medical professionals
The Drug Avastin Appears to be too Risky for Breast Cancer Treatment
Avastin is a type of drug that has been considered for breast cancer treatments. However, many medical professionals have concluded is that it is simply too much of a risk to be used effectively. The FDA is no longer allowing it to be used. They don’t believe through their testing that patients are really benefiting from the use of the drug.
The fact that Avastin is the best selling breast cancer drug on the market makes this decision a tough call. More than $6 million is revenue is generated from the sale of it annually. This doesn’t mean that it won’t continue to be used as a treatment for other types of cancer though. This drug is very aggressive and it does work for colon and lung cancer.
The side effects and risks that come with using Avastin don’t work well when combined with chemotherapy for breast cancer treatments. Avastin was only approved for this type of cancer in 2008. However, it was also stipulated that the future studies had to show serious improvements. That did not happen so the overall benefits don’t seem to be there. There is no higher survival benefits for those using Avastin for breast cancer treatment.
This particular breast cancer treatment also came with plenty of harsh side effects. Those taking Avastin suffered from chronic fatigue, nausea, changes in appetite, irritability, diarrhea, and a metallic taste when eating. The cost of these drug is very expensive too and that has been a burden on many patients.
In fact, some are angry that they have been taking this form of medication for their breast cancer treatment but it was a waste of their time. It is possible that the lawsuits will start to flood in based on the FDA information. Families who lost someone to breast cancer may sue on the grounds that their loved one shouldn’t have been given Avastin.
Some believe that this drug will continue to circulate on the black market. The fact that so many people use it and continue to believe it is effective will drive a market for it. However, consumers are strongly urged to not take this type of medication. It could have very serious health problems for them in the long run. It is just too risky to use this form of medication for this type of cancer treatment.
Sadly, the future use of Avastin for breast cancer treatment isn’t going to be something we can rely on. Still, it is hopeful that this information will help future drugs to emerge that can be more successful. The public does have to commend the FDA for following up and for completing the required testing. This has allowed for consumers to continue being well informed about the medications on the market.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_101281.html http://colon-cancer.emedtv.com/avastin/avastin-side-effects.html
http://www.cancer.org/AboutUs/DrLensBlog/post/2010/07/20/The-FDA-and-Avastinc2ae-Breast-Cancer-Patients-Are-Thrown-Another-Curve-In-An-Ongoing-Saga.aspx
Improvements in Diagnosis of Preeclampsia in Pregnant Woman Could Save Lives
Preeclampsia is a type of health concern some women develop during pregnancy. It can be life threatening to the mother and to her baby due to the risk of a blood clot. In order to save lives, though, there needs to be improved methods of diagnosis in place. Pregnant women need to be aware of the risks as well as the symptoms to look for. Medical professionals also need to be closely monitoring at risk patients for such concerns.
There are studies to suggest that various forms of technology can be used to help predict very early in a pregnancy if a woman is at risk of developing preeclampsia or not. This would be a breakthrough type of technology as well because right now there isn’t anything that is able to provide medical professionals with this kind of information. The only really known symptoms are signs of swelling and the increase of proteins in the urine.
The goal of these studies is to create a type of blood test that can be done to detect preeclampsia risk. This would be a simple and cost effective process that would fit in with normal prenatal care. When you consider that 10% of pregnant women are diagnosed with preeclampsia annually, these are certainly measures worth taking. More than 200,000 women die annually from this health problem.
With proper treatment, though, it is possible for the woman and their infants to be able to survive without serious health problems. These new technologies would provide the means of ensuring that the risks of pregnancy are significantly reduced. The fact that women can also suffer from it later on after the delivery of the baby also needs to be taken into consideration.
Headaches, blurred vision, nausea and vomiting, or water retention are all serious symptoms that a pregnant woman or one who has just given birth need to report to their doctor. The most successful treatment for preeclampsia has many been on removing the baby as soon as possible. With early detection, though, other procedures can be implemented and the high risk pregnancy can be closely watched from the start.
