Therapist Unlimited Blog

Those persons seeking to use aspirin as prevention against cardiovascular disease better abandon the plan now.
A recent medical research has uncovered that the use of low-dose aspirin to ward off heart attacks and strokes in those yet to develop obvious cardiovascular disease can cause serious medical complications.
In the medical world, low-dose aspirin is widely used to prevent further episodes of cardiovascular disease in people who have already had problems such as a heart attack or stroke.
This method known as secondary prevention is well established and of confirmed benefit.
But it is the use of aspirin in primary prevention for those without symptoms, who have not yet had, for example, a heart attack or stroke, but who may be at risk of doing so, following an analysis of the available evidence.
In 2000, cardiovascular disease accounted for two million deaths across the European Union alone, and "worldwide, many people take aspirin every day in the belief that doing so helps prevent cardiovascular disease," says the researchers.

Aspirin could be fatal if not used properly.

The researchers points to various guidelines issued between 2005 and 2008 that recommend aspirin for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in various groups of patients. Examples include people aged 50 and older with type 2 diabetes and those with high blood pressure.
But the team explained that the current evidence does not back up the routine use of low-dose aspirin in such groups, because of the potential risk of serious gastrointestinal bleeds that accompany its use and the negligible impact it has on curbing death rates.
Doctors should review all patients currently taking low-dose aspirin for primary prevention, either as prescribed or over-the-counter treatment, says the research team.
"And the decision about whether to continue or stop treatment should be made only after fully informing patients of the available evidence", they added.
"Furthermore,  the researchers concluded that current evidence for primary prevention suggests the benefits and harms of aspirin in this setting may be more finely balanced than previously thought, even in individuals estimated to be at high risk of experiencing cardiovascular events, including those with diabetes or elevated blood pressure.
The researchers believe, that low dose aspirin prophylaxis should not be routinely used for primary prevention.

A leading medical organization has warned parents around the world warned parents to be careful with the disease dubbed as acid reflux since it can cause death if not given proper and immediate treatment.
The medical name for the disease is gastroesophageal reflux. It means stomach + esophagus + backwash.
The Pediatric Adolescent Gastroesophageal Reflux (PAGER) Association has been helping families learn about acid reflux since 1992.
Beth Pulsifer-Anderson, Director of PAGER Association revealed acid reflux in children is often overlooked.
Based on medical facts some of the clues of the disease include excessive crying, ‘colic’, a burning sensation in the throat or chest, tummy aches, spitting up, a sensation of
food coming up, poor appetite, poor weight gain, trouble swallowing, night waking, ear infections, sinus problems, asthma, wheezing, tooth decay and bad breath.
Pulsifer-Anderson added untreated reflux can cause excruciating pain and serious health problems.
She explained a child with acid reflux is often miserable and this affects the whole family.
Moreover said she said PAGER Association has been contacted by more and more Spanish speaking families in recent years.
According to studies, about 6 million Hispanics in the US have acid reflux symptoms and most don’t seek treatment.
Pulsifer-Anderson says, "It is important for Spanish speaking parents to know about acid reflux so they can be sure their children can get appropriate medical attention.

 

Parents worldwide need to be careful about acid reflux since it can lead to the death of their children.

Patients suffering from kidney trouble better refrain from eating fresh meats.
According to a latest medical study, uncooked meat products enhanced with food additives may contain high levels of phosphorous and potassium that are not discernable from inspection of food labels.
According to medical experts, dietary phosphorous and potassium that at high levels are harmful to kidney disease patients.
The experts advices that kidney disease patients on dialysis must watch their intake of dietary phosphate so that their blood phosphate levels do not rise.
The experts explained this is important because high blood phosphate levels may cause premature death in dialysis patients.
The experts added kidney disease patients also must limit their intake of potassium, because high blood potassium levels can cause sudden death.
The studies conducted by the medical experts has shown that one growing source of dietary phosphorous and potassium is through "enhanced" fresh meat and poultry products.

Kidney patients need to avoid fresh meat if they wish to avoid complications from their medical condition.

The experts said these foods are injected with a solution of water with sodium and potassium salts (particularly phosphates) as well as antioxidants and flavorings.
However, the researchers revealed while ingesting phosphates and potassium can be dangerous for dialysis patients, there is no requirement that these ingredients be included in nutrition labels.
The researchers added there also have been no studies on the levels of phosphates and potassium contained in fresh meat and poultry products that have been "enhanced."
Moreover, the researchers hoped that with their discovery, manufacturers will label their foods properly so that the public will be aware of its components which could be harmful to their health.

