Lists of the side effects of the Prescription Meds continued growth: study (HealthDay)

(Thursday, May 26, HealthDay News) - lists of the side effects of prescription drugs on drug labels, packaging and advertisements have proliferated to an average of 70 by drug, a new study reports.

Warnings on side effects have been designed to inform physicians and consumers of the potential hazards, but this expansion may have had more to do with concerns over disputes rather than real health problemssay the authors of the study, which argue that the information could be presented much more effectively.

"Having a high number of side effects on the label of a drug should not suggest that the drug is dangerous." In fact, much of this labelling has less to do with toxicity real to protect manufacturers from possible prosecution, "principal investigator study author Dr. Jon Duke, Regenstrief Institute and Assistant Professor of medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine"said in a press release from the University.

An analysis of more than 5,600 tags drugs and side effects more than 500 000 concluded that prescription drug labels include an average of 70 different adverse potentials - a number which jumps to 100 of the side effects of some commonly prescribed drugs.

Some drugs in the upper range listed even 525 reactions.

Duke pointed out that the large number of listed side effects could overburden physicians to browse this information to make informed decisions about medications for their patients.

For the study, published in issue 23 May of the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers have compiled a list of prescriptions drug types who were most likely to have a high number of marked side-effects. These drugs include antidepressants, antiviral drugs and new treatments for restless legs syndrome and Parkinson's disease.

Despite the enormous amount of information found in the labelling of current drugs, Duke argued that data could be useful if presented properly.

"With the current technology, drug labels could be processed long static documents from dynamic resources capable of providing custom patient information." "These labels could take into account medical conditions of the individual patient and to highlight the side effects that may be particularly dangerous," he said.

"We cannot stop the growing wave of drug information, but we can do a better job of presenting effectively to health care providers," Duke found.

More information

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration provides additional information on side effects of drugs.

Baby boomers fueling the growth of the knee, surgery of the hips

SAN DIEGO - We're becoming a nation of bum knees, worn-out hips and sore shoulders, and it's not just the Medicare set. Baby boomer bones and joints also are taking a pounding, spawning a boom in operations to fix them.

Knee replacement surgeries have doubled over the last decade and more than tripled in the 45-to-64 age group, new research shows. Hips are trending that way, too.

And here's a surprise: It's not all due to obesity. Ironically, trying to stay fit and avoid extra pounds is taking a toll on a generation that expects bad joints can be swapped out like old tires on a car.

"boomeritis" or "fix-me-itis" is what Dr. Nicholas DiNubile, a suburban Philadelphia surgeon, calls it.

"It's this mindset of ' fix me at any cost, turn back the clock,'" said DiNubile, an adviser to several pro athletic groups and a spokesman for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. "The boomers are the first generation trying to stay active in droves on an aging frame" and are less willing to use a cane or put up with pain or stiffness as their grandparents did, he said.

A huge industry says they don't have to. TV ads show people water skiing with new hips. All "the athletic knee" ads, "the custom knee," "the male knee," "the female knee." Tennis great Billie Jean King, 67, is promoting the "30-year" Smith & Nephew knees she got last year.

"I wanted to make sure whatever they put in me was going to last," she said. "I m not trying to win wimbledon anymore." "I m trying to get my exercise in," and play a little tennis on the clay courts in Central Park, and walk to a movie or a restaurant. "If I'd known what I know now, I would have had it 10 years ago."

Joint replacements have enabled millions of people like King to lead better lives, and surgeons are increasingly comfortable offering them to younger people.

But here's the rub: No one really knows how these implants will perform well in the active baby boomers getting them now. Most studies were done in older folks whose expectations were to be able to go watch a grandchild's soccer game - not play the sport themselves, as one researcher put it.

Even the studies presented at a recent orthopedics conference that found knee replacements are lasting 20 years come with the caveat that this is in older people who were not stressing their new joints by running marathons, skiing or playing tennis.

Besides the usual risks of surgery - infection, blood clots, anesthesia problems - replacing joints in younger people increases the odds they'll need future operations when these wear out, specialists say.

"We think very carefully about patients under 50" and many of them talk out of replacing joints, said Dr. William Robb, orthopedics chief at NorthShore University HealthSystem in suburban Chicago.

But many don 't want to wait, even if they' re not much beyond that:

_Karen Guffey, a 55-year-old retired civilian police worker in San Diego, plans to have a hip replaced in September. "I can't exercise the way I want to." I have to go slow, which is really aggravating. "I want to go full force," she said. "I m not worried about how I m going to feel when I m 75." "I want to feel good now."

_Karen Cornwall, a Havertown, PA., who played nurse a slew of sports since childhood, had both knees replaced last year when she was 54. "I just felt like I was too young and too active to be in pain all the time," she explained.