Since preeclampsia is the leading cause of death relating to pregnancy, that means that we do need to explore the methods of diagnosing it early on in the pregnancy. It is suggested that even though the symptoms don’t develop until the last trimester, the problem is actually present in the early stages. Therefore all pregnant woman would benefit from being testing in the first trimester.
This would allow for actions to be taken for the duration of the pregnancy. Such intervention could be what it takes in order to reduce the risks for them by the time the last trimester of their pregnancy rolls around.
http://www.newsroom.heart.org/index.php?s=43&item=1111
http://www.healthscout.com/ency/68/16/main.html
http://highbloodpressure.about.com/od/preeclampsia/f/preeclamp_trt.htm
Dialysis at Home is Helping Kidney Disease Patients Live Longer
The kidneys are a very important part of the body’s overall functioning. With the help of dialysis at home, many studies show that patients in the later stages of kidney disease are able to live longer than before. Most patients hate to go in for dialysis treatments because it can be several hours. They also don’t like being in a medical environment so often.
Dialysis at home can improve the mindset of patients that have kidney disease in later stages. They feel more in control over the situation and they are able to reduce problems such as depression that can set in. Dialysis is important so that the kidneys can be filtered. Otherwise toxins can stay in the body and poison the patient.
When dialysis at home is an option, a patient doesn’t have to rely on someone else to do the process for them. They can fit the need for this filtering process around their daily schedule. They can try to have a steady routine and a normal life as much as possible in spite of their health condition.
Not everyone is a good candidate for dialysis at home. A patient has to be able to hook themselves up to the machine successfully. They also have to show they are responsible enough to follow the schedule. This method does cut down on medical costs though. Most of the time the materials needed for this form of dialysis will be covered by health insurance.
There are several different types of home dialysis. Your medical professionals can explain to you which of them would be the best fit for your health needs and your lifestyle. They can also walk you through the entire process until you are confident you can do it on your own. Ongoing contact with your doctor is still necessary when you have kidney disease.
In many communities there is a lack of medical professionals to stay on top of the needs of patients. There may be too many patients for the number of dialysis stations offered as well. Some of the burden in these incidents can be taken care of with dialysis at home. There are some places where patients have to travel for hours each day to get the process done at a medical center. They can reclaim their time by taking their dialysis treatments on their own at home.
Kidney disease can be very serious and you want to do all you can to have a good quality of life. Studies show that dialysis at home is just as successful as when it is performed at a medical center. Being at home allows the patient to be more comfortable. It also reduces problems for patients due to transportation.
The Use of Psychiatric Medications for Children Should be Carefully Considered
Psychiatric medications are found in society everywhere you look. They are used to help reduce anxiety, bad behavior, and the overall effects of many mental health disorders. The problem, though, is that many have numerous side effects. These effects can be especially harmful to children, so giving them psychiatric medications has to be carefully considered.
There are some medical professionals out there that are quick to prescribe them. They give children medications for a diagnosis of ADD and ADHD. These medications can make them sluggish and unresponsive in many ways. Even though they are no longer hyper, they still aren’t functioning at a level where they should be.
All other alternative options should be explored before giving children psychiatric medication. This includes counseling, behavioral modification, and family interventions. Sometimes structure for the child has to be put into place for them to start responding well to their environment.
There are many children with mental health disorders, though, and those issues need to be addressed. Since there isn’t any current cure for them, finding a means of helping them to have a good quality of life is very important. Sometimes it does take the use of psychiatric medications for that to happen.
However, medications alone aren’t the answer. They have to be used in conjunction with therapy and other forms of treatment. A plan of action needs to be determined with the family and medical team all agreeing to it. Periodically the plan needs to be re-evaluated so that any necessary changes can be made. Regular appointments also make it possible to monitor how successful treatment has become.
