MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'conditions'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:54:28 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181686&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FErEcD__p-6o%2Fcontrol-responsible-diabetes.html Diabetes tries to steal moments from me every second of every day.  I choose to steal these moments back.  Thus, the chosen name for my attitude toward diabetes, Outlaw Diabetic.Unlike the majority of the 360 million diabetics worldwide, I did not become a diabetic in my adult life.  I became a type I diabetic at 14 months old.  As a result, I have never had to change my way of life as a result of the disease. This simple fact has been a blessing in disguise. Far too many adult onset or type II diabetics fail to recognize the severity and sum of their choices in life have culminated in type II diabetes. Further, once diagnosed both types I and II diabetics are overwhelmed with negative information about the effects of diabetes.  In many cases, new diabetics mentally retreat and never ... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181686 Fri, 02 Sep 2011 11:00:52 +0100 5181686 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5182235&cid=t_108648_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F09%2Fis-cancer-medical-condition.html I have gone back and forth on this in my mind several times. Is cancer a medical condition? When I was in treatment, I was happy to learn cancer is now treated as a chronic condition as opposed to a terminal one. That is a bit positive. Well, anything is more positive than terminal. But then is cancer a medical condition? I'm not sure I like having a medical condition (well I probably have several but I'm only talking about the cancer one here.)Wikipedia defines 'medical condition' as: 'A medical condition is a broad term that includes all diseases and disorders, but can also include injuries and normal health situations, such as pregnancy, that might affect a person's health, benefit from medical assistance, or have implications for medical treatments. While the term medical condition gen... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5182235 Fri, 02 Sep 2011 10:37:00 +0100 5182235 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181781&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F09%2Finfant-rotavirus-vaccine-may-protect-all-of-us.html Rotavirus infections can be devastating for infants and young children, causing inflammation of the stomach and intestines leading to severe diarrhea, and often abdominal pain, fever, and vomiting. But a study published this week in the Journal of Infectious Diseases by researchers with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that rotavirus may infect many more older children and adults than previously thought—and that vaccinating infants may protect the older groups as well. Rotavirus vaccines were introduced and recommended for infants in 2006, and can prevent 85 percent or more of severe cases. Before the current vaccines, rotavirus was the leading cause of severe diarrhea in infants and small children in the U.S., causing up to 70,000 hospitalizations each... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181781 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:00:00 +0100 5181781 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181782&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fstressed-out-employees-at-risk-for-other-health-problems.html Super stressed? If so, it might also effect how much you eat and exercise, and even your confidence, according to a study published today in the American Journal of Health Promotion in which researchers found that asking people just one simple question about their stress levels quickly determines their risk for poor health. Researchers looked at responses from a survey of 13,000 workers who had enrolled in their employer’s wellness center. Nearly 17 percent, or 2,147, reported stress "as bad as it can be." Those very stressed employees reported poorer eating habits, more fatigue, and lower activity levels than their less-stressed counterparts. They also reported more health problems, including being overweight and having high blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels. Ot... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181782 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 21:30:00 +0100 5181782 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181784&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fpoor-sleep-linked-to-high-blood-pressure.html Older men who regularly miss out on deep, restorative sleep have an 80 percent increased risk of developing high blood pressure, according to a study out this week in the American Heart Association’s journal Hypertension. Researchers used in-home sleep monitors to measure how long and well 784 men 65 and older slept. After an average of 3.4 years, 243 men had developed high blood pressure. Men who spent less than 4 percent of their sleep time in of slow-wave sleep, considered the deeper, restorative stage of sleep, had the highest risk of developing high blood pressure. In addition, men with reduced slow-wave sleep had shorter sleep duration, more awakenings at night, and more severe sleep apnea. Nearly a third of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, and the risk if higher in sen... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181784 Tue, 30 Aug 2011 21:00:00 +0100 5181784 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181786&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fcan-a-little-chocolate-really-cut-your-risk-of-heart-disease-and-stroke.html People who eat higher amounts of chocolate have a significantly lower risk of heart disease—37 percent lower, in fact—than those who consume less of the confection, according to a large-scale review published this week in the British Medical Journal. The study also found a 29 percent reduction in stroke risk and a 31 percent reduction in diabetes risk in people who consume higher amounts of chocolate. While none of the research involved randomized controlled trials, the evidence does hint at a rather sweet prospect: A little chocolate might be good for your heart as well as your soul. Researchers looked at the results of seven studies including 114,009 participants, and compared the group with the highest chocolate consumption with the group with the lowest. The studies did no... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181786 Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:00:00 +0100 5181786 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174604&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fwidely-used-acne-treatments-lack-evidence-says-new-study.html Most teenagers experience at least some degree of acne, and the problem sometime extends into adulthood. When it’s severe (or even when it’s not) it can lead to low self-esteem, depression, and diminished quality of life. Yet despite the scads of prescription and over-the-counter treatments marketed for acne, very little is known about their comparative effectiveness—that is, which of them works best, and for whom, according to a review published today in the journal Lancet. Researchers at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom and other institutions undertook a comprehensive review of the scientific literature on acne causes, treatments, and management dating back to 1999. The treatments they examined included topical ones, such as benzoyl peroxide (Clearas... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174604 Mon, 29 Aug 2011 23:31:00 +0100 5174604 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174692&cid=t_108648_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.drmalpani.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fputting-end-to-didnt-ask-didnt-tell.html This is a guest post from a clever medical student , Muthukar Ramanathan. If there are more like him, the future of medical practise holds a lot of promise ! ---------------- How many times have you felt that you forgot to mention something important after leaving your doctor’s clinic ? Unable to ask an embarrassing question or to did not remember to discuss your recent allergy? This familiar problem of "Didn't Ask Didn't Tell" among patients is due to multiple reasons - chiefly lack of recollection, stress or even laziness. But this inability to communicate well with physicians ultimately hurts patients due to incorrect diagnosis or treatment. As a medical student sitting as an observer in physician's office, I noticed that many times patients could not accurately provide much needed... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174692 Mon, 29 Aug 2011 14:59:00 +0100 5174692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5169502&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2Fea68fE2i6XI%2Fmksap-58yearold-man-evaluated-increasing-fatigue.html Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians.A 58-year-old man is evaluated for increasing fatigue of 2 months’ duration. The patient has hypertension and hyperlipidemia treated with lisinopril and atorvastatin. A sister has hypothyroidism.On physical examination, temperature is normal, blood pressure is 135/80 mm Hg, pulse rate is 72/min, and respiration rate is 18/min. There is no lymphadenopathy or peripheral edema. The spleen is palpable 4 cm below the left costal margin.Laboratory studies:Hemoglobin12.1 g/dL (121 g/L)Leukocyte count55,200/µL (55.2 × 109/L)Platelet count105,000/µL (105 × 109/L)A peripheral blood smear shows an increased number of granulocytic cells in all phases of development but no Auer rods ... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5169502 Sat, 27 Aug 2011 15:00:33 +0100 5169502 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5169503&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FwpbvAv8XtcY%2Fintuition-saved-patient-potentially-fatal-diagnosis.html I was working in a rural health clinic when I went into to see a new patient.  Amy was 18 years old, with her 6 day old newborn son by her side.I introduced myself and then asked, “what brings you into the clinic?”Amy responded, “Shortly after giving birth, I started having problems with shortness of breath, ankle swelling, and high blood pressure.  I told the OB residents and they brushed it off, said it would go away.”“So what happened after you went home?”Read the rest of Intuition saved this patient from a potentially fatal diagnosis on KevinMD.com.Category: Conditions | Tags: Heart, Primary care | 4 comments (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5169503 Sat, 27 Aug 2011 13:00:18 +0100 5169503 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159255&cid=t_108648_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.drmalpani.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fmisusing-danazol-to-treat-endometriosis.html Danazol is a synthetic hormone, and used to be commonly prescribed as one type of treatment for endometriosis. The brand name includes Danogen and Ladogal. It acts by suppressing the brain's production of follicle stimulating hormones and hence suppresses ovarian function. This is similar to an artificial menopause and results in the shrinking of not only the endometrium in the uterus (and hence no periods); but also hopefully the misplaced patches of endometrium outside the uterus found in patients with endometriosis, causing them to disappear. Side Effects: Hot flushes, weight gain, acne, hirsutism (hairiness). These side effects are quite troublesome, and some women have to discontinue the drug because of these. Usually, while taking the danazol, your periods will stop completely - pseu... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159255 Fri, 26 Aug 2011 02:44:00 +0100 5159255 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158964&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Ffda-says-cancer-drug-shortage-is-getting-worse.html Several cancer drugs are in low supply, preventing some breast and prostate cancer patients from getting needed treatment, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The shortage of cancer drugs, which has been on the rise since 2010, stems from several factors, according to Valerie Jensen, the associate director of the Drug Shortage Program at the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, in an interview with MSN. Those factors include problems at manufacturing plants, such as contamination; late delivery of raw materials; and misprints in drug labels and packaging. MSN suggested that delayed inspections by the FDA after problems arise might also contribute to shortages, though Jensen disagreed. On its Drug Shortages Website, the FDA writes that: These shortages occur fo... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158964 Thu, 25 Aug 2011 21:00:00 +0100 5158964 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158970&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fnuts-soy-lowers-cholesterol-better-than-low-saturated-diet.html Good news, tofu lovers. Soy-based foods, as well as oats, nuts, and lentils, can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels more than cutting back on saturated fats, says a study published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association. In the study, 345 people with high cholesterol were placed on three different diets: a low-saturated fat diet; a diet high in cholesterol-lowering foods consisting of soy, fiber, and plant sterols, plus two counseling sessions; and those same foods combined with seven counseling sessions. After six months, the people who received counseling (either two or seven sessions) plus the cholesterol-lowering foods lowered their LDL by at least 13 percent, while the low-saturated fats group saw only a 3 percent reduction. Bottom line: The findings provide ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158970 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 20:05:00 +0100 5158970 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158973&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fhappy-marriage-healthy-heart.html The song goes “love will keep us together,” but love can help keep you alive after heart bypass surgery, too, suggests a study published online today in the journal Health Psychology. It found that happily married people who underwent coronary bypass surgery were more than three times as likely to be alive 15 years later as were their unmarried counterparts. Researchers at the University of Rochester tracked 225 people ages 33 to 80 who had bypass surgery between 1987 and 1990. They asked married participants to rate their degree of happiness with their marriage one year after surgery. The study adjusted for age, sex, education, depressed mood, tobacco use, and other factors known to affect survival rates for cardiovascular disease. After 15 years, 83 percent of happily wedd... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158973 Mon, 22 Aug 2011 22:30:00 +0100 5158973 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159895&cid=t_108648_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F23%2Fself-management-a-very-vexing-definition%2F Self management is one of those terms that is used to describe the aim of cognitive behavioural programmes for chronic pain. It’s even in my description of this blog! At the same time, it’s difficult to arrive at a definition of self management that “everyone” agrees upon. Self management can mean helping people to be “actively involved in their health care and to provide a variety of creative and individualized strategies to deal with their health problem in their daily life and ultimately to live as normally as possible despite their symptoms” (Zuffery & Schulz, 2009) – but the Devil is in the details! What exactly does being “actively involved” mean?  Can it mean accessing treatments like massage, injections, acupuncture &#8220... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159895 Mon, 22 Aug 2011 19:21:38 +0100 5159895 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158976&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fnearly-1-in-10-children-diagnosed-with-adhd-says-cdc.html Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is on the rise, with nearly one in 10 American children ages 5 to 17 receiving an ADHD diagnosis, according to new data released this month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the CDC’s National Health Interview Survey data, from 1998 to 2009 the number of children ever diagnosed with ADHD increased from just under 7 percent to 9 percent. The report found a higher prevalence of ADHD among boys and children in the South and Midwest. And the number of cases increased by about 10 percent in children living in low-income households. ADHD is one of the most common problems involving behavior and brain function. Its symptoms—inattention, impulsive behavior, and hyperactivity—begin in childhood, creat... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158976 Mon, 22 Aug 2011 14:00:00 +0100 5158976 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159473&cid=t_108648_127_f&fid=38260&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amacf.org%2F2011%2F08%2Fmans-best-friend-just-became-better-cancer-sniffing-dogs.html The following abstract from an Ehman et al. (2011) describes promising research that sniffing out volatile organic compounds (VOC) in human breath can be a tool for early cancer detection. Scientists are training dogs to do just that, breath analyses... (Source: Alternative Medicine Blog) Alternative Medicine Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159473 Sat, 20 Aug 2011 18:22:01 +0100 5159473 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139716&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fmany-pregnant-women-are-still-not-getting-flu-shots.html Flu vaccination has been historically low for pregnant women, despite the long-standing recommendation that pregnant women get vaccinated. And that troubling trend hasn’t changed much in recent years. According to survey data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today, only about half (49 percent) of pregnant women were estimated to have been vaccinated during last year’s flu season. Pregnant women who were offered a flu shot by a health provider were five times as likely to be vaccinated as women who weren’t offered the shot, and were more likely to have positive attitudes about the effectiveness of the vaccine. However, four out of 10 women did not receive a provider offer. Among pregnant women who planned to skip the flu shot, top concerns were s... