Many diabetes patients develop over time ocular manifestations, including diabetic retinopathy among the most important. Diabetes leads to damage of small blood vessels in the retina (a component of the eye, which serves to capture images and send information to the brain).
Diabetic retinopathy is manifested by visual disturbances, even blindness. Retinopathy can be prevented by keeping blood sugar values within normal or near normal. These measures slow the progression of retinopathy and prevent vision loss.
Diabetic retinopathy is a disease that progresses over time. In the early stages, small blood vessels in the retina are thinned. Blood vessels develop small aneurysms (widening of the vessel diameter), which can break and cause accumulation of blood in the vitreous gel (fluid with the consistency of gel inside the eye).
As the disease progresses new blood will form vessels in the retina. This is called proliferative retinopathy. These newly formed blood vessels rupture and bleed easily causing alterations of sight. These ruptures and bleedings may cause the formation of scars that will lead to retraction of the retina and eventually to detachment of retina.
Symptoms
Symptoms appear early in the disease, but are not observed only until when massive destructions occurred and complications have developed. Periodic examination to identify diabetic retinopathy early in evolution can prevent retinal detachment.
Complications of retinopathy include: macular (increase in volume of the central part of the retina) and retinal detachment. If the disease progresses, destructive changes in the retina can lead to massive disturbances or blindness.
Symptoms of diabetic retinopathy include:
Distorted, or blurred vision
Difficulty when reading
Bright or dark areas in the visual field
Partial or total loss of vision or a feeling of view through a wave
Pain in the eye
Risk factors
The risk of developing diabetic retinopathy depends largely on two factors:
Time of onset of diabetes
Type of diabetes
The longer the period from onset is, the greater the chance of developing retinopathy. In addition, patients with type I diabetes are more likely to develop retinopathy than those with type II diabetes. Among those with type I diabetes, 60% usually have signs of retinopathy after 10 years of diabetes and almost all have retinopathy at 20 years. Approximately 53% develop proliferative retinopathy at 20 years. Among people with type II diabetes, 21% have retinopathy at diagnosis and 60% develop it after 20 years.
Risk factors that can not be controlled
There are several risk factors that can not be controlled. Some of them are:
Family history of diabetic retinopathy: the risk of retinopathy is higher in people who have relatives with diabetes and retinopathy
Nephropathy (kidney disease) damage to blood vessels in the kidney (long-term complications of diabetes). The risk of developing retinopathy is greater in those with increased proteins cleareance in the urine (proteinuria) – an early sign of kidney disease.
Risk factors you can control
Other risk factors can be controlled. Among them are:
Pregnancy: women who have diabetes have a higher risk of retinopathy during pregnancy, women who already have retinopathy and get pregnant, chances are about 50% the disease worsens
Glucose values increased steadily: studies have shown that long periods of time with consistently elevated blood glucose levels translate in increased risk of retinopathy, maintaining near normal blood glucose levels reduce the risk of retinopathy and slows disease progression.
High blood pressure: in general, people with diabetes and hypertension were more likely to develop vascular complications, including vascular complications. Long-term studies have shown that retinopathy progressed more frequently to proliferative forms or forms with macular edema if it is accompanied by hypertension
Delayed diagnosis and treatment: regular eye checks does not decrease the risk of retinopathy, but decreases the risk of complications and vision loss, early and adequate therapy slows progression of retinopathy and prevents vision loss
High cholesterol levels and obesity: some studies have indicated that high cholesterol levels increases the risk of retinopathy, however, it has not been demonstrated whether reducing serum cholesterol levels can affect the progression of retinopathy
Smoking: some studies have demonstrated that smoking increases the risk of occurrence of retinopathy in diabetic patients.
Treatment
There is no cure for diabetic retinopathy, however laser therapy (photocoagulation) is effective in preventing vision loss if it is done before severe damage to the retina occurs. Extraction of vitreous surgery (Vitrectomy) can also help improve vision if the retina has been severely affected. Although symptoms do not appear until later stages of the disease, early diagnosis through screening is very important. As retinopathy is diagnosed in its early stages, treatment is easier and the chances of losing vision are smaller.
No treatment is required if retinopathy has not affected the central retina (macula), or if the side of the retina was severely damaged. If the macula has been severely affected (macular edema) laser surgery is needed.
Treatment of retinopathy is effective in preventing, delaying and reducing the loss of vision. People who have been treated for retinopathy are frequently monitored by an ophthalmologist. The majority of retinopathy patients need several courses of therapy as the disease progresses, ideally treatment should be done early in the disease to prevent severe complications.
From: healthlifeandstuff.com
Saturday, August 20, 2011
New Drug Target in Breast Cancer
Researchers at the Imperial College London have now identified a novel protein –LMTK3, which is involved in the process of drug resistance in breast cancer. This protein can purportedly act as a target for new treatments.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK and affects around 46,000 women annually. Although anti-oestrogen drugs like tamoxifen act as an appropriate treatment for breast cancer, most patients might develop resistance to these medications.
A mouse model of breast cancer was used for blocking production of the protein. The team of researchers adopted genetic techniques to shrink tumours and are now searching for drugs that could accomplish a related effect.
The protein called LMTK3 was apparently blocked within human cancer cells, which were resistant to tamoxifen. When genetic techniques were used for blocking the production of LMTK3, a momentous decrease in the size of breast tumours was observed.
Senior researcher, Professor Justin Stebbing, from the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial College London, said the anti-oestrogen drugs have been a roaring success at letting women with breast cancer to live longer, but resistance to these drugs was found to be a common problem. Their results suggest that the action of LMTK3 on the oestrogen receptor has an important role in the development of drug resistance.
The team is now searching for drugs that can block the effect of LMTK3 that could hopefully prevent patients from becoming resistant to hormone therapy. The whole process is expected to take at least five to ten years to create new treatments that are risk-free to be used in humans.
The researchers also measured levels of LMTK3 in tissue samples taken from women with breast cancer. Those with increased levels of LMTK3 in their tumours were in all likelihood found to live less longer and were also less likely to react to hormone therapy. Some mutations in the gene coding for LMTK3 were obviously associated with the endurance of a patient.
Experiments conducted by the team have disclosed that resistance to hormone therapy happens when the oestrogen receptor is adapted by enzymes called kinases. LMTK3 is considered to be a approving treatment target for kinases, which affect the way cancer cells respond to oestrogen. DNA sequences in the gene coding for LMTK3 among human beings was compared to that of chimps, as because chimps are not sensitized to oestrogen receptor positive breast cancer. Significant differences that have evolved in these sequences between the two species were registered.
Dr Georgios Giamas, who designed and led the research, from the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial College London, believes that humans and chimpanzees have evolved these differences in the LMTK3 gene, since genes are related between the two species. He states that the evolutionary alterations in this gene may have given humans a degree of advantage, but also made us more sensitive to breast cancer.
The study was published in the May 2011 issue of the Nature Medicine journal. The research was funded by the US National Institutes of Health, Cancer Research UK and the Department of Health.
From: healthlifeandstuff.com
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK and affects around 46,000 women annually. Although anti-oestrogen drugs like tamoxifen act as an appropriate treatment for breast cancer, most patients might develop resistance to these medications.
A mouse model of breast cancer was used for blocking production of the protein. The team of researchers adopted genetic techniques to shrink tumours and are now searching for drugs that could accomplish a related effect.
The protein called LMTK3 was apparently blocked within human cancer cells, which were resistant to tamoxifen. When genetic techniques were used for blocking the production of LMTK3, a momentous decrease in the size of breast tumours was observed.
Senior researcher, Professor Justin Stebbing, from the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial College London, said the anti-oestrogen drugs have been a roaring success at letting women with breast cancer to live longer, but resistance to these drugs was found to be a common problem. Their results suggest that the action of LMTK3 on the oestrogen receptor has an important role in the development of drug resistance.
The team is now searching for drugs that can block the effect of LMTK3 that could hopefully prevent patients from becoming resistant to hormone therapy. The whole process is expected to take at least five to ten years to create new treatments that are risk-free to be used in humans.
The researchers also measured levels of LMTK3 in tissue samples taken from women with breast cancer. Those with increased levels of LMTK3 in their tumours were in all likelihood found to live less longer and were also less likely to react to hormone therapy. Some mutations in the gene coding for LMTK3 were obviously associated with the endurance of a patient.
Experiments conducted by the team have disclosed that resistance to hormone therapy happens when the oestrogen receptor is adapted by enzymes called kinases. LMTK3 is considered to be a approving treatment target for kinases, which affect the way cancer cells respond to oestrogen. DNA sequences in the gene coding for LMTK3 among human beings was compared to that of chimps, as because chimps are not sensitized to oestrogen receptor positive breast cancer. Significant differences that have evolved in these sequences between the two species were registered.
Dr Georgios Giamas, who designed and led the research, from the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial College London, believes that humans and chimpanzees have evolved these differences in the LMTK3 gene, since genes are related between the two species. He states that the evolutionary alterations in this gene may have given humans a degree of advantage, but also made us more sensitive to breast cancer.
