Smoking proven to cause stroke to occur
October 3, 2011
Not only are smokers twice as likely to have strokes, they are almost a decade younger than non-smokers when they have them, according to a study presented today at the Canadian Stroke Congress.
Between January 2009 and March 2011, researchers studied 982 stroke patients (264 smokers and 718 non-smokers) at an Ottawa prevention clinic. They found the average age of stroke patients who smoked was 58, compared to age 67 for non-smokers.
“The information from this study provides yet another important piece of evidence about the significance of helping people stop smoking,” said Dr. Andrew Pipe of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, one of the study’s authors. “It also alerts the neurology community to the importance of addressing smoking in stroke patients.”
Smoking causes a build-up of debris on the inside of blood vessels, a condition called atherosclerosis, and it contributes to a higher likelihood of clots forming, said Dr. Pipe.
The Ottawa Hospital study, led by principal investigators Dr. Mike Sharma and Dr. Robert Reid, found smokers have double the risk of a stroke caused by a dislodged blood clot (ischemic stroke) and four times the risk of a stroke caused by a ruptured blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke) than the non-smoking population.
In addition, smokers have a greater chance of having more complications and recurrent strokes. Patients who have had a minor stroke are 10 times more likely to have a major stroke, especially if they continue to smoke, said Dr. Pipe.
“It’s scandalous that Canadians continue to die in large numbers from stroke, heart disease, cancers and a host of other diseases for which the tobacco industry is responsible,” Dr. Pipe said.
If a person stops smoking, their risk for stroke or heart disease decreases. Within 18 months to two years of quitting, the risks of stroke are about the same as for non-smokers, said Dr. Pipe.
Some of the initiatives Dr. Pipe hopes to see enforced are to:
- reduce tobacco access to minors
- ensure tobacco is appropriately priced
- act more aggressively to deal with contraband tobacco
- be more systematic, from a health system’s point of view, in terms of helping those who are smokers quit
- create an integrated smoking cessation unit within the health community
“Stroke is preventable,” said Dr. Sharma, Deputy Director of the Canadian Stroke Network. “This study highlights the sizeable role smoking has on stroke. Quitting smoking, controlling blood pressure, following a healthy diet and being physically active significantly reduce the risk of stroke.”
According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, more than 37,000 Canadians will die prematurely each year due to tobacco use. Heart and Stroke Foundation spokesperson Dr. Michael Hill notes that this study reinforces the importance of education, prevention programs, and legislation. “It is critical for governments to continue to wage the battle against tobacco industry products,” says Dr. Hill. “This includes the renewal of the Federal Tobacco Control Strategy, which is set to expire next spring, and ensuring that Canada adopts plain and standardized tobacco packaging.”
The Canadian Stroke Congress is co-hosted by the Canadian Stroke Network, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and the Canadian Stroke Consortium.
The Canadian Stroke Network is a national research network headquartered at the University of Ottawa. It includes scientists, clinicians and health-policy experts committed to reducing the impact of stroke.
The Heart and Stroke Foundation, a volunteer-based health charity, leads in eliminating heart disease and stroke and reducing their impact through the advancement of research and its application, the promotion of healthy living, and advocacy.
For more information and/or interviews, contact
The CSC 2011 MEDIA OFFICE (OCTOBER 3 and 4) at 613-288-9555
Cathy Campbell, Director of Communications, Canadian Stroke Network
613-562-5696 (office); 613-852-2303 (cell)
Congress information and media registration is at www.strokecongress.ca
Contact: Cathy Campbell
cathy@canadianstrokenetwork.ca
613-852-2303
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
Combating mood disorders
September 30, 2011
Psychiatric ailments such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder or anxiety states are often associated with disturbances in the metabolism of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Neurotransmitters are compounds that are released from the synapses at nerve cell endings and activate the firing of neighboring neurons. Thus, as their name suggests, they mediate the transmission of nerve impulses. The serotonin transporter (SERT) is responsible for reuptake of the transmitter into neurons, terminating its action. SERT is a major target for drugs that are used to treat many mood disorders, and the search for new SERT inhibitors is of continuing therapeutic relevance. A research team led by Professor Klaus Wanner of the Department of Pharmacy in the Center for Pharmaceutical Research at Ludwig-Maximilians Univeristät München (LMU) has now developed a novel binding assay, based on the use of mass spectrometry (MS), which promises to simplify the search for potential SERT inhibitors very significantly. The major advantage of the technique is that, unlike conventional binding assays, it avoids the need to use radiolabeled substances. A paper that describes the new assay will appear in the journal ChemMedChem on 4. October. The article has been rated as a “very important paper” and is featured on the cover of the upcoming issue of the journal.
