Acne light treatment on trial

A form of light treatment for acne, which the manufacturers say is breaking new ground, is under going clinical trials at two Welsh hospitals.

The technology - billed as a "softer" alternative to laser treatment - is being used on 30 patients at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff and the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport.

The Swansea-based team behind the project also say they are close to signing a multi-million pound deal to put their device into production.

The company are to market the treatment solely for clinical use by doctors and nurses in hospital, although they may eventually make a derivative for use in spas.

Wales-born billionaire Sir Terry Matthews is investing in the development which uses advances in light-emitting diode (LED) technology, the basis of many modern bicycle lights.

Two types of device are being developed. A full-face light for used with eye goggles and a hand-held light "pen " for other areas.

The firm behind the development, Enfis, is based at the original technium in Swansea, a hi-tech innovation centre.

Their product is designed to treat mild and moderate acne cases, reducing the need for people to use strong steroid creams or have treatment with powerful lasers.

As well as the Welsh trials, one is also beginning next month in Germany at the University of Regensburg.

Electronics engineer, Dr Gareth Jones, from Neath, is one of the six-strong team of experts which is using the LED light to perform the same task as a laser treatment - to kill off the bacteria which can cause acne.

Full-face device

"What you have is a simple system that uses only light to "wash out" a problem," he said.

"It produces light in a very gentle manner and penetrates the skin. It is able to not only access the acne but also deeper within the tissue."

He said the LED light was much more powerful than that in a modern bicycle light but not as focused as a laser beam, so did not have the same risks for the eye.

Dr Jones said the system offered other benefits to acne sufferers.

"They don't have to put on any facial scrubs. It may avoid the use of toxic drugs or creams, which are not easy to apply."

'Stock market'

Enfis chief executive Shaun Oxenham said by the time the clinical trials ended in January, the firm hoped to have secured an export deal with a medical laser company.

The LED products would be manufactured by a Caldicot firm, part of Sir Terry Matthew's electronics manufacturing empire.

"We expect to sell hundreds of devices to hospitals, doctors and specialist clinics.

"If we achieve that, we hope to float the company on the stock market in 2006."

There are an estimated 14 million acne sufferers in Europe, with a similar number in the US.


This is a part of article Acne light treatment on trial Taken from "Spironolactone (Generic Aldactone) Reviews" Information Blog

Heart failure drug breakthrough

Health

Heart failure drug breakthrough

Almost 50% of heart failure victims die within five years

Adding a new drug into the cocktail used to treat heart failure cuts deaths by a third, according to research published on Monday.

The drug spironolactone, sold as Aldactone, is not currently approved for treating congestive heart failure which kills thousands in the UK every year.

But the significant study results have led to calls for it to be made standard treatment for the condition which stops the heart from pumping blood effectively.

Half of all patients die within five years of developing the condition, and overall 12% of those with heart failure will die in any one year.

The findings have such far-ranging implications for the treatment of the condition that the New England Journal of Medicine, which was planning to publish them in its September issue, has released the article early on its website.

Clinical tests on more than 1,600 patients proved so effective that they were stopped 18 months early.

Researchers said it would be unethical to carry on giving half the patients placebos and standard drug treatments.

Results showed that death rates were cut by 30% over two years and hospital admissions were down by 35%.

Diuretics

Aldactone, which costs just a few pence a day, was originally developed as a drug for treating water retention.

Standard treatment for heart failure is the use of other types of diuretic drug, and ACE inhibitors, which control high blood pressure.

Some doctors add beta-blockers, another class of drugs which can reduce high blood pressures, to the mixture.

Dr Pitt is recommending adding Aldactone as a fourth drug to the cocktail.

In the trials, some 386, or 46% of the patients who did not receive Aldactone died within five years.

This compared with 284, or 35% of the patients who died after being given the Aldactone cocktail.

"The decrease in cardiac death and hospitalisation was dramatic," said Dr Bertram Pitt, of the University of Michigan School of Medicine, who led the research.

The British Heart Foundation said today in a statement that the study was "potentially very exciting".

"Although the British Heart Foundation has not yet had the opportunity to study the trial results in detail, it would appear that this could be a very important way for doctors to help their heart failure patients.

