lunes, 1 de agosto de 2011

Drop in Breast Cancer Death Rates May Not Be Linked to Screening Rates: MedlinePlus

Drop in Breast Cancer Death Rates May Not Be Linked to Screening Rates: MedlinePlus: "Drop in Breast Cancer Death Rates May Not Be Linked to Screening Rates
European study found better care, health systems at play, but experts not sure same is so in U.S.



URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_114834.html (*this news item will not be available after 10/27/2011)

By Alan Mozes
Friday, July 29, 2011 HealthDay Logo
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* Breast Cancer
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FRIDAY, July 29 (HealthDay News) -- Developed countries have seen a drop in breast cancer death rates in recent years, but a new international study suggests this trend is less about rising screening rates and more about the availability of increasingly effective treatments and improving health-care systems.

The finding stems from an analysis of World Health Organization (WHO) breast cancer data collected between 1980 and 2006, in which French, British and Norwegian researchers compared the screening and fatality rates of several Western European countries. The observations were presented online July 29 in the British Medical Journal.

'The contrast between the time differences in implementation of mammography screening and the similarity in reductions in mortality between the country pairs suggest that screening did not play a direct part in the reductions in breast cancer mortality,' a team of researchers led by Philippe Autier, research director of the International Prevention Research Institute in Lyon, France, said in a journal news release.

To explore to what degree breast cancer screening rates appeared to be related to fatality rates, the authors chose six countries for points of comparison.

Northern Ireland was stacked up against the Republic of Ireland; the Netherlands was compared with Belgium/Flanders; and Sweden was examined alongside Norway.

The team noted that medical services and the prevalence of breast cancer death risk factors were comparable in each pairing. However, in the space of the study, the second country of each of the three groups was 10 to 15 years behind the first country in terms of their implementation of mammography screening protocols.

The results: Breast cancer death rates, which dropped across the board, were more or less similar in each country pairing, despite stark differences in screening histories.

For example, fatalities between 1989 and 2006 had plummeted by 29 percent in Northern Ireland, as compared with 26 percent in the Republic of Ireland.

The Netherlands registered a 25 percent drop, compared with a 20 percent to 25 percent drop in Belgium/Flanders, while the downward trend of 16 percent in Sweden compared with 24 percent in Norway.

In general terms, Autier's team also noted breast cancer death rates were not that different among women who had undergone almost no screening as compared with those who had been screened quite often.

And the biggest death rate drop seen overall was among women between the ages of 40 and 49, whether or not they had undergone screening.

Dr. Lauren Cassell, chief of breast surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital (affiliated with Northshore/LIJ) in New York City, cautioned that it's not clear that the current findings are easily generalizable to other nations.

'I'm not sure how well this finding would translate in comparison with the U.S.,' she noted. 'I suspect that we may be more aggressive in our screening protocols, and our health system is very different from the ones they looked at.'

'And, in any case, I would certainly say that people should continue getting screened,' Cassell stressed. 'Because we still do know that catching any cancer at an earlier stage does translate into better outcomes and maybe less treatment. Because even if the end result is the same, and fatal, I certainly would like to have a cancer that could be treated with hormonal treatment and not chemotherapy, if possible.'

SOURCE: BMJ, July 28, 2011, news release

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Some Ethnic Groups More Vulnerable to Dangerous Fat: MedlinePlus

Some Ethnic Groups More Vulnerable to Dangerous Fat: MedlinePlus: "Some Ethnic Groups More Vulnerable to Dangerous Fat
South Asians tend to store fat around organs, raising coronary artery disease risk, study finds



URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_114833.html (*this news item will not be available after 10/27/2011)

By Mary Elizabeth Dallas
Friday, July 29, 2011 HealthDay Logo

Related MedlinePlus Pages

* Asian-American Health
* Body Weight

FRIDAY, July 29 (HealthDay News) -- Some ethnic groups are more likely than others to store dangerous fat around their internal organs as they gain weight, according to a new study.

This organ-hugging fat, which can lead to diabetes and coronary artery disease, is more common among people from South Asia, the Canadian researchers reported in the July 28 online edition of the journal PLoS ONE.

