New meds aren't always 'safe and effective' Aug 30, 2008
The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, is not the first to raise questions about the safety of drugs and supplements hawked on the Web. But it serves as a good reminder that the old adage "let the buyer beware" certainly applies to the Internet. (Globe and Mail)
Nuts and Popcorn: OK for the Colon? Aug 30, 2008
4 billion in direct health care costs, according to the study published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Diverticular complications can also include bleeding and tears in the colon, which contributes to 3,400 deaths annually from the disease in the U.S. Yet the conventional wisdom that sufferers should avoid certain foods may have been upended. (Time.com)
How hazardous are herbal remedies? Aug 29, 2008
Their results, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, showed that medicines used in a branch of ayurveda called rasa shastra, used to treat serious illnesses, including paralysis, contained the highest levels of toxic metals, and that 20. 7% of all products tested exceeded "one or more standards for acceptable daily metal intake". (Hindu)
Patient Power Aug 29, 2008
An analysis in the Journal of the American Medical Association of 44 groups that argued for the approval of new treatments at Food Administration meetings found that 73% received funding from drug companies. "It has evolved into just another way for the industry to get its message across," says Peter Lurie of Public Citizen, which conducted the study. (Forbes -- Business)
Class of diabetes drugs carries significant cardiovascular risks Aug 29, 2008
Singh and Furberg reported in The Journal of the American Medical Association in 2007 after an analysis of four long-term trials that use of rosiglitazone was associated both with increased heart attacks and a doubling of heart failure. They said that results from three large randomized clinical trials published this past June all failed to demonstrate that intensive control of blood sugar reduces mortality or events from cardiovascular disease in patients with type 2 diabetes. (EurekAlert!)
Online Ayurvedic Medicine May Be Unsafe Aug 28, 2008
Since 1978, more than 80 cases of lead poisoning associated with Ayurvedic medicine have been reported, according to the study, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers used five different Internet search engines to locate 25 sites selling Ayurvedic medicines. (CBS News)
Indian herbal medicines queried Aug 28, 2008
Writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, lead researcher Dr Robert Saper said there was some evidence that herbs used in ayurvedic (Indian herbal) medicines could help against diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. "But the key thing is we need to separate out what's helpful and.... what needs to be looked at and perhaps set aside," he added. (BBC News -- Health)
High Levels Of Toxic Metals Found In Herbal Medicine Products Sold Online Aug 28, 2008
JAMA The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2008; 300 (8): 915 DOI ... 24, 2004) According to a study to appear in the Dec. 15, 2004 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), one of five Ayurvedic herbal medical products (HMPs), produced in South Asia and. (Science Daily)
Drug May Lower Blood Pressure in Adolescents with Hypertension Aug 28, 2008
The current study, published in the Aug. 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, tested whether treatment with allopurinol would reduce blood pressure in 30 11- to 17-year-olds who had high uric acid levels and newly diagnosed high blood pressure. Daniel I. Feig, of the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, and his colleagues randomly assigned the participants to receive either allopurinol or a placebo twice a day for four weeks. (MEDLINEplus)
Single Rooms Becoming the Norm in New Hospitals Aug 28, 2008
And hospitals elsewhere should be doing it, too, namely moving toward all single rooms in newly built hospitals, argue the authors of a paper in the Aug. 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. "[Previous studies] have shown that it does reduce infections, there is some evidence that it may reduce medication errors, the physician can talk to the patient in private, and the family can be there," said Jane Bolin, an associate professor of health policy and management at Texas... (MEDLINEplus)
'Ayurvedic' Medicines May Contain Lead, Mercury or Arsenic Aug 28, 2008
Results of the study are published in the Aug. 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Ayurvedic medicine is an ancient Indian practice that combines the use of numerous modalities, such as herbal medicine, massage and special diets, to promote wellness and prevent illness, according to the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. (MEDLINEplus)
Nuts, Seeds, Popcorn Don't Boost Diverticulosis Risk Aug 28, 2008
The findings are published in the Aug. 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Diverticular disease affects the colon, the part of the large intestine that discards waste. (MEDLINEplus)
Nuts, popcorn not source of colon ills, study says Aug 27, 2008
The University of Washington team, in a report published in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association, said there was no scientific evidence that eating seeds, nuts, corn, or popcorn raises the risk for diverticulosis. But they noted a recent survey of colorectal surgeons found that nearly half felt their patients should avoid those foods. (Boston Globe)
Study finds toxins in some herbal medicines Aug 27, 2008
