08/28/17

Monday, August 28, 2017

Flooding disrupts care at Houston hospital, cancer center

Officials to evacuate one of the nation's busiest trauma centers as flooding from Harvey has threatened the hospital's supplies

From: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/flooding-disrupts-care-at-houston-hospital-cancer-center/

New heart drug targets inflammation

Researchers say a new drug lowers the risk of having another heart attack by reducing inflammation. CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook reports.

From: https://www.cbsnews.com/videos/new-heart-drug-targets-inflammation/

Hurricane Harvey Threats: What To Know & Do

people walking through flood waters in houston

There are plenty of dangers in a storm's floodwaters, and things to worry about once the water recedes.

From: http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/news/20170828/hurricane-harvey-threats-what-to-know-do?src=RSS_PUBLIC

What Every Runner Needs To Know: Coping With and Preventing Running Injuries

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlPfV_ZYHvc

Sex in Menopause: Estrogen Patch Could Help Women

Study suggests that, given this way, short-term use of the hormone may help those who report symptoms

From: http://www.webmd.com/sex/news/20170828/sex-in-menopause-estrogen-patch-could-help-women?src=RSS_PUBLIC

High Salt Intake May Double Heart Failure Risk

Study offers another reason to watch your intake

From: http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/heart-failure/news/20170828/high-salt-intake-may-double-heart-failure-risk?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Does Race Matter in Care 'Preemie' Babies Receive?

It may not be intentional, but there's room for improvement, study shows

From: http://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/news/20170828/does-race-matter-in-care-preemie-babies-receive?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Women at Risk for Alzheimer's Face Critical Window

If your genes predispose you to the illness, 65 to 75 may be high-risk years

From: http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/news/20170828/women-at-risk-for-alzheimers-face-critical-window?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Biggest health threats from Harvey flooding

As torrential rains and catastrophic flooding continue, a number of health hazards put Texas residents at risk

From: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/houston-flooding-biggest-health-threats-from-hurricane-harvey-flooding/

Mayo Clinic Minute: Tips for family heart health

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gJGTBqJ5s8

Drug May Fight Heart Disease in Whole New Way

Study of injected medication suggests reductions in inflammation could be treatment target

From: http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20170828/drug-may-fight-heart-disease-in-whole-new-way?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Pediatricians: Give Hepatitis B Vaccine Sooner

Shot should come within 24 hours of delivery, and not at first checkup

From: http://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/news/20170828/pediatricians-give-hepatitis-b-vaccine-sooner?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Slow and Steady Wins the Weight-Loss Race

Study found fluctuations in pounds shed over a year of dieting predicted poorer results

From: http://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/news/20170828/slow-and-steady-wins-the-weight-loss-race?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Health Highlights: Aug. 28, 2017

FDA: Serious Problems at Florida Stem Cell Clinic

From: http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/news/20170828/fda-serious-problems-at-florida-stem-cell-clinic?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Serious Reactions to Vaccines Rarely Recur: Review

Findings add to evidence of safety of childhood immunizations, pediatricians say

From: http://www.webmd.com/children/vaccines/news/20170828/serious-reactions-to-vaccines-rarely-recur-review?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Applications due Dec. 1 for University of Chicago dentistry-focused social science Ph.D. program

Dentists and dental students interested in becoming clinician-scholars and earning a Ph.D. from a social science program can apply through Dec. 1 to enroll at the University of Chicago.

From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/august/applications-due-dec-1-for-university-of-chicago-dentistry-focused-social-science-phd-program

Undiagnosed Heart Condition 'AFib' May Be Common

Continuous long-term monitoring led to diagnosis in 1 out of 3 high-risk adults

From: http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/atrial-fibrillation/news/20170826/undiagnosed-heart-condition-afib-may-be-common?src=RSS_PUBLIC

In a first, drug lowers heart attack risk with new approach

It works by curbing inflammation, a new and very different approach than lowering cholesterol, the focus for many years

From: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/in-a-first-anti-inflammatory-drug-lowers-heart-attack-risks/

Fish consumption and rheumatoid arthritis: Natural remedy or just another fish tale?

