Our weekly roundup of the latest developments in the world of health. This week we look at ways women can reduce their risks of heart disease and stroke and at how treating a common STDs could also slow the spread of HIV. We also look at how some types of cocoa may be good for the brain and at new warnings for ADHD and asthma drugs.
Stay well.
This Issue:
Women's Heart and Stroke Risk Treating Herpes to Stop AIDS Cocoa and Brain Function New Drug Warnings In The News:
Women's Heart and Stroke Risk Women should take more aggressive measure to reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke. That's the message the American Heart Association is working to get across in new guidelines for U.S. women. The guidelines, published in the journal Circulation, urge women to reduce risk factors for heart disease by: eating a healthy diet, exercising daily, controlling weight to keep body-mass index under 25, getting blood pressure and cholesterol checked, and avoiding smoking. The guidelines note that folic acid and antioxidant supplements do not prevent heart disease. For women already diagnosed with heart disease, increased intake of fish oil rich in omega-3 fatty acids should be considered in consultation with a doctor. The guidelines say postmenopausal women should not take hormone replacement as a means to prevent heart disease. While daily aspirin for women who have coronary artery disease is used routinely, taking aspirin to prevent heart disease in women should not be done without talking yo your doctor first because of the potential risks associated with aspirin use. For older women, low dose aspirin -- 81 milligrams daily or 100 milligrams every other day -- can help prevent some types of strokes.
Treating Herpes to Prevent AIDS
Treating genital herpes could also slow the spread of HIV. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that women who took a common herpes drug had less HIV in their blood and their genital secretions than women not treated for their herpes infection. The study involved 140 women from Burkina Faso who were infected with both herpes and HIV and were not taking AIDS medications. The women were given either valacyclovir or a placebo for three months. During that time, the researchers took vaginal swabs and drew blood samples twice a week to measure the women's HIV levels. They found that women taking valacyclovir had a drop in HIV in the bloodstream, from an average 20,000 virus copies per milliliter of blood to 8,000 copies, while levels rose in the placebo group. The women who got treatment for herpes also had less HIV in their genital tract -- 13% of them had detectable virus levels during each visit, compared with 27% of women who got dummy pills. The researchers did not look at whether valacyclovir actually reduced transmission of HIV to a partner. However, it is known that herpes sores can make it easier to become infected with HIV and could increase the risk of transmitting the virus to others, The Associated Press reports. The AP quotes other experts who say it is not likely that herpes drugs will become the first-line treatment against AIDS, but that they could help slow the disease's spread in countries without access to AIDS drugs.
Cocoa and Brain Function
Cocoa could help keep your brain sharp. A study presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in San Francisco suggests cocoa that is high in antioxidants called flavanols could increase blood flow to the brain. In the study, researchers had young women perform complex tasks while their brain activity was observed using magnetic resonance imaging. Some of the women had been given drinks of cocoa high in flavanols. The women who'd drunk the cocoa had a significant increase in blood flow to the brain compared with the other women, the researchers found. They say the next step in their research is to study people who have "compromised" blood flow to the brain, The Associated Press reports. Other studies also have found a decrease in dementia and high blood pressure in people who consume cocoa with high flavanol content, the AP says. However, researchers say the studies' findings do not mean people should consume chocolate for health benefits, because the high fat and calories in chocolate create health problems, too. Plus, the cocoa usually sold in stores usually has most of the flavanol content removed, since flavanols give the drink a bitter taste, the AP says.
New Drug Warnings
The Food and Drug Administration is calling for stronger warnings for drugs to treat attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as for an injectable asthma medicine. The FDA says this week it has instructed the makers of Ritalin, Strattera, Adderall, and other ADHD drugs to develop guides to let doctors, patients and parents know about the risks of cardiovascular and psychiatric side effects, and the things they can do to reduce those risks. The guides are to include information about increases in blood pressure and heart rate seen in people taking ADHD medicines, and a risk of sudden death in ADHD patients who already have other heart problems, The Associated Press reports. Adults taking the drugs also face an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, the AP says. The guides also would also include information on the slight increase in psychiatric problems with the medications. Also this week the FDA ordered stronger warning labels for the injected asthma drug Xolair, due to the risk of anaphylaxis with the drug. The risk was known when Xolair was approved; the new, stronger warnings come after reports of patients experiencing delayed anaphylactic reactions or reacting to a later dose even when they had no problems after the initial dose, the AP reports. The warnings call for doctors to observe patients for at least two hours after Xolair is injected, and note that the life-threatening reaction can occur up to 24 hours after the drug is given.
Used with the permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved. The above summaries are not intended to provide advice on personal medical matters, nor are they intended to be a substitute for consultation with a physician.
