Month: February 2015

Men who use a traditional Finnish sauna may be less likely than others to die from heart disease, a new study suggests. Most doctors now recommend that heart patients stay away from saunas because of the demands they place on the heart and blood vessels. A traditional Finnish sauna is dry and very hot. The new study included 2,300 middle-aged Finnish men. Researchers asked them questions about their sauna use, among other things. Then they kept track of the men for an average of 20 years. In that time, men who used a sauna twice a week or more had lower rates of sudden death, other heart-related death or stroke than those who used a sauna only once a week. Reductions in death risk ranged from 22% to 27% for those with 2 to 3 sauna sessions. Risk was 48% to 63% lower for men who used a sauna 4 to 7 times a week. Men who used a sauna more often also had lower overall death rates.

Some common painkillers may increase the risk of second heart attacks when taken along with drugs to prevent clots, a large new study finds. The study adds to concerns about potential heart risks of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These drugs are taken to reduce pain and inflammation. They include over-the-counter medicines such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve). They also include the prescription drug celecoxib (Celebrex). The new study used data from a Danish registry of 61,971 people who survived a first heart attack. Everyone was taking at least 1 anti-clotting drug, such as aspirin or clopidogrel (Plavix). Researchers looked at what happened during an average follow-up period of 3½ years. About one-third of those in the study filled at least 1 prescription for an NSAID.

A little sugar and fat is OK in kids’ diets if it can encourage them to consume nutritious foods, a large group of doctors for children says. Examples might include chocolate low-fat milk or ranch dressing as a dip for vegetables. The new statement comes from the American Academy of Pediatrics. It summarizes recent changes in U.S. standards for school meals. And it focuses attention on the foods schools don’t serve — lunches brought from home, party snacks and fundraisers. The foundation of children’s diets should be vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy and healthy proteins, the statement says. When possible, foods should be whole or processed as little as possible. Sugar, fat or salt can sometimes help to make sure the kids eat and enjoy these healthy foods.

About 100 patients at a Los Angeles hospital may have been exposed to dangerous drug-resistant bacteria. The exposure occurred through contaminated medical devices, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center said. Seven patients have become seriously ill, and 2 have died, the hospital said. Before getting sick, they had digestive procedures using devices called endoscopes. The scopes were contaminated with carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), the hospital said. CRE infections can fight off most antibiotics. This means they are hard to cure. People who had procedures between October and January may have been exposed. The hospital is contacting these patients. They will be given home testing kits. The hospital lab will analyze the results. The two scopes had already been cleaned according to manufacturers’ standards, the hospital said.

A new study links the shingles virus to another painful condition in the elderly, giant cell arteritis. The varicella-zoster virus causes chickenpox. After symptoms go away, the virus can hide in the body for many years. If it gets active again, it can cause shingles, a painful skin condition. The new study focused on giant cell arteritis. This condition usually strikes people age 60 or older. It causes inflamed blood vessels in the head and neck. Symptoms include sudden headaches, muscle aches and vision problems. In the new study, researchers looked at 95 biopsy samples taken from arteries in the face. They found signs of the varicella-zoster virus for 74% of people who had giant cell arteritis. They found the virus in only 8% of those without the condition. Researchers said antiviral medicines may help people with giant cell arteritis. They urged more research.