The study was published in the May 2011 issue of the Nature Medicine journal. The research was funded by the US National Institutes of Health, Cancer Research UK and the Department of Health.
From: healthlifeandstuff.com
Understanding the Deadly E. Coli O175:H7
E. coli 0157:H7 has posed a lots health problems in America. It is estimated to cause infection among more than 70,000 individuals annually in the United States. According to the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (1) suggests E. coli 0157:H7 is accountable for the vast E. Coli cases reported in the U. S.
Escherichia coli, or E. coli, is a common bacterium that resides in the intestines of almost all warm-blooded animals, including human beings. In fact, we have billions of E. coli bacteria in our guts. Although the bulk of strains are harmless, they are proven to be advantageous to their hosts as they produce vitamin K, which is a key micronutrient. And they also help to crowd out other, more harmful bacteria.
E coli O157:H7 is a serotype of E. coli bacteria. According to a research, a small number of E. coli 0157:H7 are enough to cause turmoil. Ingestion of about 10–100 organisms are enough to cause infections compared to thousands to millions by other E. coli serotypes.
In a study, the CDC team first recognized diarrhoeal illness when isolating E. coli O157:H7 from patients in two different outbreaks in Oregon and Michigan. The ailments were linked with eating hamburgers at a restaurant. Some patients developed inflammation and bleeding of the colon, which is commonly referred to as hamburger disease. Since then E. coli 0157:H7 has been linked with contaminated water, foods, and unpasteurized dairy products.
The most recent epidemic occurred in November 2010 in California, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada. The CDC team associated the outbreak to Gouda cheese that were given away as free samples at Costco stores.
Who is at risk?
Children under the age of five and the elderly are predominantly at risk as they tend to have fragile immune systems. Both these groups also have reduced concentrations of beneficial microbes called bifidobacteria in their intestines that actually stop and fight E. coli O175:H7 infections. Both the young and old are also susceptible to dehydration caused by insistent diarrhoea.
A few E. coli strains, can do a lot of damage. Among the most deadly of these is the O157:H7 strain that causes diarrhoea, frequently with blood in the stools, and stomach cramps. These symptoms usually last up to a week. More severe infections can lead to haemolytic-uraemic syndrome that causes damage of red blood cells and kidney failure. Some strains of E. coli can cause severe diarrhoea and infect the genital and urinary tracts.
How is it transmitted?
E. coli O157:H7 can be passed on from one person to another, generally by direct physical contact It is transmitted as a food-borne ailment, usually in beef. The strain does not harm cattle. In fact, around 15 per cent of cattle are known to be infected with it.
The danger to human beings comes when beef from infected cattle is contaminated with faeces or gut while slaughtering or butchering. Although the bacteria can be destroyed by cooking fully, undercooked beef and mince can pose a great contamination risk.
The bacteria can also be passed on to humans from infected animals, especially when a person touches them. Faeces containing E. coli O157:H7 come into contact with a person’s hands and may travel into the mouth.
In 2010, the FDA recalled several manufacturers of beef, including beef placed in pet food.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
The first signs of E. coli O157:H7 infection normally appears about 3-5 days after a person consumes the bacteria. The main symptoms include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and severe diarrhoea that is often mixed with blood. Patients develop a mild fever too.
Patients could also develop later complications that fall into 3 categories:
Hemorrhagic (bloody) diarrhoea: Hemorrhagic diarrhoea symptoms are large amounts of blood in the diarrhoeal stool that does not seem to end. It is accompanied by acute abdominal pain. Although a patient may get better within a week, some of them could get anaemia and dehydration that can cause death.
Hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS): Hemolytic-uremic syndrome symptoms are fever, nose bleeding, fatigue, shortness of breath, swelling of the body, particularly hands and feet, jaundice, and less flow of urine. E. coli 0157:H7 generates toxins that damage the kidneys and kills platelets that can lead to kidney failure, excessive bleeding, seizures or death.
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP): Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura is the result of loss of platelets. The symptoms include fever, weakness, bruising, renal failure, and mental harm that can quickly escalate to organ failures and death. With the latest plasma exchange and infusion techniques, there is a drastic reduced death rate in TTP patients.
The diagnosis of E. coli 0157:H7 infection starts with a precise history, physical examination and a scrutiny of a stool sample. A deductive diagnosis is normally made if the patient has symptoms of bloody diarrhoea and a history of being exposed to persons, foods or liquids known to be a source of an E. coli 0157:H7 outbreak.
Due to the high regularity of outbreaks of E. coli 0157:H7, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised patients should be screened first for diarrhoeal infections by having their stool samples checked with antisera for Shiga toxins, which are produced by E. coli 0157:H7. This method is considered to result in faster diagnosis.
Treatment and Prevention
E. coli O157:H7 infections are treated with anti-diarrhoeal medication and fluid replacement. Paracetamol can be used to manage stomach pain. Antibiotics are proven ineffectual and could do more damage than good by killing useful gut bacteria, which actually helps keep the infection in check.
The U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the following methods to prevent infections from E. coli 0157:H7:
Wash hands properly after using the bathroom and before making or eating food. Wash hands after contact with animals or their environments, especially at a farm, zoo, fair, or even your own pets at home.
Cook meats thoroughly. Ground beef and meat must be cooked to a temperature of at least 160 F (70 C).
Do not consume raw milk, unpasteurized dairy products, and unpasteurized juices like fresh apple cider.
Avoid swallowing water while swimming or playing in pools, lakes, ponds and streams.
Prevent cross-contamination in food preparation areas by properly washing hands, cutting boards, and utensils after you touch raw meat.
Hamburgers ordered in a restaurant should be cooked thoroughly so that no pink hamburger meat is seen inside. This way of cooking cuts down the chance of E. coli being alive in the meat.
As E. coli 0157:H7 is usually found in the intestines of cattle, companies have introduced a vaccine to cut down the number of these bacteria in cattle. The first vaccine for cattle was approved by FDA in 2009. There is no E. coli 0157:H7 vaccine currently available for humans.
As they say, prevention is better than cure. A general awareness about what you eat will help you stay away from catching infections.. Remember to avoid touching or consuming any food that you think may be contaminated with any animal or human waste.
Sources:
1) U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Escherichia coli, or E. coli, is a common bacterium that resides in the intestines of almost all warm-blooded animals, including human beings. In fact, we have billions of E. coli bacteria in our guts. Although the bulk of strains are harmless, they are proven to be advantageous to their hosts as they produce vitamin K, which is a key micronutrient. And they also help to crowd out other, more harmful bacteria.
E coli O157:H7 is a serotype of E. coli bacteria. According to a research, a small number of E. coli 0157:H7 are enough to cause turmoil. Ingestion of about 10–100 organisms are enough to cause infections compared to thousands to millions by other E. coli serotypes.
In a study, the CDC team first recognized diarrhoeal illness when isolating E. coli O157:H7 from patients in two different outbreaks in Oregon and Michigan. The ailments were linked with eating hamburgers at a restaurant. Some patients developed inflammation and bleeding of the colon, which is commonly referred to as hamburger disease. Since then E. coli 0157:H7 has been linked with contaminated water, foods, and unpasteurized dairy products.
The most recent epidemic occurred in November 2010 in California, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada. The CDC team associated the outbreak to Gouda cheese that were given away as free samples at Costco stores.
Who is at risk?
Children under the age of five and the elderly are predominantly at risk as they tend to have fragile immune systems. Both these groups also have reduced concentrations of beneficial microbes called bifidobacteria in their intestines that actually stop and fight E. coli O175:H7 infections. Both the young and old are also susceptible to dehydration caused by insistent diarrhoea.
A few E. coli strains, can do a lot of damage. Among the most deadly of these is the O157:H7 strain that causes diarrhoea, frequently with blood in the stools, and stomach cramps. These symptoms usually last up to a week. More severe infections can lead to haemolytic-uraemic syndrome that causes damage of red blood cells and kidney failure. Some strains of E. coli can cause severe diarrhoea and infect the genital and urinary tracts.
How is it transmitted?
E. coli O157:H7 can be passed on from one person to another, generally by direct physical contact It is transmitted as a food-borne ailment, usually in beef. The strain does not harm cattle. In fact, around 15 per cent of cattle are known to be infected with it.
The danger to human beings comes when beef from infected cattle is contaminated with faeces or gut while slaughtering or butchering. Although the bacteria can be destroyed by cooking fully, undercooked beef and mince can pose a great contamination risk.
The bacteria can also be passed on to humans from infected animals, especially when a person touches them. Faeces containing E. coli O157:H7 come into contact with a person’s hands and may travel into the mouth.
In 2010, the FDA recalled several manufacturers of beef, including beef placed in pet food.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
The first signs of E. coli O157:H7 infection normally appears about 3-5 days after a person consumes the bacteria. The main symptoms include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and severe diarrhoea that is often mixed with blood. Patients develop a mild fever too.
