Healthy Me - At Home and Away: October 2009

Monday, October 26, 2009

Save your breath

Early detection and treatment can help COPD sufferers breathe better

Eveline Gan

eveline@mediacorp.com.sg

FOR more than three decades, Mr Mohamed Zaid Bin Sahari, a heavy smoker, lived with a chronic cough that he thought was a common smoker's ailment. Then in 2000, he started suffering from breathlessness.

"Every step that I took felt like I just ran 1km," said the 56-year-old, who used to puff 40 sticks of cigarettes daily.

The condition, which affected him so much that he was unable to walk or talk, almost killed him in 2007.

The unbearable breathlessness Mr Mohamed Zaid experienced was a result of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a serious respiratory disease that is the eighth most common cause of deaths in Singapore, according to the Ministry of Health.

Presently, about 64,000 people here suffer from moderate to severe COPD. And the number is expected to rise, according to respiratory specialist Dr Ong Kian Chung, president of the COPD Association (Singapore).

Dr Ong added that sufferers are also expected to exhibit symptoms of the disease at a younger age, as youth are experimenting smoking at an average age of 16.

Smokers, including second-hand smokers, are at risk of the condition because harmful gases from smoking can cause an abnormal inflammatory response in the lungs. Those who are regularly exposed to pollutants, such as industrial dust and exhaust fumes, are also at risk.

Out of breath

The debilitating disease, which generally affects those above 40 years old, causes the patient to gradually lose the ability to breathe. "It restricts the patients' ability to carry out normal activities and is often undiagnosed in the early and moderate stages," said Dr Ong.

For Mr Mohamed Zaid, being out of breath constantly meant that he was unable to keep up with his daily activities. He also had to take medical leave from work often because he felt unwell. Mr Mohamed Zaid is currently unemployed.

"In the worst-case scenario, the patient literally runs out of breath and it can be fatal," said Dr Ong.

The good news is that COPD can be treated, the doctor said.

And the earlier the diagnosis and treatment, the better the end result, added Dr Tan Tze Lee, a general practitioner at The Edinburgh Clinic, and vice-president of COPD Association (Singapore).

According to Dr Tan, early detection and treatment has been shown to improve patients' health and quality of life.

Simply breathe into the mouthpiece of the spirometer to find out if you have the condition.

GPs to offer COPD screening

Presently, 200 local GPs are equipped and trained to offer COPD screening in their clinics using handheld spirometers, which are usually available only at specialist clinics and hospitals. (Visit www.copdas.com for clinic details.) A spirometer is an instrument that measures how well the lungs are working.

Under the "Save Your Breath Singapore" scheme initiated by the COPD Association (Singapore), patients can find out if they're suffering from the disease by taking a breathing test. Screening and consultation fees vary at different clinics.

Smokers and ex-smokers above 40 years old, especially those with chronic cough, lots of phlegm and who suffer from breathlessness, are urged to go for the spirometry test.

Unfortunately for Mr Mohamed Zaid, smoking has caused irreparable damage to his lungs. Although he feels better with treatment, Mr Mohamed Zaid's lung function is currently only at a low 32 per cent. A normal person's lung function is typically above 80 per cent.

"Mr Mohamed Zaid is one example of a COPD patient who suffered the disease for years without knowing it. By the time it was found out, his lungs have severely deteriorated," said Dr Ong, who added that more than half of COPD sufferers are unaware of their condition.

Dr Tan added: "Once the damage of the lungs occurs, it's not reversible. It simply becomes worse over time. If we can 'catch' COPD earlier, we can reduce a lot of suffering and improve patients' quality of life."

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Women with COPD

Women can also get COPD. In fact, female COPD sufferers may be worse off compared with male patients.

According to respiratory specialist Dr Ong Kian Chung, some studies have found that symptoms of the disease may affect women more because they have smaller lungs. Another reason may be due to a later diagnosis, he said.

"Women may suffer more in silence, so by the time they seek medical attention, their lung function would have severely deteriorated."

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From TODAY, Health – Tuesday, 29-Sep-2009

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Flu virus can also spark heart attacks: Research

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Heart patients who catch a flu may have more than just a fever or the sniffles to worry about: The virus could also spark a heart attack, new research shows.

