Nationwide Drop in Mammographies May Explain Breast Cancer “Decline”

May 31, 2007

A new report from the National Cancer Institute notes a nationwide decline in mammography utilization between 2000 and 2005 in statistics from the National Health Interview Survey. This raises the unhappy possibility that the reported reduction in the incidence of breast cancer in recent years may be nothing more than observer error.

There were significant drops in mammography use among women in the highest risk group (those aged between 50 and 64) and among educated white women with health insurance—one group that has traditionally had regular mammograms.

Only last month, other experts were proposing that the recent decline in breast cancer rates was due to reduced use of hormone replacement therapy.

Refine you search with clinically useful categories:

Practice Guidelines
Remind yourself about what the guidelines are for mammography screening in primary care.

Practical Articles and News
What are the most effective ways to encourage your patients to get mammograms on schedule?

No Comments » | Breast | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by Cranky Aged Mama

Most Herbal Med Users Ignore Even Positive Evidence

May 24, 2007

A study based on the annual National Health Interview Survey shows that most people pay no attention to clinical studies about herbal supplements they are taking. This is especially true among women and people in that large and aging population of “yuppie” baby boomers—non-Hispanic whites younger than 60—as well as (go figure) college graduates.

Is this an opportunity in disguise? Another recent survey suggests that after age 60, at least, many people want to know more about herbs and supplements.

SearchMedica organizes the results into clinically useful categories to speed your search for relevant information:

Evidence-based Medicine and Meta-Analysis
A quick look at this search category shows plenty of rigorous studies about each of the herbs mentioned in the most recent study: garlic, ginseng, kava-kava, soy, and St. John’s wort.

Clinical Trials for Patients
There are also plenty of clinical trials recruiting people to test herbal medicines for this and that. Perhaps this would be a wake-up call for some patients.

No Comments » | Alternative Medicine, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by Cranky Aged Mama

Massive New Trial Results Validate HPV Vaccine Guidelines

May 17, 2007

Two major trials sponsored by Merck, the manufacturer of the new human papillomavirus vaccine, have found it almost completely effective in preventing cervical cancers among more than 17,500 young women. An editorial alongside the report in the May 10 New England Journal of Medicine notes that although the trials did not include pre-teen girls, vaccination before the onset of sexual activity “seems to be preferable”.

In the same issue of the journal, a separate study links a 15-fold increase in risk of oropharyngeal carcinoma with one subtype of HPV that is controlled with the new vaccine. The link has been suspected for some time. Would the vaccine also be useful for people at special risk of throat cancer, such as smokers and drinkers?

SearchMedica organizes the results into clinically useful categories to speed your search for relevant information:

Clinical Practice Guidelines
Quickly find the recent guidelines relevant to the new findings.

Practical Articles and News
Read about the debate surrounding the recommendation to vaccinate girls at age 11 or 12.

No Comments » | Cervical, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by Cranky Aged Mama

Heart Deaths Worldwide Plummet over 6 Years

May 10, 2007

A prospective study carried out in 14 countries worldwide has documented a drop of nearly 50% in heart attack deaths, heart failure, and reinfarction between 1999 and 2005. Published in the May 2 Journal of the American Medical Association, the study also showed dramatic increases in the use of statins, blood thinners, and angioplasty.

Intriguingly, just last month in the New England Journal of Medicine a major randomized trial suggested that angioplasty is not justified for stable coronary disease. Medical management did just as well.

SearchMedica organizes the results into clinically useful categories to speed your search for relevant information:

Practice Guidelines
Over the last six years there have been major revisions in guidelines for coronary disease treatment from expert bodies in numerous nations.

Practical Articles and News
What is the best advice about up-to-date management of all those people recovering from myocardial infarction?

No Comments » | Cardiovascular | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by Cranky Aged Mama

More Evidence Links Type 2 Diabetes to Parkinson’s Risk

May 3, 2007

In prospective observation over 18 years, among more than 50,000 Finnish men and women, those who developed Parkinson’s disease were nearly twice as likely to also have Type 2 diabetes. This result from this study reported in Diabetes Care confirms prior observations of a link between the two diseases.

What’s the history of research into the association between diabetes and Parkinsonism?

Filter your results by content category to speed your research and deepen your insight into this information:

Research Reviews and Editorials: What is known about the relationship between the two diseases?

Clinical Trials: What clinical trials are available for newly diagnosed patients with these conditions?

No Comments » | Diabetes_Endocrine | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by Cranky Aged Mama