Archive for the ‘Cautions & Concerns’ Category

The Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin, a monthly review of pharmacotherapeutics in medicine published by the British Medical Journal, is recommending that physicians take a second look before prescribing daily low-dose aspirin to patients. A recent review of European data questions whether there is any benefit at all for those without a history of cardiovascular disease to be taking a daily aspirin, especially since long-term low-dose aspirin therapy almost doubles the likelihood of gastrointestinal bleeding (a potentially serious side effect). The journal authors support continued use of aspirin in those with known cardiovascular disease, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart attacks. But, in light of current evidence, is not recommending daily low-dose aspirin for prevention of cardiovascular disease. [via Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin]

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The FDA is working with pharmaceutical company Eli Lily to update label information on a common drug used to treat type 2 diabetes. The drug, called Byetta, is an injectable medicine that helps to control blood sugar levels. However, over a three-year period, the FDA received 78 reports of kidney problems, including kidney failure, among patients taking Byetta. Thus, new Byetta drug information will carry the warning that the medication may contribute to kidney malfunction. Signs of kidney problems can include change in the frequency of urination, urine color and amount of urine produced. Also, hand and feet swelling, low back aches, fatigue and changes in appetite can also be signs of kidney damage. Patients taking Byetta should notify their physicians if they experience any of these symptoms because kidney failure can cause serious problems due to the build up of metabolic waste products in the body. [HealthDay via Businessweek]

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The current issue of the Journal of Craniofacial Surgery reports on a study of bone mineral density in men who used cell phones for extended periods of time. It was noted that men who carried their cell phones on their hips for an average of 15 hours a day had decreased bone mineral density in their hip bone on the side where they carried their phones. The study only included young males (average age 32) so the decrease in bone density wasn’t at the same level as someone with osteoporosis. But, it is an interesting finding which will no doubt continue the ongoing debate on the safety of cell phones. [via Medline Plus]

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Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a coalition of US-based non-profit health and environmental groups just released a report regarding contamination of Halloween face paints by heavy metals. Although the CDC recommends against using cosmetics which contain lead on children, there’s no way of telling whether the paints contain toxic metals since they are not required to be listed on product labels (there is no legal requirement to list them because they’re considered contaminants, not  ingredients). The group looked at 10 children’s face paint brands and found:

• 10 out of 10 children’s face paints contained lead at levels between 0.05 and 0.65 parts per million (ppm).
• 6 out of 10 children’s face paints contained nickel, cobalt and/or chromium at levels between 1.6 to 120 ppm (this is much higher than the industry safety standard of 1 ppm said the report). These metals can be allergens in children.
• Snazaroo Face Paint contained some of the highest levels of lead, nickel and cobalt found in the study. This product carries the words “non-toxic” and “hypoallergenic” on its label.

Continue reading at Medical News Today.

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Research from Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity shows that cereals which are most aggressively marketed to children are also the least healthy, as measured by an Oxford University nutrition scoring system. The researchers also found that none of the cereals targeted to children in the US meets the nutrition standards required to advertise to children in the UK. Among other findings, cereals marketed directly to children have 85% more sugar, 65% less fiber and 60% more sodium than cereals marketed to adults. Even more shocking, (but perhaps should not be a surprise) is that all cereals marketed directly to U.S. children meet the cereal industry’s own nutrition standard for “better-for-you” foods. These include: Cocoa Puffs (44% sugar), Cap’n Crunch (44% sugar), Froot Loops (41% sugar), Lucky Charms (41% sugar) and Cinnamon Toast Crunch (32% sugar). Cereal companies spend nearly $156 million dollars annually on marketing their cereals to children on television. [via Medical News Today]

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Magnetic and copper bracelets have been popular for quite sometime now. They have become alternative therapies used by many people to treat pain caused by various musculoskeletal diseases, such as arthritis. But do they actually work? Researchers from the UK have shown in the first randomized placebo-controlled trial that these metallic objects are, in fact, ineffective in treating pain. They say that any benefit derived from them can be attributed to psychological placebo effects. “…our findings suggest that such devices have no real advantage over placebo wrist straps that are not magnetic and do not contain copper,” said Stewart Richmond, the lead author of the study. However, he emphasizes that although these products don’t necessarily cause harm, people should be careful about spending a lot of money on products that claim to cure your ailments with magnetic therapy. The study was published in the current issue of Complementary Therapies In Medicine. [via Medical News Today]

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Herbs and supplements are a largely unregulated market in the US. And now there’s new concern about an herbal supplement, aconite, which can be toxic to the heart. Aconite is a flowering plant that is commonly known as aconitum, monkshood and wolfsbane. It has also been called “herbal valium” because it can cause sensations of tingling and numbness. In higher doses it can slow down the heart and cause low blood pressure and heart rhythm abnormalities. Most homeopathic preparations containing aconite are likely safe since the aconite is appropriately diluted. However, consumers should be aware that herbal preparations may contain higher amounts and may cause dangerous side effects, especially if you have a heart condition. Speaking to your health care provider about any herbs and supplements you may be interested in taking is a good idea – it can serve to educate both you and your doctor! [via Medical News Today]

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We know that a diet high in sugar can contribute to obesity, which in turn can cause hypertension. But now scientists have discovered that sugar, especially fructose, can have a direct bearing on one’s blood pressure. The connection? Uric acid. If you have gout, you probably know a bit about uric acid. It’s the substance that builds up in joints during a painful gout attack. But it seems that uric acid can also inhibit the production of nitric oxide, a compound that is essential for keeping our blood vessels flexible – when our blood vessels are less flexible and compliant, hypertension sets in. Researchers tested this theory by placing subjects on a high-fructose diet and giving some of them allopurinol, a drug commonly used to reduce uric acid levels in patients with gout. Those who weren’t on the drug had a 6 mm Hg-increase in systolic blood pressure and a 3 mm Hg-increase in diastolic pressure, compared to those on allopurinol. These findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s High Blood Pressure Research Conference in Chicago. [via ABC News]

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Some researchers believe the popularity of indoor tanning among adolescent girls in recent years may be behind a recent increase in melanoma rates among U.S. women aged 15-39. Melanoma is a dangerous type of skin cancer. This has prompted the FDA to recommend to indoor tanning operators that teenagers be limited to three or fewer sessions in the first week of tanning. However, a new study published in the Archives of Dermatology shows that only about 11% of operators followed these guidelines, and 71% of tanning bed operators said they would allow a teen to tan seven days a week. “Exposure to UV radiation from indoor tanning lamps has been linked with both melanoma and squamous cell cancer, and first exposure before age 35 years may increase melanoma risk by as much as 75 percent,” said the study authors. [CBS News]

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If you still have doubts about the perils of smoking, a new report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association should clarify any suspicion. After looking at 13 major studies which evaluated the number of heart attacks after smoking bans were instituted in the US, Canada and Europe, researchers found that the total number of heart attacks dropped almost immediately – 17% within one year – and nearly 36% over a three-year period. This dramatic decline in heart attack rate is not only due to less smokers having heart attacks, but passive or secondhand smokers are spared as well. “This study adds to the already strong evidence that secondhand smoke causes heart attacks, and that passing 100 percent smoke-free laws in all workplaces and public places is something we can do to protect the public,” said study author James Lightwood, assistant adjunct professor in the department of clinical pharmacy at the University of California, San Francisco. [Circulation via Medical News Today]

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