OB GYN News back issues from January 2005:
FDA panel votes no on testosterone patch.(News)
Jan 01, 2005; ... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- A federal advisory panel unanimously recommended against approval of a testosterone patch for treating hypoactive sexual desire in surgically menopausal women on estrogen therapy, calling for more long-term safety studies and the completion of ongoing trials of the ...
Cultural competence training in vogue.(VITAL SIGNS)
Jan 01, 2005 ... Cultural Competence Training in Vogue Note: Based on surveys of about ...
MDs urged to avoid valproate in fertile women: risk of major fetal malformations cited.(News)
Jan 01, 2005; ... NEW ORLEANS -- Valproate should not be prescribed as first-line therapy for any indication in women of childbearing age because it significantly increases the risk of major malformations in exposed infants, the American Epilepsy Society's pregnancy outcomes forum panel has recommended. ...
Anticholinergic approved for treatment of OAB.(News)
Jan 01, 2005; ... The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a muscarinic receptor antagonist for treating overactive bladder that is more selective to the muscarinic receptors in the bladder than some older drugs in this class. Approved in November, solifenacin succinate was developed ...
Bicillin C-R and Bicillin L-A labels changed to avoid confusion.(News)
Jan 01, 2005; ... King Pharmaceuticals Inc. and the Food and Drug Administration are warning physicians about the inappropriate use of Bicillin C-R (penicillin G benzathine and penicillin G procaine injectable suspension) for the treatment of syphilis. Bicillin L-A (penicillin G benzathine ...
Chlamydia cases rising in women.(DATA WATCH)
Jan 01, 2005 ... <Pre> Chlamydia Cases Rising in Women Rate per 100,000 Population 1999395.1 2000396.3 2001429.6 ...
HHS imports more flu vaccine for patients in high-risk groups.(News)
Jan 01, 2005; ... Federal health officials continue to seek solutions to the U.S. influenza vaccine shortage, including procuring up to 4 million doses from GlaxoSmithKline, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said during a press conference. GlaxoSmithKline began shipping doses ...
Bearing the costs.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
Jan 01, 2005; ... According to Arthur Levin, director of the Center for Medical Consumers, "It certainly isn't fair to be asking patients to underwrite the cost of doing business with physicians" ("Doctors Ask Patients to Pay Malpractice 'Surcharge,'" Nov. 1, 2004, p. 24). Mr. Levin evidently ...
Clinical trial registration.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
Jan 01, 2005; ... I have some concerns about medical research ("Doctor Groups Still Back Clinical Trials Registry," Oct. 1, 2004, p. 47). With regard to selective reporting of clinical trials, it seems clear to me that to make the best decisions, all the data are required. Failing to ...
Deter frivolous lawsuits.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
Jan 01, 2005; ... To prevent a total collapse of our medical delivery system, some type of financial deterrent against frivolous lawsuits is needed. I propose a federal filing fee of 1% of the award being sought. The fee would be paid by the lawyers bringing the suit. The money could ...
A question of values.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
Jan 01, 2005 ... I was surprised by your recent choice of contributor for the Guest Editorial ("The Values Debate in Health Care," Nov. 1, 2004, p. 7). Leonard D. Schaeffer was scheduled to receive a payment (cash and stock options) estimated at $337 million for helping to engineer the Anthem-Well-Point ...
Pain relievers.
Jan 01, 2005 ... "He's the father of ...
How the glycemic index measures up.(GUEST EDITORIAL)
Jan 01, 2005; ... Patients who ask about nutrition often focus on the relative merits of various diets: "Should I be on Atkins?" "What do you think of Ornish?" "Does Weight Watchers work?" When counseling patients who ask about the glycemic index, it's helpful to be able to offer the latest information on ...
Review: LMWH safe, effective in pregnancy.(Obstetrics)
Jan 01, 2005; ... VIENNA -- The largest-ever systematic data review of the use of low-molecular-weight heparin during pregnancy suggests that it is safe and effective for both prophylaxis and treatment of venous thromboembolism, Catherine Nelson-Piercy, M.B., reported at the annual meeting of the ...