'The new study showed South Asians have less space to store fat below the skin than white Caucasians,' Dr. Sonia Anand, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, said in a university news release. 'Their excess fat, therefore, overflows to ectopic compartments, in the abdomen and liver where it may affect function.'

This extra fat surrounding vital organs, known as visceral fat, is also associated with metabolic problems, including elevated blood sugar and abnormal blood fats -- risk factors that ultimately lead to coronary artery disease, the study authors explained.

The researchers found that, compared with white people with the same body mass index (BMI), people who originate from the Indian subcontinent have more risk factors for heart disease including type 2 diabetes, low HDL ('good') cholesterol and more abdominal obesity.

'Many Canadians of South Asian descent -- as well as those of Aboriginal, African and Chinese descent -- are experiencing historic levels of risk for heart disease and stroke. It is only through research like this that we can learn how better to treat and prevent these diseases, so lives are not cut short,' said Mary Lewis, vice-president of research, advocacy and health promotion of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario.

'This study helps explain why South Asians experience weight-related health problems at lower BMI levels than [whites]. For the clinician, this also means that individuals of South Asian heritage need to be screened for the presence of heart disease and diabetes at lower BMIs,' Dr. Arya Sharma, a co-author of the study and director of the Canadian Obesity Network, said in the news release.

SOURCE: McMaster University, news release, July 28, 2011
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Rate of stroke increasing among women during, soon after pregnancy

Rate of stroke increasing among women during, soon after pregnancy: "Rate of stroke increasing among women during, soon after pregnancy
American Heart Association Rapid Access Journal Report



Study Highlights:

* Researchers report a large increase in the number of women having strokes while pregnant and in the three months after childbirth.
* The overall rate of pregnancy-related stroke went up 54 percent between 1994-95 and 2006-07.
* The increase is due to women having more risk factors, including high blood pressure and obesity.


DALLAS, July 28, 2011 — The stroke rate for pregnant women and those who recently gave birth increased alarmingly over the past dozen years, according to research reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Researchers gathered data from a large national database of 5 to 8 million discharges from 1,000 hospitals and compared the rates of strokes from 1994-95 to 2006-07 in women who were pregnant, delivering a baby and who had recently had a baby.

Pregnancy-related stroke hospitalizations increased 54 percent, from 4,085 in 1994-95 to 6,293 in 2006-07.

“I am surprised at the magnitude of the increase, which is substantial,” said Elena V. Kuklina, M.D., Ph.D., lead author of the study and senior service fellow and epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention in Atlanta, Ga. “Our results indicate an urgent need to take a closer look. Stroke is such a debilitating condition. We need to put more effort into prevention.

“When you’re relatively healthy, your stroke risk is not that high,” Kuklina said. “Now more and more women entering pregnancy already have some type of risk factor for stroke, such as obesity, chronic hypertension, diabetes or congenital heart disease. Since pregnancy by itself is a risk factor, if you have one of these other stroke risk factors, it doubles the risk.”

For expectant mothers, the rate of stroke hospitalizations rose 47 percent. In pregnant women and in women who had a baby in the last 12 weeks (considered the postpartum period), the stroke rate rose 83 percent. However, the rate remained the same for stroke hospitalizations that occurred during the time immediately surrounding childbirth.

Furthermore, high blood pressure was more prevalent in pregnant women who were hospitalized because of stroke.

In 1994-95, among pregnant women with stroke, researchers found high blood pressure in:

* 11.3 percent of the pregnant women prior to birth;
* 23.4 percent of those at or near delivery; and
* 27.8 percent of those within 12 weeks of delivery.

In 2006-07, they discovered high blood pressure among stroke patients in:

* 17 percent of those pregnant;
* 28.5 percent of those at or near delivery; and
* 40.9 percent of women in the postpartum period.

It’s best for women to enter pregnancy with ideal cardiovascular health — without additional risk factors, Kuklina said. Next, she suggests developing a comprehensive, multidisciplinary plan that gives doctors and patients guidelines for appropriate monitoring and care before, during and after childbirth.

