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Statins may modestly reduce blood pressure

The medications known as statins, typically prescribed to lower blood cholesterol levels, may also modestly reduce blood pressure, according to a report in the April 14 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

15 Apr 2008

Elevated levels of antioxidant urate may slow Parkinson's progression

Naturally elevated levels of the antioxidant urate may slow the progression of Parkinson's disease in men. Researchers from the MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease (MGH-MIND) and Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) examined data from an earlier study and found that, among recently diagnosed Parkinson's patients, those with the highest urate levels had a significantly slower rate of disease progression during the two-year study period.

15 Apr 2008

Cancer prevention

Tapping into a growing body of knowledge about the origins and progression of cancer, researchers are now developing and testing new preventive therapies to stop it in its tracks.

15 Apr 2008

Statins may help control blood pressure

Researchers in the States say that statins, the popular cholesterol-lowering drugs, may also lower blood pressure.

15 Apr 2008

Doxycycline effective against filariasis in Southeast Asia

Doxycycline alone is more effective against the most common form of filariasis in Southeast Asia than the standard treatment, with significantly fewer side effects, according to a new study published in the May 1 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases and currently available online.

10 Apr 2008

Power of molecular imaging reveals secrets of the heart

The extraordinary action of a new cellular therapy came to light as a result of powerful PET and SPECT imaging in a recent study reported in the April issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

10 Apr 2008

The effect of Raloxifene treatment in postmenopausal women with chronic kidney disease

The osteoporosis drug raloxifene increases bone mineral density and reduces the risk of vertebral fractures among postmenopausal women with mild to moderate chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to a study appearing in the July 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology.

10 Apr 2008

Conjugated equine estrogen increases benign breast disease risk

Women who took conjugated equine estrogen, a commonly prescribed form of estrogen, had more than twice the risk of developing specific types of benign breast disease as women who took a placebo, according to a randomized controlled trial published online April 8 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute .

9 Apr 2008

Artifical food colours make kids hyperactive

A study by researchers in Britain suggests that artificial colour added to food and beverages could cause hyperactivity.

9 Apr 2008

Testosterone replacement theraphy for senior men beneficial

The risk of osteoporosis (bone fracture) in women is highly recognized by the public.

8 Apr 2008

Skin product decreases malignant melanoma tumor growth according to study

A new study presented at the Experimental Biology Annual Meeting shows that a proprietary blend extracted from canola, Dermytol, produces a pronounced reduction of malignant melanoma cell growth. Dermytol, a proprietary compound developed by KGK Synergize Inc., a biotechnology company in Ontario Canada, is designed to protect skin cells from damage that may lead to skin cancer.

8 Apr 2008

Malfunctioning kidneys may raise risk of sudden death in women

Women whose kidneys are poor at filtering impurities from the blood are at heightened risk of sudden cardiac death, according to a report published in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association.

8 Apr 2008

Ibuprofen and acetaminophen shown to increase muscle mass and muscle strength

Taking daily recommended dosages of ibuprofen and acetaminophen caused a substantially greater increase over placebo in the amount of quadriceps muscle mass and muscle strength gained during three months of regular weight lifting, in a study by physiologists at the Human Performance Laboratory, Ball State University.

7 Apr 2008

FDA approves Rotarix

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced the approval of Rotarix, the second oral U.S. licensed vaccine for the prevention of rotavirus, an infection that causes gastroenteritis (vomiting and diarrhea) in infants and children.

4 Apr 2008

Continuous oral contraceptives better at easing pain, bleeding

Continuous oral contraceptives may be more effective than the standard 28-day birth control pills in suppressing the ovary, according to researchers.

4 Apr 2008

Aripiprazole has potential for treating alcohol dependence

Aripiprazole is currently approved to treat bipolar disorder as well as schizophrenia. A new study has found that it significantly and dose-dependently increases the sedative effects of alcohol and, to a lesser degree, decreases the euphoric effects of alcohol. Future research will need to examine the beneficial versus the side effects of aripiprazole for treatment of alcohol dependence.

4 Apr 2008

Rimonabant shows mixed results for slowing progression of coronary disease

The anti-obesity medication rimonabant showed mixed results in slowing progression of coronary artery disease in patients with abdominal obesity and pre-existing coronary disease, according to a new study in the April 2 issue of JAMA.

2 Apr 2008

Drug does not appear to reduce risk of heart attack or death following CABG surgery

Use of MC-1 (a naturally occurring metabolite of vitamin B6) before and for 30 days after coronary artery bypass graft surgery did not reduce the risk of heart attack or cardiovascular death, according to a JAMA study being released early online April 1 to coincide with its presentation at the annual conference of the American College of Cardiology.

2 Apr 2008

A randomised, blinded, placebo-controlled trial in dementia patients continuing or stopping neuroleptics

Results of a randomised trial published in PLoS Medicine show no benefit in cognitive or neuropsychiatric outcomes from continuing neuroleptic drugs in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

1 Apr 2008

Eli Lilly starts trial of treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease

Eli Lilly and Company has announced the start of a Phase III clinical trial studying LY450139, an investigational gamma secretase inhibitor for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.

1 Apr 2008