To be effective, most drugs must bind selectively to defined molecular targets in the body. The target may be an enzyme found in certain cells or a protein on the plasma membrane of a specific cell type. Drug candidates must therefore be assessed for their affinity for the target by means of binding assays. These assays often involve the use of a chemical that is already known to recognize and bind selectively to the target as. The ability of a test substance to find and interact with the target is then measured in terms of how well it competes with this “marker” ligand. The greater its ability to displace the marker from the binding site, the higher is its own affinity for the target, and the more likely it is to be clinically effective. In the MS-based binding assay developed by Wanner’s group, quantification of the marker is carried out using mass spectrometry. In contrast to conventional techniques, which employ radiolabeled ligands, MS binding assays do not require the use of markers containing radioactive isotopes. This means that the marker can be assayed in its unaltered, native state. “This label-free technique provides all the advantages offered by classical binding studies, while avoiding the need to work with radioactive compounds,” explains Wanner. His team has now validated the MS-based binding assay for use in the search for new inhibitors of SERT function. “Because SERT regulates the concentration of serotonin in the synaptic cleft, the protein serves as the major target for the treatment of depression, obsessive-compulsive disorders and anxiety states,” says Wanner. Using the well-known antidepressant (S)-fluoxetine as a native marker, his group has now shown that the results of the MS-based assay are in very good agreement with those obtained using radiolabeled ligands. Indeed, the team now routinely uses the MS method to screen for novel, pharmacologically active SERT inhibitors. In addition, Wanner has plans to adapt the approach for use with other target molecules of clinical interest. (göd/PH)
Publication:
(S)- and (R)-Fluoxetine as Native Markers in Mass Spectrometry (MS) Binding Assays Addressing the Serotonin Transporter.
M. Hess, G. Höfner, K. Wanner.
ChemMedChem 2011, vol 6, no. 10, 4. October; First published online 26. July 2011
doi: 10.1002/cmdc.201100251
Contact:
Prof. Klaus T. Wanner
Department of Pharmacy – Center for Pharmaceutical Research (LMU)
Phone: +49 89/2180-77248
Fax: +49 89/2180-77247
Email: wanner.sekretariat@cup.uni-muenchen.de
Lift weights, eat mustard, build muscles?
September 29, 2011
New research in The FASEB Journal suggests that rats fed homobrassinolide, found in the mustard plant, produced an anabolic effect, and increased appetite and muscle mass, as well as the number and size of muscle fibers.
Bethesda, MD – If you are looking to lean out, add muscle mass, and get ripped, a new research report published in The FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org) suggests that you might want to look to your garden for a little help. That’s because scientists have found that when a specific plant steroid was given orally to rats, it triggered a response similar to anabolic steroids, with minimal side effects. In addition, the research found that the stimulatory effect of homobrassinolide (a type of brassinosteroid found in plants) on protein synthesis in muscle cells led to increases in lean body mass, muscle mass and physical performance.
“We hope that one day brassinosteroids may provide an effective, natural, and safe alternative for age- and disease-associated muscle loss, or be used to improve endurance and physical performance,” said Slavko Komarnytsky, Ph.D., a researcher involved in the work from the Plants for Human Health Institute, FBNS at North Carolina State University in Kannapolis, N.C. “Because some plants we eat contain these compounds, like mustards, in the future we may be able to breed or engineer these plants for higher brassinosteroid content, thus producing functional foods that can treat or prevent diseases and increase physical performance.”
