If you are an asthma sufferer and particularly if you are diagnosed with allergic asthma, it can seem at times that even the treatment or treatments you are receiving through conventional sources can sometimes seem somewhat experimental. You try one medicine and see how it works. Then you talk to your doctor about your malady and he might give you something els to elevate some other aspect of your symptoms, until you find what works and what doesn't and in what combination they should be used and at what dosage.
Then there is the tests and diagnosis you go through to determine what you are actually allergic to and how it can be controlled or eliminated. It is important to understand that a doctor is trained in the medical process of elimination and fully understands the effects and side effects of the drugs he is screening you for during this process. So when the treatment that works best for you is finally determined and your schedule treatment is having positive effects, one might be led to belive that further trials might bring even more relief.
So you might start thinking about the natural or alternative medicines you might have heard about. What can be the problem? They are only herbs and natural herbs at that. You use herbs in cooking every day and you are just fine. Before you grab a handful of any medicine,herbal, or conventional, you should think twice before brewing it up in a cup of tea. herbal medicines can be very powerful and some can have toxic side effects. Some may have a negative reaction to the medicines you are taking now.
Opium is an herbal derivitive and a spoon full of it can kill you. I make this point only to point up the potential for strength and potency in herbal medicines. Never ever discontinue your prescribed medicines you doctor has given you without having a serious talk with your doctor. There are herbal remedies for bad breath that can be purchased at your drug store and might actually work but not as good as a tooth brush and dental floss. No one has ever died as a result of bad breath though. No matter what you hear about any herbal treatments always consult your doctor and let him or her explain what exactly it is in the medicine you are thinking of consuming.
There are other complimentary or alternative medicine therapies that are out there. As long as you consult your doctor some are no risk at all. Acupuncture is one. The only risk here is having to walk around with sore spots on your body, as long as you continue your prescribed medicine. If you are going to experiment with food avoidance it is also important to let your doctor know what you are doing so if you begin to suffer from malnutrition he knows what the cause is. If you suffer from food allergies it is wise to have a medical professional supervise and document your food elimination program.
If you are a severe asthma patient you can at times feel desperate and might be willing to try anything at times. It can leave you alone and isolated and unable to do the things you like to do. Many asthma patients have found relief from group therapy. Being able to talk with others who have the same problems is always a help and has no risk of side effects other than possibly making some new friends. So never underestimate the power of positive thinking as a part of your treatment and before you ever consume any type of herbal concoction, talk to your doctor first.
Malignant mesothelioma is a rare cancer that occurs in the thin layer of tissue that covers the majority of your internal organs (mesothelium). Doctors divide mesothelioma into different categories based on what part of the mesothelium is affected by cancer. Mesothelioma that occurs in the tissue that surrounds the lung (pleura) is called pleural mesothelioma and is the most common form. Mesothelioma that occurs in the tissue in your abdomen (peritoneum) is called peritoneal mesothelioma and accounts for 10 percent to 20 percent of all mesotheliomas. In rare cases, mesothelioma can also occur in the lining around the heart (pericardium) and in the lining around the testicles (tunica vaginalis).
Between 2,000 and 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma in the United States each year. Men are more likely to develop mesothelioma than are women. It's more common in older adults — most people with mesothelioma are 65 and older — though mesothelioma can be diagnosed at any age.
Mesothelioma is closely linked to exposure to asbestos — a natural fiber that was once used in manufacturing a wide variety of industrial and household products. Mesothelioma rates have increased during the past 20 years in response to the widespread use of asbestos in the past. Many industrialized countries now limit asbestos use and enforce laws to protect workers who may be exposed. Researchers predict these efforts will lead to fewer cases of mesothelioma in the future
Signs and symptoms
Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma vary depending on where the cancer occurs.
Pleural mesothelioma signs and symptoms may include:-Shortness of breath
-Painful breathing
-Chest pain under the rib cage
-Unusual lumps of tissue under the skin on your chest
-Unexplained weight loss
-Dry (nonproductive) cough
Peritoneal mesothelioma signs and symptoms may include:Abdominal pain
-Abdominal swelling
-A change in your bowel habits, such as more frequent diarrhea or constipation
-Lumps of tissue in the abdomen
-Unexplained weight loss
Signs and symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma and mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis are unclear. These forms are so rare that not much information is available. Mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis may be first detected as a mass on a testicle. Pericardial mesothelioma signs and symptoms may include difficulty breathing and fever.
Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma that has spread to other parts of the body include:
-Pain in the area where cancer has spread
-Difficulty swallowing
-Swelling in the neck and face
Causes
In general, cancer begins with a genetic mutation that turns normal, healthy cells into abnormal cells. Healthy cells grow and multiply at a set rate, eventually dying at a set time. Abnormal cells grow and multiply out of control, and they don't die. The accumulating abnormal cells form a mass (tumor). Cancer cells invade nearby tissues and can break off from an initial tumor to spread elsewhere in the body (metastasize).
It isn't clear what causes the initial genetic mutation that leads to mesothelioma, though researchers have identified factors that may increase the risk. It's likely that cancers form because of an interaction between many factors, such as inherited conditions, your environment, your health conditions and your lifestyle choices.
Risk factors
Asbestos exposure plays a role in 70 percent to 80 percent of mesothelioma cases, though the actual percentage could be higher. Asbestos is a mineral that is found naturally in the environment. Asbestos fibers are strong and resistant to heat, making them useful in a wide variety of applications. Asbestos fibers have been used to make insulation, cement, brakes, shingles, flooring and many other products.
People who work around asbestos fibers are thought to have the greatest risk of mesothelioma. When asbestos is broken up — for instance, in the mining process or in removing asbestos insulation from a building — dust may be created. If the dust is inhaled or swallowed, the asbestos fibers may settle in the lungs or in the stomach, where they can cause irritation that may lead to mesothelioma, though how exactly this happens isn't understood. Although asbestos is still used in a limited number of industries, the federal government limits the amount of asbestos fibers workers may be exposed to and sets rules to protect workers.