_Bill McMullen, a former Marine and construction worker from suburban Philadelphia, had seven repair knee surgeries before finally getting a knee replacement at age 55 a decade ago. He took up weightlifting to spare his knees purpose damaged a shoulder and had it replaced two years ago. "People ask me if I'm happy and I say, 'If you have bread, go and get it done,'" he said of joint replacement. "It was the best thing for me." "I have no pain."

People are urged to exercise because it's so important for health, but there are 'too many wannabes' who overdo it by trying to imitate elite athletes, said Dr. Norman Schachar, a surgeon and assistant dean at the University of Calgary in AlbertaCanada.

"they think if they've got a sore knee they're entitled to having it replaced," he said. "I think surgeons are overdoing it too, to try to meet that expectation."

Dr. Ronald Hillock, an orthopedic surgeon in a broad practice in Las Vegas that does about 4,000 joint replacements a year, sees the demand from patients.

"People come in and say 'this is what I want, this is what I need'," he said. "They could buy a cane or wear a brace," but most want a surgical fix.

The numbers tell the story. There were 288,471 total hip replacements in 2009, nearly half of them in people under 65, according to the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, which tracks hospitalizations.

Knee replacements soared from 264,311 in 1997 to 621,029 in 2009, and more than tripled in the 45-to-64-year-old age group.

"Five or 10 years ago, a very small number of people under 65 were receiving this surgery." "Now we see more and more younger people getting it," said Elena Losina, co-director of the Orthopaedic and Arthritis Center for Outcomes Research at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

She analyzed how much of this rise was due to population growth and obesity, and presented results at an orthopedic meeting in San Diego in February.

From 1997 to 2007, the population of 45 - to 64-year-olds grew by 36 percent, but knee replacements in this group more than tripled. Obesity rates didn't rise enough to explain the trend.

"At most, 23 percent of the 10-year growth in total knee replacement can be explained by increasing obesity and population size," men said.

A a is a very successful operation." "The only caveat is, all the successes have been seen in the older population," who usually put less stress on their joints new than younger folks who want to return to sports. "It's unclear whether the artificial joint is designed to withstand this higher activity," she said.

If you have a good result from a joint replacement, don't spoil it by overdoing the activity afterward, experts warn. Better yet, try to prevent the need for one.

"being active is the closest thing to the fountain of youth," but most people need to modify their habits because they're overdoing one sport, not stretching exercise, or doing something else that puts their joints at risk, said DiNubile, the "boomeritis" doctor.

Experts recommend:

_Cross training. People tend to find one thing they like and do it a lot, but multiple activities prevent overuse.

_Balance your routines to build strength, flexibility, core muscles and cardiovascular health.

_Lose weight. "Every extra pound you carry registers as five extra pounds on your knees," DiNubile said. "The good news is, you don't need to lose a lot of weight" to ease the burden.

_Spend more time warming up. Break a sweat and get the blood flowing before you go full blast.

_Let muscles and joints recover and rest in between workouts.

_If you've had a joint replacement, do the physical therapy that's recommended.

"I tell patients, 20 percent of the outcome is the technical stuff I do in the surgery, and 80 percent is them," said Hillock, the Las Vegas surgeon. "I can do a perfect surgery, but if they don 't do the rehab they' re not going to have a good outcome."

Growth in sales of generic drugs SUV overall slashing

NEW YORK - global growth in sales of prescription drugs could be cut in half over the next five years as lucrative brands lose patent protection and cheaper generics and emerging markets become important growth engines, according to IMS Health

"Past expenditure trends offer some clues on the level of growth until 2015," said Murray Aitken, a leader of IMS Health including division conducted the study.

"There are dynamics involved, which are driving unprecedented rapid changes in the composition of expenditures by patients and payers between branded and generic products," said Aitken, whose society followed trends and the sale of prescription drugs.

Average annual sales should grow by 3 to 6 per cent during the period, reaching almost here $ 1.1 billion in 2015. But the trend reflects a slowdown in the annual growth of 6.2% observed over the past five years, said the report.

The United States sales rise only 0 to 3% per year over the period, while sales in Europe will increase from 1 to 4 per cent. Brand drug expenses should be changed little in these markets developed by 2015, with growth coming instead from the demand for less expensive generic drug manufacturers.

A wave of the new generic approach as an unprecedented number of big drug loses patent protection U.S. by 2015, including the control of Pfizer Inc., 10 billion dollars per year cholesterol fighter Lipitor, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co Plavix blood clot and Zyprexa Eli Lilly and the Commander of schizophrenia.

Aitken said too few new drugs are being approved to offset lost sales of those facing the onslaught of generics greatly.

"We continue to be disappointed by the number of new chemical and biological entities in the market," he said.

Altogether, less expensive generic formulations of drugs due will produce from $ 98 billion in net savings to insurers in the developed until 2015.