Amid the global outbreak of Influenza A, it is crucial that patients get vaccinated against both regular flu and the H1N1 virus.

British researchers analysed 39 previous studies of heart patients, and found a consistent link between flu and heart attacks.

Up to half of all unexpected flu deaths were due to heart disease, they said in a study published online yesterday in the British medical journal, The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

Flu viruses cause inflammation, usually in the lungs. But they can also cause swelling in the heart or in the coronary arteries, which could lead to dangerous clots breaking off and causing a heart attack.

Once heart patients get the flu, they become more vulnerable to complications like pneumonia and other infections.

Two of the studies analysed showed that heart patients who got a flu shot had fewer heart attacks than those who didn't.

Flu viruses might also merely act as triggers for heart attacks in cardiovascular patients.

Experts are unsure whether the study results apply to otherwise healthy people with no history of heart disease. But the viruses could potentially trigger heart attacks in people with risk factors like high blood pressure or who are overweight. AP

From TODAY, News – Wednesday, 23-Sep-2009

Thanks for not smoking…

Image via Wikipedia

BENEFITS OF BANS

Heart attacks reduced considerably in countries where lighting up is banned

LONDON - The ban on smoking in public places could reduce heart attacks by more than a third in some parts of the world, say researchers.

Two independent health reviews have found that heart attack rates dropped steeply in areas where bans have been introduced, with one reporting 36 per cent fewer cases three years after smoke-free legislation came in.

Smoking in pubs, restaurants and other public spaces was banned in England and Wales in July 2007, a year after similar laws were introduced in Scotland.

The Scottish ban led to a 14 per cent fall in the number of people being admitted to hospital with a heart attack the following year.

A Department of Health study of heart attack rates in England and Wales is not due to report until next year, but experts believe the number of cases in the regions has already fallen by around 10 per cent as a result of the smoking ban.

The latest reviews, which draw on published studies from the United States, Canada, France, Italy, Ireland and Scotland, suggest heart attacks in Britain will fall even further over the next two years.

"While we obviously won't bring heart attack rates to zero, these findings give us evidence that in the short to medium term, smoking bans will prevent a lot of heart attacks," said Dr James Lightwood, a health economist at the University of California in San Francisco, and co-author of one of the reviews, published in the US Journal Circulation.

Dr Lightwood analysed 13 published reports on heart attacks in countries or states where smoking bans have been introduced.

A year after the bans were introduced, heart attacks had fallen by an average of 17 per cent. After three years, the number of heart attacks had dropped by 36 per cent.

"This study adds to the already strong evidence that second-hand smoke causes heart attacks, and that passing 100 per cent smoke-free laws in all work places and public places is something we can do to protect the public," Dr Lightwood said.

Heart attacks may fall more modestly in Britain than other European countries because many workplaces imposed smoking bans before nationwide laws were passed.

A second review, by Mr David Meyers at the University of Kansas, drew on 10 studies from the same regions.

His report, which is published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, found heart attacks had fallen by 17 per cent on average a year after smoking bans were imposed.

Most of the benefit was seen among young people and non-smokers.

While smoking doubles the risk of heart attack, passive smokers, who regularly inhale tobacco fumes from others, have around a 30 per cent higher risk of getting a heart attack. The Guardian

From TODAY, News – Wednesday, 23-Sep-2009

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Don't ignore the itch

THE next time you dismiss your itchy eyes and congested nose as minor irritations, consider this: Experts say such common symptoms, caused by allergic rhinitis (AR), can affect work and school performance.

AR is caused by an allergic response to certain airborne substances such as house dust mites. Sufferers experience cold-like symptoms affecting the nose, throat and eyes. These range from a stuffy or runny nose to itchy, red and watery eyes, and can occur irregularly or all year round.

"AR is not a life-threatening condition, but many people underestimate its impact on daily activities," said Dr Samuel Yeak, president of the Society of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Singapore, at a media conference last week.

According to Dr Yeak, about 730,000 people here suffer from this condition. And 44 per cent of them are children, who are less able to cope with the symptoms, added Dr Lee Bee Wah, an adjunct associate professor at the Department of Paediatrics at the National University of Singapore, and president of the College of Paediatrics and Child Health Singapore.