Primary cesareans up, VBACs down.(DATA WATCH)
Jan 01, 2005 ... <Pre> Primary Cesareans Up, VBACs Down 2003 2002 Primary cesareans per 100 live births in women with no previous cesarean 19% ...
Steep rise seen in 'no indicated risk' primary C-sections.(Obstetrics)
Jan 01, 2005; ... The number of women having primary cesarean sections without any apparent medical risk grew significantly during the 1990s and topped 80,000 in 2001, according to a new analysis of U.S. birth certificate data. First-time C-sections in women with "no indicated risk" rose 67% ...
Usual timing of antibiotics in cesarean delivery is adequate.(Obstetrics)
Jan 01, 2005; ... WASHINGTON -- Nothing is gained by giving prophylactic antibiotics earlier than usual in the course of cesarean deliveries, W. Ashley Hood, D.O., said at the annual meeting of the Central Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The traditional approach to antibiotic ...
ASA-LMWH aids those who've had preeclampsia.(Obstetrics)
Jan 01, 2005; ... VIENNA -- The use of low-molecular-weight heparin together with low-dose aspirin can improve pregnancy outcomes in women who previously had preeclampsia and low-birth-weight infants, Sergio Ferrazzani, M.D., reported. Women with preeclampsia and low-birth-weight infants in their ...
Knowledge gaps in postpartum BP management.(Obstetrics)
Jan 01, 2005; ... VIENNA -- Guidelines are sorely needed for postpartum blood pressure management in women who experience hypertension during pregnancy, speakers said at the 14th World Congress of the International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy. "It's a problem we have very ...
Number of uninsured Americans rising.(DATA WATCH)
Jan 01, 2005 ... Number of Uninsured Americans Rising Notes: Based on data from the March supplements to the Current Population Survey ....
No lasting effects from repeated ultrasounds.(Obstetrics)
Jan 01, 2005; ... An 8-year follow-up study from a randomized, controlled trial of repeated prenatal ultrasound examinations found no evidence of any lasting harm to any aspect of child development. The initial study demonstrated that infants exposed prenatally to five ultrasound imaging studies ...
Raised serum bile acid level linked to IHP.(Obstetrics)
Jan 01, 2005; ... VIENNA -- An elevated serum bile acid level is a highly reliable indicator of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy in a woman who presents with itching and excoriated skin lesions late in gestation, Christina M. Rudolph, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the European Society for ...
Five pregnancies reported in Essure's first year.(Gynecology)
Jan 01, 2005; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- Only five pregnancies have been reported in the first year of worldwide commercial experience with the Essure hysteroscopic sterilization device, and none resulted from devices that were placed properly, Andrew I. Brill, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the American ...
Alendronate, risedronate compared in BMD trial: the 1-year study did not provide data on fractures; clinical relevance of BMD findings questioned.(Gynecology)
Jan 01, 2005; ... SEATTLE -- Alendronate appears slightly more effective than risedronate at increasing bone mineral density, according to the results of a head-to-head trial presented during the annual meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. However, without fracture data, ...
Raloxifene and PTH may have synergistic effect on BMD.(Gynecology)
Jan 01, 2005 ... SAN ANTONIO -- Women who are taking raloxifene for osteoporosis do not need to stop taking the bisphosphonate to begin parathyroid hormone therapy. In fact, the two drugs may have some synergy, Chad Deal, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology. ...
Investigational SERM increased lumbar spine BMD by 2%.(Gynecology)
Jan 01, 2005 ... SAN ANTONIO -- The next generation selective-estrogen receptor modulator lasofoxifene increased vertebral bone mineral density better than did raloxifene, according to the findings of a company-sponsored trial presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology. ...