When that is the case, you need to work very closely with your doctor. They can help you to understand what medications your child needs and why. Always give them the right dosage, too. Never give them any psychiatric medications that were prescribed for someone else. You also want to make sure you don’t miss a dose of it as that can alter how effective it will be.
It can take time to determine how effective a particular type of psychiatric medication is going to be for a child. The dose should be started out low and then increased at regular increments if necessary. Sometimes a child will build up a resistance to the medication and then another has to be tried to continue offering them quality assistance with their mental health concerns.
Watch for symptoms that your child isn’t doing well with psychiatric medications. If they experience hallucinations, depression, thoughts of suicide, or other severe problems, you need to discontinue giving that medication to them. You also need to contact your doctor to discuss the situation immediately.
The Connection Between Anemia and Diabetes
There is a connection between anemia and diabetes that is important to learn about. Almost 21 million people in the USA have diabetes. A large percentage of them also have anemia. Such a blood disorder can drain the body of energy and it can also make it hard to get out and exercise. Anyone that has diabetes has to exercise often in order to ensure they lose weight and that they have good circulation. Being overweight can cause serious health problems for anyone with diabetes.
It is estimated that approximately one quarter of all diabetes patients have serious complications due to anemia. Yet many of them don’t even know that they have the problem. While many doctors do check for it, not all of them do so. Be an advocate and ask for such a test to be conducted. All you will have to do is give some blood that is then taken to the lab for analysis.
The kidneys as well as your nerves can be seriously affected when you have anemia and diabetes. If your kidneys don’t function like they should, there could be waste in your body that won’t be successfully filtered out. When this occurs, toxins can get into your bloodstream and adversely impact your health. Nerve damage can occur as well, which makes circulation inadequate to your extremities. Both of these scenarios are very serious so you want to do all you can to prevent them from occurring.
The connection between anemia and diabetes has helped many medical professionals to carefully select medications they offer to patients. They don’t want to give them anything for diabetes or other health problems that could cause them to suffer from anemia down the road. Proper nutrition is also very important when you have diabetes so that you don’t develop problems with anemia. By eating foods that are full of vitamins and nutrients, anemia problems are less likely to come about.
If you seem to get tired out too quickly, then you may have anemia. If you have already been diagnosed with diabetes, you should automatically be tested for anemia as well. It doesn’t hurt to ask questions to make sure you have been tested for anemia so that you can be doing what is best for your long term health.
The connection between anemia and diabetes is high so you need to be well aware your own health picture. Should you be anemic, you do need to realize it could increase your risk of diabetes developing. Make sure you do all you can to keep the anemia under control so it doesn’t escalate. You also want to make sure that if you have diabetes, then your doctor should be aware of it and be taking measures to get control over the problem. Make sure your blood is checked too because if you are anemic it could be harder for you to follow such orders.
http://www.anemia.org/patients/feature-articles/content.php?contentid=000367§ionid=00015
When a Cancer Treatment Drug Could Lead to Kidney Damage
When a person is diagnosed with cancer, they will go to any length to beat the life-threatening illness. Many of the medications that are used to fight cancer come with dangers of their own. One kind of cancer treatment drug by the name of Bevacizumab or Avastin can lead to kidney damage.
However, this drug is also one that is very effective in fighting certain types of cancers. The potential dangers do not mean that Bevacizumab won’t be used anymore. What it does mean is that medical professionals as well as patients need to be aware of the risks. Most patients are willing to take that risk if there is a good chance they can beat the cancer by taking this drug.
Studies conducted on more than 1,200 patients taking Avastin have shown that there is a significant risk for kidney damage when it is taken. However, these studies also show the greatest risk is for those patients taking it at the highest doses. Therefore, it is very important that medical professionals prescribe the lowest dosage possible that can impact the growth of the cancer. If that dosage is not effective, it can continue to be increased to the point where it offers maximum benefits.
