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March 21, 2011  In This Issue... - Blood Pressure "Switch" Found on Human Body...
- Drug Shortages at US Hospitals -- Is Your Hospital Properly Stocked?
- Perfect Painkillers...
- Easy, Soothing Treatment for Pelvic Pains -- and Other Private Parts
Blood Pressure "Switch" Found on Human Body... Chicago, IL: A recent study conducted by the Hypertension Center at the University of Chicago identified a small spot (the "Atlas area") on the body that appears to control blood pressure. In minutes, a single touch lowers blood pressure back to healthy levels. Top number drops 14 points, bottom number drops 8 points. No drug on Earth can match this instant miracle. Who knew it was this simple? It’s almost like a switch that allows doctors to dial down your blood pressure in minutes. Learn more...
Drug Shortages at US Hospitals You’re really sick or badly injured and you have to be admitted to the hospital. That’s worrisome in its own right, all the more so these days when we’re acutely aware that just being in the hospital puts patients in harm’s way in the form of hospital-acquired infections and/or medical errors. And now we must add yet another potential hazard to the list of problems that hospital patients should worry about, which is whether or not the hospital pharmacy has a sufficient supply of the drugs required for your treatment. It doesn’t sound like the kind of problem we’re used to facing here in America but, in fact, US hospitals are currently coping with the most serious drug shortages they’ve seen in decades. Recent data collected from the FDA’s Drug Shortage Program show an official shortfall of 178 drugs, up from 157 in 2009 and 55 five years ago. A Dangerous Problem This is not just inconvenient but also dangerous, said Michael P. Link, MD, president-elect of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, who told me that this is a particular problem for cancer centers, because many chemotherapy drugs are in short supply. What Do You Need to Know? This shortage doesn’t affect most prescription drugs that people take at home, such as for high blood pressure or cholesterol. But patients who have to be hospitalized or who are undergoing chemotherapy on an outpatient basis absolutely do need to be aware of this problem and take steps to ensure that it won’t affect them. Here’s what you need to know... Which drugs are affected? The shortages mostly involve generic medications delivered intravenously, including emergency drugs (such as epinephrine)... pain medications (such as hydromorphone)... anesthetics (including propofol)... and a multitude of chemotherapy drugs including cisplatin, doxorubicin, etoposide, leucovorin, nitrogen mustard and vincristine. What problems can result? According to Dr. Link, these shortages directly affect patients. An alternative drug may be less effective and, adding insult to injury, in some cases insurers are refusing to cover the cost of the drug used to replace the one that was unavailable. Additionally, all of the "outcomes" data for chemotherapy are based on complete compliance with the dosage and frequency of the drug(s) used. Illustrating the Problem Dr. Link walked me through what happened when propofol (an older anesthetic) went off patent in 1996. As other companies began to make the drug, its price came down, making it less profitable for any of the drug companies to manufacture. This is a problem because there is no new drug that acts in exactly the same way. Propofol shortages began in the fall of 2009, when two of its three US manufacturers halted distribution and recalled the drug due to quality issues (particulate matter in the vials of the drug at one plant, and microbial contamination at the other). This left just one company to supply propofol for the entire country, and it has simply been unable to keep up with demand. While there are acceptable substitutes for propofol, a greater problem is the shortage of anticancer drugs for which there are often no good work-arounds. Whose Problem to Solve? There is no one person, industry or agency to hold accountable for the drug shortage. Solutions to that situation are being explored, however. Dr. Link and representatives of other medical associations, pharmaceutical manufacturers and the FDA held a summit to address drug shortages just a few months ago. They made a number of recommendations that would require legislation granting more authority to the FDA in order to better anticipate and manage drug shortages, Dr. Link told me. For example, to remedy the propofol shortage, the FDA is temporarily allowing the use of an imported sedative similar to the propofol used in the US -- in the future, similar action could be taken with other drugs before extreme shortages hit. What You Can Do I asked Dr. Link for advice on what patients can do to make certain that they get the prescription drugs they need. He recommends that patients undergoing regular IV therapy (e.g., chemotherapy) or who know that they will be hospitalized have careful discussions with their physicians in which they explore these four questions... - Is my preferred medication affected by a shortage? Is it on the FDA’s list of drug shortages?
- Is there an equally effective substitute that has similar or better outcomes supported by data?
