Health Topic

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Not Many U.S. Kids Need Statins




MONDAY, Feb. 16 (HealthDay News) — When Dr. Earl S. Ford read that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) was recommending that children as young as 8 be given cholesterol-lowering statins, he decided to check on the numbers.

His conclusion, published in the Feb. 16 online issue of Circulation: Less than 1 percent of American children aged 12 to 17 meet the criteria for taking those drugs.

Ford is a medical officer in the U.S. Public Health Service, but his reaction to the recommendation was the same puzzlement experienced by many parents.

“I remember that after the guidelines came out, there was a lot of media stories about them,” Ford said. “It was a big media debate. I just wasn’t sure that there were any good data out there, so I thought I would provide insights to that.”

What he did was hardly esoteric, Ford said. “A lot of people could have done it,” he said. “The data are out in the public domain, and anyone who has a computer can work with them. I’m sure a lot of people had a similar thought like the one I had.”

The data came from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999 to 2006, which included information on almost 10,000 youngsters aged 6 to 17, including readings of “bad” LDL cholesterol on 2,700 adolescents aged 12 to 17.

The AAP guidelines suggest that statins be considered for children with no risk factors other than cholesterol readings 190 or higher. Statins are also suggested for a 130 or higher reading for a youngster with diabetes or a 160 reading with other risk factors, such as obesity or smoking.



Running the numbers through the computer, Ford and his colleagues concluded that statin therapy would be warranted for 0.8 percent of adolescents aged 12 to 17 — a total of 200,000 in the United States.

Whether that is a large number “depends on what you think of less than 1 percent,” Ford said.

American Heart Association guidelines call for selective screening in children with a family history of high cholesterol and early heart disease. The first line of treatment for such children should be lifestyle changes, such as healthier eating and more physical activity, the guidelines say.

The AAP agrees with that approach, said Dr. Stephen R. Daniels, chairman of pediatrics at the University of Colorado at Denver, and a member of the committee that issued the guidelines.

“It’s true for adults but especially true for children,” Daniels said. “Clinicians should maximize their efforts on lifestyle factors before any consideration of medication.”

The new report doesn’t alter the AAP guidelines, Daniels said, but it might provide peace of mind for some parents.

“This shows that the number of adolescents eligible for medication is relatively small,” he said. The AAP does not recommend routine cholesterol screening for all children, only those at higher risk or cardiovascular problems because of family history or other warning indicators, Daniels added.

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[M O B I N]

this is something Complement for the passage which is in Topside

LDL and HDL Cholesterol: What's Bad and What's Good?

Cholesterol can’t dissolve in the blood. It has to be transported to and from the cells by carriers called lipoproteins. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is known as “bad” cholesterol. High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is known as “good” cholesterol. These two types of lipids, along with triglycerides and Lp(a) cholesterol, make up your total cholesterol count, which can be determined through a [ برای مشاهده لینک ، با نام کاربری خود وارد شوید یا ثبت نام کنید ] .

LDL (Bad) Cholesterol
When too much LDL (bad) cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. Together with other substances, it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can narrow the arteries and make them less flexible. This condition is known as [ برای مشاهده لینک ، با نام کاربری خود وارد شوید یا ثبت نام کنید ] . If a clot forms and blocks a narrowed artery, heart attack or stroke can result.

HDL (good) Cholesterol
About one-fourth to one-third of blood cholesterol is carried by high-density lipoprotein (HDL). HDL cholesterol is known as “good” cholesterol, because high levels of HDL seem to protect against heart attack. Low levels of HDL (less than 40 mg/dL) also increase the risk of heart disease. Medical experts think that HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it's passed from the body. Some experts believe that HDL removes excess cholesterol from arterial plaque, slowing its buildup.

Triglycerides
Triglyceride is a form of fat made in the body. Elevated triglycerides can be due to overweight/obesity, physical inactivity, cigarette smoking, excess alcohol consumption and a diet very high in carbohydrates (60 percent of total calories or more). People with high triglycerides often have a high total cholesterol level, including a high LDL (bad) level and a low HDL (good) level. Many people with heart disease and/or diabetes also have high triglyceride levels.

