*** News You Can Use! -- 2 March 1997 ***


Stress makes colds easier to catch, and harder to shake

Researchers at Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh say chronic stress may be a factor in lingering colds. A group of 276 healthy men and women, between the ages of 18 and 55, were questioned on their lifestyles, including diet, exercise, sleep habits and stressful situations. Then each was deliberately exposed to the cold virus. Those who had the most stressful personal lives were two and a half as likely to catch a cold, and also to keep it for longer than a week. (CBS Radio, 12 February 1997)

FDA publishes how to use birth control pills as "morning after" contraception

A long-time practice in Europe has been given a chance to catch on in the United States, with government approval. In Europe, a woman who has been raped or had a failure of her birth control, has been prescribed a larger dose of birth control pills, which are effective the morning after. But fearing lawsuits and controversy, drug-makers have refused to sell them that way to Americans. But exiting Food and Drug Administration Commissioner David Kessler said every woman had a right to know all the options that exist. And with that, the FDA issued a press release and published the safe doses for effective "morning after" birth control for six contraceptive pills:
It's important to take the correct color pill, since the colors indicate the levels of hormones in each pill, and even those that are placebos for use one week each month. The FDA announcement came five days after the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada issued a call to make the "morning after" pill readily available, saying its success rate is 98%.
*** Now researchers want to see if the "morning after" approach would work against HIV. San Francisco General Hospital wants to study whether uninfected people who think they have been exposed to the AIDS virus within the previous 72 hours can be protected by an aggressive treatment of drugs. Those who believed they received their first contact with HIV -- such as by an accidental needle stick -- would be immediately treated with anti-viral drugs AZT and 3TC. (Associated Press, 3 March 1997, 24 February; Broadcast News, 19 February)

FDA requires new simplified labels for non-prescription drugs

In an effort to make over-the-counter drugs simpler and safer, the Food and Drug Administration is proposing a rule requiring them to carry simpler labels. Consumers would able to tell at a glance the proper dosage, side effects, and when to see a doctor. The example given was an antihistamine that would state in bold letters "Do Not Use" if you also take certain anti-depressants. And the label would recommend checking with your doctor before using it, if you had high blood pressure or heart disease. The public has four months to comment on the proposal. (Associated Press, 26 February 1997)

How diet may be linked to diabetes, epilepsy, and longevity

*** A study found that middle-aged women who had diets high in refined starches, but low in fiber, were more likely to develop diabetes than other women. The women who ate a lot of white bread, potatoes, and other strachy or surgery foods had higher risk, especially if that was coupled with a lack of cereal fiber. The study was published in The Journal of the American Medical Association. But it came under immediate fire from outside experts, who say no-one should alter their diet based on the findings. One expert said the study makes unjustified assumptions about how specific foods affect blood sugar and insulin levels.
*** Another diet earning less than universal praise is the one championed in the Meryl Streep made-for-TV film, "First Do No Harm." Directed by Jim Abrahams, it documents how his son, Charlie, was put on a ketogenic diet when he developed epilepsy. The high-fat diet forces the body to burn fat for fuel, releasing a breakdown product of fat called ketones. For some children, this suppresses epileptic seizures. But scientists still don't know why. And doctors warn that the ketogenic diet must be adhered to rigorously, must be monitored by specially trained medical personnel, and has side effects which include metabolism changes, slow growth and strain on the liver.
*** And finally there's a simple strategy to living longer: Eat less. Scientists who study lab rats have known this for years. But new findings make it more likely the same is true for the human animal. Research on monkeys was reported in Seattle at the February 14 meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Dr. George Roth of the National Institute on Aging in Bethesda, Maryland, says monkeys fed 30% less than others had lower blood pressure and better cholesterol. The theory is that lowering calories resets the body's metabolism so it operates more efficiently. Roth said people might be able to live 20 to 30 years longer -- if they live with hunger. (Associated Press, 11 February 1997, 14 February, 15 February)

U.S. government opens prenatal care hotline: 1-800-311-BABY

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has opened a nationwide clearinghouse for pregnancy information. Callers to 1-800-311-BABY (1-800-311-2229) have a toll-free way to have their prenatal questions answered, 24 hours a day. The calls are actually handined by the nearest state health hotline, or Healthy Start prenatal care agencies. The need for good information is clear: HHS says 20% of American women fail to get *any* prenatal care in the first trimester, 19% drink alcohol while pregnant, and 16% smoke. (Associated Press, 27 February 1997)

American "superbug" invades Canadian hospitals

It came from America. And it's big news in Canada. But you can't find much talk about in the United States. It's VRE, short for Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci, a particularly tough strain of bacteria that does not respond to the common antibiotic Vancomycin. Surgery is the only treatment for someone infected. It's only a threat to people with weakened immune systems who are taking antibiotics. But in the seriously ill, VRE can cause organ and blood infections, killing in about half of those cases.
Virtually unheard of in Canada a year ago, it's cropped up in hospitals from Ontario to British Columbia. Typical was the experience at Scarborough General Hospital in suburban Toronto -- after finding six patients with VRE, they were quarantined, the emergency ward was closed February 1, visiting privileges were restricted, and by February 7, the crisis passed.
Why blame it on the U.S.? It's easy, since that's where the patients seem to come from. The first case of VRE in the province of Manitoba was imported when a male patient transferred from an Arizona hospital to St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg. They had to close their medical intensive care unit and the surgical ward. The first case in Vancouver came from a man who had been in a Palm Springs, California, hospital. However, a story in the 14 May 1996 issue of Bug Bytes suggested the true originator was Europe.
Canadian authorities warn that total drug resistance could be passed from VRE to another bacteria, called MRSA, a potentially fatal bacteria. They advise Canadian facilities to screen patients who've been treated recently in the United States or other countries. (Broadcast News, 4 February 1997, 5 February, 6 February, 7 February, 12 February, 13 February, 26 February, 28 February)

A simple tip that can help you get to sleep

"Men's Health" magazine has a tip that should help you fall asleep, and all you need is a radio or a fan. Constant low level "white noise" helps people to drift off, and you probably have two sources of it in your bedroom. Take an FM radio and tune it in between stations. The resulting static noise is a very affordable "white noise" machine. Or turn on an electric fan for the same effect. We use a fan year-round, so I know this tip works. (CBS Radio, 27 February 1997)

News *You* Can Use! (but *I* couldn't squeeze in)

STB's News You Can Use! edited and written by --
Tom Connolly, for Infant Moose Web Page Creations.
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