Patients could also develop later complications that fall into 3 categories:
Hemorrhagic (bloody) diarrhoea: Hemorrhagic diarrhoea symptoms are large amounts of blood in the diarrhoeal stool that does not seem to end. It is accompanied by acute abdominal pain. Although a patient may get better within a week, some of them could get anaemia and dehydration that can cause death.
Hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS): Hemolytic-uremic syndrome symptoms are fever, nose bleeding, fatigue, shortness of breath, swelling of the body, particularly hands and feet, jaundice, and less flow of urine. E. coli 0157:H7 generates toxins that damage the kidneys and kills platelets that can lead to kidney failure, excessive bleeding, seizures or death.
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP): Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura is the result of loss of platelets. The symptoms include fever, weakness, bruising, renal failure, and mental harm that can quickly escalate to organ failures and death. With the latest plasma exchange and infusion techniques, there is a drastic reduced death rate in TTP patients.
The diagnosis of E. coli 0157:H7 infection starts with a precise history, physical examination and a scrutiny of a stool sample. A deductive diagnosis is normally made if the patient has symptoms of bloody diarrhoea and a history of being exposed to persons, foods or liquids known to be a source of an E. coli 0157:H7 outbreak.
Due to the high regularity of outbreaks of E. coli 0157:H7, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised patients should be screened first for diarrhoeal infections by having their stool samples checked with antisera for Shiga toxins, which are produced by E. coli 0157:H7. This method is considered to result in faster diagnosis.
Treatment and Prevention
E. coli O157:H7 infections are treated with anti-diarrhoeal medication and fluid replacement. Paracetamol can be used to manage stomach pain. Antibiotics are proven ineffectual and could do more damage than good by killing useful gut bacteria, which actually helps keep the infection in check.
The U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the following methods to prevent infections from E. coli 0157:H7:
Wash hands properly after using the bathroom and before making or eating food. Wash hands after contact with animals or their environments, especially at a farm, zoo, fair, or even your own pets at home.
Cook meats thoroughly. Ground beef and meat must be cooked to a temperature of at least 160 F (70 C).
Do not consume raw milk, unpasteurized dairy products, and unpasteurized juices like fresh apple cider.
Avoid swallowing water while swimming or playing in pools, lakes, ponds and streams.
Prevent cross-contamination in food preparation areas by properly washing hands, cutting boards, and utensils after you touch raw meat.
Hamburgers ordered in a restaurant should be cooked thoroughly so that no pink hamburger meat is seen inside. This way of cooking cuts down the chance of E. coli being alive in the meat.
As E. coli 0157:H7 is usually found in the intestines of cattle, companies have introduced a vaccine to cut down the number of these bacteria in cattle. The first vaccine for cattle was approved by FDA in 2009. There is no E. coli 0157:H7 vaccine currently available for humans.
As they say, prevention is better than cure. A general awareness about what you eat will help you stay away from catching infections.. Remember to avoid touching or consuming any food that you think may be contaminated with any animal or human waste.
Sources:
1) U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
10 Myths and Facts about ADHD
Some of the most common attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms include inattention, impulsivity or hyperactivity that could play a major part in a child’s capability to learn and live with others.
People often make the assumption that an ADHD child’s behavior stems from indiscipline, a troubled family life, or even watching excess TV. But according to research, ADHD is in principal a genetic disorder.
However, there are a few environmental factors that could affect ADHD. Let us look at the myths and facts that could cause ADHD:
1. Pesticides – Research indicates a potential link between ADHD and pesticides. A 2010 study in Pediatrics established that children with increased urine levels of organophosphate (a pesticide used on produce) revealed high ADHD rates.
In another study in 2010, researchers found that women with high urine levels of organophosphate were expected to have a child with ADHD.
The studies suggest a possible relation, but cannot prove that pesticides are the reason for causing ADHD. Marcy Rosenzweig Leavitt, PsyD, who works with ADHD patients in Los Angeles, recommends consuming organic fruits and vegetables as inorganic ones contain high levels of pesticides.
2. Smoking and drinking during pregnancy – Fetal exposure to alcohol and tobacco is believed to play a part in ADHD. According to research, kids exposed to tobacco smoke prenatally are twice as much likely to have ADHD compared to those who are not.
Mark L. Wolraich, MD, chief of the section of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, believes that fetuses exposed to alcohol are affected by fetal alcohol syndrome, and the symptoms are expressed in ADHD.
3. Exposure to lead – Although lead, a neurotoxin, is removed from almost all homes and schools, but you can still find small quantities of it everywhere.
A study conducted in 2009 suggested that children with ADHD are prone to have increased blood-lead levels compared to other children. The research found that although lead can be toxic to the development of brain tissue and could have continuous effects on the behavior of children exposed to these substances, but it is farfetched to conclude that such exposure could have an impact in the majority of children and teenagers with ADHD.
4. Food preservatives – Most EU countries have banned particular preservatives after a study found evidence of hyperactivity in kids who consumed food that contained mixtures of artificial food colors and sodium benzoate, which is a widely used preservative,
The FDA has stated that food additives are safe only when used properly, and most additives are not needed to be visibly labeled on packaging.
Experts like Marcy Rosenzweig Leavitt consider only a minority of kids could benefit by staying away from brightly colored processed foods that are prone to contain more additives. Cutting down on these additives may or may not aid hyperactive behavior, but many factors play a part in ADHD.
5. Sugar – Parents have often assumed that sugar could cause hyperactive behavior, but it’s so wrong. There have been many studies, but none have been able to demonstrate behavior changes due to sugar consumption in kids.
A study in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology found that mothers who believed their kids were given sugar rated their kids’ behavior to be more hyperactive compared to mothers who were told their kids were given a sugar substitute, despite of whether their kids actually consumed real sugar. Cut down on sugar if you are concerned about calorie consumption or dental cavities, but not due to ADHD.
6. Watching Television – There’s no evidence that watching excess TV or playing video games will cause ADHD, while research states that teenagers who spend a lot of time watching TV were prone to more attention problems compared to those who did not. In theory, regular stimulation of television and video games might make it difficult for young people to stay attentive.
7. Poor parenting – Rebellious attitude and bad behavior is often confused with ADHD symptoms and usually it’s the parents who are blamed for their kids’ conduct. However according to the National Resource Center on ADHD (1), there is no hard proof to suggest parenting style could lead to ADHD.
Marcy Rosenzweig Leavitt believes that parents who make use of reward and consequence behavior tools, and provide simple set of expectations could help reduce ADHD symptoms.
8. Brain injury – According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (2), children who have undergone particular types of brain trauma may display symptoms parallel to ADHD. As only a small minority of children with ADHD has faced a traumatic brain injury, it is not deemed to be a crucial risk factor.
9. Diet – In the past, food allergies were popularly believed to be the cause of ADHD, but research so far has found no evidence that diet plays a substantial role in ADHD.
However, according to a recent Australian study, particular dietary blocks could affect behavior among adolescents who consumed foods high in fat, refined sugar, and sodium. They were two times as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD compared to other children. Further studies have also associated diets lacking in omega-3 fatty acids could lead to ADHD symptoms as they are helpful for brain development,.
10. Genes – There is strong evidence to prove that ADHD is inherited from parents, but not parenting style. Experts say this heritable psychiatric disorder can affect a child with ADHD, especially if a relative has been diagnosed with ADHD. Research among multiple twins also shows that ADHD often runs in families.
A new study by researchers at Cardiff University in Wales established that kids with ADHD are more likely to have missing or duplicated segments of DNA.
Sources:
1) National Resource Center on ADHD
2) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
People often make the assumption that an ADHD child’s behavior stems from indiscipline, a troubled family life, or even watching excess TV. But according to research, ADHD is in principal a genetic disorder.
However, there are a few environmental factors that could affect ADHD. Let us look at the myths and facts that could cause ADHD:
1. Pesticides – Research indicates a potential link between ADHD and pesticides. A 2010 study in Pediatrics established that children with increased urine levels of organophosphate (a pesticide used on produce) revealed high ADHD rates.
In another study in 2010, researchers found that women with high urine levels of organophosphate were expected to have a child with ADHD.
The studies suggest a possible relation, but cannot prove that pesticides are the reason for causing ADHD. Marcy Rosenzweig Leavitt, PsyD, who works with ADHD patients in Los Angeles, recommends consuming organic fruits and vegetables as inorganic ones contain high levels of pesticides.
2. Smoking and drinking during pregnancy – Fetal exposure to alcohol and tobacco is believed to play a part in ADHD. According to research, kids exposed to tobacco smoke prenatally are twice as much likely to have ADHD compared to those who are not.
Mark L. Wolraich, MD, chief of the section of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, believes that fetuses exposed to alcohol are affected by fetal alcohol syndrome, and the symptoms are expressed in ADHD.
3. Exposure to lead – Although lead, a neurotoxin, is removed from almost all homes and schools, but you can still find small quantities of it everywhere.
A study conducted in 2009 suggested that children with ADHD are prone to have increased blood-lead levels compared to other children. The research found that although lead can be toxic to the development of brain tissue and could have continuous effects on the behavior of children exposed to these substances, but it is farfetched to conclude that such exposure could have an impact in the majority of children and teenagers with ADHD.