Lp(a) Cholesterol
Lp(a) is a genetic variation of LDL (bad) cholesterol. A high level of Lp(a) is a significant risk factor for the premature development of fatty deposits in arteries. Lp(a) isn’t fully understood, but it may interact with substances found in artery walls and contribute to the buildup of fatty deposits
.

[M O B I N]

Now Hear This!

No right-thinking parent would let a child wear sunglasses if there was a chance they would damage his or her eyes. Yet millions of parents allow their kids to wear itty bitty headphones despite growing evidence that they can harm hearing.


For years, experts have known that consistent exposure to loud sound, including amplified music, erodes hearing. Now, kids are pumping decibels directly into their ears with the headphones that are standard equipment for MP-3 players, cell phones and even video games. In one study done several years ago, researchers found that 12.5 percent of kids between 6 to 19 already had measurable hearing loss. Today the results would probably be worse.

The “bud” earphones that fit right into the ear are the culprit. According to research done at Harvard, they often deliver sound that is almost ten decibels higher than headphones that cover the ear. That’s because the tiny earphones don’t block out surrounding sound very well, so kids turn up the volume even more than they would otherwise. Also, the batteries that come with these devices last longer so kids have more unbroken exposure to loud sound. That matters because hearing loss is caused not only by how loud a sound is but also how long a child is exposed.

To understand exactly what’s happening, picture the cochlea, a seashell-shaped structure inside the ear. Your child’s cochlea is filled with fluid and lined with tiny hair cells that wave gently like anemones. The hair cells pick up sound vibrations and transmit them to the auditory nerve. When hair cells are blasted by sound, they start to look like a wheat field after a windstorm. Damage can be done both by short exposure to really loud sound or by continuous exposure to lower levels of sound.

Kids won’t notice the loss of hair cells because it’s gradual and painless. It’s also permanent. That’s why parents have to step in to be sure the sounds kids hear when they are young won’t compromise their ability to hear when they are older. Here’s what you should do:

 Educate your child (and yourself) about hearing loss. To make the potential risks more vivid, look at pictures of hair cells before and after they’ve been exposed to loud sound at the Dangerous Decibels website (http:/

/www.dangerousdecibels.org/virtualexhibit/index.html) Encourage young music lovers to visit websites like

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where they’ll find wish-I-had-known stories by famous musicians who lost their hearing.

 Become familiar with the decibel levels that cause damage. Even adults may not recognize dangerously loud sounds, especially if they already have hearing loss. To find out which sounds are actually harmful, check out the interactive chart available from the National Institutes of Deafness and other Communication Disorders (

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).

 Replace bud earphones with the kind that cover the ear and have a cushion. They may not be as stylish but they are less likely to cause damage. Also, control exposure by setting limits on how long your child is allowed to use headphones each day.

 Mark the level of acceptable sound on the volume control with permanent marker. Kids often don’t realize that sound is too loud. A rule of thumb: when “bleed out” sound can be heard from three feet away, the device should be turned down. If you find yourself having constant arguments about sound levels, consider buying a noisemeter, available from outlets like Radio Shack. At $50, the meter isn’t cheap—unless you compare it to the cost of hearing aids!

 Be sure your child knows the warning signs that indicate sound is too loud. Temporary hearing loss or ringing in the ears is a clear indication that hair cells are unhappy and your child should find a quieter activity immediately. Remember that headphones aren’t the only source of harmful sound. Even squeeze toys for babies can cause damaging levels of noise. So can loudspeakers at school dances, boomboxes and car stereos. Be sure your child understands that the ears don’t get “get used” to loud sounds. When loud sounds become more tolerable, it’s because hearing has already been damaged.

 Have your child use earplugs. When kids are going to be exposed to loud sounds, perhaps because they are attending a rock concert, seeing a loud movie or even cutting the grass, have them wear ear plugs. Although you can find earplugs at drugstores, sporting good stores and music stores, it’s also worth checking out the huge assortment of specialized earplugs at wwww.earplugstore.com. Suggest that young musicians, for example, choose brands like Hearos or Mack’s Hear Plugs which reduce harmful sound without distortion.