"The part of the United States of expenditures spent 41 per cent in 2005 to 31% in 2015, while the share of the budget devoted by the countries of Europe top 5 from 20 percent to 13 percent," said the report.

During this time, he said spending will probably double over the next five years in new markets, 285 million to 315 million per year, or approaching the United States levels.

"Seventeen emerging markets growth high, led by China, will contribute to 28% of the total spending by 2015, instead of only 12 per cent in 2005," said the report. He noted that growth will be come mainly from generics.

Overall spending on cancer drugs expected to reach 75 billion dollars here, 2015 amounting to a much slower pace than in the past five years, as many more recent treatments and expensive biotech are already widely used in developed markets.

But the annual expenditure on medicines diabetes should increase by 4% to 7% until 2015, due in large part to the changing of regimes and ways of life in developing countries to increase the prevalence of Type II diabetes.

Governor Jerry Brown has removed the cancerous growth

Governor Jerry Brown is not expected to attend public events until its points of suture are deleted, according to a statement.Basal Cell Carcinoma on his noseIt is a form of public events of skin pass cancerGovernor

Governor of California Edmund g. "Jerry" brown Jr., had a cancerous growth removed from the right side of his nose, his Office said Saturday.

Brown, 73, has undergone surgery medical ambulatory Friday after tests revealed the presence of basal cell carcinoma.

Basal cell carcinoma is a type of skin cancer. It occurs most often on areas of skin that are often exposed to the Sun, as the face and neck. Basal Cell Carcinoma tends to slow growth, according to the American Cancer Society.

All cancerous cells have been removed, the Office said, but Brown nose required reconstructive surgery.

The Governor has worked at home Saturday and did not attend the State of the Democratic Convention in Sacramento this weekend. It does not to attend public events until sutures are deleted, according to a statement.

Jerry Brown has cancerous growth removed from nose (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Governor of California Jerry Brown had surgery to remove a cancerous growth from his nose, his Office, said Saturday.

Growth has been removed under local anesthesia, Friday after tests revealed the presence of basal cell carcinoma, Brown's Office said in a statement.

All cancerous cells have been removed, but some reconstructive surgery to Brown nose was necessary because of the procedure, he said.

Brown, a 73-year-old Democrat, is at home and the conduct of the Affairs of the State.

His Office said he would be not the State of the Democratic Convention in Sacramento over the weekend and would ignore public events until sutures have been removed.

Governor of California has removed cancerous growth (AFP)

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - doctors have removed a cancerous growth nose of the Governor of California Jerry Brown, his Office said, adding that the 73-year-old working at home a day after the procedure.

His Office, Brown, who took office in January, "suffered an outpatient medical procedure to remove a growth on the right side of the nose after tests revealed the presence of basal cell carcinoma," said in a statement.

"The procedure was conducted yesterday with local anesthetic...". Basal Cell Carcinoma have been removed, but some reconstructive nose surgery was necessary because of the procedure.

Brown was in the House and the conduct of the Affairs of the State. His Office said that it has cancelled public appearances, including the California Democratic Convention for Sunday until sutures are removed.

Democrat succeeds former actor Arnold Schwarzenegger in January, becoming the oldest Governor of the State of United States West first conducted in 1975-1983, while he was the youngest holder of the position.

Growth hormone works for short children were premature: study (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - short children born prematurely see significant improvements in their height and weight during the first year of treatment with the growth hormone, although that long-term follow-up is required, an international study said.

Approximately 10 per cent of all infants are born prematurely, said Margaret Boguszewski, main author of the study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & metabolism. Premature birth is defined as less than 37 weeks of gestation.

"Advances in perinatal ensure that most of them will survive," she told Reuters Health by email.

"So, concern now focuses on the development and growth of these children." However, even with all the advances in perinatal care... some children born preterm remain smaller than their counterparts born at the end. ?

Boguszewski, Clinicas hospital, Curitiba, Brazil and colleagues noted that growth hormone may be useful for these children, but that preterm birth was usually ruled out their participation in clinical trials.

The study, they have identified 3 215 prepubertal children born at 37 weeks or less, with the growth of International of Pfizer The basic data (formerly Kabi Pharmacia growth international study). Children have received growth hormone.

Most is born in 33 to 37 weeks at an age appropriate for the gestation, 629 were born before 32 weeks in the appropriate weight, 519 had a 33 to 37 weeks gestation and are small for their gestational age and 139 were very premature and small for their gestational age.

The median age at the beginning of the treatment of growth hormone varies between 6 and 7.5 years.

After the first year of treatment, the four groups had a significant increase in weight and height of the speed. The highest growth rate was in the very preterm group.

"The conclusion was that short children born prematurely respond well to the first year of growth hormone treatment, and improvement of the speed of growth," Boguszewski told Reuters Health.

"Further studies are needed to collect information on the response of growth in the long term, the adult height and the safety of the treatment of hormone growth in short children after premature birth".