Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia

Endometriosis: What You Should Know

Medicine Interactions with Grapefruit: What You Should Know

Rickets: What It Is and How It’s Treated

Pressure Ulcers

Technorati Tags: Heparin induced thrombocytopenia, Endometriosis, Grapefruit, Rickets, Pressure sores, Patient pages

TIme Health is carrying an interesting article on what a kid’s lunch box generally contains and what it should contain.

Parents assume the lunch they make is healthier than the one served at school, but the Canadian Institutes of Health Research found that the typical lunch box is a nutritional nightmare, filled with sugar, salt and saturated fat. Here’s how to do better.

Read the article and pack a healthy lunch box for your kids.

Technorati Tags: Lunch, Lunch Box, Healthy diet, Kids

Here is a list of FDA approved drugs which may help in smoking cessation. However, all these drugs should be taken only after consultation with your physician.

Bupropion SR (Wellbutrin SR, Zyban)

• Adv - Non-nicotine tablet; easy to use
• Disadv - May cause insomnia, dry mouth, headache, tremors, nausea, or anxiety

Nicotine gum

• Adv - Over-the-counter availability; flexible dosing; delivers nicotine faster than the patch
• Disadv - No food or drink 15 minutes before use; frequent dosing. May cause jaw pain, mouth soreness, dyspepsia, or hiccups

Nicotine inhaler

• Adv - Flexible dosing; mimics hand-to-mouth action of smoking; few side effects
• Disadv - Frequent dosing necessary. May cause mouth and throat irritation

Nicotine lozenge

• Adv - Over-the-counter availability; flexible dosing; delivers nicotine faster than the patch
• Disadv - Frequent dosing necessary; no food or drink 15 minutes before use. May cause mouth soreness or dyspepsia

Nicotine patch (transdermal)

• Adv - Over-the-counter availability; daily application; overnight use may reduce early morning cravings; few side effects
• Disadv - Less flexible dosing; slow delivery of nicotine. May cause skin irritation or sleep problems if worn at night

Nicotine nasal spray

• Adv - Flexible dosing; fastest delivery of nicotine; reduces cravings within a few minutes
• Disadv - Frequent dosing necessary. May cause nose and eye irritation or cough. Most addictive among other medications

Chantix (Varenicline tartarate)

• Adv - Studies show that it is more effective than Bupropion
• Disadv - May cause nausea and abnormal dreams. Limited experience with this recently approved drug

Reference - American Family Physician

Patient page - Tips to Help You Quit Smoking

Technorati Tags: Bupropion, Chantix, Drugs, Nicotine, Varenicline, Smoking

There has been a rising interest in diets and their role as contributors in various diseases and obesity. A number of diet books in the market guide individuals and families on healthy eating patterns and foods. A number of these books have also made it to the New York Times Advice Best Seller list.

However, the validity of the claims in these diet books remains unknown. An article in the Journal of General Internal Medicine attempts to assess the quality of nutrition related facts in one of the best selling books - South Beach Diet.

The authors selected 42 nutrition facts from this book and compared them in peer reviewed literature as a quality control measure. The results of this study are:-

1. Supported facts - 33%
2. Not supported - 17%
3. Controversial facts - 43%
4. No related papers - 7%

It was also stated that the diet has been “scientifically studied and proven effective.”

The findings of this study shockingly reveal that 67% of the nutrition facts in this bestseller diet book may not be supported in peer reviewed literature.

Now the question that needs to be answered is - From where should people get information on healthy diets as most peer reviewed articles are either inaccessible or too complicated?

References - Journal of General Internal Medicine

“The South Beach Diet : The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss” (Arthur Agatston)

Technorati Tags: Books, Diet, Health, Nutrition

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) generally affects children less than 2 year old. It is one of the leading cause of bronchiolitis and neonatal pneumonia.

Symptoms usually begin with a runny nose, cough, low grade fever which disappears in a week. More serious infection is manifested by -

• Wheezing
• Fast breathing (Tachycardia)
• Difficulty breathing (Dyspnea)
• Irratability, Restlessness
• Poor appetite
• Fever > 39 degrees centigrade

Vulnerable neonates and infants generally receive prophylaxis with Palivizumab (Synagis).

RSV exposure to children can also be prevented by taking these simple measures outlined by American Academy of Pediatrics -

• Make sure everyone washes their hands before touching your baby
• Keep your baby away from anyone who has a cold, fever or runny nose
• Keep your baby away from crowded areas like shopping malls
• Keep your baby away from tobacco smoke
• All infants between six and 23 months of age should be immunized against influenza. The influenza vaccine also may help protect children against other very common respiratory viruses

Reference - Medical News Today