Many cancer patients do not need high doses of Avastin in order to realize the benefits of the treatment. That is good news and it means that this drug can continue to be very beneficial in spite of the fact that it could lead to kidney damage. Those that have to be careful, though, are patients fighting kidney cancer. It seems like a dilemma in many instances because using this particular drug to fight the cancer could then result in kidney damage as well.
Studies show that when a patient takes Avastin, they may end up losing too much protein through their urine. Not only can this lead to kidney damage, but over time it can make the use of this cancer treatment less effective. Usually, it isn’t enough to take this particular cancer medication by itself either. There are many side effects including fatigue, changes in appetite, bleeding, high blood pressure, and nausea.
The goal is to successfully fight any type of cancer using medications that produce the least amount of side effects. The trade off, though, can be tricky and very hard to measure. On one hand, you have a patient that will do just about anything to battle cancer and get their life back. Yet, they want to have a good quality of life. They don’t want to have kidney problems or other serious health problems as a result of the medications they took to fight the cancer.
There is no easy answer about what the solution really is based on this information. However, it is never ethical for a patient to be given this type of cancer medication without the full potential of risk being outlined for them. The cancer patient and his or her family should have the final decision about whether or not they will proceed with a particular cancer drug.
Being aware that this particular cancer treatment drug can lead to kidney damage is very important. If you have any kidney problems or kidney disease, then this isn’t a form of cancer treatment that is right for you. You may decide to try the Avastin, but your doctor will want to perform kidney testing on a regular basis. Should it be determined that damage is occurring, then the use of such medication would be discontinued.
Why the use of Defensive Medicine is a Controversy
You can’t blame medical professionals for taking part in defensive medicine. If a patient should be misdiagnosed, there are often lawsuits. Doctors are so afraid of making mistakes due to malpractice suits that they often cover all the bases to an extreme. This often means that patients are being asked to complete more tests than they really need to.
Many people maintain that medical professionals should have enough training to properly diagnose health concerns without all of those tests. However, it is common that symptoms can be the result of many different underlying problems. That is where defensive medicine comes in. Doctors and hospitals have to be able to back up the fact that they did all they could to provide a very accurate diagnosis.
In fact, this practice is so common that 90% of doctors take part in defensive medicine. If you have to see the doctor but you don’t have insurance, you can ask them about which of the tests they are asking for are absolutely necessary. By doing so, you can help to reduce the overall cost of what you will have to pay out of pocket for your health care.
With the number of lawsuits against doctors increasing and payouts to those patients at high dollar amounts, insurance is expensive. Medical professionals are virtually backed into a corner where they have to take part in defensive medicine. If they aren’t doing so, they leave themselves wide open for damages if such cases are filed against them. They have worked too hard and too long to allow their practices to be compromised in this way.
The controversy comes from the fact that patients feel taken advantage of. They are poked and prodded and have to schedule many forms of testing to get a diagnosis from their doctor. Many people agree that laws need to be tighter surrounding lawsuits in the medical field. Only then will the use of defensive medicine begin to decrease and the cost to the patients reduced as well.
With health care costs continually on the rise, taking notice of the problem on all levels has created quite a stir. Studies indicate more than $60 billion is spent annually on defensive medicine. A great deal of that money is coming from government funded programs. Higher insurance premiums are also a result of so much being billed annually for excessive testing. For those that have to pay out of pocket, the struggle to come up with the money to pay off the bills for medical care is extremely difficult.
The bottom line is that medical professionals are not trying to bill you at every turn for all the tests they can make you take. Instead, they are doing a thorough job to make sure they don’t end up with problems later on. Most medical professionals take their position to help patients very seriously. The last thing they want is to see it compromised. As a result of this defensive medicine helps them to reduce errors and it protects them from lawsuits.
The Risks of Stopping Menopause Hormone Therapy Need to be Considered
Menopause can last for up to ten years for a woman, so it is important to get it under control as soon as possible. One of the most common forms of treatment is menopause hormone therapy. However, when women stop taking their treatments after getting started on a menopause hormone therapy program, that can play havoc on them both physically and mentally.
