Pancreatitis Dietary Guidelines

Strictly following pancreatitis dietary guidelines is an effective measure in alleviating inflammatory symptoms. In the pancreatitis diet plan, foods rich in fats are kept to minimum; while plant based foods rich in carbohydrates and proteins form the bulk of the daily diet.

Pancreatitis is a medical problem, caused due to inflammation of the pancreas. Based on the duration of manifested symptoms, it can be acute or chronic condition. As you refer to human anatomy, you will find pancreas at the back side of the stomach. Function wise, it is responsible for secreting insulin hormone and digestive enzymes. These enzymes help in digestion of proteins, carbohydrates and fats into simpler substances, which can be readily absorb by the body.

New Guidelines For Osteoporosis

The National Osteoporosis Foundation released their new guidelines for osteoporosis this past week. For the first time the NOF is recommending that men over the age of 70 receive bone-mineral density x-rays, the same standard test that women 65 and older receive.

NOF summarizes the new recommendations in its 5 Steps to Bone Health:

1. Get the daily recommended amounts of calcium and vitamin D.

2. Engage in regular weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercise.

3. Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol.

4. Talk to your healthcare provider about bone health.

5. Have a bone density test and take medication when appropriate.

Vitamin D May Assist In Weight Loss

A National Institutes of Health and University of Minnesota study has found that vitamin D may assist in weight loss. By looking at vitamin D levels of overweight subjects before and after following a diet plan, researchers noted for every increase of 1 ng/mL in level of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (the precursor form of vitamin D and a commonly used indicator of vitamin D status) subjects ended up losing almost a half pound  more. Also, higher vitamin D levels at the onset of dieting resulted in greater loss of abdominal fat. "Our results suggest the possibility that the addition of vitamin D to a reduced-calorie diet will lead to better weight loss," the authors say. However, more stringent clinical trials will be needed in order to see whether there is a true associated between vitamin D and weight.

Creative Solution To "X" Out Tuberculosis

One of the reasons why tuberculosis is such a difficult disease to eradicate is that the bacteria, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, can evade our immune systems so well that treatment for the infection often involves taking daily pills for six to nine months. Furthermore, the actual symptoms of infection tend to go away after just two months of therapy, so the incentive to carry on is negligible. This is where MIT medical engineer Jose Gomez-Marquez brilliantly devised a scheme to get people interested in taking their medications. The project is called "XoutTB" and it involves stamp-sized special paper patches that reveal a code when they come into contact with urine containing traces of antituberculosis medication. When patients urinate on these test strips everyday the code they reveal can be sent via text message to phone companies who will then credit the patient-customer with free talk time minutes. A trial involving 30 tuberculosis patients proved to be a success and a larger, second trial of XoutTB will be starting soon in Pakistan.

Pancreatic Lipase

Pancreatic lipase is an enzyme or rather a type of lipase, which is secreted from pancreas. This enzyme is responsible for metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Check out the article below to know more about this enzyme.

As we all know our digestive system is a complex system where whatever we eat is properly converted into energy, broken into different substances needed for our body and so on. Pancreas is one of the very important organs which play a very important role in digestion of food. It secretes lipase, a form of enzyme which is essential for proper digestion of food. Lipase levels in blood are a major indicator of what could be wrong with the digestive system of a person and subsequently overall health of that individual. If you want to know more, the text to follow will tell you more about pancreatic lipase.

Breast Cancer Substance Combats Cancer

Researchers have found that a substance discovered in breast milk can kill cancer cells. Called HAMLET (Human Alpha-lactalbumin Made LEthal to Tumour cells), the substance is a combination of a protein and a fatty acid and was discovered by chance a few years ago when researchers were studying the antibacterial properties of breast milk. Previous laboratory experiments have shown that HAMLET kills 40 different types of cancer. But not until now has it been tested in humans. Recently, a soon-to-be published study in humans demonstrated that introduction of HAMLET into the bladders of patients with bladder cancer decreased the size of tumors, as well as delaying tumor development. Patients who were treated with the substance were found to excrete dead cancer cells in their urine after each treatment. This certainly raises the hope for another possible alternative to cancer therapy. Research is currently assessing the effects of HAMLET on skin and brain cancers.

