Monthly Archives: May 2012

Editorial: FDA prescription drugs plan would empower you

Posted: Published on May 7th, 2012

When blockbuster prescription drug Claritin first went on sale over the counter in 2002, many allergy specialists and other doctors warned of dire consequences. By Eileen Blass, USA TODAY FDA proposal: Monday is the deadline for public comments on access to prescription drugs. By Eileen Blass, USA TODAY FDA proposal: Monday is the deadline for public comments on access to prescription drugs. Fewer patients would go to doctors, they maintained, and people with more severe problems that might masquerade as simple allergies would go undiagnosed. A decade later, Claritin is still on drugstore shelves, joined by many other medications that were once prescription-only, including other allergy pills and drugs used to treat acid reflux. The physicians' worst fears have proved unfounded. And millions of sufferers have easier, cheaper access to drugs when spring allergies or heartburn strike. Now, some of the same naysayers are trying to derail a Food and Drug Administration proposal that could make more prescription-only drugs such as those to treat asthma, migraines, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol more accessible without visits to a doctor. Today is the deadline for public comments. About Editorials/Debate Opinions expressed in USA TODAY's editorials are decided by its Editorial Board, … Continue reading →

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'Antipsychotic drugs made me want to kill myself'

Posted: Published on May 7th, 2012

5 May 2012 Last updated at 21:14 ET By Melissa Hogenboom BBC News While antipsychotic drugs are seen as the most effective treatment of psychotic episodes, they are also recognised to have devastating side effects. Doctors say many patients don't like taking medication long term, but a study published in the Lancet suggests that taking antipsychotic medication more than halves the risk of relapse in schizophrenic patients. "I used to see nasty, dirty rat-like things running around when I went outside, I could see people in the streets screaming abuse at me and making obscene and threatening gestures. "I was hearing a voice that was saying all kinds of nasty things about me. I was terrified, I tried to kill myself." David Strange was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia when he was 25. He was sectioned and given antipsychotic drugs, which he says made him feel "a bit better for a while," but gave him a succession of unpleasant side effects. When I first became ill, I was warned there are certain drugs that weaken the lower lip, even now I still dribble But without medication, the voice he hears is a constant stream of abuse that "comments on what other … Continue reading →

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People's Pharmacy: Flatulence from high-fiber snack bar

Posted: Published on May 7th, 2012

Q: Recently, several of my friends and I had bouts of extreme stomach cramps, severe bloating and uncontrollable gas. The common culprit in all these cases turned out to be snack bars with extra fiber! The common belief is that the chicory root in the bars is the culprit. There should be a warning on the box. A: Chicory root contains inulin, which is frequently used as a fiber supplement in some processed foods, such as ice cream, dairy drinks and juice in addition to breakfast bars. Because it is indigestible, it doesn't raise blood sugar but it can cause gas (Journal of the American Dietetic Association, June 2010). There are many causes of flatulence, ranging from your breakfast bar or bagel to cholesterol pills. Stealth fiber is in so many foods that it is hard to keep track. Q: Do you know anything about a new blood-pressure drug called Tekturna? Three months after my doctor prescribed this pill, I developed the most horrendous deep cough. I thought it was whooping cough. A chest X-ray showed my lungs were clear. A: Tekturna is a relatively new and different blood-pressure medicine. Cough is considered a relatively rare side effect, but we … Continue reading →

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U of M researchers develop new muscular dystrophy treatment approach using human stem cells

Posted: Published on May 6th, 2012

Public release date: 3-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Caroline Marin crmarin@umn.edu 612-624-5680 University of Minnesota Academic Health Center MINNEAPOLIS/SAINT PAUL (May 4, 2012) Researchers from the University of Minnesota's Lillehei Heart Institute have effectively treated muscular dystrophy in mice using human stem cells derived from a new process that for the first time makes the production of human muscle cells from stem cells efficient and effective. The research, published today in Cell Stem Cell, outlines the strategy for the development of a rapidly dividing population of skeletal myogenic progenitor cells (muscle-forming cells) derived from induced pluripotent (iPS) cells. iPS cells have all of the potential of embryonic stem (ES) cells, but are derived by reprogramming skin cells. They can be patient-specific, which renders them unlikely to be rejected, and do not involve the destruction of embryos. This is the first time that human stem cells have been shown to be effective in the treatment of muscular dystrophy. According to U of M researchers who were also the first to use ES cells from mice to treat muscular dystrophy there has been a significant lag in translating studies using mouse stem cells into therapeutically relevant studies involving human … Continue reading →

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Researchers develop new muscular dystrophy treatment approach using human stem cells

Posted: Published on May 6th, 2012

Researchers from the University of Minnesota's Lillehei Heart Institute have effectively treated muscular dystrophy in mice using human stem cells derived from a new process that for the first time makes the production of human muscle cells from stem cells efficient and effective. The research, published today in Cell Stem Cell, outlines the strategy for the development of a rapidly dividing population of skeletal myogenic progenitor cells (muscle-forming cells) derived from induced pluripotent (iPS) cells. iPS cells have all of the potential of embryonic stem (ES) cells, but are derived by reprogramming skin cells. They can be patient-specific, which renders them unlikely to be rejected, and do not involve the destruction of embryos. This is the first time that human stem cells have been shown to be effective in the treatment of muscular dystrophy. According to U of M researchers who were also the first to use ES cells from mice to treat muscular dystrophy there has been a significant lag in translating studies using mouse stem cells into therapeutically relevant studies involving human stem cells. This lag has dramatically limited the development of cell therapies or clinical trials for human patients. The latest research from the U of M … Continue reading →