He said studies have found that adolescents with moderate to severe AR symptoms have a 50-per-cent increased risk of dropping an exam grade.

"Nasal congestion can affect quality of sleep. The symptoms of AR can also be very tiring and adversely affect performance in school or at work. Imagine how exhausting it would be if you kept sneezing or if your eyes were constantly itchy," explained Dr Lee.

However, only about half of AR patients seek medical help, and most of them ask only to be relieved of their nasal symptoms, said Dr Yeak.

"Often, patients are told by their GPs that it's just a runny nose. Many cases are undertreated, and people just live with their symptoms."

Presently, intranasal steroids (INS), a type of nasal spray, is the recommended treatment for relieving moderate to severe AR nasal and eye symptoms, even for children, said both doctors.

For mild cases, anti-histamines can help, said Dr Yeak.

"Many parents are worried that using nasal steroids may be harmful for kids, but the types of INS currently available are actually very safe and have no side effects on children," he added. Eveline Gan

From TODAY, Health – Tuesday, 22-Sep-2009

Heart-stopping moment

Image via Wikipedia

In collaboration with Health Promotion Board, Singapore

CARDIAC ARREST

Training more people in skills like CPR makes all the difference between life and death during emergencies

Eveline Gan

eveline@mediacorp.com.sg

HAD paramedics not used an automated external defibrillator (AED) on her in time, Linbert Lim candidly admitted that she would have died three years ago.

Then 41, the housewife, who has a history of high blood cholesterol, suffered a heart attack after her regular gym session. By the time an ambulance arrived, she had blacked out; and while on the way to the hospital, her heartbeat stopped.

Thankfully, a paramedic used an AED - a device that uses electrical therapy to treat heart attack victims - to restore Linbert's heart rhythm. "Without that ... you wouldn't be talking to me right now," she said.

As in Linbert's case, time is of the essence when it comes to saving those who suffer from cardiac arrest.

"No matter how efficient the ambulance service is, it still needs some time to get to its destination," said Associate Professor Terrance Chua, chairman of the Singapore Heart Foundation (SHF) and deputy medical director of the National Heart Centre.

"For every minute of delay in administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation, the victim's chance of survival drops by 7 to 10 per cent. So if you delay treatment by 10 minutes from the time of the collapse, the victim's survival rate is going to be very poor."

In Singapore, a mere 2.7 per cent of people who suffer from cardiac arrest in public areas survive. This pales in comparison to cities such as Seattle in the United States and Gottenburg in Sweden, where survival rates are as high as 40 per cent.

With greater public education, the SHF hopes to change this.

"We hope to improve out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest survival rates in Singapore by having more people trained in CPR and AED, so they have enough confidence to use it when the need arises," said Assoc Prof Chua.

A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is obstructed, due to a blood clot or rupture of fatty deposits (cholesterol) in the artery wall. When the heart muscle is starved of blood and oxygen, a person can "collapse within minutes". In some cases, said Assoc Prof Chua, there are no warning signs prior to the attack.

Applying CPR and AED in time can save lives in cardiac emergencies.

Chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth breathing used in CPR help to restore the function of the heart by making sure that there is a continuous flow of oxygen to the lungs and brain. And in most cases, applying defibrillation in addition to CPR is crucial to restoring normal heart rhythms.

Although an AED may not always be available during an emergency, Assoc Prof Chua said that "every little bit of CPR helps the patient buy some time" before the ambulance arrives.

Help save lives

The Singapore Heart Foundation recently launched a four-hour programme to equip the public with two vital skills needed during cardiac emergencies - CPR and knowledge of how an AED machine works. For details, email cpraed@heart.org.sg or call 6354 9370.

From TODAY, Health – Tuesday, 22-Sep-2009

H1N1 has not mutated into deadlier form

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HONG KONG - The head of the World Health Organization said yesterday the Influenza A (H1N1) virus had apparently not yet mutated into a more serious disease and that the development of vaccines was proceeding on track.