Mesothelioma risk is believed to be increased in people who are exposed to high levels of asbestos, in people who are exposed to asbestos over a long period of time and in people exposed to asbestos at a young age. It can take 30 to 40 years or more for mesothelioma to develop as a result of asbestos exposure.
People who live with workers exposed to asbestos may also have an increased risk of mesothelioma. Asbestos dust is thought to have been carried home on workers' clothes. Today workers are required to shower and change clothes after working with asbestos to protect their families.
Some people with years of asbestos exposure never develop mesothelioma. Researchers estimate only about 5 percent of the people with the highest exposure to asbestos will develop mesothelioma. And yet, others with very brief exposure develop the disease. This indicates that other factors may be involved in determining whether someone gets mesothelioma or doesn't. For instance, you could inherit a predisposition to cancer or some other condition could increase your risk. Risk of mesothelioma is increased greatly in smokers who are exposed to asbestos.
Other possible risk factors
Researchers have identified other factors that may increase the risk of mesothelioma, including:
-SV40. Some research indicates a link between mesothelioma and simian virus 40 (SV40), a virus originally found in monkeys. Millions of people may have been exposed to SV40 when receiving polio vaccinations between 1955 and 1963, because the vaccine was developed using monkey cells. Once it was discovered that SV40 was linked to certain cancers, the virus was removed from the polio vaccine. There is some evidence that SV40 may also be passed between people, though it isn't clear how. Whether SV40 increases the risk of mesothelioma is a point of contention, and more research is needed.
-Radiation. The radioactive substance thorium dioxide was used along with X-rays to diagnose various health conditions from the 1920s to the 1950s. Thorium dioxide was later found to cause cancer and was no longer used. Some research links thorium dioxide to mesothelioma.
-Asbestos-like minerals. A naturally occurring asbestos-like mineral called zeolite has been linked to mesothelioma cases in Turkey, where the mineral is used to construct homes.
-Family history. Research into the same region of Turkey where zeolite is used reveals that family history may play a role in mesothelioma there. More research is needed to determine whether family history may predispose some people to mesothelioma.
When to seek medical advice
See your doctor if you have signs and symptoms that may indicate mesothelioma. Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma aren't specific to this disease and may be related to other conditions. If any signs and symptoms seem unusual or bothersome to you, ask your doctor to check them out.
Screening and diagnosis
If you have signs and symptoms that might indicate mesothelioma, your doctor will conduct a physical exam, paying particular attention to areas where you're experiencing pain. He or she checks for any lumps or other unusual signs. Your doctor may order other tests to determine the cause of your signs and symptoms, including:
-Chest X-ray. X-rays may show abnormalities if you have pleural mesothelioma.
-Chest or abdominal CT scan. Computerized tomography (CT) may reveal abnormalities in your chest or abdomen if you have mesothelioma.
It's not uncommon for mesothelioma to be misdiagnosed initially because mesothelioma is rare and its signs and symptoms aren't specific. Your doctor will likely rule out other more common conditions before considering mesothelioma.
Biopsy
Biopsy, a surgical procedure to remove a small portion of the mesothelium for laboratory examination, is the only way to determine whether you have mesothelioma. Depending on what area of your body is affected, your doctor selects the right biopsy procedure for you. Options include:
-Fine-needle aspiration. The doctor removes fluid or a piece of tissue with a small needle inserted into your chest or abdomen.
-Thoracoscopy. Thoracoscopy allows the surgeon to see inside your chest. In this procedure, the surgeon makes one or more small incisions between your ribs. He or she inserts a tube with a tiny video camera to see inside your chest cavity — a procedure sometimes called video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Special surgical tools allow your surgeon to cut away a piece of tissue.
-Laparoscopy. Laparoscopy allows the surgeon to see inside your abdomen. Using one or more incisions into your abdomen, the surgeon inserts a tiny camera and special surgical tools to obtain a small piece of tissue for examination.
Thoracotomy. Thoracotomy is surgery to open your chest to allow a surgeon to check for signs of disease. He or she removes a sample of tissue for testing.
-Laparotomy. Laparotomy is surgery to open your abdomen to allow a surgeon to check for signs of disease. He or she removes a sample of tissue for testing.
Once the tissue sample has been collected through biopsy, the sample is analyzed under a microscope. This determines whether or not the abnormal tissue is mesothelioma. Biopsy samples also allow your doctor to test for the type of cells involved in your mesothelioma. The type of mesothelioma you have is used to determine your treatment plan.
Staging
Once mesothelioma is diagnosed, your doctor orders other tests to determine the extent of the cancer and whether it has spread — a process called staging. Imaging procedures allow doctors to see inside your chest or abdomen to determine the stage of mesothelioma. Options include:
-Chest X-ray
-CT scans of the chest and abdomen
-Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
-Positron emission tomography (PET)
Once the extent of mesothelioma is determined, a stage is assigned. Staging helps your doctor determine your prognosis and the best treatment plan. The stages of mesothelioma are:
-I. Stage I mesothelioma is considered localized cancer, meaning it's limited to one small area of the chest or abdomen.
-II. Stage II mesothelioma is considered advanced cancer. Mesothelioma at this stage involves the mesothelium and has also spread to other structures directly adjacent to the tumor, such as the lungs or the diaphragm.
-III. Stage III mesothelioma is also considered advanced cancer. Mesothelioma at this stage meets the same requirements as stage II, but has also spread to the lymph nodes in the region.
