Many Primary Care Docs Don't Know Long-Term Effects of Chemo: Survey

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Advanced Prostate Cancer Drug May Help at Earlier Stage

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Experimental Drug Helps Fight Some Childhood Cancers, Study Finds

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Mary Kennedy's Death Attributed to Hanging

Breast Cancer Vaccine Promising More Health HeadlinesFDA Approves Home HIV Test KitSkin Cancer Prevention Tips: How to Spot the...The Pliosaurs' Modern MaladyOlympics Link Air Pollution, Heart AttacksMan Escapes Water ... Then DrownsIn The NewsArthritisAllergiesDr. Richard BesserCold & Flu Home> HealthMary Richardson Kennedy's Death Attributed to HangingBy RICHARD ESPOSITO and CARRIE GANN (

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TB patient charged in Calif for not taking meds

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Antibiotic linked with rare but deadly heart risk

An antibiotic widely used for bronchitis and other common infections seems to increase chances for sudden deadly heart problems, a rare but surprising risk found in a 14-year study.

Zithromax, or azithromycin, is more expensive than other antibiotics, but it's popular because it often can be taken for fewer days. But the results suggest doctors should prescribe other options for people already prone to heart problems, the researchers and other experts said.

Vanderbilt University researchers analyzed health records and data on millions of prescriptions for several antibiotics given to about 540,000 Tennessee Medicaid patients from 1992 to 2006. There were 29 heart-related deaths among those who took Zithromax during five days of treatment. Their risk of death while taking the drug was more than double that of patients on another antibiotic, amoxicillin, or those who took none.

To compare risks, the researchers calculated that the number of deaths per 1 million courses of antibiotics would be about 85 among Zithromax patients versus 32 among amoxicillin patients and 30 among those on no antibiotics. The highest risks were in Zithromax patients with existing heart problems.

Patients in each group started out with comparable risks for heart trouble, the researchers said.

The results suggest there would be 47 extra heart-related deaths per 1 million courses of treatment with Zithromax, compared with amoxicillin. A usual treatment course for Zithromax is about five days, versus about 10 days for amoxicillin and other antibiotics. Zithromax is at least twice as expensive as generic amoxicillin; online prescription drug sellers charge a few dollars per pill for Zithromax.

"People need to recognize that the overall risk is low," said Dr. Harlan Krumholz, a Yale University health outcomes specialist who was not involved in the study. More research is needed to confirm the findings, but still, he said patients with heart disease "should probably be steered away" from Zithromax for now.

The study appears in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute helped pay for the research.

Zithromax, marketed by Pfizer Inc., has been available in the United States for two decades. It's often used to treat bronchitis, sinus infections and pneumonia. Wayne Ray, a Vanderbilt professor of medicine, decided to study the drug's risks because of evidence linking it with potential heart rhythm problems. Also, antibiotics in the same class as Zithromax have been linked with sudden cardiac death.

Zithromax is among top-selling antibiotics. U.S. sales last year totaled $464 million, according to IMS Health, a health care information and services company.

Pfizer issued a statement saying it would thoroughly review the study. "Patient safety is of the utmost importance to Pfizer and we continuously monitor the safety and efficacy of our products to ensure that the benefits and risks are accurately described," the company said.

Patients studied were age 50 on average and not hospitalized. Most had common ailments, including sinus infections and bronchitis. Those on Zithromax were about as healthy as those on other antibiotics, making it unlikely that an underlying condition might explain the increased death risk.

Medicaid patients generally have more disability and lower incomes than other patients, so whether the same results would be found in the general population is uncertain, Ray said.

Dr. Bruce Psaty, a professor of medicine at the University of Washington, said doctors and patients need to know about the potential risks. He said the results also raise concerns about long-term use of Zithromax, which other research suggests could benefit people with severe lung disease. Additional research is needed to determine if that kind of use could be dangerous, he said.

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AP Medical Writer Lindsey tanner can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/LindseyTanner

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Coffee buzz: Study finds java drinkers live longer

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Common antibiotic boosts death risk: study

"A popular antibiotic used for treating bronchitis, pneumonia, ear infections and sexually transmitted diseases may boost the risk of death, a US study said Wednesday. (AFP Photo/Philippe Huguen)" title

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Minorities overtake whites in US births

White births in the United States …

For the first time ever, white births in the United States are no longer in the majority, according to US Census Bureau estimates Thursday that underscored the growth of the Hispanic population.

Hispanics, blacks, Asians, indigenous peoples and those of mixed ethnicity or race accounted for 50.4 percent of births in the 12 months to July 2011, the federal agency said in a statement.

That compares to 49.5 percent from the last national census taken in April 2010.

Leading the trend were Hispanics, or those of Latin American or Spanish origin, who remained the biggest (52 million) and fastest-growing (up 3.1 percent from 2010) of all groups.

"This boosted the Hispanic share of the nation's total population (of 311,592,000) to 16.7 percent in 2011, up from 16.3 percent in 2010," the Census Bureau reported.

"This is a sign that the future is here," Vanessa Cardenas, director of the Progress 2050 program at the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank in Washington, told AFP.

"It adds urgency to the fact that we need investment in communities that are growing the most," especially investment in education, she said.

