Medicine | Page 262 of 378 | SpiritIndia.com

Health Care :: Many patients don’t understand prescription medicine labels

Many people don’t fully understand the seemingly simple label instructions on their prescription medication, according to a Northwestern University study of low-income patients. Nearly half of the patients in the study misinterpreted at least one or more out of the five prescription labels they were shown. Patients with low literacy made the most mistakes, but even people with a high-school education and higher had problems. The reason is awkward wording, according to the researcher.

Rheumatoid Arthritis :: Impact of immunosuppressive medications on cardiovascular events in RA patients

Researchers at Harvard Medical School’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital compared the effects of a variety of immunosuppressive agents on cardiovascular events in a large sample of RA patients.

Embolism :: Oral anticoagulant rivaroxaban shows efficacy and safety for prevention of VTE

Phase II clinical trial results published today in Circulation (2006;114:2374-2381) highlight the potential of a simple, once-daily dosing regimen of the novel, oral anticoagulant rivaroxaban (BAY 59-7939), a direct Factor Xa inhibitor. In this trial, rivaroxaban demonstrated that it may have similar safety and efficacy to subcutaneous enoxaparin (the current standard), for the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients undergoing elective total hip replacement surgery.

Healthcare :: Novartis highlights strong R&D pipeline, plans for multiple new product launches

Novartis unveiled today new data on its promising pipeline amid plans for multiple new product approvals and launches over the next two years. Many of these anticipated approvals are for potentially best-in-class medicines that would advance treatment standards for patients with hypertension, diabetes, cancer and other diseases.

Flu :: Painkillers may threaten power of vaccines

With flu-shot season in full swing and widespread anticipation of the HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer, a new University of Rochester study suggests that using common painkillers around the time of vaccination might not be a good idea.

Healthcare :: Health inequalities are a growing problem worldwide

Global health inequalities are substantial, growing and influenced by economic, social and health-sector variables as well as geography, a study concludes in the November issue of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

Back Pain :: Spacer insertion may offer less invasive option for lumbar problems

Implanting a small spacer between lumbar vertebrae during a procedure called interspinous process decompression may be an effective and minimally invasive way to treat spinal stenosis, according to a new report.

Microcapsules like it hot and salty

Max Planck scientists in Potsdam are developing a new method using salt content and temperature to control the permeability of microcapsules.

Fibromyalgia :: Pain from fibromyalgia is real

Many people with fibromyalgia — a debilitating pain syndrome that affects 2 to 4 percent of the population — have faced the question of whether the condition is real.Increasingly, though, the scientific knowledge about fibromyalgia is growing, and a new paper from the University of Michigan Health System says there are “overwhelming data” that the condition is real.

Imaging :: Elasticity Imaging Identifies Breast Cancers and Reduces Breast Biopsies

A new ultrasound technique allows radiologists to accurately distinguish benign from malignant breast lesions. Using elasticity imaging, researchers correctly identified both cancerous and harmless lesions in nearly all of the cases studied. The findings were presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).