Health ShortsNovember 2004Depression, Inflammation Bad Combo
Men with depression and high levels of c-reactive protein (CRP) had a significantly higher risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke over a seven-year period, according to a recent German study. Recently linked to an increased risk of heart disease, CRP is a protein produced in response to inflammation anywhere in the body. Men with high CRP (3.0 mg/L or greater) but no symptoms of depression also had a higher risk of heart attack or stroke, but not great enough to reach statistical significance. The authors of the MONICA study stressed the importance of having "full knowledge of an individual patient's status when judging the effect of CRP."
[SOURCE: Miriam E. Tucker, "Depression, CRP Interact To Up Cardiovascular Risk: Large Database," Family Practice News, April 15, 2004] Women Who Took Pill Have Lower Risk
A study of oral contraceptives using data on 162,000 subjects in the Women's Health Initiative offered good news to women who have taken or are currently taking birth control pills. Women who took the pill at some time in life had a reduced risk of heart attacks, strokes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and any heart-related problems. No effect was found on the risk of breast, colon or bladder cancer among women taking the pill. Findings were presented October 20, 2004 at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine Conference in Philadelphia. This is part of the same study that previously found an increased risk of heart disease and cancer in postmenopausal women taking estrogen for hormone replacement. Animal studies have found that estrogen may reduce inflammation, which leads to the buildup of plaque in blood vessels. Scientists believe, however, that the effect of estrogen may differ according to the stage of life.
[SOURCE: Marilynn Marchione, "Study: Pill Cuts Cancer, Coronary Risks," AP Health, October 20, 2004] Sore Throat: Do You Need Medicine?
More than 90 percent of sore throats are caused by a virus, an allergy, voice strain or other problems-none of which will respond to antibiotic treatment. Only 5 to 10 percent are strep throat, an infection with streptococcus bacteria. These bacterial infections can and should be treated with antibiotics to head off more serious complications such as rheumatic fever. Strep throat, most common in children age 5 to 15, is characterized by a painful, red, swollen throat often accompanied by fever, headache and stomach ache. Strep is not likely if symptoms include a cough, runny nose and stuffed nasal passages. A throat culture is required, however, to determine the presence of strep bacteria.
[SOURCE: "Strep Throat," American Family Physician, April 15, 2001] Strep More Likely in Young Children
Although strep throat can occur at any age, the majority of cases occur in young children. In a typical doctor's office, 30 percent of sore throat patients ages 5 to 9 will test positive for strep while only 15 to 20 percent of older children and adolescents and only 5 to 10 percent of adults with sore throat will have a strep infection.
[SOURCE: Mark H. Ebell, "Strep Throat-Point of Care Guides," American Family Physician, September 1, 2003] Keeping Rheumatic Fever in Check
Rheumatic fever is the leading cause of heart disease in developing nations but became increasingly rare in the United States after the advent of antibiotics in the 1940s. American doctors became more vigilant about detecting and treating strep throat after unexpected outbreaks occurred in the mid-1980s in certain areas of the country. A total of 274 cases were reported in Salt Lake City between 1985 and 1992. Rheumatic fever typically occurs as an aftermath of strep throat and can be prevented by prompt antibiotic treatment of strep throat.
[SOURCE: Amy Cooper, "Rheumatic Fever," Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine, 2001; Jack Gwaltney, Jr. and John Segreti, "Rational Management of Sore Throat," Patient Care, September 30, 1996] Preventing Spread of Strep Throat
Children typically pick up strep throat, as they do colds, through close personal contact with other children at school or day care centers. Bacteria from saliva or nasal secretions spread readily through touching or contact with food. To prevent the spread of infectious organisms, wash your hands frequently and see that your child does the same during winter season; don't share food or drinks; wash dishes and eating utensils with hot, soapy water, and cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing. Contrary to belief, your risk cannot be reduced by having your tonsils out or having had previous strep infections.