To make this discovery, Komarnytsky and colleagues exposed rat skeletal muscle cells to different amounts of homobrassinolide and measured protein synthesis in cell culture. The result was increased protein synthesis and decreased protein degradation in these cells. Healthy rats then received oral administration of homobrassinolide daily for 24 days. Changes in body weight, food consumption, and body composition were measured. Rats receiving homobrassinolide gained more weight and slightly increased their food intake. Body composition was measured using dual-emission X-ray absorptiometry analysis and showed increased lean body mass in treated animals over those who were not treated. This study was repeated in rats fed high protein diet and similar results were observed. Additionally, researchers used surgically castrated peri-pubertal rat models to examine the ability of homobrassinolide to restore androgen-dependent tissues after androgen deprivation following castration. Results showed increased grip strength and an increase in the number and size of muscle fibers crucial for increased physical performance.
“The temptation is to see this discovery as another quick fix to help you go from fat to fit,” said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal, “and to a very small degree, this may be true. In reality, however, this study identifies an important drug target for a wide range of conditions that cause muscle wasting.”
Receive monthly highlights from The FASEB Journal by e-mail. Sign up at http://www.faseb.org/fjupdate.aspx. The FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org) is published by the Federation of the American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) and celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2011. Over the past quarter century, the journal has been recognized by the Special Libraries Association as one of the top 100 most influential biomedical journals of the past century and is the most cited biology journal worldwide according to the Institute for Scientific Information.
FASEB comprises 24 societies with more than 100,000 members, making it the largest coalition of biomedical research associations in the United States. FASEB enhances the ability of scientists and engineers to improve – through their research – the health, well-being and productivity of all people. FASEB’s mission is to advance health and welfare by promoting progress and education in biological and biomedical sciences through service to our member societies and collaborative advocacy.
Details: Debora Esposito, Slavko Komarnytsky, Sue Shapses, and Ilya Raskin. Anabolic effect of plant brassinosteroid. FASEB J. 2011 25:3708-3719; doi:10.1096/fj.11-181271 ; http://www.fasebj.org/content/25/10/3708.abstract
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
How normal cells become brain cancers
September 28, 2011
Brain tumor specimens taken from neurosurgery cases at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Medical Center has given scientists a new window on the transformation that occurs as healthy brain cells begin to form tumors.
The work may help identify new drugs to target oligodendroglioma, a common type of brain tumor, at its earliest stage, when it is generally most treatable. Any potential drugs identified will have to prove safe and effective in clinical trials, a process that can take several years.
As described in the journal Cancer Cell this month, the UCSF team found that the pool of cells from which oligodendroglioma tumors emerge normally divide “asymmetrically” by splitting into two unequal parts – like giving birth to fraternal twins who look different and have distinct fates. When these normal cells transform into cancer cells, they switch gears and begin dividing symmetrically, essentially giving birth to identical twins instead.
“This happens early – before the tumor forms, and it may provide a point to intervene in the process of tumor initiation,” said Claudia Petritsch, PhD, an assistant professor with the UCSF Brain Tumor Research Center who led the research.
The Brain Tumor Research Center is part of the UCSF Department of Neurological Surgery, which is consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top departments in the world. Its doctors perform more than 1,100 neurosurgeries a year to remove brain tumors, and in the last 30 years, this work has helped to build one of the most extensive brain tumor repositories in the United States, with tissue samples collected from more than 7,800 cases of cancer.
In their research, Petritsch and her colleagues used genetically engineered mice to identify that a protein called NG2 controls this switch, and they are working on ways to target genes that regulate the process as a way of fighting oligodendroglioma and perhaps other brain tumors.
Why Divisions Matter to Cancer
Oligodendrogliomas are unusual among brain tumors because they often respond to chemotherapy drugs. However, the tumor frequently returns in a form that is resistant to chemotherapy and requires repeated surgical removal.
Petritsch and her colleagues first discovered last year that oligodendroglioma tumors derive from a type of progenitor cell called “oligodendrocyte progenitors” that proliferate in the brain throughout life. These progenitors may also play an important role when the brain is injured by multiplying rapidly and helping heal wounds.
The new studies in mice suggest that lacking an injury, these progenitors divide mostly asymmetrically, maintaining an equilibrium of these cells within the brain. Progenitors can also switch gears and divide symmetrically instead. Scientists believe that allows the brain to provide an expanded pool of cells when needed.