According to the latest medical study, acidic drinks are more deadly for the teeth than whitening creams.
Based on the study conducted by the Eastman Institute for Oral Health at the University of Rochester Medical Center, it was discovered that the effects of 6 percent hydrogen peroxide, the common ingredient in professional and over-the-counter whitening products, are insignificant compared to acidic fruit juices.
Researchers found out that orange juice markedly decreased hardness and increased roughness of tooth enamel.
Eastman Institute’s YanFang Ren, DDS, PhD, and his team determined that the acid is so strong that the tooth is literally washed away.
Ren explained the orange juice decreased enamel hardness by 84 percent.
Ren added no significant change in hardness or surface enamel was found from whitening.
The researchers revealed weakened and eroded enamel might speed up the wear of the tooth and increase the risk for tooth decay to quickly develop and spread.
The team of experts said most soft drinks, including sodas and fruit juices, are acidic in nature.
They said their studies demonstrated that the orange juice, as an example, could potentially cause significant erosion of teeth.
The researchers said it’s long been known that juice and sodas have high acid content, and can negatively affect enamel hardness.
Furthermore, the researchers said there are also some studies that showed whitening can affect the hardness of dental enamel, but until now, nobody had compared the two.

Contrary to public perception, acidic according to medical studies are more harmful for the teeth than most whitening creams.

The researchers said the study allowed them to understand the effect of whitening on enamel relative to the effect of a daily dietary activity, such as drinking juices.
The researchers said it is potentially a very serious problem for people who drink sodas and fruit juices daily, adding that dental researchers nationwide are increasingly studying tooth erosion, and are investing significant resources into possible preventions and treatments.
The researchers admitted they do not yet have an effective tool to avert the erosive effects, although there are early indications that higher levels of fluoride may help slow down the erosion.
Meanwhile, Ren advises that consumers be aware of the acidic nature of beverages, including sodas, fruit juices, sports and energy drinks.
He said the longer teeth are in contact with the acidic drinks, the more severe the erosion will be.
The lead researcher said people who sip their drinks slowly over 20 minutes are more likely to have tooth erosion than those who finish a drink quickly.
The lead researcher added it’s also very important to keep good oral hygiene practices, by brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, and see a dentist for a fluoride treatment at least once a year if you are at risk.

Women around the world should strive hard to achieve ample time of sleep ideally eight hours a day to avoid chances of suffering from heart related medical problems.
According to the research conducted by the University of Warwick and University College London it was discovered that women who get less than the recommended eight hours sleep a night are at higher risk of heart disease and heart-related problems than men with the same sleeping patterns.
The researchers have found out that levels of inflammatory markers vary significantly with sleep duration in women, but not men.
The researchers revealed they found Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a marker related to coronary heart disease, were significantly lower in women who reported sleeping eight hours as compared with seven hours.
Lead author of the study, Associate Professor of Biochemical Medicine at Warwick Medical School Michelle Miller said short-term sleep deprivation studies have shown that inflammatory markers are elevated in sleep-deprived individuals, suggesting that inflammatory mechanisms may play a role in the cardiovascular risk associated with sleep deprivation.
The lead researcher said their study could provide some insight into a potential mechanism for the observation in previous studies, which indicates an increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease in individuals who have less than five hours sleep per night, and increased risk of non-cardiovascular death in long sleepers.

Women need to have adequate sleep to avoid suffering from heart related diseases.

She said this is the first large-scale study to describe the associations between measures of inflammation and sleep duration in both men and women.
To get the data, Miller said they carefully evaluated 4,600 white participants from the University College London-based Whitehall II cohort study; 73% were men.
She said participants between the ages of 35 and 55 years were recruited between 1985 and 1988 from 20 London-based civil service departments.
Data for this study is from the phase 3 follow-up (1991-1993). Sleep duration was determined by subjective questionnaires, and general health was assessed during a screening examination.
Furthermore, Miller said the findings add to the growing body of evidence, which suggests that there is a non-linear relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and duration of sleep. She said her team fully support the idea that short sleep is associated with an increase in cardiovascular risk and that the association between sleep duration and cardiovascular risk factors is markedly different in men and women.

 

Medical experts revealed if not treated and detected earlier groin injuries could be more serious than a pulled muscle.
Based on a recent research it was also uncovered that a number of athletes around the world are diagnosed with a pulled groin muscle when they actually might be suffering from a much more serious hip injury.
Dr. Kaare Kolstad, an orthopaedic surgeon with The Methodist Hospital in Houston explained because the hip is located closely to the groin area, many people mistake hip injuries for groin pulls and is misdiagnosed.
It is said that the groin muscles consist of six muscles that cover the area from the inner pelvis to the inner part of the femur (thigh bone).
These muscles pull the leg together and help with other movements of the hip joint. This is why a hip injury is sometimes mistaken for a groin pull, an injury to the inner thigh.
Recent studies revealed the two most common sports-related hip injuries are a labral tear, which can be caused by sudden stops and turns on the field and cause pain in the groin area, and a stress fracture, which are hairline cracks in the bone that can get worse over time.

Patients around the world should not take groin injuries easy since it could be worse than a pulled muscle.