Finally, I need to confess that, from my point of view, protecting hearing is something more than a good thing to do if you get around to it. My daughter was born deaf, and she struggles everyday to understand speech and other sounds that the rest of us take for granted. I had no choice about my daughter’s hearing loss. If your child can hear today, you do have a choice about how well he or she will hear in the future.

Supervising the way your child uses headphones will probably be a hassle. I also have two music-loving sons and, even though they know the consequences of hearing loss for their sister, they often want to argue when I say “turn it down.” It’s an argument I’m determined to win. You should be too.

[C. Breezy]

TV linked to asthma risk doubling

Some say children under three should not watch any TV




Young children who spend more than two hours a day watching TV double their risk of developing asthma, a UK study has found.
Rather than telly per se being to blame, experts believe the viewing is symptomatic of a sedentary lifestyle which may be the root cause.
Taking deep breaths, such as when exercising, may keep the lungs fit.
The study, published in Thorax journal, tracked the health of over 3,000 UK children from birth to 11.
The parents were quizzed annually on symptoms of wheezing among their children and whether a doctor had diagnosed asthma.




Parents were also asked to assess their children's TV viewing habits from the age of three-and-a-half years.



All of the children were free of wheeze as babies and toddlers.
At the age of eleven-and-a-half, 185 (6%) of the children had developed asthma.
And children who watched TV for more than two hours a day were almost twice as likely to have been diagnosed with asthma as those who watched the telly less. However, the odds were still small - about two in 100.
Of the children with asthma, 2% did not watch TV, 20% watched TV daily for less than an hour, 34% watched 1-2 hours a day and 44% watched more than two hours daily.
Given that none of the children had wheeze at the age of three-and-a-half, it is unlikely that the children who went on to develop asthma had been forced to do less exercise from an early age because of asthma symptoms, say the researchers.
They speculate that inactivity is the underlying explanation for their findings, if you assume that children who watch more TV lead less active lives - they did not directly monitor the children's exercise levels during the study.

And at the end of the study, when the children were 11.5 years old, there was little difference in the exercise levels of those with asthma and those without.
Co-author Dr James Paton, from the University of Glasgow, said: "We think the problem is inactivity, not watching TV. TV is simply the best proxy marker for this.
"There may be a window in early in life when activity does something to protect the lungs.
"It may be that not sitting still makes you take deep breaths and that might be important in the long run."
There is some evidence that breathing patterns may be important in regulating airway smooth muscle tone and how responsive this muscle is.
Failure to stretch airway smooth muscle by taking regular deep breaths could lead to increased airway responsiveness, which is the problem in asthma.
Dr Elaine Vickers of Asthma UK said: "The findings add to a wealth of evidence linking a lack of exercise and being overweight with an increased risk of asthma, but this study is the first to directly link sedentary behaviour at a very young age to a higher risk of asthma later in childhood.
"We have one of the highest rates of childhood asthma in the world so it is especially important that parents in the UK try to prise their kids away from the TV and encourage them to lead an active lifestyle. This includes children with asthma, who can also greatly benefit from regular exercise."
Some say children under three should not watch any TV in order to prevent health and learning problems. However, others argue that TV can be educational and may aid child speech.

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Anger at work 'good for career'

Anger can help at work, but it must be controlled




Getting angry at work may not be a bad thing, and may in fact help you move up the career ladder, researchers believe.



The Harvard Medical School study found those who repressed frustration were three times more likely to say they had reached a glass ceiling.
But the team, which has followed 824 people over 44 years, said it was important to remain in control when standing your ground.

Outright fury was destructive, the researchers added.
Lead author Professor George Vaillant said: "People think of anger as a terribly dangerous emotion and are encouraged to practise 'positive thinking', but we find that approach is self-defeating and ultimately a damaging denial of dreadful reality.