Ask about bladder, bowel pain with vulvar disease.(Gynecology)
Jan 01, 2005; ... WASHINGTON -- Women who have vulvar disease should be asked specifically about bladder and bowel pain, and these symptoms also must be addressed, Colleen M. Kennedy, M.D., of the University of Iowa, Iowa City, advised. Women with vulvar disease are twice as likely as are general ...
Metronizadole for BV-associated organisms in PID.(Gynecology)
Jan 01, 2005; ... Bacterial vaginosis-associated organisms found frequently in women with pelvic inflammatory disease also were strongly associated with endometritis, Catherine L. Haggerty, Ph.D., of the University of Pittsburgh and her colleagues reported. They looked at the associations between ...
Electronic alerts cut VTE in high-risk patients.(Gynecology)
Jan 01, 2005; ... NEW ORLEANS -- An automated electronic alert program aimed at physicians responsible for high-risk patients not receiving prophylaxis against venous thromboembolism resulted in a substantial reduction in thromboembolic events in a large randomized trial, Nils Kucher, M.D., said at the ...
Site-specific colpocleisis called superior approach.(Gynecology)
Jan 01, 2005; ... ST. LOUIS -- A unique approach to colpocleisis has been developed that incorporates vaginal repair of paravaginal defects, apposition of the pubocervical and rectovaginal septa, and minimal anatomical distortion. "There is a place for this in your practice, and it is not ...
Newer transobturator sling technique said to be safer.(Gynecology)
Jan 01, 2005 ... ST. LOUIS -- Placing a transobturator sling with a newer technique that starts inside the paraurethral space and progresses outward is both safer and more effective than the "outside-to-in" approach, according to Robert M. Rogers Jr., M.D., an expert in vaginal surgery. ...
Preventing infections associated with pelvic sling placement.(Gynecology)
Jan 01, 2005 ... ST. LOUIS -- Infections associated with pelvic sling placement can be prevented with presurgical screening and treatment of skin and vaginal infections, according to Sebastian Faro, M.D. Cystitis is the most common infection reported in the literature in association with ...
Encourage healthy BMI in patients before IVF: study of 5,800 IVF cycles shows a trend toward decreasing success rates with increasing BMIs.(Gynecology)
Jan 01, 2005; ... PHILADELPHIA -- Patients considering in vitro fertilization should be encouraged to aim for a healthy body mass index before they start treatment, results of a large retrospective study suggest. "There was a trend toward decreasing success rates with increasing BMIs," reported ...
Single-dose letrozole equal to multiple-dose regimen in IUI.(Gynecology)
Jan 01, 2005 ... PHILADELPHIA -- Patients with unexplained infertility who undergo ovarian stimulation before intrauterine insemination have comparable pregnancy rates and side effects when treated with a single 25-mg dose of letrozole, compared with five daily doses of 5 mg each, Marinko M. Bijan, M.D., ...
Acupuncture in IVF linked to lower miscarriage and ectopic rates.(Gynecology)
Jan 01, 2005 ... PHILADELPHIA -- Women who receive acupuncture during the stimulation phase of an in vitro fertilization cycle and again immediately after embryo transfer have a higher live-birth rate than do controls, according to the first acupuncture study with this end point. "Other studies ...
Treat endometriosis pain as a chronic condition.(Gynecology)
Jan 01, 2005; ... SANTA FE, N.M. -- No treatment option for endometriosis is likely to provide permanent relief from pelvic pain, and patients should be warned accordingly before undergoing surgery for the condition, Stephen M. Cohen, M.D., advised. "When we are going to do surgery on a patient ...
Abortion refusal clause.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
Jan 01, 2005; ... Insurance companies and health care providers have more flexibility to refuse to provide abortion services, information, or referrals under a provision in federal spending legislation passed at the end of last year. The provision withholds funds from government agencies that take punitive ...
Covering the uninsured.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
Jan 01, 2005; ... Universal coverage for all Americans is needed to solve the problem of lack of access to care, according to a new policy statement from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The group continues to support its 1993 program, U.S. MaternaCare, which would ensure access to a ...
