DIURETICS BETTER FOR HYPERTENSION
Blood pressure medications called diuretics, used for decades, are less expensive and more effective than the newer hypertension medications. That's the conclusion of the Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial or ALLHAT clinical trial from 1994 to 2002. "The preferred drug is the diuretic for three reasons. It provides better control of hypertension; it reduces complications from hypertension -- particularly heart failure -- more effectively; and it is 10 to 20 times less expensive than the other drugs used in the trial," says Dr. Curt Furberg of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, study chairman. ALLHAT is the largest study ever to compare different types of hypertension drugs and it included more than 33,000 participants age 55 years or older at 623 clinical sites in North America. The diuretics were compared with a calcium channel blocker sold under the name Norvasc or lisinopril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor sold under the names Prinivil and Zestril.
ALCOHOL NOT LINKED TO LUNG CANCER RISK
A study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute finds alcohol consumption does not appear to be associated with the risk of lung cancer. Epidemiological studies of the alcohol-lung cancer risk have drawn mixed results. A team lead by Dr. Luc Djoussé of the Boston University School of Medicine analyzed alcohol consumption by 4,265 participants of the Framingham Study, and 4,973 of their children. Most participants were light to moderate drinkers. After adjusting for age, sex, amount of tobacco smoked, smoking status, and year of birth, the authors say alcohol consumption is not a statistically significant risk for lung cancer in either the original Framingham study participants or their children.
CHICKEN POX VACCINE OK IN KIDNEY PATIENTS
Johns Hopkins researchers say the varicella vaccine for chicken pox is safe and effective for children with chronic kidney disease. Two doses were given to study participants one to two months apart. The study was critical for patients who eventually will undergo a kidney transplant, because immunosuppressive medications the children must take after transplant surgery place them at high risk for severe chicken pox complications, including pneumonia, brain inflammation, and death. "We recommend pediatric nephrologists include chicken pox vaccination as an important component of pre-end-stage renal disease and end-stage renal disease care," says lead author Dr. Susan L. Furth. Varicella vaccine contains small doses of weakened strains of the chicken pox virus that activate immune system "memory" and mount a protective response to subsequent exposures.
SOBE GREEN TEA, ENERGY ON RECALL LIST
South Beach Beverage Co. has recalled thousands of cases of SoBe Green Tea and SoBe Energy drinks. The voluntary recall began after it was found the beverages could contain over-the-counter cold and cough medication. South Beach says as many as 5,678 cases of SoBe Green Tea and 1,458 cases of SoBe Energy in 20-ounce glass bottles are involved. A manufacturing error resulted in some bottles getting a dose of dextromethorphan, which creates a slight to intense bitter taste and might alter the beverage color. A person who drinks a lot of the affected tea could become lightheaded or sick to their stomach. A bigger health problem could occur if people are on anti-depressants such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors. The potentially affected packages were distributed primarily to convenience stores and other retail outlets in California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nevada, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin. The only packages that may be affected are 20-ounce glass bottles of SoBe Green Tea with the production code SEP2203 XXXXFG09162A3 and 20-ounce glass bottles of SoBe Energy with the production code SEP2203 XXXXFG09172B3. Customers can get replacements for affected bottles by calling SoBe Consumer Relations at (800) 588-0548.
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(EDITORS: For more information about DIURETICS, contact Jim Steele, (336) 716-4587 or e-mail [email protected]. For ALCOHOL, Linda Wang, (301) 841-1287 or [email protected], for CHICKEN POX, Jessica Collins, (410) 516-4570 or [email protected], and for SOBE RECALL, Larry Jabbonsky at (914) 253-2647)