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139716 Thu, 18 Aug 2011 22:55:00 +0100 5139716 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139719&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fsmoking-causes-half-of-all-bladder-cancers-study-says.html Bladder cancer risk for male cigarette smokers is high—50 to 65 percent of men diagnosed with it are smokers. And now women, thought to be at a lower risk, may be just as vulnerable, according to new research. While previous studies show that 20 to 30 percent of women with bladder cancer were smokers, a large study published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that smoking is now responsible for half of bladder cancer cases in women. Researchers from the National Cancer Institute analyzed health questionnaire data for more than 450,000 men and women enrolled in the NIH/AARP Diet and Health Study launched in 1995. During the course of follow-up, between 1995 and 2006, 3,896 men and 627 women were diagnosed with bladder cancer. Current smokers were f... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139719 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 21:35:00 +0100 5139719 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139598&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FmhPEGa-zKqU%2Ftruth-stem-cell-cosmetic-surgery.html You may have seen advertising for stem cell facelifts and breast augmentation.  Some cosmetic and plastic surgeons are touting these treatments as cutting edge procedures that promise results far greater than anything we’ve ever seen in plastic surgery.  So what is the truth behind stem cell cosmetic surgery?Stem cells are definitely the future of medicine and plastic surgery.  But the truth is, the claims of today’s marketing have pushed far ahead of the actual science supporting these cosmetic stem cell treatments.  The two most prominent plastic surgery societies, ASPS and ASAPS (both of which I am a member), have issued a joint statement on cosmetic stem cell therapies.Read the rest of What is the truth behind stem cell cosmetic surgery? on KevinMD.com.Category: Conditions | Ta... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139598 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:00:30 +0100 5139598 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139722&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fexcess-weight-not-always-unhealthy.html A new study has added to the evidence that when it comes to longevity, being healthy is more important than being thin. Researchers at Toronto’s York University and other institutions looked at data from 5,453 obese men and 771 obese women who took part in the ongoing Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study in Dallas. For comparison, they also examined data from more than 23,000 normal-weight people in the same study. They grouped the obese individuals into four categories, or “stages,” based on their overall health and whether they had risk factors such as high cholesterol, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, or a mental-health condition. Obese people who had moderate or severe risk factors or coexisting illnesses had a substantially greater risk of dying during the st... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139722 Tue, 16 Aug 2011 20:35:00 +0100 5139722 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139725&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FAyWAH4hu6eo%2F The following is a guest post by Janice Lynch Schuster who  works at the Altarum Institute, a new voice in the field of aging and end of life issues. This post orginally ran on July 14th on Health AGEnda. By Janice Lynch Schuster. When I was a little girl, country singer Glen Campbell had a variety show on television called “The Glen Campbell Good Time Hour.” As I remember it, it was a good time; in my young imagination, I often confused him with my father, who I thought was just as handsome and talented and fun as Glen. I loved his songs and wanted to learn to play guitar so I could be more like him. Sadly, Mr. Campbell has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’ disease. As most people know, Alzheimer’s is the primary cause of dementia, a gradual loss of brain function that becomes more ... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139725 Tue, 16 Aug 2011 13:17:07 +0100 5139725 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130638&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FeXyPv7GeeMk%2Ftips-care-child-extra-medical-behavioral.html Lately when I ask my son to make a choice or do anything he considers difficult, he says, “Bus number twenty three.  Number twenty three.  Bus number seventy nine.  Number seventy nine.”He memorized not only the words but the exact cadence of how buses are announced at his school and recites this script instead of screaming.  If you know David, this avoidance tactic is creative, a little annoying, and downright funny.  In fact, now when I ask my husband to unplug his guitar amplifier, change a poopy diaper or turn his music down, he responds, “Bus number twenty three.  Number twenty three.”Read the rest of Tips to care for your child with extra medical or behavioral needs on KevinMD.com.Category: Conditions | Tags: Patients | 1 comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - M... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130638 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 11:00:41 +0100 5130638 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130642&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2F9W5BEeQDrMI%2Falzheimers-inevitably-leads-loss-financial-capacity.html “Mom’s been writing goofy checks…” “Dad stopped paying his bills….” “Grandma wired her savings to Nigeria…”Have you heard these phrases from the family caregivers of your elderly patients?  Have you ever been concerned that your patient may lack capacity for financial decision making?  How do you decide if they lack capacity?  What is the clinician’s role in making these decisions?  What is their responsibility?Read the rest of Alzheimer’s inevitably leads to loss of financial capacity on KevinMD.com.Category: Conditions | Tags: Patients, Primary care | No comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130642 Sun, 14 Aug 2011 13:00:06 +0100 5130642 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125732&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fis-it-too-early-for-a-flu-shot.html Seasonal flu shots have already begun arriving at drug stores across the country, for $32 for people paying out of pocket. Since the outbreak of the H1N1 flu two years ago, and the recent recommendation that all people older than 6 months get vaccinated, drug manufacturers have ramped up production. That means more doses, and earlier supplies. But the flu season doesn’t usually get going until the fall and winter. Is August too early to get the shot? No, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They recommend getting vaccinated as soon as the vaccine is available in your community. Whether that is late summer or early fall, the protection will last through the flu season, they say. But it’s important to get vaccinated every year—even though this year’s ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125732 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 16:40:00 +0100 5125732 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125686&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FUhSgAwWO9tU%2Fapology-patients-chronic-fatigue-syndrome.html I’ve been sick since 2001 when I failed to recover from what appeared to be an acute viral infection. It has left me mostly house-bound, often bed-bound. In effect, I’ve had the flu without the fever for almost ten years: the aches and pains, the dazed sick feeling, the low grade headache, the severe fatigue. It cost me my career as a law professor; it cost me the ability to be active in the lives of my children and grandchildren.Read the rest of An apology to patients with chronic fatigue syndrome on KevinMD.com.Category: Conditions | Tags: Patients | 8 comments (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125686 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 16:00:41 +0100 5125686 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125695&cid=t_108648_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F12%2Fnursing-times-2011-vol-107-no-26-2%2F This article looks at the prevalence of depression in long-term conditions and why people with long-term conditions get depressed. It also examines how nursing staff can support people with depression as part of their long-term condition. Contact the Library for a copy of this article. Filed under: Journals Tagged: Depression, Long Term Conditions, Long-term Condition, Mental Health Service Users, Nursing (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125695 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:37:00 +0100 5125695 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125689&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2F38IseUUVmZs%2Fnephrologist-assesses-kidney-function.html Doctors use laboratory values to interpret your medical condition.  With respect to kidney disease, the BUN and the creatinine help your nephrologist (as well as your internist and family physician) determine if your kidneys are working correctly. These two tests are commonly ordered for many reasons and are invaluable tools to help your doctor assess your condition. Let’s define what BUN (pronounced by spelling out the letters “B”, “U”, and “N”) and creatinine mean from a simple country nephrologist’s perspective.Read the rest of How a nephrologist assesses your kidney function on KevinMD.com.Category: Conditions | Tags: Specialist | 1 comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125689 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 13:00:43 +0100 5125689 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118558&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2F9p_hCNmm8mQ%2Fwomen-5-pelvic-symptoms-call-doctor.html This article will cover when you should call your doctor for problems “down there”?1. Pelvic pain. Pain at the time of ovulation, is referred to as Mittelschmerz.  However, if you have pelvic pain that persists or doesn’t ease with simple home treatment, call your doctor.When a woman has chronic pelvic pain, doctors will check for benign uterine fibroids and endometriosis. They will also look for pelvic inflammatory disease, which usually appears as a triad of pelvic pain, vaginal discharge, and fever.Read the rest of Women with these 5 pelvic symptoms should call their doctor on KevinMD.com.Category: Conditions | Tags: Patients, Specialist | No comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118558 Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:00:56 +0100 5118558 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118563&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FibB2_688t1c%2Ffever-children-5-facts.html A recent issue of Pediatrics includes a new report detailing the need for doctors to improve patient teaching about fever and fever-reducing drugs.Many parents fear their child getting a fever, or have “fever phobia.” I certainly can understand why. Kids can do crazy things when they get fevers. They don’t sleep well, eat poorly, and behave strangely. Some children can even have seizures due to a quick spike in body temperature. So it isn’t surprising that beginning as early as the pre-natal consultation, parents ask questions about what to do when their child gets a fever.Read the rest of Fever in children: 5 facts you must know on KevinMD.com.Category: Conditions | Tags: Patients, Primary care | 1 comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118563 Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:00:30 +0100 5118563 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118626&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fmusic-may-be-therapeutic-for-cancer-patients.html Cancer treatments save lives, but they can be hard on the body and spirit. Now, new research suggests that a distinctly non-medical treatment—listening to music—may help buoy cancer patients' mood and take the edge off their pain and anxiety. The researchers pooled data from 30 small studies looking at the effects of music on people with cancer. The findings were striking: People who listened to a music CD or had sessions with a music therapist had lower scores on anxiety tests than those only having standard care. Their level of pain was also lower, and they had slight improvements in their blood pressure, and their heart and breathing rates. People having music treatment also rated their mood and quality of life higher. But they did not show any improvement in their level ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118626 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 19:05:00 +0100 5118626 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118648&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpainful-bladder-condition-often-goes-undiagnosed-in-women%2F2011.08.10 Millions of Americans—most of them women—suffer from a bladder condition known as interstitial cystitis. According to a new study of this disorder, fewer than 10% of women with symptoms of interstitial cystitis are actually diagnosed with the disorder, even though it severely affects their lives. Without a proper diagnosis, women with interstitial cystitis are missing out on treatments that might bring them some relief. As I describe in an article in the August 2011 issue of the Harvard Women’s Health Watch, interstitial cystitis is a chronic bladder condition that causes recurring bouts of pain and pressure in the bladder and pelvic area. Individuals with the condition usually have an urgent and frequent need to urinate—sometimes as often as 60 times a day. The pain and discomfort... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118648 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 14:00:59 +0100 5118648 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5119028&cid=t_108648_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F10%2Flow-mood-and-catastrophising-one-is-bad-two-is-worse%2F This study shows that irrespective of the measures used to identify catastrophising and low mood in people with chronic pain, there is an increased risk of disability in people who have both problems, and more importantly, this is now shown in three different countries.  While the total number of participants isn’t enormous (in the 100′s rather than 1000′s), it is still a significant finding.  It also shows that having catastrophising is potentially a more problematic issue than simply having low mood. What should we learn from this? I think it’s critical that treatment providers working with those who have subacute musculoskeletal problems routinely assess (or at least screen for) the presence of catastrophising.  While low mood is troublesome, it seems to have ... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5119028 Tue, 09 Aug 2011 19:16:48 +0100 5119028 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107508&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FrhiqkVxpRhI%2F Women for a Healthy Future Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), commonly known as chronic diseases, cause two out of three deaths worldwide, and are the leading cause of death for women around the world. We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to tackle NCDs, considered to be one of the 21st century’s greatest health and development challenges. In September, world leaders will gather at the United Nations (UN) for a historic summit on NCDs. The decisions they make will impact the lives of millions. NCDs threaten women’s lives and our children’s future. Yet, we know that 80% of cardiovascular disease and diabetes and 40% of cancers can be prevented by avoiding tobacco, increasing physical activity and eating healthy foods. It’s going to take strong commitments from th... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107508 Tue, 09 Aug 2011 13:28:40 +0100 5107508 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107452&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2F7yTe9wRJhF4%2Facp-copd-guideline-addresses-important-health-issue.html A guest column by the American College of Physicians, exclusive to KevinMD.com.It is easy to continue practice patterns we establish over the years. In my daily life as a general internist I am more likely to look for more information on a condition I don’t see regularly than on one that I see all the time. While we want to provide the best care for every condition we treat we may have more opportunities to impact the lives of those we care for by paying special attention to the latest evidence-based guidelines on common conditions we see every day.In that spirit, the American College of Physicians (ACP), American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), American Thoracic Society (ATS), and European Respiratory Society (ERS) have released a joint clinical practice guideline on diagnosing and ... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107452 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:00:45 +0100 5107452 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107505&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fweight-loss-may-improve-mens-sexual-health-1.html This study may add another reason—to improve your sexual health—but we can’t be sure of the long-term results. Symptoms like difficulty getting an erection and difficulty urinating should always be checked out by a doctor. They could be a sign of more serious health problems. See our advice on preventing and treating type 2 diabetes. Sources Comparing effects of a low-energy diet and a high-protein low-fat diet on sexual and endothelial function, urinary tract symptoms, and inflammation in obese diabetic men. [The Journal of Sexual Medicine.] —Anna Sayburn, BMJ Group ConsumerReportsHealth.org has partnered with The BMJ Group to monitor the latest medical research and assess the evidence to help you decide which news you should use. (Source: Consumer Reports H... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107505 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:00:00 +0100 5107505 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107506&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fnew-tick-borne-disease-found-in-the-us-plus-updated-stats-on-west-nile-virus.html A new strain of a tick-borne bacterium has turned up in Minnesota and Wisconsin, triggering a disease called ehrlichiosis in at least 25 people, according to a recent report in in the New England Journal of Medicine. Ehrlichiosis is carried by the same deer ticks that spread Lyme disease. Doctors have known about the disease for a while, but this is the first time it's been linked to this particular bacterium. The new pathogenic ehrlichia causes the disease ehrlichiosis. Previously it was thought that only ehrlichia chaffeensis and e. ewingii causes the disease in the U.S. Ehrlichiosis symptoms include fever, body aches, headaches and fatigue. While the disease can be treated with antibiotics, it can be more serious in people with a compromised immune system, including the very young a... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107506 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 13:30:00 +0100 5107506 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103306&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FIUi8Nw2LnSI%2Fsmog-affects-human-body.html We all know that outdoor aerobic exercises like running and biking are good for your health. But during the hottest days of summer, it’s not just excess heat we have to worry about, but smog, the concentrated air pollution you can often see hovering over the cityscape. During the hot summer months, smog can become a serious health problem in the Boston area. We are often downwind from the Midwest’s coal-fired power plants as well as the East Coast’s major cities.Among air pollution’s cast of characters, ground-level ozone gas and the tiniest air pollution particles called PM2.5 play leading roles. While the PM2.5 particles come directly from our car exhaust, factories and distant coal-fired electric plants, irritating ozone gas builds up in the afternoon when sunlight chemically re... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103306 Sat, 06 Aug 2011 18:00:47 +0100 5103306 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103310&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2F6kIZ_sWOmjk%2Fmksap-76yearold-woman-abnormal-thyroid-function-tests.html Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians.A 76-year-old woman is reevaluated after results of thyroid function tests performed 2 weeks ago are abnormal. The patient otherwise feels well. She has a history of hypertension, atrial fibrillation, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and depression. Current medications are metoprolol, amiodarone, warfarin, omeprazole, and sertraline.On physical examination, blood pressure is 125/65 mm Hg, pulse rate is 83/min, and respiration rate is 15/min. The thyroid gland is smooth and of normal size. Cardiac examination reveals an irregularly irregular rhythm. Deep tendon reflexes are normal.Laboratory studies:Thyroid-stimulating hormone6.5 µU/mL (6.5 mU/L)Thyroxine (T4), free2.4 ng/dL (31.0... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103310 Sat, 06 Aug 2011 13:00:28 +0100 5103310 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096383&cid=t_108648_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.drmalpani.com%2F2011%2F07%2Fhow-to-improve-poor-uterine-lining.html One of the most frustrating problems in IVF today is the patient with a persistently poor ( thin) uterine lining.Normally, the endometrium should grow and become thick ( more than 8 mm) and trilaminar as the follicles grow, so that it is receptive and ready to accept the embryos when they are transferred into the uterine cavity.However, sometimes this does not happen.We do know that the growth of the endometrium depends upon:the estrogen level in the bloodblood flow to the uterusandthe health of the endometrial tissue itselfA problem with any of these will cause the uterine lining to remain poor.Thus, poor estrogen levels will cause the lining to remain thin. This is commonly seen in patients who have a poor ovarian response . It's easy to check this by testing the estradiol level in the b... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096383 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 08:29:00 +0100 5096383 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096185&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fwest-nile-virus.html There were 1,021 cases of West Nile virus in the U.S. last year, a 60 percent increase from the year before, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of the more than 1,000 cases, 718 people were hospitalized and 57 died. The increase came after several years of steady or declining numbers. Cases for this year are not yet available. West Nile virus is transmitted to humans primarily by infected mosquitoes and ticks. Since West Nile virus was first detected in the Western Hemisphere in 1999, it has become the leading cause of neuroinvasive arboviral disease in the U.S. See our tips on avoiding West Nile disease, as well as our Ratings of insect repellants. Source: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) [CDC] —Maggie Shader (Source: C... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096185 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 21:00:00 +0100 5096185 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096186&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fsmoking-high-blood-pressure-may-shrink-your-brain-1.html The first study to look specifically at the links between smoking, blood pressure, weight and diabetes in middle age, and the way your brain changes as it ages, makes for troubling reading. Researchers carried out MRI brain scans on 1,300 people over the age of 50 (average age 54). They asked multiple questions about their health and lifestyle, and the people took tests to check their thinking and decision-making abilities. Ten years later, the tests and the scans were repeated. People with high blood pressure developed age-related changes in their brain at a faster rate than those with normal blood pressure readings. They also had a more rapid decline in scores on tests looking at their thinking and decision-making abilities. The researchers found that the brains of people with diabet... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096186 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 19:10:00 +0100 5096186 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096090&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FQMMaYtbLWJo%2Fcosmetic-gyn-continues-grow-recession.html Though the recession has blunted overall demand for cosmetic surgeries, one subcategory appears to be entering a growth phase, at least judging from the fifth annual Congress on Aesthetic Vaginal Surgery, held late last year in a luxury resort outside Tucson. There, about 60 doctors, most of them OB-GYNs, converged to discuss the expanding field of “cosmetic-gyn”—elective surgeries for women seeking to “rejuvenate” and/or “beautify” their vaginas. Attendance at the conference has been increasing by about 20 percent each year—one doctor there explained that his services are in such demand, he has multiple operating rooms so he can move quickly from one surgery to the next—and last year a competing conference was held at the Venetian in Las Vegas.Rea... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096090 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 19:00:13 +0100 5096090 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096094&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FfL9DjUAYae8%2Fdoctors-diagnose-diabetes-10-years-disease-warrants.html I like my patients vertical.  Not horizontal.If I can help it, I want to make sure that nobody gets a disease that could have been prevented.  Sure, accidents happen.  And illnesses show up every day in the lives of people who did nothing to deserve them, and who could have done nothing to prevent them.  But not all illnesses.Physicians know that newly diagnosed diabetic patients present to the doctor with about 10 years worth of damage to their blood vessels.  What does that mean?  That we diagnose diabetes 10 years later than the disease warrants.  It means that the symptoms we learn to identify come about 10 years after the disease begins.Read the rest of Doctors diagnose diabetes 10 years later than the disease warrants on KevinMD.com.Category: Conditions | Tags: Diabetes, Patie... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096094 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 15:00:00 +0100 5096094 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096187&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fasthma-risk-increases-with-infant-exposure-to-mold.html Infants exposed to mold in the home have twice the risk of developing childhood asthma, according to a new study in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Part of the "Cincinnati Childhood Allergy and Air Pollution Study," the results suggest a link between mold exposure during infancy and the development of chronic inflammation of the lungs, leading to wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. The research pool included 176 children who were followed from birth. By age 7, 18 percent of children were asthmatc. And children who lived in a home rated as having a high level of mold during the first year of life, were 2.6 times more likely to have asthma as those who lived in homes with a low level of mold. A family history of asthma and an allergic reaction to dus... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096187 Wed, 03 Aug 2011 20:45:00 +0100 5096187 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096188&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fct-angiography-gets-low-scores-in-our-updated-ratings-of-heart-screening-tests.html CT angiography, which is increasingly being advertised directly to consumers by hospitals and physicians, has little if any use in screening for heart disease in most people without symptoms, according to our updated Ratings of heart-screening tests. We gave it our lowest Rating for people who are at low or high risk of heart disease, and our second lowest Rating for people at moderate risk. CT angiography is a test that takes multiple X-rays to produce three-dimensional images of your coronary arteries, including possible blockages of those arteries. It can also be used to measure the amount of calcium in your arteries, which is associated with those blockages. But our medical experts say that, for several reasons, the test offers little beyond what you can learn from simpler, safer, and... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096188 Wed, 03 Aug 2011 11:00:00 +0100 5096188 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086161&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fair-purifiers-ease-asthma-symptoms-in-children-of-smokers.html Air purifiers are as effective as certain drugs in controlling asthma symptoms in children who live with smokers, according to a study published today in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. Researchers divided a group of 126 asthmatic children who lived with a smoker into three groups: one that received an air purifier, another that got the device plus a health coach, and a third that received neither. After six months, the researchers noted a nearly 50 percent drop in the amount of dust, dirt, smoke and other particulate matter in the air of the homes of families that received an air purifier. Asthmatic children in those homes also reported substantially more symptom-free days, though the amount of nicotine in the air or cotinine (a metabolite of nicotine) in their urine... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086161 Mon, 01 Aug 2011 21:27:16 +0100 5086161 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086162&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F08%2Fcolon-cleansing-does-more-harm-than-good.html Colon cleansing is touted as a “natural” way to detox and enhance your well-being, but it’s anything but, say researchers. In fact, the practice comes with several unpleasant side effects and in some cases can even cause death, according to a study published today in the August issue of The Journal of Family Practice. Georgetown University School of Medicine researchers examined 20 studies published over the last decade on colon cleansing, which is also sometimes called colonic irrigation or colonic hydrotherapy. The reports showed little evidence of benefit, but side effects including cramping, bloating, nausea, vomiting, and soreness. In some cases, the products were linked to renal failure, aplastic anemia, liver toxicity, and even death. Previous research has shown ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086162 Mon, 01 Aug 2011 20:40:00 +0100 5086162 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5097140&cid=t_108648_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F02%2Fmore-managing-migraines-without-medication%2F Anyone familiar with migraine will know the first signs of an impending attack. What might be a little less familiar is the precursor to the “first signs”, and what may also be unfamiliar is the thoughts that accompany those first symptoms. Today I want to talk about ways to manage this phase of a migraine – without medication. As an aside, some people have suggested that there are ways to completely get rid of migraine, often suggesting that one of the problems could be around the numerous nerves that innervate the face, neck and scalp. One of the common suggestions is to have chiropractic or osteopathic treatment to “do something” to the nerves in this area. I put the “do something” in quotation marks because I really don’t know what the so... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5097140 Mon, 01 Aug 2011 18:30:04 +0100 5097140 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086370&cid=t_108648_127_f&fid=38260&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amacf.org%2F2011%2F07%2Fhuman-cancer-gene-gets-green-light-for-patent.html In a 2:1 decision handed down by Judge Lourie, the United States Court of appeals of the Federal Circuit ruled that “On the merits, we reverse the district court’s decision that Myriad’s composition claims to ‘isolated’ DNA molecules cover patent-ineligible products of nature under § 101 since molecules as claimed do not exist in nature”. (Source: Alternative Medicine Blog) Alternative Medicine Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086370 Sat, 30 Jul 2011 17:42:05 +0100 5086370 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077671&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Fpositive-outlook-may-reduce-stroke-risk.html People who look on the bright side of life may be less likely to have a stroke, a new study shows. There is already some evidence that our state of mind can affect our physical health. Optimistic people may make a better recovery from heart surgery or be more immune to some infections than their negative counterparts. Now research has found that if you have a positive outlook you are less likely to have a stroke than more pessimistic people, but there isn’t a big difference in the risk. Researchers looked at around 6,000 adults over the age of 50 who had never had a stroke and rated how optimistic they were on a 16-point scale. For every point increase on that scale their risk of having a stroke went down by 9 percent. The research found that having a positive outlook seemed to ma... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077671 Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:00:00 +0100 5077671 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077881&cid=t_108648_127_f&fid=38260&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amacf.org%2F2011%2F07%2Feight-week-yoga-class-improves-pain-psychological-functioning-and-cortisol-levels-in-women-with-fibr.html In this study Curtis, Osadchuk, & Katz (2011) recruited 22 participants to partake in a 75 minute yoga class (twice weekly, eight weeks). (Source: Alternative Medicine Blog) Alternative Medicine Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077881 Fri, 29 Jul 2011 18:32:23 +0100 5077881 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077615&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2Fj34_YK38drw%2Fdiagnosing-alzheimers-disease-sooner.html A recent Harvard School of Public Health survey of more than 2500 adult in six different countries has found that Alzheimer’s disease is more dreaded than any other disease save cancer.  The same survey also demonstrated that 85% of respondents would want to know their diagnosis as soon as possible if they began to show symptoms.  The survey was reported recently at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) meeting in Paris, France.At this time the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease is a clinical one, as there is no reliable diagnostic test.  Many researchers are hard at work developing tests that detect Alzheimer’s disease earlier in its course.  Research presented at the AAIC aimed at earlier detection included studies of modalities such as MRI, PET scanning t... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077615 Fri, 29 Jul 2011 14:00:41 +0100 5077615 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077678&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2F5hHFowu-r40%2F On June 9, 2011, sanofi-aventis U.S. announced the “sanofi-aventis U.S. Innovation Challenge: Data, Design, Diabetes” at the National Institute of Health’s Health Data Initiative Forum. The challenge, which launched on July 1, integrates open data with a human-centered view into diabetes, and will award $220,000 in total prize money. The challenge is designed for fast learning, so that innovators can create the needed service solutions for people living with diabetes. It brings together the richness of open data sets made available on healthdata.gov, the values of human-centered design, and the leading edge methodology of the top innovation accelerators. Until July 31st, innovators can submit their concepts on www.datadesigndiabetes.com.  In early August, an independent panel of exp... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077678 Thu, 28 Jul 2011 13:30:17 +0100 5077678 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069392&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2F_3IkOFTXcqI%2Fscreening-mental-disorders-children-adolescents.html For many academics and researchers, the debate is over: The use of mental health screening questionnaires in a routine fashion in primary care offices greatly increases the detection of mental disorders among children and adolescents.  With such information, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Bright Futures, the US Preventive Services Task Force and others have weighed in.  Screening is the order of the day, at least for adolescent depression.  The remaining questions for the researchers have to do with finding the screening questionnaires with the best sensitivity and specificity that are short enough to be practical for physicians and patients.However, primary care clinicians in all but the most sophisticated practices understand from experience that providing a medical home to ch... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069392 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:00:14 +0100 5069392 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069464&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Fsleep-more-weigh-less.html Each year, readers of Consumer Reports pose hundreds of questions. One common query: What’s the connection between sleep and weight? There is some literature connecting too little sleep to weight gain. Studies suggest that it has to do with hormones called leptin and ghrelin that reside in your fat cells and gastrointestinal tract, respectively. Lack of sleep may decrease the level of leptin, which can block feelings of satiety and encourage you to eat more. And sleep deprivation increases ghrelin, which stimulates the appetite. Seven to 8 hours of restful sleep a night is ideal to eliminate that problem. See what subscribers said about alternative therapies for sleep problems. (Source: Consumer Reports Health Blog) Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069464 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 16:15:00 +0100 5069464 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069843&cid=t_108648_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F07%2F26%2Fmanaging-migraines-without-medication%2F Ahhh, migraine – psychedelia without the high… nausea without the alcohol… The diagnostic criteria: A) At least 5 attacks fulfilling B-D; B) lasting untreated 4-74 hours; C) two of the following: unilateral, pulsating, moderate or severe pain intensity, worsening with physical activity; D) one of the following: nausea and/or vomiting, photophobia or phonophobia; E) not attributed to another disorder. (International Classification of headache disorders, 2004) (go here for one of the most comprehensive sites on migraine) The main treatment for migraine is to use medication – best evidence to date suggests:  “Only two pharmacological treatments have been shown to be effective in placebo-controlled randomized trials: topiramate and local injection of botulinum to... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069843 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 01:42:59 +0100 5069843 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5062233&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Fheight-linked-to-cancer-risk.html Taller people may have a higher risk of developing cancer. That’s the conclusion of a new study that looked at more than a million women. Every extra 4 inches of height over a baseline of 5 feet was linked to a 16 percent higher risk of cancer. That works out at about an extra one woman developing cancer in a group of 100 taller women, compared with another 100 women who are 4 inches shorter. Taller women had a higher risk of several kinds of cancer, including bowel cancer, skin cancer, breast cancer, cancer of the ovaries, cancer of the womb lining, cancer of the kidneys, leukemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (a type of blood cancer), and cancers affecting the nervous system. Although the study looked only at middle-aged women, previous research has found similar results for me... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5062233 Mon, 25 Jul 2011 15:00:00 +0100 5062233 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5062519&cid=t_108648_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F07%2F25%2Fusing-the-chronic-pain-acceptance-questionnaire%2F Over the past few months I’ve been using the Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire (CPAQ-8) as part of a battery of questionnaires used at intake and outcome measures.  Along with the CPAQ-8, we use the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, the Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale, the Pain  Catastrophising Scale, Pain Self Efficacy Questionnaire, and Pain Disability Index. The CPAQ-8 consists of two subscales: Pain Willingness and Activity Engagement.  Together they measure “acceptance” or psychological flexibility associated with chronic pain. Let me pull this apart a bit.  Pain Willingness refers to how prepared a person might be to experience an increase in pain so they can get something important done.  For example, I love to dance and I&#82... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5062519 Sun, 24 Jul 2011 19:15:16 +0100 5062519 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5057692&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FaTBZT44RdvU%2Fmksap-52yearold-man-coronary-artery-disease.html Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians.A 52-year-old man is evaluated regarding treatment of his coronary artery disease. He had a myocardial infarction 8 years ago and was treated with a coronary stent placed in his right coronary artery. Over the last 8 years he did well with medical therapy, with only mild episodes of exertional angina that resolved with rest or sublingual nitroglycerin. One month ago, he noted worsening of his exertional angina. Coronary angiography showed 50% stenosis of the left main coronary artery, severe disease (75% stenosis) of the left circumflex artery, severe disease (70% stenosis) of the proximal left anterior descending artery, and in-stent restenosis (80%) of the stent within the right... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5057692 Sat, 23 Jul 2011 20:35:57 +0100 5057692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050553&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Fdoctors-are-better-at-spotting-skin-cancer-than-you-are.html Not only are doctors more likely to find melanoma than patients, but they tend to find them earlier, when they are easier to treat. That’s the finding of a study out this week in the Archives of Dermatology. Researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City looked at the records of 394 patients, who had a total of 527 melanomas. In patients who had been treated at the hospital for at least three months, 82 percent of the melanomas were found by doctors, not patients. In new patients, 63 percent were found by doctors. Cancers found by doctors also tended to be thinner, meaning that they were not as advanced. Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the U.S. While melanoma accounts for only 5 percent to 6 percent of skin cancers, it causes roughly 75... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050553 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 12:15:00 +0100 5050553 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050555&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Fsome-aluminum-water-bottles-still-contain-bpa.html Switching from reusable polycarbonate plastic water bottles to aluminum ones doesn't necessarily prevent exposure to the hormone-disrupting chemical bisphenol-A (BPA). That’s according to a recent study examining whether materials used for “BPA-free” reusable bottles lived up to their claims. The study, in the journal Chemosphere, found that some types of aluminum bottles are lined with an epoxy resin that leached even more BPA into water than did the plastic bottles that they were meant to replace. Epoxy resins also are commonly used to line food and beverage cans, and a Consumer Reports investigation found that almost all of the 19 name-brand canned foods we tested contained BPA, which some studies have linked to health effects including reproductive abnormalities and ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050555 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 19:10:00 +0100 5050555 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050556&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Fhands-on-mind-body-therapies-beat-supplements-in-cr-survey.html A new survey of subscribers to Consumer Reports found that prescription drugs generally performed better than alternative therapies for 12 common health problems. But hands-on treatments such as chiropractic care and deep-tissue massage, as well as mind-body therapies such as yoga and meditation, held their own, especially for certain conditions. Far fewer said that dietary supplements helped a lot. Prescription drugs helped the most for nine of the conditions we asked about: allergies, anxiety, colds and flu, depression, digestive problems, headache and migraine, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, and osteoarthritis. But chiropractic care performed better than drugs for back pain, and deep-tissue massage beat drugs for neck pain. Massage was as also as good as drugs for fibromyalgia.... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050556 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 11:01:00 +0100 5050556 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050557&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Fsix-of-10-gastric-banding-patients-need-repeat-operation.html Yes, you read that right. Almost two-thirds of patients who undergo a common weight-loss surgery that makes the stomach smaller by putting a band around it have to be readmitted to the hospital, either to get the band repaired or removed, according to a study published this week in the Archives of Surgery. Our recent survey found that about 5 percent of Americans have considered some form of weight loss surgery. The study looked at a series of 82 patients who had the laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding and were followed for at least 12 years. Of those, 23 (28 percent) suffered "band erosion," a serious complication that requires repeat surgery, in which the band starts to erode into the stomach. And 41 (50 percent) had to have the band removed. Our survey found that about 5 percent ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050557 Wed, 20 Jul 2011 18:30:00 +0100 5050557 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050560&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Fmelanoma-on-the-rise-in-latinos.html The number of Latinos with melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, has increased by nearly 30 percent since 1992, according to a study in the July issue of the Archives of Dermatology. The main reasons? A false sense of security against the cancer, which leads to excessive sun exposure and inadequate use of safe-sun practices. Many of my Latino patients, and even some of my family members, assume that their darker skin will protect them against harmful rays from the sun, and thus fail to take the steps that can prevent excessive sun exposure. The current study noted in particular that Latino’s rarely wore sun-protective clothing, which includes a broad-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and tightly woven long-sleeved pants and shirts. Other important steps include: • Thoroughly ap... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050560 Tue, 19 Jul 2011 20:02:00 +0100 5050560 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050720&cid=t_108648_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F18%2Fthe-importance-of-correlational-studies%2F Correlation does not necessarily imply causation, as you know if you read scientific research.  Two variables may be associated without having a causal relationship. However, just because a correlation has limited value as a causative inference doesn’t mean that correlation studies are not important to science.  The idea that correlation does not necessarily imply causation has led many to de-value correlation studies.  However, used appropriately, correlation studies are important to science. Why are correlation studies important? Stanovich (2007) points out the following: “First, many scientific hypotheses are stated in terms of correlation or lack of correlation, so that such studies are directly relevant to these hypotheses…” “Second, although correlation ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050720 Mon, 18 Jul 2011 22:48:15 +0100 5050720 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036612&cid=t_108648_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F07%2F18%2Fwhat-matters-patient-determined-outcomes-and-clinicianresearcher-outcomes%2F It’s easy to forget, sometimes, that when we choose an outcome measure, we need to seriously consider who will use the measures in the end.  Of course, I am assuming that we’re all using outcome measures – we are, aren’t we?  If anyone isn’t, shame on you – how on earth will you establish whether what you’re doing is having an effect? And don’t come at me with “oh but I just ask them” because I don’t want to have to list all the response bias, demand characteristics, and lack of consistency problems again. kthx. Anyway, where was I? That’s right, the end-user in outcome measures.  Over the past few years, interest has risen in identifying the range of outcome measures that can be/should be used in research of treatm... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5036612 Sun, 17 Jul 2011 19:30:31 +0100 5036612 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028037&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FL1BFRS44umQ%2Fabortions-didnt-dead.html by an anonymous physicianI was paged by labor and delivery three times during the 10 minute drive from my house. I headed straight from the parking lot to the labor ward expecting a patient of mine to be close to delivery. I was wrong.The chief resident and attending obstetrician were waiting. They looked tired and worried.A woman had arrived on Friday with ruptured membranes. She was 21 weeks along in her pregnancy and now there was no amniotic fluid left at all. She and her husband wanted everything done. Despite the dismal prognosis for her baby, in respect for the patient’s autonomy, antibiotics were started. Within 24 hours it was clear she had an infection.(...)Read the rest of I don’t like that you do abortions, but if you didn’t, I would probably be deadCategory: Conditio... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028037 Fri, 15 Jul 2011 13:00:04 +0100 5028037 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028185&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Flow-job-status-linked-to-high-blood-pressure.html People from disadvantaged backgrounds—based on their parents' jobs—run a higher risk of developing high blood pressure, researchers have found. People from a disadvantaged background who go on to get a higher status job have a reduced risk of high blood pressure, compared with people whose social status doesn’t change. Researchers from Sweden looked at 12,000 twins born between 1926 and 1958. They looked at how social and economic status affected people’s risk of high blood pressure, and what happened when people moved between socioeconomic groups. People whose parents had low-status jobs had a 42 percent higher risk of developing high blood pressure, compared with people whose parents had higher status jobs or were self-employed. Looking at people’s own j... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028185 Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:40:00 +0100 5028185 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028186&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Fcould-ill-fitting-dentures-raise-your-dementia-risk.html Not likely—at least not on their own. But older people who have multiple signs of poorer overall health—like difficulty hearing, joint problems and ill-fitting dentures—may be more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia, researchers say. Although several age-related health problems are linked to dementia—such as heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and diabetes—these conditions only partly explain the increase in risk as we get older. And they can't reliably predict who will develop dementia and who will not. Some research has suggested that a person's overall health may provide a clearer indication of their dementia risk. To explore this, a group of Canadian researchers put together a "frailty index" of 19 factors related t... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028186 Wed, 13 Jul 2011 21:01:00 +0100 5028186 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028188&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Ftoo-much-sodium-too-little-potassium-linked-to-increased-risk-of-early-death.html This study suggests that a high sodium intake, especially when combined with a low potassium intake, is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and premature death. Unfortunately, nearly all Americans consume too much sodium and far too little potassium. See our tips for reducing sodium intake and our list of foods that are rich in potassium. And see more tips for how to lower your blood pressure and prevent heart disease. Sources Sodium and Potassium Intake and Mortality Among US Adults [Archives of Internal Medicine] Sodium and Potassium Intake: Mortality Effects and Policy Implications [Archives of Internal Medicine] (Source: Consumer Reports Health Blog) Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028188 Wed, 13 Jul 2011 13:15:00 +0100 5028188 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028192&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fappliances%2F2011%2F07%2Fthe-myth-of-the-hypoallergenic-dog.html Sorry Bo, but a new study says that there may be no such thing as a low-allergy or allergy-free dog. So chew on that while you’re romping around the White House with Sasha and Malia (who reportedly has dog allergies). The study found that the quantities of dog allergens in homes with supposedly hypoallergenic breeds were no different from those in homes with other breeds, according to The New York Times. So another myth busted. Bo is a Portuguese water dog, one of 11 “hypoallergenic canine candidates” on a list from the American Kennel Club, which also includes poodles, soft-coated wheaten terriers and schnauzers. “I have no idea where this whole concept came from,” Christine Cole Johnson, the senior author of the study, to be published online in The American... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028192 Mon, 11 Jul 2011 22:17:00 +0100 5028192 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5029273&cid=t_108648_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F07%2F12%2Fself-efficacy-and-fear-of-movement-mediate-pain-intensity-and-disability-in-acute-pain%2F Most clinicians working in chronic pain management are well aware that the time it takes for people to finally be referred for management of their pain is far too long and some of the readers of this blog who work with people who have acute pain may wonder whether anything I write about applies to them and the people they treat.  To both groups of readers – today’s post should apply! Arguably the most common reason for people seeing a doctor is because of a musculoskeletal pain.  Treatment is usually quite simple: diagnosis, pain relief, anti-inflammatories and gradual return to function.  It’s this last part of treatment that seems to cause the most trouble for people - what if the pain doesn’t settle, what if I’m damaging my body, how long should I &#8220... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5029273 Mon, 11 Jul 2011 19:29:01 +0100 5029273 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028196&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Fantibiotic-resistant-gonorrhea-discovered.html Scientists have discovered a "super bug" version of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacterium that causes gonorrhea. As with other super bugs, this strain is reportedly resistant to antibiotics used to combat the sexually transmitted disease, say researchers. The discovery, made by Swedish researchers, could signal the STD's re-emergence as a global health threat, particularly since antibiotics such as cephalosporins are the only effective treatments for gonorrhea. Magnus Unemo, professor at the Swedish Reference Laboratory for Pathogenic Neisseria in Örebro, Sweden and lead researcher of the discovery said in a statement: While it is still too early to assess if this new strain has become widespread, the history of newly emergent resistance in the bacterium suggests that it may spread rapi... