5 women file suit to end New York "tampon tax"

Tampons and pads "a necessity for women, not a luxury," lawyer says: "There is no way these products would be taxed if men had to use them"

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/5-women-file-suit-to-end-new-york-tampon-tax/

Energy drinks raise more health concerns

Latest study adds to the evidence that energy drinks can have serious health effects

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/once-more-energy-drinks-raise-heart-health-concerns/

Wrestler with "mat herpes" virus wants state tournament postponed

High school wrestler believes he contracted highly contagious virus during a recent tournament in Northern California

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/wrestler-with-mat-herpes-virus-wants-state-champs-postponed/

Daily low-dose aspirin may cut risk of certain cancers

New research finds additional benefits of long-term aspirin therapy

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/daily-low-dose-aspirin-could-reduce-risk-of-certain-cancers/

​Is "menstrual leave" the next workplace benefit?

Time off during that time of the month? One company is considering letting women workers who suffer severely do exactly that

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/are-period-policies-the-next-workplace-benefit/

Mayo Clinic Minute: How to Get Rid of Super Lice

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLBL0VxJyfI

Mayo Clinic Center for Regenerative Medicine Biomaterials & Biomolecules cGMP Facility

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41elkatyNek

CDC: Hospitals Making Progress Against 'Superbugs'

But hundreds of thousands are still infected each year, experts report

From: http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20160303/cdc-says-hospitals-making-progress-against-superbugs?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Bacterial Infection Outbreak in WI: 18 Dead

Bacterial Infection Outbreak in WI: 18 Dead

From: http://www.webmd.com/news/20160303/bacterial-infection-outbreak?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Superbugs a major threat to hospital patients

Although some progress has been made, hospital-acquired infections and drug-resistant bacteria remain big killers

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/cdc-superbugs-a-major-threat-to-hospital-patients/

Soccer star Brandi Chastain to donate brain to science

Women's World Cup champ wants to help scientists understand brain damage from concussions

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/soccer-star-brandi-chastain-latest-athlete-to-donate-brain-to-science/

Tech's lax analysis raises questions on his 7,800 drug cases

Kamal Shah was allegedly observed spending insufficient time analyzing a substance to determine if it was marijuana, creating doubt over his other cases

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-technicians-lax-analysis-raises-questions-on-his-7800-drug-cases/

The radio host who hiccuped for 101 hours straight

Could Philadelphia radio personality's puzzling hiccup marathon be linked to a common heart ailment?

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hiccups-philadelphia-radio-personality-big-daddy-graham/

Raw Milk Blue Cheese Recalled by Whole Foods

Raw Milk Blue Cheese Recalled by Whole Foods

From: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/food-poisoning/20160303/blue-cheese-recall?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Survey Reveals Beliefs, Behaviors on Alzheimer's

Survey Reveals Beliefs, Behaviors on Alzheimer's

From: http://www.webmd.com/news/breaking-news/confronting-alzheimers/20160225/alzheimers-survey?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Novel Approaches to LVAD Surgery– Mayo Clinic

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92Nwrz8cnxw

Protein-Heavy Meals Make You Feel Fuller, Sooner

Whether that will lead to weight loss over time is still unclear, however

From: http://www.webmd.com/diet/20160303/protein-heavy-meals-make-you-feel-fuller-sooner-study?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Happiness Might Sometimes Harm Your Heart

Any extreme emotion can trigger syndrome that weakens muscles, causes left pumping chamber to balloon, researchers say

From: http://www.webmd.com/heart/news/20160303/happiness-might-sometimes-harm-your-heart-study-finds?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Low-Dose Aspirin and Lower Risk of Some Cancers

The effect was seen most strongly with colon, gastrointestinal tumors, researchers report

From: http://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20160303/daily-low-dose-aspirin-linked-to-reduced-risk-of-certain-cancers?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Bridging Gap Between Medical, Mental Health Care

Recognizing the strong link between psychiatric and physical illnesses, providers across the country are integrating primary care into mental health clinics with the help of federal funding.

From: http://www.webmd.com/health-insurance/20160303/bridging-the-gap-between-medical-and-mental-health-care?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Happiness can break your heart, too

Joyful moments can trigger a rare, potentially fatal heart condition, new research finds

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/happiness-can-break-your-heart-too/

Supplementary Prescribing for UK Dietitians

From: BritishDietetic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDqHqysFdT4

Muscle problems caused by statins: Can a genetic test reveal your risk?

In the United States, more than 40% of people ages 60 and older take a cholesterol-lowering statin to reduce their risk of a heart attack. But up to half of people who are prescribed these drugs quit taking them because they experience what they believe to be statin-related side effects — most often muscle pain. Others avoid statins altogether because of that worry. That’s why many people might be curious about a mail-order genetic test called StatinSmart, which bills itself as the first test to identify a person’s risk of experiencing muscle pain from a statin.

But here’s the rub: muscle problems can range from mild to serious, and the terms experts use to describe them can be confusing. The StatinSmart website says 29% of people who take a statin develop “statin-induced myopathy,” which they define as muscle aches, pains, weakness, or cramps.