Follow me on Twitter @RobShmerling

When I see patients with rheumatoid arthritis, I’m often asked about diet. Are there foods that can help? Should I avoid certain foods?

The role of diet in arthritis

Whenever I’m asked about diet for arthritis, my short answer is that with a few exceptions, there is no proven role for making dietary changes. In the case of rheumatoid arthritis, there is no clear evidence that eating more (or less) of any particular food will improve (or worsen) their symptoms or protect their joints. Of course, new research could change my answer.

And what about the exceptions? The most important is probably gout. Certain foods and beverages (such as organ meats and alcohol) can predispose to the condition or make it worse. Most people with gout are told to modify their diets, although for most the impact is small.

What about the microbiome?

There is enormous interest now in the role of the microbiome — the vast numbers of microorganisms living within us — in health and disease. And we know that diet affects the microbiome within the intestinal tract. It could turn out that what you eat may cause certain populations of bacteria in the intestinal tract to rise or fall. Since these bacteria may affect immune function, and since rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition, it’s possible that changes in the microbiome will affect the activity and severity of rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers are working hard to understand how the microbiome might affect autoimmune diseases, and how this new perspective could lead to better control of conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Fish, fish oil, and rheumatoid arthritis

A number of studies have found that fish oil supplements or a diet rich in fish oils may be helpful in controlling the inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, it’s possible higher intake of fish oil actually reduces the likelihood of developing the disease. Some studies have found that rheumatoid arthritis is less common in places where fish consumption is highest. However, fish oil is not routinely recommended, because its effect is modest and medications tend to be much more effective.

A new study resurrects the idea that fish oil (or at least fish consumption) might suppress the joint inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers publishing in the medical journal Arthritis Care & Research report that the more fish a person consumes, the better the control of their arthritis. In this study, researchers analyzed data from 176 people with rheumatoid arthritis, comparing their reported intake of non-fried fish with the results of their joint examinations and blood tests. Here’s what they found:

Those with the highest fish consumption (more than two servings per week) had the best control of their arthritis.
There was a “dose effect.” For minimal, low, or high fish consumption, the higher the intake, the better the arthritis.
The findings were noted even after accounting for other factors that might affect arthritis control, such as duration of disease and fish oil supplement use.

The fine print

This was a small study that found an association between fish consumption and control of rheumatoid arthritis. That’s not the same as finding that fish intake actually caused the improvement in arthritis. This is an important point because factors other than diet could explain the findings. For instance, it’s possible that people who eat fish regularly are generally more attuned to their health and take their medications more reliably than people who eat fish less often. That’s why the authors of this study do not conclude that everyone with rheumatoid arthritis should start eating more fish. What they do say is that additional research is needed.

One other point: the improvement in arthritis control noted among those who ate the most fish was modest, and so small that most patients probably wouldn’t notice. Still, small improvements can add up, so even a small effect from a natural remedy that poses minimal risk is worth consideration.

What now?

I’m hopeful that in the near future we’ll have more definitive, larger, and long-term studies that examine the role of diet on rheumatoid arthritis and other types of joint disease. Until then, I think people with rheumatoid arthritis should consider increasing their intake of non-fried fish. It might be good for the joints. And eating fish may have other health benefits as well, especially if it replaces less healthy choices.

The post Fish consumption and rheumatoid arthritis: Natural remedy or just another fish tale? appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Robert H. Shmerling, MD https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/fish-consumption-and-rheumatoid-arthritis-natural-remedy-or-just-another-fish-tale-2017082812299

Morning Rounds: Could certain vitamins put you at a higher risk for lung cancer?

Dr. Jon LaPook and Dr. Tara Narula join "CBS This Morning: Saturday" to discuss a new study about certain vitamins that could increase the risk of lung cancer in men who smoke, new research suggesting there could be a link between sleep and dementia, and how events like the solar eclipse could be impacting empathy.