-IV. Stage IV mesothelioma is an advanced cancer that has spread to distant areas (metastasized). Mesothelioma most commonly spreads (metastasizes) to the brain and areas of the lung that are away from the tumor
Complications
As pleural mesothelioma spreads in the chest, it puts pressure on the structures in that area. This can cause complications, such as:
-Difficulty breathing
-Chest pain
-Difficulty swallowing
-Swelling caused by pressure on the large vein that leads from your upper body to your heart (superior vena cava syndrome)
-Pain caused by pressure on the nerves and spinal cord
Mesothelioma that progresses can lead to death. People who die of mesothelioma usually die from related complications, such as lung failure, bowel obstruction, heart problems, stroke and other causes
Treatment
What treatment you undergo for mesothelioma depends on your health and certain aspects of your cancer, such as its stage and location. Unfortunately, mesothelioma often is an aggressive disease and for many people a cure won't be possible. Mesothelioma is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage — when it isn't possible to remove the cancer through surgery. Instead, your doctor may work to control your cancer and its signs and symptoms to make you more comfortable.
Discuss your treatment goals with your doctor. Some people want to do everything they can to treat their cancer, even if that means enduring side effects for a small chance of a cure. Others prefer treatments that make them comfortable so that they can live their remaining months as symptom-free as possible.
Mesothelioma treatment options may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and clinical trials.
Surgery
Surgeons work to remove mesothelioma from your body. Sometimes it isn't possible to remove all of the cancer. In those cases, surgery may help to reduce the signs and symptoms caused by mesothelioma spreading in your body. Surgical options may include:
-Surgery to decrease fluid buildup. Pleural mesothelioma may cause fluid to build up in your chest, causing difficulty breathing. Surgeons insert a tube or catheter into your chest to drain the fluid. Surgeons may also inject medicine into your chest to prevent fluid from returning (pleurodesis).
-Surgery to remove the tissue around the lung or abdomen. Surgeons may use scalpels and other surgical tools to remove the tissue lining the ribs and the lungs (pleurectomy) or the tissue lining the abdominal cavity (peritonectomy) in order to relieve signs and symptoms of mesothelioma.
-Surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible (debulking). If all of the cancer can't be removed, surgeons may attempt to remove as much as possible.
-Surgery to remove a lung and the surrounding tissue. Removing the affected lung and the tissue that surrounds it may relieve signs and symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. This procedure also allows doctors to use higher doses of radiation against any remaining mesothelioma, since doctors won't need to worry about protecting your lung from damaging radiation.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses chemicals to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy drugs travel throughout your body and kill rapidly growing cells. This works against cancer cells, but also affects other rapidly growing cells in your body, such as those in your hair follicles and those in your gastrointestinal system. Chemotherapy may slow the growth of pleural mesothelioma. Chemotherapy can be used before surgery (neoadjuvant chemotherapy) or after surgery (adjuvant chemotherapy) to reduce the signs and symptoms you may experience from mesothelioma.
People with peritoneal mesothelioma may receive adjuvant chemotherapy drugs that have been heated (hyperthermic chemotherapy). Rather than being distributed throughout the body, chemotherapy drugs are often injected directly into the abdominal cavity (intraperitoneal chemotherapy), where they can reach the peritoneal mesothelioma directly without injuring healthy cells in other parts of the body. This allows doctors to administer higher doses of chemotherapy drugs. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy may also be used to reduce the signs and symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma that can't be removed through surgery.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy focuses high-energy radiation to a specific spot or spots on your body. Radiation may reduce signs and symptoms in people with pleural mesothelioma. Doctors aim radiation at the entire chest to obtain the best result. However, many sensitive organs reside in the chest, such as the heart, lungs and spinal cord, so doctors must use low doses of radiation to spare these organs. Radiation therapy is sometimes used after biopsy or surgery to prevent mesothelioma from spreading to the surgical incision.
Radiation therapy is used occasionally in people with peritoneal mesothelioma. Radiation may reduce signs and symptoms of mesothelioma.
Combination therapy
Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be combined. This aggressive therapy can be grueling and may not be appropriate for everyone. Younger, healthier people and those with earlier stage mesothelioma may be more able to endure this treatment. Combination therapy has shown the most promise in treating mesothelioma. However, most people will eventually experience a recurrence of this cancer despite this aggressive treatment. Combination therapy has been used in both pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma.
Clinical trials
Clinical trials are studies of new mesothelioma treatment methods. People with mesothelioma may opt for a clinical trial for a chance to try new types of treatment. However, a cure isn't guaranteed. Carefully consider your treatment options and talk to your doctor about what clinical trials are open to you. Your participation in a clinical trial may help doctors better understand how to treat mesothelioma in the future.
Treatment for other types of mesothelioma
Pericardial mesothelioma and mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis are very rare and can be very aggressive. Early-stage cancer may be removed through surgery. Doctors have yet to determine the best way to treat later stage cancers, though. Your doctor may recommend other treatments to improve your quality of life.
Prevention
Reducing your exposure to asbestos may reduce your risk of mesothelioma. Most people with mesothelioma were exposed to the asbestos fibers at work. Workers who may encounter asbestos fibers include:
-Miners
-Factory workers
-Insulation manufacturers
-Railroad workers
-Ship builders
-Gas mask manufacturers
-Construction workers
Follow all safety precautions in your workplace, such as wearing protective equipment. You may also be required to shower and change out of your work clothes before taking a lunch break or going home. Talk to your doctor about other precautions you can take to protect yourself from asbestos exposure.
Older homes and buildings may contain asbestos. In many cases, it's more dangerous to remove the asbestos than it is to leave it intact. Breaking up asbestos may cause fibers to become airborne, where they can be taken into your body as you breathe. Consult experts trained to detect asbestos in your home. These experts may test the air in your home to determine whether the asbestos is a risk to your health. Don't attempt to remove asbestos from your home — hire a qualified expert.