“That seems like a gross overestimate of the symptoms that are actually caused by statins,” says Dr. Kiran Musunuru, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. He and other doctors concur that some people who take statins develop debilitating aches and pains that then go away once they stop taking the drug. But those people represent just a small percentage of statin users. Among the 60-plus crowd, who are the most likely to be prescribed a statin, muscle-related symptoms are fairly common and have many causes, including strenuous exercise, infections, or other health problems.

Serious but rare

In the study used to validate StatinSmart’s genetic test, the researchers defined myopathy as symptoms of myalgia (muscle pain) in addition to a creatine kinase (CK) level more than 10 times higher than normal. CK is an enzyme in the blood that rises in response to muscle damage. This type of myopathy is very serious but quite rare, affecting about one in 1,000 people who take statins, says Dr. Musunuru.

What exactly does StatinSmart measure? Using genetic material from a small sample of your saliva, the test analyzes a gene called SLCO1B1. Variants in this gene, which affects a protein that helps shuttle statins into the liver, are linked to the rare form of statin-induced myopathy.

About 75% of people have two normal versions of the gene and thus aren’t at risk for severe myopathy. About 23% of people have one copy of the gene, which means they’re about four to five times more likely to develop statin-induced myopathy than the average person. And 2% of people have two copies of the gene. Those people are about 17 times more likely to develop statin-induced myopathy. However, even if you’re in that 2% minority, your chances of developing statin-induced myopathy are still very low: 17 in 1,000.

A family history of myopathy?

So should anyone consider taking this test, which costs $99? “If we had an alternative drug that was proven to lower heart attack risk just as effectively and inexpensively as a statin, then yes, it might make sense,” says Dr. Musunuru. People who had the gene variant could then take the alternative drug.

For most people, the very low risk of serious myopathy is outweighed by the benefit of a statin. But if one of your close relatives (a parent or sibling) had statin-induced myopathy, then the StatinSmart test may be a reasonable idea, says Dr. Musunuru. You should do so in collaboration with your physician (as the company recommends), who can tailor your statin therapy according to your results.

If you develop muscle pain or weakness while taking a statin, your doctor may advise you to stop taking it, wait a month or two, then try taking it again. If the muscle trouble returns, your doctor can change the dose or type of statin or take you off the drug. Of course, if you have any persistent, unexplained muscle pain, ask your doctor about CK testing whether or not you’re taking a statin.

Related Post:

• Combination of a cholesterol-lowering statin and ezetimibe…
• Cholesterol and statins: it’s no longer just about the
• Studies support broader use of cholesterol-lowering statins
• Do statins interfere with the flu vaccine?
• PCSK9 inhibitors: a major advance in cholesterol-lowering…

The post Muscle problems caused by statins: Can a genetic test reveal your risk? appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Julie Corliss http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/muscle-problems-caused-by-statins-can-a-genetic-test-reveal-your-risk-201603039247

Lazy Weekends May Boost Body Fat

But spending all week at a desk job did not show same link

From: http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/20160302/lazy-weekends-may-boost-body-fat-study-shows?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Inducing Labor May Not Boost C-Section Risk

Study also found that prompting delivery in 39th week did not affect health of baby or mother

From: http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20160302/inducing-labor-may-not-boost-c-section-risk?src=RSS_PUBLIC

One Drink Might Temporarily Bump Up Heart Risk

But within 24 hours, that same beverage can be generally protective, study suggests

From: http://www.webmd.com/heart/news/20160302/one-alcoholic-drink-might-temporarily-bump-up-heart-risk?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Could video games help kids shed extra pounds?

Child obesity more than doubled between 1980 and 2012, and the CDC calls it an "epidemic

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/could-video-games-help-kids-shed-extra-pounds/

What's behind a steep decline in unintended pregnancies

New study reveals the main reason why accidental pregnancies in the U.S. have hit a 30-year low

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-sees-steep-decline-in-unintended-pregnancies-due-to-long-acting-contraceptives/

More fast-food chains pull away from antibiotics in meats

Subway restaurants are the latest fast food chain to make a change to their menus

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/more-fast-food-chains-pull-away-from-antibiotics-in-meats/

ADHD Meds Tied to Lower Bone Density in Kids

One-quarter of children in study had lower-than-normal readings, but reasons aren't clear

From: http://www.webmd.com/children/news/20160303/adhd-meds-tied-to-lower-bone-density-in-kids?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Tarantula toxins might work as a painkiller

The search for more effective painkilling drugs leads researchers to an unlikely source

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/tarantula-toxins-might-work-as-painkillers/

Fast-food chains vow changes to meat amid "potential catastrophe"

Bowing to consumer pressure for greater transparency about the food they eat, fast-food chains move toward serving antibiotic-free meats

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/fast-food-chains-antibiotic-free-chicken-meats-movement-subway-mcdonalds-wendys/

Could playing video games help kids lose weight, gain confidence?

Group of Louisiana researchers are studying whether active video games could impact weight, blood pressure and cholesterol

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/child-obesity-research-study-video-games-help-lose-weight/