The vaccines for H1N1 produced so far have been very effective, WHO director-general Margaret Chan said at the opening ceremony for the organisation's annual Western Pacific meeting in Hong Kong.

"The virus can mutate any time. But from April to now, we can see from the data given to us by laboratories worldwide that the virus is still very similar (to the previous state)," Dr Chan told reporters.

Dr Chan said the biggest challenge in combating the pandemic would be ensuring enough vaccine got to the world's poorest countries.

Ideally, 3 billion doses could be produced worldwide annually, she told the meeting, noting that China had already begun to vaccinate people.

"Results of early clinical trials suggest that a single dose of pandemic vaccine will be sufficient. If confirmed, this finding will literally double the amount of vaccine available," she said. "Here's the big question: Will this result in more equitable distribution of vaccines? Let me assure you: I am pursuing this opportunity from several angles."

Dr Chan warned that the death of pregnant women in the developing world during a pandemic would be "especially tragic" because the number could be much higher than elsewhere.

Her comments came after the WHO's warning last week that the annual production of H1N1 vaccines is expected to fall well short of the 4.9 billion doses that it had earlier forecast. AFP

From TODAY, World – Tuesday, 22-Sep-2009

Alzheimer's disease, dementia on the rise

AGEING POPULATION

Dementia cases to 'double every 20 years' worldwide

WASHINGTON - More than 35 million people around the world are living with Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia, reveals the most in-depth attempt yet to assess the brain-destroying illness - and it's an ominous forecast as the population ages.

Alzheimer's disease and other dementias will afflict 35.6 million people in 2010, about 10 per cent more than previously estimated because of a higher number of cases in developing countries than doctors realised, said researchers.

The number of dementia sufferers may almost double every 20 years to 115.4 million in 2050, said researchers at Alzheimer's Disease International in a report. The report's authors had previously projected lower numbers in a 2005 article in the Lancet.

While age is the biggest driver of Alzheimer's, some of the same factors that trigger heart disease - obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes - seem to increase the risk of dementia, too. Those are problems also on the rise in many developing countries.

The report recommends that the World Health Organization declare dementia a health priority, and that countries including the US develop a plan for dealing with the greater numbers of dementia patients.

''We are facing an emergency,'' said Dr Daisy Acosta, who heads Alzheimer's Disease International, which released the report yesterday.

Lower and middle-income countries have the fastest increase in prevalence in the next 20 years. Alzheimer's disease and other dementias cost US$315 billion ($446.8 billion) a year, according to an estimate from Sweden's Karolinska Institute cited by the paper.

Dementia care costs are rising fastest in low and middle income countries. There is no known cure; today's drugs only temporarily alleviate symptoms. Scientists aren't even sure what causes Alzheimer's. AGENCIES

From TODAY, World – Tuesday, 22-Sep-2009

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

H1N1 spreads long after the fever stops

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SAN FRANCISCO - When the coughing stops is probably a better sign of when an Influenza A (H1N1) patient is no longer contagious, experts said after seeing new research that suggests the virus can still spread many days after a fever goes away.

"This study shows you're not contagious for a day or two. You're probably contagious for about a week," said Mr Gaston De Serres, a scientist at the Institute of Public Health in Quebec.

He presented one of the studies on Monday at an American Society for Microbiology conference.

Three reports suggest this is so. Mr De Serres and other researchers in Canada took nose and throat swabs from 43 flu patients and dozens of sick family members.

On the eighth day after symptoms appeared, 19 to 75 per cent showed signs of virus remaining in their noses.

Dr David Lye reported on 70 patients treated at Tan Tock Seng Hospital in Singapore for Influenza A (H1N1).

He found that 80 per cent had the virus five days after symptoms began, and 40 per cent seven days after. Some patients still harboured virus 16 days later.

A third report came from Dr Guillermo Ruiz-Palacios of the National Institutes of Medical Science and Nutrition in Mexico, who said.

Infected people "shed the virus for a very, very long time", Dr Guillermo Ruiz-Palacios said. AP

From TODAY, World – Wednesday, 16-Sep-2009

Immunity for kids

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PNEUMOCOCCAL VACCINAT ION

IT IS a disease that can be fatal, but now, young children in Singapore will be immunised against pneumococcal disease.