Coping skills
Shock. Anger. Sadness. Despair. Confusion. You may be feeling one or all of these emotions after receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis. A cancer diagnosis is devastating not only to you, but to your family and loved ones. Take time to experience the sadness and despair and to grieve. As you're shuffled between appointments with various doctors and specialists, know that you can take control of the time you have remaining. You decide how you'll spend your time and whom you'll spend your time with. Along with your doctor, you determine which treatments you'll undergo.
In order to regain a sense of control, try to:
-Learn everything you can about mesothelioma. Write down a list of questions to ask your doctor. Ask your health care team for reading materials and other resources to help you better understand your disease. Consult the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the American Cancer Society (ACS) for more information. Both organizations can provide you with information through their Web sites or toll-free telephone information lines. Call the NCI at 800-4-CANCER, or 800-422-6237. Call the ACS at 800-ACS-2345, or 800-227-2345. Information may help you feel more confident in your treatment decisions, and it may help you better understand what's going on inside your body.
-Surround yourself with a support network. Whether it's close friends or family or a combination of both, surround yourself with people who love you. These people can help you with the everyday tasks, such as getting you to appointments or treatment, and they can help support you by providing someone to talk to or to reassure you. If you have trouble asking for help, learn to be honest with yourself and accept help when you need it — your friends and family feel helpless too, and they want to help you.
-Seek out other people with cancer. Ask your health care team about cancer support groups in your community. Sometimes there are questions that can only be answered by other people with cancer. Support groups offer a chance to ask these questions and receive support from people who understand your situation. Online support message boards can offer similar benefits while allowing you to remain anonymous.
-Plan for the unknown. Ask your health care team about advance directives that give your family guidance on your medical wishes in case you can no longer speak for yourself. Talk to a lawyer about your will, if you haven't already done so. Source; MayoClinic
Popular painkillers such as aspirin, ibuprofen and acetaminophen can raise blood pressure and thus the risk of heart disease among men, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.
Men who took such drugs for most days in a week were about one-third more likely to be diagnosed with high blood pressure than men not taking them, the researchers found.
Their findings, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, reinforce a study published in 2002 that these commonly used drugs raise blood pressure in women.
"This is a potentially preventable cause of high blood pressure," Dr. John Forman of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, who led the study, said in a statement.
Millions of people take the painkillers as pills every day to treat headaches, arthritis, muscle pulls and other aches and pains.
"These are the three most commonly used drugs in the United States," Dr. Gary Curhan, who also worked on the study, said in a telephone interview.
For their study, the researchers looked at a continuing study of male health professionals. After they filtered out everyone who already had high blood pressure and other problems, they had 16,000 men whose records they checked for a 4 year period
Men who took acetaminophen (paracetamol), sold generically and under the Tylenol brand name, six or seven days a week were 34 percent more likely to be diagnosed with high blood pressure than men who did not take analgesics.
Men who took aspirin that regularly were 26 percent more likely to have high blood pressure than non-users. For non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDS, which include ibuprofen and naproxen, the increased risk was 38 percent.
FREQUENCY A FACTOR
Men who took 15 or more NSAID pills a week were 48 percent more likely than non-users to have high blood pressure. The drugs can affect the ability of blood vessels to expand, and may also cause sodium retention -- two factors that can both raise blood pressure.
Being overweight reduced the risk from acetaminophen, but raised the risk from NSAIDS, the researchers found.
But men who are advised by a doctor to take an aspirin a day to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke should not stop taking them, cautioned Curhan. "The benefit outweighs the risk," he said in a telephone interview.
The American Heart Association issued its own advisory based in part on the report's findings.
"We advise physicians to start with non-pharmacologic treatments such as physical therapy and exercise, weight loss to reduce stress on joints, and heat or cold therapy," said the Association's Dr. Elliott Antman, also of Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Makers of the analgesics defended their products.
"In two recent studies, aspirin did not appear to cause hypertension and, in fact, some researchers believe that timed administration of low-dose (aspirin) could provide an additional approach for blood pressure control of certain patients with mild essential hypertension," Bayer Consumer Care said in a statement.
McNeil Consumer Healthcare, which makes Tylenol, said its study of 1,500 heavy Tylenol users showed no heart attacks or strokes for a year. "In addition, published studies of acetaminophen used for as long as two years have not demonstrated an increased risk of these cardiovascular events," the company said.
LONDON---Strong sales of established drugs such as Nexium for ulcers and Seroquel for schizophrenia will mean AstraZeneca delivers a healthy 33 percent rise in 2006 earnings on Thursday, a Reuters poll showed.
But the outlook for 2007 is likely to be more cautious, as cheap, copycat competition to heart drug Toprol XL in the United States weighs on profit margins.
AstraZeneca (AZN.L: Quote, Profile , Research), Europe's third-biggest maker of prescription medicines, is expected to post 2006 earnings per share of $3.86, up from $2.91 in 2005, according to the average forecast of 19 analysts. The mean forecast for 2007 is currently $4.08.
A procession of failures in late stage clinical trials, stretching from anti-clot pill Exanta in 2004 to stroke drug NXY-059 last year, have led the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker to embark on a spending spree to rebuild its pipeline of new drugs.
Recent deals have included a tie-up on two diabetes drugs with Bristol-Myers Squibb that could cost more than $1 billion (510 million pounds) and analysts will be looking for clues on how much more AstraZeneca plans to spend.
Crucial to the stock's near-term performance will be results of a Phase III trial, due next month, on an experimental heart disease drug it is developing with AtheroGenics.
AstraZeneca agreed in December 2005 to pay AtheroGenics up to $1 billion for exclusive rights to the drug, known as AGI-1067. But the project is viewed as high risk and many analysts fear it could become the latest failure.
One bright spot within the results could be sales of cholesterol fighter Crestor which, after a slow start, has been winning increased market share since trial results last year showed it can reverse the build-up of the plaque inside arteries that leads to heart attacks.
