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Eating lots of fish plus vitamin D reduces risk of age-related macular degeneration

Individuals who have higher dietary intake of foods with omega-3 fatty acids and higher fish consumption have a reduced risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration, while those with higher serum levels of vitamin D may have a reduced risk of the early stages of the disease, according to two reports in the May issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

15 May 2007

High-dose clopidogrel before stenting cuts heart attack risk in half

Pretreatment with double-dose anticlotting medication just before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) cuts the combined risk of heart attack and cardiac death by half, according to a study reported at the 30th Annual Scientific Sessions of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), May 9-12, 2007, in Orlando, FL.

15 May 2007

Heart-failure patients take their medicine more reliably when under the care of a pharmacist

...resulting in fewer emergency-room visits and hospital stays as well as lower health-care costs, according to a study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Pharmacy.

15 May 2007

Higher dietary intake of fiber and magnesium may be associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes

Higher dietary intake of fiber from grains and cereals and of magnesium may each be associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a report and meta-analysis in the May 14 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

15 May 2007

Mediterranean diet found to halve the risk for lung disease

French researchers say eating a Mediterranean diet halves the risk of serious lung disease such as emphysema and bronchitis.

15 May 2007

Longterm anxiety 'ups' the risk for heart attacks

According to researchers in the United States, for patients with coronary artery disease, anxiety increases their risk of heart attacks and death.

15 May 2007

Peanut allergies overstated

Despite hundreds of families being told their children have peanut allergies every year, many of the children may be able to eat peanuts safely, a study by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and Sydney Children's Hospital has found.

15 May 2007

Being overweight or obese increases risk of traumatic workplace injury

Having a body mass index (BMI) in the overweight or obese range increases the risk of traumatic workplace injury, according to researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Center for Injury Research and Policy. Employer-sponsored weight loss and maintenance programs should be considered as part of a well-rounded workplace safety plan.

15 May 2007

Go green to avoid the blues!

Recently released figures have revealed that a growing number of people in the UK are receiving treatment for depression and prescriptions for antidepressant have reached an all-time high.

15 May 2007

Coenzyme Q10 does not improve Parkinson's disease symptoms

Small doses of the antioxidant coenzyme Q10 appear to increase blood levels of this naturally occurring compound in patients with Parkinson's disease, but does not improve Parkinson's disease symptoms, according to an article posted online today that will appear in the July 2007 print issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

15 May 2007

Bare metal stents provide a safer choice

While drug-eluting stents are effective in keeping open diseased heart arteries, they should not be used for patients who need to have non-cardiac surgery a short time after an interventional heart procedure.

15 May 2007

Britain second rate when it comes to treating cancer sufferers

When it comes to accessing the best drugs for cancer Britain is a second rate country to be sick in.

14 May 2007

Angioplasty better than drugs for preventing second heart attack

After suffering a heart attack many patients still have low blood flow to the heart tissue while experiencing no symptoms and new research suggests that angioplasty is more effective than drugs for preventing second heart attacks in this situation.

14 May 2007

Swedish 'snus' linked to a doubled risk of pancreatic cancer

People who use Swedish moist snuff (snus) run twice the risk of developing cancer of the pancreas.

11 May 2007

When it comes to disclosing medical errors to patients, there is a gap between physicians' attitudes and their real-world experiences

From a survey of faculty physicians, resident physicians and medical students, researchers found that while nearly all respondents indicated that they would disclose a hypothetical error, less than half reported having disclosed an actual minor or major medical error.

11 May 2007

Ritalin abuse is on the rise among teens

College is hard enough. But throw in end-of-semester exams, term papers and standardized tests, and there just aren't enough hours in the day. Enter Ritalin, the latest drug of choice among sleep-deprived students struggling to make the grade.

11 May 2007

Percutaneous aortic valve replacement safe

Catheter techniques are expanding into new territory, successfully aiding in the replacement of narrowed, calcified aortic valves in patients too sick to withstand open-chest surgery.

11 May 2007

Patients with 'bleeding' strokes less likely to receive medications and counseling to prevent recurrent strokes

Patients with a hemorrhagic ("bleeding") stroke are significantly less likely to receive medications and counseling to prevent recurrent strokes compared to patients with an ischemic (clot-caused) stroke, researchers reported at the American Heart Association's 8th Scientific Forum on Quality of Care and Outcomes Research in Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke.

11 May 2007

Novel catheter technique for patching holes in the heart

A novel catheter technique for patching holes in the heart may make it possible for many patients to avoid surgery altogether and others to regain enough strength to safely undergo surgical repair at a later date, according to a study reported at the 30th Annual Scientific Sessions of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions.

11 May 2007

MR spectroscopy of choline levels shows promise as a marker of fetal lung maturity

The researchers performed high resolution MRS on 15 amniotic fluid samples for evaluation of fetal lung maturity between 34 and 40 weeks gestation and were analyzed using trimethysilylpropionic acid (TSP) as a reference standard.

11 May 2007