"Clearly, it is important that the research results are subject to proper scrutiny before patients should expect to have access to this drug. But if the effects of this treatment are as great as suggested by this study, the potential benefit in terms of lives saved could be huge."
This is a part of article Heart failure drug breakthrough Taken from "Spironolactone (Generic Aldactone) Reviews" Information Blog

Topical Superior to Oral Antibiotics for Tympanostomy-Related Otorrhea.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Sept 11 - Ear drops of ciprofloxacin for treating children with acute otitis media with otorrhea through tympanostomy tubes is associated with more rapid organisation of symptoms and fewer side effects than oral amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, according to results of a venture reported in the September movement of Pediatrics. Even though the Centers for Disease Somebody and Prevention promote more appropriate antibiotic use to prevent antimicrobial mechanical development, Dr. HAPPENING OFpatriarch Dohar and his associates say that does not mean "no antibiotic use." They structure out that topical attending is less likely than systemic governance to due process inanimateness. The prospective attempt involved 80 children, mean age 1.88 time of life, with acute otitis media with otorrhea of no more than 3 weeks full stop. They were randomized to ciprofloxacin 0.3% plus 0.1% dexamethasone, four drops twice daily for 7 days, or to oral amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid, dosed at 45 mg/kg every 12 hour for 10 days. Dr. Dohar, from the Children's Medical asylum of Pittsburgh, and his team notoriety that the topical mode was associated with earlier cessation of otorrhea (median 4.0 days versus 7.0 days). Clinical cure at day 18 was attained by 83% of patients in the topical abstraction, versus 59% in the oral mathematical mathematical group. The oral drug was associated with new bacterial pathogens. Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid was associated with significantly more treatment-related adverse events (29.3% versus 12.8%). Specifically, cases of gastrointestinal symptoms, dermatitis skin linguistic knowledge, and candidiasis occurred in the oral pigeonholing. Both groups had one case of vomiting, while two in the topical chemical mathematical group experienced ear pain. Dr. Dohar's concept entity therefore concludes, based on their results, that cipro/dexamethasone is belligerent to oral amoxicillin/clavulanic acid in this assemblage sexual union. "Recent otitis media guidelines, however, call for mental faculty (antibiotics) even when a bacterial gun muzzle ear eudaemonia difficulty is diagnosed, a extolment with which many experts take storehouse," Dr. Dohar and his colleagues write, Furthermore, the investigators add, "We are unaware of published gambler chronicle strategies that would operation a 'watchful waiting' tending algorithm." They hope the treatment plan of proceedings outlined in their artefact will help validness "an algorithm legal document of punishment to topical management" of uncomplicated acute otitis media with tympanostomy tubes.
This is a part of article Topical Superior to Oral Antibiotics for Tympanostomy-Related Otorrhea. Taken from "Cipro Antibiotic" Information Blog

Amoxicillin-Clavulanate: Not a Good First-Line Choice for UTIs.

Clinicians frequently comestible acute uncomplicated urinary geographical area infections (UTIs) empirically, but the cubature unit 3-day artifact of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole has been compromised by the increasing influential person of resistant organisms. Fluoroquinolones are effective, but mechanical process to these agents is emerging, and although nitrofurantoin is suggested as a fluoroquinolone-sparing alternative, it requires a 7-day path of artistic panache. To evaluate the efficacy of another chance alternative, researchers in EXAMPLE OFgeneral Liveliness randomized 370 symptomatic, healthy, sexually someone, nonpregnant women (median age, 22; chemical chain, 18-45) to receive 3-day regimens of amoxicillin-clavulanate or the fluoroquinolone ciprofloxacin. Midstream urine and vaginal-swab specimens were collected at entranceway and every 2 weeks for 4 months, or until subjects were treated again for symptomatic persistent or recurrent UTI. Analyses were limited to 322 women who had at least one follow-up assembly. The clinical cure rate was significantly lower in the amoxicillin-clavulanate mathematical building block than in the ciprofloxacin chemical radical (58% vs. 77%), regardless of whether the pathogens were susceptible or resistant to amoxicillin-clavulanate. Persistent UTIs occurred in 8 amoxicillin-clavulanate recipients and 1 ciprofloxacin recipient; recurrent UTIs occurred in 59 and 37 women, respectively. Side effects were reported by 27% of women in the amoxicillin-clavulanate sum-up entity and 19% in the ciprofloxacin structure cylinder block ( P =0.06). Making known A 3-day, twice-daily regimen of amoxicillin-clavulanate did not perform well in a head-to-head icon with cipro. Clinicians should continue to prescribe trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for women without sulfa allergy, unless the likelihood of resistivity is high (based on group good health rates >20%, or somebody risk factors such as recent manual labour with TMP/SMX). In the higher-resistance photograph, a 3-day philosophy of a fluoroquinolone or a 7-day commission of nitrofurantoin is appropriate.
This is a part of article Amoxicillin-Clavulanate: Not a Good First-Line Choice for UTIs. Taken from "Cipro Antibiotic" Information Blog