AstraZeneca shares have performed broadly in line with European peers over the past year. However, they trade at 14.4 times forecast earnings, below a European sector average of 16.3 times, according to Reuters Estimates
WASHINGTON - New research showing a strong link between Parkinson's disease and low levels of "bad" cholesterol are so worrying that U.S. researchers are launching a study to look into it.
The team at the University of North Carolina is planning clinical trials involving thousands of people to see whether statin drugs, which lower low density lipoprotein, or LDL, might actually cause Parkinson's in some people.
Other research has for several years suggested that people with abnormally low levels of LDL might be at higher risk of Parkinson's.
Xuemei Huang and colleagues found that patients with low levels of LDL cholesterol are at least three and a half times more likely to develop Parkinson's disease than those with higher LDL levels.
Writing in the journal Chemistry & Industry, they said they plan a bigger study of patients taking statins, the biggest-selling drugs in the world.
"I am very concerned, which is why I am planning a 16,000-patient prospective study to examine the possible role of statins," Huang said in a statement.
Prospective study means the patients are watched for a period of time to see what diseases or conditions develop.
Huang noted some other studies showed that people with APOE2, a gene that causes naturally low cholesterol, have a higher risk of Parkinson's. Another variation of the gene, APOE4, is associated with a risk of Alzheimer's disease
British heart experts expressed alarm about the report and said heart patients should not stop taking statins.
"We are concerned that any suggestion of a link between statins and Parkinson's disease would unnecessarily scare the millions of people benefiting from statins in the U.K.," said Dr. Peter Weissberg, medical director of the British Heart Foundation.
"There is no evidence to suggest that statins cause Parkinson's disease. There is, however, overwhelming evidence that statins save lives by preventing heart attacks and strokes."
Parkinson's is an incurable brain illness that can paralyze patients. Patients may also have difficulty walking and talking and may shake uncontrollably at times.
According to the National Institutes of Health, Parkinson's affects at least 500,000 people in the United States alone. But heart disease affects 70 million Americans, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and kills more than 910,000 each year.
What is bird flu (avian influenza)?
• Avian influenza is an infectious disease of birds caused by type A strains of the influenza virus. The disease, first identified in Italy more than 100 years ago, occurs worldwide.
• All birds are thought to be susceptible to the avian influenza, though some species, such as wild ducks, are more resistant than others. Domestic poultry, such as chickens or turkeys, are particularly susceptible.
• Infection triggers a wide spectrum of symptoms in birds, ranging from mild illness to a highly contagious and rapidly fatal disease resulting in severe epidemics.
• In severe cases, the flu is characterized by a sudden onset of severe illness, and rapid death, with a mortality that can approach 100 percent.
Have humans come down with bird flu?
• Avian influenza does not normally infect species other than birds and pigs. But humans came down with the bird flu in Hong Kong in 1997, when the H5N1 strain infecting 18 humans, 6 of whom died.
• Then, people became infected after coming into close contact with live infected poultry.
• Genetic studies showed the virus jumped directly from birds to humans, and caused severe illness with high mortality.
• Hong Kong's entire poultry population, estimated at around 1.5 million birds, was destroyed within three days. This is thought to have averted a pandemic.
• The World Health Organization has said the H5N1 bird flu virus is responsible for a number of deaths in Vietnam. They suspect people became ill after coming into contact with chicken feces.
Why is H5N1 of particular concern?
Of the 15 avian influenza virus subtypes, H5N1 is of particular concern because:
• It mutates rapidly and seems to acquire genes from viruses infecting other animal species.
• It can cause severe disease in humans.
• Birds that survive infection excrete virus for at least 10 days, orally and in feces, helping spread the virus at live poultry markets and by migratory birds.
• The more birds that come down with bird flu, the greater the opportunity for direct infection of humans.
• The more humans get infected, the greater the likelihood people can become infected with both human and bird flu strains.
• Humans could then serve as a "mixing vessel" for a new type of virus that could easily be transmitted from person to person. Such an event would mark the start of an influenza pandemic.
What are the symptoms, can it be tested and how do you treat it?
• When humans came down with H5N1 bird flu in Hong Kong in 1997, patients developed symptoms of fever, sore throat, cough and, in several of the fatal cases, severe respiratory distress secondary to viral pneumonia.
• Previously healthy adults and children, and some with chronic medical conditions, were affected.
• Tests for diagnosing all influenza strains of animals and humans are rapid and reliable.
• Antiviral drugs, some of which can be used for both treatment and prevention, are clinically effective against influenza A virus strains in otherwise healthy adults and children, but have some limitations.
• At least four months would be needed to produce a new vaccine, in significant quantities, capable of conferring protection against a new virus subtype.
-- Compiled from a World Health Organization fact sheet.
An inexpensive blood test may identify which heart disease patients are at the highest risk of a stroke or heart attack, allowing doctors to move more aggressively to help them, a study said on Tuesday.
"We are very good in this country at diagnosing heart disease," said Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, of the University of California-San Francisco, lead author of the study.
"But we're not very good at distinguishing who's at high risk for future problems and starting them on preventive therapies. This test could make all the difference," she added.
The study, published in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association, involved nearly 1,000 people who were followed for over three years. The blood test measured a combination of amino acids called NT-proBNP related to heart function.
The researchers found that heart disease patients with the highest levels of the substance had nearly eight times the risk of stroke, heart attack or heart failure as did those with the lowest levels.
About 71 million people in the United States alone have one or more forms of heart disease, and the test would cost from $20 to $40, according to information provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation which sponsored the study along with the U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
Cells in the body normally divide (reproduce) only when new cells are needed. Sometimes, cells in a part of the body grow and divide out of control, which creates a mass of tissue called a tumor. If the cells that are growing out of control are normal cells, the tumor is called benign (not cancerous). If, however, the cells that are growing out of control are abnormal and don't function like the body's normal cells, the tumor is called malignant (cancerous).
