for patients with rheumatoid arthritis is proving difficult in the real world, Dr. E. William St. Clair said at a meeting on rheumatic diseases sponsored by the Cleveland...

First extended-cycle OC receives FDA approval; available this month. (oral contraceptive Seasonale).(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... The Food and Drug Administration has approved Seasonale, a 91-day oral contraceptive designed to reduce a woman's menstrual periods to four per year. Although women may appreciate the added convenience of having fewer periods, they should...

Hormonal contraceptives tied to a 24% decline in BV risk; injections, implants, OCs. (bacterial vaginosis, oral contraceptives).(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... ATLANTA -- The use of hormonal contraceptives was associated with a 24% reduction in risk of bacterial vaginosis in a study conducted by the Longitudinal Vaginal Flora Study Group. "The significance of our findings is that a 24% reduction...

Two-rod contraceptive implant offers quick removal; not marketed in North America.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- The two-rod levonorgestrel contraceptive implant Jadelle is almost identical to Norplant in terms of efficacy and side effects, but it's easier to remove than the six-rod device, Dr. Livia Wan said. In fact, removal of the...

Dietary guidelines put new stress on prevention; new paradigm for role of nutrients.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... ALBUQUERQUE -- In a nod to mounting evidence that good nutrition may help prevent many of the health problems associated with aging, the National Academy of Sciences and its Canadian counterpart have revamped the North American dietary...

Elderly should get required [B.sub.12] from supplements, fortified foods; concern about widespread deficiency.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... ALBUQUERQUE -- In a departure from its longstanding position that nutrients should come from food rather than pills, the National Academy of Sciences is urging older people to meet their recommended dietary allowance of vitamin [B.sub.12]...

Vitamin [B.sub.12] deficiency can escape detection; elderly at risk.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... PHILADELPHIA -- Now that flour in the United States is routinely fortified with folic acid, elderly people with a vitamin [B.sub.12] deficiency may not initially present with megaloblastic anemia, the traditional harbinger of a [B.sub.12]...

TV viewing time linked to obesity risk in women; nurses' health study.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... A woman's risk of obesity and of type 2 diabetes can be predicted based on the amount of time she spends watching television, according to a report from the Nurses' Health Study. Of over 50,000 women with a baseline body mass index under 30...

Sibutramine effective in binge eating disorder; two randomized trials.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... DENVER -- The use of sibutramine as a treatment for binge eating disorder in obese patients is now supported by two "very lovely" randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trials that have moved the appetite suppressant to the head of the list...

Night eating syndrome common but underrecognized; distinct psychopathology.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... DENVER -- Night eating syndrome may yet have its day in the sun. This common but underrecognized condition was first described by Dr. Albert J. Stunkard, professor of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, in 1955. Four...

Acetylcysteine helps prevent contrast nephropathy; adjunct to hydration.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Acetylcysteine can help prevent radio-contrast nephropathy in patients with chronic renal insufficiency, according to a metaanalysis of findings from seven randomized, controlled trials. "The reported association of contrast nephropathy...

Bevacizumab can slow metastatic kidney cancer; no rise in overall survival.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... The humanized monoclonal antibody bevacizumab led to a small but clinically, significant increase in progression-flee survival in patients with metastatic renal-cell cancer. In the randomized trial, the tumors of 39 patients on a high dose...

BPH diagnosis and management. (benign prostatic hyperplasia).(The Effective Physician)
October 1, 2003... Background Benign prostatic hyperplasia and lower urinary tract symptoms are common in men over the age of 40 years, but symptom severity and the presence of an enlarged prostate on physical examination often do not correlate. In August...

New PSA measures may refine cancer screening; assays for free and complexed PSA. (prostate-specific antigen).(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... PHILADELPHIA -- Measuring serum levels of free and complexed prostate-specific antigen may help estimate prostate cancer risk when the total prostate-specific antigen level is indeterminate. Measuring serum levels of total prostate-specific...

