Unreliable Research Can Be Deadly
So depressing. Another story about a drug that would cause the problem that it was trying to solve, in this case heart attacks. The company who developed it hid the hazards. November 19, 2013 Doctors Say Heart Drug Raised Risk of an Attack By ANDREW POLLACK Cardiologists have accused a small drug company of withholding…
Read MoreSanity on Statins: Part 4? or is it 5?
Lots of news about the latest recommendations for patients with high cholesterol vis a vis drug regimens. At first I thought it was good news, but now, reading the editorial by Rita Redberg, I realize that these recommendations could actually WIDEN the use of statins. I will leave it to Redberg and Abramson to…
Read MoreScience Gone Wrong: Economist Article
For anyone interested in science, this is a clarion call for better vetting, a change in attitude about what gets published and a plea for less emphasis on “exciting” new findings, and more attention to careful (boring) studies which corroborate previous work. Last year researchers at one biotech firm, Amgen, found they could reproduce…
Read MoreStatins Controversial in the Elderly
More controversy over statins. This time for seniors over 70 with no heart risk. There is evidence of harm linked to statin use in seniors, he added, including muscle aches, liver toxicity and gastrointestinal distress; growing evidence of impaired memory and a heightened risk of diabetes; and some evidence of an increased risk of…
Read MoreStatins Linked to Increase In Catarracts
One more reason to resist statins unless absolutely necessary.
Read MoreQuestioning Steroids for Back Pain
So a new study shows that injecting epidural saline is just as good as injecting steroids for low back pain. I think this should be a rather big deal. This study was painstakingly done reviewing all appropriate studies to date, even taking into account publication bias. The full study here.Epidural_Injections_for_Spinal_Pain__A_Systematic.31 A handy review of what…
Read MoreHormone Use in Menopause Still in Doubt
Traveling ( in Stockholm for the ISAMS conference) so won’t discuss this at length. But noteworthy is how nuanced any advantages of hormone therapy are. Go natural, take herbs and get acupuncture. First, Do No Harm. October 1, 2013 Study of Hormone Use in Menopause Reaffirms Complex Mix of Risks and Benefits By DENISE…
Read MoreAntibiotic Resistant Strains on the Rise
Experts are acknowledging the rise of resistance bacteria and, finally, the overuse of antibiotics, not only in humans but in animals too. Yikes! We’ve talked about the hazards of antibiotics on the blog and in newsletters here, here and here among other posts. Click on the graphic to link to a discussion from the SF…
Read MoreNutrition Facts: More than an apple a day
Click here for this informative video about simple nutrition and lifestyle advice for better living and longer life. The presenter makes the scary point that Medical Care is one of the largest contributors to premature death in the country!! (hat tip to Marsha Nunley, MD!)
Read MoreToo Many Antidepressants!!
As the kidz say, read the whole thing. A Glut of Antidepressants By RONI CARYN RABIN Over the past two decades, the use of antidepressants has skyrocketed. One in 10 Americans now takes an antidepressant medication; among women in their 40s and 50s, the figure is one in four. Experts have offered numerous reasons….
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