A major problem is that pregnant women typically aren’t included in clinical trials because most drugs pose potential harm to the fetus. Therefore, doctors don’t have enough guidance on which medications are best for pregnant women who have an increased risk for stroke.

“We need to do more research on pregnant women specifically,” said Kuklina, who found only 11 cases of pregnancy-related stroke in her review of previously published literature.

Co-authors are: Xin Tong, M.P.H.; Pooja Bansil, M.P.H.; Mary G. George, M.D., M.S.P.H.; and William M. Callaghan, M.D., M.P.H. Author disclosures are on the manuscript.

The study received no outside funding.

###

Statements and conclusions of study authors published in American Heart Association scientific journals are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the association’s policy or position. The association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific association programs and events. The association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and device corporations are available at www.americanheart.org/corporatefunding.

NR11 – 1105 (Stroke/Kuklina)

Additional Resources:

* Multimedia elements including stroke animation are located at www.heart.org/news under Multimedia.
* American Stroke Association.
* Effectiveness-Based Guidelines for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Women—2011 Update.



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Study Finds Kids Want More Info About Their Hospital Care: MedlinePlus

Study Finds Kids Want More Info About Their Hospital Care: MedlinePlus: "Study Finds Kids Want More Info About Their Hospital Care
Excluding them from treatment discussions left them distressed, researchers report



URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_114832.html (*this news item will not be available after 10/27/2011)

By Robert Preidt
Friday, July 29, 2011 HealthDay Logo
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* Children's Health
* Health Facilities
* Talking With Your Doctor

FRIDAY, July 29 (HealthDay News) -- Excluding children from discussions about their hospital care can make them feel scared and angry, a new study finds.

Parents and medical professionals need to make an effort to consult young patients and include them in decisions, said the researchers from Dublin, Ireland.

The study authors interviewed 55 children and teens, aged 7 to 18, at three hospitals and found that the kids wanted to be included in discussions about their care and to have their views and concerns taken seriously. While some felt included in discussions, most reported difficulties.

Many of the young patients relied on their parents to act as advocates and to explain what was happening, the researchers said.

The investigators also found that the way health professionals communicated and behaved was a major barrier to children being included in discussions about their care. Most of the children said health professionals tended to 'do things' to them with very brief or no explanations. Because of rushed consultations, many young patients said they couldn't ask questions or offer information.

In addition, health professionals often directed information at the parents and used language that young patients found hard to understand.

The study is published in the August issue of the Journal of Clinical Nursing.

'Health care organizations need to develop cultures where participation is firmly embedded, not just a desirable add-on. Communicating with children, and including them in decisions about their care, conveys respect, enhances and develops their decision-making capabilities and contributes to psychosocial well-being,' study co-author Imelda Coyne, from the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Trinity College Dublin, said in a journal news release.

SOURCE: Journal of Clinical Nursing, news release, July 25, 2011
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Changes in Diet and Lifestyle and Long-Term Weight Gain in Women and Men — NEJM

open here please ►Changes in Diet and Lifestyle and Long-Term Weight Gain in Women and Men — NEJM: "Original Article
Changes in Diet and Lifestyle and Long-Term Weight Gain in Women and Men
Dariush Mozaffarian, M.D., Dr.P.H., Tao Hao, M.P.H., Eric B. Rimm, Sc.D., Walter C. Willett, M.D., Dr.P.H., and Frank B. Hu, M.D., Ph.D.


N Engl J Med 2011; 364:2392-2404June 23, 2011

Comments open through June 29, 2011

Specific dietary and other lifestyle behaviors may affect the success of the straightforward-sounding strategy “eat less and exercise more” for preventing long-term weight gain.


Methods

We performed prospective investigations involving three separate cohorts that included 120,877 U.S. women and men who were free of chronic diseases and not obese at baseline, with follow-up periods from 1986 to 2006, 1991 to 2003, and 1986 to 2006. The relationships between changes in lifestyle factors and weight change were evaluated at 4-year intervals, with multivariable adjustments made for age, baseline body-mass index for each period, and all lifestyle factors simultaneously. Cohort-specific and sex-specific results were similar and were pooled with the use of an inverse-variance–weighted meta-analysis.