"Negative emotions such as fear and anger are inborn and are of tremendous importance.
"Negative emotions are often crucial for survival. Careful experiments such as ours have documented that negative emotions narrow and focus attention so we can concentrate on the trees instead of the forest."
Professor Vaillant, who is director of the Study of Adult Development, which published the research, said uncontrolled fury was destructive.







"We all feel anger, but individuals who learn how to express their anger while avoiding the explosive and self-destructive consequences of unbridled fury have achieved something incredibly powerful in terms of overall emotional growth and mental health.
"If we can define and harness those skills, we can use them to achieve great things."
Ben Williams, an occupational psychologist who runs his own company, said: "This is really to do with passivity, aggression and assertiveness.
"People who are assertive are able to stand their ground, while remaining respectful. They show concerns for their team, as well as others.
"That wins them the respect of peers and means they are in a good position when promotions come round."

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When Mom or Dad Is Bipolar, Kids Are at Risk Too





MONDAY, March 2, 2009 (Health.com) — Children and teens who have a parent with bipolar disorder are 14 times more likely than their peers to have bipolar-like symptoms themselves and are two to three times more likely to be diagnosed with an anxiety or mood disorder, such as depression, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

When both parents are bipolar, children are 3.6 times more likely to have bipolar disorder than children with only one parent with the psychiatric condition.

Bipolar disorder, which is also known as manic-depressive illness, affects 5.7 million people over age 18 in the United States. The condition is characterized by extreme fluctuations in energy, mood, and the ability to function. For example, someone experiencing an “episode” may have a manic state of euphoria for a period of time, followed by a bout of severe depression.

Although bipolar disorder may run in families, children of bipolar parents won’t necessarily develop the condition.

“I don’t want parents to think, ‘I have bipolar, so my kids have bipolar,’” says Boris Birmaher, MD, of the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in Pittsburgh, Penn., and author of the new study, called the Pittsburgh Bipolar Offspring Study. “Yes, these kids are at a higher risk, but that doesn’t necessarily mean your child will have it.”

In the study, Dr. Birmaher and colleagues looked at 233 parents with bipolar disorder and their 388 children, ages 6 to 18. They were compared to a control group of 143 parents and 251 children with no family history of the condition.

Overall, 10.6% of the children with a bipolar parent had signs of a bipolar spectrum disorder (which includes a range of symptoms from severe to mild) or a mood or anxiety disorder. In comparison, only two children, or 0.8%, in the control group had such symptoms.

It’s not clear if genes, environment, or a combination of both are responsible for the link, or possibly greater awareness and diagnosis of psychiatric conditions in bipolar families.

However, Dr. Birmaher says identifying the condition at an earlier age may ultimately help young people. “The longer you wait, the more complicated the condition could become,” Dr. Birmaher says. Previous studies have suggested that it can take 10 years of symptoms before people get a correct diagnosis and proper treatment. “Ten years is a long time—especially in the life of a child,” he says.

The condition is difficult to diagnose because the symptoms can be mistaken for depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or a disruptive behavior disorders (DBD). Signs of a manic episode include increased energy, extreme irritability, racing thoughts, spending sprees, abuse of drugs (particularly cocaine), and increased se*ual drive. A depressive episode may range from disruptive sleeping patterns to thoughts of death or suicide.

“The chronic highs and lows are only two manifestations of the condition,” says Gary Sachs, MD, director of the bipolar clinic and research program at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. “But there are plenty of people who live a full, functional life and still have bipolar disorder.”

Bipolar disorder cannot be cured, and is treated with mood-stabilizing medications like lithium, as well as psychotherapy and psychosocial intervention.

The ongoing study will follow this group of parents and children to explore further bipolar triggers including stress, family interactions, and genetics.

“This study—in no way—should be a reason for someone with bipolar not to have children,” says Dr. Sachs. “But there is a risk and that might make someone’s child who has difficulty seek help sooner.”

In adults with bipolar disorder, up to 60% say they had their first symptoms before the age of 21.

