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In this issue: Dementia and benzodiazepines; effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acid and Ginkgo biloba supplements; and FDA actions.
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Patients who survive admission to the ICU often are left with long-term disabilities resulting both from their presenting illness and from the care they receive while there.
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Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are frequently encountered in clinical medicine. According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 2.8 million infections with Chlamydia trachomatis and 700,000 infections with Neisseria gonorrhea occur annually in the United States.
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Within a few years after the initiation of diagnostic X-rays, toxic effects were noted, including increased risk for skin cancer, leukemia, dermatitis, and cataracts. In this early period, doses of X-ray, especially from fluoroscopy, were high. Protective devices for patients as well as persons occupationally exposed to diagnostic radiation demonstrably reduced such adverse consequences.
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In a prospective study of nearly 5000 postmenopausal women, it was determined that it would take 16.8 years to develop osteoporosis in 10% of women with normal bone mineral density. The authors conclude that repeat screening in women without new risk factors can be delayed for at least 15 years.
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The authors concluded that systematically obtaining family history identifies more subjects with high CV risk who may benefit from more aggressive preventive interventions.
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Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a significant risk of cardiovascular disease and reduced survival. Vitamin D supplementation improved survival, especially in patients with documented deficiency.
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A new selective phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor has been approved for treating erectile dysfunction (ED). Avanafil was developed by Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation in Japan and is manufactured in Japan and marketed by Vivus, Inc., as Stendra.
