I have a lot of pain and think I may have a hiatal hernia. I heard that ultrasound is not a good way to diagnose this. What is the best test to confirm if you have a hiatal hernia?
Even a little excess weight can increase your risk of death, according to a new study that analyzed past research. Researchers combined the results of 19 long-term studies on weight. They compared death rates to the person’s body mass index. BMI is a measurement of weight related to height. The lowest death rates were among people at the high end of normal weight. Their BMI ranged from 22.5 to 24.9. People with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 are considered overweight. The death rates were 13% higher in this group. Death rates were 44% to 88% higher for people who were obese, with a BMI of 30 to 39.9. For those who were morbidly obese, with a BMI of 40 or more, death rates were 150% higher than for normal-weight people. The New England Journal of Medicine published the study. The Associated Press wrote about it December 3.
It’s no wonder many parents give their kids the wrong dose of medicines, a new study suggests. Instructions on the medicines are often unclear, the study found. Researchers looked at more than 200 over-the-counter medicines for children. About 3 out of 4 included measuring devices. But nearly all of the devices had markings that were different in some way from the dosing directions. The researchers said the markings and dose instructions should match. Drug makers should all use the same measurements, they said. Abbreviations also should be the same. The Journal of the American Medical Association published the study. HealthDay News wrote about it November 30.
A new study adds to the evidence that fish oil may reduce the risk of a major cause of blindness. The disease is age-related macular degeneration. The study included 2,391 adults. Their ages ranged from 65 to 84. An eye doctor examined them. They also were asked questions about their diet. In all, 227 had early macular degeneration. Another 153 had middle-stage disease and 68 had advanced disease. On average, people in the whole study group ate about 1 serving of fish or shellfish each week. People with advanced macular degeneration were much less likely than average to eat seafood. Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids. Other research also has suggested that they help prevent advanced eye disease. The study was published December 1 in the journal Ophthalmology.
I have recently been diagnosed with cysts on my liver. What does this mean? Should I be concerned?
Two drugs now on the market reduce the risk of prostate cancer, health regulators said November 29. But they questioned the value of taking them for this purpose. Prostate tumors often grow so slowly that they are not life-threatening. The drugs in question are dutasteride (Avodart) and finasteride (Proscar). They are approved now to treat an enlarged prostate. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is weighing whether to approve them for prevention of prostate cancer as well. FDA scientists said the research submitted shows that the drugs can prevent prostate cancer. But they said it falls short in one way. The research included very few African-American men. This group has a high risk of prostate cancer. An outside panel of advisers will vote December 1 on whether the drugs are safe and effective for prostate cancer prevention. The Associated Press wrote about the issue.
Children’s doctors have a major role to play in the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders, a new report says. The report comes from the American Academy of Pediatrics. It notes that the rates of children diagnosed with eating disorders have been rising. There’s been a large increase in children under age 12. Hospital treatment of eating disorders in this group has more than doubled since 1999. About one-half of 1% of U.S. teen girls have anorexia nervosa, the report says. About 1% to 2% have bulimia. About 5% to 10% of those with eating disorders are male. The report urges children’s doctors to watch for the signs of eating disorders. To help prevent obesity, doctors should focus on healthy eating and building self-esteem, the report says. They should avoid statements that might trigger extreme dieting. The journal Pediatrics published the report.
Doing 2 types of exercise lowers blood sugar more than one type alone, new research concludes. The study included 262 people with type 2 diabetes. They were not active before the study began. They were randomly assigned among 4 groups. Three of the groups had more than 70 people each. The fourth had 41 people. The larger groups were assigned to exercise programs. One group did aerobic exercise, walking on a treadmill. One did resistance exercise, using weight machines. The third group did both types of exercise. The 3 routines were designed to add up to the same amount of time per week. The smaller group did not exercise. The study lasted 9 months. By the end, 41% of the group that did 2 types of exercise had either reduced average blood sugar or the amount of diabetes medicines they took.
Darvocet, Darvon and their generic clones will remain legal in the United States â for now. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will not ban the drugs, the Associated Press reported July 8. These drugs also are available as a generic called propoxyphene. In making its decision, the FDA decision turned down a petition from the consumer group Public Citizen. The group asked for a ban because of the dangers of overdosing. Darvon alone was linked to 503 U.S. deaths in 2007. About 1 in 5 was a suicide. Doctors also say these drugs are weak pain relievers. The United Kingdom banned them a few years ago. But for now the FDA will just put a stronger warning on the package about the risk of overdose. The FDA also asked for more research by the drug maker and by U.S. veterans’ hospitals.