The study also showed that a hip injury brought on by athletic activity would cause deep, persistent pain that can last for weeks.
Physicians and orthopaedics said the pain can get so bad that it can even hurt to sit down.
The medical personnel around the world can determine from an X-ray or MRI if the problem is a groin pull or hip injury that would require either physical therapy, cortisone injections or surgery.
 If hip surgery is necessary, a minimally invasive procedure is now available that will get athletes back on their feet in four to six weeks as opposed to four to five months with open surgery.
Kolstad said to avoid further complications it is important to see a physician if pain in the groin area persists for a week or two.
He added if doctors catch it, early enough, he or she could fix the problem and get the patient to his or her feet.
He explained the longer the patient wait to have the problem fixed, the higher the risk that degeneration of the hip will occur, which will eventually lead to a hip replacement.
 

Parents around the world need to be careful since a recent medical study revealed that some stimulant drugs used to treat  attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) resulted in a sudden cardiac death in healthy children.
In the data gathered by Dr. Madelyn S Gould of Columbia University, New York, New York, and colleagues, they found out that some 564 healthy children suddenly died after taking some stimulants such as methylphenidate (better known in the US under its brand name of Ritalin).
Gould and her team studied the children aged 7 to 19 from across the US who died suddenly and most likely due to sudden cardiac disturbance after taking stimulant drugs.
She said parents of children facing ADHD should always be careful in the use of stimulants as treatment since it could be deadly for their children.
Meanwhile, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned parents who have children with ADHD to discuss concerns with the treatment of their children to the prescribing doctor to avoid any risk.
To dig deeper into the report, the FDA is already co-sponsoring another larger study that is looking at the link between increased risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular problems and use of stimulant medication by children, the results of which are expected to come out later this year.

Parents should be careful in using stimulant drugs used for ADHD treatment since it offers health risk to their children.

The federal agency also urged doctors to follow the current prescribing information that accompanies the product label, which recommends that young and adult patients being considered for ADHD treatment.
The FDA said parents of children facing ADHD should work with their health care professional to develop a treatment plan that includes a careful health history for cardiovascular disease in the child and his or her family.
The FDA added such preparation should include a physical exam that pays particular attention to the cardiovascular system, and should consider screening tests such as electrocardiogram and echocardiogram, depending on the patient’s history and whether it suggests possible risk factors for heart disease.

One of the best available painkillers in the market today is oxycontin, a strong and effective analgesic tablet.
Those people who are suffering from severe pain can sure find relief in this kind of prescription drug.
With the benefit, it offers large number of people suffering from severe pain all over the world is using it with formal prescription from a certified medical doctor.
However, it is sad to note that despite the benefit it offers a significant number of people suffer negative consequences for using this popular medicine for pleasure and without any formal prescription from a professional physician.
Those people who use this type of medicine beyond its normal dosage became addicted to it and later end up suffering from certain type of ailment.
It was observed that instead of taking it twice a day for those suffering from pain those who are addicted to  oxycontin are using it more than the require frequency and dosage.
According to reports, those who are addicted to oxycontin crush the pill then use the crushed powder by eating and loading it into a needle and injected by IV drug users.

Patients seeking relief from pain should be careful in using oxycontin since this type of medical can be deadly if used without precaution.

Medical experts warned taking oxycontin beyond its normal dosage and frequency could result in death to those who have a weak immune system.
Based on medical research common signs of people suffering from oxycontin addiction are sluggishness and a decrease in motivation.
The research also showed that oxycontin addicts are also irritable and irrational during times when they no longer have the drug available.
With the deadly effect, it could offer to anyone who will use it reckless it would be best to those suffering from severe pain to use it appropriately based on its dosage and frequency, so that it can offer relief instead of deadly medical consequences.

A recent study revealed that children who spend long hours in video games are at risk of suffering injury.
According to medical experts, children who are video games addicts could suffer injury in their thumb and other parts of their body if their unabated passion for this type of activity would be reduced or stopped.
Medical experts added children hooked in video games are also at risk of facing years of agony from bad posture and repetitive strain injury (RSI).
With millions of children hooked on video games worldwide, experts fear that many of them could suffer long and short-term injury because of their activity.
The medical physicians explained the repeated physical movements associated in connection with long hours of video games playing could damage the tendon, nerves and muscles of children.
It was also reported that in Great Britain where countless of children are hooked into video games more than 100,000 new medical cases are being reported each year.
The alarming statistics drove the British government to do some measures to solve the video games addiction among their young populace.
Video games addiction had already become a global problem so governments around the world like the British should exert effort to closely monitor this activity.
Playing video games is not very bad since it is a form of entertainment but in doing so the one playing should just be responsible since "too much of everything is bad".
The parents of children hooked on video games should also be vigilant to closely monitor them so that their health would not be affected by this kind of activity.

Parents should prohibit their children from playing long hours of video games since this activity can be deadly to their health.