4. Food preservatives – Most EU countries have banned particular preservatives after a study found evidence of hyperactivity in kids who consumed food that contained mixtures of artificial food colors and sodium benzoate, which is a widely used preservative,
The FDA has stated that food additives are safe only when used properly, and most additives are not needed to be visibly labeled on packaging.
Experts like Marcy Rosenzweig Leavitt consider only a minority of kids could benefit by staying away from brightly colored processed foods that are prone to contain more additives. Cutting down on these additives may or may not aid hyperactive behavior, but many factors play a part in ADHD.
5. Sugar – Parents have often assumed that sugar could cause hyperactive behavior, but it’s so wrong. There have been many studies, but none have been able to demonstrate behavior changes due to sugar consumption in kids.
A study in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology found that mothers who believed their kids were given sugar rated their kids’ behavior to be more hyperactive compared to mothers who were told their kids were given a sugar substitute, despite of whether their kids actually consumed real sugar. Cut down on sugar if you are concerned about calorie consumption or dental cavities, but not due to ADHD.
6. Watching Television – There’s no evidence that watching excess TV or playing video games will cause ADHD, while research states that teenagers who spend a lot of time watching TV were prone to more attention problems compared to those who did not. In theory, regular stimulation of television and video games might make it difficult for young people to stay attentive.
7. Poor parenting – Rebellious attitude and bad behavior is often confused with ADHD symptoms and usually it’s the parents who are blamed for their kids’ conduct. However according to the National Resource Center on ADHD (1), there is no hard proof to suggest parenting style could lead to ADHD.
Marcy Rosenzweig Leavitt believes that parents who make use of reward and consequence behavior tools, and provide simple set of expectations could help reduce ADHD symptoms.
8. Brain injury – According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (2), children who have undergone particular types of brain trauma may display symptoms parallel to ADHD. As only a small minority of children with ADHD has faced a traumatic brain injury, it is not deemed to be a crucial risk factor.
9. Diet – In the past, food allergies were popularly believed to be the cause of ADHD, but research so far has found no evidence that diet plays a substantial role in ADHD.
However, according to a recent Australian study, particular dietary blocks could affect behavior among adolescents who consumed foods high in fat, refined sugar, and sodium. They were two times as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD compared to other children. Further studies have also associated diets lacking in omega-3 fatty acids could lead to ADHD symptoms as they are helpful for brain development,.
10. Genes – There is strong evidence to prove that ADHD is inherited from parents, but not parenting style. Experts say this heritable psychiatric disorder can affect a child with ADHD, especially if a relative has been diagnosed with ADHD. Research among multiple twins also shows that ADHD often runs in families.
A new study by researchers at Cardiff University in Wales established that kids with ADHD are more likely to have missing or duplicated segments of DNA.
Sources:
1) National Resource Center on ADHD
2) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Nephropathy – Kidney Disease from Long Term Diabetes
Nephropathy alone is damage or disease of the kidney; however, diabetic nephropathy is kidney disease that is associated with long-term diabetes also referred to as Kimmelstiel-Wilson disease or intercapillary glomerulonephritis.
This disease affects the tiny blood vessels found in the glomerulus, which is the main structure in the capillary blood vessels of the kidneys. This structure is vital for the blood to be filtered. Clinically the signs of nephropathy are the excess filtration of protein in the urine, impaired kidney function, and high blood pressure. When diabetic nephropathy becomes severe it can lead to kidney failure, end stage renal disease and the need for dialysis or even a kidney transplant is necessary. An individual with type 1 – insulin-dependent or type 2 – non-insulin-dependent can suffer from nephropathy.
In Type 1 diabetes individuals it is believed that 25% to 45% of patients will at some time develop nephropathy. The common time frame for nephropathy to show signs is between ten and fifteen years after the beginning of diabetes. (1)
In Type 2 diabetes individuals the disease is not as aggressive but is noted in Pima Indians more often with 50% developing nephropathy after twenty years of suffering from diabetes. (1)
Symptoms
There are no early warning symptoms of nephropathy. The progression of the disease is slow and will not be discovered when the kidneys ability to function properly begins to have problems. The symptoms most commonly associated with nephropathy include tiredness, feeling under the weather, frequent hiccups, foamy urine, headache, itching, nausea, vomiting, swelling of the legs, morning swelling around the eyes, weight gain due to retaining fluid, and poor appetite.
Risk Factors
Risk factors for developing Nephropathy include individuals with long standing Type 1 Diabetes or Type 2 Diabetes.
Diabetic nephropathy is responsible for 35% of End Stage Renal Disease also known as stage 5 kidney disease in the United States with estimated at $50,000 per patient per year. Type 1 diabetes patients have a higher risk of developing nephropathy; however, those with type 2 diabetes can also develop nephropathy. Recent research has shown that the number of type 1 diabetes patients developing nephropathy is decreasing. This could be due to an increase in better preventive measures. A recent study, San Antonio Heart Study did show that more Mexican Americans with type 2 diabetes were now developing nephropathy. The report showed that during the 7 to 8 study that an increase from 5.7 percent in 1979 was 15.7 percent in 1988. The study confirmed that individuals with various end stage renal disease was higher among those with type 2 diabetes due to the fact that more individuals have this type of diabetes. (2)
Risk Factors that cannot be controlled
The main risk factors that cannot be controlled includes a family history of high blood pressure, family history of kidney disease, and your origin with more individuals being of American Indian, Hispanic, or African American descent.
The main reason a person develops nephropathy is associated with glomerular hypertrophy and an increase in the renal size. The reason this occurs is not actually known however, it is believed to be due to high blood pressure.
Risk factors you can control
The good news is that most of the risk factors associated with nephropathy are controllable. Blood pressure is a major factor. Those with high blood pressure have a higher risk of developing nephropathy along with poor glucose control which is the blood sugar level are both contributing factors. For patients with high blood pressure and uncontrolled blood sugar levels the risk of developing nephropathy increases within twenty years. For patients that are controlling their blood sugar and keep it below 8.1% the risk is much lower, however for those that have a concentration above 11% the risk of developing nephropathy is higher. (3)
The sad news is that in most patients at the time of a diagnosis of diabetes, around 80 percent have abnormal blood pressure.
Smoking has shown an increased risk of developing or increasing the progression of nephropathy. A study in 1983 with patients diagnosed with type 1 diabetes of 192 men and 109 women all classified as smokers, concluded cigarette smoking contributes to the development of nephropathy. (4)
Treatment
Treatment of nephropathy is to prevent complications and to keep the disease from becoming worse. The best treatment is to control the blood pressure to help slow kidney damage. The medications often used in treating high blood pressure include angiotensin receptor blockers or antiotensin-converting enzyme. These medications are often prescribed to individuals with high blood pressure that are showing sings of kidney disease.
Along with this blood sugar levels should be checked often and a diabetic diet followed closely. During the early stages of nephropathy, this is a very important factor for slowing the disease. Your physician can also prescribe medications that can help control the blood sugar levels. The most common medications in the treatment of diabetes include melformin, sulfonylureas, thiazolidinediones, meglitinides, alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors.
Infections are a common issue with patients suffering from nephropathy such as urinary tract infection, which is treated with antibiotics.
In the final stages of nephropathy, the treatment is usually dialysis or kidney transplant.
From: healthlifeandstuff.com
This disease affects the tiny blood vessels found in the glomerulus, which is the main structure in the capillary blood vessels of the kidneys. This structure is vital for the blood to be filtered. Clinically the signs of nephropathy are the excess filtration of protein in the urine, impaired kidney function, and high blood pressure. When diabetic nephropathy becomes severe it can lead to kidney failure, end stage renal disease and the need for dialysis or even a kidney transplant is necessary. An individual with type 1 – insulin-dependent or type 2 – non-insulin-dependent can suffer from nephropathy.
In Type 1 diabetes individuals it is believed that 25% to 45% of patients will at some time develop nephropathy. The common time frame for nephropathy to show signs is between ten and fifteen years after the beginning of diabetes. (1)
In Type 2 diabetes individuals the disease is not as aggressive but is noted in Pima Indians more often with 50% developing nephropathy after twenty years of suffering from diabetes. (1)
Symptoms
There are no early warning symptoms of nephropathy. The progression of the disease is slow and will not be discovered when the kidneys ability to function properly begins to have problems. The symptoms most commonly associated with nephropathy include tiredness, feeling under the weather, frequent hiccups, foamy urine, headache, itching, nausea, vomiting, swelling of the legs, morning swelling around the eyes, weight gain due to retaining fluid, and poor appetite.
Risk Factors
Risk factors for developing Nephropathy include individuals with long standing Type 1 Diabetes or Type 2 Diabetes.