“Bipolar disorder is a multidimensional condition, and it can affect a lot of things including your physical health,” says Dr. Sachs. “That is what we are learning from studies like this where you begin to see other psychiatric conditions.”

The National Institute of Mental Health funded the study. Dr. Birmaher has participated in pharmaceutical company-sponsored forums and a study co-author has served on the advisory boards of several pharmaceutical companies.

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Healthy and Beautiful Skin

Your skin, hair and nails are direct reflections of your overall health. No matter what type of shampoo, cleanser or cream you use, unless you have a healthy system, you can’t have beautiful skin, hair or nails. They will only help you to create a superficial mask. Following a healthy lifestyle that includes fresh organic foods, exercise, plenty of water and herbs to improve digestion and elimination is a sure way to all round health. Here are some tips for healthy and beautiful skin:

1. Avoid processed, canned, leftover foods. Not only are they difficult to digest but they also carry very little nutritional value. Over the time, they will clog your body and deprive your skin of nourishment.



2. Eat plenty of green leafy vegetables. They are rich sources of vitamins and minerals that nourish the skin. They are also high in anti-oxidants which cut down skin cancer risk.



3. Include whole grains in place of polished grains. The outer bran of grains is rich in B vitamins that are vital in maintaining the health of skin.



4. Steam vegetables instead of microwaving and cooking to protect their anti-oxidant properties.



5. Include plenty of sweet juicy fruits like pear, water melon, grapes, figs.



6. Limit protein from hard to digest foods like meat, beans and substitute them with easy to digest protein found in foods like split mung dhal, yogurt and cottage cheese (paneer).



7. Include fish, walnut, and flax seed oil in your diet. They are rich sources of essential omega fatty acids required to maintain good health and skin.



8. Use spices like black pepper, cumin, coriander, turmeric to stimulate digestion and elimination.



9. Do not neglect oil. They are essential to maintain the health of skin, body and joints. Include healthy oils like olive oil, canola oil and ghee (clarified butter) for their high monosaturated fat content which is good for heart.



10. Switch to herbal soaps, shampoos and lotions. Most commercial soaps and shampoos contain harmful chemicals that irritate and damage the skin.



11. Have an oil bath at least a week.



12. Drink plenty of water (8-10 glasses a day). Water is vital for keeping the body cells hydrated, facilitating faster transit of nutrients in and toxins out.



13. Exercise regularly - aerobics and stretching. Aerobics improves circulation to the skin and helps elimination of toxins through sweat. Stretching exercises helps relieve stress and maintain elasticity of the skin. Of course, you also need to include weight training to build strength and strong bones.



14. Get plenty of sleep and rest. Lack of sleep and rest stresses the body, thereby adversely affecting the health of skin.

[C. Breezy]

Oily fish dementia boosts queried

Oily fish is proven to be good for the heart


A UK study has cast doubt on claims that eating oily fish can protect against dementia in old age.



Data from a trial of more than 800 older people initially showed that those who eat plenty of oily fish seem to have better cognitive function.
But factors such as education and mood explained most of the link.
Researchers need to clarify what, if any, benefits fish oil has on the ageing brain, they wrote in the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Ageing.
In recent years, there has been increasing interest in diet as a way of preventing dementia.



Much focus has been on omega 3 fatty acids found in oily fish, such as salmon and mackerel.
And there are biological reasons, backed by tests in the laboratory, why in theory, these fatty acids would be neuroprotective.
The latest study found a significant association between eating a couple of portions of fish a week and better scores on tests of cognitive function.
But when the researchers, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, took into account education and psychological health the association almost disappeared.


