In Brief: Good news about new macular degeneration drugs
A study of two drugs used to treat macular degeneration found no added risk of heart disease or death compared to older treatments.
Content restricted. Requires subscription
Month: December 2010
Human Growth Hormone
Content restricted. Requires subscription
When the liver gets fatty
The increase in obesity and type 2 diabetes among Americans has led to an increase in fatty liver disease. Weight loss and exercise are the mainstays of treatment.
Content restricted. Requires subscription
In Brief: Sleep helps with fat reduction
Getting a full night’s sleep may help the body lose more fat.
Content restricted. Requires subscription
On the brain: The brainy omega-3 fails an Alzheimer’s test
A study of patients with Alzheimer’s disease found that taking the omega-3 fat DHA did not affect the progression of the disease.
Content restricted. Requires subscription
Painkillers fuel growth in drug addiction
More people are now abusing prescription opioid painkillers than any other prescription drug or even cocaine, and the abuse is particularly high among teenagers.
Content restricted. Requires subscription
Anxiety and heart disease
Two separate studies found evidence of a relationship between generalized anxiety disorder and higher risk of a heart attack or other cardiac event.
Content restricted. Requires subscription
Ask the doctor: What is metacognitive therapy?
My husband has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Someone suggested that metacognitive therapy might help him become better organized. What is that?
Content restricted. Requires subscription
Vaccine Leads to Drop in Severe Diarrhea
Hospital stays for diarrhea dropped after a rotavirus vaccine was introduced, new research finds. This virus is the biggest cause of winter diarrhea in early childhood. A vaccine against the disease was approved in 2006. Children get the vaccine when they are babies. They get 2 or 3 doses. Researchers looked at diarrhea cases for 62 U.S. hospitals. They focused on those that involved a hospital stay for a child under age 5. These cases dropped by half in the 2007-2008 season. That was the first year after the vaccine became available. Cases went back up the next year. But they remained 29% lower than pre-vaccine levels. The journal Pediatrics published the study online December 20.
Content restricted. Requires subscription
Mental illness and violence
Although a subset of those with mental illness commits violent acts, there are many other overlapping factors involved, including socioeconomic factors, family history, and substance abuse.
Content restricted. Requires subscription