Diabetic nephropathy is responsible for 35% of End Stage Renal Disease also known as stage 5 kidney disease in the United States with estimated at $50,000 per patient per year. Type 1 diabetes patients have a higher risk of developing nephropathy; however, those with type 2 diabetes can also develop nephropathy. Recent research has shown that the number of type 1 diabetes patients developing nephropathy is decreasing. This could be due to an increase in better preventive measures. A recent study, San Antonio Heart Study did show that more Mexican Americans with type 2 diabetes were now developing nephropathy. The report showed that during the 7 to 8 study that an increase from 5.7 percent in 1979 was 15.7 percent in 1988. The study confirmed that individuals with various end stage renal disease was higher among those with type 2 diabetes due to the fact that more individuals have this type of diabetes. (2)
Risk Factors that cannot be controlled
The main risk factors that cannot be controlled includes a family history of high blood pressure, family history of kidney disease, and your origin with more individuals being of American Indian, Hispanic, or African American descent.
The main reason a person develops nephropathy is associated with glomerular hypertrophy and an increase in the renal size. The reason this occurs is not actually known however, it is believed to be due to high blood pressure.
Risk factors you can control
The good news is that most of the risk factors associated with nephropathy are controllable. Blood pressure is a major factor. Those with high blood pressure have a higher risk of developing nephropathy along with poor glucose control which is the blood sugar level are both contributing factors. For patients with high blood pressure and uncontrolled blood sugar levels the risk of developing nephropathy increases within twenty years. For patients that are controlling their blood sugar and keep it below 8.1% the risk is much lower, however for those that have a concentration above 11% the risk of developing nephropathy is higher. (3)
The sad news is that in most patients at the time of a diagnosis of diabetes, around 80 percent have abnormal blood pressure.
Smoking has shown an increased risk of developing or increasing the progression of nephropathy. A study in 1983 with patients diagnosed with type 1 diabetes of 192 men and 109 women all classified as smokers, concluded cigarette smoking contributes to the development of nephropathy. (4)
Treatment
Treatment of nephropathy is to prevent complications and to keep the disease from becoming worse. The best treatment is to control the blood pressure to help slow kidney damage. The medications often used in treating high blood pressure include angiotensin receptor blockers or antiotensin-converting enzyme. These medications are often prescribed to individuals with high blood pressure that are showing sings of kidney disease.
Along with this blood sugar levels should be checked often and a diabetic diet followed closely. During the early stages of nephropathy, this is a very important factor for slowing the disease. Your physician can also prescribe medications that can help control the blood sugar levels. The most common medications in the treatment of diabetes include melformin, sulfonylureas, thiazolidinediones, meglitinides, alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors.
Infections are a common issue with patients suffering from nephropathy such as urinary tract infection, which is treated with antibiotics.
In the final stages of nephropathy, the treatment is usually dialysis or kidney transplant.
From: healthlifeandstuff.com
Effectiveness of Daytrana Patches
Daytrana is an ADHD patch – a system that delivers methylphenidate, which is the same standard medication accessible in tablet forms such as Ritalin and Concerta. The uniqueness of this system is the way it’s delivered.
It is a relatively new type of medication to manage ADHD. The patch is applied to skin at the hip area and left on for approximately 9 hours while the medicine is gradually absorbed into the body. It is meant to give relief from ADHD symptoms such as lack of concentration and poor organization skills.
Daytrana first came into the market in 2006, offering an alternative to ADHD medications such as pills. Daytrana lets the medicine to be sent directly to the bloodstream without the need to be digested first. Kids who use the Daytrana patch are probably more likely to feel the positive effects of the patch and help them to complete their school work during the day.
The distinct benefit of the product is its ability to let each patient to find out the duration of action of the medication on a daily basis. The patch is meant to be applied for about two hours prior to the medication’s effect is needed, and the effectiveness goes on for up to three hours after the patch is removed.
The delivery of the medication is easy and simple as the patch can be worn throughout the day while performing normal activities like swimming, bathing, or while performing exercises. As the patch is visible externally, parents can make sure that the medication is on when compared to pills and medicine that do not confirm whether the medication has really been taken. One good thing about the patch is that, once applied, it cannot be removed and re-used by others.
The company recommends the patch to be worn for 9 hours, although it can be taken off before that time. It can be helpful especially when the child’s school schedule is short. The patch can also be taken off earlier to minimise the chances for decreasing the appetite or interfering with sleep pattern.
When it comes to cost, all new medications tend to be expensive in the beginning, especially when they are protected by a patent. At the moment, Daytrana is more expensive than the generic types of oral medication, but it may be less expensive than oral ADHD medications that are still covered by a patent.
How does Daytrana work?
Daytrana releases a small doses of medication on an hourly basis so that kids with ADHD have a constant amount during the school day. It is recommended to be applied 2 hours before the medication is required to begin working.
Daytrana is an adhesive patch that securely sticks to the hip of the ADHD child throughout daily actions. As long as it is applied properly, Daytrana is a convenient medication for controlling ADHD symptoms.
Benefits
Parents who are having problems administering medication to their kids with ADHD, now have a better option, especially when kids refuse to swallow pills or who want to avert the stigma of taking medication at school. The Daytrana patch saves parents the fuss of crushing a tablet, mixing it with food or water, and hope their child will swallow the ADHD medicine.
In the case of pills, the medication is swallowed and released in the digestive system, later to be absorbed into the bloodstream. In the case of the patch, the method is different as the medication goes straight through the skin, and is absorbed into the bloodstream avoiding the digestive system. One good thing about the patch is that the same amount of medication is present right across the patch, although in different doses to be worn for shorter or longer periods of time.
Many children with ADHD are using the Daytrana patch to treat their symptoms during the day and help with attention and focus in school.
How to use and dispose the patch
Before applying the patch, make sure the area of the hip that you apply is clean and dry. Do not put it at the waistline as the patch may be moved away by clothes rubbing against it. While applying the patch, securely press it with your hand for about thirty seconds, making sure the edges are completely stuck. The full surface of the patch must be exposed to the skin for the correct amount of medication to be absorbed.
When correctly applied, the patch will stay on and keep producing medicine. However, exposure to water from bathing or swimming could affect its adhesive properties. If the patch falls off, throw it away and apply a new patch to a different region of the same hip, ensuring the total daily length of time does not go beyond 9 hours. Don’t use tape, bandages, or other home adhesives to re-apply the patch.
Disposing of the patch properly is as important as applying it. To protect kids from coming into contact with the medicine, always remember to fold it in half so that it sticks to itself, and then throw it away safely.
Side effects
Side effects of the Daytrana patch include sleep difficulties, loss of appetite, stomach pains, and headaches. As the patch sticks to the skin, it can also cause a rash or irritation. However, this can dealt with by applying the patch to a different area of the hip every day. Do not apply the patch to irritated or damaged skin as it could increase the amount of medication that gets into your child’s bloodstream.
The side effects of the methylphenidate medication are similar to the oral forms, where a child may get irritated, angry, especially if the dose is too high.
The disadvantages of the system include the need for meticulous application of the patch every day, at a different area on the body, normally the hip region below the waistline, and redness can be expected at the area for up to 2 days after patch removal.
Heat must never be applied to the patch like heating pads, electric blankets, and heated water beds, because this could change the rate of delivery of the medication into the system.
There is a possibility of developing an allergic reaction to the adhesive, or potentially to the medication itself.
The most common reactions related with Daytrana (about 5% and double the rate of placebo-treated patients) in clinical trials among children included decreased appetite, insomnia, nausea, vomiting, and decreased weight. Among a adolescents, there has been decreased appetite, insomnia, decreased weight, dizziness, abdominal pain and anorexia.
And also, most of subjects in these studies had a degree of skin erythema where the patch was applied. Leaving the patch on for more than the stipulated 9 hours resulted in a rise of adverse events.
Conclusion
As with all ADHD medications, the use of the Daytrana patch will have to be cautiously monitored by a doctor. It is advisable to discuss this new system with your child’s doctor and then decide whether it’s the right thing for you and your child.
From: healthlifeandstuff.com
It is a relatively new type of medication to manage ADHD. The patch is applied to skin at the hip area and left on for approximately 9 hours while the medicine is gradually absorbed into the body. It is meant to give relief from ADHD symptoms such as lack of concentration and poor organization skills.
Daytrana first came into the market in 2006, offering an alternative to ADHD medications such as pills. Daytrana lets the medicine to be sent directly to the bloodstream without the need to be digested first. Kids who use the Daytrana patch are probably more likely to feel the positive effects of the patch and help them to complete their school work during the day.
The distinct benefit of the product is its ability to let each patient to find out the duration of action of the medication on a daily basis. The patch is meant to be applied for about two hours prior to the medication’s effect is needed, and the effectiveness goes on for up to three hours after the patch is removed.
The delivery of the medication is easy and simple as the patch can be worn throughout the day while performing normal activities like swimming, bathing, or while performing exercises. As the patch is visible externally, parents can make sure that the medication is on when compared to pills and medicine that do not confirm whether the medication has really been taken. One good thing about the patch is that, once applied, it cannot be removed and re-used by others.
The company recommends the patch to be worn for 9 hours, although it can be taken off before that time. It can be helpful especially when the child’s school schedule is short. The patch can also be taken off earlier to minimise the chances for decreasing the appetite or interfering with sleep pattern.