Using mouse models of the tumors as well as tissue samples taken from people with the disease, Petritsch and her colleagues showed that before the tumors arise, the cells preemptively make this switch, transforming from dividing asymmetrically to dividing symmetrically.
They used bioinformatics to discover that dozens of regulators of asymmetric cell division including NG2 are dysregulated in oligodendrogliomas. The Petritsch lab calls these “asymmetry proteins” and argues that if mutated they probably cause the switch to abnormal cell divisions and thereby initiate the genesis of tumors. Modulating NG2 and dysregulated asymmetry proteins pharmacologically may restore normal division modes and provide a new way to fight the cancer with drugs.
The article, Asymmetry-Defective Oligodendrocyte Progenitors Are Glioma Precursors” by Sista Sugiarto, Anders I. Persson, Elena Gonzalez Munoz, Markus Waldhuber, Chrystelle Lamagna, Noemi Andor, Patrizia Hanecker, Jennifer Ayers-Ringler, Joanna Phillips, Jason Siu, Daniel Lim, Scott Vandenberg, William Stallcup, Mitchel S. Berger, Gabriele Bergers, William A. Weiss, and Claudia Petritsch appears in the September 13, 2011 issue of the journal Cancer Cell. See: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ccr.2011.08.011
This work is supported by grants from the National Brain Tumor Foundation, the American Cancer Society, the American Brain Tumor Association, the National Cancer Institute, the UCSF Brain Tumor SPORE, the Brain Tumor Research Sobrato Fund, the Farber A and J Foundation, the Grove Foundation, the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation, the UCSF Sandler Program in Basic Science, the Swedish Society for Medical Research and Medical Research Council, and the Swiss National Science Foundation.
UCSF is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care.
More Resources:
Gordon Murray Initiative
http://support.ucsf.edu/gordonmurrayinitiative
UCSF Brain Tumor Research Center
http://neurosurgery.ucsf.edu/index.php/research_BTRC.html
Department of Neurological Surgery
http://neurosurgery.ucsf.edu/
Claudia Petritsch Laboratory
http://stemcell.ucsf.edu/about/faculty/cpetritsch
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Public ignorant about key messages concerning diet and cancer
September 27, 2011
New research on public perceptions about cancer reveals that 50-year-old ideas still hold sway while many current lifestyle messages are not getting through.
On the positive side, however, the vast majority of people now believe cancer is curable.
Experts at the University of Leicester and Leicester’s Hospitals carried out the research to assess patients’ beliefs about the causes of cancer, which was funded by the Leicestershire-based charity Hope Against Cancer.
The study, published online in the journal Clinical Oncology, aimed to compare knowledge about the outcome of cancer treatment and beliefs about the causes of cancer among British South Asian cancer patients and beliefs held by British White cancer patients and the impact of these beliefs upon the patients’ mental health.
Between September 2007 and January 2010, 279 patients, who were aware they had cancer, entered the study, funded by Leicestershire-based charity Hope Against Cancer, at the Leicestershire Cancer Centre. Researchers found that:
- Across both groups there was an over emphasis on pollution, stress and injury as causes of cancer
- Almost one quarter of the group believed cancer was caused by injury, reflecting research carried out over half a century ago
- 20% believed that surgery could cause cancer to spread
- Both cohorts believed religion/fate played a part in cancer
- 30% of the group gave credence to alternative medicine being as effective as current clinical procedures
- It was generally accepted that smoking can cause cancer
- There was widespread lack of awareness about the roles diet, obesity and lack of exercise play in the development of the disease.
The vast majority believed cancer to be curable, with only 10.6% of the British South Asian group and 2.7% of the British White group thinking it was incurable. Out of the total sample, 93% understood the advantages of early screening.
Many of the two groups’ assumptions about cancer were held in common. There was widespread over-emphasis on environmental pollution, stress and injury as triggers for cancer. Environmental pollution is a relatively minor cause of cancer, while there is no evidence that stress or injury can cause cancer.
Twenty per cent of the sample believed wrongly that treatment, in particular surgery, caused the cancer to spread and this was a cause of significant depression among British South Asians and anxiety across both groups.
