"This blog was developed to provide medical updates that are important and have my perspective as additional insight."
I have an family member who is on several medications; a very complicated regimen. Keeping track of her medications is a big deal because her health depends on it. Recently her health was in decline. Much of it was related to her conditions, but some of it related to her medications….she was taking them incorrectly. …
Steve Jacobs and his wife Marie are volunteers at our office. You may see them from time-to-time working in the file area. They are a wonderful addition to the staff. As well, Steve publishes a monthly newsletter that is lots of fun and filled with interesting facts. Take a look at it now, for a …
CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) is the heroics employed when a person collapses and stops breathing. CPR can take place anywhere, but is often required in hospitalized patients who have unexpected deterioration. Although CPR protocols are standardized among hospitals and doctors, how long to continue CPR is based on the judgement of the physician ‘running the …
It is great to have new treatments for patients with advanced cancer, and XTANDI has just been approved for patients with progressive disease who have failed Taxotere (an IV chemotherapy medication). XTANDI (Enzalutamide) is very much like Zytiga…..a previously approved medications for advanced prostate cancer. The medication is a pill that maximally suppressed all testosterone …
Read More “XTANDI….NEW MEDICATION FOR ADVANCED PROSTATE CANCER APPROVED”
A recent study of 6000 men with localized prostate cancer demonstrated a marked reduction in cancer recurrence with the use of aspirin. A 57% reduction in recurrence was noted. This simple measure is worth employing in anyone with a history of prostate cancer, so tell someone you know who has had either surgery or xray …
Hantavirus is an infection caused by inhaling rat feces contaminated with the virus. This virus had been found a The Grand Canyon before and recently reaappeared at Yosemite Park recently, with two cases reported among people staying at their Tent Cabins. Although there are no current reported cases in Arizona, this is a good reminder …
Read More “HANTAVIRUS FOUND AT YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK…WE’VE SEEN AT GRAND CANYON BEFORE”
Yes….good old Primatine Mist has returned…and it’s been a long time. It was pulled off the market because it contained CFC’s, the propellant that causes a hole in the ozone. Asthmanefrin is the new product takings it’s place, and it is an inhaler of epinephrine. Essentially, this is a rescue inhaler for asthmatics and although …
Read More “PRIMATENE MIST IS BACK….WITH A NEW NAME…..ASTHMANEFRIN!”
I was just watching a rerun of the new Start Trek movie and I noticed that the ‘new’ version of Mr. Spock, although thin, appears to be fatter than the original version of Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy). The reason I find this interesting as that the new Mr. Spock, taken on his own merits, does …
Type 2 diabetes is due to a relative lack of insulin effect, which is often connected to an individuals weight. We all know that being overweight is a risk for developing diabetes and that losing weight, therefore, should prevent the development of diabetes. In a large study from Sweden, recently published in the New England …
Read More “BARIATRIC SURGERY WORKS TO PREVENT DIABETES—NO SURPRISE”
A recent study of implanted defibrillator heart devices, also known as an AICD, calls into question the safety of the wires (leads) on St. Jude Medical’s Durata and Riata implanted devices. This a device meant to ‘shock’ the heart out of dangerous or life-threatening arrhythmia. (It is not a pacemaker…a much more commonly used device.) …
Travel is a wonderful escape, but distant travel can be a challenge due to time changes resulting in JET LAG. This accompanying article provides some simple instructions and resource for handling your jet lag. Having a plan for preventing this issue is worthwhile, so take the time to read more about this issue and make …
ACTOS (Pioglitizone) is a medication for Type 2 Diabetes that works by making your own insulin work more effectively in muscle, fat, and liver tissues. It is a very effective and tolerable medication, but there are some controversies. It has been available for over a decade and is now going generic. Since this medication is …
Read More “ACTOS GOES GENERIC…..WITH COMMENTS ON SIDE- EFFECTS NOTED”
The CDC just released recommendations for Hepatitis C screening for people in the US born during the above years. There is a 3% risk of such ‘hidden’ infection in the US population, and identification and management of risk and treatment is now recommended, as a one time screening test offers the posibility of identifying such …
Read More “BIRTHDAYS FROM 1945-1965 NEED HEPATITIS C SCREENING”
A new study of 100,000 patients shows a small, but significant reduction in cancer in patients who take daily aspirin. There was a 16% reduction in aspirin-takers…..mostly affecting colon and intestinal tract cancers, liver cancer, and bladder cancer. This benefit is statistically small, but fits in with the larger picture for aspirin as a beneficial …
Read More “IN THE BIG PICTURE….ASPIRIN HELPS PREVENT CANCER”
There is a fascinating article in the Sunday NY Times today about a little know doppleganger to the placebo effect….and it’s called the NOCEBO effect. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/12/opinion/sunday/beware-the-nocebo-effect.html In the placebo effect, the power of positive suggestion can make an inert medication have beneficial effects, but the contra-effect is also possible; by negative suggestion, we can see …
Read More “YOU’VE HEARD OF THE PLACEBO EFFECT…..NOW…THE NOCEBO!”