Alpha-linolenic acid intake tied to prostate cancer; new data on dietary factors.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Men with a high intake of alpha-linolenic acid from either animal or vegetable sources had an increased risk of metastatic prostate cancer compared with men with a lower intake, Dr. Michael Leitzmann said at the annual meeting of...

Multispecialty approach works for depression; greater adherence, half the cost.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... TORONTO -- Collaborative treatment of mental illness by psychiatrists and primary care physicians improved patient adherence, increased physician satisfaction, and cut health care costs almost in half, Dr. Wayne J. Katon reported at the annual...

Comorbid depression is challenge in diabetes Tx; two questions aid diagnosis. (treatment).(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Two simple questions can help primary care physicians identify depression in patients with diabetes, Richard R. Rubin, Ph.D., said at the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association. * Do you have...

Baseline cognition might explain racial disparity; functional decline in elderly.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Differences in baseline cognitive status may explain why elderly blacks have greater functional decline and worse health outcomes over time than elderly whites, new data suggest. But the data do not explain why black...

Prompt intervention may help slow dementia; may reduce caregiver burden.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... HONOLULU -- Early and judicious treatment of dementia may slow a patient's deterioration and delay or even eliminate the need for a nursing home, according to a presentation at the annual meeting of the American Association for Geriatric...

Advanced dementia mishandled in nursing homes; not considered terminal.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... BALTIMORE -- Patients with advanced dementia are generally not recognized as having a terminal condition and may not receive palliative care until death is perceived as imminent, Dr. Susan L. Mitchell said at the annual meeting of the American...

Antioxidants may protect women from Alzheimer's; foods, not supplements.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... ALBUQUERQUE -- Diets high in antioxidant-rich foods were associated with a lower likelihood of Alzheimer's disease in women in a study presented at the annual meeting of the International Academy of Nutrition and Aging. Heidi Wengreen,...

Older age may limit cancer treatment options; disparities in therapy, referrals.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- A patient's older age is a handicap when it comes to cancer treatment, referrals, and clinical research, researchers said at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. In a study of nearly 3,000...

Nomogram predicts disability in diabetic adults; clinical assessment tool.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Physicians can use a new one-page nomogram to easily predict the risk of physical disability in adults with diabetes mellitus, David Radosevich, Ph.D., said at the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association....

Reduced BMD in premenopausal type 1 diabetics: fracture risk. (bone mineral density).(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Premenopausal women with type 1 diabetes have lower bone mineral density than do nondiabetic women, Dr. Elsa Strotmeyer said at the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association. The finding is of concern...

Preventive care after gestational diabetes: many will develop type 2 diabetes.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... LITTLE ROCK, ARK. -- Diabetes prevention strategies should be started in all women who had gestational diabetes, Dr. Siri Kjos said at the annual meeting of the North American Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group. About 70% of women with...

Medical reference: UpToDate.(Digital Assistance)(Brief Article)(E-book Review)
October 1, 2003... Overview: UpToDate is a comprehensive, concise medical reference available for use on desktop and Pocket PC handheld computers. Facilitated search capabilities and a continually updated, evidence-based database are its most impressive features....

Topical tacrolimus ideal for facial, eyelid psoriasis; alternative to steroids.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- Topical immunomodulators such as tacrolimus and pimecrolimus may not clear thick, scaly plaque psoriasis on the trunk and limbs, but for thin plaques on the face and intertriginous areas, they are excellent therapies, said Dr. Mark...

Order up dark chocolate, purple grape juice, wine: CV effects of flavonoids. (cardiovascular).(Cardiovascular Medicine)
October 1, 2003... STANFORD, CALIF. -- Could hypertensive patients lower blood pressures by eating a dark chocolate bar each day? Might airlines prevent deep vein thromboses in passengers on long-haul fights by serving purple grape juice and a handful of M&Ms?...

