The Selling of Diseases by Pharmaceutical Companies

The Selling of New Diseases - ADHD

I recently posted concerning the "new" diagnosis of Low-T which has become a very popular disease, solely due to drug ads. It is, as I had mentioned, very over-diagnosed.

Now a report discussed the marketing, even to children, of Attention Deficit Disorder, or ADD, which has resulted in an artificial epidemic; with the number of cases diagnosed rising dramatically.

I also remember the "epidemic" of Restless leg Syndrome induced by a relatively dangerous drug developed initially for Parkison's but not selling well enough for the drug company.

Another reason not to have drug ads on TV. But since drug companies spend so much on lobbying this is unlikely ever to happen

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/15/health/the-selling-of-attention-deficit-disorder.html?_r=0

Flax Seed and High Blood Pressure

Flax Seed and High Blood Pressure

In a recent study, researchers discovered that what some complementary physicians have been saying for some time.

I animal studies flax seed has shown effects on blood pressure and preventing atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries.

In a recent human study, they found that patients who ate 30mg of flax seed daily had a significant drop in blood pressure; and those with high blood pressure even had a greater drop.

A natural alternative!

Less Antibiotics in our Meat!

Some good news about antibiotics in livestock. farmers have been adding these to animal feed for many years with the mistaken belief that it increases production. In actuality, using hygienic farming techniques (which isolates sick animals, and moves healthy animals to new, clean environments as they grow) is just as effective.

However, farmers habits seem difficult to change. Since these antibiotics can affect resistance in human bacteria, and have numerous other issues, they should not be in animal feed.

Finally addressing this, albeit incompletely, the FDA has embarked on a three year plan. Companies producing drugs for the food industry will be asked to voluntarily revise their labels to require veterinarian oversight for therapeutic use, and to remove all nontherapeutic production purposes. Extralabel use of drugs is not allowed with livestock.

A step in the right direction!

Vitamins and AIDS

A recent study in Africa revealed that new HIV infected patients who took a multivitamin with Selenium had a significantly slower progression of AIDS than controls.The study used were B vitamins plus C and E

How this relates to the disease and what the vitamins do is unknown. An interesting twist on vitamins!

World Alzheimer Report

I found the following report from Alzheimer's Disease International quite interesting:

• The prevalence and incidence of dementia double with every 5-year increase in age.
• The patient's family is the primary caregiving source and is aided by professionals who provide care at home or at specialized residential centers (care homes).
• Quality of life in patients with dementia — the ultimate treatment goal — is similar for those cared for at home and those in specialized centers.
• Dementia costs US$604 billion annually worldwide. Costs are projected to double to $1,117 billion by 2030.
• The total cost per person with dementia is 38 times higher in high-income countries than in low-income countries.
• Standard and Poor considers global aging a threat to world economic stability.
• The proportion of dependent persons aged 60 and older will increase between 2000 and 2050 from 29% to 45%.
• Promoting healthy aging and healthy lifestyles may postpone dementia-related dependence.
• Among older American adults, those with dementia are much more likely than those without dementia to live in specialized centers (about 30% to 40% vs. 2%). Only about 6% of dementia patients in low- and middle-income countries live in centers.
• Approximately 15 million American adults give unpaid care to someone with dementia.
• In Latin America, India, and China, those who live with an older person with dementia have a twofold increased risk for psychological morbidity.
• Dementia is incurable and life-limiting and therefore confers the right to palliative care.
• At the end of life, the most common symptoms in dementia patients are pain, pressure sores, shortness of breath, eating and swallowing problems, infections, and psychological symptoms, including agitation. Both under- and over-treatment should be avoided.
• Advance decisions to refuse treatment should be made with supervision from an expert in the process and by a patient with mental competence at the time of the decision.          

Calcium and Vitamin D - Does it Help?

Many people take calcium and vitamin D supplements, especially after menopause, in hopes of preventing fractures and other diseases. But does it work?