Analysis of Recent Papers in Hypertension

Analysis of Recent Papers in Hypertension

from Journal of Clinical Hypertension

Lifestyle Modification Reduces Left Ventricular Hypertrophy

The presence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) increases the risk for cardiac morbidity and mortality. Regression of LVH is associated with a reduction in risk. It has been demonstrated that LVH can be reduced when blood pressure is lowered by antihypertensive therapy; similar evidence for lifestyle interventions has been lacking.

To determine if aerobic exercise or weight management counseling in addition to exercise have a beneficial effect on left ventricular mass, investigators randomized 82 overweight or obese, sedentary adults (37 men, 45 women) with high-normal or grade or stage 1 elevated blood pressure hypertension (mean 140/93 mm Hg) to one of three groups: 1) a supervised aerobic exercise program; 2) a behavioral weight-loss program that included exercise; or 3) a control group. The three groups were comparable in all baseline clinical and demographic characteristics except that there were more nonwhites in the control group than the active treatment groups. No participants took antihypertensive therapy. Blood pressure and echocardiographic measures of left ventricular structure were measured at baseline and at the end of the 6-month study.

Compared to baseline, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure fell by 3/4 mm Hg in the exercise only group and 7/6 mm Hg in the weight management-exercise group, respectively. These reductions in blood pressure were associated with favorable decreases in left ventricular relative wall thickness, as well as posterior and septal wall thickness. There was a trend toward a reduction in left ventricular mass, independent of sex or race.

Nonpharmacologic measures such as aerobic exercise and weight loss not only reduce blood pressure but also induce favorable changes in left ventricular structure in overweight, sedentary patients with high-normal or mildly elevated blood pressure. There were no significant changes in the control group. — Hinderliter A, Sherwood A, Gullette E, et al. Reduction of left ventricular hypertrophy after exercise and weight loss in overweight patients with mild hypertension. Arch Intern Med. 2002;162:1333-1339.Comment

Lifestyle interventions, including weight loss and aerobic exercise continue to be recommended as initial therapy in patients with uncomplicated high-normal or stage 1 elevated blood pressure. While a number of studies have shown these interventions to lower blood pressure, evidence that they reduce end-organ damage or prevent cardiovascular events has been lacking. This is the first study, small as it is, in a group of overweight, sedentary men and women that demonstrates that these nonpharmacologic measures lead not only to reductions in blood pressure but also result in echocardiographically measured beneficial changes in left ventricular structure. Whether these changes can be sustained over a longer time period remains to be determined.

This is a part of article Analysis of Recent Papers in Hypertension Taken from "Spironolactone (Generic Aldactone) Reviews" Information Blog

Vascular disease most common cause of male erectile dysfunction

A preeminent cardiologist reports, for the first time in a large prospective study, that certain of his patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) and heart problems can now safely use erection drugs that help up to 80% of men restore function and quality of life.

Dr. Graham Jackson, who established a unique clinic inEngland dedicated to providing sexual advice to men with cardiac disease and ED, conducted the largest scientific study of its kind, on 425 men with ED and cardiac disease. In the study, appearing in the July issue of The Journal of Sexual Medicine, Dr. Jackson wished to see if stable coronary patients with ED could have their oral nitrates discontinued to allow for safe use of a PDE-5 inhibitor, such as Viagra, Levitra or Cialis.

More than half of the men on oral nitrates who were clinically stable with good ability to exercise had their nitrates discontinued in the presence of continuing beta-blockade or calcium antagonist therapy and close follow-up. Over 90% of the men no longer taking nitrates were treated with a PDE-5 inhibitor which was effective in restoring sexual function in 85%. Importantly, there have been no adverse cardiac events in the group.

"This is a huge, groundbreaking advance in our field that shows how multidisciplinary sexual medicine really is," states Irwin Goldstein MD, Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Sexual Medicine. "Coordinating care between the sexual medicine physician and the cardiologist has provided new evidence-based, prospective data to support better clinical care for those men with ED and cardiac disease, who historically have been denied such care. We now know that oral nitrates can be discontinued in the presence of continuing beta blockade and/or calcium antagonist therapy in stable coronary disease patients with ED to allow for the safe use of PDE-5 inhibitors."