Hypertension raises mortality after acute MI; in-hospital deaths. (myocardial infarction, the medical name for a heart attack).(Cardiovascular Medicine)
October 1, 2003... SAN ANTONIO -- Patients with hypertension at the time of an acute myocardial infarction had a higher death rate compared with normotensive patients, in a study of 519 patients. The effect of hypertension on prognosis was greatest in...

Metabolic syndrome: aggressive control of lipids seen as key; new treatment paradigm.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
October 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- Aggressive lipid-lowering is increasingly viewed as critical to the management of patients with the metabolic syndrome, speakers said at a symposium sponsored by the Giovanni Lorenzini Medical Foundation. Most of the relevant...

Simvastatin beneficial in metabolic syndrome: mortality down 43%.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
October 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- Simvastatin appears to benefit patients with the metabolic syndrome at least as much as--and possibly more than--it benefits other dyslipidemic individuals, Darbie Maccubbin, Ph.D., reported at a symposium sponsored by the Giovanni...

Erectile dysfunction: early warning of vascular dysfunction?(Cardiovascular Medicine)
October 1, 2003... PHILADELPHIA -- ED stands for more than erectile dysfunction. It's also short for endothelial dysfunction and early detection, Dr. Kevin L. Billups said at the annual meeting of the National Medical Association. "Erectile dysfunction may...

Radiation and heart disease.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Patients who have had mediastinal radiation therapy show a high prevalence of asymptomatic heart disease, especially aortic valve disease, years later. The prevalence increases as time passes, so that 20 years after irradiation few of these...

Penicillin may prevent stroke.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Taking penicillin appears to halve the risk of stroke in elderly hypertensive patients, according to Dr. Paul Brassard of McGill University, Montreal, and his associates. The researchers reviewed the health records of nearly 30,000 elderly...

Spare the potassium; spoil CHF. (congestive heart failure).(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... For heart failure patients, using potassium-sparing diuretics, rather than other diuretics, cuts the risk of death from, or hospitalization for, progressive heart failure and cardiovascular disease, reported Dr. Michael Domanski of the National...

Job insecurity raises MI risk. (myocardial infarction, the medical term for a heart attack).(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
October 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. ...

Guggulipid for dyslipidemia.(Alternative medicine: an evidence-based approach)
October 1, 2003... * Guggulipid is a traditional treatment in India for arthritis and obesity, and is widely used there to treat hypercholesterolemia. * The first U.S. study found no benefit for lowerinq, LDL cholesterol, but further investigations are...

Change in plasma BNP flags exercise ischemia: alternative to exercise ECG. (brain natriuretic peptide).(Cardiovascular Medicine)
October 1, 2003... PHILADELPHIA -- An increased plasma level of brain natriuretic peptide was a marker of coronary ischemia during exercise stress in a series of 52 patients. In this preliminary series, elevated plasma levels of NT-proBNP (the N-terminal...

Nighttime dose advised for new diltiazem formulation; boosts a.m. cardiac event protection.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Bedtime dosing of the graded-release formulation of diltiazem offers extra protection to angina patients in the morning hours, when coronary event rates peak, Dr. Stephen P. Glasser said at the annual meeting of the American College...

Sirolimus-eluting stents prove cost effective; mixed blessing.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
October 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Drug-eluting stents are often cost effective, are probably cost saving, and are likely to have a marked effect on the economics of treating coronary heart disease. The sirolimus-eluting stent proved its effectiveness for markedly...

PCI displacing CABG in Washington state; 128% rise in PCI rate for 1987-2001. (percutaneous coronary interventions, coronary artery bypass graft).(Cardiovascular Medicine)
October 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Coronary artery bypass surgery is dying in the United States and is being replaced by percutaneous coronary interventions, according to data collected in Washington state. "Many people sensed that this was happening, but these...

Heart disease biomarker test.(Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The PLAC Test has received Food and Drug Administration marketing clearance. The test measures the level of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase [A.sub.2]--an enzyme identified as a risk factor for coronary heart disease. When combined with...

