Pregnant Indonesian woman dies of bird flu
A pregnant Indonesian woman from Sumatra Island has died of bird flu, increasing the country’s human death toll from the disease to 76, health officials said.
Two tests had confirmed the 26-year-old woman, who died on Saturday evening in Medan, had the H5N1 bird flu virus, Runizar Ruesin, head of the health ministry’s bird flu centre, said by telephone on Monday.
Anxiety increases mortality risk in heart patients
Anxiety appears to increase the risk of heart attacks and death in patients who have coronary artery disease, researchers from the United States report.
Coronary artery disease is caused by plaque build-up on the inside walls of the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the heart, causing them to harden and narrow. This can lead to heart attack, angina (chest pain) and other serious complications.
Treating depression may prolong survival in elderly
Previous research has shown that depression is associated with an increased risk of mortality in older adults; and now new research indicates that this risk can be reduced through primary care-based depression intervention.
Dr. Joseph J. Gallo, from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and colleagues assessed the 5-year risk of death in 1,226 subjects, 60 years of age or older, who entered into a general practice-based clinical trial. The 20 participating primary care practices provided usual care only or usual care plus a depression “intervention,” which involved assessment by a depression care manager.
Obesity Increases Risk of Injury on the Job
Having a body mass index (BMI) in the overweight or obese range increases the risk of traumatic workplace injury, according to researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Center for Injury Research and Policy. Employer-sponsored weight loss and maintenance programs should be considered as part of a well-rounded workplace safety plan. The study was Advance Access published on May 7, 2007, by the American Journal of Epidemiology.
BMI is a measure of body fat based on an adult’s height and weight. It is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a BMI below 18.5 is considered underweight, 18.5–24.9 is normal; 25–29.9 is overweight and over 30 is obese.
Most Women Check Medication Labels for Sex Differences, Few Discuss it with Care Providers
A majority of American women always or frequently read the labels of their prescribed or over the counter medications to see if they might work differently in women, but few discuss this issue with their doctor or pharmacist, according to a new survey released today by the Society for Women’s Health Research, a Washington, D.C., based advocacy organization.
“Women are increasingly aware that medications can work differently or cause more side effects depending on whether you are a man or woman, but few women talk to their health care providers about this important issue,” said Phyllis Greenberger, MSW, president and CEO of the Society, which released the survey during National Women’s Health Week on Sex Differences in Health Awareness Day.
Mediterranean Diet Halves Risk of Progressive Lung Disease (COPD)
A Mediterranean diet halves the chances of developing progressive inflammatory lung disease (COPD), reveals a large study, published ahead of print in Thorax.
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is an umbrella term for chronic progressive lung disease, such as emphysema and bronchitis. It is expected to become the third leading cause of death worldwide by 2020, with cigarette smoking the primary factor in its development.
Unfair Treatment Boosts Heart Attack Risk
Unfair treatment in life boosts a person’s chances of having a heart attack, suggests research in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
The findings are based on more than 8,000 senior civil servants working for the British government in London (The Whitehall Study II).