Whites still made up the largest single share of the total births, at 49.6 percent. They also constituted a majority of the overall population of the United States at 63.4 percent.

But as the Census Bureau projected in 2008, they will no longer be in the majority by 2042.

William Frey of the Brookings Institution think tank told the New York Times the estimates reflected a "transformation from a mostly white baby boomer culture to the more globalized multi-ethnic country that we are becoming."

At the Pew Hispanic Center, demographer Jeffrey Passel noted that Hispanics in the United States are "squarely within their peak fertility" with a population median age of 27.

In the period between 2000 and 2010, he told the New York Times, more Hispanic births were recorded in the United States than Hispanics immigrants arriving in the country.

In absolute numbers, the Census Bureau put the national Hispanic population at 52 million, followed by African Americans at 43.9 million and Asians -- the second fastest growing minority group -- at 18.2 million.

California had the largest Asian population of any state at 5.8 million, and Los Angeles the largest Asian population of any county at 1.6 million. American Indians and Alaskans accounted for 6.3 million nationwide.

The Census Bureau also reported "a small uptick" in the nation's median age to 37.3, and estimated the size of the current over-65 population at 41.4 million, including 5.7 million aged 85 or older.

At the other end of the population spectrum, the number of children under 18 slipped fractionally since April 2010 to 74 million "largely because of the decline of high school age children 14 to 17," the agency said.

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'Good' cholesterol doctrine may be flawed: study

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Anti Aging Laser Treatments

May 17, 2012 by admin

This leads to a healthier skin for many of us. Since 1990, there have been major advances in this technology which means that today we have more than one way of doing anti-aging laser treatments. You can be specific while taking these treatments; you can choose whether you want to remove deep wrinkles or superficial defects like spider veins or age spots.

The Different Types Of Laser Treatment

Anti-aging laser treatments can be anything from one that is done in your lunch hour which allows you to join work immediately to those that require weeks of recuperation. For early signs of aging like fine lines, mostly non-ablative laser treatments are recommended and they require very little to no recuperation time.

One the other hand, ablative laser resurfacing can create visible wound as they remove the upper level of the skin. It takes about four weeks to two weeks for the new skin to develop in its place and for the redness and swelling to disappear.

That is why it is done only on skin that have been severely sun damaged or which is immune to normal anti-aging treatments. According to American Academy of Dermatology, you can also try the newest fractional ablative devices for the same purpose; since they are less invading, faster healing is possible when you undergo this treatment.

The Procedure

Depending on what kind of laser is being used, the anti-aging laser treatments differ. At the start of the procedure, targeted area will be cleaned and a topical anesthesia will be used on it. While the procedure is running, you will have to wear protective glasses as the laser beams can harm your eyes. Your dermatologist will be using hand-held laser devices above the skin and for most patients it feels like rubber bands are being snapped on their skin!

As the procedure ends, you may feel some temporary redness, pain, blistering, bruising and crusting. To reduce the discomfort and swelling, ice pack will be applied on your face and you may be counseled on a specific post-operative skin care. If you are undergoing a less invasive laser treatment, you will need around three to six sittings to achieve necessary result.

Effectiveness Of Laser Treatments

Don’t expect the result you have with a face lift from a laser skin resurfacing treatment; but it will safely and effectively improve your aged skin’s appearance. To make the result stay long, avoid sun after the treatment. With lesser invasive treatments, don’t expect instantaneous results. As Jeffrey S. Dover, M.D. who works as associate clinical professor of dermatology in Yale University Medical School has noted, for optimal results with fractional laser resurfacing, you may have to wait for six months after you have taken six to three treatments! Also the result is not applicable to all; it differs from individual to individual.

Side Effects Of Laser Treatments

There are few side effects with most anti-aging laser treatments when compared to other skin resurfacing treatments, but still you can’t totally rule out risks. One common side effect is excessive lightening or darkening of the area on which treatment was done. It is generally temporary, but those who have darker skin, there is a chance that it may become permanent. Another potential problem is secondary skin infection like reactivation of herpes virus while another small risk is that it may leave scars.

Warning You Should Note

If you have had blood-clotting problems, wound healing, a tendency of scarring or infectious diseases like HIV or hepatitis, then inform you doctor prior to your laser treatment. You should also inform him/her if you take any kind of acne medication like isotretinoin or if you have undergone any cosmetic procedure. That is why American Academy of Dermatology suggests that patients should consult thoroughly with their certified dermatologist before taking any kind of anti-aging laser treatment.

 

 

Anti Aging

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Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Anti-Blemish Treatment, Clear Skin Cream, 1 Ounce

Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Anti-Blemish Cream is the only anti-aging treatment that combines the #1 wrinkle fighter with the #1 blemish fighter in one easy-to-use formula. Retinol, the purest form of Vitamin A, works deep within skin's surface where wrinkles develop. Salicylic Acid, a proven acne-fighting ingredient, penetrates deep into pores to treat blemishes and help prevent future breakouts. This light, oil-free formula glides on easily and absorbs quickly with no greasy residue. Skin is clearer, softer and smoother. Fine lines and wrinkles are visibly reduced.

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