The perceived role of religion in the cause of and recovery from cancer was more prevalent among the British South Asians, though a small cohort of the British White patients had some belief in Fate.
Nearly 30% of the total sample thought alternative treatments could be as effective as surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. This view was held by almost twice as many British South Asian patients as British White patients.
The way patients understand cancer can have a major impact on how they cope with it psychologically. This study is part of a wider investigation with the long-term aim of improving psychological support of cancer patients.
Professor Paul Symonds, of the Department for Cancer Studies and Molecular Medicine at the University of Leicester, commented: “It is clear that there is a continual need for education into the causes of cancer. The good news is that the majority of the sample believed that cancer was curable and screening effective, while 84% appreciated that smoking could cause cancer.
“This shows that some messages are getting through, but we clearly have more work to do in educating the public on the effect of diet and obesity.”
Karen Lord, PhD research student working on the project, said: “It is vital that those diagnosed with cancer have accurate information about treatment options so that they can make informed decisions about their care.
“Myths such as the belief that surgery causes cancer to spread and that alternative treatment is as effective as conventional treatments should be challenged.”
Wendi Stevens, Hope Against Cancer Co-ordinator, added: “This research has highlighted some interesting views relating to cancer. Hope Against Cancer funds a wide range of research looking into treatment, but we believe it is also important to look at cause and education as well in the hope that this knowledge can be used to cut the incidence of cancer in the future.”
Notes to Editors: Further details are available from Paul Symonds, Professor of Clinical Oncology, Department of Cancer Studies and Molecular Medicine, University of Leicester, tel 0116 258 6294, email paul.symonds@uhl-tr.nhs.uk
Gaile Lloyd-Jones, Hope Against Cancer Press Officer – gaile.lloyd_jones@btopenworld.com 07799491555
Hope Against Cancer – 0116 270 0101, enquiries@hfcr.org
Hope Against Cancer was launched in 2003 and to date have raised over £2.2 million, enabling the charity to fund 28 research fellowships in the Hospitals and Universities of Leicester including DMU & Loughborough Into many cancers including bladder, ovarian, prostate, melanoma, liver, bowel, leukaemia, colorectal and breast cancer. They have also funded nursing fellowships, relating to patient care.
Contact: Paul Symonds
paul.symonds@uhl-tr.nhs.uk
44-011-625-86294
University of Leicester
Potatoes are the largest and most affordable source of potassium of any vegetable or fruit
September 27, 2011
A frequently expressed concern in the ongoing public health debate is that fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly those that are nutrient dense, are not affordable to the average consumer. Research presented today at the American Dietetic Association’s (ADA) Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE) demonstrates that potatoes are one of the best nutritional values in the produce department, providing significantly better nutritional value per dollar than most other raw vegetables. Per serving, white potatoes were the largest and most affordable source of potassium of any vegetable or fruit.
Dr. Adam Drewnowski and colleagues from the University of Washington merged nutrient composition data from the USDA Food and Nutrition Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS 2.0) with the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) national food prices database. Frequency of consumption data was obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2003-4). The Affordable Nutrition Index (ANI) was the metric used to assess nutritional value per dollar for potatoes and for other vegetables.
Potatoes were the lowest cost source of dietary potassium, a nutrient identified by the 2010 Dietary Guidelines as lacking in the American diet. The high cost of meeting federal dietary guidelines for potassium, 4,700 mg per person per day, presents a challenge for consumers and health professionals, alike. However, the cost of potassium-rich white potatoes was half that of most other vegetables.
“Potatoes deserve credit for contributing to higher diet quality and increasing vegetable consumption,” said lead researcher Adam Drewnowski, PhD. “Potatoes also play an important role in providing affordable nutrition to Americans. You CAN afford to meet key dietary guidelines IF you include potatoes in your diet.”
Further analyses of NHANES dietary intake showed that putting potatoes on the plate did improve overall diet quality. Individuals who consumed potatoes (baked, boiled and roasted) had higher intakes of potassium and vitamin C and consumed more total vegetables in a day compared to those who did not consume potatoes.
