Archive for the ‘Women's Health’ Category

A study from New York-Presbyterian Hospital in the current issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, a journal of the American Heart Association, shows that American women’s awareness of heart attack symptoms remain just as poor as it was over a decade ago. In fact, only 53% of women said they would call 9-1-1 if they were having symptoms of a heart attack. The majority of women were also not aware of these common symptoms – only 56%  cited chest pain and neck, shoulder and arm pain, 29% shortness of breath, 17% chest tightness, 15% nausea, and 7% fatigue as signs of heart attack. However, it should be noted that women do not necessarily experience these same classic symptoms as the majority of men. A significant number of women will experience symptoms such as shortness of breath, weakness, unusual fatigue, cold sweat, and dizziness as major symptoms during a heart attack. So, as heart disease continues to remain the top killer of women in the US, it is evident that continued education directed towards awareness of heart attacks in women is very much needed. [via Medical News Today]

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Researchers from the Karolinska Institute are embarking on a new paradigm in exercise physiology after publishing a paper in this month’s British Journal of Sports Medicine. The study authors argue that prolonged periods of sitting is an entity distinct from the commonly used terminology “sedentary behavior,” which means a general lack of exercise. Rather, they contend that the use of the term “muscular inactivity” more accurately describes a state of being in which people have prolonged periods when even light physical activity is not achieved. This is important because research shows that periods of prolonged sitting and lack of whole body muscular activity is strongly associated with the development of diabetes, obesity, heart disease and cancer, regardless of whether moderate or vigorous exercise was performed. This goes to show that maintaining an intermittent level of activity that involve total body muscle movement (climbing stairs, walking to run errands, taking a walking break during sedentary work) is just as important as incorporating moderate to vigorous exercise into your routine. [via Medical News Today]

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The benefits of breast feeding are numerous, from reductions in risks of asthma, diabetes and SIDS to stronger immune systems which fend off infections – just to name a few. And now researchers from Australia believe that children who were breastfed for greater than six months demonstrated better mental well-being and improved ability to deal with stress later in life. After assessing more than 2,000 children at various time intervals, researchers also found that children who were breastfed for shorter periods of time had worse behavior which could translate into aggression or depression. But for each additional month a child was breastfed, behavior improved. These findings did not change even after adjusting for social, economic and psychological factors and early life events. “Interventions aimed at increasing breastfeeding duration could be of long-term benefit for child and adolescent mental health,” the researchers concluded. [via Medline Plus]

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Senator Vince Illuzzi (R) of Vermont has sponsored a bill that brings back the debate of fetal personhood. The bill was proposed after Patricia Blair, a Vermont citizen, was involved in a motor vehicle accident which took the lives of her unborn, 6-month-old twins. Current Vermont law does not recognize a fetus, even a viable one, killed in an accident as a victim, nor are there additional penalties for killing a fetus. The majority of states have some form of fetal homicide law which recognizes the killing of a fetus as a criminal act punishable to varying degrees under the law. What they may not have are laws that formally recognize fetal personhood, which has implications in the abortion debate. There are current 16 states without a fetal homicide law – Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana, New Jersey, Oregon, Texas, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming. [via WPTZ]

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New York senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer announced this week their intention of introducing the BPA-Free Kids Act, which would ban the chemical BPA from all food containers used by infants and toddlers. BPA (bisphenol A) is used to make polycarbonate plastics used in many consumer products including DVDs, food storage containers and sports and medical equipment. It is also used to line the insides of food and beverage cans. The concern with BPA is in it’s estrogen-like effects on the human body. Because it can leach from food containers and lining of cans into our food, there has been a great deal of concern regarding its effects on human development. The NIH has previously cautioned about BPA’s potential risks in puberty, breast cancer, and prostate effects. Pregnant women and children appear to be most vulnerable. Currently, a proposed federal ban on BPA in all food containers is pending in Congress and some two dozen states have pending bills that would restrict BPA. In 2004 over 1 million tons of the chemical was produced in the U.S. alone. [via MSNBC]