From: https://www.cbsnews.com/videos/morning-rounds-could-certain-vitamins-put-you-at-a-higher-risk-for-lung-cancer/

MMA for kids more popular than ever, despite risks

Inspired by big-name stars, more children take up mixed martial arts, but pediatricians warn about the dangers

From: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mma-for-kids-conor-mcgregor-floyd-mayweather-ronda-rousey/

Health officials mark milestone in measles outbreak

Measles outbreak was state's largest in decades, with one community especially hard hit

From: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/measles-outbreak-ends-minnesota-announcement-ed-ehlinger/

More kids take up MMA despite risks

More children than ever are taking part in mixed martial arts, or MMA, but pediatricians have some warnings about the risk. CBS News' Danielle Nottingham reports.

From: https://www.cbsnews.com/videos/more-kids-take-up-mma-despite-risks/

Mayo Clinic Minute: The heirloom advantage

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65e7BlE0BZ4

#AsktheMayoMom about Children's Eye Health

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2I1qi2duOA

How addiction changes the brain

President Trump has called the opioid epidemic a national emergency, and 21 million Americans are addicted to drugs and alcohol

From: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/science-of-addiction-national-geographic-fran-smith/

Aetna responds after patients' HIV status revealed in envelope window

The company is reviewing processes to ensure it never happens again, saying "this type of mistake is unacceptable"

From: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lawyers-aetna-envelope-window-reveals-patients-hiv-status/

Can you retrain an addicted brain?

President Trump has called the opioid epidemic a national emergency, and 21 million Americans are addicted to drugs and alcohol. Fran Smith, who wrote the cover story of September's National Geographic article, "How science is unlocking the secrets of addiction," joins "CBS This Morning" to discuss addiction's impact on the brain's pathways.

From: https://www.cbsnews.com/videos/can-you-retrain-an-addicted-brain/

From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/september

Article spotlights dental role in childhood obesity prevention

The dentist's role in childhood obesity prevention is examined in a publication the ADA helped develop that is available online.

From: By Michelle Manchir http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/august/article-spotlights-dental-role-in-childhood-obesity-prevention

Reading and writing and dental care

There was pizza and popcorn, puzzles and games, movies, balloon hats and — the main event — dental care at a back-to-school event the Louisiana State University Health New Orleans After-Hours Pediatric Dental Clinic hosted Aug. 14.

From: By Michelle Manchir http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/august/reading-and-writing-and-dental-care

Tips to stay safe as Hurricane Harvey approaches

What to put in your "go-bag," and other advice for anyone facing a weather emergency

From: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hurricane-harvey-texas-safety-tips/

What to look for in 2018 Medicare Advantage plans

Limited networks and areas with no coverage make choosing the right health plan even more challenging than usual

From: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/medicare-advantage-plans-2018-finding-health-insurance/

High school friendships might predict future well-being

New research affirms being popular in high school isn't everything

From: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/high-school-friendships-might-predict-mental-well-being-later-in-life/

Opioid epidemic takes toll in Maine lobster industry

The nation's opioid crisis has hit hard in Maine, where at least one person died every day last year of drug overdoses. Economic leaders say the impact of the opioid epidemic on the lobster industry could affect an entire generation. CBS News' Kenneth Craig reports.

From: https://www.cbsnews.com/videos/opioid-epidemic-takes-toll-in-maine-lobster-industry/

Mayo Clinic Minute: Stroke and heat concerns

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awuDT5qIoHg

Are Chocolate Cravings a Product of the Culture?

These premenstrual urges seem far more common among U.S. women than others, study suggests

From: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20170825/are-chocolate-cravings-a-product-of-the-culture?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Early Prostate Cancer Treatment Carries Heart Risk

Hormone-suppressing regimen may raise odds for heart failure, but it brings benefits, too, researchers say

From: http://www.webmd.com/prostate-cancer/news/20170825/early-prostate-cancer-treatment-carries-heart-risk?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Same-Sex Parents Won't Sway Kids' Gender Identity

Research showed no differences from children raised by heterosexual couples

From: http://www.webmd.com/children/news/20170821/same-sex-parents-wont-sway-kids-gender-identity?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Most Parents Would Support Teen Switching Gender

Findings indicate growing acceptance of gender transition

From: http://www.webmd.com/children/news/20170821/most-parents-would-support-teen-switching-gender?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Sitting Could Be Big Health Risk for Frail Folks

Being sedentary not linked to early death in people who are generally healthy, study finds

From: http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/news/20170821/sitting-could-be-big-health-risk-for-frail-folks?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Comic and Telethon Host Jerry Lewis Dies At 91

The legendary actor and comedian helped raise more than $2 billion for muscular dystrophy.