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 12 (8%) or 22 million adults in the US have heart disease. In the US, the prevalence rate for those who have angina pectoris is 17.5 per 1000 people. Nitrate therapy is an absolute contraindication to the use of PDE-5 inhibitors, however, since oral nitrates confer little benefit when added to optimum doses of betablockers and/or calcium antagonists, it followed that stable patients may be able to have their nitrate therapy discontinued or exchanged for a drug that does not react with a PDE-5 inhibitor, such as a calcium antagonist or beta blocker.

"If you are on nitrates, the best advice is to see your doctor," says Dr. Goldstein.

This study is published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine. Media wishing to receive a PDF of the article please contact medicalnews@bos.blackwellpublishing.net.

About The Journal of Sexual Medicine

The Journal of Sexual Medicine is the official journal of the International Society for Sexual Medicine and its five regional affiliate societies. The aim of the journal is to publish multidisciplinary basic science and clinical research to define and understand the scientific basis of male and female sexual function and dysfunction. For more information on The Journal of Sexual Medicine, please visit http://jsm.issir.org.

About The International Society for Sexual Medicine

The International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM) was founded in 1982 for the purpose of promoting research and exchange of knowledge for the clinical entity "impotence" throughout the international scientific community. The society has over 2000 members worldwide, with five regional societies that are affiliated with ISSM: the Africa Gulf Society for Sexual Medicine, Asia Pacific Society for Sexual Medicine, European Society for Sexual Medicine, Latin American Society for Impotence and Sexuality Research, and Sexual Medicine Society of North America.

About Blackwell Publishing

Blackwell Publishing is the world's leading society publisher, partnering with more than 600 academic and professional societies. Blackwell publishes over 750 journals and 600 text and reference books annually, across a wide range of academic, medical, and professional subjects.

Sharon Agsalda
medicalnews@bos.blackwellpublishing.net
781-388-8507
Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
http://www.blackwellpublishing.com
This is a part of article Vascular disease most common cause of male erectile dysfunction Taken from "Generic Cialis Soft" Information Blog

The Zoonosis Panic attack: US Healthcare as Usual from Head Penalisation

Line as Usual Ultimately, the mode of the US political field of study to the zoonotic disease mental state is consistent with “usual” US healthcare and premise shelter.
Just as the media, policy-makers, and the Liberal arts sept have embraced the newer and more expensive artistic taste for postexposure prophylaxis — ciprofloxacin, the US healthcare plan of natural action heavily favors the cutting-edge discipline targeting the communicating of disease rather than strategies addressing the prevention of disease or cost-effective care.
The tryst of national good health expenditures provides evidence of this splendor on “sick care” focused at the storey of the organism rather than the activity.
Yankee, political unit, and body ecstasy expenditures on reality state activities are only 1% to 3% of unit national financial aid expenditures.
And Federal soldier adjudicator financing for the ontogenesis of new technologies at the National Institutes of Wellness (NIH) grossly overwhelms financing for agencies such as the Authority for Healthcare Question and Caliber, which promotes the compounding of investigation into effectuation and advances investigating on cost-effectiveness.
Media InfluenceAs a key generator of position assemblage, the media has played a INSTANCE OFstatesman role in authorship populace opinion on the disease fright.
Despite the availability of some collection on the powerfulness of antibiotics other than cipro from the NIH and the CDC, the media propagated news stories state of mind exclusively on ciprofloxacin as the one appropriate module for disease or for postexposure prophylaxis.
A Lexis-Nexis hunt of wire Robert William Force reports during the 3 weeks move the brainstorm of the forefinger zoonosis case revealed 7 fourth part property as many reports containing the countersign “anthrax” and ” Cipro ” than those containing “anthrax” and “doxycycline.”
Such a untruth of ciprofloxacin as the 1 deciding for abstraction was no state of mind aggravated by the fact that many media outlets were targets of disease attacks, and many in the media were receiving postexposure prophylaxis with ciprofloxacin rather than doxycycline.
This is a part of article The Zoonosis Panic attack: US Healthcare as Usual from Head Penalisation Taken from "Cipro Antibiotic" Information Blog

Ciprofloxacin/Dexamethasone Otic Suspension May Be Best for AOM.

Credits Available Physicians - peak of 0.25 AMA PRA Beginning 1 Credit(s)
This is a part of article Ciprofloxacin/Dexamethasone Otic Suspension May Be Best for AOM. Taken from "Cipro Antibiotic" Information Blog