Directory of health resources for healthcare professionals.

DOES SMOKING LOW-TAR AND LOW-NICOTINE CIGARETTES REDUCE THE RISK? BENEFITS OF QUITTING SMOKING

admin — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 18:03:41 +0000

No cigarettes are safe. Research has found no evidence that smoking low-tar and low-nicotine cigarettes reduces the risk of coronary artery disease, although the risk for cancer may be lower.People who smoke low-tar and low-nicotine cigarettes often inhale more deeply, hold their breath after inhaling, and smoke more cigarettes in an unconscious effort to maintain the nicotine levels to which their bodies are addicted. Consequently, they not only do not reduce their nicotine exposure as much as they may have hoped but also inhale more of the other toxic substances contained in the smoke.Benefits of quitting smokingImmediateCleaner, less smelly house, clothes, hair, breath, carEasier breathing, improved exercise toleranceLess offensive to othersStops exposing family and friends to risky secondhand smokeFood tastes betterEliminates smoker’s coughLess dental stainingReduced fire hazardReduced unnecessary expensesInsurance discountsSets positive example for your childrenReduced heartburnUltimateReduced risk of cardiovascular diseaseReduced risk of emphysema and bronchitis Reduced risk of lung, esophagus, and other types of cancerIncreased life span and quality of life*234\252\8*

DISEASES OF THE ARTERIES. STROKE: A NEUROLOGIC CONDITION RELATED TO CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

admin — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 17:55:55 +0000

Stroke refers to a brain injury that is caused by an inadequate supply of blood (ischemia) to the brain. Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) are temporary episodes that resemble a stroke. They are regarded as serious warning signs that a stroke may occur in the future.Because the brain is the organ affected by strokes, if you have a stroke you will be attended to by a neurologist. However, strokes are closely related to cardiovascular disease and therefore are mentioned here.Causes of Stroke. Many strokes a caused by a small bit of clot or cholesterol debris breaking off from its site formation in the carotid arteries in the neck. The clot travels up in the bloodstream through smaller branches of tl artery until it becomes wedged into, small branch in the brain and blocks further blood flow. This is called a cerebral embolism.Clot or debris can also form in the aorta upstream from the branches of the carotid arteries or in the left side of the heart such as the left atrium, left ventricle, and artificial valves in the aortic or mitral position. The clot can break off and travel to the brain, when it causes a stroke.Atherosclerosis or a blood clot that forms and stays in the carotid or cerebral artery (arteries in the neck and brain) can block blood flow enough to cause TIAs or a stroke. This condition, called cerebral thrombosis, differs from cerebral embolism in that the clot has not moved from its site of origin.A less common but important cause of stroke is formation and release of a blood clot from a vein in the legs (an event that in itself is not rare) that travels to me heart. The clot crosses from the right side of the heart to the left side of the heart through an abnormal opening in the septum (partition that divides the atria and ventricles). From the left side of the heart, the clot then proceeds through the arterial circulation into the brain, where it causes a stroke. This event is occasionally the first sign that there is a hole in the wall separating the two sides of the heart (septal defect).Not all strokes are caused by clots or obstruction. Other causes of stroke include bleeding into the brain (cerebral hemorrhage) or around the surface of the brain.*195\252\8*

CANCER AND NUTRITION: MAGNESIUM

admin — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 17:49:46 +0000

Many processes in the body require magnesium. It is essential for all biosynthetic processes and for the formation of energy molecules.A marginal deficiency of magnesium results in nausea, muscle weakness, irritability, mental derangement, and other muscular changes. Because magnesium assists in calcium and potassium uptake, decreased supplies of magnesium will result in lower levels of calcium and potassium. The proper magnesium concentration is needed to maintain proper heart function. Moreover, if magnesium is given to patients during the first few days following their heart attacks, a decrease in mortality is seen thereafter. It is equally important to make sure that your magnesium levels are adequate if you are receiving digitalis, a cardiovascular drug. It has been shown that patients receiving digitalis have low magnesium levels. Low levels of magnesium are frequently seen in diabetics as well. When diabetic patients were given magnesium, their glucose levels were much better controlled and less insulin was required.*35\360\2*