The problems that a woman experiences due to menopause can include hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, depression, and lower libido. All of those symptoms can be heightened when a woman stops taking menopause hormone therapy. The reason a woman will start to take them to begin with is that these symptoms are disrupting her quality of life. Returning to experiencing those unpleasant menopause problems isn’t something that any woman wants to experience.
Women that may have had mild problems before menopause hormone therapy may find that their menopause problems become much more severe once they stop. As a result, the entire lifestyle and daily activities of a woman can be thrown into disarray due to the hormone imbalances that can take place.
Many women suffer from stiffness and joint pain when they stop their menopause hormone therapy. This can result in chronic pain, limited mobility, and difficulty working. The hormonal imbalances can make it harder for a woman to take pleasure in daily activities as well. Women that suffer from these types of pain are less likely to get enough daily exercise. This can result in them becoming overweight and developing a higher risk for high blood pressure and heart disease.
There are studies that show that a woman that stops taking menopause hormone therapy is going to have more problems than before she started taking the treatments. This is very important information to have. In fact, many medical professionals have started to give that information to women who are thinking about starting hormone therapy. They need to make sure they are in it for the long haul if they choose to pursue it.
This information could significantly change the attitude that many women have about menopause hormone therapy. It should be looked at as a viable solution only if the symptoms are numerous and very frequent. Otherwise, many menopause problems will go away on their own as a woman progresses through the stages of menopause.
It is never a good idea to stop taking menopause hormone therapy without the consent and support of medical professionals. If you are having a hard time paying for the treatment, talk to your doctor. They may be able to help you find alternatives, including low cost medication programs, samples, and even changing your medications to those that are more affordable.
Work with your doctor to get the most benefit from menopause hormone therapy. It can take time for it to work for you, so be patient. Don’t stop the treatment due to the feeling that it isn’t doing anything for you. Give your body the time it needs to really benefit from menopause hormone therapy.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_99908.html
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hormone-therapy/wo00046
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/women/pht_facts.pdf
Supporting Patient’s Needs Through Nutrition Support
Patients who are recovering from surgery have diverse needs. That is why there is such a need for nutrition support after surgery to assure that patients have the nutritional resources to transition to a recovery period properly. This is especially true in the case of gastrointestinal procedures. The nutritional depletion that is part of that kind of surgery can be a major drawback to recovery. That depletion is natural in light of the reduced nutritional consumption before surgery, the stress of the procedure, and the increased metabolic activity that occurs during surgery.
As a result, the discipline of nutritional support therapy has developed to fill that void. For many years, there was a prevailing belief that intravenous nutrition support just after surgery was harmful to the recuperation process. But that approach to providing nutrition to a postoperative patient has changed with recent studies that show that the introduction of nutritional support quickly not only does not introduce a threat to recovery, it speeds the process and reduces the chances of postoperative infections.
The extent of nutritional deprivation in patients going into surgery is becoming better understood. Nutritional support for these patients is especially important because we are now coming to understand the extent of nutritional depletion that may have already been going on before the patient came to the hospital for treatment. Good nutritional support caregivers can evaluate if the lack of nutrition in a patient may represent a threat before surgery and take appropriate action. This preemptive nutritional support enables the patient to do better both during and after surgery is completed because their nutritional needs were attended to in an appropriate way.
Medical professionals providing nutritional support have a variety of means to administer the treatments. Nutrition can be introduced into the patient’s system via tube feeding, for example. This approach is called enteral nutrition. This is a highly effective form of nutrition support because the level of nutrients can be specifically tailored for each patient to support their state of treatment or recovery.
The continued advancement of the science of nutrition support has made a significant contribution to the quality of care that is given to patients before, during, and after surgery. We can expect the quality of medical care to continue to improve as well and to see the influence of nutrition support in advancing medical care significantly.
http://www.nutritioncare.org/Index.aspx?id=108
http://www.nutritionj.com/content/2/1/18