In a recent study looking at several thousand women researchers discovered that 1000mg of calcium plus 400U of vitamin D did result in a very slight reduction in fractures; but also had no adverse effects.

Interestingly, those who took more than 600U of Vitamin D daily had a 30% higher risk of invasive breast cancer!

In general most vitamin supplements are relatively harmless. However, we need to be careful taking high doses without proper evidence. I would not take high doses of any vitamin without proper indication. Even in the case of Vitamin D deficiency I do not give more than 2000U daily.

Another New Sleeping Pill?

Sleeping pills are very popular drugs these days. I generally discourage patients to take them on a regular basis, due to the potential for dependency.

The first sleeping pills were barbiturates; which are highly addictive and deadly in overdose.

The next group included valium, dalmane and restoril; which are not toxic but quite addictive and often leave you tired the next day.

The most recent group of drugs include Ambien and Lunesta. They work on different receptors and are likely a little less addictive, and may sustain dream sleep which the other drugs suppress. There have been some reports of amnesia and sleep walking with these.

The newest category, not yet approved, attempts to block the stay awake hormones in the body. If it can do so without other side effects this could be an interesting and possibly less addictive drug. However, it is too early to tell, and when it comes out (if it does) I would recommend waiting to see. Theoretically if it really does block it the body may produce more and this could become highly addictive. And many drugs have totally unknown side effects that can be very serious and become known only after a year or so (or more) on the market.

The article below gives an interesting history of sleeping pills.

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2013/12/09/131209fa_fact_parker?currentPage=all

Low-T - Marketing and Adverse Effects

Previously, I had remarked how the explosion of marketing had created a disease called Low-T or low testosterone. This splash has, of course, resulted in many men taking unnecessary hormone supplements. In addition, a recent study showed that older men (typically those who take testosterone for "fatigue") have a significantly higher incidence of heart attacks if they take testosterone. As well many believe it can also stimulate prostate cancer to become aggressive.

Although the "normal" testosterone level is about 350, most endocrinologists do not recommend treatment if the level is above 200. Following this advice would, of course, destroy this multi-million dollar industry since true deficiency is quite rare.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/16/us/a-push-to-sell-testosterone-gels-troubles-doctors.html?_r=0

Hospitals and Profits

Recently I posted about the high cost of medicine in this country; more than any developed country.

One of the reasons is the unregulated profits of hospitals and insurers. If we are going to make health care a mandatory benefit (and we should) we need to regulate the insane profits.

For example, a physician doing stitches in their office; or in an urgent care center will get about $100-$200 for the entire procedure; and most often follow up visits are included. However if that urgent care center is associated with a hospital; they can bill ER fees for essentially the same services. And most of the time the insurance pays for most if it. Of course we end up paying the insurance plus a 30-40% margin for their profit and administration.

Until we can rein in the excess costs healthcare in this country will have several tiers and high costs.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/03/health/as-hospital-costs-soar-single-stitch-tops-500.html?_r=0

The U.S. Health Care System Is Terrible, In 1 Enraging Chart

The article below says it all. Once again politics and profit are hurting us.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/22/american-health-care-terrible_n_4324967.html

From Huffington Post:

This chart shows monies spend on health care from left to right; and relative health of the population (higher  is better). The red arrow shows USA; spending much more than any other country per person; yet one of the lowest health of any developed country. Read the article!

Depression and Premature Aging

A recent study found that depressed patients have shortened telomeres. Telomeres are repetitive DNA segments at the end of our chromosomes. Every time a cell divides the telomere shortens; eventually it is too short and the cell dies. Researchers think this may be part of our programmed aging.

We don't know if treating the depression lengthens the telomeres. However it is possible that depression result in slightly premnature aging.

Incidentally, the story of telomeres is quite fascinating. If we try to prevent their shortening we find an increase in cancer. In fact many cancers have enzymes that prevent shortening and so enhance their survival!