Another Concern for Statin Drugs

 A study that was either suppressed or ignored for the past 5 years showed that patients who took statin drugs (to lower their cholesterol) had flu antibodies 38-67% lower than those who did not take statins.  A much larger study of patients greater than 65 y.o. who took statins were 11% more likely to get a severe respiratory disease.  The second study was conducted by Emory University.  The authors did not recommend changes in medical practice based on their study.  Why not?  Elderly people die of respiratory infections.  This blog recommends alternatives to statins such as red yeast and berberine whenever possible.

Contact Saad B. Omer of Emory University, the lead author of the latter study

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TV Advertising is Effective

According to a Health Tracking Poll, 44% of patients who asked their doctors about a drug they saw advertised were prescribed the drug by their doctor.  54% of physicians recommended lifestyle or behavioral changes.  49% recommended a different prescription drug and 39% an over-the-counter drug.  Unfortunately, the study did not track how often a nutritional or herbal product was recommended.  Even with the long list of possible side effects and interactions that is rattled off at the end of the ad, TV advertising is very profitable.

Kaiser FamilyFoundation Health Tracking Poll.

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Teen Sexual Assault Victims Are Not Receiving Minimal Care

A nationwide study of 12, 687 teenage victims of sexual assault treated in emergency rooms showed that only 44% received the basic recommended lab for sexually transmitted disease.  Only 35% received the recommended prophylactic treatment.  This proved true even when the ER had specialized sexual assault evaluation teams.  The tragic conclusion is that the victim is considered guilty and unworthy of care.  The authors call for a major shift in treating these assault victims.

See Pediatrics, Nov. 2, 2015.

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Teen Sexual Assault Victims Are Not Receiving Minimal Care

A nationwide study of 12, 687 teenage victims of sexual assault treated in emergency rooms showed that only 44% received the basic recommended lab for sexually transmitted disease.  Only 35% received the recommended prophylactic treatment.  This proved true even when the ER had specialized sexual assault evaluation teams.  The tragic conclusion is that the victim is considered guilty and unworthy of care.  The authors call for a major shift in treating these assault victims.
 

See Pediatrics, Nov. 2, 2015.

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The Tragic Release of Lead into the Flint Water Supply

Flint, Michigan’s release of lead into the city water supply has made worldwide news.  I have spoken with two of my alternative medicine colleagues who live in the area. They are struggling with the task of how to chelate everyone who lives or works in the city of Flint.  Otherwise, those exposed are at high risk of brain damage, heart disease, and cancer.  Then there is the huge task of repairing the pipes and supplying residents with bottled water in the interim.  Please pray for those working hard to solve this major public health catastrophe.

Lead in Flint, MI

 

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Dismissing Vaccine Refusers From Practice

A Colorado study reported in Family Practice News revealed that 21% of Pediatricians and only 4% of Family doctors regularly dismissed children of families that refused to vaccinate.  This conflicts with ethical guidelines that have been widely published.  Those guidelines state that the physician’s role should be to discuss the pros and cons of alternative therapies with their patients.  It is then the patient’s or parents’ role to decide on which approach to take.

See Family Practice News, Nov. 15, 2015, p.10.

 

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How Low Should We Go?

A major study called SPRINT from Case Western Reserve seemed to indicate that lowering blood pressure to 120 Systolic might lower all-cause mortality by 25% in non-diabetic patients.  The study is controversial because the results conflict somewhat with the earlier ACCORD study that included diabetic patients.  We can expect guideline writers to lower BP goals in the near future.  That might be a good thing, but it would be much better if we added natural therapies like garlic, magnesium, and herbal preparations rather than adding another drug or two and their potential for new side effects.

See the NEJM, Nov. 9, 2015

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