Results

Within each 4-year period, participants gained an average of 3.35 lb (5th to 95th percentile, −4.1 to 12.4). On the basis of increased daily servings of individual dietary components, 4-year weight change was most strongly associated with the intake of potato chips (1.69 lb), potatoes (1.28 lb), sugar-sweetened beverages (1.00 lb), unprocessed red meats (0.95 lb), and processed meats (0.93 lb) and was inversely associated with the intake of vegetables (−0.22 lb), whole grains (−0.37 lb), fruits (−0.49 lb), nuts (−0.57 lb), and yogurt (−0.82 lb) (P≤0.005 for each comparison). Aggregate dietary changes were associated with substantial differences in weight change (3.93 lb across quintiles of dietary change). Other lifestyle factors were also independently associated with weight change (P<0.001), including physical activity (−1.76 lb across quintiles); alcohol use (0.41 lb per drink per day), smoking (new quitters, 5.17 lb; former smokers, 0.14 lb), sleep (more weight gain with <6 or >8 hours of sleep), and television watching (0.31 lb per hour per day).


Conclusions

Specific dietary and lifestyle factors are independently associated with long-term weight gain, with a substantial aggregate effect and implications for strategies to prevent obesity. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health and others.)

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página IntraMed ►IntraMed - Artículos - Cambios en la alimentación y los hábitos de vida y aumento de peso a largo plazo: "01 AGO 11 | Aumento del peso, sobrepeso, hábitos de vida, alimentación
Cambios en la alimentación y los hábitos de vida y aumento de peso a largo plazo
Se observaron fuertes asociaciones positivas con los cambios de peso para los almidones, los granos refinados y los alimentos elaborados. Algunos alimentos- verduras, nueces, frutas y granos enteros- se asociaron con menor aumento del peso al aumentar su consumo.


Dres. Mozaffarian D, Hao T, Rimm E.
N Engl J Med 2011;364:2392-404.


Introducción


Debido a que los esfuerzos para adelgazar plantean enormes desafíos, la prevención primaria del aumento del peso es una prioridad global. Para la estabilidad del peso es necesario que haya equilibrio entre las calorías que se consumen y las que se gastan. Por ello la recomendación de “comer menos y hacer más ejercicio” pareciera ser sencilla. Sin embargo, el aumento del peso a menudo se produce gradualmente a lo largo de las décadas (alrededor de 450 g por año). Resulta difícil para la mayoría de las personas percibir las causas específicas de este aumento.

Varios factores de los hábitos de vida pueden influir sobre la capacidad para mantener el equilibrio energético a largo plazo. El consumo de bebidas azucaradas, golosinas y alimentos elaborados dificulta esta capacidad, mientras que el consumo de granos enteros, frutas y verduras la facilita. La actividad física también debería influir sobre el aumento del peso a largo plazo, pero las evidencias para avalar esta expectativa han sido sorprendentemente contradictorias. Además, el tiempo frente al televisor y el tiempo de sueño pueden influir sobre el consumo de energía, el gasto de energía o ambos. Los diferentes hábitos de vida con frecuencia se han evaluado por separado y se limitan así las comparaciones relativas o la cuantificación de efectos combinados. Además, la mayoría de los estudios sobre el tema evaluaron las conductas en ese momento, pero los cambios de conductas en el tiempo pueden ser más apropiados para estudiar sus efectos biológicos sobre el aumento de peso a largo plazo y su traducción a estrategias preventivas. Los autores investigaron la relación entre múltiples cambios de hábitos de vida, tanto por separado como en conjunto y el aumento del peso en el largo plazo en mujeres y hombres no obesos que participaron en tres estudios prospectivos.

Métodos

Se efectuaron investigaciones prospectivas en tres cohortes distintas (The Nurses’ Health Study, The Nurses’ Health Study II y The Health Professionals Follow-up Study). Se incluyeron 120.877 mujeres y hombres que no padecían enfermedades crónicas y no eran obesos al inicio, con períodos de seguimiento entre 1986 - 2006, 1991 - 2003 y 1986 - 2006.

