Results of the ACCORD study were reported at the American College of Cardiology 2010 Scientific Sessions and in the online version of the New England Journal of Medicine this week.

The report concluded that there is no benefit in aggressively treating high blood pressure in diabetics to numbers below 120 mm Hg diastolic. There was no difference in fatal and non fatal cardiovascular events in this group of patients and a group who had their diastolic blood pressure treated to less than 140 mm Hg.

Blood pressure in diabetics definitely needs to be successfully treated but there is no advantage to being over treated.  bjmdjd

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American College of Cardiology · diabetics · high blood pressure · hypertension

Anyone who keeps up with health news is aware that there has been a bru hah hah over vitamin D deficiency and its relationship to cardiovascular disease.

A study was reported this week at the American College of Cardiology 2010 Scientific Sessions that found that folks with low levels of vitamin D who were able to normalize them were less likely to suffer a cardiovascular event in up to six years of followup. The ways the people used to normalize their vitamin D levels were not listed.

I guess maybe it is worth it to have your vitamin D levels checked and if they’re low to grab some supplements or a prescription and put on the bikini or Speedo and head out into the sun. Don’t forget the sunscreen or you’ll have another problem to deal with!  bjmdjd

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American College of Cardiology · cardiovascular disease · vitamin D deficiency

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has voted to recommend that all adults receive the annual influenza vaccine beginning next flu season (2010 – 2011). Prior to this recommendation the focus was on people between the ages of 6 months and 18 years old and over 50 years old, anyone at risk of complications from the flu, and those in close contact with high risk individuals.

Now the new recommendation encourages everyone over the age of 6 months to be vaccinated unless they have a contraindication. Since vaccine makers have plenty of lead time for planning an increased manufacturing schedule it is hoped that the increase need for vaccine will not cause a shortage.  bjmdjd

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · flu shot · flu vaccine · health · universal flu vaccine recommendation · wellness

One way to waste a lot of your money is through colon detoxification though many people swear that it works! Since I can’t say it better than Dr. Toni Brayer who publishes the “Interesting Doctor’s Blog” that is listed in my side bar I’ve decided to let her do it. Here is the link:  http://healthwise-everythinghealth.blogspot.com/2010/02/colon-detoxification.html    bjmdjd

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colon cleansing · colon detoxification

I’ve read a couple of studies recently that reminded me about something very important that I have never mentioned in this blog. Are supplements and so called “natural” medications safe? The answer? They may be and they may not be. That really helps.

The real problem is that many people feel that any medication that can be purchased without a prescription and is called a supplement or “natural” is completely safe. This is absolutely untrue!

I feel that the main problem with many supplements is that no well designed and reliable studies have been done to determine the effectiveness and possible harmful side effects and drug interactions of these medications. They are not regulated by any governing agency. Even though the Food and Drug Administration does occasionally make a mistake when evaluating prescription medications, they have absolutely no control over the manufacture or distribution of these supplement medications.

Another problem with supplements or “natural” medications is that the correct dosages are not really known and with no regulation you really don’t know how much of the medicine you are actually getting in the manufacturers formulation. Maybe it says 500 mg but is it really? Who knows?

The bottom line…be very careful with the use of supplements and “natural” medicines. Many people complain about the cost of healthcare but they gladly purchase these expensive medicines with out of pocket money when they don’t even know if they are helping or hurting them. Because of possible prescription drug interactions you should always inform your doctor of any of these medications that you are taking.

Be very careful with anything that you put in your body.  bjmdjd

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are supplements safe · Food and Drug Administration · health · healthcare · natural medicines · supplements · wellness

Red yeast rice is a product of yeast grown on rice and is served as a normal part of the diet in some Asian countries. Extracts of red yeast rice have been used in China for hundreds of years to treat patients with circulatory and digestive disorders. It also has been known for many years to lower LDL cholesterol (the bad stuff).

Researchers writing in the January 15, 2010 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology reported that red yeast rice lowered LDL comparable to the cholesterol lowering prescription drug pravastatin (Pravachol).  Certain types of red yeast rice cultivated with a specific mold actually contain lovastatin which is the cholesterol lowering drug Mevacor!

These findings show great promise in patients who are forced to discontinue various cholesterol lowering drugs because of the fairly frequent side effect of muscle aches and pains. In these patients  the red yeast rice was well tolerated and could be a treatment option in the future.

One of the main problems now is making the determination as to whether to classify red yeast rice as a drug or as a dietary supplement which would then involve the Food and Drug Administration. Their involvement would be necessary in order to regulate and control for contaminates and consistency between different manufacturers.

