Monthly Archive for January, 2011

Two new drugs may help fight hepatitis C

Published on January 24, 2011 in Health and Wellness. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Things may be looking up  for a long overlooked epidemic. There will be two very powerful drugs available soon that may help cure many people of the hepatitis C disease which attacks the liver. This said, most people who have the infection are not even aware of it yet.

Remarkably, around two-thirds of hepatitis C sufferers are believed to be baby boomers who may have acquired this disease in their carefree youth. The virus can take twenty to thirty years to complete its damage.

Perhaps it is time to consider if the government should suggest that baby boomers be checked for hepatitis C like they are for cancer.

This two-drug treatment for hepatitis C will cure about 40 percent of people who have the common variety of the virus, but can cause some unwelcome side effects. Major studies reveal that adding a new drug – either Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ telaprevir or Merck & Co.’s boceprevir – can lift those cure rates to as high as 75 percent. They also allow people to cut treatment time in half, about six months, which will reduce how long they have to endure those terrible side effects.

If the FDA approves the drugs, they would be the first to directly target the hepatitis C virus. The decision is expected to be announced sometime this summer.

The most significance could come if more people would get tested for hepatitis C, which is a blood-borne virus. Most people think that it is a only a risk for those who inject illegal drugs. The virus could also have begun from blood transfusions before 1992. Testing of the blood supply was not performed until then.

People are still exposed today in health care facilities due to errors in infection control. Even a one-time experiment with drugs, perhaps in college, could also expose someone. Many doctors are hesitant to ask a middle-aged conservative patient to reveal, according to Dr. John Ward.

Both abstinence and excess drinking linked to dementia

Published on January 24, 2011 in Health and Wellness. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Scientists have recently found that whether you drink too much or not at all, you may increase your risk for developing dementia.

In the December issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, a Finnish study found that people who either didn’t drink at all or those who drank heavily, are at increased risk for dementia later in life.

Led by Jyri Virta from the University of Turku in Finland, scientists discovered that the pattern of drinking and the amount of alcohol consumed were both crucial factors in the risk for dementia.

For example, people who drank the quantity of a bottle of wine at one sitting only once a month but controlled their drinking the rest of the time, still increased their risk for dementia according to the researchers. The study found that binge drinking actually doubled the risk.

Even more scary was the fact that the study claims that passing out from heavy drinking just once was enough to increase one’s risk for cognitive impairment.

The research depended on a study group established in 1974 called the Finnish twin cohort. It explored links between the environment and chronic diseases.

In a statement the scientist  Jyri Virta said, “Our finding is significant as the changes typical of Alzheimer’s disease – the most common dementia syndrome – are thought to start appearing two to three decades before clinical manifestation and therefore identification of early risk factors is imperative.”

Surprisingly, people who never drank alcohol were found to be at more risk for cognitive impairment than moderate drinkers. This finding provides even more proof that totally staying away from alcohol can increase some health risks. In earlier research, non-drinkers were four times more likely to get rheumatoid arthritis than moderate drinkers.

The researchers used questionnaires on which people rated their own drinking, possibly distorting the results.

Virta said that one explanation for moderate drinkers showing some health benefits could be that they are more likely to live healthier in general.

BCBSNC and UNC Health Care to initiate innovative patient-centered practice

Published on January 24, 2011 in BCBSNC. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

On January 11, 2011 BCBSNC and UNC Health Care announced their partnership to work together and form a totally new type of medical practice where patients will be the main focus of care. This cutting-edge type of medical practice will reach beyond what is known as the ‘medical home’ and will allow teams of health care providers to work together with patients and families to provide excellent coordinated care.

This new type of practice is expected to open sometime in the fourth quarter of 2011 and will most likely be located in Orange or Durham county. This practice will be the first product of an ongoing team effort for BCBSNC and UNC Health Care. They will be working with each other to improve health care quality, efficiency and effectiveness and bring down health-care costs.

BCBSNC President and CEO Brad Wilson said that “the team approach to care emphasizes patient involvement and allows more time for clinical interaction and patient education and support. We believe this approach will result in improved health and fewer complications – both of which will help control rising health care costs.”

Around 5,000 BCBSNC members will be able to use this new practice. It will focus on patients with chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, obstructive lung disease, coronary artery disease, major depression and asthma.

Continuous care will be available with the new practice, because coordinated care will extend across a variety of settings and provider types. The practice was created to allow more effective patient-provider interactions, resulting in increased patient satisfaction and better health. Also, this practice will supply an extended set of services and better access to these services which include:

  • On-site mental health
  • On-site pharmacy and medication management
  • On-site nutritionist
  • On-site laboratory
  • Non-traditional visit formats (e-visits, tele-visits, home monitoring)
  • Case management and coordination of care for patients requiring hospitalization
  • Extended weekday and weekend hours
  • Group and educational visits
  • State-of-the-art information technology

BCBSNC and UNC Health Care will share the cost of leasing and equipping the practice.

New discovery of anti-allergy protein

Published on January 7, 2011 in Health and Wellness. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

A human protein that prevents hay fever, atopic dermatitis and other allergies has been discovered by a group of researchers. This breakthrough could pave the way for outstanding medicines that will treat these kinds of conditions.

A team at Tokyo’s University of Tsukuba, led by Professor Akira Shibuya, made the discovery. It was recently published by the scientific journal Nature Immunology.

The article explains that humans already carry the protein in their bodies. The group of researchers found the protein, named Allergen-1, on the outside area of mouse and human mast cells. Histamine and other allergy-causing substances are produced and released by these mast cells.

The group discovered that Allergen-1 prevents mast cells from sending signals to release histamine and similar substances. They also found that mice who were lacking in Allergen-1 were afflicted by extreme allergies.

Shibuya said that “If medicines enhancing Allergen-1 functions are developed, we can block the discharge of histamine and allergy-causing substances. We can then fundamentally suppress most allergies and provide sufferers with much better treatments.

Presently, there are medicines that keep the body from activating histamine and similar substances to treat those who suffer from allergies.

When the body’s immune system overreacts to protect the body from invading substances, allergies are activated. Some examples of allergies that often occur are allergic rhinitis and anaphylaxis caused by repeated bee stings.

The purpose of allergic reactions is to get rid of parasitic worms from the body by discharging extremely toxic substances like histamine. That is why these type of reactions can create such severe symptoms.