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028196 Mon, 11 Jul 2011 16:15:00 +0100 5028196 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028061&cid=t_108648_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F07%2F10%2Fnursing-times-2011-vol-107-no-26%2F This article focuses on depression looking at prevalence and symptoms in long-term conditions. The article examines how nurses can support patients who experience depression as part of their long-term condition. Contact the Library for a copy of this article. Filed under: Current Awareness, Journals Tagged: Depression, Long Term Conditions, Mental Health (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028061 Sun, 10 Jul 2011 16:19:19 +0100 5028061 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008059&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2F4FLnU1xYzVI%2Fexperiencing-dengue-fever-lessons-prevent-travel.html by Richard M. PescatoreEveryone wants to feel like they are making a difference.This is why, in my opinion, international medical mission trips are what every med student dreams of upon completing his or her first year of medical school. With one year of basic sciences and numerous standardized patient encounters under our belt, we are already eager to utilize our skills with “real patients” and make a difference in the world, no matter how small it may be.(...)Read the rest of Experiencing Dengue fever and lessons to prevent it during travelCategory: Conditions | Tags: Medical school | No comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008059 Fri, 08 Jul 2011 13:00:28 +0100 5008059 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008173&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Fcolon-cancer-deaths-declining-but-more-screening-needed.html Increased colon-cancer screening prevented 66,000 colon-cancer cases and saved 32,000 lives between 2003 and 2007, according to a new report this week from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But those numbers could be even better: roughly a third of U.S. adults between the ages of 50 and 75 still aren’t up to date with their screening. Colon cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. among cancers that affect both men and women. But those deaths are largely avoidable. Colonoscopy can help detect the cancer early and prevent it by finding precancerous polyps. A study published earlier this year in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that screening colonoscopy cut the risk of colon cancer by 77 percent ov... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008173 Fri, 08 Jul 2011 12:00:00 +0100 5008173 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008174&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Ffor-high-blood-pressure-more-measurement-is-better.html If you have high blood pressure, you’re better off taking measurements periodically at home than relying on those taken in your doctor’s office, according to a recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine. It found that multiple home readings provide a more accurate picture of blood-pressure control—and thus might lead to better treatment. Researchers analyzed systolic (upper) blood-pressure measurements taken from 444 veterans with hypertension over 18 months. They had their blood pressure measured in three ways: via a home monitor that transmitted measurements electronically three times a week; during regular office visits (approximately once a month) with their primary-care provider; and at 6-month intervals by the researchers conducting the study. Rates of blood... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008174 Thu, 07 Jul 2011 22:00:00 +0100 5008174 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008180&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Fmassage-speeds-recovery-from-back-pain.html Massage helps people make a faster recovery from long-term back pain, researchers have found. In a new study, researchers compared two types of massage with usual care from a doctor. Some people had relaxation massage, which uses a fairly light touch to help people feel relaxed. Others had structural massage, which aims to correct abnormalities in muscles and other soft tissue. People in the study were between ages 20 and 65, and had suffered from back pain for more than three months. At the start of the study, the average rating people gave to their level of disability was 11, on a scale from 0 to 23 (with higher scores meaning more disability). After having an hour of massage every week for 10 weeks, the average disability score among people having relaxation massage fell to 6. Disa... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008180 Tue, 05 Jul 2011 19:10:00 +0100 5008180 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4997843&cid=t_108648_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F07%2F04%2F%25e2%2580%259coh-wad-some-power-the-giftie-gie-us-to-see-oursels-as-others-see-us-it-wad-frae-monie-a-blunder-free-us-and-foolish-notion%25e2%2580%259d%2F That quote from Robbie Burns. For such a long time it seems that pain research has focused only on the person having pain and less on the social context where the person is experiencing it. Pain is subjective, personal and private, and the only way I can determine whether someone is in pain is if they’re exhibiting pain behaviours. Some of these behaviours, it’s true, are automatic reflex-driven responses (nocifensive, to be pedantic) – but usually only once the brain determines that the input received is a threat.  And what the brain determines to be threatening depends on a whole lot of things, including what else is going on in the environment. We have numerous pen and paper measures of pain behaviour, but far fewer tools to capture what is one of the most important e... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4997843 Mon, 04 Jul 2011 04:41:12 +0100 4997843 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992616&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FChr4A4g-okA%2Fmksap-69yearold-woman-pain-swelling-knee.html Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians.A 69-year-old woman is evaluated for a 5-day history of pain and swelling in the right knee that developed after a prolonged period of gardening in her backyard. Her pain worsens when she walks and is relieved with rest. She has no morning stiffness.On physical examination, temperature is normal, blood pressure is 128/72 mm Hg, pulse rate is 88/min, and respiration rate is 17/min. BMI is 32. The right knee has a moderate effusion but is not warm or erythematous. Range of motion of the right knee elicits pain. The remainder of the musculoskeletal examination is normal.Plain radiographs of the right knee show osteophytes and medial joint-space narrowing. Arthrocentesis is performed,... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992616 Sat, 02 Jul 2011 13:00:37 +0100 4992616 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992677&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Flung-cancer-screening-could-save-lives-at-a-cost.html Lung cancer is a sly disease, often not picked up until it's well-entrenched and spreading, making treatment difficult. However, lung cancer screening holds the promise of earlier detection and treatment for people at high risk. And, according to new research, this could save lives. Researchers have been looking at several screening approaches, with one of the most promising being low-dose spiral CT scans. These scans can produce detailed pictures of cross-sections of your lungs. Studies show that CT scans can detect more early-stage lung cancers than chest X-rays. But it has been unclear whether this might prevent many deaths. That's where the new study comes in. Researchers recruited more than 50,000 current and former heavy smokers who were ages 55 to 74. They screened them annually... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992677 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:25:00 +0100 4992677 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992621&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FgjUU69P44wY%2Fanalyzing-reporting-lung-cancer-ct-screening.html by Gary SchwitzerIt’s been another challenging week for journalists covering various screening stories.First the new analysis of Swedish mammography studies: Some familiar flaws surfaced in some stories.Then came the followup analysis of the National Lung Screening Trial – first reported last fall.This week various headlines announced:More evidence CT scans better at detecting lung cancerStudy bolsters evidence that screening reduces lung cancer deathsNat’l Study Shows Long-Term Smokers Should Get Lung Cancer CT Scan(...)Read the rest of Analyzing the reporting of lung cancer CT screeningCategory: Conditions | Tags: Cancer | No comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992621 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:00:06 +0100 4992621 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992622&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2F_BpwjqSRh5M%2Fdwyane-wade-nbas-insensitivity-migraines.html by Diana E. LeeSports journalists recently discussed discussing Dwyane Wade’s migraines and his decision to try wearing goggles to deal with light sensitivity.News outlets like ESPN proved once again they know how to treat migraine disease as a serious, burdensome medical issue in reporting on Wade’s health situation. But somehow at the eleventh hour the story got way more complicated and the NBA revealed they don’t quite “get” migraines.(...)Read the rest of Dwyane Wade and the NBA’s insensitivity to his migrainesCategory: Conditions | Tags: Patients | 3 comments (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992622 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 13:00:25 +0100 4992622 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4993017&cid=t_108648_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F07%2F01%2Fwhat-is-this-thing-called-pain%2F As I’m busy writing up research papers for publications to “count” towards my research productivity, I’m reminded of one reason I keep on blogging – and it’s this: blogs are open to anyone.  People can comment on what I write.  When someone comments, whether they agree, disagree, or simply pose a question, it’s an opportunity for dialogue and reflection. That’s not nearly as easy to do in a peer-reviewed journal! As a result of comments from my post yesterday, I’m musing on ways to explain the distinction between acute and chronic pain that will make sense to someone who experiences fluctuations in pain intensity. I think I’m clear in my own mind between the two, but perhaps things are not as distinct as I’ve made them &#8... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4993017 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 21:04:56 +0100 4993017 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984437&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Fhow-much-can-you-cut-your-breast-cancer-risk.html What can women do to avoid breast cancer? There are three key factors to watch, but much of the risk is out of our hands. Many of the risks associated with breast cancer are hard or impossible to change, such as your family history, your age, the age at which you had children, and the age when you started your periods. But lifestyle also plays a part. Drinking alcohol raises breast cancer risk. Getting regular exercise lowers the risk, and being overweight or obese (especially in middle age and beyond) increases the risk. To find out how much difference lifestyle factors make, Italian researchers looked at data from a big study of women diagnosed with breast cancer, compared with women of the same age who’d not had breast cancer. Using the data, they figured out that women in t... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984437 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:00:00 +0100 4984437 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984384&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FfeyO9s3QSqc%2Fsummer-palpitations.html by Katherine EllingtonIt was early Saturday morning, I was making my plans for the day, crossing-off a few items that seemed unreasonable with others that had been accomplished. As I moved toward the kitchen, a voice from the living room bellowed “the coffee is ready.”Turning my head I could see bright rays of sunshine making a visible path through the open front door.  My morning greeting followed with, “did you have breakfast?” She answered, “yes” so I grabbed a cup of yogurt, found a banana in the fruit basket and sat down with cinnamon coffee in my favorite cup.(...)Read the rest of Summer palpitationsCategory: Conditions | Tags: Heart, Patients | No comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984384 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:00:56 +0100 4984384 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984391&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FxQb1ndtjKdY%2Fautism-affects-social-interaction.html by William R. Yates, MDOne of the problems with understanding the natural history of autism is the lack of well-designed outcome studies in the disorder.  Outcome studies tend to be expensive and grant agencies commonly do not fund studies longer than a few years. However, given the increased interest and funding in autism, I suspect there will be more research in this area.An example of how outcome studies help in understanding the natural history of autism is a study published by the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Dr. Gregory Liptak and colleagues from SUNY Upstate present a four year follow up of 725 adolescents with autism.  The average age at intake was 15.4 years with average age at follow up 19.2 years.(...)Read the rest of How autism affects social interacti... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984391 Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:00:34 +0100 4984391 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4976238&cid=t_108648_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F06%2F29%2Fblack-and-white-thinking-must-be-abolished%2F Black and white thinking, for those readers unfamiliar with cognitive distortions, refers to the tendency to reduce complex ideas and situations into simple, dichotomous, and mutually exclusive categories. Think of good or bad, yes or no, all correct or all wrong, acute pain or chronic pain, neuromatrix or peripheral mechanisms, cure the pain or manage the pain. It’s a way of simplifying arguments or decisions that can work well when the situation requires very fast decision-making, or where the options are very limited. It doesn’t work at all in the messy and complicated worlds of clinical reasoning, theory development, or in discussions to broaden understanding. I’m pondering this because of the way various aspects of pain management and the science of pain are misrepre... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4976238 Tue, 28 Jun 2011 19:15:22 +0100 4976238 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968411&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FkRa0L9D-j58%2Fmksap-75yearold-man-draining-chronic-ulcer-foot.html Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians.A 75-year-old man with type 2 diabetes mellitus is evaluated in the emergency department for a draining chronic ulcer on the left foot, erythema, and fever. Drainage initially began 3 weeks ago. Current medications include metformin and glyburide.On physical examination, he is not ill appearing. Temperature is 37.9 °C (100.2 °F); other vital signs are normal. The left foot is slightly warm and erythematous. A plantar ulcer that is draining purulent material is present over the fourth metatarsal joint. A metal probe makes contact with bone. The remainder of the examination is normal.The leukocyte count is normal, and an erythrocyte sedimentation rate is 70 mm/h. A plain radiograp... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968411 Sun, 26 Jun 2011 17:00:04 +0100 4968411 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968412&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FoJBUNfJq8dA%2Fdifferences-obstructive-central-sleep-apnea.html by Steven Y. Park, MDIn sleep disorders, obstructive sleep apnea is the most common condition that’s seen, but a significant number of people with obstructive sleep apnea will also have central sleep apnea.Central sleep apnea is thought to be a condition that’s associated with a number of different neurologic problems, as well as heart or kidney failure. During the night, people with central sleep apnea stop breathing when signals in the brain that tells the body to breathe don’t work properly. No effort is even made to inhale. In contrast, with obstructive sleep apnea, an effort is made to breathe in, but because of collapse in the upper airways, air can’t get into the lungs.(...)Read the rest of Differences between obstructive and central sleep apneaCategory: Conditions | Tags: S... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968412 Sun, 26 Jun 2011 15:00:04 +0100 4968412 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4960135&cid=t_108648_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.drmalpani.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fhow-to-treat-paients-with-respect-guide.html This is a clever acronym !" Steps of RESPECTRespect – A respectful approach helps reduce defensiveness. “I appreciate how hard this has been for you…”Explanatory Model – Seeking patients’ explanations of their symptoms conveys an interest; presentsa starting point for discussions (not dismissals); and can promote patients’ forthrightness.“What do you think is causing your symptoms? Why?”Social Context – ‘Chit chat’ can promote comfort and provide insights into patients’ well-being.“How are you doing today?” “How’s work?” “How is the family?”Power – Resisting the impulse to take over and finding ways to share power can encourage patients tothink of themselves as partners in care, not consumers guided by the motto: Buyer Beware!“What would you like... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4960135 Thu, 23 Jun 2011 05:38:00 +0100 4960135 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4960058&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Fnew-test-may-help-detect-early-alzheimers.html Measuring a spinal fluid protein might eventually help doctors detect Alzheimer’s disease early in people with slight memory problems, according to a study published online today in Neurology. German researchers measured several proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease in fluid samples taken from the spinal columns of 58 people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). After an average of three years, 21 participants developed Alzheimer’s disease, 27 still had MCI, and eight reverted back to normal cognitive health. Participants who developed Alzheimer’s had higher levels of a protein called soluble amyloid precursor protein beta in their spinal fluid than those who didn’t develop the disease. That protein, combined with the tau protein (an established mar... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4960058 Wed, 22 Jun 2011 22:24:15 +0100 4960058 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4960060&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Fchantix-may-cause-heart-attacks.html The drug varenicline—sold under the brand name Chantix and used to help smokers quit—may increase the risk of heart problems, the FDA has warned. Varenicline more than doubles a smoker’s chance of quitting compared with willpower alone, but it has side effects. More than 1 in 10 people taking it feel nauseated, have trouble sleeping, get strange dreams, or get a headache. Some people have reported changes in mood or even suicidal feelings with the drug, although a 2009 study didn't find any link between varenicline and suicidal thoughts. Now, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned that varenicline may increase the risk of heart problems. In a year-long study of people trying to quit smoking, 2 in 100 people taking varenicline had a heart attack, compared wit... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4960060 Wed, 22 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0100 4960060 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4960061&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Ffor-chronic-fatigue-sufferers-another-blow.html While chronic fatigue syndrome is now recognized by the medical community as a real illness, treatments have remained elusive, largely because nobody knows what causes the condition, marked by extreme tiredness and weakness most of the time. Now several new studies have dashed hopes that the syndrome might have a viral link—which in turn would have opened the door to better prevention and treatment. In an article published online Tuesday in the journal Lancet, researchers from the Netherlands summarized the results of three recently published studies that essentially seem to rule out the possibility that a retrovirus called XMRV, or xenotropic murine leukemia virus (MLV)-related virus, is a cause of chronic fatigue syndrome. That possibility was raised by a controversial 2009 study ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4960061 Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:00:00 +0100 4960061 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952824&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Ffda-unveils-nine-graphic-cigarette-labels.html Still not convinced you need to quit smoking? Maybe the nine graphic cigarette warnings, unveiled today by the Food and Drug Administration, will make you reconsider. Starting September 2012, the warnings will appear on every pack of cigarettes sold in the U.S. and in every cigarette advertisement. The new labels mark the first change in cigarette warnings in more than 25 years. The warnings include messages such as “Warning: Cigarettes are addictive,” accompanied by an up-close image of a man smoking through a gaping hole in his throat, and “Warning: Smoking during your pregnancy can harm your baby,” with an image of an infant struggling to survive in the hospital just days after birth. “These labels are frank, honest and powerful depictions of the health r... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952824 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:25:11 +0100 4952824 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952724&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2F95G4g0Cvm_c%2Fexplaining-ekg-works.html by Edward Pullen, MDWhat is an EKG?EKG stands for electrocardiogram.  It should probably and sometimes is abreviated ECG, but EKG seems to have stuck as more popular.Scientists have known for over 120 years that the heart gives off electrical currents when it beats, but it was the Dutch scientist Willem Einthoven in the early 20th century who discovered the nature of this phenomenon and who developed the electrocardiogram as a tool to look at the electrical conduction of the heart.  It has been a staple of diagnostic cardiovascular medicine since then.  The basic tracing used has changed little in decades, although the sophistication of the recording devices and the computer algorithms for automated interpretation have made dramatic changes in the last 20 years.(...)Read the rest of Exp... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952724 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 15:00:03 +0100 4952724 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952828&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Fto-sleep-perchance-to-dreamof-cake.html In this study, the researchers asked the same questions and did the same brain scans, but then asked questions designed to determine the participants “sleep chronotype,” that is, whether they were morning or evening people. They found that the early birds shown pictures of tasty food had more activity in the self-control portion of the brain than did the night owls. Reading these two studies, I’m left with a question—am I more likely to reach for that scrumptious snack because I’m tired? Or will my early-morning tendencies help me fend off the fat by giving a boost to my self control? Maybe I’ll just split the difference by having a brownie while running on the treadmill. See our advice for some healthier ways to deal with insomnia, including changes... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952828 Sat, 18 Jun 2011 14:00:00 +0100 4952828 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952831&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Fnearly-forty-percent-of-cardiac-patients-dont-benefit-from-crt.html Nearly 40 percent of heart-failure patients who use pacemakers get little or no benefit from them, according to a study published online this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Pacemakers are battery-powered devices sometimes used in heart-failure patients to get the heart’s lower chambers, or right and left ventricles, beating in sync. But the new study suggests that the criteria currently used to determine who’s a candidate for that treatment, called cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), are too broad. Current American Heart Association guidelines say that patients with a QRS (the measurement of the activity of the heart's left and right ventricles) of greater than 120 milliseconds should be treated with CRT. But the study found that patients with a QRS between ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952831 Fri, 17 Jun 2011 17:45:00 +0100 4952831 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4945248&cid=t_108648_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F06%2F17%2Fwhat-to-do-about-catastrophising-even-when-youre-not-a-psychologist%2F In this study, 25.9% of those reporting acute pain, and 51.3% of those reporting chronic pain endorsed catastrophising beliefs.  And this group of people were not seeking treatment (as an aside, this is one of few studies to look at non-treatment-seeking people)!  The study also found that in those with high levels of catastrophising, mental health problems were more prevalent, and that catastrophising explained a good proportion of work disability.  In other words, even in this very healthy group of people, catastrophising was associated with greater vulnerability to having difficult managing pain and keeping mentally healthy.  If this finding is identified in other non-treatment-seeking people, I think we can confidently draw the conclusion that catastrophising may be one of the more... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4945248 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 23:24:01 +0100 4945248 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934138&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Fpour-on-the-olive-oil-for-lower-stroke-risk.html Regularly consuming olive oil might help prevent a stroke, particularly if you’re 65 or older, suggests a study published online Wednesday in the journal Neurology. Researchers looked at olive-oil consumption over five years in 7,625 French seniors with no history of stroke. Those who consumed the most olive oil (using it both for cooking and as dressing or with bread) had a 41 percent lower risk of stroke than those who never used it. Heavy and moderate olive-oil users also tended to have a lower body mass index (BMI), lower triglycerides, and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. Bottom line: The next time you’re in the kitchen preparing dinner, pour on the olive oil, for improved health—and taste. Olive oil, a monounsaturated fat, is a key ingredient in the Medite... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934138 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:45:00 +0100 4934138 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934007&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FGYDEjpsndMU%2Fct-scan-doctor-needed.html by John Schumann, MDHow and when do new medical technologies become the standard of care?A recent study showed that the use of CT scans in hospital emergency departments rose sixteen percent between 1995 and 2007.Looks a bit like a medieval torture doughnut.The only thing that surprises me about this is that it’s not more.Way more.(...)Read the rest of Before getting a CT scan, ask your doctor if its really neededCategory: Conditions | Tags: Emergency, Patients | 2 comments (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934007 Wed, 15 Jun 2011 19:00:12 +0100 4934007 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934140&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Fdoes-tv-raise-the-risk-of-diabetes-heart-disease.html Americans do love their TV time, watching around five hours of programming a day on average. But this most beloved of passive pastimes may exact a high price, with new research linking TV viewing to a raised risk of diabetes and heart disease. It's no secret that spending hours in front of the television isn't the healthiest of habits. Studies show that people are more likely to eat high-fat, high-calorie foods while watching the small screen—perhaps swayed in part by ads for soft drinks, chips, and convenience foods. And people who watch a lot of TV also tend to be less active, as more time on the couch can mean less time for exercise. For these reasons, TV viewing is often blamed as contributing to the rise in obesity in the United States and other developed countries. And it's w... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934140 Wed, 15 Jun 2011 17:01:00 +0100 4934140 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934334&cid=t_108648_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F14%2Flearning-how-to-die-the-handbook-for-mortals%2F In any bookstore, you will find aisles and aisles of self-help books coaching us how to live more fully, how to embrace life with passion, and how to age in a way that we aren’t getting older! But how to die? Are you kidding me? DEPRESSING! But we desperately need a teacher in this area. Because each of us is eventually going to perish, and how nice it would be to have a few guidelines as we are getting close. In their book, Handbook for Mortals: Guidance for People Facing Serious Illness, authors Joanne Lynn, MD, Joan Harrold, MD, and Janice Lynch Schuster, MFA discuss the topic of dying from several perspectives: living with serious illness, helping families make wise decisions, getting the help you need, controlling pain, planning ahead, and enduring loss. It is a comprehensive and in... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934334 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 19:12:29 +0100 4934334 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934145&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Fcutting-back-on-fats-sugar-might-lower-alzheimers-risk.html Following a diet that’s low in saturated fat and quickly digested carbohydrates, such as doughnuts and white bread, could cut your risk of developing Alzheimer’s, suggests a study published today in the June issue of the journal Archives of Neurology. Researchers fed 20 healthy adults either a diet that had a high glycemic index and lots of saturated fat or a low glycemic index and little saturated fat for four weeks. They then gave the participants a memory test. Those who ate the low-fat, low-glycemic-index diet performed better on the memory test, and also had lower blood levels of certain markers of Alzheimer’s disease. A similar experiment in 29 adults who already had some signs of cognitive showed similar, though not quite as impressive, results. While this study... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934145 Mon, 13 Jun 2011 21:01:00 +0100 4934145 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934146&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Frested-wife-happy-life.html It’s well known that too little shut-eye can adversely affect your health. But new research suggests it might also undermine your relationship—at least if the sleepless party is female. In a study presented at this week’s annual meeting of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh measured the sleep and marital interactions of 35 healthy, married couples over 10 days. They used a device called an actigraph to measure sleep latency (the amount of time it takes a person to fall asleep), total sleep time, and number of awakenings during the night. The participants used electronic diaries to record the quality of their marital interactions during the same 10 days, answering questions about, for example, how supported or valued they f... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934146 Mon, 13 Jun 2011 20:45:00 +0100 4934146 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921404&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Fhip-and-knee-surgery-riskier-at-quieter-hospitals.html Hip and knee replacement surgery is riskier in hospitals that carry out fewer operations, researchers have found. People are more likely to get blood clots or die at quieter hospitals, compared with hospitals that perform the operations regularly. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, around 800,000 hip and knee replacement surgeries are performed in the United States each year. A joint replacement can help people with severe arthritis move around more easily and have less pain, but it involves major surgery and things can sometimes go wrong. In the study, which looked at the medical records of around 30,000 people, hospitals that performed more than 200 hip or knee replacements each year had better results. Patients treated in hospitals that performed fewer operatio... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921404 Sat, 11 Jun 2011 14:00:00 +0100 4921404 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921406&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Ffda-links-zocor-to-muscle-damage-especially-in-women.html Most people should not take the 80 milligram dose of simvastatin (Zocor, Vytorin, and generic), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said this week after it found a clear link between that dose and muscle pain as well as rare but potentially deadly muscle damage. Our medical consultants go one step further than the FDA, and say people taking any cholesterol-lowering drug should start at the lowest necessary dose. The FDA made the announcement after reports to its adverse-events database and a recent clinical trial found that people who took high-dose simvastatin had a substantially greater risk of developing muscle problems. The danger was greater in older women and those who took simvastatin in addition to blood-pressure drugs known as calcium-channel blockers, particularly diltiazem (... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921406 Fri, 10 Jun 2011 20:30:00 +0100 4921406 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921410&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Fscreening-for-ovarian-cancer-doesnt-save-lives.html Screening tests for ovarian cancer don’t work well enough to detect cancer early or save lives, new research has found. The 13-year study used blood tests and ultrasound scans to look for signs of ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer doesn’t usually cause early symptoms, so screening has the potential to save thousands of lives by identifying tumors early. Although localized ovarian cancer is treatable, most women aren’t diagnosed until an advanced stage, when the chance of surviving for five years is just 30 percent. Ovarian cancer kills around 14,000 women a year in the United States. The study looked at nearly 80,000 women between ages 55 and 74. Half were offered screening, which meant having an ultrasound scan every year for four years, and a blood test every year for u... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921410 Thu, 09 Jun 2011 15:00:00 +0100 4921410 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4911469&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Fpeople-with-parkinsons-at-greater-risk-f-melanoma.html People with Parkinson’s disease are twice as likely to get melanoma, the most deadly of skin cancers, according to a study out this week in the journal Neurology. About 70,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with melanoma each year, and about a million have Parkinson's disease, a progressive neurological condition marked by tremors and difficulty with walking and other movement. The new analysis reviewed 12 prior studies that had looked at the connection between the two diseases, and concluded that for some reason they often go together. Some patients received a diagnosis of melanoma before Parkinson's, and for others it was the other way around. Both diseases can take years to develop. It is not yet clear which of the two might cause the other. According to Reuters, the lead st... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4911469 Wed, 08 Jun 2011 18:45:00 +0100 4911469 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4911400&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FAdolpcT2u98%2Fadult-adhd-academic-performance-college.html by Emily Gibson, MD‘Twas the week before finals and all through the dorm, few students were sleeping, since Adderall is the norm … What is the state of academic performance and achievement in the age of adult ADHD?Recent media publications feature “neuro-enhancement” sought by college students and stressed professionals through the use of prescribed and non-prescribed medications, particularly stimulants, to guarantee focus, concentration and alertness when needed for studying and work demands.It’s as easy as bargaining with a roommate for one of their prescribed stimulant pills for $5.  Some campus studies suggest as many as 40% of college students self medicate with non-prescribed stimulants during their college years–in certain settings like fraternities and sororit... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4911400 Wed, 08 Jun 2011 16:00:58 +0100 4911400 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4911844&cid=t_108648_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F06%2F08%2Fa-brief-review-of-cognitive-behavioural-approaches-for-pain-management%2F Cognitive behavioural approaches for pain management are not exactly the same as cognitive behavioural therapy for mental health problems.  