Los participantes respondieron a cuestionarios bianuales sobre sus antecedentes médicos, hábitos de vida y prácticas sanitarias.

Los hábitos de vida de interés fueron la actividad física, el tiempo frente al televisor, el consumo de alcohol, las horas de sueño y la alimentación. Los factores alimentarios evaluados fueron las frutas y verduras, los granos enteros, los granos refinados, las papas (hervidas, en puré y fritas), las papitas fritas envasadas, los productos lácteos enteros y descremados, las bebidas azucaradas, las golosinas y los postres, las carnes elaboradas, las carnes rojas no elaboradas, las frituras y las grasas trans. También evaluaron las nueces y otros frutos secos, los jugos de frutas sin agregados y los refrescos dietéticos, así como diferentes tipos de bebidas alcohólicas.

La talla y el peso se evaluaron en el cuestionario inicial y el peso se preguntó en cada cuestionario de seguimiento. Los cambios de peso se determinaron cada 4 años como cambios absolutos (gramos o kilos) y relativos (porcentajes). Los cambios de peso fueron fuertes factores pronósticos de evolución de las enfermedades en estas cohortes.

Resultados

Aumento del peso
La media de aumento del peso para todos los periodos de 4 años combinados fue diferente entre las tres cohortes. Este dato quizás se relacione con la diferencias específicas de sexo y edad entre cada cohorte al inicio del estudio. El aumento medio de peso en el total de las cohortes fue de 1,520 kg o el 2,4% del peso corporal, durante cada período de 4 años; este cambio corresponde a un aumento del peso de 7,610 kg durante el período de 20 años.

Cambios en la alimentación y los hábitos de vida
Aunque los cambios medios en los hábitos de vida en la población global del estudio fueron pequeños, los cambios entre las personas fueron grandes. En el Nurses´ Health Study, por ejemplo, la diferencia entre las personas en el nivel superior de cambios y las del nivel inferior (percentilo 95 menos percentilo 5) fue de 3,1 porciones por día para el consumo de verduras, 25,3 equivalentes metabólicos por semana para la actividad física y 0,66 copas por día para el consumo de alcohol.

Relaciones entre los cambios en la alimentación y los cambios en el peso
Tras ajustar para múltiples variables, casi todos los factores alimentarios se relacionaron independientemente con el cambio de peso. Estos datos fueron similares, en dirección y magnitud, para hombres y mujeres y a través de las tres cohortes. Los factores alimentarios que más se asociaron con el aumento del peso en 4 años, por porción diaria, fueron los aumentos en el consumo de papitas fritas envasadas (765 g), papas (579 g), bebidas endulzadas con azúcar (453 g), carnes rojas no elaboradas (263 g) y carnes elaboradas (418 g). El aumento del peso asociado con mayor consumo de granos refinados (175 g por porción diaria) fue similar al de las golosinas y postres (185 g por porción por día).

Asociaciones inversas con el aumento del peso, por porción por día, se observaron para el mayor consumo de verduras (−100 g), granos enteros (−168 g), frutas (−0.49 lb), nueces y otros frutos secos (−222 g) y yogurt (−371 g).

Los participantes aumentaron menos de peso cuando disminuyeron el consumo de papitas fritas envasadas, carnes elaboradas, bebidas azucaradas, papas o grasas trans y engordaron más cuando disminuyeron el consumo de verduras, granos enteros, frutas, nueces o yogurt.

Relaciones entre otros hábitos de vida y los cambios en el peso
Otros hábitos de vida también se asociaron independientemente con los cambios en el peso por cada período de 4 años (P < 0,001), como la actividad física (-797 g); el consumo de alcohol (184 g por copa diaria), el tabaquismo (los que dejaron el cigarrillo recientemente, 2,340 kg), el sueño (más aumento de peso con menos de 6 o más de 8 horas de sueño) y el tiempo frente al televisor (140 g por hora por día).