THE PLACEBO RESPONSE FOR PAIN TREATMENT: WISDOM-TOOTH EXTRACTION

admin — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 13:57:29 +0000

If you have suffered this assault you will know that three things happen after the extraction: it hurts,- your face swells up like that of a chipmunk,- and you can’t open your mouth. These are three signs of the now familiar inflammation response to damaged tissue: pain, swelling and stabilization of the part by reflex action to prevent movement.At the Eastman Dental Hospital in London, a team had been working on ways to help this troublesome condition. Ultrasound has been used for many years as a physiotherapy treatment for inflammation with the rationale that the deep heat produced by the absorption of sound would hasten the end of the inflammatory process. Despite the fact that five of six trials of ultrasound on limbs had shown it to be no better than a placebo, they decided to try its effect after tooth extraction. They found it to be highly effective. Then, in a double-blind fashion, they massaged the face with the ultrasound machine in some patients when the machine was working and in others when the machine was turned off, unknown to the doctor or patient. There was no difference in the two groups. Next, they tested whether the massage was having the effect and trained the patients to massage themselves in the way the doctor moved the machine. This self-administered massage had no effect. Up to this point, they had shown a typical placebo effect in which a doctor in a white coat massaging the face with an impressive machine had a marked effect irrespective of whether the machine was turned on or not. Furthermore, there was no effect if the patient applied the machine. The pain was reduced by doctor-applied treatment. They went further. The swelling of the face was markedly reduced and the ability to open the mouth was improved. This placebo effect was the same as that of a substantial dose of an anti-inflammatory steroid.The reason for choosing this example from many is that the effect was not only on the pain, which unthinking dualists would say is ‘only mental’, but also on the swelling and on the muscle spasm. Evidently, this placebo response required a doctor in a white coat with an impressive machine, and this combination improved not only the patients’ subjective report, but two objective signs of inflammation that are usually assigned to mechanical body processes. The rational explanation is that the brain affects hormones, which in turn affect inflammation.*62\219\2*

HIV INFECTION AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE BODY: ACUTE SEROCONVERSION

admin — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 13:50:48 +0000

At the time of acute infection with HIV, the body has not yet made antibodies to HIV. Antibodies, proteins produced primarily by certain white blood cells called B lymphocytes, attack substances foreign to the body, including viruses. The fact that symptoms are present even though the blood test to detect antibodies to HIV is negative is not unusual. In most other infections, symptoms precede the body’s production of antibodies, and the symptoms disappear once antibodies are produced. The body usually takes several days or weeks to recognize a foreign substance like a virus, and then produces antibodies to attack it. Six to twelve weeks after HIV has entered the body, antibodies to HIV appear in the blood. Physicians call this appearance of antibodies seroconversion. That is, the result of a test for antibodies in the blood serum converts from negative to positive. Occasionally, seroconversion may take up to a year or longer. The reason for the delay in some people is not known. For some reason, the virus is dormant; that is, it is not actively reproducing, so the immune system is not manufacturing antibodies against it. Antibodies against most viral infections, once they appear, eliminate the virus and then stay in the body to protect against future infections by the same virus. Virtually all people with HIV infection eventually develop antibodies against HIV. These antibodies, for reasons no one yet understands, do not eliminate HIV. As a result, the person with HIV remains infected and capable of transmitting the virus for life.
*39\191\2*

NSAIDs FOR RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS TREATMENT

admin — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 13:44:32 +0000

What is aspirin?Aspirin, or acetylsalicylic acid, is one of the most remarkable drugs ever developed. It is among the oldest of medical pain relievers. While it is technically a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain reliever, some do not classify it thus, but rather as a salicylate. For the most part, it accomplishes the same results that NSAIDs do but is much cheaper; however, so much aspirin is necessary to achieve the same results as the newer NSAIDs that the side effects are too much to handle for most patients.
Can NSAIDs be dangerous?NSAIDs are quite dangerous when they are misused. In fact, the use of over-the-counter NSAIDs has resulted in quite a few deaths from misuse. NSAIDs are remarkable relievers of pain and inflammation, but they can also cause kidney failure, bleeding ulcers, and even meningitis. The development of newer agents began due to the fact that over 16,000 people died from NSAID use in 1997 in the United States alone.
So, is it safe to take these agents?It is safe to take drugs if you are aware of the potential problems. Most of the time, patients have no problems with these drugs. If they do experience difficulties, they should inform their doctor who will prescribe a new drug or switch them to a safer drug like the COX-2-selective agents.
What are the most common side effects of the NSAIDs?The most common side effects of NSAIDs affect the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Patients may experience ulcers, bleeding, and perforations. One of the more common findings is simple upset stomach, or dyspepsia. Diarrhea is also common. Most of the side effects occur in the elderly or in other high-risk groups; however, I have seen healthy people who were unable to tolerate NSAIDs. Some of the other effects that have been observed include kidney failure, easy bruising and bleeding, and a rise in liver enzymes in the blood coupled with a loss of appetite. Some patients actually develop hepatitis and have to be hospitalized. In rare instances, patients can suffer liver failure.*29/141/5*