The study was funded by the United States Potato Board and adds to the growing database of nutrition science that supports potatoes in a healthful diet. In addition, one medium-size (5.3 ounce) skin-on potato contains just 110 calories per serving, boasts more potassium (620g) than a banana, provides almost half the daily value of vitamin C (45 percent), and contains no fat, sodium or cholesterol.
For a copy of the research abstract, contact Meredith Myers at 303-873-2333 or meredithm@uspotatoes.com.
Visit www.potatogoodness.com for healthy potato recipes, videos and nutrition information.
About the United States Potato Board
The United States Potato Board was established in 1971 by a group of potato growers to promote the benefits of eating potatoes. Recognized as an innovator in the produce marketing industry, the USPB adopted a new campaign in 2007. “Potatoes Goodness Unearthed®” showcases the appeal of naturally nutrient-rich potatoes, also known as America’s favorite vegetable. Based in Denver, Colo., the USPB represents more than 4,000 potato growers and handlers across the country. To unearth more goodness about the USPB and its programs, visit www.potatogoodness.com.
Marijuana administration after a traumatic experience prevents post-traumatic stress symptoms
September 21, 2011
Cannabinoids (marijuana) administration after experiencing a traumatic event blocks the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-like symptoms in rats, according to a new study conducted at the University of Haifa and published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.
“We found that there is a ‘window of opportunity’ during which administering synthetic marijuana helps deal with symptoms simulating PTSD in rats,” said Dr. Irit Akirav of the University of Haifa’s Department of Psychology, who led the study.
In the study, which Dr. Akirav conducted with research student Eti Ganon-Elazar, the researchers set out to examine how administering cannabinoids (synthetic marijuana) affects the development of PTSD-like symptoms in rats, whose physiological reactions to traumatic and stressful events is similar to human reactions.
In the first part of the study, the researchers exposed a group of rats to extreme stress, and observed that the rats did indeed display symptoms resembling PTSD in humans, such as an enhanced startle reflex, impaired extinction learning, and disruption of the negative feedback cycle of the stress-influenced HPA axis.
The rats were then divided into four groups. One was given no marijuana at all; the second was given a marijuana injection two hours after being exposed to a traumatic event; the third group after 24 hours and the fourth group after 48 hours.
A week later, the researchers examined the rats and found that the group that had not been administered marijuana and the group that got the injection 48 hours after experiencing trauma continued to display PTSD symptoms as well as a high level of anxiety.
By contrast, the PTSD symptoms disappeared in the rats that were given marijuana 2 or 24 hours after experiencing trauma, even though these rats had also developed a high level of anxiety.
“This indicates that the marijuana did not erase the experience of the trauma, but that it specifically prevented the development of post-trauma symptoms in the rat model,” said Dr. Akirav, who added that the results suggest there is a particular window of time during which administering marijuana is effective. Because the human life span is significantly longer than that of rats, Dr. Akirav explained, one could assume that this window of time would be longer for humans.
The second stage of the study sought to understand the brain mechanism that is put into operation during the administering of marijuana. To do this, they repeated stage one of the experiment, but after the trauma they injected the synthetic marijuana directly into the amygdala area of the brain, the area known to be responsible for response to trauma. The researchers found that the marijuana blocked development of PTSD symptoms in these cases as well. From this the researchers were able to conclude that the effect of the marijuana is mediated by a CB1 receptor in the amygdala.
For more information:
Rachel Feldman
Division of Marketing and Media
University of Haifa
press@univ.haifa.ac.il
+972-54-5352435
Number of children poisoned by medication rising dramatically, study says
September 16, 2011
The number of young children admitted to hospitals or seen in emergency departments because they unintentionally took a potentially toxic dose of medication has risen dramatically in recent years, according to a new Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center study.
The rise in exposure to prescription products has been so striking that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has established the PROTECT Initiative, intended to prevent unintended medication overdoses in children.
Randall Bond, MD, an emergency medicine physician at Cincinnati Children’s, will present his study on children and pharmaceutical poisonings Sept. 20 at a PROTECT Initiative meeting in Atlanta. The study will be published online Sept. 16 in the Journal of Pediatrics.
“The problem of pediatric medication poisoning is getting worse, not better,” says Dr. Bond, who also is medical director of the Drug and Poison Information Center at Cincinnati Children’s. “More children are exposed, more are seen in emergency departments, more are admitted to hospitals, and more are harmed each year.”
