August 2013

FDA Gives Hot Flashes a Chill Pill

The United States Food and Drug Administration recently approved the first non-hormonal solution to hot flashes associated with menopause; it is the drug Brisdelle.  Nearly 75% of menopausal women experience hot flashes, which are extreme feelings of warmth accompanied with redness and sweating.  While hot flashes can spread over the entire body, they are mostly concentrated in the face and neck. Hot flashes are the most common side effect of menopause, and while the exact cause of hot flashes is unknown, a great deal of research is conducted on alleviating this discomfort for women.

Studys shows exercise is no quick cure of insomnia

Exercise is a common prescription for insomnia. But spending 45 minutes on the treadmill one day won’t translate into better sleep that night, according to new Northwestern Medicine® research.

“If you have insomnia you won’t exercise yourself into sleep right away,” said lead study author Kelly Glazer Baron, PhD, a clinical psychologist and director of the behavioral sleep program at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “It’s a long-term relationship. You have to keep at it and not get discouraged.”

Flame retardants can mimic estrogens

Researchers at the NIH have discovered how some common flame retardants, particularly brominated flame retardants (BFRs), can mimic estrogen hormones and possibly disrupt the body’s endocrine system.  According to the author, Linda Birnbaum, PhD, when chemicals act like estrogen or any other hormone, they may disrupt the endocrine system in a negative way.   The endocrine system plays a significant role in controlling and coordinating numerous functions included growth and development, reproduction, response to stress, and energy levels.

Some Women At Greater Risk Post-Heart Attack

When patients undergo an acute myocardial infarction, lifestyle changes are necessary to reduce the risk of relapse.   Yet research shows that women and minority patients have a more difficult time with risk factor modification efforts.  A recent study published in the Journal of Women’s Health revealed that 93% of the patients examined had at least one of the five cardiac risk factors evaluated, and of that 93%, black female patients had the greatest risk factor burden of any other subgroup.

More Women Are Breastfeeding, With Room For Growth

According to the 2013 Breastfeeding Report Card released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in July, a high rate of mothers are attempting to breastfeed their infants, and are breastfeeding their infants for longer. In 2010, around 75% of new mothers began breastfeeding.  Also in 2010, about 50% of babies were still being breastfed at 6 months old, and 27% at 1 year old. This is a significant increase from 2000, when these statistics were 35% and 16%, respectively.

Hot Flashes: Not Just During Menopause

We all know of hot flashes and night sweats as the most common and bothersome symptoms of menopause. Hot flashes can range from tolerable to debilitating, seconds to minutes, and infrequent to consistent. What most women don’t know, however, is that hot flashes can happen during and before menopause, too.

A survey conducted by researchers at Group Health, a healthcare system located in the Pacific Northwest, asked a diverse group of women whether they have experienced hot flashes and/or night sweats. The women ranged from 45 to 65 years old, regularly menstruated (no skipped cycles), were not on exogenous hormones, and came from a variety of ethnic backgrounds.

Strong Bones with Calcium and Hormones

After the age of 30, the creation of new bone cannot keep up with the rate of bone loss in your body. The estrogen depletion that comes with menopause results in an increased risk for low bone mineral density, osteopenia and osteoporosis. For 5-10 years after menopause, this bone density loss accelerates into a gradual weakening of your bones and can lead to an increase in the risk for fractures and other injuries.

Anesthesia On the Brain

New research is surfacing that links anesthesia to inhibited cognitive developments in children under four. Significant brain development occurs in young children at this time, and ketamine—a common anesthetic—has been shown to affect the brain’s learning ability. Studies began back in 2003 when Merle Paule, Ph.D., director of the Division of Neurotoxicology at the FDA’s National Center for Toxicological Research, began observing the effects of ketamine on young rhesus monkeys, since this species closely resembles humans in physiology and behavior.

President-Elect of the American Medical Association To Speak at the 2013 Oncofertility Conference

Dr. WahThe Oncofertility Consortium is proud to announce that Robert M. Wah, MD, reproductive endocrinologist, ob-gyn, and president- elect of the American Medical Association (AMA), will be speaking at the 2013 Oncofertility Conference on the evening of September 9th. Dr. Wah practices and teaches at the Walter Reed National Military Center in Bethesda, MD, and the National Institutes of Health. As division head and vice chairman of the Navy’s largest ob-gyn training program, Dr.

Menopause and Memory: Women Know What They Do Not Know

The need for health care varies greatly over a lifespan, with older adults having significantly more health-related needs and costs than younger individuals. Women, in particular, often face a myriad of health problems as they transition through menopause.  Sadly, despite the fact that every woman will go through menopause, very little is understood about the physical and mental changes that occur during this period of life.  In addition, women may struggle to find pharmaceutical solutions, which can safely provide proven relief without the worry that those available will increase their likelihood of other health and mental complications.