TRADITIONAL THERAPY FOR RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: DRUGS, SURGERY, AND REHABILITATION THERAPY

admin — Sat, 14 May 2011 13:32:56 +0000

While rheumatoid arthritis can be a devastating disease, you should not despair – there are several treatments available for this disorder.
Are there new and improved treatments available for RA patients?Yes, there are many new agents for RA patients, probably more than for any other rheumatic disease.
Why are these drugs coming forth at this time?Our understanding of RA is getting better each year. Before 1990, we knew very little about elements of immunity like the cytokines and the molecular mechanisms that affect the actual disease process. Only in the past few years have we become familiar with the chemical changes that occur in diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
NSAIDsNSAIDs is an acronym for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. As the name of this class of drugs indicates, they relieve pain by reducing inflammation without steroids. The NSAIDs block several enzymes that make the chemicals that cause inflammation.NSAIDs were first discovered in the 1960s. The first one was phenylbutazone, an agent no longer in use. (Aspirin was really the first NSAID, but some doctors and scientists do not classify aspirin as an NSAID, but rather as a salicylate.) NSAIDs had such remarkable effects on patients that they were copied and perfected until newer, less toxic agents were developed.*28/141/5*

IBS AND CANDIDA ALBICANS: HOW DOES CANDIDA AFFECT THE BOWEL?

admin — Sat, 07 May 2011 11:29:24 +0000

In the gut, the happy Candida live off the fat – or in this case the sugar – of the land, have the dark moist conditions they love; they are aided and abetted by antibiotics, which kill off their enemies the good bacteria. The contraceptive pill and steroids seem to act as fertilizers. Although it is unclear why, it has been observed that when long-term users of tranquillizers and sleeping pills (the benzodiazepines) are cutting down or stopping their pills, Candida problems start. Typically, the most severe problems occur six to twelve months after complete withdrawal. The result is that large numbers of people walk around with a digestive system equal to a gardener’s ‘grow bag’ – a Shangri-La for these nasty little colonizers.As the Candida takes over, the bowel becomes an overactive fermentation tank; a great deal of gas is formed, causing abdominal bloating and often an alteration in bowel habits, diarrhoea or constipation. Is it beginning to sound familiar?*69\326\8*

DIFFICULTY FALLING OR STAYING ASLEEP: FEATURES OF DIMS

admin — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 11:24:07 +0000

Difficulty falling asleep—initially as well as after nocturnal awakenings—is the single most frequently reported complaint of insomniacs, regardless of age or sex. Sometimes lifestyle has much to do with this problem. Obviously, you can’t eat a rich meal at ten o’clock at night, in a lively restaurant atmosphere in the company of boisterous, stimulating people, and expect to drop off easily at midnight. But there may be other, more subtle reasons for your problem. (The problem of “dropping off” is different from a disorder known as delayed sleep phase syndrome, a disruption of the circadian system that causes a person to feel sleepy hours later than normal.)Interrupted sleep usually appears after the age of forty. All of us wake several times during the night; usually these wakings do not stir us to the point of consciousness. In clinically significant cases, however, patients wake more and more frequently and for longer periods of time. Once aroused, they may begin to ruminate—”Now I’ll never get back to sleep”—which only compounds the problem. Causes of these awakenings may range from fear of intruders (with subsequent sensitivity to every creak and rustle heard in the night) to chronic unexpressed anger. Depression may also be involved. One primary reason for awakenings in the elderly is their inactivity during the day, coupled with naps that tend to rob them of nocturnal sleepiness and with a general tendency to sleep lightly anyway. And, of course, the elderly are prone to chronic conditions such as arthritis heart disease, or breathing abnormalities any one of which may play a role. Frequently, too, they take a variety of medications which may wreak havoc on their sleep patterns.Early-morning insomnia causes you to wake too soon, before sufficient sleep has been achieved, and is coupled with an inability to fall back asleep. As we’ve seen, truncated sleep can stem from depression or circadian disruption; it may be related to other disturbances in the sleep cycle, especially the REM phase. Earlier I discussed the role of alcohol in causing foreshortened sleep. Ironically, another reason for early waking may be the use of a benzodiazepine sleeping pill with a short duration of action, such as triazolam. When the effects wear off, wakefulness returns sooner than is desirable.*107\226\8*

HOW TO ASCERTAIN ASTHMA:

admin — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 11:18:42 +0000

THE DIAGNOSTIC TESTS – BREATH TESTS OR LUNG FUNCTION TESTS – PEAK-FLOW MONITORING – BEST TIME FOR MEASURING PEFPEFR measurement should be taken daily. The greatest benefit of this reading is in recognising the onset of early stages of asthma. The best reading is taken when there are no symptoms. If there is a drop in the reading, it would tend to indicate that there are allergens in the environment which may be triggering an attack. Then appropriate precautionary measures can be taken. Measuring the peak-flow also provides information which can be shared with the physician, to enable better management of the illness.There is usually a wide variation between morning and evening measurements of the PEFR, particularly at the start of the treatment. These variations occur because of the poor control of asthma, or due to the time at which the drug is given and the measurement taken. It is preferable that monitoring be done in the morning and evening at 7 a.m. and at 7 p.m.Different brands and models of peak flow meters often yield different values when used by the same person. Hence the child should always use the same model at home or at the doctor’s clinic.*55\260\8*