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Two reports show drastic increase in opioid prescriptions in America

Two reports by addiction researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the National Institute on Drug Abuse show a drastic shift in prescribing patterns impacting the magnitude of opioid substance abuse in America.

6 Apr 2011

Editorial cautions against estrogen-only hormone therapy after hysterectomy

An editorial in the April 6 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association cautions against estrogen-only hormone therapy in women who have had a hysterectomy because of longstanding evidence that it raises the risk of breast cancer.

6 Apr 2011

Estrogen only hormone replacement not so risky after 50’s: Study

According to a new study hormone therapy may not be as risky for elder women as earlier thought. This comes from the Women's Health Initiative, a federally funded trial that tracked thousands of women taking hormones or placebo pills for years. The WHI looked at women who have had hysterectomies or have had their uterus removed and thus can take estrogen unaccompanied by another hormone, progestin. It found that a heightened risk of stroke from taking estrogen faded with time, while a reduced risk of breast cancer held steady.

5 Apr 2011

Patients prescribed high doses of pain medications at higher risk of overdose: Study

According to a study published in the April 6 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association JAMA, receiving higher prescribed doses of opioid prescriptions is associated with an increased risk of opioid overdose death, but receiving both as-needed and regularly scheduled doses is not associated with overdose risk.

5 Apr 2011

ARIAD's ponatinib potently inhibits all four FGFRs abnormally expressed in multiple cancers

ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced results of preclinical studies on ponatinib, its investigational pan-BCR-ABL inhibitor, showing potent inhibition of all four members of the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) family of tyrosine kinases that are abnormally expressed in multiple cancers. ARIAD scientists are presenting the data this morning at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida.

5 Apr 2011

Milliman Care Guidelines presents Doyle Award to ADVANTAGE Health Solutions and Sound Physicians

Milliman Care Guidelines today presented its Doyle Award for Innovation and Leadership in Healthcare to ADVANTAGE Health Solutions, Inc.(SM) and to Sound Physicians. The awards were presented in ceremonies here at the Milliman Care Guidelines Client Forum.

5 Apr 2011

South Sudan health workers face worst Kala-azar outbreak

South Sudan is facing the worst outbreak of Kala-azar in the past 10 years as health workers from Servant's Heart Relief race against the clock to stop the spread of the deadly disease.

5 Apr 2011

Plackers launches new dental online club for kids

Plackers, a leading brand of consumer oral care products and makers of the first disposable dental flosser, is launching Plackers Kids, its new kid-friendly dental flossers; the Plackers Kids Club, an online club for kids featuring free interactive games and activities that encourage healthy dental hygiene habits; and the Plackers Kids Club Sweepstakes, offering families the chance to win a trip for four to the popular theme park destination, Orlando, Fla. among other prizes.

5 Apr 2011

Ubiquitine D gene may be linked to celiac disease

Celiac disease (CD) involves intolerance to gluten and, consequently, suffering chronic illness in the small intestine. It is a genetic disorder, the immunological indications of which can be traced in the human body prior to the everyday activities of future sufferers being affected. For example, persons with genetic antecedents for CD develop antibodies against the gene tTG (the enzyme known as tissue transglutaminase), even before the illness becomes active, due to a cell reaction against gluten.

5 Apr 2011

Adherence to guideline-related therapies can reduce heart failure patients' mortality rate

A UCLA-led study has found that adherence to national guideline-recommended therapies for heart failure in an outpatient practice setting significantly lowered the mortality rate of heart failure patients.

5 Apr 2011

Scientists reveal metabolic abnormalities underlying schizophrenia

Scientists in Finland have revealed metabolic abnormalities that are associated with schizophrenia. This may be an important step towards development of a clinical test of the disease.

5 Apr 2011

Adherence to HHS Physical Activity Guidelines can reduce mortality risk

Following federal government recommendations on exercise might lead to a longer life for all adults, according to a new study of nearly 250,000 Americans.

5 Apr 2011

Physical activity may moderate impact of stress on telomeres

UCSF scientists are reporting several studies showing that psychological stress leads to shorter telomeres - the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes that are a measure of cell age and, thus, health. The findings also suggest that exercise may prevent this damage.

5 Apr 2011

$Ranolazine is an effective treatment for patients with refractory angina$

Ranolazine is an effective treatment for patients with refractory angina

Ranolazine is an effective anti-anginal therapy in patients with refractory angina; however, at one year only 59 percent of patients remained on the drug, according to a scientific poster that will be presented at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions in New Orleans, April 1-3.

5 Apr 2011

Mexican-born migrants may face high risk of developing depressive, anxiety disorders

People who migrate to the United States from Mexico have a significantly higher risk of developing depressive or anxiety disorders than family members of migrants who remain in Mexico, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

5 Apr 2011

AGA guidelines recommend RFA for removal of precancerous cells in patients with Barrett's esophagus

New guidelines issued by the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) support the use of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) to remove precancerous cells in patients with Barrett's esophagus, a condition most commonly caused by chronic acid reflux, or GERD. Barrett's esophagus is the leading cause of esophageal cancer and affects an estimated two million Americans.

5 Apr 2011

PLC's RenalGuard REMEDIAL II trial against CIN presented at ACC.11

PLC Systems Inc., a company focused on innovative medical device technologies, announced that final results from the REMEDIAL II investigator-sponsored clinical trial of RenalGuard in Italy were presented today.

5 Apr 2011

Diets may cause loss of lean muscle mass

According to boomer-generation brother and sister authors Dian Griesel, Ph.D. and Tom Griesel, every well-known diet to date is destined to deliver loss of lean muscle mass, moodiness, disappointment and failure.

5 Apr 2011

AtlantiCare to implement MEDai's Risk Navigator predictive analytic solution

AtlantiCare, the largest health system in southeastern New Jersey, will allow its healthcare providers to better manage patient populations and track clinical and financial objectives with quality-focused tools from Elsevier/MEDai, a leading provider of predictive analytic solutions.

4 Apr 2011

Avanir files IND for NUEDEXTA/AVP-923 Phase II clinical trial for central neuropathic pain in MS patients

Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has filed an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to begin a large Phase II clinical trial of AVP-923, an investigational drug for the treatment of central neuropathic pain in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The FDA has acknowledged receipt of the submission and the company expects that the IND filing will be subject to standard 30-day review.

4 Apr 2011