Researchers funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health, have found that requests from patients for medications have a “profound effect” on physicians prescribing for major depression and adjustment disorder. These findings indicate that direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketing of prescription medications for depression may exert significant influence on treatment decisions.
Some adults with mild persistent asthma may be able to adequately control their asthma by taking corticosteroids only when needed, instead of taking anti-inflammatory medication daily, according to new results from the Improving Asthma Control Trial (IMPACT). Conducted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute?s (NHLBI) Asthma Clinical Research Network, the one-year, multi-center study found that participants who were treated with corticosteroids intermittently based on symptoms had about the same rate of severe exacerbations and of asthma-related lung function decline as those treated with the standard recommendation of daily long-term control medication.
Yips, a condition that plagues professional and amateur golfers alike and leaves them unable to complete a stroke, may be a movement disorder similar to writer’s cramp and musician’s cramp, researchers reported this week.
Ginger appears to help pregnant women who suffer from morning sickness, without side effects to the unborn child, according to a review of the medical literature.
New research from Canada suggests that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables may help prevent pancreatic cancer, a particularly deadly type of tumor.
Menopause does not usually cause severe symptoms apart from hot flashes, and little is known about alternatives to hormone replacement therapy with its risks of cancer and heart attack, experts said.
Certain herbal supplements show promise for treating children’s colds, skin allergies and sleep problems, according to a new research review.
Vitamin E is one of the most widely used supplements, taken regularly by nearly a quarter of adults ages 55 and over. But recent research suggests that it may not do as much good in preventing cancer and other diseases as once thought, and it might actually cause harm.
By the beginning of this year, a consensus had developed on the link between COX-2 drugs and heart disease risk: The evidence for cardiovascular side effects was strongest for Vioxx and Bextra, intermediate for Celebrex, and weak for naproxen. An overview article in the March issue of the Harvard Health Letter explains this consensus, and can serve as a base of information that readers can turn to as this story continues to unfold.
A new study provides more evidence that women who are at increased risk of developing breast cancer can significantly reduce their risk by having both breasts removed, a procedure known as bilateral prophylactic mastectomy. The risk reduction in the current study was about 95 percent.