Less experienced surgeons performing new techniques in coronary surgery on black patients

Cardiac surgeons who are less experienced with the recently introduced off-pump techniques in coronary bypass surgery are more likely to perform such operations on black patients, according to US researchers. more  

Penn researchers demonstrate ability of new therapy to treat severely elevated cholesterol levels

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have demonstrated the potential of a new type of therapy for patients who suffer from high cholesterol levels. The findings are in the January 11 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). In this study, patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), a high-risk condition refractory to conventional therapy, had a remarkable 51% reduction in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or "bad cholesterol" levels. more

Diabetes drug shows promise for preventing brain injury from radiation therapy

Researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine are the first to report that in animal studies, a common diabetes drug prevents the memory and learning problems that cancer patients often experience after whole-brain radiation treatments. more  

Obsession with weight may not be tied to an eating disorder

In a new study on Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) - a distressing or impairing preoccupation with an imagined or slight defect in one's appearance - researchers from Bradley Hospital and Brown Medical School found that individuals who are concerned about their weight are more impaired than those whose appearance-concerns are not weight-related. This is particularly important, as weight-related preoccupations have at times not been considered diagnostic of BDD. more

Benefits of testosterone treatment unknown, research shows  

Little research exists demonstrating that testosterone is both safe from the cardiovascular standpoint and effective to treat sexual dysfunction, reveal Mayo Clinic researchers in two new studies. more

Tumor-free breast tissue can have precancerous changes  

A new study using mastectomy tissue shows that precancerous changes can occur in normal-appearing areas of the breast as distant as two inches from a tumor's edge. more

Study finds unexpected results in acid suppression between two OTC heartburn treatments

In a new study, researchers have directly compared the early therapeutic response of drugs from widely-used classes of heartburn medications, omeprazole magnesium, a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) and famotidine, a histamine-2 receptor antagonist (H2RAs), in an over-the-counter (OTC) setting. In contrast to general consensus, suggesting first day superiority of H2RAs, the results show similar acid suppression on the first day of dosing between these drugs as reported today in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics. more

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