Mixed Bag for Antidepressants

A huge government study shows that half of all people eliminated their symptoms of depression by taking antidepressants, but many of those people had to combine drugs or try multiple treatments before having success.

Another quarter of those studied showed improvement on drugs. Results often took six to 12 weeks, which is longer than doctors expected. Many patients give up on antidepressants much faster than that if they don’t see results or have bad side effects. Three thousand people were treated in the study; they had been depressed an average of 16 years each.

About 15 million Americans are said to be depressed and about 30,000 suicides annually are blamed on depression.

The news here is that if you are depressed and seeking conventional drug treatments, don’t give up hope because the first drug doesn’t work or it doesn’t work right away. Know that with the help of your doctor you are likely to find a treatment that works for you.

Half of all clinically depressed people get no treatment. Non-prescription treatments for depression include therapy and herbal remedies. It’s important to talk to someone about how you feel, whether a doctor, a naturopath or a trusted friend.

(Source: LA Times).

Are you taking sleeping pills?

If you are, check this out:

Strange behavior by insomniacs taking prescription drugs, ranging from binge eating to having sex while asleep, have raised safety questions about anti-insomnia medications like Sanofi-Aventis’ Ambien.

Apparently, these side effects “have been around for years, but the incidence is rising because of an explosion in the drugs’ use.”

About 30 million people in the United States take sleep medications, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. By some counts that is a 50 percent jump since the beginning of the decade.

“Some of the most serious side effects are short-term memory loss, and accidents involving patients who drive the next day while still feeling drugged.”

Other sleep medications (besides Ambien) include Lunesta from Sepracor Inc. and Sonata made by King Pharmaceuticals Inc.

[This information is from a Reuters article by Kim Dixon dated March 14, 2006.]

More Heart News

Today’s big heart health story is that the cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor has been shown to remove plaque from the arteries, reversing a major risk factor for heart attacks.

The study followed 500 patients who were taking the maximum dose of the drug, which is known as a statin drug. The amount of the drug taken in the study is four times the dosage people start with when first taking the drug.

Though this study only looked at Crestor, it is assumed that other statin drugs would have the same effect.

More research is needed because the study did not have a control group that took a placebo, and the study was funded by the makers of the drug. Still, this study brings hope to the 13 million Americans with ateriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) that reversal of their ailment may be possible.

Taking statins along with a reduced fat and cholesterol diet and moderat exercise would be even better at reducing the effects of plaque buildup.

(Source: Los Angeles Times)

Heart News

Two news stories today have to do with drugs and supplements for heart health. The first (linked here from the New York Times says that taking B vitamins to block homocystine and prevent heart attack and stroke was not effective for those most at risk.

Three studies with more than 9,000 participants showed that taking B vitamins did in fact lower homocystine levels, which are linked to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, but there was no corresponding reduction in the number of heart attacks among those on vitamins compared to those taking placebos.

The other story (here from USA Today) says that taking the anti-clotting drug Plavix in combination with aspirin can actually be harmful to people with risk factors for heart attacks who have not yet had a heart attack.

The drug was also found to be no more effective than aspirin alone at preventing heart attacks, strokes and death from heart attacks for those patients who had already had a heart attack or stroke.

What does all this mean? Above all, it illustrates the need to talk to your doctor and keep him or her informed about what drugs, including over-the-counter drugs and vitamins, you are taking. The two of you together should devise a treatment plan that is right for you based on the most current data available. And, of course, that eating right and exercising should always be a part of your healthy living plan.

Benzene Bonanza

Today’s must read is this article from AlterNet about the surge in benzene formation in certain bottled beverages. Interestingly, the main problem drinks seem to be those with orange or fruit flavor and diet sodas.

That’s because its the combination of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and sodium benzoate or potassium benzoate, both anti-microbial preservatives, that causes benzene to form.

Benzene is a cancer-causing chemical that has been linked to leukemia and other cancers. Even short exposure can result in temporary nervous system disorders, a weakening of the immune system and anemia, according to the article.

A water supply with five parts per billion of benzene is considered polluted. Some sodas, especially with exposure to heat and ultra-violet light, have levels of 10 to 20 ppb, according to the Food and Drug Administration. (In lab tests when exposed to heat and UV, some products had as many as 82 ppb.)

A food safety expert quoted in the story says he wouldn’t be worried about the benzene issue except over a lifetime of exposure. Meaning he’s pretty sure something else will kill you first. But with so many people drinking so many soft drinks, and so many of the dangerous ones (Sunny D, Tropicana Twister, Fanta, etc.) being so attractive to kids because of the illusion of health in a fruit-flavored drink, people are hitting a “lifetime” of exposure long before they’re old and dying of something else.

If you’re interested in what soft drinks you might want to avoid, consult this partial list of drinks containing the potentially dangerous chemicals from the Environmental Working Group. Another great reason to cut back on soda and drink more water!

Lung Cancer Facts

With the death of Dana Reeve making news all over the world, there’s a new focus lately on lung cancer, especially since she got lung cancer having never been a smoker and not working in a smoky environment.

Most women who don’t smoke think they aren’t at risk for lung cancer, but it is the leading cancer killer of women (and men as well), killing more women each year than breast and ovarian cancer combined. That’s more than 68,000 women who will die from lung cancer each year (and about 163,000 people die from lung cancer each year).

While the rate of lung cancer in men has increased only 20 percent in the last 20 years, the rate among women has jumped 150 percent. About one in four cancer deaths among women is attributed to lung cancer and women are 1.5 times more likely to get lung cancer than men are.

Of course the vast majority (more than 80 percent) of these cancers are related to smoking or long-term exposure to secondhand smoke (from working in a bar for many years, for instance). Other cases of lung cancer have been linked to environmental exposure to such toxins as asbestos, radon, uranium, arsenic, coal, disel exhaust and gasoline. Vinyl, chloride and mustard gas have also been linked to lung cancer.

Air pollution is also thought to play a role. Those who have had radiation to the lungs are at higher risk for lung cancer, and people who eat a diet low in fruits and vegetables and also smoke or are exposed to smoke are thought to have a higher chance of getting lung cancer. People who have had TB or severe pneumonia may have scarring on the lungs that can contribute to cancer.

Early detection of lung cancer is difficult. When symptoms appear (like a persistent cough and trouble breathing or speaking) it has usually progressed pretty far. Lung cancer is also difficult to treat. No great strides have been made in treating lung cancer as there have been for other cancers. Many doctors say that is because people who get lung cancer are often thought to have brought it on themselves by smoking so there’s no great rush to come up with breakthrough cures. Perhaps this episode will educate people on the disease and bring attention to those who get lung cancer without smoking.

For more information on lung cancer, visit It’s Time to Focus on Lung Cancer.