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his Week in Health |
Our weekly round up of the latest news in the world of health. This week brings disappointing news about an herb's ineffectiveness against ADHD and the risks of very tight diabetes control. The week also brings a warning about silver fillings and smoking taking 10 years off your life expectancy. This Issue: St. John's Wort and ADHD Diabetes Treatment and Heart Disease Risk Silver Filling Warning Smoking and Risk of Death In the News: St. John's Wort and ADHD St. John's wort is not more effective than a placebo at treating attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association compared 54 children ages 6 to 17 who were randomly assigned to receive either St. John's wort or a placebo three times per day. After eight weeks, there was no difference in symptoms or side effects between the two groups. Researchers had thought the herb might work in the same way as the prescription drug Strattera, by making makes norepinephrine more available in the brain, the Associated Press reports. Diabetes Treatment and Heart Disease Risk Tightly controlling blood sugar does not mean a lower risk of heart problems of people with type 2 diabetes. An Australian study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that aggressively treating diabetes did not lower the rates of heart attacks, strokes and heart-related deaths. An earlier U.S. study had similar findings, the Associated Press reports. The study, which involved more than 11,000 people from Asia, Australia, Europe and Canada suggests that diabetics should focus on strategies known to reduce heart disease -- diet, exercise and if necessary medications to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, the AP says. However, the study did find that lowering blood sugars to near-normal levels cut the risk of kidney problems by 20%. Silver dental fillings could pose a risk to pregnant women and young children, the Food and Drug Administration warned this week. In a new posting on its web site, the FDA notes that silver amalgam fillings contain mercury and as a result could have "neurotoxic effects" on developing fetuses and children. However, the FDA adds that there isn't evidence yet that the mercury in fillings actually causes harm to anyone, and advises against having fillings removed, the Associated Press reports. The agency is studying whether the amount of mercury vapor released during chewing and tooth-brushing is enough to cause neurological problems. How bad for you is smoking? It can elevate your risk of dying to the same level as someone a decade older than you are, says a report published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The report includes charts that compare the risk of death over the next 10 years among various age groups and diseases. According to the charts, a 55-year-old man who smokes has nearly the same risk of dying in the next 10 years as a 65-year-old who's never smoked, the Associated Press reports. The report emphasizes that at all ages, smoking overwhelmingly worsens a person's chances of survival, the AP says. 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. |
