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Feb-28-06
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Welcome to the World Health Newsletter:
Your weekly source of interesting and informative health news from around the world. 
Guiding Patients
A memory disruption flaw in Guidant's Prizm, Prizm 2 and Vitality pulse generators may cause defibrillators to incorrectly administer an electric shock to the heart of patients. The company apparently waited three years to disclose problems with the defibrillator. Guidant Corporation recently recalled or placed safety advisories on 88,000 defibrillators and more than 200,000 pacemakers. [HOUSTON CHRONICLE] If you or a loved one have suffered from a defective implantable cardiac defibrillator or pacemaker, please fill out the appropriate form [DEFIBRILLATOR] [PACEMAKER] to join a possible class action against these allegedly harmful medical devices. Pregnancy and Paxil According to researchers, taking Paxil in the first three months of pregnancy can increase the risk of birth defects. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is advising patients that this popular antidepressant drug should not be taken during pregnancy. GlaxoSmithKline has added a black box label on Paxil to warn expecting mothers of an increased risk of babies born with birth defects, specifically cardiovascular defects or congenital malformations. [FORBES] If your child has suffered from a birth defect or has died, please fill out this [FORM] to join a possible class action against this allegedly harmful drug. Ineffective Arthritis Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are two widely used nutritional supplements for arthritis pain; each year Americans spend $734 million on these dietary supplements. However, a new study reveals they do not effectively relieve patients' aching arthritic knees. A chief of rheumatology notes that glucosamine travels to the liver to be broken down, but almost no glucosamine actually gets into the blood, where it can travel to the joints. Chondroitin is digested, but it is broken into pieces in the intestines and none of it gets through to the joints. [NEW YORK TIMES] Formula Recall The Food and Drug Administration announced a recall of Gentlease powdered formula for infants after discovering that the Mead Johnson Nutritionals and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. formula may contain metal particles. If the powdered formula is accidentally inhaled by an infant, it may lead to serious respiratory system problems. [FOOD CONSUMER] Smoking Canal Smoking cigarettes increases inflammation, damages the circulation system, lowers oxygen levels and makes it harder to fend off infections. New research shows that long term smokers are more likely to require root canals than non-smokers. The study found that men who smoke have twice the risk of needing root canal surgery. As the quantity and length of smoking increased, the chances of requiring this dental treatment rose. [NEWS INFERNO] Chew Your Way Out Nearly 80,000 colectomies are performed each year in the United States and patients usually need to stay in the hospital for seven days at an average cost of $1,500 a day. A study found that patients who chewed gum after elective open sigmoid colectomies activated cephalic and vagal mechanisms that increased levels of neural and humoral hormones to stimulated bowel mobility. Patients who chewed gum had their first bowel movements sooner, were hungry earlier, and were allowed to leave the hospital faster than control patients who did not chew gum. [MED PAGE TODAY] Miscarrying Stress Approximately 15% of recognized pregnancies end in miscarriage, but nearly half of all pregnancies actually end in miscarriage. Pregnant women who are stressed during the first three weeks after conception are nearly three times more likely to miscarry than women who are calm and rested. Most pregnancy losses occur within the first four weeks after conception. One study found women with high levels of cortisol, a stress linked hormone, were 2.7 times more likely to miscarry. [FORBES] Wait for Twins As women age, their pregnancies are more likely to yield twins. Having a family history of twins and taking fertility drugs are well known variables that increase a woman's chances of having twins, but a new study suggests another variable may be the hormonal changes that come with age. Older women have higher levels of a hormone called FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) and are more likely to produce more than one egg per menstrual cycle, thus boosting the likelihood of fraternal twins. [WEB MD] Worrying Women According to a new nationwide survey, more women than men find money a very significant source of stress, while more men turn to food as a source of comfort when stressed. People with nervous tensions have increased levels of obesity, hypertension, anxiety and depression. Both men and women try to work through their stress with empty calories and fatty foods from fast food restaurants which in turn can lead to obesity. [ABC NEWS] Frisky after Fifty Although men experience increased physical problems and decreased function as they get older, they tend to be more satisfied with their bedroom lives. Men in their 50s report similar levels of satisfaction as those in their 20s. It is possible that guys in their 30s and 40s are too stressed by their careers and success to enjoy pleasures with their partners. [BBC NEWS] Consequence or Cause Young children with symptoms of depression and anxiety may have an increased tendency to use ecstasy in adolescence because they are particularly susceptible to the drug's positive effects. On the other hand, long term exposure to ecstasy may result in enhanced depressive symptoms. The recreational drug has been linked to emotional problems such as anxiety, depression, and psychotic symptoms. 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