Air Pollutants Mediate Effects On Heart Health Through Inflammation And Thrombosis

Heartwire.com/ May 16, 2012/ Michael O’Riordan

Los Angeles, CA – Changes in air-pollution levels in China during the 2008 Olympic Games resulted in a reduction in biomarkers of inflammation and thrombosis, as well as other measures of cardiovascular physiology, a new study has shown. 

“The common wisdom among many people is that air pollution is bad for your lungs, and also many people know that air pollution can affect the heart as well, but they think it only affects old people with preexisting cardiovascular or other health conditions,” senior investigator Dr Junfeng (Jim) Zhang (University of Southern California, Los Angeles) toldheartwire. “It might not be a concern for the young and healthy. But in this study, we really show that air pollution can clearly affect a young and healthy heart. It really tells us that everybody is affected by pollution.”  

In addition, Zhang said the study, which tested the effects of pollution on 125 healthy medical residents, highlights how sensitive the human body is to pollution changes. The physiological changes in response to shifts in air pollution can be detected within a very short period of time, and this means that even short-term interventions, such as those performed in Beijing, can bring immediate health benefits to healthy people, he said.

The results of the study are published in the May 16, 2012 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Owners of Dangerous Dogs to Face New Penalties

By Associated Press/Pulbished by Online Athens/Athens Banner-Herald/Friday, May 4, 2012

Atlanta — Georgians who own dogs that are deemed dangerous will soon face penalties if their animals injure people under a bill recently signed into law. 

Gov. Nathan Deal on Thursday signed House Bill 685, which provides definitions and hearing procedures for determining whether a dog is dangerous or vicous. 

The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports (http://bit.ly/lpMtYz) that the bill defines procedures for handling and keeping such animals, including muzzling and requiring a secure enclosure. If a dog has been defined as vicious, the owner must carry $50,000 in insurance and the dog must have a microchip. 

A dog owner could face at least a year in prison and at least a $5,000 fine if the dog injures someone on a second occasion. 

“Battling the Bulge? Don’t Apply At This Hospital”

“CEO Says Keeping Obese Individuals Off The Payroll Is Best For Business”

Outpatient Surgery/March 30, 2012

A Texas hospital’s no-hiring policy for the obese is sure to spark controversy but the hospital CEO makes no apologies for denying employment to anyone with a BMI over 35…

Mr. Brown claims overweight workers are absent from work more often than their slim colleagues, although the hospital’s decision to pass on obese applicants isn’t based on health insurance premiums. The hiring policy, notes the report, points to physical appearance as a desire to promote overall health to patients as the hospital’s basis for omitting overweight applicants form consideration. 

For more on this article see www.outpatientsurgery.net/news/2012/03/33-Battling-the-Bulge-Don-t-Apply-to-This-Hospital. 

FDA Told to Move on Antibiotic Use in Livestock

By John Gever, Senior Editor, MedPage Today/March 23, 2012

A federal judge in New York City has ordered the FDA to start proceedings to revoke approvals for the use of antibiotics in livestock, a practice blamed for the spread of antibiotic-resistant “superbug” bacteria. 

In a case brought by 5 environmental and consumer advocacy groups, Judge Theodore Katz of the Southern District of New York ruled that the FDA had violated its own regulations when, in 1977, it identified risks to human health from widespread antibiotic treatment of livestock but then failed for nearly thirty five years to take action. 

The lead plaintiff, the Natural Resources Defense Counsel (NRDC), applauded the ruling. “Today, we will take a long overdue step toward ensuring that we preserve these life-saving medicines for those who need them most – people,” said the group’s health attorney, Avinash Kar, in a statement. 

In 1977, the FDA concluded that low doses of penicillin and tetracycline antibiotics — commonly used to promote weight gain in chickens, hogs and other livestock, rather than to treat infections — may foster emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. 

The agency issued notices at that time that it intended to withdraw approvals of the agents for this purpose. But, said Judge Katz in an opinion released late Thursday, “[a]lthough the notices were properly promulgated and over twenty drug sponsors requested hearings on the matter, the FDA never held hearings and took any further action on the proposed withdrawals.” 

Older Doctors Embracing Tablets Faster Than Younger Counterparts

By Pamela Lewis Dolan, amednews staff. Posted July 18, 2011

Adoption of new technology is no longer a trend found only among younger doctors.

