Heart failure drug associated with higher risk of death
...rent dobutamine use in the VMAC study. The authors noted the statement released on April 12 by Scios, stating that the company will convene an expert panel headed by Eugene Braunwald, M.D., to evaluate the risks of nesiritide. "We certainly welcome the forthcoming outside expert review and trust they wil...Study links cigarette smoking with progression of multiple sclerosis
...nd an assistant professor of epidemiology at HSPH, noted that "the findings are interesting because no modifiable risk factors for the progression of MS are known. This was the first prospective study that identified a potential intervention (quitting smoking) for reducing the risk of progression of MS." ...Increased risk associated with combining carotid artery, coronary artery surgeries
..., affirms the need for continuing study. Pullicino noted outcomes of the recent Stenting and Angioplasty wi...w that it can be performed with acceptable risks," noted Pullicino....High risk of second cancers in survivors of childhood soft tissue sarcomas
...d to the general population. However, the authors noted that while the relative risk appears high, the absolute risk is quite low. The NCI study found that approximately 3 percent of children with soft tissue sarcoma would be expected to develop a second malignancy by 20 years after their initial diagnosi...Fatal brain disease holds clues to dementia
...rception. While more research is needed, Dr Hannan noted that Alzheimer's disease patients may also have defective nerve connections in the brain similar to Huntington's disease. If this is true, it might be possible to develop anti-dementia drugs that enhance information processing for both disorders. Dr ...The power of drug advertising: Patients often get what they ask for
... Mental Health funded the project. The researchers noted a few drawbacks to the study, however. Chiefly, they cannot determine whether DTC advertising actually produces the kinds of behaviors in real patients that were portrayed by the actors. Yet, they write, the results "sound a cautionary note for DTC a...Guava and AHF Global Immunity bring low cost AIDS diagnosis to resource-limited countries
...says on its easy-to-use, benchtop instrument." He noted that Guava was currently optimizing a CD4 percent assay, as well as developing viral load assay and other clinical tests for use on the Guava EasyCD4 system. A number of regulatory organizations around the world have indicated that new guidelines for...Social connections: Could heartwarming be heart-saving?
...uch link was found in women, however. Researchers noted that the study counted the number of relationships, but did not assess the quality of relationships. For example, were these relationships supportive for the study participants, or did they often cause stress and conflict? Future studies on the qua...Giving children access to drug clinical trials is crucial, clofarabine approval shows
... later adapted for the treatment of children, they noted in an article on clofarabine published in the May ...Phase II trial was conducted based on the activity noted in an initial pediatric Phase I clofarabine trial that Jeha published last year in the journal Bloo...Diabetes and pizza: Slow and steady insulin delivery wins the race
...., R.D., L.D.N., C.D.E., a dietitian, both of whom noted problems with their diabetes patients. "We noticed that it was very difficult for those with diabetes who were using insulin pumps to maintain good glucose values when they ate pizza," Jones said. "Because pizza is a favorite food for so many people ...Fracture risk lower for black women than white women at all bone mineral density levels
...n general's report on bone health and osteoporosis noted that one in two individuals older than 50 years will be at risk for fractures from osteoporosis," according to background information in the article. Despite lower fracture rates among black women, the report stressed that osteoporosis is a risk for ...Therapy to overcome fears helps children with obsessive-compulsive disorder
... medications work." Also puzzling, the researchers noted a placebo effect. The analyses suggested that some children benefited from receiving a placebo instead of the real drug. "The study supports clinical impressions that both antidepressant medication and exposure and response prevention therapy can r...Routine procedure during childbirth provides no benefits, study review finds
...Hartmann, the lead author of the JAMA article. She noted that women are more likely to suffer the most severe types of tears, from the vagina into the rectum, when they have an episiotomy. A key message from such findings, she added, is that a mother-to-be should talk to her doctor about her wishes reg...Obese workers' pay lower due to health costs, Stanford study finds
...nt results from greater health-care costs. Bundorf noted that the study did not reach any conclusions about how the obesity-related disparity in pay comes about. "We don't think this is a conscious process where the employer says, 'OK, Jane is obese, and we're paying for her health coverage, so let's pay h...Diabetes medication pioglitazone HCl may significantly improve predictors of cardiovascular risk
...ls healthy and prevent hardening of the arteries," noted principal investigator Thomas Forst, Professor for Internal Medicine, Institute for Clinical Research and Development in Mainz, Germany. "We are encouraged by these results because the benefits seen with pioglitazone could, theoretically, lead to an...Physical pain aggravates majority of Americans, according to poll
...spective before they can move forward." The survey noted that those who used prayer were likely to rely as well on other pain treatments. Many people are getting by only with the regular help of modern pharmaceuticals. Of those who have tried over-the-counter-drugs for pain relief, 10 percent use them dail...New study suggests older patients have high rates of unmet eye care needs
...eye conditions. Dr. Arleen Brown, the lead author, noted that "many of the participants who had unmet needs for treatable eye conditions had seen their eye doctor in the previous 12 months. This suggests that there may be a quality problem with the eye care these seniors received. IMPACT: Recommendati...American Urological Association honors Novartis Pharmaceuticals with annual health science award
...d look forward to continued partnership with AUA," noted Alex Gorsky, chief operating officer, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. Novartis Pharmaceuticals, based in East Hanover, NJ, is an affiliate of Novartis AG. The company employs more than 81,000 people in more than 140 countries around the world...Novel stem cell trial in heart failure patients to begin
...l we'll find the answers to everyone's questions," noted Amit N. Patel, M.D., M.S., principal investigator of the clinical trial and director of UPMC's Center for Cardiac Cell Therapy. Dr. Patel also is director of the Center for Cardiovascular Cellular Therapy at the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Med...Tamoxifen shows no benefit, risk for breast cancer survivors' heart health
...ack risk must be further explored, the researchers noted that women with a history of radiation therapy or other potentially heart-damaging therapy for breast cancer "will benefit from ongoing risk factor monitoring and lifestyle modifications to improve cardiovascular health."...