Conclusiones

En este trabajo se halló que múltiples cambios en los hábitos de vida se asociaron independientemente con el aumento del peso a largo plazo, como los cambios en el consumo de bebidas o alimentos específicos, la actividad física, el consumo de alcohol, el tiempo frente al televisor y el tabaquismo. El promedio de aumento de peso a largo plazo en personas no obesas es gradual - en las cohortes estudiadas, alrededor de 360 g por año – pero acumulados en el tiempo, aún aumentos de peso modestos tienen consecuencias para la disfunción metabólica a largo plazo relacionada con la adiposidad, la diabetes, la enfermedad cardiovascular y el cáncer.

Mientras que los cambios del peso asociados con un solo hábito de vida fueron relativamente modestos en las tres cohortes, en el conjunto, los cambios en la alimentación y la actividad física fueron responsables de grandes diferencias en el aumento de peso.

En todas estas relaciones intervienen los cambios en el consumo y el gasto de energía o ambos. En los cuestionarios sobre alimentación no se puede estimar bien el consumo total de energía. Por ello, el cambio del peso es la mejor medida del desequilibrio energético.

Se observaron fuertes asociaciones positivas con los cambios de peso para los almidones, los granos refinados y los alimentos elaborados. Algunos alimentos- verduras, nueces, frutas y granos enteros- se asociaron con menor aumento del peso al aumentar su consumo. Es posible que el mayor consumo de estos alimentos disminuya el consumo de otros alimentos y reduzca así la cantidad global de energía consumida.

Los datos obtenidos mostraron que los cambios en el consumo de todos los líquidos, excepto la leche, se asociaron positivamente con aumento del peso.

Globalmente, este análisis mostró relaciones divergentes entre bebidas o alimentos específicos y aumento del peso a largo plazo. Esto sugiere que la calidad de la alimentación, es decir los tipos de alimentos y bebidas consumidos, influyen sobre la cantidad (calorías totales).

Varias de las mediciones alimentarias sobre las que se hace hincapié, como el contenido de grasas, la densidad energética y los azúcares agregados, no hubieran identificado fiablemente los factores alimentarios que los autores hallaron que se asocian con aumento del peso a largo plazo. Por ejemplo, la mayoría de los alimentos que se asociaron positivamente con el aumento del peso fueron almidones o hidratos de carbono refinados; no se observaron diferencias significativas para la leche descremada en relación con la leche entera y el consumo de nueces se asoció inversamente con el aumento del peso.

Estos datos señalan brechas en el conocimiento de cómo algunas características especiales de la alimentación alteran el equilibrio energético e indican que a futuro se deben investigar las vías que regulan el hambre, la saciedad, la absorción, el metabolismo y el crecimiento o la hiperplasia de los adipositos. Los resultados de este trabajo también sugieren que las políticas y las investigaciones futuras para prevenir la obesidad deben considerar que la estructura y la elaboración de los alimentos son mediciones que pueden ser importantes.

♦ Comentario y resumen objetivo: Dr. Ricardo Ferreira


Contenidos relacionados
Los editores le recomiendan continuar con las siguientes lecturas
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» Relación entre el consumo de bebidas azucaradas y el aumento de peso (Artículos) ► IntraMed - Artículos - Relación entre el consumo de bebidas azucaradas y el aumento de peso: "- Enviado mediante la barra Google"

» Factores de riesgo cardiovascular modificables (Artículos)► IntraMed - Artículos - Factores de riesgo cardiovascular modificables: "- Enviado mediante la barra Google"

» Los mayores responsables del aumento de peso a largo plazo (Noticias médicas)► IntraMed - Noticias médicas - Los mayores responsables del aumento de peso a largo plazo: "- Enviado mediante la barra Google"


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Heart Transplant: The Man Without A Heart | Medical News and Health Information

Reported August 5, 2011
Heart Transplant: The Man Without A Heart -- Research Summary


BACKGROUND: A heart transplant is an operation in which a failing heart is replaced with a healthier, donor heart. This surgery is usually reserved for people who have tried medications or other surgeries but haven't improved sufficiently. Heart failure can be caused by coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, valvular heart disease, a congenital heart defect, or a previous failed heart transplant. For those patients who can't have a transplant, another option may be a ventricular assist device (VAD). A VAD is a miniature pump implanted in the patient's chest that helps pump blood through the body. VADs are commonly used as a temporary treatment for people waiting for a heart transplant but are increasingly being used as a permanent treatment for heart failure.
(SOURCE: Mayo Clinic)