A survey by QuantiaMD shows that physicians who have been in practice 31 years or more are about as likely as those fresh out of medical school to own a tablet computer or plan to purchase one…

Mary Modahl, chief communications officer for QuantiaMD… said older physicians might see more uses for tablets than other mobile devices.

American College of Gastroenterology: Refractory Bacteria Respond to Fecal Transplant

Reported by Joyce Friedan / MedPage Today / November 2, 2011.

Note: This study was published as an abstract and presented at a conference. These data and conclusions should be considered to be preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Note: This multi-center study suggests that colonoscopic fecal microbiota transplant is rapidly effective as treatment for refractory C. difficile infection even in patients who were elderly, debilitated, and had undergone multiple failed courses of treatment.

Washington — Transplanting fecal matter with healthy bacteria into patients with refractory Clostridium difficile infections can lead to quick relief, researchers said here.

Fecal microbiota transplant had a 91% rate of success — defined as no recurrence within three months — among 77 patients with refractory C. difficile infection, Mark Mellow, MD, of Integris Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City, and colleagues reported at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology.

The average time for resolution and improvement in diarrhea was six days; for fatigue, four weeks.

The success rate rose to 98% after six patients who failed the transplant procedure were given a two-week course of vancomycin — alone or with probiotics — or vancomycin plus an additional transplant.

Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree Catching On

Published on FierceHealthcare (http://www.fiercehealthcare.com)

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‘Dr. Nurse’ might help with primary care shortage
By admin
Created Apr 2 2008 – 7:59am
With the primary care shortage growing worse, nursing schools are responding with their own solution–training and graduating growing numbers of nurses with doctorates. To date, more than 200 nursing schools have created or plan to launch doctorate of nursing programs, and there currently are about 1,900 DNP students enrolled in such programs, up from from 862 in 2006. Not only will such programs help ease the primary care crunch, they’ll also help with the shortage of nursing faculty available, which has greatly restricted the capacity of schools to treat traditional bedside nurses.

The schools say these programs give nurses skills equivalent to those possessed by primary care physicians, though perhaps with a greater emphasis on coordinating care. They have the authority to prescribe medications and qualify for hospital medical board admitting privileges. The National Board of Medical Examiners is developing a voluntary DNP certification exam that uses the same test physicians take to get their license, which will be offered starting this fall.

Higher Vitamin D Linked To Lower Diabetes Risk

Heartwire/June 28, 2011/Emma Hitt

San Diego, CA — Higher levels of vitamin D in the blood appear to be associated with a reduced risk of incidental diabetes among people with high risk for the disease, according to a new report.

Dr. Anastassios G. Pittas (Tufts New England Medical Center, Boston, MA), and colleagues presented the findings at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 2011 Scientific Seesions.

Sex, Physical Activity, and the Heart: New Analysis to Quantify Risk

Heartwire/March 22, 2011/Shelley Wood
Boston, MA — It’s a perenially sexy topic: just what are the cardiovascular risks of “episodic physical and sexual activity, especially for the habitually inactive?”

A new literature review and meta-analysis published in the March 23, 2011 issue of the Journal of American Medical Association provides some new numbers that authors say may be of use to patients and physicians going forward – providing they understand what they mean.

“You need to be constantly physically active.”

Dr. Eileen Handberg (University of Florida, Gainesville), asked to comment on the study for heartwire said that it confirms what most people already beleive to be the case.

“I think this paper is going to get a lot of [media] play, but I’m not sure that this is anything more than what has already been said – that, basically, if you’re not in good shape, and if you try suddenly to be active, then you put yourself at risk. And whether that physical activity is walking, running, shoveling snow, or having sex, you’re at some risk,” she said.

“You really need to be constantly physically active, and you need to start that as a child, and you need to carry it throug until you’re 90.”

Light to Moderate Drinking: Likely Cardioprotective, but Recommended?

Heartwire/Steve Stiles/February 25, 2011

Calgary, AB — It’s time to acknowledge the pile of evidence that light to moderate alcohol comsumption is not only good for cardiovascular health, it could potentially be recommended fo cardiovascular risk reduction, according to authors of two meta-analyses published online February 22, 2011 in BMJ (British Medical Journal).

Liz Buddenhagen note: The rest of this article describes the quandry medical doctors face regarding sharing this information with patients, and the public. Although the studies show a positive cardiac benefit, it is a quagmire to recommend drinking alcohol to those for whom drinking alcohol can be very dangerous in other ways, such as addiction, and those who have firm religous beliefs that do not approve of drinking alcohol. Interactions with drug therapies must be considered, as well as other potential downsides.