From: http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/news/20170821/comic-and-telethon-host-jerry-lewis-dies-at-91?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Right brain/left brain, right?

Follow me on Twitter @RobShmerling

If you’re like me, you learned that about 90% of people are right-handed and much of the reason is genetic. And that’s true, although it remains a mystery why our genetic evolution led to so many more righties than lefties).

But for certain tasks, handedness can be “overcome.” For example, right-handed kids learning to play tennis, golf, or baseball can become successful hitting from “the other side.” It may be more a matter of how they are taught and what gets reinforced than about a hard-wired preference for one hand or the other.

According to new research, the idea of people being “left-brained” or “right-brained” may also be less fixed than we’d thought.

Recognize yourself?

According to conventional wisdom, people tend to have a personality, thinking style, or way of doing things that is either right-brained or left-brained.

Those who are right-brained are supposed to be intuitive and creative free thinkers. They are “qualitative,” big-picture thinkers who experience the world in terms that are descriptive or subjective. For example, “The skies are gray and menacing; I wonder if it’s going to rain?”

Meanwhile, left-brained people tend to be more quantitative and analytical. They pay attention to details and are ruled by logic. Their view of the weather is more likely, “The forecast said there was only a 30% chance of rain but those cumulonimbus clouds will probably bring thunder as well as rain.”

A popular book first published in 1979, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, extends this concept. It suggests that regardless of how your brain is wired, getting in touch with your “right brain” will help you see — and draw — things differently.

These notions of “left and right brain-ness” are widespread and widely accepted. But they may also be wrong.

Location matters

There is truth to the idea that some brain functions reside more on one side of the brain than the other. We know this in part from what is lost when a stroke affects a particular part of the brain. For example, it has long been thought that, in most people, control of language resides in the left side of the brain. And there are areas of the right half the brain that control movement of the left arm and leg (and vice versa). Damage to the front part of the brain is linked with reduced motivation, difficulty planning, and impaired creativity. Meanwhile, the back of the brain (the occipital cortex) integrates visual information from the eye. Damage to this area can cause partial or complete blindness. These are just a few examples of how certain parts of the brain appear responsible for specific functions. So, location does matter.

But for more individual personality traits, such as creativity or a tendency toward the rational rather than the intuitive, there has been little or no evidence supporting a residence in one area of the brain. In fact, if you performed a CT scan, MRI scan, or even an autopsy on the brain of a mathematician and compared it to the brain of an artist, it’s unlikely you’d find much difference. And if you did the same for 1,000 mathematicians and artists, it’s unlikely that any clear pattern of difference in brain structure would emerge.

The right-brain/left brain myth?

So, is the idea of “thinking with the left side of your brain” a myth? Maybe. But, the lack of proof does not prove the opposite. For people living thousands of years ago, an inability to prove the earth was round did not prove the earth was flat!

But, the evidence discounting the left/right brain concept is accumulating. According to a 2013 study from the University of Utah, brain scans demonstrate that activity is similar on both sides of the brain regardless of one’s personality.

They looked at the brain scans of more than 1,000 young people between the ages of 7 and 29 and divided different areas of the brain into 7,000 regions to determine whether one side of the brain was more active or connected than the other side. No evidence of “sidedness” was found. The authors concluded that the notion of some people being more left-brained or right-brained is more a figure of speech than an anatomically accurate description.

The bottom line

If you’ve always thought of yourself as a “numbers person” or a creative sort, this research doesn’t change anything. But it’s probably inaccurate to link these traits to one side of your brain. We still don’t know a lot about what determines individual personality; but it seems unlikely that it’s the dominance of one side of the brain or the other that matters.