DONOR HEARTS: Patients who are eligible for a heart transplant are placed on a waiting list for a donor heart. Organs are matched for blood type and size of donor and recipient. About 3,000 people in the United States are on the waiting list for a heart transplant on any given day. About 2,000 donor hearts are available each year. Wait times may vary from days to several months.
(SOURCE: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute)

LIVING WITHOUT A HEART: Charles Okeke was known as "the man without a heart" as he waited two years for a donor heart. His heart failed when his own antibodies attacked it. Okeke lived in the hospital for two years and was attached to a device known as "Big Blue." He was attached to this large, mobile device night and day for 600 days. Big Blue pumped nine and a half liters of blood into Okeke a day, but it was still a rather cumbersome device. Dr. Francisco Arabia, of the Mayo Clinic, followed Okeke very closely all the way to the day that he was able to leave the hospital and return home to his family. The FDA approved a 13-pound backpack-sized version of Big Blue, allowing Okeke to move with ease and become the first patient in the United States to live at home with an artificial heart. This device is called the Freedom Driver, and it runs on batteries, which connect to the artificial heart by two tubes that enter the body through the abdominal wall. Okeke did end up receiving a new heart and a new kidney. MORE ► Heart Transplant: The Man Without A Heart -- Research Summary | Medical News and Health Information: "Reported August 5, 2011
(SOURCE: Mayo Clinic)

.FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Lynn Closway
Mayo Clinic
Phoenix, AZ
Closway.Lynn@mayo.edu



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Brushing Away Oral Cancer | Medical News and Health Information

Reported August 3, 2011
Brushing Away Oral Cancer -- Research Summary


BACKGROUND: Oral cancer is cancer of the mouth. An estimated 350,000 to 400,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Approximately half of people with oral cancer will live more than 5 years after they are diagnosed and treated. If the cancer is found early, before it has spread to other tissues, the cure rate is nearly 90 percent. However, more than half of oral cancers have already spread when the cancer is detected. Most have spread to the throat or neck. About 1 in 4 persons with oral cancer die because of delayed diagnosis and treatment. (SOURCE: PubMed Health)

CARCINOMA: Carcinomas are malignancies that originate in the epithelial tissues. Epithelial cells cover the external surface of the body, line the internal cavities, and form the lining of glandular tissues. The incidence of oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma has been rising in young white American women, according to a new report. For the past three decades, the incidence has been increasing in white men and white women 18 to 44 years of age, but the trend is most pronounced in young white women.

EARLY TESTING: The OralCDx BrushTest is an easy, painless and definitive way for doctors to test the common small white and red oral spots that most people have in their mouth at one time or another. The BrushTest is used to determine if a common oral spot contains abnormal cells (known as dysplasia) that, if left alone for several years, may develop into oral cancer.

It typically takes several years before a dysplastic oral spot can turn into an oral cancer, and during this time, the spot can be removed, and oral cancer can potentially be prevented from even starting. OralCDx consists of a specially-designed brush that is used to painlessly obtain a sample of an oral lesion. In contrast to a typical cytologic smear, like a Pap smear, which samples cells only from the superficial layer, the OralCDx brush obtains a complete transepithelial biopsy specimen by collecting cells from all three layers of the epithelium: the superficial, intermediate and the basal layer. OralCDx requires no anesthesia, causes no pain and is associated with minimal or no bleeding. (SOURCE: OralCDx) MORE ► Brushing Away Oral Cancer -- Research Summary | Medical News and Health Information: "Reported August 3, 2011 and ► Brushing Away Oral Cancer | Medical News and Health Information: "- Enviado mediante la barra Google"

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Eric Hirsch, Public Relations
OralCDx Laboratories
ehirsch@oralcdx.com


first step ► Brushing Away Oral Cancer | Medical News and Health Information: "- Enviado mediante la barra Google"