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Dialysis May Increase Broken Hip Risk
For many people, dialysis is the only way to regulate kidney
function and maintain good health. However, as with many medical
treatments, there are associated complications and risks. A new
study suggests that one of the risks of undergoing dialysis is
an increased chance of breaking a hip.
The study was conducted by doctors at the Montefiore Medical
Center in the Bronx, New York. They have published their study
in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases (volume 36, pages
1115-1121, December 2000). The study involved the examination of
1,272 participants who had undergone dialysis treatment between
1988 and 1998. Of these, 56 fractured their hips.
Compared to the general population, these participants were
between 11 and 15 years younger when they fractured their hips.
They were usually in their early 60s, while the general population
is usually between 70 and 80 years old at the time of a hip
fracture. In addition, those people who broke their hip while
undergoing dialysis were three times more likely to die than
people undergoing dialysis who did not break their hip. They
were also twice as likely to die of complications as those who
were not on dialysis when they broke a hip.
The researchers also note that the risk of breaking a hip was
greater when a person had low levels of parathyroid hormone,
which regulates calcium. High levels of this hormone are usually
monitored and suppressed in people on dialysis, but the
researchers suggest that perhaps the hormone is being suppressed
a little too aggressively. More research is needed to determine
if this may be the cause for the increased risk of broken hips
in people undergoing dialysis, or if another cause is to blame.
Intensive Treatment For Mini-Strokes
Many strokes are classified as "mini-strokes," but
that does not mean they should be taken lightly. A new study
indicates that intensive treatment is needed for victims of
these strokes to prevent further medical problems from
occurring.
Mini-strokes, which are actually called transient ischemic
attacks (TIA), occur in the US about 300,000 times per year.
TIAs typically last from two to thirty minutes, and can result in visual
problems, dizziness, weakness, and speech difficulty. They are
usually a warning of a bigger stroke to come, but researchers
from the University of California, San Francisco found that the treatment of TIAs
varies widely, and is often not as aggressive as it
could be.
The researchers have recently published a report in the The
Journal of the American Medical Association (volume 284; page
2901; December 13, 2000). They studied over 1,700 people who had
had a TIA. Among these individuals, about 10% had a stroke in
the following three months. This is more than fifty times the expected stroke rate.
Of the strokes, one out of five were fatal, and two-thirds were
disabling.
The researchers found five factors that increased the risk of
stroke following a TIA. These included age over 60 years,
diabetes, TIAs lasting longer than 10 minutes, weakness following the
TIA, and speech difficulty associated with the TIA. When the study
participants had none of these factors, no stroke occurred.
However, when the study participants had all five of these
factors, stroke occurred in 34%.
The scientists hope their research will indicate the
importance of intensive treatment of people who have had a TIA.
The researchers state that effective treatments have included prescribing
aspirin or blood thinners, or having surgery.
Cardiovascular Deaths Not
Declining Much
Ever since the 1960s, the rate of deaths due to
cardiovascular disease has declined in the US. However, the rate
of decline of heart disease is now rapidly shrinking, and this may be due to an
unwanted increase in risk factors for cardiovascular disease .
A recent issue of Circulation (Journal of the American Heart
Association, volume 102; December 19/26, 2000) includes a report
by doctors at Loyola University in Chicago. In their study of
cardiovascular death rates, the researchers found that the rates
of heart disease deaths fell by more than 3% each year during the
1970s and 1980s, but a smaller percentage drop has been seen in
the 1990s. Stroke deaths, in particular, showed drops of about 5% each year in the
1970s, then about 3.5% each year in the 1980s, but stroke rates
declined by only 0.7% each year from the
beginning to the end of the 1990s.
Probable explanations for the slowing decreases in deaths due to
stroke could be an accompanying increase in both obesity and Type 2 diabetes in
the US. As a whole, the population is eating more and exercising
less. Even into the 1990s, people were eating less saturated
fat, but the consumption of excess calories and lack of exercise
may be eating into these gains. Researchers in the study emphasized the importance of educating the
population on healthy lifestyles, including exercise and eating
well.
Parliament To Vote On Stem Cell Use
One of the most hotly-debated scientific issues of recent
years has been that of stem cell research. Stem cells are cells
that have the ability to develop into any body cell, and as
such, have the potential to treat any number of degenerative
diseases. The issue will soon be discussed by members of the
British parliament.
Members of the scientific community have long advocated for
stem cell research. They say that the stem cells could be taken
from unused embryos from in vitro fertilization. These early
stem cells are plentiful, and easy to obtain. In England, the
law currently states that scientists are not allowed to use
these embryonic stem cells. However, parliament will soon vote
on whether to change this law.
Holiday Health Tips
This time of year is not usually known for moderation and
healthy eating. However, planning ahead and keeping health in
mind can help you feel better and enjoy the holidays a lot more
The manufacturing company CNS
now markets a product called FiberChoice,
which is a chewable tablet containing two grams of fructan, a
source of fiber found in many fruits, vegetables, and grains.
Fructan acts on the digestive system to promote regularity.
Aside from eating plenty of fiber, other important holiday
health habits include maintaining your regular exercise
schedule, designing meal plans and sticking to them, eating and
drinking alcohol in moderation, and drinking plenty of water.
The holidays don't have to become a source of a New Year's
resolution inspired by guilt!
Diabetes Drug Starting Study To Expand
Use
Takeda Chemical Industries, Ltd., says its diabetes drug Actos, which is
currently used to treat Type 2 diabetes by reversing insulin
resistance, will now be studied in Europe to see if it can prevent
macrovascular disease (large blood vessel disease) in people with diabetes. The trial will
involve 5,000 participants, and will take place in 10 European
countries over four years. Actos has been available as a
prescription in the US
for people with Type 2 since August of 1999. Like other
glitizone medications, Actos has been shown to lower blood
sugars, as well as cause modest improvements in cholesterol
levels, as well as modest anti-inflammatory properties. It is
not known which of these mechanisms Takeda suspects will prove
to be most helpful in preventing occlusion of major blood
vessels.
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