Nearly 21% of Ayurvedic medicines plant-based products used in India for thousands of years to promote health actually contain lead, mercury or arsenic, according to a study in today's Journal of the American Medical Association. Arsenic can cause cancer. (USA Today)
Gout Drug Cuts Teen High Blood Pressure Aug 27, 2008
The study is published in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association. Uric Acid and Blood Pressure: The Back Story. (WebMD)
Some Ayurvedic medicines have harmful metals: study Aug 27, 2008
Nearly 21 percent of 193 Ayurvedic medicines analyzed had detectable levels of one or more of the metals, and at least half of those exceeded established standards for unhealthy exposure levels, Dr. Robert Saper and colleagues reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Saper said the findings raise concerns about the ingredients found in the lightly regulated dietary supplement market that includes vitamins and traditional Chinese medicines. (Reuters India)
Toxic metals found in Ayurvedic meds sold online Aug 27, 2008
"However, since 1978 more than 80 cases of lead poisoning associated with Ayurvedic medicine use have been reported worldwide," Dr. Robert B. Saper, from Boston University School of Medicine, and colleagues note in the Journal of the American Medical Association. There are two major types of Ayurvedic medicines: herbal-only and rasa shastra, which is an ancient practice of deliberately combining herbs with metals (e. (Yahoo News -- Technology)
Findings Challenge Tight Glucose Control for Critically Ill Patients Aug 27, 2008
(SOURCE: Journal of the American Medical Association, news release, Aug. 26, 2008) ... The study was published in the Aug. 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. (Health-Finder)
Aggressive diabetes control in very ill questioned Aug 27, 2008
The new analysis, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, focused specifically on aggressive glucose control in critically ill patients in hospital intensive care units. Dr. Renda Soylemez Wiener of the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in White River Junction, Vermont, and colleagues examined data from 29 studies involving 8,432 patients. (Reuters India)
* When to say, enough is enough Aug 26, 2008
In fact, those who choose hospice over aggressive treatment often live longer and with less discomfort because the ill effects of chemotherapy can hasten death, Smith wrote in a review of the role of chemotherapy at the end of life, published in June in The Journal of the American Medical Association ... In their review in The Journal of the American Medical Association of the role of chemotherapy at the end of life, Thomas J. Smith and Sarah Elizabeth Harrington listed these questions to ask X... (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
'Spin Cycle' makes research vs. policy case on charter schools Aug 26, 2008
Q: Would it help for education to have its version of The Journal of the American Medical Association. A: I argue for this in Spin Cycle. (USA Today -- News)
Biopure Announces 2008 Third Quarter Financial Results Aug 22, 2008
However, sales have declined because of a meta-analysis published in the April 2008 Journal of the American Medical Association, which reached negative conclusions about hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs) as a class of products. Some of the article's authors also corresponded with regulatory authorities disparaging Hemopure. (PR Newswire)
Silver Is Key To Reducing Pneumonia Associated With Breathing Tubes Aug 21, 2008
Journal of the American Medical Association, Aug. 20, 2008. Adapted from materials provided by. (Science Daily)
In Cancer Therapy, There Is a Time to Treat and a Time to Let Go Aug 21, 2008
In fact, those who choose hospice over aggressive treatment often live longer and with less discomfort because the ill effects of chemotherapy can hasten death, Dr. Smith wrote in a review of the role of chemotherapy at the end of life, published in June in The Journal of the American Medical Association. Some patients are just unwilling to acknowledge that nothing can save them, and want toxic treatment even if it means only one more day of life. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
Arsenic in Drinking Water Raises Diabetes Risk Aug 21, 2008
The findings, published in the Aug. 20 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, are the first to link low-level exposure to arsenic with type 2 diabetes prevalence in the United States. "This suggests that arsenic would play a role in the development of diabetes," said lead researcher Dr. Ana Navas-Acien, assistant professor of environmental health science at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. (MEDLINEplus)
Cognitive Score Changes Over Time May Hint at Dementia Aug 21, 2008
Results of the study are published in the Aug. 20 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Holtzer was quick to point out that the newly developed variability model was a complement to currently used tests, and is not meant to replace them. (MEDLINEplus)
Procter & Gamble to License Noven's Skin Patch to Boost Sex Drive in Women Aug 21, 2008
A study published July 23 in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that Viagra improved sexual desire in women taking antidepressants who had complained that the medication diminished their arousal. Pfizer has said it conducted numerous tests of Viagra in women that showed the drug didn't increase women's desire or sexual enjoyment. (Bloomberg -- US)
Data: Arsenic, Water, Diabetes Linked Aug 21, 2008
