How Effective Is Cranberry for UTIs?

E. coli bacteria’s adhering to urinary tract epithelial cells is actually the start of urinary tract infection (UTI). Nearly 85 percent cases of UTI and 90 percent of acute pyelonephritis are caused by these bacteria. But according to some studies, the proanthocyanidins (PAC) chemicals found in cranberries help prevent E. coli.

Cranberries belong to the three fruit species native to North America. It is known for its medicinal use even in the past. It was used by Native Americans many years ago for treating kidney and bladder illnesses.

People who take cranberry capsules or drink cranberry juice in regular basis are less likely to have UTI as shown from past evidences. There are also cheap cranberry tablets that start at nearly 25 cents a day. Furthermore, cranberry products have great potentials of helping women with recurrent UTIs as found out by new researchers.  

Amidst the healing abilities of cranberry, researchers are not sure if they really work. Based on recent evidence, there is a certain compound present in the said fruit that tends to hinder bacteria from adhering to the tissue lining the urinary tract. Perhaps, other berries have it.

But antibiotics were found to be more effective at preventing recurrent UTIs based on a recent study. Although women have relied on cranberry supplements for a long time, high doses of this product can cause stomach aches and the sugar in cranberry juice might also be a problem to diabetic people as noted by the researchers.

The widely used of cranberry products is remarkably less effective compared to low doses of antibiotics as the result of the study. The respondents were Dutch women with recurring UTIs history. Women who took cranberry supplements for a year had about four infections within that period while those who took low-dose antibiotic daily had an average of 1.8 infections. This research was published in June 25, 2011 Reuters Health issue.    

 

It is now a matter of personal choice of whether you will choose cranberry products or antibiotics, as more recommended by professionals in medical scrubs. See which of the two is really effective to you.

Federal Government Denied Marijuana Rescheduling for the Third Time

Drug Enforcement Administration denies the long standing petition to reschedule marijuana. DEA, Department of Justice based the decision on the scientific and medical evaluation as well as scheduling recommendation from the Department of Health and Human Services. According to DHHS, marijuana has high potential for abuse, has no accepted medical use in the United States, and lacks an acceptable level of safety for use even under medical supervision. This puts back cannabis to schedule 1 drug, the most restricted category of drug under the Controlled Substances Act in 1970, lining it up with heroin. Read complete decision here.

“The known risks of marijuana use have not been shown to be outweighed by specific benefits in well-controlled clinical trials that scientifically evaluate safety and efficacy," wrote DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart. Significantly, even in states wherein medical marijuana has been legalized, hospitals like the Montana State Hospital does not allow possession of marijuana in their facility. Professionals in medical scrubs take them into lock box, even if a card holder is in possession of it.

It came to be 9 years when the petition for rescheduling cannabis was filed. During that period, marijuana has been approved in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, DC, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. The question of whether state laws would still protect medical marijuana users after federal declaration concerns many. Marijuana dispensaries and scientific researches are feared to also take the brunt of the decision.

However, not everyone sees an all cloudy future for medical marijuana. “The government was employing a "strategy of delay" these past nine years, and, now that it has come out on one side, advocates can finally appeal, enabling them to "go head-to-head on the merits," stated chief counsel Elford. Whether or not the court would side with the advocates is unclear, given the fact that in both 1972 and 1995 appeals, marijuana reclassification petition both failed.

Amphetamine Users Tread Way to Parkinson’s Disease

The common drugs used to treat narcolepsy, battle drowsiness, and help with weight loss may up risk of Parkinson’s disease, a recent observational study found. According to Steven Van Den Eeden, PHd., research scientist at Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, Oakland, California, men and women who are taking Benzedrine (amphetamine sulfate) or Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine sulfate) have 56% higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease later in life compared to those who don’t.

Observing individuals who were members of Kaiser Permanente Northern California after 1995 and once participants of 1964 to 1973 Multiphasic Health Checkup Cohort exam, including 66,348 with no Parkinson’s disease at baseline, Dr. Van Den Eeden and colleagues found participants reported taking weight-loss medication at baseline did not have an elevated risk for Parkinson's disease through follow-up (HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.75 to 1.21). However, those who reported often using Benzedrine or Dexedrine did, and got significantly greater risk.

Of these participants, 1,154 were diagnosed of Parkinson’s disease on mean follow-up of 38.8 years. 36 was the mean age at baseline, whereas 70 was the mean age at diagnosis.

On a comment, Anna Hohler, MD, assistant professor of neurology at Boston University, said it's possible that personality characteristic may explain the relationship associating Parkinson's disease with amphetamine use, but may just be indirect rather than a direct association.

It’s odd that amphetamine was then a drug recommended by doctors in white scrubs to treat Parkinson’s, but the study actually suggests it does otherwise, supporting the findings of two other recent studies. On the other hand, the study does not prove any direct link of amphetamine to Parkinson’s disease, calling for further studies to support or refute this. If this proves causation, many individuals who’s professions push them to take amphetamines are at high risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, including those in nursing uniforms.

