A few interesting facts in the field of medicine

A few interesting facts in the field of medicine

                There is a wealth of information in the net in the field of medicine, here are some excerpts from various articles I found interesting. I hope you find this information useful

1. Early Antiretroviral treatment cuts HIV transmission – People infected with HIV are 96 percent less likely to transmit the disease to their healthy partners if they start antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) early, according to a study hailed as a scientific breakthrough of 2011.
2. Statins use linked to lower death rate in flu patients – The use of Statins – cholesterol lowering drugs - may reduce the risk of death in patients hospitalized for influenza. In a large US study, the administration of statins to flu patients before or after hospitalization reduced mortality rates by 41 percent3.    
3.    Acupuncture improves chemo-induced pain – Cancer patients who develop peripheral neuropathy as a result of chemotherapy may be able to turn to acupuncture to relieve their pain, according to data from a small pilot study
4.     Flu vaccination reduces COPD deaths in elderly – Mandatory preventive vaccination against seasonal influenza can reduce the mortality rate of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – a disease of the lung due to excessive smoking – among those aged 65 years and older during influenza outbreaks, according to a Japanese study
5. Combined oral contraceptive pill helps ease painful periods – taking birth control pills may offer extra benefit for women who suffer from menstrual pain. In a study, which involved 2,102 women aged 19 at baseline, those who received a combined oral contraceptive pill had significantly lower severity of menstrual pain
6. Have a beer once a day – A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that men who drank ONE beer a day for one month lowered their cholesterol levels, increased their blood levels of heart-healthy antioxidants, and reduced their level of fibrinogen, a protein that contributes to blood clots. Choose either beer or wine – not both 
7. There are 3 new health benefits of eating chocolate  
   
   a.       Chocolate makes you smarter – Flavanols in dark chocolate increase cerebral blood flow, which in turn may trigger the creation of new blood vessels and brain cells
   b.      Chocolate weakens heart attacks – A new study showed that regular chocolate eaters who had heart disease were less likely to die following a heart attack compared with people who didn’t treat themselves to the dark and dreamy stuff
   c.       Chocolate has a cavity-fighting compound- Theobromine in chocolate is as good as fluoride at hardening tooth enamel
   
   
   
8. One study found that men with the following conditions had a greater likelihood of having Low Testosterone – Obesity, Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol and Asthma. If you are a male above age 50 and you have one of these conditions make sure you get your Testosterone checked

The adage “There is to side to a coin” works for medicine. There are always benefits to everything that you do or eat. Do not be a pessimist because there is always a brighter side to life. Enjoy life, Don’t 

abuse it