The findings appear in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association. "The good news is, this is preventable," said lead author Dr. Ana Navas-Acien of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. (Time.com)
Coated ventilator tubes cut pneumonia risk Aug 20, 2008
The findings, published on Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, suggest the tubes may offer a way to reduce the incidence of this common and often deadly infection, at least for high-risk patients. Half of the antibiotics used in hospital intensive care units are prescribed to help prevent bacterial pneumonia in patients put on ventilators to help them breathe, according to a commentary in the journal. (MSNBC -- Health)
Vitamin B, Folate Supplements Won't Help Heart Aug 20, 2008
In the new study, reported in the Aug. 20 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, physicians at Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, Norway, enrolled almost 3,100 volunteers. Three-quarters of them took various doses of vitamin B and folic acid (which is chemically a B vitamin), while the others got a placebo, an inactive substance. (U.S. News & World Report)
Vitamins 'could shorten lifespan' Aug 20, 2008
A supplements industry expert said the Journal of the American Medical Association study was fatally flawed. But nutritionists said it reinforced the need to eat a balanced diet, rather than relying on supplements. (Yahoo News -- Diet and Nutrition)
Atkins Fares Best in Study Of Four Weight-Loss Regimens Aug 20, 2008
"This isn't a study testing how well you would do if you followed these diets to the letter," notes Christopher Gardner, assistant professor of medicine at the Stanford Prevention Research Center and lead author of the study, which appears in tomorrow's Journal of the American Medical Association. "This is a study that shows what happens if you bought the book and tried to follow" the diets, as most dieters do. (Yahoo News -- Diet and Nutrition)
B vitamins: no magic bullet against heart disease Aug 20, 2008
If you take vitamin B supplements to guard against heart disease you are wasting your money, research published in today's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests. A clinical trial involving 3,096 patients with established heart disease revealed the vitamins were ineffective against heart attack, death from heart disease and stroke. (Globe and Mail)
Better to Be Fat and Fit Than Skinny and Unfit Aug 20, 2008
In December, a study in The Journal of the American Medical Association looked at death rates among 2,600 adults 60 and older over 12 years. Notably, death rates among the overweight, those with a B.M.I. of 25 to 30, were slightly lower than in normal weight adults. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
Local briefs Aug 18, 2008
A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reports that Reserves members and National Guard members who return from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan are at an increased risk of developing substance abuse problems, the release said. The study suggests that veterans use alcohol or drugs to self-medicate to deal with symptoms of PTSD or other psychological disorders. (DeKalb Daily Chronicle, IL)
Abused wives at HIV risk Aug 18, 2008
The study, that appeared this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, is the first nationwide study to analyse domestic violence and HIV infection. It relied on more than 28,000 married women who provided information about intimate partner violence. (Calcutta Telegraph)
Liberia's stain of violence affects so many Aug 17, 2008
According to the findings, which appear in the August 13 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, both male and female combatants who had been exposed to sexual violence during the war also exhibited more symptoms of mental health disorders, including far higher rates of major depression, post-traumatic symptoms, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts. Given the widespread lack of access to health care, the findings reveal a clear need for increasing access to primary health... (AlertNet)
Alcohol abuse a risk for returning soldiers Aug 14, 2008
1 percent developed alcohol problems, according to the published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. (Binge drinking is defined as 5 or more drinks per day or occasion; heavy drinking as 14 drinks a week for men, 7 for women; and alcohol problems as drinking that interferes with work, school, relationships, or other activities. (Chicago Tribune)
Drinking Problems Greater among Returning Combat Veterans Aug 14, 2008
The Aug. 13 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association is a special themed issue on violence and human rights, and three studies published in that issue found that various mental health issues, such as alcohol misuse and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), were more common after exposure to violent conflicts. The one bright spot was a study that found suicide rates weren't higher for returning combat veterans. (MEDLINEplus)
Emory study of former child soldiers yields new data to guide mental health interventions Aug 14, 2008
The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published the study results Aug. 13 [] in its annual theme issue on violence and human rights. "Our findings suggest that many former child soldiers may need more than interventions to reduce the mental health problems associated with surviving bombings and torture. Often they have to endure being stigmatized when they return to their home villages," says Kohrt, a final-year student in Emory's School of Medicine and a PhD candidate in... (EurekAlert!)