In what appears to be a turnaround, the Ministry of Health (MOH) will now include pneumococcal vaccination into the National Childhood Immunisation Programme (NCIP). Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan announced this in Parliament yesterday.

"Fortunately, a vaccine is available to protect children against this disease. Extensive studies have shown (it) to be safe and effective. Many countries, including Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the US, have included pneumococcal vaccination in their national childhood immunisation programmes.

"Our Expert Committee on Immunisation has reviewed this, and recommended that we follow suit," Mr Khaw said.

Pneumococcal disease refers to a range of illnesses caused by streptococcus pneumoniae, a bacterium commonly known as pneumococcus. The bug can cause meningitis (infection of the lining or spinal cord), pneumonia (infection of the lungs), bacteraemia (blood infection) and otitis media (infection of the middle ear). Detection is not easy because symptoms are similar to those of the common flu.

In 2007, the MOH rejected calls for the vaccination to be included among those for tuberculosis, diptheria, poliomyelitis, tetanus and measles, which are free for Singaporean children.

To an ensuing debate, MOH said the rate for penumonia and meningitis among children in Singapore was low, and had seen no need to include the vaccine in NCIP.

In Singapore, 70 children under five years old were hospitalised for pneumococcal disease every year. Seven deaths have been recorded since 2000. CHANNEL NEWSASIA

From TODAY, Health – Wednesday, 16-Sep-2009

Not so juicy news about juice

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In collaboration with Health Promotion Board, Singapore

Eveline Gan

eveline@mediacorp.com.sg

Some time back, my spouse, who hates drinking water, decided that he would stop downing soda to quench his thirst. It was too unhealthy, he felt.

Resolved to lead a healthier lifestyle, he switched to drinking fruit juices. Within days, he had gulped down several cartons and pronounced himself "healthier" as a result.

Was he?

Not really, said nutrition experts Today spoke to. While fruit juices contain more nutrients than soda, that's not a good reason to overdose on them.

"Many people think fruit juices are healthy and drink them freely. In fact, they have high sugar content. Having too much juice isn't good for blood sugar levels," said holistic nutritionist Yondi Lee of Ascension Healing.

Plus, it is "not a wholesome way to consume fruit", she added. "While a glass of juice may be packed with nutrients, it may lack those found in the fruit's pulp - such as flavonoids - which are lost during the extraction process."

Flavonoids support Vitamin C absorption and have anti-inflammatory properties.

The Health Promotion Board (HPB) recommends two servings each of fruit and vegetables daily.

For each group, only one serving should come from juice, according to Dr Grace Soon, acting deputy director of HPB's Adult Health Division's nutrition department.

"This is to ensure that fibre is consumed. The fibre that is found in fruit and vegetables is removed during the making of juice," she said.

Ms Lee advised diluting juice before consumption "so it will be less sweet". She added that drinking vegetable juice may also be more beneficial because it is lower in sugar than regular fruit juice.

For instance, a serving of fresh mango juice - which has 139 calories and 24g of sugar - contains three times the number of calories and almost five times as much sugar as tomato juice.

However, Dr Soon said it is best to incorporate a variety of juices from different fruit and vegetables, as well as whole fruit and vegetables into the diet.

"Although fruit and vegetables contain similar nutrients such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folate and potassium, and other phytochemicals (plant substances such as beta-carotene, lycopene and flavonoids), they may contain different amounts of these nutrients. For example, vegetable juices are higher in Vitamin A and some fruit juices are higher in Vitamin C. Therefore, no particular juice is 'better' than another," she explained.

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What about commercial juices?

"Some pre-packed carton juices come with added sugar, resulting in higher sugar and calorie content," Dr Soon said.

Ms Lee also cautioned against drinking those that include juice concentrate.

"Depending on the manufacturer, juice concentrate is made by removing water from juice, hence concentrating it. Sometimes heat is used in the process and this destroys certain nutrients. Sugar and other thickeners may also be added," she said.

If you buy commercially-packed juices, go for those that are 100 per cent juice, with no added sugar, the experts advised. Ms Lee added: "It's even better if the juice contains pulp."

