"This blog was developed to provide medical updates that are important and have my perspective as additional insight."
Yes….good old Primatine Mist has returned…and it’s been a long time. It was pulled off the market because it contained CFC’s, the propellant that causes a hole in the ozone. Asthmanefrin is the new product takings it’s place, and it is an inhaler of epinephrine. Essentially, this is a rescue inhaler for asthmatics and although …
Read More “PRIMATENE MIST IS BACK….WITH A NEW NAME…..ASTHMANEFRIN!”
I was just watching a rerun of the new Start Trek movie and I noticed that the ‘new’ version of Mr. Spock, although thin, appears to be fatter than the original version of Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy). The reason I find this interesting as that the new Mr. Spock, taken on his own merits, does …
Type 2 diabetes is due to a relative lack of insulin effect, which is often connected to an individuals weight. We all know that being overweight is a risk for developing diabetes and that losing weight, therefore, should prevent the development of diabetes. In a large study from Sweden, recently published in the New England …
Read More “BARIATRIC SURGERY WORKS TO PREVENT DIABETES—NO SURPRISE”
A recent study of implanted defibrillator heart devices, also known as an AICD, calls into question the safety of the wires (leads) on St. Jude Medical’s Durata and Riata implanted devices. This a device meant to ‘shock’ the heart out of dangerous or life-threatening arrhythmia. (It is not a pacemaker…a much more commonly used device.) …
Travel is a wonderful escape, but distant travel can be a challenge due to time changes resulting in JET LAG. This accompanying article provides some simple instructions and resource for handling your jet lag. Having a plan for preventing this issue is worthwhile, so take the time to read more about this issue and make …
ACTOS (Pioglitizone) is a medication for Type 2 Diabetes that works by making your own insulin work more effectively in muscle, fat, and liver tissues. It is a very effective and tolerable medication, but there are some controversies. It has been available for over a decade and is now going generic. Since this medication is …
Read More “ACTOS GOES GENERIC…..WITH COMMENTS ON SIDE- EFFECTS NOTED”
The CDC just released recommendations for Hepatitis C screening for people in the US born during the above years. There is a 3% risk of such ‘hidden’ infection in the US population, and identification and management of risk and treatment is now recommended, as a one time screening test offers the posibility of identifying such …
Read More “BIRTHDAYS FROM 1945-1965 NEED HEPATITIS C SCREENING”
A new study of 100,000 patients shows a small, but significant reduction in cancer in patients who take daily aspirin. There was a 16% reduction in aspirin-takers…..mostly affecting colon and intestinal tract cancers, liver cancer, and bladder cancer. This benefit is statistically small, but fits in with the larger picture for aspirin as a beneficial …
Read More “IN THE BIG PICTURE….ASPIRIN HELPS PREVENT CANCER”
There is a fascinating article in the Sunday NY Times today about a little know doppleganger to the placebo effect….and it’s called the NOCEBO effect. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/12/opinion/sunday/beware-the-nocebo-effect.html In the placebo effect, the power of positive suggestion can make an inert medication have beneficial effects, but the contra-effect is also possible; by negative suggestion, we can see …
Read More “YOU’VE HEARD OF THE PLACEBO EFFECT…..NOW…THE NOCEBO!”
Swine flu is just ‘flu’ in pigs. It is important because it can transfer from pigs to humans….and if that occurs, there can be lots of trouble. Why? Well….if the humans then transfer that from person to person…..we have a massive epidemic. Three years ago, H1N1 influenza (a swine subtype) had an enormous outbreak, so …
Recent reports have confirmed that statin medications, like Zocor and Lipitor, do increased a person’s risk for developing diabetes over their lifetime. This is an important issue and any negatives from the medication need to be weighed against their positives. For cholesterol medications, in most instances, the benefits ‘do’ outweigh the negatives. A recent study …
Active Forever is a great resource for medical equipment and assistive devices. They are just around the corner, on Desert Cove, but they are a national company with a range of useful products on the internet. Do take a look at what they offer ACTIVEFOREVER.COM Why am I mentioning them now? Well…..just today I had …
To the rescue is a ‘spray on’ formulation of cells from neonates (young children). Using skin cells from removed foreskin of babies, researchers have developed a technique of applying these cells using a ‘spray device’. This has resulted in improved healing and more rapid healing to a significant degree. So….the latest technology of ‘spray on’ …
West Nile is having a banner year in 2012 unfortunately, with an increase in cases across the country. Most are in Texas and Oklahoma…..Arizona, fortunately has not been having a marked increase. Still….West Nile, a virus transmitted by mosquito bites, is still prevalent here in Arizona and has it’s peak occurrence in August. So….be aware …
How does getting your cataract fixed keep your hips strong? Well, it doesn’t….but it may help prevent you from falling and breaking a hip. A recent analysis in the journal JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) reviewed data on over 1 million patients and found a reduced risk of fracture among those who had …