Dr. Bond found that exposure to prescription products accounted for most of the emergency visits (55 percent), admissions (76 percent) and significant harm (71 percent). Levels of ingestion of opioids, most often prescribed to treat pain; sedatives-hypnotics, frequently prescribed as sleep aids; and cardiovascular medications were particularly high.
“Prevention efforts at home have been insufficient,” says Dr. Bond. “We need to improve storage devices and child-resistant closures and perhaps require mechanical barriers, such as blister packs. Our efforts can’t ignore society’s problem with opioid and sedative abuse or misuse.”
Dr. Bond studied patient records from 2001 to 2008 in the National Poison Data system – an electronic database of all calls to members of the American Association of Poison Control Centers. Dr. Bond studied children 5 years old and younger exposed to a potentially toxic dose of a single pharmaceutical agent, either prescription or over-the-counter. A total of 453,559 children were included in the study.
The largest part of increasing admissions, injuries and death was due to children finding and ingesting medication on their own. Therapeutic errors at home were uncommon and increased only minimally.
The most likely explanation for these trends is a rise in the number of medications around small children, he says. A 1998-99 survey found that half of adults had taken at least one prescription medication in the preceding week and 7 percent had taken five or more. In 2006, the same surveyors found that 55 percent had taken at least one prescription medication in the preceding week and 11 percent had taken five or more.
There are 57 poison control centers in the United States. Together they provide free, 24-hour poison expertise and treatment advice by phone. All poison centers can be reached by calling the same telephone number 1-800-222-1222. Poison centers are staffed by pharmacists, physicians, nurses and poison information providers who are toxicology specialists.
The PROTECT Initiative is a collaboration among public health agencies, private sector companies, professional organizations, consumer/patient advocates and academic experts to keep children safe from unintentional medication overdoses. According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 70,000 emergency visits each year result from unintentional overdoses among children under the age of 18.
Contact: Jim Feuer
jim.feuer@cchmc.org
513-636-4656
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Healthy lifestyle habits lower heart failure risk
September 14, 2011
If you don’t smoke, aren’t overweight, get regular physical activity and eat vegetables, you can significantly reduce your risk for heart failure, according to research reported in Circulation: Heart Failure, an American Heart Association journal.
In a new study, people who had one healthy lifestyle behavior decreased their heart failure risk, and each additional healthy behavior further decreased their risk.
Heart failure affects about 5.7 million Americans. At age 40, a person’s lifetime risk of developing heart failure is one in five.
“Any steps you take to stay healthy can reduce your risk of heart failure,” said Gang Hu, M.D., Ph.D., lead author of the study and director of the Chronic Disease Epidemiology Laboratory at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La. “Hypothetically, about half of new heart failure cases occurring in this population could have been prevented if everyone engaged in at least three healthy lifestyle behaviors.”
Previous research has shown an association between healthy lifestyle behaviors and lower risk of heart failure in men. The new study is the first to find a similar connection in women.
Researchers followed 18,346 men and 19,729 women from Finland who were 25 to 74 years old. During a median follow-up of 14.1 years, 638 men and 445 women developed heart failure. Participants were classified by BMI: normal weight (less than 25 kg/m2); overweight (25-29.9 kg/m2); and obese (greater than 30 kg/m2).
After adjusting for heart failure risk factors, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and a past heart attack, researchers found:
- Male smokers had an 86 percent higher risk for heart failure compared to never-smokers. Women smokers’ risk increased to 109 percent.
- Being overweight increased heart failure risk by 15 percent in men and 21 percent in women compared to normal-weight people. The risk increased to 75 percent for obese men and 106 percent for obese women.
- Moderate physical activity reduced the risk of heart failure by 21 percent in men and 13 percent in women compared to a light physical activity level. High levels of physical activity lowered the risk even further: 33 percent in men and 36 percent in women.
- Eating vegetables three to six times per week decreased heart failure risk by 26 percent in men and 27 percent in women compared to those who ate vegetables less than once per week.
Furthermore, the more healthy lifestyle behaviors a person engaged in, the greater the decline in risk.