Dr Soon said that those fortified with nutrients such as calcium and Vitamin D may also supplement one's dietary intake of these vitamins and minerals.

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From TODAY, Health – Tuesday, 15-Sep-2009

Knock-on effect

Image by Victius via Flickr

In collaboration with Health Promotion Board, Singapore

TEENAGE DEPRESSION

Unhappy relationships in the family can cause children stress

Eveline Gan

eveline@mediacorp.com.sg

Her father had recently lost his job. To lessen his financial worries, Wendy (not her real name) thought of killing herself. She felt that she was a burden to her parents and they would be better off if she were dead.

Prone to depression, 16-year-old Wendy is one of the many disturbing cases Dr Daniel Fung, senior consultant and chief of the child and adolescent psychiatry department in the Institute of Mental Health, has seen at his clinic.

Although the economic slump does not affect children and teenagers directly, it can take its toll, said psychiatrists Today spoke to.

"They may not be affected by the recession, but their parents may be. And this can indirectly affect them," said Dr Fung, one of the co-authors of Feeling Blue, a self-help guide on handling teenage depression.

Dr Adrian Wang, a consultant psychiatrist at Gleneagles Medical Centre who has both adult and teenage patients, noted that he had seen a 10- to 20-per-cent increase in the number of couples with conflicts in past months. Most of their troubles revolve around job and financial stress.

"Conflict between family members or parents can have a knock-on effect on kids," said Dr Wang.

He added that adults who are stressed or depressed cannot focus on their roles as parents, which is crucial for their child's wellbeing.

"They may have problems doing simple things such as coaching their kids on their homework, to more complex tasks such as dispensing sound advice," said Dr Wang.

Up to 20 per cent of local school-going children, including those who don't seek professional help, may experience some form of depression, Dr Fung estimated.

"Kids and teenagers often feel trapped and see no way out of their situation. Without a mature perspective on things, they may become irrational about their fears," said Dr Wang.

A recent local study of over 600 children, aged six to 12, found that 22 per cent had harboured thoughts of killing themselves or indicated that they wanted to kill themselves. Therefore, it is important that parents and friends know the warning signs (see box), said Dr Fung.

Medication, problem-solving techniques and talking therapies (counselling and talking it through) are typically used to treat depression. But with children and teenagers, parental or family support is "critical", both doctors said.

"Some kids may not want to admit it, but what their parents think of them is very important to them," said Dr Fung.

Feeling Blue: A Guide to Handling Teenage Depression is available at $18.50 (before GST) at all good bookstores.

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Watch the warning signs

Children and teenagers who are depressed may have symptoms similar to those of adults. These include having suicidal thoughts, low mood that lasts more than two weeks, and a lack of interest in their usual activities and hobbies, said Dr Daniel Fung, senior consultant and chief of the child and adolescent psychiatry department in the Institute of Mental Health.

On the other end of the spectrum, depressed children and teenagers are also more prone to "engaging in oppositional acts", which parents may sometimes perceive as disobedience or rebelliousness, added Dr Adrian Wang, consultant psychiatrist at Gleneagles Medical Centre.

"It's important for parents to sit down and talk to their child. Don't assume that he's just being a bad boy, especially if what he's doing is out of character," said Dr Wang.

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From TODAY, Health – Tuesday, 15-Sep-2009

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

In a boil over coffee

CONTROVERSY DOWN UNDER

Queensland department slammed for telling doctors to drink six cups to fight fatigue

CANBERRA - The Queensland Health Department has advised doctors to drink six cups of coffee a day to fight off fatigue and avoid harming or killing patients when sleep-deprived, the Courier-Mail newspaper reported yesterday.

Doctors and lobby groups, however, slammed the advice, saying the recommended consumption would turn doctors into addicts and put the lives of patients at risk.

Public hospital patients have died because doctors have been made to work more than 72 hours at a stretch, their union, Salaried Doctors Queensland, was quoted as saying by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

Out of the 113 doctors surveyed by the union, about 88 per cent had reported experiencing dangerously high levels of fatigue while on the job.

But in guidelines released by the department, solutions such as hiring more staff were deemed "not be achievable or effective in managing a fatigue risk".