While there are some underlying concepts that are the same, cognitive behavioural approaches for pain management include a wider range of strategies, and are far less readily defined than the very structured approach used in mental health.  In fact it has only been in the last few years that research into the process of change in pain management have been conducted. What defines a cognitive behavioural approach? The assumption that people can learn to accept their chronic pain That people can broaden their self-concept beyond being “a patient” into being “a person with pain” That people can learn or re-explore skills to deal ... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4911844 Wed, 08 Jun 2011 00:39:00 +0100 4911844 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4911472&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Fquitting-smoking-cuts-womens-risk-of-artery-disease.html There are lots of good reasons to quit smoking, including a lower risk of cancer, heart disease, and lung problems. If you're a woman, new research suggests yet another incentive: a lower risk of peripheral arterial disease. If you have peripheral arterial disease (PAD for short), large arteries in your body—usually in your legs—become too narrow. Not enough blood gets through to nourish your cells, which can lead to aching pain, numbness, tingling, and tiredness in your legs. If a leg is severely damaged by PAD, it may need to be amputated. Studies have already linked smoking to a higher risk of PAD, but they have typically included more men than women. They also haven't explored whether stopping smoking might lower the risk of PAD. To learn more, researchers followed nearl... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4911472 Tue, 07 Jun 2011 18:45:00 +0100 4911472 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893325&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FaOoc-ZBdD2k%2Fthemes-explaining-people-obese.html by Arya M. Sharma, MDIn my interactions with patients, I always ask them to tell me when their weight problems began and what they believe contributed to their weight gain.Broadly speaking, there are two categories: people, who were big (or were considered big by others) as long as they can remember and those, who can often clearly pinpoint when their weight problem started. Individuals in the latter group can often recall a specific event or situation that led to their weight gain (e.g. when I miscarried, when I entered puberty, after my second child, when I moved to Canada, etc.).(...)Read the rest of Themes explaining why people are obeseCategory: Conditions | Tags: Patients | No comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893325 Sat, 04 Jun 2011 13:00:07 +0100 4893325 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893430&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Fcdc-says-no-antibiotics-for-suspected-e-coli-patients.html In response to the ongoing E. coli outbreak, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today urged health professionals to not give antibiotics to patients with suspected infections caused by the Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O104:H4 (also known as STEC or, in Europe, as EHEC). The CDC says taking antibiotics might increase the risk of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a severe condition associated with the infection that can lead to kidney failure. As of this Friday afternoon, June 3, 2011, there have been 1,271 STEC infections reported and 552 cases of HUS with 18 reported deaths, both inside and outside of Germany. There have been no confirmed cases of HUS in the U.S., but currently there are 4 suspected cases in patients who traveled to northern Germany in May, says the ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893430 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 21:50:00 +0100 4893430 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893329&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FCKcF1h-F2Xg%2Fscience-treatment-jet-lag.html by Mike Cadogan, MB ChBCrossing multiple time zones can produce a constellation of symptoms known as jet lag.Jet lag is most noticeable in the first 24-48 hours following travel and can last for up to 5 days before individuals return to normal functioning. Symptoms are closely affected by both the length and direction of travel. Symptoms include: reduced alertness, night-time insomnia, loss of appetite, depressed mood, poor psychomotor coordination and reduced cognitive skills. Work capacity and peak power are also reduced.(...)Read the rest of The science and treatment of jet lagCategory: Conditions | Tags: Patients | No comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893329 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 17:00:26 +0100 4893329 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893332&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FTZBnaOCuwtQ%2Fstem-cells-bring-closer-personalized-medicine.html Part of continuing series by Stephen C. Schimpff, exclusive to KevinMD.com.by Stephen C. Schimpff, MDStem cell therapies promise to be one of those scientific breakthroughs that will have an enormous impact on health care in the future.Stem cells will bring us closer to the goal of personalized medicine, just as genomics is doing. The course of a disease will change once we have the technology to develop and then insert stem cells into the human body to actually create a tissue.(...)Read the rest of Stem cells will bring us closer to personalized medicineCategory: Conditions | Tags: Medications | No comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893332 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 13:00:59 +0100 4893332 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893948&cid=t_108648_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F06%2F02%2Fcatastrophising-and-pain-ii%2F What are some of the indications that someone tends to catastrophise about their pain? How do we know? Do we have to use a questionnaire? Is it really my job to know about this if I’m not a psychologist – and what do I do about it? These are the kinds of questions that have been posed to me as I’ve explored the topic of catastrophising, and I propose to answer the last question in my next post (sorry to keep stringing you along like this – I think many may know my take on that already!). I work in a wonderful interdisciplinary team setting, in a centre where everyone who attends the Centre gets to complete a set of psychometrically sound questionnaires that all of the team are encouraged to use and interpret, so any of the team can be confident about identifying and... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893948 Thu, 02 Jun 2011 08:26:50 +0100 4893948 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893949&cid=t_108648_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F06%2F01%2Fpain-behaviours-persist%2F In this study by Martel, Thibault and Sullivan (2010), people with back pain were recorded on two separate occasions (on averge 22 days apart) while carrying out two lifting tasks designed to elicit pain behaviours.  These recordings were reviewed by trained observers who recorded the number of pain behaviours in each segment of film using a standardised coding scheme (developed by Keefe and Block, 1982).  Participants in the lifting tasks also completed a range of questionnaires – the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, the McGill Pain Questionnaire, and the Pain Catastrophising Scale. Before I describe the findings, in this study two different forms of pain behaviour were identified – communicative behaviours are things like grimacing, speaking, sighing, moaning and so on; while... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893949 Wed, 01 Jun 2011 05:26:00 +0100 4893949 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883569&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fthe-good-hdl-the-bad-ldl-and-the-ugly-truth.html This study points out at least two shortcoming in medical research: The first is the frequent focus on markers of disease, such as HDL levels, instead of the important stuff: how many lives are saved or heart attacks prevented. That doesn’t just apply to HDL. For example, improving bone density with drugs doesn’t always prevent fractures. And tightly controlling blood sugar levels doesn’t reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease in people with type 2 diabetes. The second is that we should almost never rely on the results of observational studies, which can only suggest associations with disease but not prove them. Randomized controlled clinical trials, such as the recent HDL study, remain the gold standard. Without it we would still be treating post-menopausal women wi... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883569 Tue, 31 May 2011 13:00:00 +0100 4883569 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883925&cid=t_108648_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F05%2F31%2Fcatastrophising-and-pain-i%2F One reason I love blogging is the discussion between me and readers. I wrote about the language of pain recently, and out of that discussion I’ve spent a few days digging around the literature to look at what is known about the relationship between language, pain and catastrophising. I’d argued in my post that metaphoric language can reflect distress both in the communicator and the listener, and that this is supported by fMRI studies in which various parts of the brain are activated when emotion-laden communication about pain is being carried out, while one of my readers thought I might be taking this interpretation too far. Pain behaviour My reason for being interested in how we communicate about pain is that talking about pain (including describing it) is a pain behaviour. P... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883925 Mon, 30 May 2011 19:15:07 +0100 4883925 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4876374&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FSYZiZH09bGo%2Fmksap-healthy-68yearold-man-cigarette-smoking-history.html Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians.A 68-year-old man is evaluated during a routine examination. He has a 5 pack-year cigarette smoking history but stopped 12 years ago. He has no history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, stroke, or transient ischemic attack. He has no claudication. He is being treated for hyperlipidemia. There is no family history of premature coronary artery disease. He has noted no change in his bowel movements, and his most recent screening colonoscopy, performed at age 60 years, was normal. His only current medication is lovastatin.Blood pressure is 130/82 mm Hg. BMI is 24. Physical examination reveals no abnormalities. Total cholesterol level on his most recent lipid profile was 213 mg/dL (5... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4876374 Sat, 28 May 2011 17:00:00 +0100 4876374 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872021&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FyC2EggWHQpY%2Fbiting-children-sign-normal-social-experimentation.html by dr_som, MDI love to pick up my two year old from daycare. Her language is becoming increasingly complex with small sentences, lots of gesturing and expression. When I ask how school was, she says, “Miss you. I crying.” Or, “I running fast with friends.” Or sometimes a confident, “good,” with a head nod.Yesterday, she said, “friend, bite me.”(...)Read the rest of Biting in children is a sign of normal social experimentationCategory: Conditions | Tags: Patients, Primary care | 2 comments (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872021 Fri, 27 May 2011 11:00:21 +0100 4872021 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872079&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fgaining-weight-blame-your-desk-job.html Your 9-to-5 might be making you fat, according to a study out this week in the journal PLoS ONE. It found a strong connection between the increase in the average weight of Americans, and the decrease in job-related physical activity. The researchers looked at physical activity in the work place using two large government sources: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, and the Current Employment Statistics. They found that in 1960, almost half of Americans worked in jobs that required at least moderate-intensity activity, such as agriculture, construction, and manufacturing. But now that most of us work in service industries such as education, financial services, and trade, only 20 percent of us are that active at work. Today’s average worker burns about 100 fewer j... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872079 Thu, 26 May 2011 21:00:00 +0100 4872079 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872082&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fbrisk-walks-may-help-men-with-prostate-cancer.html Men diagnosed with prostate cancer may do better if they regularly take brisk walks for at least three hours a week, research shows. Prostate cancer affects more than 2.2 million American men. Yet despite this, we know very little about what causes it, or whether there’s much you can do to avoid it. Recently, researchers discovered that men who continue to exercise vigorously after being diagnosed with prostate cancer may live longer than those who don’t. But they were suspicious of the result—did it just mean that men who were sicker with prostate cancer were stopping their exercise regimen due to their illness? They re-ran the study, looking at all types of cancer progression, including things like raised PSA levels, which don’t actually cause symptoms. They ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872082 Thu, 26 May 2011 11:00:00 +0100 4872082 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862527&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fextra-calcium-doesnt-prevent-broken-bones.html Getting lots of calcium doesn't help women avoid osteoporosis or broken bones, new research shows. Low calcium intake can lead to weak bones, but the risk goes away for women who get an average amount of calcium, and there’s no extra benefit to having more. In the 19-year study, a group of Swedish researchers took 60,000 women and split them into five groups, based on the amount of calcium they were getting. Women with the lowest intake of calcium had a higher risk of getting fractures or developing osteoporosis. Once women reached a mid-level intake of calcium, though, their risk dropped. There was no advantage to higher-than-average amounts of calcium. The women with the lowest calcium intake had a 17 in 1,000 risk of a broken bone over a year. In the middle group, this fell to 1... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862527 Wed, 25 May 2011 18:20:00 +0100 4862527 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862535&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2F7-test-and-treatments-doctors-say-you-probably-dont-need.html The National Physicians Alliance and the Archives of Internal Medicine recently surveyed family and internal medicine doctors about medical tests and treatments that are often performed—but often unnecessary. Here are seven that made their lists, plus our take on each. 1. Imaging for low back pain within the first six weeks. The doctors said that’s generally necessary only if there are red flags, such as progressive neurological problems or serious underlying conditions, such as osteomyelitis, a bone infection. Otherwise, the tests—including X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans—just increase costs without improving results. Our take: Our report on back pain also concluded that the tests are overused. If your doctor orders one, ask why, and how it will affect your treatment... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862535 Tue, 24 May 2011 19:35:00 +0100 4862535 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862537&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fct-angiography-a-treatment-trap.html Many healthy patients undergoing CT angiography—a high-tech and widely advertised test increasingly being used to screen for heart disease—are being lured into a prevention trap. That’s one of the conclusions I draw from a major study and editorial being published online today by the Archives of Internal Medicine. Why? I’m concerned that people who undergo the test, which uses multiple CT scans to produce a three-dimensional image of the heart, often go away thinking either that they are free of the disease or, if the results are worrisome, that it saved their life by identifying heart disease early. But the study published today found that while people who got the test were more likely to be treated aggressively, including with invasive and potentially risky proce... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862537 Mon, 23 May 2011 21:01:00 +0100 4862537 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4852809&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FhCs7JS04UVQ%2Fbreast-implants-risk-cancer.html by Anthony Youn, MDThe FDA has issued a statement alerting physicians and patients to a possible link between breast implants and a rare type of cancer.   Although anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is extremely rare, the FDA believes that women with breast implants may have a very small but increased risk of developing the condition.ALCL in the presence of breast implants has been noted in sporadic case reports over the past 25 years.  To date, ALCL has only been identified in 34 cases out of an estimated 5 to 10 million women with implants worldwide.(...)Read the rest of Breast implants and the risk of cancerCategory: Conditions | Tags: Cancer, Specialist | 1 comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4852809 Mon, 23 May 2011 15:00:51 +0100 4852809 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4852811&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FAQrtzIiey2M%2Fvascular-diseases-present-obstructive-atherosclerotic-arterial-disease.html by Joe F. Lau, MD and Jeffrey W. Olin, MDPhysicians who perform percutaneous endovascular procedures encounter a multitude of vascular diseases that may masquerade as obstructive atherosclerotic arterial disease. While atherosclerosis is clearly the most common condition seen, complex inflammatory, genetic or structural processes may either not be amenable to an endovascular approach or actually be harmful and thus lead to outcomes that are not satisfactory.(...)Read the rest of Vascular diseases that present as obstructive atherosclerotic arterial diseaseCategory: Conditions | Tags: Heart, Specialist | No comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4852811 Mon, 23 May 2011 13:00:39 +0100 4852811 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4847902&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2Fs5XFqSmFsdg%2Fpay-attention-color-smell-urine.html This article will review causes of discoloration of urine and when there is a change in the odor of urine.For hundreds of years doctors have looked at urine as a barometer of what is happening in the body. The urine can tell what you have been eating, how much fluid you are consuming, and what diseases you may have. Early doctors even tasted the urine of their patients in order to diagnose their medical conditions. Fortunately, we have made progress and a simple urinalysis can make this determination in seconds.