When it comes to cost, all new medications tend to be expensive in the beginning, especially when they are protected by a patent. At the moment, Daytrana is more expensive than the generic types of oral medication, but it may be less expensive than oral ADHD medications that are still covered by a patent.
How does Daytrana work?
Daytrana releases a small doses of medication on an hourly basis so that kids with ADHD have a constant amount during the school day. It is recommended to be applied 2 hours before the medication is required to begin working.
Daytrana is an adhesive patch that securely sticks to the hip of the ADHD child throughout daily actions. As long as it is applied properly, Daytrana is a convenient medication for controlling ADHD symptoms.
Benefits
Parents who are having problems administering medication to their kids with ADHD, now have a better option, especially when kids refuse to swallow pills or who want to avert the stigma of taking medication at school. The Daytrana patch saves parents the fuss of crushing a tablet, mixing it with food or water, and hope their child will swallow the ADHD medicine.
In the case of pills, the medication is swallowed and released in the digestive system, later to be absorbed into the bloodstream. In the case of the patch, the method is different as the medication goes straight through the skin, and is absorbed into the bloodstream avoiding the digestive system. One good thing about the patch is that the same amount of medication is present right across the patch, although in different doses to be worn for shorter or longer periods of time.
Many children with ADHD are using the Daytrana patch to treat their symptoms during the day and help with attention and focus in school.
How to use and dispose the patch
Before applying the patch, make sure the area of the hip that you apply is clean and dry. Do not put it at the waistline as the patch may be moved away by clothes rubbing against it. While applying the patch, securely press it with your hand for about thirty seconds, making sure the edges are completely stuck. The full surface of the patch must be exposed to the skin for the correct amount of medication to be absorbed.
When correctly applied, the patch will stay on and keep producing medicine. However, exposure to water from bathing or swimming could affect its adhesive properties. If the patch falls off, throw it away and apply a new patch to a different region of the same hip, ensuring the total daily length of time does not go beyond 9 hours. Don’t use tape, bandages, or other home adhesives to re-apply the patch.
Disposing of the patch properly is as important as applying it. To protect kids from coming into contact with the medicine, always remember to fold it in half so that it sticks to itself, and then throw it away safely.
Side effects
Side effects of the Daytrana patch include sleep difficulties, loss of appetite, stomach pains, and headaches. As the patch sticks to the skin, it can also cause a rash or irritation. However, this can dealt with by applying the patch to a different area of the hip every day. Do not apply the patch to irritated or damaged skin as it could increase the amount of medication that gets into your child’s bloodstream.
The side effects of the methylphenidate medication are similar to the oral forms, where a child may get irritated, angry, especially if the dose is too high.
The disadvantages of the system include the need for meticulous application of the patch every day, at a different area on the body, normally the hip region below the waistline, and redness can be expected at the area for up to 2 days after patch removal.
Heat must never be applied to the patch like heating pads, electric blankets, and heated water beds, because this could change the rate of delivery of the medication into the system.
There is a possibility of developing an allergic reaction to the adhesive, or potentially to the medication itself.
The most common reactions related with Daytrana (about 5% and double the rate of placebo-treated patients) in clinical trials among children included decreased appetite, insomnia, nausea, vomiting, and decreased weight. Among a adolescents, there has been decreased appetite, insomnia, decreased weight, dizziness, abdominal pain and anorexia.
And also, most of subjects in these studies had a degree of skin erythema where the patch was applied. Leaving the patch on for more than the stipulated 9 hours resulted in a rise of adverse events.
Conclusion
As with all ADHD medications, the use of the Daytrana patch will have to be cautiously monitored by a doctor. It is advisable to discuss this new system with your child’s doctor and then decide whether it’s the right thing for you and your child.
From: healthlifeandstuff.com
New Melanoma Drug Boosts Survival Rates
Patients with advanced skin cancer can now hope to extend life. The new treatment unveiled at a cancer meeting in Chicago has been praised by the cancer care fraternity.
Vemurafenib is an experimental drug that attacks the root of the cancerous source. Developed by Plexxikon and Roche/Genentech, it targets a genetic mutation that causes melanoma in nearly 50 percent of affected patients.
In a study presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (1) meeting in Chicago, 84 percent of patients treated with Vemurafenib increases survival rate by 6 months, compared with 64 percent of patients who took the conventional chemotherapy.
Dr. Lynn Schucter, chief of hematology oncology at the University of Pennsylvania’s Abramson Cancer Center is optimistic about the targeted therapy and hopes it will pave a radical path in treating cancer.
Cancer occurs when faulty genes send irregular signals to the body’s cells, causing them to grow out of control. Vemurafenib can stop the flawed signals, blocking cancer cell division without disturbing healthy cells and aid in more efficient treatment with minimal side effects.
Dr. Gerald Falchook, assistant professor in the department of investigational cancer therapeutics at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, explains that conventional treatments like chemotherapy are basically a one size fits all, and is not efficient in targeting the source.
How effective is it Vemurafenib?
Vemurafenib is aimed at a particular gene mutation, making it the prototypal targeted therapy for the disease. The drug was noticed when a substantial 70 percent of those with the mutation responded to it in safety testing beforehand.
The study was led by Dr. Paul Chapman of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and involved 675 patients from all over the globe with inoperable, advanced melanoma including the gene mutation.
The patients were given vemurafenib pills two times a day or infusions every three weeks of the chemotherapy drug dacarbazine.
After 6 months, 84 percent of patients on vemurafenib were alive compared to 64 percent of the others.
Less than ten percent on the drug developed serious side effects that included skin rashes, joint pain, fatigue, diarrhea and hair loss. Around 18 percent of patients showed a less serious form of skin cancer. About 33 percent had to get their doses varied due to side effects.
The study is ongoing, and the research team is positive about the treatment as the patients have shown an improvement with shrinkage of many tumors. Even as soon as 72 hours, some patients’ symptoms showed improvement and pain medicines were reduced.
Dr. April Salama, a Duke University melanoma specialist, hails the impressive results and points out that the treatment has benefited patients who historically did not fare very well.
The study was funded by the drug’s manufacturers, and many of the researchers provide consultation or are employed by them. The companies are hoping to market the drug and a companion test for the gene mutation in America and Europe. However, the manufacturers have not determined the price.
Targeted therapy like Vemurafenib can work on any cancer with genetic roots, not just melanoma.
From: healthlifeandstuff.com
Vemurafenib is an experimental drug that attacks the root of the cancerous source. Developed by Plexxikon and Roche/Genentech, it targets a genetic mutation that causes melanoma in nearly 50 percent of affected patients.
In a study presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (1) meeting in Chicago, 84 percent of patients treated with Vemurafenib increases survival rate by 6 months, compared with 64 percent of patients who took the conventional chemotherapy.
Dr. Lynn Schucter, chief of hematology oncology at the University of Pennsylvania’s Abramson Cancer Center is optimistic about the targeted therapy and hopes it will pave a radical path in treating cancer.
Cancer occurs when faulty genes send irregular signals to the body’s cells, causing them to grow out of control. Vemurafenib can stop the flawed signals, blocking cancer cell division without disturbing healthy cells and aid in more efficient treatment with minimal side effects.
Dr. Gerald Falchook, assistant professor in the department of investigational cancer therapeutics at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, explains that conventional treatments like chemotherapy are basically a one size fits all, and is not efficient in targeting the source.
How effective is it Vemurafenib?
Vemurafenib is aimed at a particular gene mutation, making it the prototypal targeted therapy for the disease. The drug was noticed when a substantial 70 percent of those with the mutation responded to it in safety testing beforehand.
The study was led by Dr. Paul Chapman of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and involved 675 patients from all over the globe with inoperable, advanced melanoma including the gene mutation.
The patients were given vemurafenib pills two times a day or infusions every three weeks of the chemotherapy drug dacarbazine.
After 6 months, 84 percent of patients on vemurafenib were alive compared to 64 percent of the others.
Less than ten percent on the drug developed serious side effects that included skin rashes, joint pain, fatigue, diarrhea and hair loss. Around 18 percent of patients showed a less serious form of skin cancer. About 33 percent had to get their doses varied due to side effects.
The study is ongoing, and the research team is positive about the treatment as the patients have shown an improvement with shrinkage of many tumors. Even as soon as 72 hours, some patients’ symptoms showed improvement and pain medicines were reduced.
Dr. April Salama, a Duke University melanoma specialist, hails the impressive results and points out that the treatment has benefited patients who historically did not fare very well.
The study was funded by the drug’s manufacturers, and many of the researchers provide consultation or are employed by them. The companies are hoping to market the drug and a companion test for the gene mutation in America and Europe. However, the manufacturers have not determined the price.
Targeted therapy like Vemurafenib can work on any cancer with genetic roots, not just melanoma.
From: healthlifeandstuff.com
Lorcaserin or Lorqess: Analysis of FDA Panel
This is an analysis of Lorcaserin or Lorqess and the upcoming FDA advisory panel. If curious or have any questions or want more such analysis, please email dg_writing@hotmail.com – thanks!
