December 21, 2011

5 Ways Migraine Sufferers Can Keep Their Holidays Jolly

Noah Rosen, MD

From dealing with the endless lines while gift-shopping to burning the candle at both ends trying to attend all of the holiday parties, this time of year can be anything but jolly for migraine sufferers.

During the holiday season, we tend to sleep less, eat more and exercise less frequently – a bad combination that can trigger attacks in migraine sufferers. The good news is, you can prevent severe episodes of migraine by following this advice:
    
● Don’t skip meals. Empty stomachs can trigger headaches, so keep a regular and healthy eating schedule.

● Avoid common food triggers for migraine. Avoid things like ripe cheese, processed meat that include nitrates and chocolate.

● Maintain a regular sleep schedule. Stick to a regular sleep pattern by going to bed and waking up at the same time, even on the weekends. Lack of sleep can bring on migraines.

● Drink in moderation—if at all. Alternate alcoholic drinks with glasses of water and avoid red wine, since it contains an amino acid, which is a common migraine trigger.

● Shop early or online. The worst scenario for a migraine sufferer is to go shopping during peak time when the stores are hectic and hot. Try shopping earlier in the day to avoid the crowds and longer lines. Or better yet, shop online from the convenience of your own home.

Don’t forget about yourself.  With all of the holiday stress and busier than usual schedules, don’t forget to take time out for yourself and do whatever makes you happy--even if that means alone time or buying something for yourself.
 

Full Post - to Detail View

December 12, 2011

Ovary Preservation: Know the Risks and Benefits

Helen Greco, MD

About 15 percent of premenopausal women with hysterectomy experienced ovarian failure after four years of follow-up, compared with eight percent of women who did not undergo the surgery, according to the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology. It is unclear whether these findings are attributable to the surgery or the underlying condition that led to it.

Keeping the ovaries intact when undergoing a hysterectomy is a very personal decision. What needs to be put in perspective is the risk of dying from ovarian cancer compared to heart disease or osteoporosis, which are basically caused by low levels of estrogen.

Significantly, postmenopausal ovaries still produce estrogen and testosterone (testosterone is converted into a weak estrogen in fat)--though at much lower levels. Younger women with the BRCA mutation for breast or ovarian cancer may benefit from oophorectomy (surgical removal of the ovaries). But those with average risk for these cancers have increased risk of heart disease and osteoporotic fractures upon removal of the ovaries.

In 2011, ovarian cancer caused 15,460 deaths in the US. But 42 million American women have heart disease or are at risk for it, and 432,709 die from it annually. One in three women over 50 suffer from an osteoporotic fracture. The lifetime risk of developing ovarian cancer is 2.1 percent after hysterectomy and 2.7 percent in the general population. Full Post - to Detail View

December 09, 2011

High-Tech Tools Encourage Hospital Hand Hygiene

Bruce Farber, MD

Hand-washing is a key step to prevent infections. It is especially critical in hospitals, where healthcare workers can potentially transfer microorganisms from one patient to another. A study at North Shore University Hospital shows that remote video auditing combined with employee feedback produces a significant and sustained improvement in hand hygiene, which directly benefits patients.

From June 2008 through June 2010, we placed cameras with views of every sink and hand-sanitizer dispenser in the Intensive Care Unit. For the first part of the study, which lasted 16 weeks and did not include feedback, staff members’ hand-hygiene rates were less than 10 percent. During the subsequent 91-week period, video auditors observed healthcare workers’ hand-hygiene compliance and posted positive results on hallway electronic boards—and hand-hygiene rates increased to 88 percent.

Full Post - to Detail View

December 07, 2011

US Dialysis Standards Need Revamping

Steven Fishbane, MD

In the US, dialysis patients have a high rate of heart attack and other cardiovascular events. Thicker blood (increased blood viscosity) caused in part by insufficient kidney dialysis may be the culprit. In a recent Newsday article, I explained some recent research that my colleagues and I presented at the American Society of Nephrology that may support this contention.

The standard dialysis regimen in this country is three to four hours a session, three days a week, while patients in France, Japan and Australia often undergo dialysis either more frequently or for longer periods. Every year, about 20 percent of US dialysis patients die, usually of heart disease or stroke. In Japan and Europe, that number is significantly reduced.

Our trial examined a new device that allows kidney specialists to measure blood thickness and scan blood vessels before, during and after dialysis. We are collaborating with colleagues in France to study the impact on patient outcomes that could lead to changes in this country’s kidney dialysis standards.

Hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis can be performed at home while patients sleep. Full Post - to Detail View

December 05, 2011

More Die from Hep C than HIV--But a Cure Is Available

David Bernstein, MD

Hepatitis C kills more Americans every year than HIV--and almost 75 percent of the fatalities affect 45-to-64-year-olds, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. The research is based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s analysis of statistics from 1999 through 2007.

Hepatitis C is the most common blood-borne viral infection in the United States, affecting more than 4 million Americans. Four times more prevalent than HIV infection, hepatitis C is the most common indication for liver transplantation in the United States and a leading predisposing factor to the development of liver cancer.

Unfortunately, most people with hepatitis C don’t know they have it, since it is usually silent until complications develop. The infection, which is transmitted primarily through blood-to-blood contact, often leads to advanced liver disease and cirrhosis. Full Post - to Detail View