Engaging in all four healthy lifestyle behaviors decreased the risk for heart failure by 70 percent in men and 81 percent in women, compared to 32 percent in men and 47 percent in women who engaged in only one healthy behavior.
Many people remain unaware of the link between unhealthy lifestyle behaviors and heart failure risk, researchers said.
Heart failure is a chronic, progressive condition in which the heart muscle is unable to pump enough blood through the heart to meet the body’s needs for blood and oxygen.
Basically, the heart can’t keep up with its workload.
“Healthcare workers should discuss healthy lifestyle habits with their patients and stress that they can do more,” Hu said.
The Finnish Academy and Special Research Funds of the Social Welfare and Health Board, City of Oulu funded the study.
Co-authors are Yujie Wang, M.Sc.; Jaakko Tuomilehto, M.D., Ph.D.; Pekka Jousilahti, M.D., Ph.D.; Riitta Antikainen, M.D., Ph.D.; Markku Mähönen, M.D., Ph.D. and Peter T. Katzmarzyk, Ph.D. Author disclosures are on the manuscript.
Statements and conclusions of study authors published in American Heart Association scientific journals are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the association’s policy or position. The association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific association programs and events. The association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and device corporations are available at www.americanheart.org/corporatefunding.
Contact: Karen Astle
Karen.Astle@heart.org
214-706-1392
American Heart Association
Confronting meaninglessness
September 12, 2011
You’ve just finished an amazing dinner at your favorite restaurant and you are ready to put on your comfy pajamas and slip into sweet slumber. You arrive at your doorstep and find the front door ajar. Your heart beats wildly in your chest and you peer in, only to discover that your house has been ransacked.
According to author Alexa Tullett, “There’s more than one way to interpret this event. You could see it as an indication that there’s a bad apple in your neighborhood, and in this case you would only feel comforted if that person was arrested. On the other hand, you could see it as an indication that your neighborhood is less safe than you thought, and in this case there would be many things that could ease your concern: getting better locks, starting a community watch program, or having a greater police presence.”
How do you look at this situation? Would you feel relieved if you got safer locks, or would you remain fearful until the robber was taken to jail?
Tullett and her co-authors Rimma Teper, and Michael Inzlicht from the University of Toronto explore the possibility that different threat-reduction approaches can be adaptive in different situations in an article in Perspectives on Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
The authors suggest that the way a threat is construed will determine the types of threat-reduction strategies that will be effective for an individual.
In the case of the robbery, Tullett says “the general idea is that if you interpret a threat in a very narrow way, as in a dangerous person is out there, there are limited ways that you can resolve the threat. If, on the other hand, you interpret it broadly, there is a broader range of ways that you can resolve the threat.”
Imagine another scenario – Your friend has overheard his co-workers at work conversing about how he is a nice guy, but not very attractive. You console him, reminding him of his intelligence and accomplishments and are surprised to find that this doesn’t help. This misunderstanding is because you saw this as a threat to your friend’s identity as a desirable person, but your friend saw this as a narrower threat to his identity as an attractive person.
According to the authors, social psychologists have collected a large amount of evidence demonstrating the versatility in how we respond to unexpected and unsettling events.
Author Tullett says there is debate on how we respond to unsettling events. Some believe that when people are unsettled by something that happens in one area of life they wont feel better until they experience a boost in that area. Others disagree, and think that the area doesn’t matter – feeling better in one area makes people feel better in all areas.
This research helps us understand how both of these can be correct depending on how people interpret certain situations – narrowly or broadly.
For more information about this study, please contact: Alexa Tullett at alexa.tullett@utoronto.ca.
Perspectives on Psychological Science is ranked among the top 10 general psychology journals for impact by the Institute for Scientific Information. It publishes an eclectic mix of thought-provoking articles on the latest important advances in psychology. For a copy of the article “Confronting Threats to Meaning: A New Framework for Understanding Responses to Unsettling Events” and access to other Perspectives on Psychological Science research findings, please contact Lucy Hyde at 202-293-9300 or lhyde@psychologicalscience.org.
Contact: Lucy Hyde
lhyde@psychologicalscience.org
202-293-9300
Association for Psychological Science