   
Pollution Hazardous To Your Heart
Air pollution is often associated with heath problems such as
allergies, asthma, and dry eyes. However, new research shows
that it might also be connected to an increased risk of heart
attack.
A recent study of 772 people in the Boston area who'd had
heart attacks showed that people were more likely to have a
heart attack after increases of air pollution. The research was
conducted by doctors at Harvard University in Boston,
Massachusetts, who have published their study in the journal
Circulation (volume 103; June 12, 2001).
At the conclusion of the study, researchers found that those who
were exposed to high levels of air pollutants, such as
automobile emissions, experienced an increased risk of heart attack
of 50% to 70%. A significant increase in air pollution in the 2 to 24
hours prior to the participants' symptoms was also associated
with an increase in the risk of heart attack.
Scientists believe that deposits of particles in the lungs
trigger an inflammatory response that may slow blood flow and
increase the risk of blood clots. For people whose arteries are already blocked by plaque, this response may lead to a heart
attack. People who have other risk factors for heart attack like diabetes or high blood
pressure should take note
of pollution levels that may increase their risk.
Growing Stem Cell Issue
The issue of whether or not stem cells should be allowed in
research continues to grow in intensity. The issue is
politically controversial, as is demonstrated by the division of
beliefs within the Bush administration.
Stem cells are cells that have the potential to develop into
any type of cell in the body, and thus have the potential to
cure a variety of diseases. Research using stem cells has
been stopped by President Bush until a decision by Health and
Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson and other members of a
review committee can be reached. This decision is supposed to be
made this summer.
Bush has expressed support of federal funding for research
with stem cells that have been obtained from adults. However,
some scientists doubt that adult stem cells have the same
potential as embryonic stem cells, and have called on Bush to
resume federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.
Legislation introduced by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) has added
to the controversial issue. Smith has created the ''Responsible
Stem Cell Research Act of 2001,'' which specifies that the
government will support stem cell research using adult cells,
but not embryonic cells. This is in contrast to the legislation
introduced by Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) on June 5, which
would allow the federal funding of research on embryonic cells.
Those who support Smith's legislation include 45 members of the
House and conservative groups such as the National Right to Life
(NRL) and the Coalition of Americans for Research Ethics (CARE).
Certain Fats May Inflate Type 2 Risk
Certain health issues affect people differently along gender
lines. A new study suggests that the intake and processing of trans
fatty acids may increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes for women.
The advantage of trans fats is that at room temperature they
will harden into a solid form, unlike the polyunsturated
vegetable oils from which they are formed. One example is
"corn oil" margarine in which the corn oil has been
highly modified into dangerous trans fats. Another is Crisco.
Trans fats have been recognized for several years as being as
dangerous or more dangerous than saturated fat in the
development of heart disease. Recently, however, trans fat was studied by doctors at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts
to determine their effect on
women's risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
The researchers studied medical and dietary information from
over 84,000 women between the ages of 34 and 59 who did not have
diabetes, heart disease, or cancer at the beginning of the study
in 1980. The researchers updated the dietary information of the
participants three times over the following fourteen years.
Results of the study, which is published in the American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition (volume 73, pages 1001-1002 &
1019, June 2001), indicated that the women's intake of total
fat, saturated fat, and monounsaturated fat did not influence
the risk of diabetes. However, only a 2% increase in calories from
trans fats increased the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by
39%. Increasing cholesterol intake by 24
milligrams per day was also found to increase the risk of diabetes by 12%. In
contrast, a 5% increase in calories from polyunsaturated
fat lowered the risk of diabetes by 37%.
The researchers do not claim that trans fatty acids and
cholesterol cause diabetes. However, they believe that the study
results indicate that these fat types increase the risk of Type
2 for women who are already at risk. Those who have a
particularly high risk are people with insulin resistance, and a
major cause of insulin resistance is the presence of free fatty
acids in the blood.
Does Diabetes Shorten Life?
Diabetes is associated with numerous health issues, including
heart disease, nerve damage, and eye damage. A new study indicates that diabetes may decrease overall life expectancy as
well.
The study was conducted by researchers at Middlesbrough
General Hospital in northern England, who published their
findings in the British Medical Journal (June 2001). They
conducted a six-year study of over 4,800 people with diabetes,
and compared the number and causes of death in people with
diabetes who lived in one of the poorest areas of England with
the rest of the population in the same area.
The researchers found that there was an obvious decrease in
life expectancy in those with Type 1 diabetes, as 25% of them
died during the study, which is a mortality rate about 2.2 times
the national average. People with Type 2 diabetes also had a
shortened life expectancy. Those who had been diagnosed with the
disease before the age of 40 had a mortality expectancy that was
eight years shorter than those without diabetes.
Because all the study participants came from poor areas, the
findings may be limited to people with diabetes in low economic
areas. Researchers hope that their findings will increase awareness
of the life-threatening health risks that may be associated with diabetes.
Pricey Drugs May Cost Seniors Health
Although inflation accounts for increases in costs for most
products, the cost of prescription drugs is increasing at a rate
that far surpasses inflation.
A study of the increasing costs of medication has been
conducted by the consumer advocacy group Families USA. The group
used claims data from the year 2000, and the PRIME Institute at
the University of Minnesota then developed a list of the most
common prescription drugs used by seniors. These drugs were
ranked by the number of prescriptions used.
The group found that the cost of the top 50 drugs used by
seniors rose 6.1% over one year, compared to the inflation rate
of 2.7%. Of the drugs that sold the most, 38 rose at least 1.5
times the rate of inflation, and over one-third rose at least
three times the rate of inflation. One of the drugs with the
greatest increase in cost was the diabetes drug Glucophage,
manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb. The cost of the drug
increased by 15.5%, which is almost six times the rate of
inflation.
Glucophage will come out of patent later this year and its
cost is expected to fall as generics arrive. However, two minor
modifications of Glucophage called Glucophage XL (extended
release) and Glucovance (Glucophage combined with a sulfonylurea,
glyburide) will continue to be patented for several more years.
Costs for these patented versions are expected to remain quite
high.
For seniors on a fixed income, the increased cost of
medication is particularly upsetting, as certain medications
might be too expensive to be part of a realistic
health plan.
Exercise Your Way To Happiness?
Although the benefits of exercise on physical health are
clear, it is not always acknowledged that exercise can also lead
to better overall mood and mental health. Researchers at Johns
Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland hope that their recent
study will prove that definitively.
The participants in the study included 36 men and women
between the ages of 55 and 75. All of the participants were in
good physical health. Those who had the greatest endurance during
fitness tests, and who had low levels of body fat, also had fewer
reports of tension, anxiety, anger, and depression.
The findings, which were presented at the annual meeting of
the American College of Sports Medicine in Baltimore (June
2001), do not indicate exactly why exercise may improve mental
health. Researchers speculate that the correlation may be
between fitness and higher participation in life. These
individuals might also be more involved in recreational
activities, have better self-image, and be more
independent. Any of these factors could contribute to happiness,
and are good reasons to exercise.
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