04/11/16

Monday, April 11, 2016

U.S. officials: Zika virus scarier than we thought

The CDC now believes the mosquito that carries the Zika virus is found in thirty states, not twelve as previously estimated

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/u-s-officials-zika-virus-scarier-than-we-thought/

Can I Work Out if I Have a Tension Headache?

Why your workout could be a way to bounce back from a tension headache, or even prevent them in the first place. WebMD reports.

From: http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/features/tension-headache-exercise-therapy?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Thinking Differently: The CFI Series of Unexpected Conversations, John Adractas

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUgDTAk96B0

Brain Damage in Ex-NFL Players

More than 42 percent also exhibit problems with thinking and memory, researchers say

From: http://www.webmd.com/brain/news/20160411/study-suggests-brain-damage-in-40-percent-of-ex-nfl-players?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Hormone Therapy for Prostate Cancer Tied to This

Study found a 23 percent increased risk compared to men who received other treatments, but overall risk relatively low

From: http://www.webmd.com/prostate-cancer/news/20160411/hormone-therapy-for-prostate-cancer-tied-to-depression?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Should you be taking low-dose aspirin for heart health?

New guidelines on who could benefit from aspirin therapy to help prevent heart trouble and a common type of cancer

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-guidelines-daily-low-dose-aspirin-heart-health-cancer-prevention/

FDA moves to pull pork drug linked to cancer

Almost one-third of young pigs in the U.S. are given the antibiotic

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/fda-moves-to-pull-pork-drug-carbadox-linked-to-cancer/

Officials: Zika virus "scarier than we initially thought"

Federal health officials say more funding is needed to combat the spread of a frightening new virus

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/officials-zika-virus-scarier-than-we-thought/

Cluster Headaches Are Getting to Me. What Can I Do?

If cluster headaches start to affect your emotions, reach out for help. WebMD shares what to do.

From: http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/features/headaches-anxiety-depression?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Are there Alternative Treatments for Tension Headaches?

Over-the-counter painkillers aren’t always the only way to manage tension headaches. WebMD discusses whether alternative treatments like acupuncture and herbs can help.

From: http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/features/tension-headache-alternative-therapy?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Natural and Home Remedies for Bad Breath

If you're having a bout with bad breath, you can fight it off right from the comfort of your own home. WebMD shows you how.

From: http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/features/natural-home-remedies-for-bad-breath?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Unsafe lead levels found in water at hundreds of schools

Responding to the crisis in Flint, Michigan, schools across the country are testing their water supplies

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/water-with-unsafe-lead-amounts-found-in-hundreds-of-schools/

Cheap Tape May Keep Blisters Off Runners' Feet

Researchers find an easy, effective solution to a perennial problem

From: http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/20160411/cheap-tape-may-keep-blisters-off-runners-feet?src=RSS_PUBLIC

ADA, ASDA want Congress to support dental student borrowers

In an effort to improve the borrowing rate on dental student loans, the Association has joined forces with the American Student Dental Association and endorsed H.R. 4223, the Protecting Our Students by Terminating Graduate Rates that Add to Debt Act.

From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/april/ada-asda-want-congress-to-support-dental-student-borrowers

Group highlights dental role in reporting abuse

What do you do if a child's parent in your office smells strongly of alcohol? Or if you suspect the young girl brought to your office for veneers could be a victim of trafficking?

From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/april/group-highlights-dental-role-in-reporting-abuse

Statement from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on the Passing of Pearlie Reed

WASHINGTON, April 11, 2016 — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today released the following statement on the passing of Pearlie S. Reed, former USDA Assistant Secretary for Administration:

From: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2016/04/0089.xml&contentidonly=true

Study finds BPA in cans of many popular food products

More than two-thirds of food cans sampled contained BPA, a chemical that "disrupts" the body's endocrine system

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/study-finds-toxic-chemical-bpa-in-food-cans-del-monte-campbell-general-mills/

One big reason some Americans live longer than others

The top one percent has a major advantage in life expectancy, but there are factors besides money that matter, too

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/higher-income-longer-life-expectancy/

Marriage may help fight cancer

Married people seem to have a survival advantage over singles, a new study suggests

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/marriage-may-help-fight-cancer/

Swiss researcher, author of more than 500 scientific articles, honored at banquet

Dr. Niklaus Lang, 2015 honoree of the Norton M. Ross Award for Excellence in Clinical Research, receives a plaque at a banquet in Los Angeles on March 16

From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/april/swiss-researcher-author-of-more-than-500-scientific-articles-honored-at-banquet

Dentists asked to review Straumann implant cases to help identify deceased woman

A coroner's office in Ohio is hoping dentists can help identify a deceased woman through her dental implants manufactured by Straumann Dental.