Lorcaserin or Lorqess is going up for an FDA advisory panel on September 16, 2010. It is an obesity drug that has generated a lot of excitement. Advisory panels consist of experts who meet to discuss whether a drug should or should not be approved.
They are not binding. The FDA can listen or ignore their advice.
This panel comes after two unfortunate events. First, the negative reception of another obesity drug, Qnexa, a few months back, where a panel voted against its approval.
Second, it is taking place the day after a discussion on the obesity drug Meridia which has been linked to serious safety concerns.
The panel will look at two key things: Efficacy, and safety
Is Lorqess effective?
Is Lorqess safe?
With all medications, it is a balancing act. A drug that doesn’t work so well but has perfect safety is a lot different from a drug that works great but has significant safety concerns.
With Qnexa, there was a lot of efficacy, and some significant concern about safety.
With Lorqess, it is the opposite: limited efficacy, and limited safety concerns.
Here are the main concerns with Lorqess:
1) It barely works. There are two main ways to measure efficacy of an obesity drug. Lorqess only barely meets one of the criteria, which is enough – but it is the less preferred criteria.
As is, Lorqess seems to meet the standard for approval of an obesity drug, but just barely.
2) It has to be taken for life
Not many people have noticed this nasty twist, but it is something that will weigh on panelists minds. I looked at a graph of weight after one year on Lorqess and then a year off.
All the lost weight was regained in that graph. It actually ended a little higher than those on placebo for two years.
Stopping Lorqess seems to mean you regain the weight.
This was one graph from one study, however.
3) It is similar in chemical action to another weight-loss drug that was linked to a massive health failure
Lorqess has almost identical chemical action to the infamous fenfluramine from the phen-fen combo.
4) It is likely to be used in combination with other drugs
Because of its limited efficacy, panelists are likely to wonder: What will happen if Lorqess is taken with other drugs, hoping to increase the weight loss?
In favor of Lorqess:
1) Obesity is widely viewed as a public health epidemic
2) It has two years of safety data and the safety data so far has been very good with limited problems
3) It does meet the criteria for approval for an obesity drug
Conclusion:
Advisory panels are strange and unpredictable. Lorcaserin or Lorqess seems to meet the standard for approval as is. That said, advisory panels are very political and may have a different perspective than the FDA.
Due to the potential for a variety of issues to be raised that could cause significant hesitancy combined with the poor timing, I would estimate: 60% chance of negative vote, 40% positive.
From: From: healthlifeandstuff.com
Lorcaserin or Lorqess is going up for an FDA advisory panel on September 16, 2010. It is an obesity drug that has generated a lot of excitement. Advisory panels consist of experts who meet to discuss whether a drug should or should not be approved.
They are not binding. The FDA can listen or ignore their advice.
This panel comes after two unfortunate events. First, the negative reception of another obesity drug, Qnexa, a few months back, where a panel voted against its approval.
Second, it is taking place the day after a discussion on the obesity drug Meridia which has been linked to serious safety concerns.
The panel will look at two key things: Efficacy, and safety
Is Lorqess effective?
Is Lorqess safe?
With all medications, it is a balancing act. A drug that doesn’t work so well but has perfect safety is a lot different from a drug that works great but has significant safety concerns.
With Qnexa, there was a lot of efficacy, and some significant concern about safety.
With Lorqess, it is the opposite: limited efficacy, and limited safety concerns.
Here are the main concerns with Lorqess:
1) It barely works. There are two main ways to measure efficacy of an obesity drug. Lorqess only barely meets one of the criteria, which is enough – but it is the less preferred criteria.
As is, Lorqess seems to meet the standard for approval of an obesity drug, but just barely.
2) It has to be taken for life
Not many people have noticed this nasty twist, but it is something that will weigh on panelists minds. I looked at a graph of weight after one year on Lorqess and then a year off.
All the lost weight was regained in that graph. It actually ended a little higher than those on placebo for two years.
Stopping Lorqess seems to mean you regain the weight.
This was one graph from one study, however.
3) It is similar in chemical action to another weight-loss drug that was linked to a massive health failure
Lorqess has almost identical chemical action to the infamous fenfluramine from the phen-fen combo.
4) It is likely to be used in combination with other drugs
Because of its limited efficacy, panelists are likely to wonder: What will happen if Lorqess is taken with other drugs, hoping to increase the weight loss?
In favor of Lorqess:
1) Obesity is widely viewed as a public health epidemic
2) It has two years of safety data and the safety data so far has been very good with limited problems
3) It does meet the criteria for approval for an obesity drug
Conclusion:
Advisory panels are strange and unpredictable. Lorcaserin or Lorqess seems to meet the standard for approval as is. That said, advisory panels are very political and may have a different perspective than the FDA.
Due to the potential for a variety of issues to be raised that could cause significant hesitancy combined with the poor timing, I would estimate: 60% chance of negative vote, 40% positive.
From: From: healthlifeandstuff.com
Thoughts on Cancer Medications
Some of the most interesting – on a pharmacological level – medications I’ve encountered are cancer treatments.
Take Tamoxifen, for instance. This highly effective treatment for certain types of breast cancer works because it blocks the effects of estrogen in the breast. Since estrogen plays a role in getting cells in the breast to grow, this has significant anti-cancer effect.
Yet there is a downside. Tamoxifen acts like estrogen in the uterus, which increases risk of uterine cancer over time.
I love analyzing medications and that extends to cancer treatments. But it is a more challenging interest than for other treatments.
When I look at an asthma medication, things are simpler. Does it improve breathing? Does it reduce the need to go to the emergency room? Things get thorny when common medications have black box warnings, but still not too hard.
Cancer medications are challenging on many levels, intellectually, emotionally. You are confronted with statements like “those on medication X lived 6 months on average, while those on placebo lived 4 months on average.”
The best part is finding new treatments that offer hope. Even then I am weighed down by knowledge (or, more accurately, lack of knowledge) and the challenge of grappling with exceptionally complicated information.
Take the aromatase inhibitors. Some studies say that they are a better treatment in post-menopausal woman than tamoxifen for preventing breast cancer from coming back.
The aromatase inhibitors were so much better that a study I look at was actually stopped to give participants the opportunity to switch to them.
That’s wonderful, right?
Yes. That said, one study I looked at showed superiority of the aromatase inhibitors in preventing breast cancer recurrence but showed an increased rate of other cancers.
Let me end this post with some thoughts on where cancer treatments are going.
Future Cancer Therapies
The goal of future cancer treatments is to find the molecular pathways that are deregulated in cancers and target them alone. Think doing a targeted missile strike on a house instead of carpet bombing a city.
The limitations to targeted treatments include the sheer complexity of cancers. You can knock out one pathway that leads to cancer formation only to have the tumor adopt another approach. Cancer doesn’t form when just one thing goes wrong, rather it happens when many things go wrong at once.
Resistance often arises. Cancerous cells are full of nasty tricks, like developing pumps that get rid of the medications you throw at them called Multiple Drug Resistance pumps.
New cancer treatments for the past few years have tended to fall into two categories. There are the tyrosine kinase inhibitors which are almost all named something that ends in “nib” (Lapatinib, Gefitinib, and Sunitinib). Then there are the monoclonal antibodies that have extreme specificity to some molecular target.
The tyrosine kinase inhibitors try to stop specific pathways associated with the development of cancer. Tyrosine kinases are a fairly large family of receptors and play a very large role in the regulation of cell growth. Their efficacy can range from phenomenal, Gleevec, to disappointing, Gefitinib.
The monoclonal antibodies have a variety of targets but all try to knock out some key aspect involved in the cancer. Herceptin, for instance, binds to HER2 receptors that are highly overexpressed in a significant percentage of breast cancers. Avastin binds to VEGF, a messenger that tells blood cells to grow, feeding the cancer.
There are additional areas being investigated. While unlikely to be used for at least several years, PARP inhibitors may play a role in treatment of breast cancer by increasing cells susceptibility to traditional chemotherapy.
From: healthlifeandstuff.com
Take Tamoxifen, for instance. This highly effective treatment for certain types of breast cancer works because it blocks the effects of estrogen in the breast. Since estrogen plays a role in getting cells in the breast to grow, this has significant anti-cancer effect.
Yet there is a downside. Tamoxifen acts like estrogen in the uterus, which increases risk of uterine cancer over time.
I love analyzing medications and that extends to cancer treatments. But it is a more challenging interest than for other treatments.
When I look at an asthma medication, things are simpler. Does it improve breathing? Does it reduce the need to go to the emergency room? Things get thorny when common medications have black box warnings, but still not too hard.
Cancer medications are challenging on many levels, intellectually, emotionally. You are confronted with statements like “those on medication X lived 6 months on average, while those on placebo lived 4 months on average.”
The best part is finding new treatments that offer hope. Even then I am weighed down by knowledge (or, more accurately, lack of knowledge) and the challenge of grappling with exceptionally complicated information.
