October, 2008

A new pair of studies finds the standard screening tests for prostate cancer may not be accurate for obese men, leaving them more vulnerable to the disease and surgery is less likely to be effective for them. Gastroenterologists are using a new method of freezing damaged cells in the esophagus to prevent them from turning cancerous. Scientists have created a strain of mice resistant to diet-induced obesity. Research involving a brain chemical might lead to drug treatments for obese humans. Antonio C. Bianco, M.D., chief of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism has joined the Miller School of Medicine from Harvard Medical School, along with his lab and research staff. Margaret Fischl, M.D., director of the AIDS Clinical Research Unit, is quoted about a new gene silencing technique the stops HIV cold in mouse studies and promises to become a potent new AIDS therapy with few side effects. Medical care in Palm Beach County has a bright future since the Miller School's regional campus has started operating at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. Patients taking some common medications for high cholesterol and irregular heartbeats can suffer severe muscle damage because of a problem in the way the drugs interact. The FDA said doctors should use extra care when prescribing Zocor or Vytorin to patients who are also taking amiodarone, often sold as Cordarone or Pacerone. William O'Neill, M.D., executive dean for clinical affairs at UM Miller School of Medicine has performed the first angioplasty in Florida using the Impella heart pumping device. Performing angioplasties through the wrist may significantly lower the risk of bleeding in many cases. It would also eliminate the discomfort of lying flat for hours while the groin incision site seals up. Chewing gum can speed the return of normal bowel function after colon surgery. A new study finds that a daily dose of the erectile dysfunction drug tadalafil (Cialis) helped relieve lower urinary tract symptoms in men with signs of enlarged prostates. Low levels of vitamin D can boost older woman's risk for hip fracture by more than 70 percent. Teenagers who don't get enough sleep or have poor quality sleep run the risk of elevated blood pressure. Naomi Prever - VP Education - naomirltr@bellsouth.net - 561-997-6020