From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/april/dentists-asked-to-review-straumann-implant-cases-to-help-identify-deceased-woman

These Women Who Drink and Smoke May Risk Asthma

Link was less pronounced in men, research finds

From: http://www.webmd.com/asthma/news/20160409/underweight-or-obese-women-who-drink-and-smoke-may-have-higher-asthma-risk?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Cigarette smoking could burn your job prospects

The habit costs more than just the price of cigarettes, researchers say

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/smoking-affects-employment-job-prospects-wages/

Doctors Report on Success of Throat Reconstruction

Seven years after receiving metal stents, donated skin tissue, patient can swallow and eat normal food

From: http://www.webmd.com/news/20160408/doctors-report-on-success-of-throat-reconstruction?src=RSS_PUBLIC

CA Marketplace Imposes Quality, Cost Conditions

In a sweeping overhaul of its contracts, the state’s insurance exchange will require health plans to hold doctors and hospitals accountable for quality and cost.

From: http://www.webmd.com/health-insurance/ca/20160408/california-insurance-marketplace-imposes-new-quality-cost-conditions-on-plans?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Doctors discover what led to uterus transplant failure

A common infection led to severe complications in first U.S. uterine transplant case

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/doctors-discover-what-led-to-uterus-transplant-failure/

BPA found in food cans, study finds

It was in every Campbell's product sampled, 71 percent of Del Monte products and half of General Mills cans

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/bpa-found-in-food-cans-study-finds/

Mayo Clinic Minute: Online Tool Boosts Cardiac Rehab Results

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17xbxBmXOZE

Over 35 and expecting: Is it safer to give birth “early”?

Follow me at @hricciot

Having a baby when you’re “older” can have some advantages—women may feel more secure with themselves, their relationships, or their careers. However, expectant moms 35 and older—and their babies—do face some increased pregnancy-related health risks.

Probably the most dreaded is a stillbirth.

Most often, the factor responsible for stillbirth occurs before labor. Some of the reasons a baby might die before birth include problems with the placenta, and women over 35 face increased risk for these complications. That’s why it isn’t unusual for doctors to recommend inducing labor a little early, usually about a week before the due date. For younger women, we often wait at least a week past the due date before helping labor along if it hasn’t started on its own. While there has been no conclusive proof that inducing labor prevents stillbirth, we worry so much about this potential loss that we want to do what we reasonably can to prevent it. And one of those things is not waiting too long for labor to start on its own.

So why is inducing labor a big deal? One concern is that it may increase the chance that the delivery will end up as a cesarean. However, a British study recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed, surprisingly (at least to me), that there was no difference in cesarean delivery rates when women over 35 who were having their first baby were induced in the week leading up to delivery.

According to Neil Shah, M.D., an obstetrician and an expert in interventions that improve the safety, affordability, and experience of patient care, “The motivation for inducing labor is that women over 35 may be at slightly higher risk of stillbirth compared to younger women. Nonetheless, the NEJM study was not designed to measure the benefit of preventing stillbirth, it was only designed to measure the potential harm of an avoidable cesarean. Ultimately, no difference in cesarean rates were seen (and no difference in still births were seen either). A pregnant woman can’t conclude much from this. In the United States, a larger study is currently underway that might better measure the tradeoffs of inducing labor. By enrolling more patients, they may be able to better parse important differences among pregnant women, since all women above age 35 cannot be painted with the same broad brush.”

One thing the study did not address was the favorability of the cervix – how dilated, softened, or thinned out it was. This “cervical ripeness” can influence how long a woman is in labor during an induction – the “riper” the cervix, the shorter the labor. For many of my patients, the amount of time spent in the hospital influences their decision to choose induction over waiting for natural labor. A long induction can mean being stuck in the hospital for days, which is time that would normally be spent at home. Since having a baby is not a completely medical event, many women want to avoid a long hospitalization and much prefer nature to take its course.

I polled a few of the obstetricians in my department to see if the study would influence their counseling. Dr. Toni Golen, M.D., Director of Labor and Delivery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, said, “For my patients, knowing the likelihood of cesarean delivery compared to the risk of stillbirth when undergoing induction is important. The best advice I can offer patients in this area should take into account their cervical exam when the induction begins.”

It is important for women and their doctors to talk about their own personal risks, as well as their preferences and options, since induced labor and spontaneous labor are not equivalent birth experiences.

The post Over 35 and expecting: Is it safer to give birth “early”? appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Hope Ricciotti, MD http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/over-35-and-expecting-is-it-safer-to-give-birth-early-201604119431

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