The post Right brain/left brain, right? appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Robert H. Shmerling, MD https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/right-brainleft-brain-right-2017082512222

Article spotlights dental role in childhood obesity prevention

Reading and writing and dental care

Tips to stay safe as Hurricane Harvey approaches

What to put in your "go-bag," and other advice for anyone facing a weather emergency

From: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hurricane-harvey-texas-safety-tips/

What to look for in 2018 Medicare Advantage plans

High school friendships might predict future well-being

New research affirms being popular in high school isn't everything

From: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/high-school-friendships-might-predict-mental-well-being-later-in-life/

Opioid epidemic takes toll in Maine lobster industry

Mayo Clinic Minute: Stroke and heat concerns

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awuDT5qIoHg

Some treatment centers accused of keeping addicts hooked

"The incentive is to keep them in this relapse system, this gravy train that doesn't end until the person leaves in a body bag or an ambulance. There's no money in sobriety"

From: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/some-treatment-centers-keep-addicts-hooked-for-insurance-dollars/

Report: This region's health lags way behind rest of U.S.

The 25 million people who live here have struggled to keep up with the health gains of other Americans

From: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/appalachia-health-continues-to-lag-behind-rest-of-the-us/

Study reveals link between quality of sleep and risk of dementia

In the study, as the amount of REM sleep declined, the risk of dementia increased

From: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rem-sleep-dementia-study-health/

When a drug does serious harm, the FDA wants to hear from you

I frequently lecture to physicians, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals on drug safety, and I often start by asking how many people have ever observed a serious adverse drug event. Almost everyone in the room raises his or her hand. I then ask how many have ever reported a serious adverse drug event to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or to a drug company, and almost all of the hands go down. Often, healthcare providers do not know the important role that they can play in drug safety surveillance. Even less well known is that consumers can also contribute directly to enhancing drug safety surveillance by reporting adverse drug events that they personally have experienced.

What is a serious adverse event?

The FDA describes an adverse event as “any undesirable experience associated with the use of a medical product” (this includes medical devices as well as drugs). A serious adverse event is one that is life-threatening, requires hospitalization, results in permanent damage or disability (including birth defects), or that jeopardizes the health or life of the person using it in some other way.

The FDA’s role in drug safety

The FDA is responsible for regulating many of the products we use every day, from foods and cosmetics to dietary supplements and medical devices. It is also in charge of assuring the safety and effectiveness of medicines. This includes approving prescription drugs that have been proven to work after a series of rigorous studies, as well as monitoring whether these drugs cause unforeseen problems once they are approved and used by large numbers of individuals.

One of the main tools that the FDA uses to monitor for adverse events after a drug is approved is called MedWatch: The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program. Anyone, including physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and patients themselves, can go to the MedWatch website and report a suspected problem with a drug. The FDA uses a separate reporting system for adverse events related to vaccines, called the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, or VAERS. These websites ask a series of questions related to the problem (e.g., what kind of problem it was, the date that it occurred, test results) and the product(s) thought to have caused the problem. Some questions require responses in order to provide the FDA some minimally necessary information, but others do not. Individuals are encouraged to provide as much specific information as they can. Individuals can also report an adverse drug event to the company that makes the drug. Drug companies are then required to send all reports of serious adverse drug events to the FDA.

What happens after you report an adverse event to the FDA?

The FDA collects and evaluates all of this information to determine whether further evaluation of particular drug products is needed. Each year, the FDA receives more than a million reports of suspected adverse drug events, but it is believed that this represents only a fraction of all of the adverse events that occur; after all, Americans fill more than 300 million prescriptions each year. Only a small portion of the reports that the FDA receives comes directly from patients.

As patients, we have the most information about adverse drug events that we experience, and are often in the best position to describe the problem and the circumstances surrounding it. The FDA’s MedWatch system allows us not only to notify the FDA about problems, but it provides the FDA critical information needed to make decisions and issue communications that can help others. For example, in 2001 the cholesterol drug cerivastatin (Baycol) was removed from the market because of reports linking it to a rare condition called rhabdomyolysis, which causes injury to and breakdown of muscles and can lead to kidney failure.

In order for this system to work, the FDA needs to hear from you or your healthcare provider, either directly or through reports submitted to drug companies.

The post When a drug does serious harm, the FDA wants to hear from you appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Joshua Gagne, PharmD, ScD https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/drug-serious-harm-fda-wants-hear-2017082412310