- If my medication is on the list, what is the local availability? (Supplies vary widely from region to region, hospital to hospital and even medical practice to medical practice.)
- If the drug I use is not available and there is not an equally effective substitute, what is the best possible alternative treatment?
Source(s):
Michael P. Link, MD, president-elect, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). He currently serves as the Lydia J. Lee Professor in Pediatric Oncology at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Perfect Painkillers... Work in seconds, cost 23 cents and heal your gut! We're all trying alternatives now that painkilling drugs are proving so deadly. There's got to be a better way! And now there is, thanks to a brilliant physician named Dr. Mark Stengler. In a famous case that's making fellow doctors gasp in admiration, Dr. Stengler's patient, Todd, could barely believe how fast his arthritis agony disappeared after all those drugs had failed him. Learn more...
Easy, Soothing Treatment for Pelvic Pains -- and Other Private Parts
An unusual form of gynecological health treatment is "gathering steam" around the country -- pelvic steam baths, also known by the catchier name, vaginal steam baths. Although this is a new idea to most of us here in the US, this traditional therapy has long been used in Korea (where it is called Chai-Yok) as well as in parts of South America (where it is called Bajos). While calling it a vaginal steam bath is definitely attention-getting, it is a misnomer, says Laurie Steelsmith, ND, a naturopathic physician and acupuncturist and author of Natural Choices for Women’s Health. It’s not the vagina, an internal structure, that is the focus but rather the outer genital area, the vulva. Furthermore, these so-called baths are not exclusively for women -- men, too, can benefit from sitting over steam... for reasons I will explain.
It Helps Lots of Problems
Dr. Steelsmith is a fan of pelvic steam baths to bring relief for a number of troublesome complaints, among them to relieve chronic vulvar pain (vulvodynia or vulvar vestibulitis) ... muscle spasms (vaginismus) ... post-childbirth discomfort, including from episiotomy incision... or following a biopsy in the area. The baths soften and loosen the pelvic muscles, which helps make sex more comfortable for some women, including after childbirth. And there’s more. Pelvic steam baths help with vaginitis and yeast infections and to heal trauma to the area. Now for you men -- pelvic steam can help cure your groin fungal infections, better known as "jock itch." And more importantly, they can soothe the perineal area after prostate surgery and reduce muscle spasms that might result from hemorrhoids or athletic strain or other injuries to the pelvic floor.
Dr. Steelsmith urges patients with any of these complaints to consider giving this therapy a try, describing the feeling it gives as "nourishing and cozy." Some spas offer pricey pelvic steam baths, but you can do them easily at home, says Dr. Steelsmith. Here’s how...
- Boil four cups of water. You can use the water plain, but many people like to add herbs or a little essential oil.
- If you want to use herbs, you should boil the water for 10 to 15 minutes with the herbs in it. (Use a covered pot to minimize evaporation.) Herbs that are popular for the baths include oregano and basil. For a combination that is both soothing and nourishing, Dr. Steelsmith says to mix equal parts of dried chamomile, calendula (marigold), lavender and red clover.
- If you prefer oil, add a few drops of a relatively gentle one (she suggests lavender, which is not likely to be irritating -- or, if you have a yeast infection or jock itch, tea tree oil) to the water after it boils. Avoid harsh oils such as camphor or eucalyptus.
- Pour your brew into a stainless steel bowl, and place it under a slatted patio chair in which you can sit wearing no underwear and with your pelvic area exposed to the steam.
- A second option -- empty most of the water out of a toilet by turning its water supply off and then flushing it. Then put the bowl of hot water in the toilet (make sure the rim of the bowl is above the level of any remaining toilet water) and sit on the toilet seat. This allows the pelvic muscles and floor to relax completely, says Dr. Steelsmith, which improves blood circulation and therefore healing. (Note: Wrap your lower body in a towel to hold the vapors in and capture the steam more efficiently.)
- Remain over the steam for 15 minutes, no more. Do this twice a day to treat infections or an episiotomy incision... for all other purposes, do once a day until the problem has resolved.
There’s only one safety concern, but it is important (if a little obvious). Make sure you are not burning yourself -- the temperature should be what you find comfortable, which typically will be reached 10 minutes or so after boiling.
Be well, 
Carole Jackson
Bottom Line's Daily Health News
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