Health ShortsMay 2006Air Quality Improving, Still Bad
Ease Traffic Congestion, Save Lives A study focusing on the 1996 Atlanta Olympics demonstrated how public action to reduce traffic congestion can have a beneficial health effect on persons with asthma. Downtown Atlanta was closed to private automobiles during this period while park and ride buses provided fast, efficient public transportation. The city encouraged employers to implement alternative work hours and allow telecommuting whenever possible. The resulting decrease in ground level ozone levels brought about a 41.6 percent reduction in emergency visits and hospitalizations for Medicaid asthma patients during that period. [SOURCE: Michael G. Burke, “Drop in Air Pollution Reduces Asthma Exacerbations,” Contemporary Pediatrics, May, 2001; Michael S. Friedman, et al, “Impact of Changes in Transportation and Commuting Behaviors During the 1996 Summer Olympics Games in Atlanta on Air Quality and Childhood Asthma,” JAMA, February 21, 2001] Online Drug Purchases Are Rare Americans are quite comfortable going online to obtain additional information about medications, but a recent survey of 2,200 adults found that only four percent had ever purchased drugs through the internet. Sixty-two percent of respondents indicated that they considered online purchases to be less safe than purchases in a local pharmacy. Fifty-five percent of respondents said they had received an unsolicited email advertising a prescription drug. [SOURCE: Susannah Fox, “Prescription Drugs Online,” Pew/Internet & American Life Project, October 10, 2004] Favorite Health Care Web Sites Named Of Americans using the internet to seek health information, only 14 percent indicated that they had one favorite web site. Among these respondents, 35 percent named WebMD as their top pick. Other sites listed were those of the Mayo Clinic, National Institutes of Health, InteliHealth, Medline and DrKoop.com, [SOURCE: Susannah Fox, “Vital Decisions,” Pew/Internet & American Life, May 22, 2002] Using E-Mail To Talk to Doctors Nine of ten respondents to a 2002 Harris Interactive Poll said they liked the idea of using e-mail to communicate with their doctors about health problems. About a third of these were willing to pay for the service. A 2001 Harris Interactive Poll found that doctors who had been pushed by their patients to start using e-mail communication confirmed that these communications had improved patient satisfaction. [SOURCE: Susannah Fox, “Vital Decisions,” Pew/Internet & American Life, May 22, 2002] Confused by Medical News? Get Help If you follow health news on the internet or through local news media, you’re likely to be confused by the seemingly contradictory information. One analysis of 45 frequently cited studies found that 15 were eventually contradicted or found to be not as important as earlier thought. Many studies cited in the news may involve laboratory findings that have not been studied in humans or small, non-randomized trials that need to be confirmed by larger, long-term studies. Doctors know how to evaluate such information. Confused consumers can get assistance from their physicians or from web sites such as PatientInform.org (for commentary regarding the significance, strengths or limitations of the study) or HealthNewsReview.org (for a critique of the news report itself). [SOURCE: C.P. Kaiser, “Medical Information Overload Can Confuse and Mislead,” Diagnostic Imaging, October 1, 2005] Safety Measures Reduce Injuries Stricter safety standards for legal fireworks were enacted in 1976. Since that time the number of yearly fireworks-related injuries has remained about the same or decreased slightly while consumption of fireworks has risen dramatically–from 29 million pounds in 1976 to 221 million pounds in 2003. According to the American Pyrotechnics Association, that represents an 88.5 percent decrease in injuries per 100,000 pounds of fireworks. [SOURCE: American Pyrotechnics Association; U.S. International Trade Commission; U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission] OTC Painkillers: Follow the Rules For a headache or minor aches and pains, you can choose from a number of effective over-the-counter remedies that are safe as long as you follow the rules:
[SOURCE: “Choose Your Painkiller with Caution,” Current Health 2, February, 2005] Liver Toxicity Mimics Flu Symptoms Acetaminophen (Tylenol, Panadol) is usually considered the safest over-the-counter pain remedy, but an overdose of this medication can cause liver toxicity. The risk may occur when a person self-treating flu symptoms exceeds the maximum dose (four grams a day for an adult) by taking the pain-killer as well as several other products containing acetaminophen. Treatment for liver toxicity is nearly always successful if started within the first eight hours. Symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite, however, are easily mistaken for flu effects, prompting additional doses of flu remedies. Fluids and food which might help clear the liver toxicity are avoided. [SOURCE: Susan E. Farrell, M.D., “Toxicity, Acetaminophen, emedicine from WebMD, last updated January 3, 2006] Pain Pills–Be Wary if You Have High BP If you have high blood pressure, you should take extra care–and talk to your doctor or pharmacist–before you start popping over-the-counter pain relief pills. NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, naproxen sodium and ketoprofen carry the greatest risks. Aspirin is less likely to raise blood pressure, and acetaminophen is probably the drug of choice. NSAIDs reduce blood flow to the kidneys, causing them to work more slowly and allowing fluids to build up. Acetaminophen doesn’t work in the same way, and aspirin has a less pronounced effect on fluid retention, although, like the other NSAIDs, it can impair the effects of ACE inhibitors and beta blockers prescribed for hypertension. [SOURCE: R. Morgan Griffin, “”Many Common Over-the-Counter Drugs Taken for Pain Can Push Your High Blood Pressure Even Higher,” WebMD feature, May, 2005, medically updated April 6, 2006] An Aspirin a Day? Take It Literally Many persons with heart disease are told by their doctors to take an aspirin a day (typically a small 81-milligram dose) to inhibit blood clotting and reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. Other NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, naproxen sodium and ketoprofen, however, do not reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke and should not be substituted for this purpose. [SOURCE: R. Morgan Griffin, “”Many Common Over-the-Counter Drugs Taken for Pain Can Push Your High Blood Pressure Even Higher,” WebMD feature, May, 2005, medically updated April 6, 2006] A Headache? Or a Pain in the Gut? If you take aspirin or another NSAID frequently for a headache, you may eventually end up with a pain in the stomach. Individuals who take NSAIDs regularly have a three-fold increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding and ulcers. NSAIDs–including ibuprofen, naproxen sodium and ketoprofen as well as aspirin–work by blocking the production of prostaglandins and other chemicals that cause pain and inflammation. These same chemicals also protect the lining of the stomach. Acetaminophen does not have the same effect on prostaglandins and does not cause stomach irritation or gastrointestinal bleeding. [SOURCE: R. Morgan Griffin, “Many Familiar Over-the-Counter Pain Relief Drugs Can Cause Harmful Side Effects for Those with Ulcers. Here’s What You Need To Know,” WebMD feature, May, 2005] | ArchiveAugust 2008 |
The information on this site is intended to increase your awareness and understanding of specific health issues. It should not be used for diagnosis or as a substitute for health care by your physician. | |
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