OrganizedWisdom Health - Health News and Current Events

Walter Cronkite Dead at 92

SScroggins — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 05:43:35 GMT

Legendary CBS anchorman and journalist Walter Cronkite passed away at his home in New York on Friday, July 17, 2009. Family members report that Cronkite had suffered from cerebrovascular disease for many years. Cronkite has long been considered the most influential broadcast journalist of the 20th century. He was 92 at the time of his death.

Fast Facts:

Cronkite anchored the CBS Evening News for 19 years.
Cronkite is survived by three children.
Cerebrovascular disease is a generic term which refers to any disorder that affects the veins which carry oxygen-rich blood to the brain.

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Rachael Ray Vocal Cord Surgery

Crdelucas — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 01:29:37 GMT

Rachel Ray underwent minor, non-invasive surgery on July 7, 2009, for a small vocal cord cyst. Ray is known for her upbeat and outspoken personality. She is the host of 30 Minute Meals on the Food Network channel. Ray scheduled the procedure sooner but decided to try vocal therapy prior to having the surgery . The surgery was a success and she is currently resting at home and attempting to give her voice a rest, the hardest part of recovery.

Fast Facts:

Rachel Ray is well known for her raspy voice.
Dr. Gwen S. Korovin was the surgeon who removed the benign cyst from Rachel Ray's vocal cords.
The procedure took less than an hour and required no stitches.
The cause of vocal cord cysts is unknown. It is a firm tissue mass contained within a membrane.

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Swearing and Pain Relief

Amymarlatt — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:46:53 GMT

Research published in July 2009 shows that cursing helps relieve pain. Swearing is a natural response to pain, scientists wanted to research why. In the study, subjects' hands were immersed in ice cold water. One group repeated a neutral word and the other group repeated a swear word. The group that repeated the swear word found they had less pain then the neutral group. The scientists now believe cursing has a pain-relieving effect.

Fast Facts:

Scientists believe the swearing is linked to an ancient brain circuitry in the right side of the brain.
The pain relief may also be a conditioned response from childhood development.
Swearing had less of an effect on males' pain.

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Michael Jackson and Diprivan

AmyS — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 04:24:19 GMT

It has been reported that Michael Jackson was possibly taking Diprivan at the time of his death. Cherilyn Lee, a nurse and nutritionist who worked for Jackson, has revealed that he begged her on numerous occasions for the powerful sedative. Jackson reportedly wanted this medication to get over his insomnia.

Fast Facts:

Lee said Jackson was so desperate for sleep that his body felt hot on one side and the other was cold.
Diprivan (propofol) is given through an IV and is used as a general anesthetic or heavy sedation.
Diprivan can burn when administered so lidocaine should be injected prior to a Diprivan injection.

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Statins and Muscle Damage

AmyS — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 04:21:18 GMT

A July 2009 study shows that patients who have muscle complaints while taking statins may have structural muscle damage. It is common for someone on statins to develop muscle pain and weakness. Muscle biopsies from 83 patients were analyzed for this study.

Fast Facts:

Statins are used around the world to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Muscle fiber damage was seen in approximately 57% of patients taking statins.
This study is published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

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Nitrates Trigger Diabetes, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's

AmyS — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 04:19:20 GMT

A link between increased nitrate levels and a higher number of deaths from Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and diabetes has been found. Nitrates are found in the environment and in processed or preserved foods. Over 90% of the class of compounds that nitrates belong to have been found to be carcinogenic in the human body.

Fast Facts:

Researchers tracked mortality trends from 1968 to 2005.
Sales of foods that contain nitrates have increased eight-fold since 1970.
This study appeared in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease in July 2009.

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Protein Linked to Diabetes

AmyS — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 04:15:50 GMT

An analysis of previous studies reveals that people with higher levels of a protein called adiponectin have a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Until recently, the relationship between adiponectin and type 2 diabetes risk has been cloudy. These findings differed by race, but body mass index, gender, and study size did not affect the outcome.

Fast Facts:

Researchers feel that adiponectin is the strongest, most consistent biochemical predictor of type 2 diabetes.
Data from over 14,000 people in 13 different studies was analyzed.
These findings may be found in a July 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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New Link Between Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia

AmyS — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 04:14:19 GMT

Three recent studies have found that there are as many as 30,000 gene variations that underlie both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. This means that finding a quick test to predict these diseases will be a long time coming. The study findings also reveal just how complex these disorders actually are.

Fast Facts:

DNA data from over 25,000 people was analyzed for these studies.
These two disorders have been seen as two separate conditions, these findings challenge that belief.
These findings are published in the July 2009 issue of Nature.

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Language Skills May be Alzheimer's Predictor

AmyS — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 04:10:07 GMT

Recent research suggests those who have superior language skills early in life may be less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. A team from Johns Hopkins University examined the brains of 38 nuns posthumously. Also analyzed were essays that the nuns wrote as they entered the convents in their late teens or early 20's.

Fast Facts:

Even if the brain showed signs of dementia damage, the nuns who were articulate were less likely to experience memory problems.
Dementia is linked to nerve cell tangles and protein plaques on the brain.
This study can be found in the online July 2009 edition of Neurology.

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Latest News on Statins

Crdelucas — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 02:05:40 GMT

The latest news on statins is available online. Statins are currently the first line treatment for high cholesterol. Current news releases are focusing on the correlation of statins and muscle damage. Staying apprised of the current news on the different clinical trials and effectiveness of statins is important for a heart healthy lifestyle.

Fast Facts:

The American Urological Association released news that statins can alter the results of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, hindering the detection of prostate cancer.
Creatine phospholinase (CPK) is the test performed to detect muscle injury. Reports are indicating the test is less accurate while using statins.
A study released in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease revealed the statin drug Lovastatin may have a positive affect on preventing cell death associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Current research suggests red yeast rice may be an alternative in the reduction of high cholesterol when statins are not tolerated.

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