CDC Triples H1N1 Death Estimates

Posted by Health JYDC Admin | Health News! | Sunday 29 November 2009 4:52 am

Article Source: Health And Fitness Journal


The CDC has greatly increased its estimate of the number of U.S. residents who have died from the H1N1 swine flu virus. The number of deaths have increased from 1,200 to 3,900. The CDC claims it is really an accounting issue and not a situation where the virus is getting more deadly. The H1N1 numbers are clearly showing the youngest are hardest hit. With H1N1 90% of the deaths have been in people 65 and under. That is very different from seasonal flu when 90% of the deaths are in people 65 and older. 38,000 children under 18 have been hospitalized and 540 have died. Take a look:

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More Proof Cholesterol Lowering Drugs Are Useless

Posted by Health JYDC Admin | Health Informations | Thursday 26 November 2009 3:03 pm

Article Source: Health And Fitness Journal


Research published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine is sending rumbles through the medical community because it is the third recent study to raise questions about the effectiveness of Zetia and its sister drug, Vytorin, highly profitable pharmaceuticals made by Merck & Co.

 

“This is the third strike,” said Steven Nissen, chairman of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. “The studies are telling us that it doesn’t appear to produce benefits. This is a drug used by millions of Americans, a very big seller, in a health-care system where costs are a major issue. And the question has to be, is this the right approach?”

 

Vytorin and Zetia are among the most popular prescription drugs. Last year, physicians in the United States wrote a total of more than 29 million prescriptions for them, and worldwide sales totaled $4.56 billion, according to Merck.

 

Although the drugs have been shown to reduce cholesterol, there is no evidence that they prevent heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular problems.

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Drug resistant swine flu hits UK

Posted by Health JYDC Admin | Health News! | Saturday 21 November 2009 4:07 am

Article Source: Health And Fitness Journal


By Fergus Walsh
Health correspondent, BBC News

Tamiflu

Health officials in Cardiff are investigating the possible person-to-person spread of a Tamiflu-resistant strain of swine flu.

The strain has infected a small number of patients at the University Hospital Wales, all of whom have serious underlying health conditions.

If confirmed it would be the first case of its kind in Europe.

It appears one person developed resistance, and the strain was then passed on to others at the hospital.

There have been several dozen reports around the world of people developing resistance to tamiflu whilst taking the drug.

But what happened at the University Hospital Wales – person to person transmission – may be quite different.

There has been only one other similar case in the US among two people at a summer camp – but the resistant strain did not spread any further.

Further tests

Health officials in Wales said more tests were being carried out to confirm exactly what happened.

They are not yet confirming person to person spread.

All the patients are said to recovering and being cared for in controlled environments so there is no risk to anyone else.

Tamiflu is an antiviral and can reduce the risk of complications of flu as well as shortening the duration of illness.

The UK has enough doses for half the population.

Any spread of a Tamiflu resistance strain of swine flu would be a serious public health concern, but there is no evidence to suggest that this has happened.</p

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

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