Guard and Reserve troops at higher alcohol risk Aug 13, 2008
The study, appearing in today's Journal of the American Medical Association, is the first to compare Iraq and Afghanistan veterans' alcohol problems before and after deployment. It should help guide planning for future prevention and treatment programs, said study co- author Dr. Edward Boyko. (Boston Globe)
After combat,soldiers turningto alcohol Aug 13, 2008
The study, appearing in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association, is the first to compare Iraq and Afghanistan veterans' alcohol problems before and after deployment. advertisement. (MSNBC -- Health)
Alcohol abuse rises among US combat veterans-study Aug 13, 2008
"Women were significantly more likely to start drinking heavily but less likely to start binge drinking or have alcohol-related problems compared with men, which may be due to women turning to drinking as a coping mechanism, whereas men may have a higher propensity for risk-taking behaviors," the researchers wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The findings were consistent with a recent study of soldiers returning from Iraq that found 12 percent of active-duty personnel had... (Reuters)
Get enough vitamin D! Aug 13, 2008
An Austrian study of 3258 patients published in June in the Journal of the American Medical Association also found people with low vitamin D levels had twice the mortality rate of those with higher levels. The reason low vitamin D levels lead to higher mortality rates, however, has yet to be determined. (iAfrica.com)
THREE DOCTORS, 30 YEARS: Physicians achieve career milestone in Orangeburg Aug 10, 2008
McGannon said he was traveling and interviewing at places around the country when he saw an advertisement in the Journal of the American Medical Association requesting an optometrist at the Orangeburg Eye Center. He immediately responded to the ad. (Orangeburg Times and Democrat, SC)
The FDA's Black Box Aug 8, 2008
When the panels work, they simultaneously air dirty laundry and take the heat off the FDA. It was at a 2000 panel meeting that Nissen first saw data on Merck's Vioxx that led him to co-author a paper in The Journal of the American Medical Association warning of the drug's potential heart risk. Vioxx was pulled from the market in 2004 for causing heart problems. (Forbes -- Business)
LabCorp joins battle against kidney disease Aug 7, 2008
According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, 26 million Americans have chronic kidney disease. End state renal disease has become a major economic burden for the federal government, with the 400,000 patients on dialysis consuming 6 percent of the Medicare budget. (Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area)
Lets be open on medical errors Aug 7, 2008
A survey of 203 hospital leaders reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2005 found that any type of public error reporting mandatory or not would discourage internal hospital reporting and encourage lawsuits. But most respondents said there would be no effect on patient safety with the remainder split between increasing and decreasing it. (Racine Journal Times, WI)
Africa: World's Largest Aids Conference Calls for Universal Action Now Aug 7, 2008
The new estimate -- published in a special HIV/AIDS issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association released at the Mexico City meeting -- is the result of the first national surveillance system based on direct measurement of new HIV infections. The system builds on a new laboratory test, called the BED HIV-1 capture enzyme immunoassay because it originally was developed based on the B, E and D clades (organisms with a common ancestor) of HIV, that can distinguish recent from... (AllAfrica.com)
FOXSexpert: Finishing Too Soon? Here's Some Advice Aug 5, 2008
According to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Pfizer's erectile dysfunction drug Viagra can boost sexual functioning in. Since sexual dysfunction can be a common side effect of antidepressant use, women who suffer from such may benefit from taking from taking sildenafils. (Fox News)
Africa: Progress But End of Aids 'Not in Sight' Aug 5, 2008
While the study, published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association , does not have immediate implications for SA, which already provides efavirenz to patients infected with TB and HIV, it raises difficult questions for most other sub-Saharan African countries since they provide co-infected patients with three-in-one pills containing nevirapine. AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over , plus more than , who are responsible for their own reporting and views. (allAfrica.com)
Facing up to our failure with HIV/AIDS Aug 5, 2008
That report was released Saturday by the Journal of the American Medical Association just before the start of an international AIDS conference in Mexico City. The Tribune put the story on the. (Chicago Tribune)
International Panel Updates Treatment Guidelines For HIV Infection Aug 5, 2008
