ADHD Drugs save for adult’s heart
Ritalin and other drugs used to treat attention deficit disorder are safe for adults’ hearts, even though they can increase blood pressure and heart rate, according to the largest study of these medicines in adults. The results echo findings in a study of children with ADHD, by the same researchers, published last month. The review of health records for more than 440,000 adults aged 25 to 64 showed those taking ADHD drugs had about the same number of heart attacks , strokes and sudden heart-related deaths as adults who didn’t use those drugs.
Although attention deficit disorder is usually thought of as a condition in childhood, many continue to have symptoms as adults, including impulsive, fidgety behavior and difficulty focusing or paying attention. ADHD affects about 4 percent of U.S. adults, roughly 9 million. About 8 percent of U.S. children aged 3 to 17, or 5 million kids, have ever been diagnosed with the disorder, government statistics show. More than 1.5 million U.S. adults were taking stimulants used for ADHD in 2005, and use of ADHD drugs increased more rapidly in adults than in kids over the past decade, the study said. More than 150,000 ADHD medication users were involved in several states. Their health records over up to 20 years were compared with similar adults who did not use those drugs. Overall, there were 1,357 heart attacks, 575 strokes and 296 sudden cardiac deaths. Roughly equal numbers occurred in ADHD drug users and nonusers.
Study participants used the drugs for an average of less than a year, which is short, but the upper range of use was almost 14 years, and there was no sign of increasing risk with longer use, the authors said, led by Laurel Habel of the research division at Kaiser Permanente Northern California in Oakland. The findings support the Food and Drug Administration’s decision in 2006 against putting a black box warning about serious heart events on ADHD drugs labels. But despite the results, medical histories and exams should still be performed for all patients before starting ADHD drugs, and periodic evaluations should be done during drug treatment, said editorial author Dr. Philip Shaw of the National Human Genome Research Institute.
Blink may provide new knowledge to understand more autism
When and why children blink may provide researchers some important clues about how children with autism process and take in information. Although it may not feel like it, blinking interrupts what we are watching. If a story or scene is engrossing, we can keep our eyes peeled. This is called blink inhibition. There are key differences between toddlers with and without autism spectrum disorder and when they blink their eyes.
The new finding appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The CDC states that one in 110 children in the U.S. has an autism spectrum disorder. This is a range of developmental disorders that affect the ability to communicate and relate to others. In the new study, 2-year-olds with or without autism watched a video of a boy and girl playing. The video included physical movements as well as children interacting with each other. For the typical children, the rate of blinking decreased more when watching the emotional part than during physical movements. This pattern was reversed among children with autism .
Warren Jones, PhD say when we blink and when we don’t can actually index how engaged people are with what we’re looking at, and how important they perceive that thing to be. He is the director of research at the Marcus Autism Center at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. Children without autism seem to be able to anticipate what is coming next based on facial expressions and wordplay. This is not the case among children with autism. Without understanding the social context in which actions happen, children with autism may often be reacting, after the fact, to physical events that have already happened.
The findings give researchers a new tool for trying to understand how children with autism look at, engage with, and learn from what they see. This might give us more information about cues that are distracting to children with autism, and it might also give us information about cues that are naturally engaging to [these] children.
FDA wants more prominent label warning in Yasmin
An FDA panel has voted 15-11 that the benefits of newer oral contraceptives outweigh their risks of dangerous blood clots. But the panel voted 21-5 that the contraceptives’ labels don’t adequately reflect that risk/benefit profile. The newer oral contraceptives, which contain the man-made hormone drospirenone, include Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceutical’s Beyaz, Safyral, Yasmin, and Yaz brands, as well as several other brands (Gianvi, Loryna, Ocella, Syeda, and Zarah).
They’ve been marketed as having extra benefits such as treating acne and severe premenstrual symptoms. All oral contraceptives carry a potential risk of blood clots, but publicly funded studies, including one of 800,000 women by the FDA, have linked the drospirenone-containing oral contraceptives to a higher risk of clots compared to the older contraceptives, which contain the hormone levonorgestrel. The research shows that about 10 in 10,000 women taking the newer pills would get a blood clot per year, compared to 6 in 10,000 women taking the older pills. However, research funded by Bayer has not shown an increased risk of clots in women who took Yasmin, an earlier version of Yaz. Almost all of the studies have focused on Yasmin, which in 2001 was the first pill containing drospirenone to earn FDA approval. There is no research to suggest that pills containing drospirenone are more effective at preventing pregnancy than other birth control pills . And most of the older oral contraceptives treat acne just as well, Adriane Fugh-Berman, MD, an associate professor in family medicine at Georgetown University, told the advisory panel.