Cancers are named after the part of the body from which they originate. Breast cancer originates in the breast tissue. Like other cancers, breast cancer can invade and grow into the tissue surrounding the breast. It can also travel to other parts of the body and form new tumors, a process called metastasis.
What causes breast cancer?
We do not know what causes breast cancer, although we do know that certain risk factors may put you at higher risk of developing it. A woman's age, genetic factors, personal health history, and diet all contribute to breast cancer risk.
Who gets breast cancer?
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women other than skin cancer.
In the US, breast cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in women after lung cancer, and it's the leading cause of cancer death among women ages 35 to 54. Only 5 to 10% of breast cancers occur in women with a clearly defined genetic predisposition for the disease. The majority of breast cancer cases are "sporadic," meaning there is no direct family history of the disease. Increasing age is another risk factor for developing breast cancer.
What are the warning signs of breast cancer?
A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm that persists through the menstrual cycle
A mass or lump, which may feel as small as a pea
A change in the size, shape, or contour of the breast
A blood-stained or clear fluid discharge from the nipple
A change in the look or feel of the skin on the breast or nipple (dimpled, puckered, scaly, or inflamed)
Redness of the skin on the breast or nipple
An area that is distinctly different from any other area on either breast
A marble-like hardened area under the skin
These changes may be found when performing monthly breast self-exams. By performing breast self-exams, you can become familiar with the normal monthly changes in your breasts.
Breast self-examination should be performed at the same time each month, three to five days after your menstrual period ends. If you have stopped menstruating, perform the exam on the same day of each month.
What are the types of breast cancer?
The most common types of breast cancer are:
Infiltrating (invasive) ductal carcinoma. This cancer starts in the milk ducts of the breast. It then breaks through the wall of the duct and invades the fatty tissue of the breast. This is the most common form of breast cancer, accounting for 80% of cases.
Ductal carcinoma in situ is ductal carcinoma in its earliest stage (stage 0). In situ refers to the fact that the cancer hasn't spread beyond its point of origin. In this case, the disease is confined to the milk ducts and has not invaded nearby breast tissue. If untreated, ductal carcinoma in situ may become invasive cancer. It is almost always curable.
Infiltrating (invasive) lobular carcinoma. This cancer begins in the lobules of the breast where breast milk is produced, but has spread to surrounding tissues or the rest of the body. It accounts for 10 to 15% of breast cancers.
Lobular carcinoma in situ is a marker for cancer that is only in the lobules of the breast. It isn't a true cancer, but serves as a marker for the increased risk of developing breast cancer later, possibly in both or either breasts. Thus, it is important for women with lobular carcinoma in situ to have regular clinical breast exams and mammograms.
Cancers can also form in other parts of the breast but are more rare.
What are the stages of breast cancer?.....read more
Cancer involves the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells that have mutated from normal tissues. This growth can kill when these cells prevent normal function of vital organs or spread throughout the body, damaging essential systems.
Alternative Names
Carcinoma; Malignant tumor
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
There are many different kinds of cancers. Cancer arises out of normal cells in the body, and can develop in almost any organ or tissue, such as the lung, colon, breast, skin, bones, or nerve tissue.
In general, cancer appears to be caused by abnormal regulation of cell division. Cancers can occur when cells divide too rapidly or when cells “forget” how to die.
There are multiple causes of cancers such as:Radiation
Sunlight
Tobacco
Certain viruses
Benzene
Certain poisonous mushrooms and aflatoxins (a poison produced by organisms that can grow on peanut plants)
However, the cause of many cancers remains unknown.
The three most common cancers in men in the U.S. are prostate cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer. In women here, the three most frequently occurring cancers are breast cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer.
The most common cause of cancer-related death is lung cancer.
Certain cancers are more common in particular geographic regions. For example, in Japan, there are many cases of gastric cancer, while in the US this type of cancer is relatively rare. Dietary differences may account for the variance.
Some other types of cancers include:1.Brain cancer
2.Cervical cancer
3.Uterine cancer
4.Liver cancer
5.Leukemia
6.Hodgkin's lymphoma
7.Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
8.Kidney cancer
9.Ovarian cancer
10.Skin cancer
11.Testicular cancer
12.Thyroid cancer
Symptoms
Symptoms of cancer depend on the type and location of the tumor. For example, lung cancer can cause coughing, shortness of breath, or chest pain, while colon cancer often causes diarrhea, constipation, and blood in the stool.
Some cancers may not have any symptoms at all. In some cancers, such as gallbladder cancer, symptoms often are not present until the disease has reached an advanced stage.
However, the following symptoms are common with most cancers:Fever,Chills, Night sweats, Weight loss, Loss of appetite, Fatigue, Malaise.
Signs and tests...........read more
Definition
Bursitis is inflammation of the fluid-filled sac (bursa) that lies between a tendon and skin, or between a tendon and bone. The condition may be acute or chronic.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Bursae are fluid-filled cavities near joints where tendons or muscles pass over bony projections. They assist movement and reduce friction between moving parts.
Bursitis can be caused by chronic overuse, trauma, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, or infection. Sometimes the cause cannot be determined. Bursitis commonly occurs in the shoulder, knee (washmaid's knee), elbow, and hip. Other areas that may be affected include the Achilles tendon and the foot.
Chronic inflammation can occur with repeated injuries or attacks of bursitis.
Symptoms
Joint pain and tenderness SwellingWarmth over the affected joint
Treatment
Your health care provider may recommend...... read more
Definition
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic (long-term) disease that causes inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues. It can also affect other organs.
Alternative NamesRA; Arthritis - rheumatoid
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
The cause of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is unknown. It is considered autoimmune disease. The body's immune system normally fights off foreign substances, like viruses. But in an autoimmune disease, the immune system confuses healthy tissue for foreign substances. As a result, the body attacks itself.