Abstinence education evaluated.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
Jan 01, 2005; ... Federally funded abstinence-only education programs contain errors and misinformation on the effectiveness of condoms, the risks of abortion, and the transmission of disease, according to a recent report from Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.). The report reviewed school-based sex education ...
No global cloning ban.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
Jan 01, 2005; ... The United Nations could not come to a consensus to approve a global ban on all forms of human cloning. The United States and Costa Rica had led an effort to ban all cloning, including so-called therapeutic cloning, but the treaty did not draw enough support. But groups such as the ...
Racial disparities in HIV.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
Jan 01, 2005; ... The number of HIV/AIDS diagnoses in the United States remained steady from 2000 to 2003, but the disease became more prevalent in African Americans during that time, according to an analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rates of HIV/AIDS diagnosis among ...
New Zealand offers no-fault compensation model.(Practice Trends)
Jan 01, 2005; ... ALEXANDRIA, VA. -- In New Zealand, all physicians pay $700 a year for indemnity insurance, and it's nearly impossible to sue a physician. That's because New Zealand has had a no-fault injury compensation system in place for the last 30 years. The Accident ...
AMA delegates lend hand to drug importation: wholesalers, pharmacies may import FDA-approved drugs, delegates say.(Practice Trends)
Jan 01, 2005; ... ATLANTA -- Delegates to the American Medical Association's 2004 interim meeting made a bold move to support prescription drug importation by wholesalers and pharmacies, provided that certain conditions were met to ensure patient safety. "Prescription drugs should be available at ...
Most Americans do not trust online prescription drug market.(VITAL SIGNS)
Jan 01, 2005 ... <Pre> Most Americans Do Not Trust Online Prescription Drug Market Online purchasing less safe than pharmacy 62% Online purchasing as safe as pharmacy 20% Don't know/depends ...
Experts advocate tort reforms that go beyond damage caps.(Practice Trends)
Jan 01, 2005; ... ALEXANDRIA, VA. -- Traditional tort reform measures like damage caps won't address some of the fundamental problems with the medical liability system, experts said at a meeting on patient safety and medical liability sponsored by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare ...
States extend Medicaid family planning services.(Practice Trends)
Jan 01, 2005; ... WASHINGTON -- Twenty-one states have found alternatives to extend eligibility for family planning services while saving money for the Medicaid program, a health policy expert said during a Kaiser Family Foundation briefing on women and Medicaid. This is encouraging news at a ...
Strength and flexibility for older patients, part 3: knees.(EXERCISE RX)
Jan 01, 2005; ... The looseness or tightness of the leg and hip muscles can have an enormous impact on knee pain. The quadriceps and hamstrings maintain about 30% of the knee joint's stability. If a patient complains of knee pain and avoids moving the knee at all, those muscles will atrophy and ...
Studies offer support for low-carbohydrate diets.(Clinical Rounds)
Jan 01, 2005; ... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Low-carbohydrate ketogenic diets promote greater weight loss and improve certain serum lipids, compared with low-calorie diets, according to a literature review. Low-carbohydrate strategies for weight loss, such as the Atkins or South Beach diets, are very ...
Family history of coronary disease boosts coronary risk.(Clinical Rounds)
Jan 01, 2005; ... NEW ORLEANS -- Sisters of patients with early coronary disease had an unexpectedly high prevalence of coronary artery disease themselves in a study with 102 apparently healthy women without diabetes. The actual presence of coronary disease in these women far exceeded their ...
Prospective study questions size of gender gap in sudden cardiac death.(Clinical Rounds)
Jan 01, 2005; ... ATLANTA -- The gender gap in sudden cardiac death may not be as large as previously believed, a prospective community-based study suggests. Women comprised 43% of the 353 sudden cardiac deaths in a large Oregon community from February 2002 through January 2003, according to ...