Magnevist

Magnevist

Generic Name: gadopentetate dimeglumine (gad oh PEN te tate dye MEG loo meen)

Brand Names: Magnevist

What is Magnevist?

Magnevist (gadopentetate dimeglumine) is a contrast agent that produces magnetic effects. Magnevist is used in combination with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to allow blood vessels, organs, and other non-bony tissues to be seen more clearly on the MRI.

Magnevist is used to help diagnose certain disorders of the heart, brain, blood vessels, and spinal tissues.

Magnevist may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Important information about Magnevist

Akten

Akten

Generic Name: lidocaine hydrochloride ophthalmic gel

Date of Approval: October 7, 2008

Company: Akorn, Inc.

Treatment for: Ocular Anesthesia

FDA Approves Akten

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Akten (lidocaine hydrochloride) Ophthalmic Gel 3.5%, a topical, ocular anesthetic formulation.

Akten is a novel, unit dose, preservative free lidocaine gel product, stored at room temperature and intended to be used in any ocular procedure that requires a topical anesthetic agent including cataract surgery, refractive surgery, Lasik surgery, and intravitreal injection.

Highlights of Akten Prescribing Information

Pancreaze

Pancreaze

Generic Name: pancrelipase

Date of Approval: April 12, 2010

Company: Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Treatment for: Pancreatic Exocrine Dysfunction

FDA Approves Pancreaze

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Pancreaze Delayed Release Capsules, a pancreatic enzyme product (PEP).

Pancreatic enzyme products improve food digestion in patients whose bodies do not produce enough pancreatic enzymes. This includes people who have conditions such as cystic fibrosis, chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic tumors, or removal of all or a part of the pancreas.

Unapproved versions of pancreatic enzyme products have been available for many years. In October 2007, FDA established a date of April 28, 2010 for the makers of unapproved pancreatic enzyme products to stop manufacturing and distributing unapproved products.

Rotarix

Rotarix

Generic Name: rotavirus vaccine, live (oral) (ROE ta vye ris VAX een)

Brand Names: Rotarix, RotaTeq

What is Rotarix?

Rotarix (rotavirus oral vaccine) contains up to five strains of rotavirus. It is made from both human and animal sources.

Infection with rotavirus can affect the digestive system of babies and young children, causing severe stomach or intestinal illness.

Rotarix is used to help prevent this disease in children.

Rotarix works by exposing your child to a small dose of the virus, which causes the body to develop immunity to the disease. This vaccine will not treat an active infection that has already developed in the body.

Vioxx

Vioxx

Generic Name: rofecoxib (oral) (row feh COCK sib)

Brand Names: Vioxx

What is the most important information I should know about Vioxx?

Vioxx was withdrawn from the U.S. market in 2004.

The manufacturer of Vioxx has announced a voluntary withdrawal of the drug from the U.S. and worldwide market. This withdrawal is due to safety concerns of an increased risk of cardiovascular events (including heart attack and stroke) in patients taking Vioxx.

Notify your doctor immediately if you develop abdominal pain, tenderness, or discomfort; nausea; blood in your vomit; bloody, black, or tarry stools; unexplained weight gain; swelling or water retention; fatigue or lethargy; a skin rash; itching; yellowing of your skin or eyes;"flu-like" symptoms; or unusual bruising or bleeding. These symptoms could be early signs of dangerous side effects.

Wilate

Wilate

Generic Name: von Willebrand Factor/Coagulation Factor VIII Complex (Human)

Date of Approval: December 4, 2009

Company: Octapharma USA

Treatment for: von Willebrand's Disease

FDA Approves Wilate

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Wilate for the treatment of spontaneous and trauma-induced bleeding episodes in patients with all types of von Willebrand disease (VWD).

Highlights of Prescribing Information

These highlights do not include all the information needed to use Wilate safely and effectively. See full prescribing information for Wilate.

Wilate Indications and Usage

Wilate is a von Willebrand Factor/Coagulation Factor VIII Complex (Human) indicated for the treatment of spontaneous and trauma-induced bleeding episodes in patients with severe von Willebrand disease (VWD) as well as patients with mild or moderate VWD in whom the use of desmopressin is known or suspected to be ineffective or contraindicated.