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Veterans who died from drug overdoses also prescribed benzodiazepines for pain

In a recent study, nearly half of all veterans who died from drug overdoses while prescribed opioids for pain were also receiving benzodiazepines, or benzos, which are common medications for the treatment of anxiety, insomnia and alcohol withdrawal. Veterans prescribed higher doses of benzodiazepines while concurrently receiving opioids were at greater risk of overdose death than those on lower doses of benzodiazepines.

15 Jun 2015

Researchers show how a new drug speeds tissue regeneration in animal models

The concept sounds like the stuff of science fiction: take a pill, and suddenly new tissues grow to replace damaged ones. Researchers at Case Western Reserve and UT Southwestern Medical Center this week announced that they have taken significant steps toward turning this once-improbable idea into a vivid reality.

12 Jun 2015

Daily dose of aspirin effective at blocking breast tumor growth

"Take two aspirin and call me in the morning" has been the punchline for countless jokes. Could it also be good advice for cancer patients? A lab study to appear in the July 2015 issue of Laboratory Investigation found that a daily dose of aspirin was effective at blocking breast tumor growth. Previous studies have already shown a similar effect on colon, gastrointestinal, prostate, and other cancers.

12 Jun 2015

Keeping blood sugar levels under control can help protect hearts from diabetes-related damage

Day in and day out, for years on end, millions of people with diabetes prick their fingers to test their blood sugar level. And many may wonder if all the careful eating, exercise and medication it takes to keep those levels under control is really worth it.

4 Jun 2015

Wounded Warrior Project initiates $100 million commitment to launch national medical care network

Wounded Warrior Project, a national nonprofit veterans service organization based in Jacksonville, Florida, has initiated a $100 million commitment to launch a first-of-its-kind national medical care network to connect wounded veterans and their families with world-class, individualized health care.

3 Jun 2015

ACA urges NINDS to include recommendations for use of conservative forms of pain management

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA), in recent comments submitted to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Office of Pain Policy on the draft National Pain Strategy, strongly urges the agency to include recommendations encouraging patients and health care providers to first exhaust conservative forms of pain management, when appropriate.

1 Jun 2015

Study highlights recent trends in non-fatal suicidal events in the U.S. Army

Although the U.S. Army suicide rate is known to have risen sharply over the past decade, information about medically documented, non-fatal suicidal behaviors is far more limited. According to findings published in Psychiatry: Interpersonal & Biological Processes incidence rates of suicide ideation and suicide attempts increased annually among Soldiers during the years 2004-2009.

29 May 2015

Data supporting anti-cancer potential of Biscayne’s GHRH antagonist to be discussed at ASCO Annual Meeting

Biscayne Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced that data supporting the anti-cancer potential of its growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) technology will be discussed in a poster presentation at the 2015 ASCO Annual Meeting.

28 May 2015

Earlier antiretroviral treatment benefits HIV-infected individuals

A major international randomized clinical trial has found that HIV-infected individuals have a considerably lower risk of developing AIDS or other serious illnesses if they start taking antiretroviral drugs sooner, when their CD4+ T-cell count--a key measure of immune system health--is higher, instead of waiting until the CD4+ cell count drops to lower levels. Together with data from previous studies showing that antiretroviral treatment reduced the risk of HIV transmission to uninfected sexual partners, these findings support offering treatment to everyone with HIV.

28 May 2015

Study points to new health service delivery models for homebound older adults

There is an enormous hidden population of older adults in America suffering behind closed doors largely because they aren't strong or well enough to leave their homes, for healthcare or anything else. This is among the worrisome findings of a study being published this week in JAMA Internal Medicine.

27 May 2015

Spouses of patients receiving hospice care report reduced depression symptoms

Spouses of patients receiving hospice for three or more days more frequently reported reduced depression symptoms, compared to surviving spouses of patients who did not receive hospice, according to a study led by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai published online today in JAMA Internal Medicine.

27 May 2015

Study exposes gap in health care services provided to Medicaid enrollees

More than half of all Medicaid enrollees prefer the "one-stop shop" of a hospital emergency department to receive care for conditions that could be treated effectively at a primary care clinic, according to an article by a researcher at the University of Colorado School of Medicine on the Anschutz Medical Campus.

15 May 2015

Patients with operable early-stage NSCLC could achieve better overall survival rates with SABR

Patients with operable stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) could achieve better overall survival rates if treated with Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR) rather than the current standard of care -- invasive surgery -- according to research from a phase III randomized international study from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

15 May 2015

Major breakthrough provides new insights into how tinnitus develops

Tinnitus is the most common service-related disability for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Often described as a ringing in the ears, more than 1.5 million former service members, one out of every two combat veterans, report having this sometimes debilitating condition, resulting in more than $2 billion dollars in annual disability payments by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

13 May 2015

Repetitive head injuries may accelerate aging process, increase dementia risk

Repetitive head injuries that occur during contact sports and military service may accelerate the aging process by increasing the build-up of beta-amyloid in the brain, leading to worse disease and an increased likelihood of developing dementia. In particular, boxers fared the worst among athletes and military veterans with a history of head injuries.

13 May 2015

Non-suicidal self-injury common among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans

Non-suicidal self-injury--that is, purposefully hurting oneself without conscious suicidal intent--is relatively common among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, according to a study published online April 1, 2015, in Psychiatry Research.

10 May 2015

Study finds link between PTSD and accelerated aging

In recent years, public health concerns about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have risen significantly, driven in part by affected military veterans returning from conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere. PTSD is associated with number of psychological maladies, among them chronic depression, anger, insomnia, eating disorders and substance abuse.

10 May 2015

Study confirms link between statin drugs and diabetes risk

In a database study of nearly 26,000 beneficiaries of Tricare, the military health system, those taking statin drugs to control their cholesterol were 87 percent more likely to develop diabetes.

8 May 2015

New guide helps doctors, nurses to identify hospital patients who may benefit from urinary catheter

What's the only thing worse than having a urinary catheter when you're in the hospital? Having one and getting a urinary tract infection (UTI) - or worse - as a result. Now, a new detailed guide gives doctors and nurses information to help decide which hospital patients may benefit from a urinary catheter - and which ones don't.

6 May 2015

Only few sexually assaulted servicewomen seek post-assault health care, study finds

Despite growing public awareness of sexual assault of women during their military service and increased efforts by the Department of Defense to deter sexual crimes and encourage reporting and help-seeking, a Veterans Affairs study suggests most female service members who experience sexual assault are still unlikely to seek post-assault health care, at least in the short term.

29 Apr 2015