[SOURCE: Holly Vance, "Throttle Your Next Sore Throat," Pediatrics for Parents, January, 2001] CRP May Indicate Hidden Disease
A Mayo Clinic study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine [September , 2004] confirmed that inflammation, as measured by c-reactive protein (CRP), may be one of the earliest signs of heart disease. Using echocardiography to produce high-quality images of the aorta, the main artery through which blood is pumped from the heart, researchers found that CRP was the single factor most closely linked to the presence of plaques. "Among our study volunteers with no heart disease symptoms who were found...to have aortic plaques, a doubling of the CRP nearly doubled the chances that the plaque would be a thicker, more dangerous one," wrote the authors. Treatment of CRP involves daily aspirin and efforts to lower cholesterol through diet, weight loss, exercise and control of blood pressure.
[SOURCE: Bijoy Khandheria, M.D., et al, "C-Reactive Protein and Atherosclerosis of the Aorta," Archives of Internal Medicine, September, 2004] Low Levels of B Vitamin Linked to Risk
Persons with low levels of vitamin B6 were more likely than other subjects to have coronary heart disease, according to an Italian study. Low levels of B6 were associated with higher levels of c-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen, both markers for inflammation that have been linked with an increased risk of heart disease. The recommended daily value for vitamin B6 is 1.3 milligrams for adults up to age 50, 1.5 for women over 50 and 1.7 for men over 50. Dietary sources include: baked potato with the skin (0.7 milligrams), banana (0.7), raisin bran (0.7 for a cup), chick peas (0.6 for ½ cup), chicken (0.5 for three ounces), beef tenderloin (0.4 for three ounces), tuna (0.3 for three ounces).
[SOURCE: "Low Levels of Vitamin B6 Tied to Artery Disease," Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, July, 2004] Why Not Donate Blood?
About 60 percent of Americans are eligible to donate blood, but only 5 percent actually do so. The result, in many areas, is a shortage of blood needed for life-saving transfusions. Stricter standards to assure the safety of the blood supply coupled with a lower rate of blood donations have made it more difficult to meet the ever increasing need for blood and blood products for cancer treatment, organ transplants and surgical procedures. Only 40 additional donors a day in each state would ensure an adequate blood supply, according to the National Blood Data Resources Center.
[SOURCE:"Blood Donation and Transfusion; Overview," NWHRC Health Center-Blood Donation and Transfusion, January 5, 2004] HIV Risk from Transfusion Very Low
For Americans, the risk of getting an HIV infection following transfusion of a single unit of blood is less than 1 in 1.9 million. The risk for hepatitis C virus is less than 1 in 1.6 million and the risk for hepatitis B is less than 1 in 210,000. There are other risks associated with blood transfusion, however, such as bacterial contamination of blood components during storage, allergic reactions and human errors leading to transfusion of the wrong blood.
[SOURCE: Jeffrey McCullough, "Progress Toward a Pathogen-Free Blood supply," Clinical Infectious Diseases, July 1, 2003] Blood Supply Unsafe in Many Countries
In developing countries where the disease burden is greatest, an adequate supply of safe blood cannot be taken for granted. Some countries do not screen at all for HIV, hepatitis B or C or syphilis, and at least 20 countries do not have 100 percent screening for these diseases. The World Health Organization estimates that 82 percent of the world's population does not have access to safe blood.
[SOURCE: "Developing Countries Face Safe Blood Shortage," Bulletin of the World Health Organization, July, 2004] Healthy Diet Reduces Cancer Risk
Following a healthy diet and lifestyle paid dividends in reducing the risk of cancer, according to a Mayo Clinic study involving 29,564 Iowa women. Diet and lifestyle recommendations in the study were: not smoking, maintaining normal weight, exercising regularly, eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables, eating seven or more portions of complex carbohydrates such as whole grains and cereals and limiting intake of alcohol, red meat, saturated fats and sodium. Women who followed one or none of the nine recommended guidelines were 42 percent more likely to die from cancer than those who followed six or more.
[SOURCE: "Healthy Eating and Living Can Indeed Reduce Women's Risk of Getting Cancer," Obesity, Fitness and Wellness Week, July 31, 2004] Making Healthy Snack Choices
You may not be able to stop snacking, but you can learn to make healthy snack choices that allow you to meet your daily needs of fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and fiber-rich grains. Think of snacks such as fruit, low-fat yogurt, high-fiber cereal, low-fat cottage cheese, lean sandwich meats, mini boxes of raisins or reduced-fat peanut butter on celery or whole-grain crackers.
[SOURCE: Robyn Webb, "Smart Snacking," Diabetes Forecast, July, 2004] | 
