Archive for August, 2010
« Previous Entries Next Entries »UK Researchers Say Fast Food Outlets Should Consider Handing Out Statins.
Monday, August 16th, 2010Source: DIA Daily
BBC News (8/13) reports that “fast food outlets should consider handing out cholesterol-lowering drugs to combat the effects of fatty food, say UK researchers.”
The UK’s Independent (8/13, Laurance) reports, “Darrel Francis from the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College, London, says in the American Journal of [...]
Long-term LABA treatment ‘does not increase CV events in COPD’
Monday, August 16th, 2010Source: MedWire News
Long-term treatment with long-acting β2-agonists (LABAs) does not increase the risk for cardiovascular (CV) events in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), research suggests.
Writing the journal Thorax, Peter Calverley (University Hospital Aintree, UK) and colleagues explain: “Recently there has been concern that the long-term use of inhaled bronchodilators commonly used in the treatment [...]
Suboptimal cholesterol levels in young people have long-term repercussions
Monday, August 16th, 2010Young people with suboptimal cholesterol levels are at increased risk for developing coronary atherosclerosis many years later, suggests a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Levels of low- and high-density lipoprotein (LDL and HDL) cholesterol in adults aged 18 to 30 years - who were neither taking lipid-lowering medication nor had clinically abnormal concentrations - [...]
Previous fractures reduce quality of life in postmenopausal women
Thursday, August 12th, 2010Source: MedWire News
Postmenopausal women with a history of fracture experience a significant reduction in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) similar to, or worse than, that experienced by patients with diabetes, arthritis, and lung disease, show results from the Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women.
Fractures are a major cause of morbidity among older women but [...]
Mediterranean diet linked to improved glycemic control
Tuesday, August 10th, 2010A diet based on the traditional Mediterranean diet can improve glycemic control without causing weight gain in patients with well-controlled diabetes, an Australian study suggests.
“The intervention resulted in a statistically and clinically significant improvement in glycemic control, equivalent to mono drug therapy,” say Catherine Itsiopoulos, from the University of Canberra, and colleagues.
They also highlight that [...]
FDA Panel To Evaluate Whether Sildenafil May Be Used To Treat Children With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.
Wednesday, August 4th, 2010Source: DIA Daily
Bloomberg News (7/28, Pettypiece, Peterson) reports, “A form of Pfizer Inc.’s erection drug Viagra [sildenafil], sold as the blood-pressure treatment called Revatio in adults, may be used for children with” pulmonary arterial hypertension, “a rare lung disorder” affecting approximately 600 children annually. On July 29, “outside advisers to [...]
Statins may have dual action on vulnerable plaque
Wednesday, August 4th, 2010Source: MedWire News
Statin therapy may stabilize vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque by decreasing total atheroma volume and increasing fibrous cap thickness, a study suggests.
Reductions in total atheroma volume were associated with decreases in the ratio of low- to high-density lipoprotein (LDL/HDL) cholesterol, whereas a reduction in corresponding fibrous cap thickness was related to lowered levels of high-sensitivity [...]
Senate Passes Bill To Regulate Disposal Of Prescription Drugs.
Wednesday, August 4th, 2010Source: DIA Daily
CQ Today (8/4, Lesniewski, Anderson) reports “the Senate passed a measure Tuesday that would allow for the transfer of prescription drugs to provide for proper disposal.” Specifically, the bill (S 3397), “which passed by voice vote, would allow prescription drug users” to hand over “legally obtained controlled substances [...]
Atorvastatin therapy may have antithrombotic effect in Type 1 diabetes
Wednesday, August 4th, 2010Source: MedWire News
Atorvastatin increases fibrin network permeability and may therefore have an antithrombotic effect in patients with Type 1 diabetes, a Swedish study suggests.
In the journal Thrombosis Research, Sara Tehrani, from Danderyd Hospital in Stockholm, and colleagues say: “Atorvastatin therapy potentially has antithrombotic effects that are unrelated to the lipid-lowering effects of the drug, supporting the [...]
HMG-CoA reductase enzyme could add to plaque instability
Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010Source: MedWire News
South-Korean researchers have discovered that hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase may contribute to coronary artery plaque instability, which could help to explain some early benefits of statin therapy.
They found HMG-CoA reductase in coronary atherosclerotic plaques, and showed that levels were greater in plaques that were unstable. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that cells immunopositive for [...]