Disinfecting wipes.(Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... WetTask wipes can be used to disinfect and sanitize surfaces. A plastic dispenser is available for use with the wipes and disinfectant solution. For more information, contact Kimberly-Clark Corp., 888-346-4652, www.kcprofessional.com.

DNA colorectal cancer test.(Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The PreGen-Plus colorectal cancer screening test identifies the presence of altered or mutated DNA that is shed by malignant and premalignant colon tumors into the patient's stool. For more information, contact Exact Sciences Corporation,...

Integrilin approved.(Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Integrilin (eptifibatide) 20 mg/10 mL and 75 mg/100 mL injection is approved for acute coronary symptoms and percutaneous coronary intervention. For more information, contact Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc., www.millennium.com, 617-679-7000.

Asimia for depression.(Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Asimia (paroxetine mesylate) is approved for the treatment of depression, obsessive/ compulsive disorder, and panic disorder in 10-, 20-, 30-, and 40-mg tablets. For more information, contact Synthon Pharmaceuticals Ltd., 919-493-6006, FAX...

Antimicrobial hand wipes.(Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Sani-Dex antimicrobial hand wipes contain 65.9% ethyl alcohol by volume. The wipes are formulated to comply with federal guidelines for hand hygiene in health care settings. For more information, contact Professional Disposables International,...

Keppra oral solution.(Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Keppra (levetiracetam) oral solution (100 mg/mL) is approved as an adjunctive therapy in the treatment of partial onset seizures in adults with epilepsy. For more information, contact UCB Pharma Inc., 800-477-7877 (option 9), www.keppra.com.

Anakinra indication.(Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Anakinra (kineret) is approved for reducing the signs and symptoms of and slowing the progression of structural damage in moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis in patients 18 years of age or older who have failed one or more...

Premarin for osteoporosis.(Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Premarin (conjugated estrogens) tablets are approved for the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis. The tablets are available in 0.3-mg and 0.45-mg dosage strengths. For more information, contact Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, 800-934-5556,...

Safety capillary samplers.(Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... A new line of plastic capillary samplers, safeCLINITUBES, reduces the risk of breakage. The samplers are also coated with electrolyte-balanced heparin to ensure accurate testing. Contact Radiometer America Inc., 800-736-0600 ext. 333,...

Medical examination lights.(Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The MedicaLights are a series of mobile examination lights designed for physicians. The lights have weighted caster bases, plug-in transformers, and vented shades. A blue filter option is available. For more information, contact Sunnex Inc.,...

Patient guide to health literacy.(Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The DrPEN Patient Guides are a series of publications designed for physicians to give to patients to provide more information about specific conditions. The books are pocket sized and cover a range of conditions, such as depression and epilepsy...

New doses of Climara approved.(Products )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Climara (estradiol transdermal system) patches are approved in 0.0375 mg and 0.06 mg doses for the relief of symptoms following a hysterectomy or during menopause. For more information, contact Berlex Laboratories Inc., 888-237-5394 (press...

Patient medication guide.(FYI)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... "Your Medicine: Play It Safe" is a brochure geared to helping patients avoid medication errors. The 12-page guide is available in English and Spanish from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the National Council on Patient...

Chat room for Alzheimer's.(FYI)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Alzinfo.org offers a Web-based chat room for medical professionals, caregivers, and patients to discuss practical and emotional issues and share experiences related to Alzheimer's disease. It also features regularly scheduled chats and special...

Facts about radioactive iodine.(FYI)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... New publications about radioactive iodine (I-131) from fallout are available from the National Cancer Institute. The materials address concerns of Americans who were exposed to I-131 from above-ground nuclear testing in the 1950s and 1960s and...

Cancer research guide.(FYI)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Cancer Research: A Guide to Clinical Trials is an online service aimed at educating cancer patients and caregivers. It educates users through a step-by-step interactive curriculum. It is available from the Coalition of National Cancer...

Ca trial seeks participants. (breast cancer).(FYI)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project has launched a phase III clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of anastrozole (Arimidex) compared with tamoxifen (Nolvadex) with radiation therapy in preventing the recurrence of...