Infectious Disease
Hepatitis B
Possible Future Cure for Infectious Diseases or Illnesses - [10/27/08]
Summary: Because of the recent emergence of antibiotic resistant viruses or illnesses, scientists have been searching to find a different way to kill the bacteria. Since some bacteria are resistant to antibiotics, causing drugs to quickly lose their effectiveness, scientists found a new way to kill the bacteria using aganocides. Aganocides lack the potential to cause resistance in target organisms and provide the most fast and effective way to kill most of infectious bacteria.
Comment: Because the resistance to antibiotics is a growing health concern, this new discovery is a great advancement in treating infectious diseases or illnesses. This new treatment is even further being researched which may lead to discoveries that can indicate more ways this treatment can be used, potentially prolonging life spans and saving lives in those with infectious diseases.
Read article - Medical News TODAY October 27, 2008
Vegetarian Eating may Reduce risk of Infectious Diseases - [10/17/08]
Summary: A new book titled The Flexitarian Diet - The Mostly Vegetarian Way To Lose Weight, Lower Blood Pressure, Be Healthier & Add Years To Your Life encourages semi-vegetarian eating to help lower your blood pressure, glucose, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels and reduce the likelihood of diseases and cancers. Being a "flexitarian eater" means lowering your intake of meat, and eating more fruits and vegetables, plant-foods and whole grains. "Being a flexitarian is a more flexible, more realistic way to be a vegetarian" says Dawn Jackson Blatner, the creator of The Flexitarian Diet.
Comment: Infectious diseases can be serious and sometimes permanent. By eating as a "flexitarian" you decrease your chances of acquiring one of these conditions. Eating within these certain guidelines will also help you in other medical aspects, leading to better overall health.
Read article - Medical News TODAY October 17, 2008
Patients Misunderstand Written Screening Tests - [10/14/08]
Summary: The majority of physicians require patients to answer written questions while in the waiting room to visit the doctor. However, a new survey has revealed the gap between doctors and patients in the process of answering the written questions. Because of the difference in literacy between patients and physicians, most patients are confused, or don't understand most of the questions. According to Dr. Master, one of the authors of this survey, the predominant reason for this is illiteracy.
Comment: Illiteracy is becoming more common in American which is causing great problems to physicians. Not only is there a problem with illiteracy but also with patients who are innumerate. By answering the surveys to the best of your abilities, you will receive better diagnosis or treatment of hepatitis b.
Read article - Medical News TODAY October 14, 2008
Internet Consulted More Often Than Doctors - [10/12/08]
Summary: New market research shows that over the past year more adults went to the internet to get health information than consulted a doctor. This trend may likely be the product of an increasing consumer comfort in using the web to find reliable medical information. In addition, rising costs of healthcare coverage and visits to the doctor may be adding to the preference for first looking for information online.
Comment: The impacts of this trend, as well as others, will be discussed in an online seminar entitled "Is TV Dead? How the New New Media Changes Pharmaceutical DTC Advertising". The event is scheduled for October 14th at 11am EST and October 16th at 3pm EST.
Read article - Medical News Today. October 12, 2008.
Read article - Register for the Seminar
Vitamin D Linked to Overall Health - [10/10/08]
Summary: Vitamin D has been linked to improved overall health. This vitamin affects 36 organ tissues in the body including bone marrow, breast, colon, intestine, kidney, lung, prostate, retina, skin, stomach and uterus tissues. It has also been linked to improving immune systems, insulin secretion, heart health, blood pressure, muscle strength, brain activity, and decreased risk of cancer. For most adults 200-600 IU of daily vitamin D is recommended, but some experts recommend up to 2000 IU daily.
Comment: Vitamin D has previously been thought to improve bone health, but this study shows that it can affect all areas of health. By increased intake of vitamin D people with hepatitis B can experience improved health.
Read article - Medical News TODAY October 10, 2008
Medicare Eliminates Coverage for 10 "Reasonably Preventable" Errors - [10/02/08]
Summary: New regulations, which will take effect next Wednesday, have Medicare halting payment for 10 errors which they have deemed "conditions that could reasonably have been prevented." Expected to affect hundreds of thousands, the new rules will mostly likely not result in a major reduction in expenses.
Comment: This new decision comes on the heels of announcements by four state Medicaid organizations last year in which they eliminated 28 "never events", preventable errors, from coverage. The trend seems to be growing and could have negative ramifications for millions of Americans. Among others, healthcare professionals have begun expressing concern about the decision.
Read article - Medical News Today. October 2, 2008.
Efforts to Reduce Ethnic and Racial Disparities - [09/29/08]
Summary: This article outlines current efforts are being made to reduce racial and ethnic health care disparities. These include the Respira program, which focuses on providing asthma education and outreach to Hispanic communities. Another program is a lecture that seeks to improve knowledge of blood pressure management and diabetes. Other efforts involve grants to increase levels of minority students in medical programs, and campaigns to increase medical literacy in minority communities.
Comment: Racial and ethnic disparities exist in most areas of medical care including hepatitis B. These disparities can often be dangerous to the health of minority people. These programs are aiming to close the gaps in health care, which can result in better care for people with hepatitis B.
Read article - Medical News TODAY September 29, 2008
Hepatitis B Vaccine Does Not Increase Risk of MS - [09/25/08]
Summary: New research confirms that most children who are vaccinated against hepatitis B are not put at an increased risk for Multiple Sclerosis. Yet, although it can now be said that the hepatitis B vaccine does not generally increase risk of MS, it was noted that children with MS were 1.74 times more likely to have received a specific type of hepatitis B vaccine called Engerix B. This was the only vaccine for which such a connection was found.
Comment: Researchers wish to note that the correlation between the Engerix B vaccine and MS should not be taken as an indication that Engerix B causes MS. More studies will be needed to fully understand the relationship between that specific vaccine and the development of Multiple Sclerosis.
Read article - American Academy of Neurology. September 25, 2008.
Safety Gaps During Sign Out - [09/22/08]
Summary: Patients may experienced lower quality of care during sign outs, which is the transfer of a patients during a shift change. Researchers used oral sign-outs and written sign-outs to compare to reports of subsequent errors. It was found that doctors are often more confused about the patient information rather than factual details. Examples of such problems are doctors not fully understanding the clinical condition, or doctors not knowing the reasoning behind a test.
Comment: It is suggested that sign-out procedures become a part of medical school curriculum to raise the quality of patient care. Patients should also be aware that after and during a sign-out their doctors may not be fully informed about their conditions and test. Being able to close these safety gaps at sign-out can allow patients to receive the best care possible.
Read article - HealthNewsDigest.com September 22, 2008
First FDA Approved Viral Hepatitis B Load Test - [09/08/08]
Summary: The FDA recently approved the COBAS TaqMan HBV Test, which can detect more levels of the Hepatitis B virus in a patient's blood. This new load test can reveal higher and lower levels of this virus than any other test.
Comment: Hepatitis B is a serious life threatening condition. It is treated until the virus is undetectable. Because it is treated so aggressively, it is imperative that tests can detect even the smallest amount of the virus. This new technology will help with treating Hepatitis B which could dramatically drop the number of patients who have liver damage from this condition
Read article - Medical News TODAY September 8, 2008