JAMA The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2008; 300 (5): 555 DOI. Adapted from materials provided by. (Science Daily)
U.S. doctors urged not to screen elderly men for prostate cancer Aug 5, 2008
The Journal of the American Medical Association reported in 2006 that in a group of nearly 600,000 older men treated by the Veterans Administration, 56 percent of those ages 75 to 79 had been screened for prostate cancer. Given the large numbers of men over 75 who are being screened, even a small decline in testing may greatly reduce the number of prostate cancer cases detected. (International Herald Tribune)
HIV figures larger Aug 5, 2008
The CDC's findings are being published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Until 1992, the number of diagnosed AIDS cases was used to predict how many people were newly infected each year. (Casa Grande Valley Newspapers, AZ)
TB hampers HIV treatment - study Aug 4, 2008
But another more expensive drug - efavirenz - did not seem to be affected by the TB treatment, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported. Around 40% of HIV patients in the South African study were also treated for TB.. (BBC News)
Growth hormone promising for HIV treatment Aug 4, 2008
The study appears in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association and was among reports prepared for presentation Sunday at the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. The study involved 55 patients with the AIDS virus who also had low levels of naturally occurring human growth hormone, a condition that is relatively common among HIV patients with abnormal fat deposits. (MSNBC -- Health)
U.S. HIV infections underreported by 40% Aug 4, 2008
The paper on the study is being published in Wednesday's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. The journal and the CDC had planned to release it at a news conference today at the opening of the 17th International AIDS Conference here. (Cleveland.com)
Officials: CDC Understated Number of New HIV... Aug 4, 2008
CDC's findings are being published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Share. (Fox News)
Drug addicts benefit from HIV drugs, too: study Aug 4, 2008
Their finding, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and presented at an international AIDS meeting in Mexico City, contradicts widespread worry that drug abusers cannot stick to treatment. "A large number of prior reports have demonstrated that because of issues of social instability related to illicit drug , HIV-infected injecting drug users may not be deriving the full benefits of HAART (HIV drugs)," Dr. Julio Montaner of the University of British Columbia and St.... (Scientific American)
New HIV/AIDS Guidelines Suggest Earlier Treatment Aug 4, 2008
They will also appear in the Aug. 6 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The new guidelines were written by the International AIDS Society-USA Panel, and recommend starting therapy before immune-system CD4 cell counts decline to less than 350 cells per microliter. (U.S. News & World Report)
Hormone may aid some with HIV Aug 4, 2008
He presented the results, which will be published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, at the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. About 40 percent of males and 16 percent of females who take cocktails of anti-AIDS drugs for their HIV infections develop fat deposits in the stomach, neck and cheeks. (San Francisco Chronicle)
New tracking method shows higher rate of HIV Aug 4, 2008
The new results were calculated in late October 2007 and submitted for peer review to the Journal of the American Medical Association, which released the results Saturday, one day before the opening of the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. The report estimates that the number of new HIV infections in 2006 was 56,300 - a 40 percent increase over the CDC's long-standing and now obsolete estimate of 40,000 new infections per year. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Growth hormone reduces abdominal fat, cardiovascular risk in HIV patients on antiviral therapy Aug 4, 2008
6 Journal of the American Medical Association, a special issue on HIV/AIDS.. "This study tells us that a rationally dosed growth hormone regimen does a pretty good job of improving several risk factors for cardiovascular disease in patients who develop this syndrome while taking antiretroviral drugs. But growth hormone therapy may be limited by its effects on glucose levels," says Steven Grinspoon, MD, of the MGH Neuroendocrine Unit and Program in Nutritional Metabolism, the report's senior... (EurekAlert!)
CDC finds thousands more HIV cases in U.S. Aug 3, 2008
The new data is scheduled for publication in the peer-reviewed Journal of the American Medical Association. The report's release is meant to coincide with the opening Sunday of the the biannual International AIDS Conference in Mexico City, Mexico. (SportsIllustrated.CNN -- NBA)