Healthy
Experts advise eating a couple of portions of fish a week, with at least one being an oily fish, because there are proven benefits on the heart.
Study leader Dr Alan Dangour said claims about the benefits of oily fish in warding of dementia in older people seemed to have been oversold.
"The evidence on this has always been sporadic.
"What this shows is there is a link between people who eat oily fish and better cognitive function, but if you adjust for education and mood this relationship goes, so it's not at all clear that healthy older people get any benefit from eating fish oil."
The evidence collected by Dr Dangour was for a study due to report later this year comparing fish oil supplements with placebo.
He added that this randomised, controlled study should provide clarification.
Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, said: "One of the best ways to reduce your risk of dementia is by eating a Mediterranean diet rich in fruit, vegetables, grains, fish and poultry.
"However, we still do not know which components of this sort of diet help the most.
"Unfortunately this study does not add to our understanding.
"Once age, --- and education are accounted for the research does not show any significant benefit of regularly eating oily fish."
Rebecca Wood, of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: "Research into the effects of oily fish and other foodstuffs attracts much interest because it may offer a relatively inexpensive way to fight dementia, a devastatingly costly condition.
"Many scientists believe there is a link between diet and reducing dementia risk. More research is desperately needed to understand the effects of diet, including omega-3 fatty acids, on the brain."

[C. Breezy]

Can a Bad Marriage Hurt Your Health? Maybe—If You’re a Woman

When a marriage is rocky, it can make both partners feel depressed. But only middle-aged women—not men—seem to have health problems associated with marital strife, such as high blood pressure, excess belly fat, and other factors that boost risks for heart attack and diabetes, according to a study being presented Thursday at the American Psychosomatic Society meeting in Chicago.

“I think we’ve got to get used to the fact that a toxic relationship is toxic to your whole health,” says cardiologist Nieca Goldberg, MD, medical director of New York University’s Women’s Heart Program.

In the study, University of Utah researchers looked at 276 couples to see if depression was the real reason poor marriages have been found to be harmful to health. The couples were middle-aged or older Utah residents who were mostly married for a long time—on average more than 27 years; they ranged in age from 32 to 76.

The researchers found that bad relationships were bad for health—for women at least. Women in troubled relationships were more likely than other women to be depressed. Plus, they were more likely to have metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors including elevated blood pressure, high triglycerides, low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, abdominal obesity, and elevated blood sugar—all basically steps on the road to heart attack or diabetes.

“For husbands, we didn’t see, on its own, that negative marital stuff was related at all to metabolic syndrome. The only thing it was related to was their depressive symptoms,” says Nancy Henry, a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at the University of Utah. “For men, having a problematic marriage is still emotionally, but not physically, problematic healthwise.”

Although the researchers didn’t specifically ask the subjects about religion, many Utah residents are Mormons, who may be less likely than people in other religious groups to get divorced, says Henry. “Because we have this really traditional value of marriages here in this state, in this area, then I think we have surveyed couples that are staying together no matter what,” she says.

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Quick reactions 'long life link'






People with quick reactions are likely to live longer than those less quick off the mark, a study suggests.





The joint Edinburgh University and Medical Research Council team looked at the response rates of more than 7,400 people, the journal Intelligence said.
Researchers found those with the slowest reactions were 2.6 times more likely to die prematurely.
They said quick reactions may be a sign of intelligence, which in turn was linked to healthier lifestyles.
Reaction times were taken using a computer programme during the 1980s along with range of other factors including alcohol intake, smoking habits, blood pressure and weight. The average age of those studied was 46.



The participants were then followed up 20 years later by which point nearly 1,300 had died.
Only smoking, which made an early death three times more likely, was reported to be a greater indicator.
Dr Geoff Der, one of the authors of the report, said: "Research has shown that there is a correlation between reaction times and intelligence.
"People with greater intelligence tend to have been better educated and worked in jobs where resources and workplaces practices are better.
"They also look after their health better in regards to smoking, exercise and eating."
Researchers also said the implications could go back to birth with quicker reactions being a marker for a healthy body.



Dr Der added: "There is tentative evidence which suggests the body is just better wired.
"In all probability, it is probably a combination of all of these reasons."
Professor Chris Drinkwater, a public health expert from the University of Northumbria, said: "There is robust evidence to suggest educational achievement is linked to health outcomes.
"It seems to be to do with health literacy in that people are more likely to be aware of what constitutes a risk to health and willing to act on it.
"By that we mean both what is good for you, such as healthy eating, and also the early signs of health problems."

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