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Amidst the hubbub caused by the new breast cancer screening guidelines put forth by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, new cervical cancer screening guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists were revealed this past week with much less controversy. According to ACOG, “A review of the evidence to date shows that screening at less frequent intervals prevents cervical cancer just as well, has decreased costs, and avoids unnecessary interventions that could be harmful.” The new recommendation is to screen women between the ages of 21 and 30 every two years instead of annually. Women 30 and older with a history of 3 consecutive negative pap smears may be screened every 3 years. Recommendations for older women remain unchanged – those 65 to 70 who have had 3 consecutive negative pap smears and no abnormal results within the past 10 years may consider stopping cervical cancer screening. Of course, every person’s medical history is different and these guidelines should be only used as such. Appropriate screening frequencies should always be discussed and formulated between you and your physician. [via ACOG]

Visit the Cervical Cancer Guide and learn about pap smears.

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Today’s Daily Dose comes from the current issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Researchers found, after following over 238 thousand women over the course of 40 years, that women who had a BMI of 30 or greater at the age of 18 had more than twice the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), compared to women with a BMI between 18.5 and 20.9. “Our results suggest that weight during adolescence, rather than childhood or adulthood, is critical in determining the risk of MS,” said study author Kassandra Munger, ScD, of the Harvard School of Public Health. The study authors theorize the link between obesity and MS may be that obese women tend to have lower vitamin D levels (higher vitamin D levels are thought to reduce the risk of MS). In addition, fatty tissue can produce substances thought to affect immune and cellular function which may be associated with MS. [via Medical News Today]

Calculated your BMI.

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The journal Cancer reports on a new study which shows that women previously treated for breast cancer have a higher risk of cancer recurrence if they have highly dense breasts. Women who were classified as having highly dense breasts had a 21% chance of cancer recurrence, compared to 5% among women with low-density breasts. Because of this the study authors suggest that women with highly dense breasts may benefit from additional therapies, such as radiation, after breast and lymph node surgery. [via Medical News Today]

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I’ve had quite a number of patients come in lately for general check-ups because they will soon be losing their job-sponsored health insurance coverage. I commend them for coming in. After all, late is sometimes better than never. Therefore, for today’s post I’d like to share some tips on things you should consider when your coverage is about to end.

1. Get an annual physical exam, including a skin check for possible skin cancers. It could get pricey should you need a biopsy and subsequent treatment.

2. Get your routine tests done. Those over 50 years of age should get a colonoscopy every 10 years. Women over 40 should have an annual mammogram. Women should also get annual pap smears.

3. Know your numbers: check your blood pressure, cholesterol, basic chemistries, urine analysis.

4. If you’re a smoker, speak to your doctor about ways to help you quit. Quitting smoking greatly reduces your risk of cancers and cardiovascular disease.

5. Ask your doctor about your risk for osteoporosis. In general all women over the age of 65 should get a DEXA bone densitometry scan at least once.

6. Speak to your doctor about weight loss. Keeping your weight under control can reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, and high cholesterol, among a multitude of other diseases.

7. Get a flu shot and update your vaccinations. For adults these may include hepatitis A and B, herpes zoster (shingles), Tdap, chickenpox. If you are aged 65 or older you should have a pneumovax vaccination as well.

8. Refill your medications. Depending on the medicine, it may be possible for your physician to give you more refills. Similarly, if you are diabetic make sure your doctor gives you plenty of refills for glucose testing supplies.

*There are always exceptions to the rules. These are only general guidelines. Speak to your doctor to find out what is appropriate for you.

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New research published in the obstetrics and gynecological journal BJOG shows that giving women sugarless chewing gum after cesarean section seemed to help them recover normal bowel function and shorten their time in the hospital. After abdominal surgeries intestinal function often become sluggish and may require a few days to return to normal. However, researchers say that chewing gum may help because the act of chewing sets off a nervous system response and release of digestive hormones which stimulate bowel activity. The cost and time savings should not be underestimated, especially in countries with limited health care resources. [via MSNBC]

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