August 2011

FDA approves botox for urinary incontinence (UI)

The FDA approved Botox injection to treat urinary incontinence (UI) in people with neurologic bladder conditions such as spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis who have over activity of the bladder. The effectiveness of Botox to treat this type of incontinence was demonstrated in two clinical studies involving 691 patients. Both studies showed statistically significant decreases in the weekly frequency of incontinence episodes in the Botox group compared with placebo.

Concierge Medicine: the good, the bad, and the ugly

Concierge or boutique medicine is growing as busy people of means look for a way to bypass the red tape, waiting times, and inconveniences that may accompany a visit to the doctor.  On the physicians’ side, doctors, including primary care physicians have joined concierge groups to avoid the long hours, incessant forms and high overhead of an overworked, understaffed practice.

Kidney sparing surgery in women may impact bone health

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have shed new light on how surgery impacts both chronic kidney disease and bone health, particularly in women. For the first time, their findings point to the importance of pursuing kidney-sparing surgery in an effort to preserve kidney function and to reduce the risk of bone fractures later in life. The study was published in the July 19 edition of Urology and is now available online.

New research examines how estrogen could protect women from heart disease

The sex hormone estrogen could help protect women from cardiovascular disease by keeping the body’s immune system in check, new research from Queen Mary, University of London has revealed.

The study has shown that the female sex hormone works on white blood cells to stop them from sticking to the insides of blood vessels, a process which can lead to dangerous blockages.

The results could help explain why cardiovascular disease rates tend to be higher in men and why they soar in women after the menopause.

Update on Vitamin D

Due to the growing interest in Vitamin D, we featured that fat soluble vitamin in our August e-newsletter which can viewed by clicking HERE.  Then scroll down to “Vitamin D in the News”.  Enjoy the read!

Breast cancer, aromatase inhibitors, Vitamin D, and muscle pain

High-dose vitamin D relieves joint and muscle pain for many breast cancer patients taking estrogen-lowering drugs, according to a new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

The drugs, known as aromatase inhibitors, are commonly prescribed to shrink breast tumors fueled by the hormone estrogen and help prevent cancer recurrence. They are less toxic than chemotherapy, but for many patients, the drugs may cause severe musculoskeletal discomfort, including pain and stiffness in the hands, wrists, knees, hips, lower back, shoulders and feet.

If you have arthritis…..keep moving!

Being physically active is one of best ways people with arthritis can improve their health, but a new study from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine shows that more than half of women and 40 percent of men with arthritis are virtually couch potatoes.

This is the first study to use a device to objectively measure the physical activity of people with arthritis and determine if they meet federal guidelines. Past research relied on self-reported accounts of exercise and activity.

What you eat (not just how much) may affect muffin top bulge

Munching more unprocessed plant foods may help keep the middle-aged bulge away (AKA muffin top) , a new study suggests. On the other hand, meat, french fries and sugar-sweetened drinks can help pack on the pounds. The findings suggest that the types of food you choose, not just calories, are important for avoiding age-related weight gain.

Weight gain results from an imbalance between how much energy you take in and how much you expend. Even small amounts of excess weight can increase your risk for disorders such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and cancer.

Knee osteoarthritis afflicts more women than men.

A Mayo Clinic orthopedic surgeon suspects that the nagging pain and inflammation that women can experience in their knees may be different from what men encounter, and she has been chosen to lead a novel U.S.-Canadian study to explore the question. The Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR) has awarded a group of researchers a grant to lead a pilot project to understand whether biological differences between men and women affect the incidence and severity of knee osteoarthritis. Mary I.