Top 10 causes of death, 2002.(DATA WATCH)
Jan 01, 2005 ... <Pre> Top 10 Causes of Death, 2002 Diseases of the heart 696,947 Malignant neoplasms 557,271 Cerebrovascular diseases 162,672 Chronic lower respiratory diseases124,816 Unintentional injuries...
Snoring.(WOMEN'S HEALTH ADVISER)
Jan 01, 2005; ... Primary snoring is more a social than a medical concern. But about 10% of snorers also have sleep apnea, which can be a serious health problem in its own right, and it can exacerbate other problems such as cardiac disorders and high blood pressure. Among people aged 30-40 years, ...
Rimonabant improves cardiovascular risk profile.(Clinical Rounds)
Jan 01, 2005; ... NEW ORLEANS -- Evidence is mounting that rimonabant, shown effective for weight loss and smoking cessation, independently improves patients' cardiovascular risk profiles, reported F. Xavier Pi-Sunyer, M.D, at the annual scientific sessions of the American Heart Association. In ...
Cardiac prevention should target midlife women.(Clinical Rounds)
Jan 01, 2005; ... ATLANTA -- Better cardiac disease awareness and prevention programs that target younger women are needed, according to a study presented during a prevention conference on heart disease and stroke sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the study, risk ...
To freeze or not to freeze?(THE MASTER CLASS)
Jan 01, 2005; ... This month's column is brought to us by William H. Parker, M.D., of the University of California, Los Angeles, who isa past president of the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists. Dr. Parker has been instrumental in guiding our management of adnexal masses and has ...
Patient selection key to laparoscopic management of the adnexal mass.(THE MASTER CLASS)
Jan 01, 2005; ... Carefully selected patients with adnexal masses may benefit greatly from undergoing laparoscopic surgery as opposed to laparotomy. Recovery is shorter and less painful; most patients are discharged the same day and return to work within a week to 10 days. Nonetheless, the ...
Billing and reimbursement software.(PRODUCTS)
Jan 01, 2005 ... OmniMD charge capture software allows charge capture and the creation of super-bills at the point of care. The software can be ...
Migraine prophylaxis.(PRODUCTS)
Jan 01, 2005 ... Topamax (topiramate) tablets and sprinkle capsules are approved for use as migraine prophylaxis in ...
Ultrasound systems.(PRODUCTS)
Jan 01, 2005 ... The Accuvix XQ ultrasound system offers three-dimensional imaging in motion. The SonoAce 8000 system has many of the same features but ...
Reproductive medicine software.(PRODUCTS)
Jan 01, 2005 ... The ARTWorks electronic medical records system is designed specifically for reproductive medicine practices. The latest version includes expanded modules for preimplantation ...
Examination light series.(PRODUCTS)
Jan 01, 2005 ... The HM series of examination lights offers vented shades and finger guards. The lights provide 2,000 footcandles of illumination with 20-W or 35-W halogen bulbs. The light's ...
Posttamoxifen tx approved.(PRODUCTS)
Jan 01, 2005 ... Femara (letrozole)--a once-a-day oral aromatase inhibitor--is approved for the extended adjuvant treatment of postmenopausal women with early breast cancer who have received adjuvant ...
Privacy clipboard storage.(PRODUCTS)
Jan 01, 2005 ... The Roto Caddy storage unit organizes and stores privacy clipboards and forms in a 36-inch diameter carousel. Constructed of aluminum, the caddy rotates 360 degrees left or right. Counter-, ...
Scheduling and contact software.(PRODUCTS)
Jan 01, 2005 ... The Office Tracker contact manager can set up schedules and appointments, and it also allows for extensive notes for each appointment. The software runs on Microsoft Windows 98, NT, 2000, and XP and can ...
Needle-free reconstitution.(PRODUCTS)
Jan 01, 2005 ... The Q Cap device enables needle-free reconstitution for fertility treatments. The device will be packaged with Bravelle (urofollitropin for ...