Much of the discussion at the day-long advisory committee meeting focused on whether Yasmin might have a higher or lower risk of blood clots compared to the older birth control pills. In the FDA study, women on Yasmin were twice as likely to have acne, which can be a characteristic of PCOS, than those on older birth control pills, Ouellett-Hellstrom said. PCOS alone puts women at a higher risk of blood clots.
FDA want more warning in Yaz label
Federal health experts said that drug labeling for Yaz and other widely-used birth control pills should be updated to emphasize recent data suggesting a higher risk of blood clots with the drugs than older contraceptive pills. The Food and Drug Administration’s panel of experts voted 21-5 Thursday that labeling on the popular drugs made by Bayer is inadequate and needs more information about the potential risk of blood clots in the legs and lungs.
Yaz, its predecessor Yasmin and related prescriptions use a manmade hormone called drospirenone, which mimics the naturally occurring female hormone progesterone. Approved in 2006, Yaz grew into the best-selling birth control pill in the U.S. by 2008, backed by hundreds of millions of dollars in TV and magazine advertising that emphasized its ability to clear up acne and other hormonal side effects. But prescriptions have fallen more than 80 percent in the last two years amid safety concerns. Panelists spent more than nine hours discussing often conflicting data on the blood clot risk of drospirenone-containing drugs compared with older medications. While the group disagreed on the quality of the evidence, the overwhelming majority said it should be clearly stated in the label, including the potentially fatal nature of blood clots.
In an earlier vote, panelists voted 15-11 that the pills remain a beneficial option for preventing pregnancy. The majority ruling amounts to a vote of confidence for keeping the drugs on the market, though well over a third of panelists voted against the drug’s overall benefit, citing numerous alternatives available. Two large studies conducted by German drugmaker Bayer have shown no difference in blood clots between patients taking the company’s drugs and patients taking older medications. But since 2009, five large studies have suggested drospirenone-containing pills carry a slightly higher risk of blood clots than older birth control pills, though events in both groups are very rare. Even a slightly higher risk can be critical because blood clots can trigger heart attacks, strokes and blockages in lungs or blood vessels. The most recent study by the FDA found women taking Yasmin had a 75 percent higher chance of suffering a blood clot than patients taking a combination of older drugs. The absolute risk of a blood clot is still far less than a fraction of a percent.
Many Contact Lens wearer not care with proper Lens handling
More than 80% of contact lens wearers surveyed prior to an eye exam believed they followed good lens wear and care practices, but just 2% actually complied with most recommended lens hygiene steps. And less than 1% were found to be fully compliant with recommendations such as washing their hands before handling lenses, using fresh lens solution every time instead of topping off old solution, and replacing lens cases frequently. Most people who wear contact lenses say they know about the wear and care recommendations, but almost none actually comply with them, a new study shows.
The new survey included patients undergoing eye exams in private practice or university-affiliated optometry settings. Overall, 85% of the patients perceived themselves as compliant with all lens-wearing practices, but only 0.4% was considered fully compliant. The study also showed that while most of the contact wearers knew what they needed to do to avoid complications, few actually followed all the recommendations. The researchers concluded that patient awareness was not the problem. The most frequent complications reported by the surveyed contact lens wearers were discomfort (72%) and infection (47%).
When wearers use lenses longer than recommended or don’t follow proper handling and storage practices, there is a greater likelihood of deposit buildup that can lead to chronic eye redness or infection. Among the other AOA recommendations: Always wash and dry your hands before handling contact lenses. Clean lenses often, as recommended by your eye doctor. Rub the lenses with your fingers and rinse thoroughly before soaking lenses overnight in sufficient multi-purpose solution to completely cover the lenses. Use only fresh solution every time to clean and store contacts. Never top off old solution with new because the active ingredient in some solutions can break down over time. This is also why contact lens solutions should never be used after the discard date on the bottle has passed. Never use tap water in any area of lens care, including rinsing the lens and lens case. Tap water may contain microorganisms that can cause eye infection. Store lenses in the proper lens storage case and replace your case at least every three months. Clean the case after each use and keep it open and dry between cleaning. Never swim in lenses or wear them in a hot tub.
http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/news/20111209/most-contact-lens-users-do-not-follow-safety-steps
Bone drug hope for breast cancer patients
Doctors were mostly hoping to prevent complications and relapses when they gave young women a medicine to keep their bones strong during breast cancers treatment. Seven years later, they found it did more than that: The bone drug improved survival, as much as much chemotherapy does. The study found a 37 percent lower risk of death among women who received the bone drug, Zometa. In absolute terms, it meant that 4 to 5 more women out of every 100 were alive seven years later. It’s especially impressive considering that the women took the drug, given as an infusion every six months, for only three years.