RA can occur at any age. It usually occurs in people between 25 and 55. Women are affected more often than men.
The course and the severity of the illness can vary considerably. Infection, genes, and hormones may contribute to the disease.
RA usually affects joints on both sides of the body equally. Wrists, fingers, knees, feet, and ankles are the most commonly affected.
Symptoms
The disease usually begins gradually with fatigue, morning stiffness (lasting more than one hour), widespread muscle aches, loss of appetite, and weakness. Eventually, joint pain appears. When the joint is not used for a while, it can become warm, tender, and stiff. When the lining of the joint (synovium) becomes inflamed, it gives off more fluid and the joint becomes swollen. Joint pain is often felt on both sides of the body, and may effect the wrist, knees, elbows, fingers, toes, ankle or neck. Additional symptoms include:
Loss of appetiteLow-grade feverLimited range of motionDeformities of hands and feetRound, painless nodules under the skin (usually a sign of more severe disease)Inflammation of the lung (pleurisy)Skin redness or inflammationPalenessSwollen glandsEye burning, itching, and dischargeNumbness or tinglingAnemia may occur due to failure of the bone marrow to produce enough new red cells.Joint destruction may occur within 1-2 years after the appearance of the disease.
Signs and tests
Joint x-raysRheumatoid factor test is positive in about 75% of people with symptoms Erythrocyte sedimentation rate is elevated CBC may show low hematocrit (anemia) or ....... read more
Arthritis is inflammation of one or more joints, which results in pain, swelling, and limited movement.
See also joint pain.
Alternative NamesJoint inflammation
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Arthritis involves the breakdown of cartilage. Cartilage normally protects the joint, allowing for smooth movement. Cartilage also absorbs shock when pressure is placed on the joint, like when you walk. Without the usual amount of cartilage, the bones rub together, causing pain, swelling (inflammation), and stiffness.
You may have joint inflammation for a variety of reasons, including:
Broken boneInfection (usually caused by bacteria or viruses)An autoimmune disease (the body attacks itself because the immune system believes a body part is foreign)General "wear and tear" on jointsOften, the inflammation goes away after the injury has healed, the disease is treated, or the infection has been cleared.
With some injuries and diseases, the inflammation does not go away or destruction results in long-term pain and deformity. When this happens, you have chronic arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common type and is more likely to occur as you age. You may feel it in any of your joints, but most commonly in your hips, knees or fingers. Risk factors for osteoarthritis include:
Being overweightPreviously injuring the affected jointUsing the affected joint in a repetitive action that puts stress on the joint (baseball players, ballet dancers, and construction workers are all at risk)Arthritis can occur in men and women of all ages. About 37 million people in America have arthritis of some kind, which is almost 1 out of every 7 people.
Other types or cause of arthritis include:
Rheumatoid arthritis (in adults)Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (in children)Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)GoutSclerodermaPsoriatic arthritisAnkylosing spondylitisReiter's syndrome (reactive arthritis)Adult Still's diseaseViral arthritisGonococcal arthritisOther bacterial infections (non-gonococcal bacterial arthritis )Tertiary Lyme disease (the late stage)Tuberculous arthritisFungal infections such as blastomycosis
Symptoms
If you have arthritis, you may experience:
Joint painJoint swellingStiffness, especially in the morning Warmth around a joint Redness of the skin around a joint Reduced ability to move the joint..............read more
Pharmacology
Naloxone is a pure opioid antagonist that competitively blocks opiate receptors within the central nervous system (CNS). Sodium Hydrochloride has no opioid agonise properties and can be given safely in large doses without producing respiratory or CNS depression. Naloxone is not effective orally but maybe given subcutaneously, intra muscular or intravenously. After IV administration, opioid antagonise occurs within 1-2 minutes and persist for approximately 1-4 hours. The plasma half life is about 60 minutes.
Indicators :
- Use naloxone for reversal of acute opioid intoxication manifested by CNS and respiratory depression.
- Use as empirical therapy for stupor or coma suspected to be caused by drug overdose.
Do not use in patients with a known hypersensitive of naloxone.
Adverse effects :
- Use in opiate-dependent patient may precipitate acute withdrawal syndrome.
- Pulmonary oedema or Ventricles Fibrillation has occurred shortly after naloxone administration in opioid intoxicated patient.
- Agitation, hypertension and ventricular irritability may occur following opiod antagonism when other stimulants are present. Such reaction have been associated with post anaesthetic use of naloxone when cathecolamine and large volumes of fluid have been administered.
Dosage and administration :
IM route: absorption is erratic and incomplete suspected opioid induce coma.
Adult and children:
- Administer 0,4-2,0 mg IV bolus injected, repeat doses of 0,4-2,0mg can be given to achieve a clinical effect. If not response has been observed after 10 mg has been administered, the diagnosis of opioid induced toxicity should be questioned.
- Repeated doses of naloxone may be required with 20-60minutes to maintain reversal of the effect of opioid with prolonged elimination half lives. (e.g. methadone and propoxyphene).
- Singe doses up to 24mg have been given without adverse effect.
- Pediatric dose: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommendens a dose of 0,1mg/kg IV for children aged neonates to five years. In order children a minimum of 2mg is recommended.
- Manufacturer recommendens an initial pediatric dose of 0,01mg/kg followed 0,1mg/kg if clinical improvement is not optimum.
- Continuous infusion may be employed in circumstances of opioid overdose with log acting opioid. The patient is given an initial bolus dose of IV naloxone to achieve reversal of opioid effects and is then started on continuous infusion to maintain this state of antagonism. Utilize two third of the initial dose on an hourly basis. Add ten times this dose to each litre of dextrose 5% and infuse at rate 100ml/hour. One half of the initial bolus should be re administered 15 minute after the star of continuous infusion to prevent a droop in naloxone levels increase infusion rate as needed to assure adequate ventilation. Naloxone requirements may vary during the infusion period necessitating close monitoring of vital signs and increasing or decreasing the dose as needed.