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New muscular dystrophy treatment approach developed using human stem cells

Posted: Published on May 6th, 2012

ScienceDaily (May 4, 2012) Researchers from the University of Minnesota's Lillehei Heart Institute have effectively treated muscular dystrophy in mice using human stem cells derived from a new process that -- for the first time -- makes the production of human muscle cells from stem cells efficient and effective. The research, published May 4 in Cell Stem Cell, outlines the strategy for the development of a rapidly dividing population of skeletal myogenic progenitor cells (muscle-forming cells) derived from induced pluripotent (iPS) cells. iPS cells have all of the potential of embryonic stem (ES) cells, but are derived by reprogramming skin cells. They can be patient-specific, which renders them unlikely to be rejected, and do not involve the destruction of embryos. This is the first time that human stem cells have been shown to be effective in the treatment of muscular dystrophy. According to U of M researchers -- who were also the first to use ES cells from mice to treat muscular dystrophy -- there has been a significant lag in translating studies using mouse stem cells into therapeutically relevant studies involving human stem cells. This lag has dramatically limited the development of cell therapies or clinical trials for human … Continue reading →

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Stroke patients not getting diagnosed

Posted: Published on May 6th, 2012

ROCHESTER, N.Y., May 4 (UPI) -- A study of 40,777 stroke patients found 42 percent underwent brain imaging within the recommended 25 minutes of hospital arrival, researchers say. Lead author Dr. Adam Kelly, a neurologist at the University of Rochester Medical Center, said brain imaging is an essential tool in the diagnosis of a stroke and determines which treatment to pursue. Strokes caused by a blockage in one of the arteries that serve the brain -- ischemic strokes -- are candidates for the clot-busting drug tissue plasminogen activator, which can restore blood flow and improve clinical outcomes. However, this drug cannot be used when the symptoms are instead caused by a ruptured blood vessel in the brain. "It is therefore essential that physicians are able to 'see' what is occurring in the brain, and quickly," Kelly said in a statement. "We were struck by the fact that less than half of patients with acute stroke symptoms did not receive a brain scan within recommended guidelines." The study published in the journal Stroke found individuals were less likely to receive timely brain scans if: -- The patient did not arrive at the hospital by ambulance. -- The patients were not white. … Continue reading →

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New Peptide Therapy Stops Parkinson’s in Mice

Posted: Published on May 6th, 2012

By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on May 3, 2012 Parkinsons disease is an insidious disorder affecting movement and cognition for over one million Americans. New research has identified a method that stops and even prevents the progression of Parkinsons in mice and holds out hope for a preventative therapy. Parkinsons is defined by a gradual loss of nerve cells of neurons that produce a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine is essential for normal function of muscles and other body organs. Researchers have learned that changes in a gene known as DJ-1 also leads to an accelerated loss of dopaminergic neurons and results in the onset of Parkinsons symptoms at a young age. Although people naturally lose dopamine-producing neurons as part of the aging process, Parkinsons patients experience a rapid loss of these neurons from the onset of the disease, leading to much more drastic deficiencies in dopamine than the average person. The ability to modify the activity of DJ-1 could change the progress of the disease, said Dr. Nirit Lev, a researcher at Tel Aviv University. Working in collaboration with Profs. Dani Offen and Eldad Melamed, she has now developed a peptide which … Continue reading →

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Researchers Focus on Head Trauma

Posted: Published on May 6th, 2012

The suicide of former pro football star Junior Seau is putting a new focus on trauma to the head. Researchers say a lot of advances are being made in recognizing and treating brain injury, but a lot of mysteries still remain. Up until a year ago Lisa Huey was part of medical team studying and treating brain and spinal cord injuries. She is now learning to walk and talk again after an illness cut off oxygen to her brain. But its kind of ironic uh? asked Huey. Her journey to recovery could become a path for others to follow. A strong support system keeps her focused. Its hard sometime but you take it as it comes one day at a time my mom has been really helpful with that, said Huey. Huey and her mother were among the featured guest at a symposium on recent advances in treatments for brain injury and stroke. New innovations in imagining technology are making it easier to understanding the physical damage caused by a brain injury, but understanding the emotional damage, thats not as clear cut. Injuries that happen during sporting events, as well as, those on a battlefield have increased awareness. According to … Continue reading →

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Study commission seeks to survey all NH veterans

Posted: Published on May 6th, 2012

CONCORD, N.H.A commission created to study post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury among New Hampshire veterans is distributing a new survey around the state, while also using new mapping tools to generate policy questions it hopes will lead to better treatment and services. The commission, which was created by the Legislature last year, has focused so far on collecting data about veterans from the agencies that serve them. But aside from statistics provided by the VA Medical Center in Manchester, there wasn't a lot of data to collect, said Jo Moncher, the commission's chairwoman and head of community based military programs for the state Department of Health and Human Services. And while those returning from deployment go through extensive screenings, they might not always be honest because they are so eager to just get home, she said. In hopes of getting better information from the veterans themselves, the group worked with the UNH Survey Center to develop an 11-question survey that will be distributed at conferences, agencies serving veterans and other locations around the state. It also is available online at http://www.nh-veteran.com. "Today is a beginning," Moncher said. "We are not here to answer the questions and solve the … Continue reading →

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