Instead, the document considered the "strategic use of caffeine ... to be beneficial" to help doctors stave off fatigue, the Courier-Mail reported.

"The recommended dosage for a prolonged and significant reduction in sleepiness during a night without sleep has been suggested at 400mg of caffeine ... equivalent to about five to six cups of coffee," the document states.

Caffeine was preferred to other psychoactive drugs as it was more readily available and less expensive, the document added.

Pine Rivers Private Hospital alcohol and drug programme director John Saunders said the department's suggestions were "the height of irresponsibility", and that doctors would become addicted.

While caffeine addiction is significant at 600mg a day, some people would be addicted at 400mg, he said. The measures would also not lower the risk of mistakes for patients.

Australian Medical Association chairman Andrew Pesce said the proper response to fatigue was a shorter working week.

"It would be hard for me to be convinced that caffeine that makes you feel less tired is going to necessarily improve your performance," he told ABC. "We should be focusing on a fundamentally safe rostering system and an acknowledgment that certain minimum number of hours of sleep is what is necessary to maximise performance."

From TODAY, World – Wednesday, 09-Sep-2009

Prostate cancer linked to gene-influencing virus

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SAN FRANCISCO - A virus has been linked to the most aggressive form of prostate cancer, potentially leading the way to identifying men with the deadliest tumours and pinpointing their treatment.

The discovery, reported on Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, involves the XMRV virus, said Dr Ila Singh, an associate professor of pathology at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

Forty-four per cent of men with tumours graded nine out of 10 for severity on a standard scale had evidence of XMRV, Dr Singh's study found.

A more accurate way to identify the riskiest cases might improve therapy, since some tumours are slow growing and don't require aggressive treatment with surgery, chemotherapy or radiation, all of which carry side effects.

About 1 million men have been needlessly treated for prostate cancer over the past two decades, largely because of greater use of a blood test for the protein called prostate specific antigen, or PSA, according to a study reported on Aug 31 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

"There is a need for a better test to help determine who would benefit from treatment versus who could be left alone," said Dr Singh. BLOOMBERG

From TODAY, World – Wednesday, 09-Sep-2009

Monday, October 5, 2009

Severe pain in stomach

What causes stomach pains?

Question by Mr Tham

I will be turning 30 this year. For the past three weeks, I've had bad stomach pains that are accompanied by nausea and a pulling pain in my heart. I even vomited. Before this, I never had any problems with my stomach, even when I didn't take frequent meals. What could be the reason for the pain, and how can I manage it? Is there any underlying medical condition I should be aware of?

Reply from Dr Bhavesh Doshi

Consultant, Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, University Medicine Cluster, National University Hospital

Most cases of abdominal pain are related to indigestion. Patients will usually experience symptoms such as nausea or vomiting. I would advise you to see a doctor for a detailed examination. You may be given simple medication to reduce the gastric "acidity" in your stomach. The doctor may also advise lifestyle changes such as adopting a healthy, balanced diet. You may need to cut down on smoking and alcohol consumption as these factors can increase gastric acidity.

If the symptoms persist, it is important to have a proper examination to ensure that they are not due to more serious conditions such as stomach ulcers. You will be referred to a specialist for a further evaluation of your symptoms. The specialist may request for a gastroscopy (where a flexible tube is inserted through the mouth to "see" the stomach), an abdominal ultrasound (to look for gallstones) and blood tests if necessary.

The information provided above is for your general knowledge only. You should seek medical advice or treatment for your condition. Email questions to health@newstoday.com.sg.

From TODAY, Health – Tuesday, 08-Sep-2009

Healthy Me - At Home and Away

Amazon Holiday Deals

Monday, October 26, 2009

Save your breath

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Flu virus can also spark heart attacks: Research

Thanks for not smoking…

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Don't ignore the itch

Heart-stopping moment

H1N1 has not mutated into deadlier form

Alzheimer's disease, dementia on the rise

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

H1N1 spreads long after the fever stops

Immunity for kids

Not so juicy news about juice

Knock-on effect

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

In a boil over coffee

Prostate cancer linked to gene-influencing virus

Monday, October 5, 2009

Severe pain in stomach

WebMD Health News

Fish