Formulation :
Naloxone (Narcan) 400mg per ml in 1 ml ampules.Nalaxone Nonatal (Narcan Neonatal) 20mcg per ml in 2 ml ampules.
Gastric Problems include:
- gastro esophageal reflux, commonly known as heartburn, occurs when the stomach contents rise up into the esophagus. The most prominent symptoms is a burning sensation in the upper stomach or chest.
- non-ulcer dyspepsia is characterised by discomfort in the upper stomach and is often meal-related. The discomfort most often features a dull ache, feeling of excessive fullness, gas and belching.
- gastric or duodenal ulcers are formed in the lining of the stomach or intestine which may bleed. Ulcers may cause significant stomach discomfort, particularly between meals.
Gastrict problems share similar symptoms but may have different causes, such as impaired motility(the process by which food moves through the digestive system), too much stomach acid, or an infection. Test for the presence of a bacteria called H.PYLORY are available and strongly recommended for any one who is being treated for an ulcer.
Gastrict problems can be difficulty to diagnose and often persist or recur without proper treatment. In order to properly asses your situation, your Doctor will need a through and precise description of your symptoms, when the occur how severe they are, what you ate and so on.
Treatment objectives: the objectives are eliminate gastric discomfort and to threat the underlying cause.
Live-style-changes: the following lifestyle changes can also help to prevent or relieve gastric discomfort, depending on your symptoms.
- Avoid excessive milk, caffeine, fried, fatty or spicy food, alcohol, mint, tomatoes, citrus fruit or other acidic foods.
- Eat small meals-they are easier to digest than large meals.
- Do not smoke-smoking increases the chances of having heartburn and slows the healing of ulcers.
- Raise the head of your bed about six inches to help reduce heartburn.
- Control your weight-being over weight often worsens symptoms.
There are different kinds of medication used to treat gastric problems, including antacid, acid suppressants, antibiotics, and motility agents. Some problems may require four to eight weeks of treatment to disappear completely
Hepatitis is serious disease that can have deadly consequences. Hepatitis is disease of the liver that caused by a virus. Different types of viruses cause different types of hepatitis. This short of knowledge describes the various forms of the disease and explains their symptoms, how they are transmitted, prevention and treatments.
Hepatitis A
Many people especially children under the age of six, will have no symptoms and won't even be aware that they are sick. Those who do have symptoms may experience any of the following: fever, chills, headache, general weakness, and fatigue, jaundice ( yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes), dark-colored urine, light colored stools, abdominal pain.
Infected adults are often very ill for up to two months and as many as one-quarter of them require hospitalization. Full recovery can take up to six months.
How it spreads?
Hepatitis A(which is used to be known as infectious hepatitis) may be spread in several ways but the most common is by fecal oral route. This can happen if you go to the bathroom or change diaper of an infected baby and touch your mouth before washing your hands, thereby spreading the virus from the stool to your mouth. You can also get it if an infected food service worker handles your food or if your food comes in contact with water that contains the virus (for examples, raw shellfish from polluted waters or unpeeled fruit washes in contaminated water).
Some people have greater risk of getting hepatitis A, including people who travel to areas where the disease is common, people who engage in high risk sexual activity, who inject illicit drugs, sewage workers, health care workers, food handlers.
Hepatitis B
This form of the disease, which is caused by hepatitis B virus, used to be called Serum Hepatitis. It is found in the blood any body fluids, such as semen, vaginal fluids, saliva and breast milk. those people who do have symptoms may experience:
Flu-like illness, sometimes with a mild fever, nausea and vomiting, muscles and joint aches, fatigue, diarrhea, dull abdominal pain, itchy pain, jaundice, dark-colored urine, light-colored stools.
This is very serious disease but most people recover and are immune to this form of the disease for the rest of their lives. However, about 10% cannot get the virus out of their systems and they can spread the disease to others. These people are called chronic carriers. Chronic infection may lead to liver damage or live cancer.
How it spreads?
Hepatitis B spreads by direct contact with the body fluids from an infected person. The main ways are: through sexual intercourse, intravenous drugs use, passing from an infected women to her infant (either during pregnancy, at the time of delivery) or while breast feeding, sharing razors or toothbrushes.
Some people have greater risk of developing hepatitis B, including: people with multiple sexual partners and those with recent history of a STD(sexual transmitted disease), people who inject illicit drugs, kidney patient receiving haemodialysis treatments, people living with a hepatitis carrier, international travelers to areas with high rates who stay more than six months or who have sexual contact with local residents or contact with their blood, infant born to infected mothers.
Others forms of Hepatitis
- Hepatitis C virus, like hepatitis B may be spread through contact with contaminated blood or through household or sexual contact with an infected person.
- Hepatitis D is caused by the delta virus and it can only affect people who are already infected the hepatitis B virus. When it does become active in someone with hepatitis B, it is extremely dangerous. It is transmitted in the same way as the hepatitis B virus.
- Hepatitis E is generally acquired through contaminated food or water.
- Hepatitis F appears to produce a type af hepatitis that is similar to hepatitis C, in fact, that may scientist are not sure it is a separate virus.
- Hepatitis G is a newly identified form of the disease and not much is known about it. Scientist believe that it is probably transmitted in the same way as hepatitis C virus.
Testing for HIV infection:
- Sex: The only sure way to prevent HIV infection from sex is not to have any. The next best thing is to have sex only with a long-time(several years) partner who is not infected and who is not havingsex with anyone else. In other circumstances, you can reduhce your risk of getting HIV by using a latex condom.Needles: Obviously, injecting illegal drugs into your body is not a healthy thing to do, but sharing needles increases your risk of getting a diseases. The best way to avoid becoming infected with any virus, including HIV, is just not to share needles or syringes.