Take the aromatase inhibitors. Some studies say that they are a better treatment in post-menopausal woman than tamoxifen for preventing breast cancer from coming back.
The aromatase inhibitors were so much better that a study I look at was actually stopped to give participants the opportunity to switch to them.
That’s wonderful, right?
Yes. That said, one study I looked at showed superiority of the aromatase inhibitors in preventing breast cancer recurrence but showed an increased rate of other cancers.
Let me end this post with some thoughts on where cancer treatments are going.
Future Cancer Therapies
The goal of future cancer treatments is to find the molecular pathways that are deregulated in cancers and target them alone. Think doing a targeted missile strike on a house instead of carpet bombing a city.
The limitations to targeted treatments include the sheer complexity of cancers. You can knock out one pathway that leads to cancer formation only to have the tumor adopt another approach. Cancer doesn’t form when just one thing goes wrong, rather it happens when many things go wrong at once.
Resistance often arises. Cancerous cells are full of nasty tricks, like developing pumps that get rid of the medications you throw at them called Multiple Drug Resistance pumps.
New cancer treatments for the past few years have tended to fall into two categories. There are the tyrosine kinase inhibitors which are almost all named something that ends in “nib” (Lapatinib, Gefitinib, and Sunitinib). Then there are the monoclonal antibodies that have extreme specificity to some molecular target.
The tyrosine kinase inhibitors try to stop specific pathways associated with the development of cancer. Tyrosine kinases are a fairly large family of receptors and play a very large role in the regulation of cell growth. Their efficacy can range from phenomenal, Gleevec, to disappointing, Gefitinib.
The monoclonal antibodies have a variety of targets but all try to knock out some key aspect involved in the cancer. Herceptin, for instance, binds to HER2 receptors that are highly overexpressed in a significant percentage of breast cancers. Avastin binds to VEGF, a messenger that tells blood cells to grow, feeding the cancer.
There are additional areas being investigated. While unlikely to be used for at least several years, PARP inhibitors may play a role in treatment of breast cancer by increasing cells susceptibility to traditional chemotherapy.
From: healthlifeandstuff.com
5 Reasons Losing Weight Will Improve Your Life
Whether you’re trying to lose 5 pounds or 50 you’ve probably been told (ad nauseum) about the many benefits of weight loss. From it’ll make you feel better about yourself to you’ll get a better paying job. We’ve heard them all before, yet somehow they do little to make losing weight easier.
Until now, that is. Believe it or not there are some very credible and completely true reasons that losing weight will enhance your life. Keep reading to find out more.
1. Longevity
You’d think that living longer would be a good enough motivation for anyone to lose weight, but most people look at living longer as tangential benefit to weight loss. The truth is that you increase your lifespan by losing weight because you reduce the risk of getting certain weight-related illnesses that include hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, and heart disease just to name a few. Even if you’re genetically predisposed to these illnesses, dropping the excess weight will decrease your chances of getting them.
By shedding even a few pounds, you could increase your life by 2 or 3 years. Sure, it seems like a mere pittance today while you’re young and vibrant but when you’re older and watching your grandchildren get older you’ll be thankful for those additional years.
2. Confidence
It’s no secret that better you begin to look, the better you’ll begin to feel. But losing weight isn’t just a good ego massage; it’s a confidence booster because reaching a weight loss goal makes you realize how strong you are and how easy it is to accomplish your goals. And looking better in the mirror certainly doesn’t hurt matters!
But seriously, dropping the weight that you see as preventing you from living your life has a way of liberating a person. You’ll no longer doubt your abilities to set goals and achieve them, which will prepare you for achieving your ultimate weight loss goal. When you feel more confident, you are more confident.
3. Success
The confidence that comes from weight loss will almost certainly spill into other aspects of your life, specifically your career. This isn’t as simple as skinny people are more successful, but rather
the same qualities that aid in success—extreme focus, high energy and follow through—also aid in weight loss.
Why, you ask? Put simply when we carry around less weight we have more energy to be more productive and focused at work, which generally leads to greater success at the office. Furthermore, your ability to lose weight means that you have healthier lifestyle habits which decreases career-killers like constant absences due to illness. When you eat a well-balanced diet and exercise regularly, the keys to successful weight loss, you feel better, you’re more focused and able to think critically which are factors employers look for when handing out promotions!
4. Sex
You knew this one was coming and it’s probably one of the biggest weight loss motivators in the world. Losing weight will improve your sex life in the most basic ways; you’ll have more chances to have sex and the ability to seduce a higher quality sex partner, but it will also improve your overall sexual satisfaction.
Overweight or obese women & men tend to suffer greater sexual dissatisfaction and dysfunction, than their average-weight counterparts. Much of the dissatisfaction comes from blood flow issues to the genitals, but confidence and stamina play a role as well.
Dropping even a few pounds will go a long way to improving your sexual performance, and therefore satisfaction, between the sheets. And let’s face it, that’s one of the best reasons to lose weight!
5. Overall Health
I mention overall health last, but make no mistake this is the most important reason that losing weight will improve your health because this affects the reasons listed here as well as dozens more. Losing weight has the effect of producing better sleep, which gives you a higher energy level throughout the day to do things like make healthy food choices and smart work decisions.
Losing weight puts less strain on your heart, your joints and muscles, and even your mental well-being. The key factors in learning how to lose weight are regular exercise and a diet filled with fresh fruits & vegetables, fiber and lean protein, and these factors are most responsible for an improvement in your health. The vitamins and nutrients contained within a well-balanced diet allow you greater mental and physical health for an overall improvement in life and lifestyle.
Next time you think about skipping that early morning workout or having a high calorie donut instead of an omelettte, remember all the ways your life (and health) will improve with weight loss!
From: healthlifeandstuff.com
Until now, that is. Believe it or not there are some very credible and completely true reasons that losing weight will enhance your life. Keep reading to find out more.
1. Longevity
You’d think that living longer would be a good enough motivation for anyone to lose weight, but most people look at living longer as tangential benefit to weight loss. The truth is that you increase your lifespan by losing weight because you reduce the risk of getting certain weight-related illnesses that include hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, and heart disease just to name a few. Even if you’re genetically predisposed to these illnesses, dropping the excess weight will decrease your chances of getting them.
By shedding even a few pounds, you could increase your life by 2 or 3 years. Sure, it seems like a mere pittance today while you’re young and vibrant but when you’re older and watching your grandchildren get older you’ll be thankful for those additional years.
2. Confidence
It’s no secret that better you begin to look, the better you’ll begin to feel. But losing weight isn’t just a good ego massage; it’s a confidence booster because reaching a weight loss goal makes you realize how strong you are and how easy it is to accomplish your goals. And looking better in the mirror certainly doesn’t hurt matters!
But seriously, dropping the weight that you see as preventing you from living your life has a way of liberating a person. You’ll no longer doubt your abilities to set goals and achieve them, which will prepare you for achieving your ultimate weight loss goal. When you feel more confident, you are more confident.
3. Success
The confidence that comes from weight loss will almost certainly spill into other aspects of your life, specifically your career. This isn’t as simple as skinny people are more successful, but rather
the same qualities that aid in success—extreme focus, high energy and follow through—also aid in weight loss.
Why, you ask? Put simply when we carry around less weight we have more energy to be more productive and focused at work, which generally leads to greater success at the office. Furthermore, your ability to lose weight means that you have healthier lifestyle habits which decreases career-killers like constant absences due to illness. When you eat a well-balanced diet and exercise regularly, the keys to successful weight loss, you feel better, you’re more focused and able to think critically which are factors employers look for when handing out promotions!
4. Sex
You knew this one was coming and it’s probably one of the biggest weight loss motivators in the world. Losing weight will improve your sex life in the most basic ways; you’ll have more chances to have sex and the ability to seduce a higher quality sex partner, but it will also improve your overall sexual satisfaction.
Overweight or obese women & men tend to suffer greater sexual dissatisfaction and dysfunction, than their average-weight counterparts. Much of the dissatisfaction comes from blood flow issues to the genitals, but confidence and stamina play a role as well.
Dropping even a few pounds will go a long way to improving your sexual performance, and therefore satisfaction, between the sheets. And let’s face it, that’s one of the best reasons to lose weight!
5. Overall Health
I mention overall health last, but make no mistake this is the most important reason that losing weight will improve your health because this affects the reasons listed here as well as dozens more. Losing weight has the effect of producing better sleep, which gives you a higher energy level throughout the day to do things like make healthy food choices and smart work decisions.
Losing weight puts less strain on your heart, your joints and muscles, and even your mental well-being. The key factors in learning how to lose weight are regular exercise and a diet filled with fresh fruits & vegetables, fiber and lean protein, and these factors are most responsible for an improvement in your health. The vitamins and nutrients contained within a well-balanced diet allow you greater mental and physical health for an overall improvement in life and lifestyle.
Next time you think about skipping that early morning workout or having a high calorie donut instead of an omelettte, remember all the ways your life (and health) will improve with weight loss!
From: healthlifeandstuff.com
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