(...)Read the rest of Pay attention to the color and smell of your urineCategory: Conditions | Tags: Specialist | No comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4847902 Fri, 20 May 2011 17:00:25 +0100 4847902 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4847950&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fanother-coffee-perk-lower-risk-of-prostate-cancer.html In this study, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health followed 47,911 men for 20 years. After that time, men who consumed the most coffee (six or more cups per day) had an 18 percent lower risk of developing any form of prostate cancer and were 60 percent less likely to die of it. Even men who drank just one to three cups lowered their risk of dying of prostate cancer by 30 percent. The researchers said it wasn’t the caffeine that did the trick, since the benefits were seen in men who drank regular or decaf. Instead, they suggest it might be the rich mix of antioxidant compounds found in the coffee. Bottom line: While this is a large and well-designed study, it was still an observational study based on self reports. So it’s still too soon to say that more is bett... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4847950 Fri, 20 May 2011 12:00:00 +0100 4847950 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841460&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fselenium-pills-dont-improve-cholesterol-levels-much.html Selenium supplements might slightly improve cholesterol levels in people with low blood levels of the mineral, according to a study in this week’s Annals of Internal Medicine. But the effect is too small to make taking the supplement worthwhile for most people in the U.S., who typically get enough selenium from foods. Researchers studied 501 adults 60 to 74 from the United Kingdom, where average selenium intake is lower than in the U.S. After six months, those who took 100 micrograms of selenium a day, 200 mcg/day, or 300 mcg/day had, on average, a slight drop in LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. People taking the highest dose also had a very slight increase in HDL (good) cholesterol levels. But the researchers said it was unclear whether those doses would have the same effect in peop... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841460 Thu, 19 May 2011 18:35:00 +0100 4841460 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841464&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fcomputer-games-aid-stroke-victim-recovery.html Computer games can speed recovery after after a stroke, according to new research published in the Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation. Researchers looked at a group of people who had impaired use of one arm after a stroke and found that computer simulations and other techniques used in the film industry to produce computer generated action, could help restore lost function. Many current training regimens focus on regaining hand and arm movement separately, but the computer games and robotic training aids used in this trial aimed to improve both simultaneously. The trial used Plasma Pong and Hammer Task to improve coordination, accuracy, and speed of arm and hand movement. The games Virtual Piano and Hummingbird Hunt addressed grip precision and finger motion. For eight days ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841464 Wed, 18 May 2011 13:00:00 +0100 4841464 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841465&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fchronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-symptoms-reduced-by-playing-wii-fit.html Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease might breathe easier after working out on the the Wii Fit, according to a study by researchers at the University of Connecticut. There is no cure for COPD, though a regular exercise can ease symptoms by increasing muscle tone and improving cardiopulmonary fitness. In the new study, patients performed specific Wii exercises while researchers compared their maximum workload, heart rate, oxygen consumption, and other measures. The video-game exercise results were similar to those from “low-intensity calisthenics, the researcher said. “Finding an exercise routine that patients enjoy may help motivate them to exercise regularly,” said Jeffrey Albores, M.D., of the University of Connecticut Health Center. For this study, p... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841465 Tue, 17 May 2011 20:00:00 +0100 4841465 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841466&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Ftraveling-under-a-cloud-of-ill-health.html Years ago, when I traveled a lot for my work, my life was a whirl of fast food on the fly, overly indulgent restaurant meals, endless cups of coffee into the wee hours of the night, nonstop stress, and strings of days when I was so exhausted by the end of the day that going to the dingy gym behind the hotel pool had about as much appeal as a root canal. It took a toll on my health—and a recent study suggests that I wasn’t alone. The study, in the April issue of the Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, looked at over 13,000 employees of a large international company as they underwent an annual physical. While the results weren’t cut and dry, the busiest travelers were more likely to be obese, have high blood pressure and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, and mu... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841466 Tue, 17 May 2011 19:30:00 +0100 4841466 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841468&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fare-heart-patients-having-unnecessary-surgery.html Less than half of people having angioplasty surgery for heart disease were taking the best combination of drugs before their procedure, new research shows. This could mean their surgery was not needed. Coronary angioplasty (also known as percutaneous coronary intervention, or PCI) is life-saving in the right situation—for example, if you’ve just had a heart attack. But for the many folks with stable heart disease, its benefits are less certain. Research has proven that taking the right combination of medications—aspirin or a similar drug, a statin to lower cholesterol and a beta-blocker to lower blood pressure—works just as well to prevent heart attacks and prolong life, compared with angioplasty. Angioplasty may have the edge on control of symptoms, such as angin... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841468 Tue, 17 May 2011 16:05:00 +0100 4841468 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4828872&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fcoffee-cuts-breast-cancer-risk-not-so-fast.html Ever read about new research and think "That seems too good to be true?" That's what went through my mind this week when I read a press release declaring: "Coffee reduces breast cancer risk." Fantastic news. Unfortunately, the research doesn't back up this bold claim. What role coffee drinking might play in a woman's risk of breast cancer has long puzzled researchers. Some chemicals in coffee might promote cancer cell growth, while others—such as antioxidants—may help prevent it. Studies looking at coffee drinkers have shown conflicting results, finding either a higher or lower risk of breast cancer, or no difference in risk at all. One explanation for these inconsistent findings might be that coffee affects the risk of only certain types of breast cancer. This was the basic... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4828872 Mon, 16 May 2011 19:45:00 +0100 4828872 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4828798&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FgOD5GqDgwzQ%2Fosteoporosis-awareness-month-prevent-early-bone-loss.html by James HaddadMay is National Osteoporosis Awareness Month.Osteoporosis is a poorly understood concept amongst the general public, and perhaps the best way to explain it is the presence of an insufficient quantity of bone – the bone that is present, however, is normal (or properly mineralized).  This can be contrasted with osteomalacia (or rickets, in children), where the pathology centers around undermineralized bone.(...)Read the rest of Osteoporosis Awareness Month, and how to prevent early bone lossCategory: Conditions | Tags: Patients | No comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4828798 Mon, 16 May 2011 18:00:05 +0100 4828798 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4828801&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FaVcA5k_u6h0%2Fteach-child-properly-blow-nose.html by Sakina Shikari Bajowala, MDCold season.All over town, boogery kids are wiping snot on their sleeves, their hands, and us.  One of the most important things you can teach your child is how to properly blow his/her nose.  It’s one of the “skills” I check for whenever a young child comes to my office with symptoms of an upper respiratory infection.  I’m always amused by the number of kids blowing air out of their mouth.(...)Read the rest of Teach your child to properly blow his noseCategory: Conditions | Tags: Patients | No comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4828801 Mon, 16 May 2011 15:00:11 +0100 4828801 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4820838&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fblood-test-for-alzheimers-in-development-1.html Testing blood samples for a brain-protecting steroid could help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, according to new research. Although Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia—around 4.5 million Americans have it—it can be difficult to diagnose. It usually develops gradually, and the early signs can be mistaken for the mild memory problems that lots of people get as they grow older. Researchers are looking for new tests that can help diagnose Alzheimer’s reliably. A new study shows that a blood test may be useful in finding out whether someone has the disease. After a process called oxidation, blood samples from Alzheimer’s patients were lower in a natural steroid called dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). DHEA helps protect the brain from damage... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4820838 Fri, 13 May 2011 19:46:00 +0100 4820838 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4820768&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2F9o39C33T71Q%2Fpatients-finding-treating-osteoporosis.html by Juliet K. Mavromatis, MDOsteoporosis is a condition that is sure to become increasingly diagnosed as our population ages.Osteoporosis is significant because it is associated with an increased risk of bone fracture, including fracture of the hip and vertebra, which are the cause of significant morbidity, mortality, loss of independence and medical expense in the elderly. In current clinical practice, osteoporosis is diagnosed on the basis of either the occurrence of a low-impact or fragility fracture, or on the basis of measured low bone mineral density (BMD). A low-impact fracture is one that occurs after a fall from standing height or less; a fragility fracture occurs spontaneously or with no trauma (cough, sneeze, sudden movement).(...)Read the rest of What patients need to know about... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4820768 Fri, 13 May 2011 19:00:07 +0100 4820768 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4820841&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fblood-test-for-alzheimers-in-development.html Testing blood samples for a brain-protecting steroid could help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, according to new research. Although Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia—around 4.5 million Americans have it—it can be difficult to diagnose. It usually develops gradually, and the early signs can be mistaken for the mild memory problems that lots of people get as they grow older. Researchers are looking for new tests that can help diagnose Alzheimer’s reliably. A new study shows that a blood test may be useful in finding out whether someone has the disease. After a process called oxidation, blood samples from Alzheimer’s patients were lower in a natural steroid called dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). DHEA helps protect the brain from damage... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4820841 Thu, 12 May 2011 17:05:00 +0100 4820841 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4820777&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FdsM5gz7Ex10%2Fcigarette-taxes-work.html by Matthew Mintz, MDNot to be negative about public health educational campaigns, which I believe are important, but the two major factors that have led to the decline in US smokers over the past decade are most attributable two two things: smoking bans and taxes on cigarettes.When it becomes difficult to smoke in public places and expensive do to so anywhere, people are more motivated to quit.(...)Read the rest of Cigarette taxes work and why they are still too lowCategory: Conditions | Tags: Medications, Patients, Primary care | 18 comments (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4820777 Thu, 12 May 2011 17:00:12 +0100 4820777 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813197&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FDnoVhga-WiQ%2Fsunscreen-advice-dermatologist-prevent-skin-cancer.html by Susan Y. Chon, MD You know you need sunscreen. But with so many lotions, sprays and gels to choose from, how do you know which sunblock will actually prevent sunburns — and skin cancer?When it comes to shielding your skin from the sun, the type of sunscreen you choose is as important as how you use it.(...)Read the rest of Sunscreen advice from a dermatologist to prevent skin cancerCategory: Conditions | Tags: Cancer, Specialist | No comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813197 Thu, 12 May 2011 11:00:38 +0100 4813197 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813276&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fvitamin-d-linked-to-psoriasis-and-pneumonia.html You might associate vitamin D mainly with strengthening your bones, but it could also play a role in both psoriasis and pneumonia, suggests two studies published this week. One report, out today in the journal Science Translational Medicine, shows that vitamin D helps counteract the body’s response to inflammation associated with the red, scaly patches of psoriasis. The finding—based on analysis of genetic material in skin biopsies from psoriasis patients and healthy volunteers—could lead to new therapies, report the team of researchers from the U.S. and Germany. The other study, released on Tuesday in the journal Respirology, found that adult pneumonia patients hospitalized in winter with were more likely to die within 30 days if they were severely deficient in vitamin... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813276 Wed, 11 May 2011 19:50:00 +0100 4813276 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813199&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FHip-672w1wk%2Ftreating-stress-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-impact-cardiovascular-disease.html by Dr. Charles“This job is killing me” is not a statement of jest. It is a desperate plea of outright sincerity.Stress, anxiety, depression – all have been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. But can interventions to help people cope with stress positively affect longevity and decrease risk of dying? The results of a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine would imply the answer is an encouraging “yes.”(...)Read the rest of Treating stress with cognitive behavioral therapy can impact cardiovascular diseaseCategory: Conditions | Tags: Patients, Primary care | No comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813199 Wed, 11 May 2011 19:00:58 +0100 4813199 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813200&cid=t_108648_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FKqlHZlUXk-I%2Fgenomics-cancer-early-diagnosis-infectious-disease.html Part of continuing series by Stephen C. Schimpff, exclusive to KevinMD.com.by Stephen C. Schimpff, MDIn the previous post I discussed the field of pharmacogenomics.Today I will focus on:NutragenomicsDisease classificationDisease prognosticationEarly and rapid diagnosisPrediction of diseases to develop later in lifeNutragenomics or the science of how our genes affect what we eat is a developing field.(...)Read the rest of Using genomics in cancer, and for early diagnosis in infectious diseaseCategory: Conditions | Tags: Cancer | 1 comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813200 Wed, 11 May 2011 18:00:29 +0100 4813200 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813278&cid=t_108648_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Foff-label-drug-works-as-well-for-macular-degeneration.html A drug used off-label to treat a common form of sight loss works as well as an approved, but much more expensive alternative. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common cause of sight loss in older people. It’s caused by an overgrowth of blood vessels at the back of the eye. Around 2005, doctors discovered that injecting the bowel cancer drug bevacizumab (Avastin) into the back of the eye could help some people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), by preventing blood vessel growth. However, the drug was never officially approved as a treatment for AMD. A couple of years later, a drug called ranibizumab (Lucentis) was approved for treating AMD. It is very similar to bevacizumab, but designed specifically for use in the eye. It’s also much more expensive. Now ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813278 Wed, 11 May 2011 13:30:00 +0100 4813278 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813690&cid=t_108648_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F05%2F11%2Fthe-language-of-pain%2F Have you ever wondered about the ways we communicate our pain? Pain behaviour doesn’t just include nonverbal communication – one of the main ways we communicate our pain is through speech. Words are an incredibly powerful aspect of pain behaviour that strikes me as something we haven’t really studied much. When I was searching for the article to refer to in this post, I looked in PsychInfo under the terms “linguistics” and “pain” – and out of the tens of thousands of articles under each term, and total of 16 included both words. Sixteen! The stimulus for this post comes from someone who said the term “catastrophising” is a misnomer – a way for health professionals to dismiss or minimise the suffering and distress someone who... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813690 Wed, 11 May 2011 00:57:33 +0100 4813690