The study will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology on April, and is not yet supported by peer reviews.

FDA Approved Botox Drug as Chronic Migraine Treatment

Botox drug for chronic migraine, seriously? It’s not serious, not unless FDA says it is. On Friday, the Food and Drug Administration approved botulinum toxin, manufactured by  Allergan Inc., for prevention of chronic migraine headaches on adults. The drug was also approved by the FDA, last March, for flexor spasm of the elbow, wrists, and fingers also on adults.

Chronic migraine, previously called as transformed migraine, is characterized by headaches lasting for about 15 days a month in a span of 3 months. Due to the debilitate pain experienced by the sufferer, he or she literally becomes incapable of carrying on with different house chores, profession tasks, as well as social responsibilities and even personal needs. Significantly, there should be varying effective treatments available, and that is exactly the purpose of approving botulinum toxin, a purified for of the said poison.

The botox drug is a prescription drug that should be administered every 12 weeks as multiple injections around the head and neck for the specific use of chronic migraine treatment. Only the recommended amount should be administered to avoid any unwanted adverse side effects. And of course, only those in lab coats licensed to do the treatment is allowed to do so. Verify the administering physician first, even if he or she seems to look like a real professional in his Red Kap lab coats and Dickies scrubs. Patients must make sure of this for safety’s sake.

Studies regarding botulinum toxin took place following observations that patients who were treated for hyperfunctional facial lines showed reduction of migraine symptoms. In a small study conducted on 18 patients suffering from imploding and ocular headaches, and were also under botulinum cosmetic treatment of the upper face, migraine frequency decreased from more than 7 to less than one a month.

What are the adverse effects of botulinum toxin? Difficulty in breathing and swallowing are the negative effects that a chronic migraine patient under botox treatment could possibly experience, which can also be life-threatening.

Viagra and Anti-Cancer Drug Combo Effectively Treats Prostate Cancer

Even medical professionals can fall into the pit of being a prostate cancer patient. You may see them in mens scrubs, looking healthy enough, but could be suffering from the same health fatal problem plaguing men. These people in mens scrubs and the ordinary people alike, gets hope from the new research findings showing the combination of Viagra and anti-cancer drug Doxorubicin can effectively treat prostate cancer.

The research by the researchers of Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine and VCU Massey Cancer Center and published in the journal of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences say, the drug combo reduce size of tumors in lab mice and alleviate heart damage at the same time.

Doxorubicin is a standard anti-cancer drug used for patients under chemotherapy. But one of its side effects is high risk of irreversible heart damage, which may surface several years after treatment is stopped. There has to be a drug that should protect patients from short-term and long-term heart damage resulting from intake of Doxorubicin without diminishing its effectiveness, and the excellent candidate is the blue pill generically named sildenafil, the Viagra.

1-Year-Old Baby Tests Positive on Cocaine

An adult can accidentally fall into unwarranted accident or health risk, much less a 1-year old kid. A shocking news about a 1-year old baby boy tested positive of cocaine and PCP rattled Chicago. A witness saw the child, at a West Side house, Sunday, chewing on a piece of tinfoil thought to be tainted with the above mentioned drugs.

The child was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital after he was acting lethargic. Good thing the boy was found in good condition, though, remained at the care of people in scrub tops and scrub pants of the hospital that day for observation. Investigators went to the house and found drug paraphernalia after the hospital officials called cops.

How many infants are faced with such risks, being with irresponsible parents who are drug addicts or users? What if nobody saw what happened to that poor child? What could have resulted from this will remain covered from the sight of the public and the authorities. And the all will rest on the hands of the people responsible.

Should You Use Medical Marijuana?

Medical marijuana has been in the limelight for the past several months. Debates and news highlight legalization of medical pot shops in different states across America, although others weren't swept by the overwhelming success of the newly established laws favoring it.

At the start of FDA saying there must be further studies that must be conducted, advocates of medical marijuana became high on pushing legislators to favor them. Not long enough, their efforts paid off. This is despite the fact that studies haven't yet showed results from the latest studies done and FDA has not yet changed the category of marijuana.

Besides going against Food and Drug Administration, medical cannabis posts a very high risk of lung problems. Why? Because the most common way of using this herbal treatment is through smoking, wherein the lungs take the brunt just like how cigarette smoking gives them burden. Marijuana smoking slowly kills the person by targeting a vital organ.

On the other hand, medical marijuana advocates have a long list of positive side of pot. It includes myriad of ailments allegedly treatable by marijuana, including Psoriasis, genital herpes, myeloid leukemia, alcohol abuse, skin cancer and more; and that in order to use medical marijuana without the lung issues, other ways of taking pot in is also available. It can be eaten after it's baked. The user can also drink along it with tea or tincture with vodka.

Safety and effectiveness of this herbal drug still depend on whether results from studies prove good. For now, patients need to carefully reconsider things before finally taking the next step. They have to keep in mind that experts haven't yet officially approved its use. There are other medications and treatments being given by physicians in medical uniforms to treat ailments considered to be treatable by the so called medical marijuana.