If you have high cholesterol and either can’t tolerate the current cholesterol lowering drugs or you would rather take something that is thought to be better tolerated in many patients, discuss it with your doctor.  bjmdjd

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American Journal of Cardiology · cholesterol lowering drug side effects · health · healthcare · high cholesterol · LDL · lovastatin · pravastatin · red yeast rice · wellness

Most of us realize that diabetes is a very costly disease. Both in dollars and in mortality and mobidity numbers. Several months ago the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (Nov. 2009) released the following staggering numbers concerning diabetes.

• 24 million Americans with diabetes
• $174 billion spent on diabetes in 2007
• $11,477 average annual cost in 2007 to an American with diabetes
• $60 average cost of a box of 100 blood glucose test strips
• $70 average cost for a vial of insulin

One of the scariest facts is that the number of Americans diagnosed with diabetes is growing everyday. I think that there are 2 main reasons for this. (1) Lower lab number results are now used to diagnose the disease. Until recently the medical community found that it was missing too many diabetics using the old numbers. (2) And the growing problem of childhood obesity. Many young people are now being diagnosed with Type II diabetes which is something that rarely ever happened in the past.

Educate yourself, get plenty of exercise, watch what you eat and maintain a healthy weight. As the old T.V. commercial used to say, “The life you save may be your own.”  bjmdjd

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diabetes · exercise · health · healthcare · lose weight · wellness

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced January 21, 2010 that the weight loss drug marketed as Meridia (generic = sibutramine) in the U.S. is now contraindicated in patients with a history of cardiovascular disease. There was already a warning against the use in those patients but the company has agreed to add the contraindication to the labeling. Cardiovascular disease refers to patients with any of the following:

If you are a patient with cardiovascular disease and you are taking Meridia (sibutramine), contact your prescribing physician immediately.  bjmd

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cardiovascular disease · Food and Drug Administration · health · healthcare · Meridia · sibutramine · wellness

One of the major public health problems that has gotten a lot of press in the last several years is childhood obesity. Along with the obesity the onset of Type II diabetes in a much younger population is really taking off. Now in the January 22nd issue of U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report comes news that 20% of U.S. youths have abnormal lipid levels. That’s 1 in 5 of young people in the U.S. between the ages of 12 to 19 years old have at least one abnormal lipid value.

The authors of the study evaluated data gathered during a survey conducted from 1999 – 2006. Even though it is not a new thought the study suggested that there is a subset of youth in which early intervention might help avoid cardiovascular disease in adulthood. I can’t remember the name of the article but I do remember reading many years ago about a study of autopsies conducted on youth below the age of 16 who had died from various causes. A significant number of these children already had changes of early atherosclerosis in their coronary arteries. And this was before the various risk factors had become more prevalent.

It appears that moving the snacks and soft drink machines out of our schools might be a good idea. Also getting off of the couch and playing outdoors might help. Education is the key. Not only for the children but also for their parents and caregivers.  bjmdjd

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early atherosclerosis changes · health · healthcare · lipid abnormalities in youth · Type II diabetes in youth · wellness

I will be the first to admit that I really don’t care for Oprah or her show. Everyone says, “But Bob, she does such good things with her money!” Yes…and there’s always a camera there to record it. I grew up being taught if you do something good for somebody and you tell it doesn’t count.

But I’ve got to give kudos to Oprah! On her show today the topic was on the dangers of talking on a cell phone or texting while you’re driving. While many folks want to jump up and down and say it’s their right to do both if they want to and it’s not the governments place to pass any laws that govern it. You may feel that way but you can’t actually deny that both are dangerous. How many of us have looked up and been driving in the wrong lane or at least drifting over the center line?

They presented a study which showed that talking on the phone while driving increases your chance of having an accident x4, the same as having a blood alcohol of 0.8 which is legally drunk. Texting while driving increases your chances x8!! No distinction was made between a regular cell phone and a hands free unit with one person stating it’s not what you do with your hands but your head.

I may not be a fan of Oprah but I am a fan of most anything that improves public health. Click on the following link to sign Oprah’s pledge not to talk on your cell phone or text while driving. Regardless of how you feel about the governments intrusion into our lives it might be worth taking a close look at this topic until drivers can use some common sense.   bjmdjd   (D3M5R2CWAJDZ)

http://www.oprah.com/questionaire/ipledge.html?id=4

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government intrusion into our lives · health · healthcare · Oprah Winfrey · public health policy · talking on a cell phone while driving · texting while driving