Acupuncture reduces pain, need for opioids after surgery
October 22, 2007
Using acupuncture before and during surgery significantly reduces the level of pain and the amount of potent painkillers needed by patients after the surgery is over, according to Duke University Medical Center anesthesiologists who combined data from 15 small randomized acupuncture clinical trials.
Read more
Female plasma may not be as harmful as once thought
October 22, 2007
As the national blood banking community considers limiting the use plasma from female donors because of a rare but potentially catastrophic lung condition, researchers from Duke University Medical Center have shown that this policy change might be premature.
Read more
Study provides first evidence of neural link between sleep loss and psychiatric disorders
October 22, 2007
It has long been assumed that sleep deprivation can play havoc with our emotions.This is notably apparent in soldiers in combat zones, medical residents and even new parents. Now there’s a neurological basis for this theory, according to new research from the University of California, Berkeley, and Harvard Medical School.
Read more
Statins reduce loss of function, keeping old lungs young - even in smokers
October 14, 2007
Statins are known to be good for lowering cholesterol and maybe even fighting dementia, and now they have another reported benefit: they appear to slow decline in lung function in the elderly— even in those who smoke. According to researchers in Boston, it may be statins’ anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that help achieve this effect.
Read more
Cigarette Smoking May Accelerate Disability in Those with MS
October 14, 2007
Persons with multiple sclerosis who smoke risk increasing the amount of brain tissue shrinkage, a consequence of MS, and the subsequent severity of their disease, new research conducted at the Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center (BNAC) at the University at Buffalo has shown.
Read more
Leading researchers to reveal comprehensive dos and don’ts for prostate cancer
October 14, 2007
Today at the Prostate Cancer Foundation’s Annual Scientific Retreat, researchers will share new findings on how eating common foods such as tomatoes and fish, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding meats cooked at high temperatures may help prevent prostate cancer, and help men live healthier and longer after diagnosis. One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, and an estimated 218,890 cases will occur in The United States this year.
Read more
Low-fat diet possibly linked to lower risk of ovarian cancer
October 9, 2007
A low-fat diet may decrease the risk of ovarian cancer in postmenopausal women, according to a study published online October 9 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Read more
Medical identity theft: the importance of protecting your health records
October 9, 2007
Many consumers take precautions against identity theft, but what about medical identity theft? In addition to financial peril, victims can suffer physical danger if false entries in medical records lead to the wrong treatment.
Read more
Medicine proves a promising treatment in the battle against alcohol dependence
October 9, 2007
Researchers at the University of Virginia have led a multisite clinical trial showing that the drug topiramate is significantly more efficacious than placebo at curbing alcohol dependence. Subjects had to be drinking heavily and were not abstinent when they started the trial.
Read more
Nationwide independent Taser study results suggest devices are safe
October 9, 2007
A nationwide study examining the safety of Tasers® used by law enforcement agencies suggests the devices are safe, causing a low occurrence of serious injuries.
Read more