Zometa (zow-MAY-tuh) should now be offered to all patients like those in this study – younger women forced into early menopause by hormone-blocking cancer treatments, some specialists said. Bone drugs called bisphosphonates have long been sold for treating osteoporosis. Those are daily pills. Zometa, made by the Swiss company Novartis AG, is given intravenously to treat breast cancers that has spread to the bone. All had surgery followed by hormone blockers, and half also received Zometa. Now, with seven years of follow-up, researchers see that Zometa not only helped keep cancer from coming back, but also improved survival. There were 33 deaths among women given the bone drug and 49 among those not treated with it. That magnitude of benefit is comparable to many chemotherapy treatments. Researchers think because Zometa strengthens bones, it’s tougher for cancer to spread there and the drug may also have direct effects against circulating cancer cells or microscopic tumors.
Zometa’s side effects were mostly fever and bone and joint pain, and doctors saw no cases of jawbone decay, a serious problem long linked to bisphosphonates. Zometa costs more than $1,000 in the U.S. and about half as much in Europe, though the price may drop when its U.S. patent expires in 2013. Novartis helped pay for the study and Gnant consults for the company. The bone drug proved disappointing though in a large study last year in postmenopausal women, who account for three-fourths of all breast cancers. But there was a glimmer of hope in the oldest patients.
Two new hopes for the drugs for breast cancer
This news was indeed a great development for breast cancer a decade: two new medicines that significantly delay the time until women with very advanced cases get worse. In a large international study, an experimental drug from Genentech called pertuzumab held cancer at bay for a median of 18 months when given with standard treatment, versus 12 months for others given only the usual treatment. It also strongly appears to be improving survival, and follow-up is continuing to see if it does. In a second study, another drug long used in organ transplants but not tried against breast cancer – everolimus, sold as Afinitor by Novartis AG – kept cancer in check for a median of 7 months in women whose disease was worsening despite treatment with hormone-blocking drugs. A comparison group that received only hormonal medicine had just a 3-month delay in disease progression.
Afinitor works in a novel way seems “unusually effective” and sets a new standard of care, said Dr. Peter Ravdin, breast cancer chief at the UT Health Science Center in San Antonio. He has no role in the work or ties to drug makers. Most patients have tumors like those in this study – their growth is fueled by estrogen. Results were released Wednesday at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium and some were published online by the New England Journal of Medicine. They come a few weeks after federal approval was revoked for another Genentech drug, Avastin, which did not meaningfully help breast cancer patients. It still is sold for other tumor types.
The new drugs are some of the first major developments since Herceptin came out in 1998. It has become standard treatment for a certain type of breast cancer. A reality check: The new drugs are likely to be very expensive – up to $10,000 a month – and so far have not proved to be cures. Doctors hope they might be when given to women with early-stage cancers when cure is possible, rather than the very advanced cases treated in these studies. Even short of a cure, about 40,000 U.S. women each year have cancer that spreads beyond the breast, and treatment can make a big difference in their lives.
Lacks of Vitamin D increase the risk of diabetes in the ids
Children with low vitamin D levels may be at higher risk for type 2 diabetes, a new study shows. Along with the low vitamin D levels, the obese children also had higher levels of what’s called insulin resistance, meaning that they are no longer able to efficiently use insulin to convert sugars from foods into fuel for the cells. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body either does not produce enough insulin or the cells become insulin resistant.
Researchers measured vitamin D levels in obese and normal-weight children, finding obesity to be associated with decreased vitamin D and increased insulin resistance. Similar studies suggest the same association in adults, but the newly published research is among the first to examine vitamin D levels and diabetes risk factors in kids. The findings suggest, but do not prove, that low vitamin D levels contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes. The studies are under way examining whether vitamin D supplementation lowers type 2 diabetes risk in people at high risk for developing the disease. The study included more than 400 obese kids and teens between the ages of 6 and 16, and 87 normal-weight children and teens. The researchers measured vitamin D levels along with blood sugar levels, insulin levels, body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure. The children and teens were also asked about their diets. Obese children were more than three times more likely than non-obese children to be vitamin D deficient, and both obesity and low vitamin D levels were associated with higher degrees of insulin resistance. Obese children were also more likely than non-obese children to skip breakfast and drink more soda and juice, suggesting that these lifestyle factors may contribute to lower vitamin D levels, the researchers noted.
Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin because the body makes the vitamin when the skin is exposed to the sun. Food sources of vitamin D include oily fish, eggs, fortified milk, and breakfast cereals. Normal-weight children in the study had greater seasonal variations in vitamin D levels than obese children, suggesting that they had greater sun exposure. The study appears in the latest issue of The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
http://diabetes.webmd.com/news/20111205/low-vitamin-d-may-raise-diabetes-risk-kids
Yasmin under investigation by FDA
FDA investigates birth control drugs that were heavily promoted as having fewer side effects and the ability to clear up acne and other hormonal bothers. Research suggesting that newer birth control formulations are more likely to cause blood clots than older drugs has prompted the Food and Drug Administration to consider new safety measures in meetings later this week. The increased risk is slight but significant because blood clots can cause heart attacks, strokes and blockages in lungs or blood vessels, which can be fatal.
Regulators could order new warning labels on several contraceptives that gained popularity in the last decade, including Bayer’s pill Yaz, which was the best-selling birth control drugs pill in the U.S. for 2008 and 2009. Yaz, its Bayer precursor Yasmin, and similar drugs use a version of a female hormone that appears to reduce side effects found in older drugs, including bloating and mood swings. On Tuesday, a judge unsealed several court documents suggesting Bayer may have withheld data from FDA about the blood clots risks of its drugs. The documents stem from expert opinion gathered by personal injury lawyers suing Bayer on behalf of patients.
According to one document, Bayer drafted a white paper in 2004 to address “FDA concerns,” about clots with birth control drugs Yasmin. An early draft indicated that reports of blood clots with Yasmin were significantly higher than those for three other oral contraceptives. But that information was not included in the final paper submitted to the FDA, and instead the company said a more definitive study of blood clot risk would be forthcoming. That study did not show an increased risk. The FDA declined to accept the court documents for this week’s hearings, saying the deadline for submissions was last month, according to an emailed message from an agency officer. A Bayer spokeswoman said the company had no comment on the material in the documents, noting the issues would be addressed at trial. Bayer AG spent more than $270 million on TV and magazine advertisements for Yaz between 2007 and 2010, according TNS Media Intelligence.
Poll of top holiday season gripes
Many Americans citizens have a Grinch-like attitude toward being nice around the holidays, finds a new survey by Consumer Reports. In the poll, “having to be nice” ranked among the top 10 things people dread this time of year. Worries about weight gain also ranked in the top 10. The seasonal pressure to be pleasant was the tenth most common complaint in a recent telephone survey of 1,013 adults across the country.
The poll found that 15% of the adults questioned, or an estimated 35 million Americans, can’t stand having to be nice during the holidays. And that can add even more stress to an already hectic holiday season. When people were asked what they dreaded most about the holidays, crowds and long lines topped the list; 68% ranked them as their biggest beefs this time of year. The poll was done by the Consumer Reports National Research Center in early November, weeks before the holiday decorations, music, and shopping deluge began. It tried to gauge the mood of Americans to the upcoming holiday celebrations.
Dealing with mobs of people and waiting in line at stores or in mall parking lots made the top spot on the poll holiday gripe list. But two other common complaints tied for second place, gaining weight and going into debt. Thirty-seven percent of those surveyed worried about their expanding waistlines from feasting on holiday goodies and slacking off on exercise; 37% also worried about going into debt. Shopping for presents ranked fourth, and traveling to see family or attend parties ranked fifth among holiday hassles. Whether it’s getting into the season’s spirit, disliking the commercialism, or searching for the perfect gift that brings out your inner Scrooge, here is a list of the top things. See where your own holiday pet peeves rank. From fist to last, Crowds and long lines (68%), Gaining weight (37%), Getting into debt (37%), Gift shopping (28%), Traveling (25%), Seeing certain relatives (24%), Seasonal music (23%), Disappointing gifts (19%), Having to attend holiday parties or events (16%), Having to be nice (15%), Holiday tipping (12%).
http://www.webmd.com/balance/news/20111202/weight-gain-need-to-be-nice-are-holiday-season-gripes