Clipping Board » Drug Poisoning ─ It is necessary to be aware of the toxic side effects before taking medication.
2008/09/03 17:29 (Reuters Munich, 2nd)
A controversial study on the safety of the cholesterol drug "Vytorin" by Merck & Co and Schering-Plough was presented in full at Europe's largest medical conference today, sparking debates among experts.
Researchers involved in the SEAS study stated that there is no credible evidence linking Vytorin to cancer, and the higher number of cancer cases observed in clinical trials was merely a matter of chance.
However, the influential New England Journal of Medicine published the full details of the Vytorin study online and noted in an editorial that the drug's safety is now in question, with several leading physicians expressing concerns.
The complete report of the clinical study involving 1,873 patients showed that 105 Vytorin users developed cancer, compared to 70 in the placebo control group, revising the earlier summary of 93 vs. 65 released in July.
Some cardiologists remain cautious. Heinz Drexel, a medical professor at the University of Innsbruck in Austria and spokesperson for the European Society of Cardiology, said, "I am quite concerned, and I would not take such a drug myself at this time."
Updated: 2008/09/03 11:52
Han Huang | March 14, 2008
Gastric cancer ranks first in both incidence and mortality rates of cancer in Japan, South Korea, and mainland China. The reasons for this may be related to smoking, Helicobacter pylori infection, dietary habits, and other factors.
However, a recent research report by Dr. Asano's team at Kyushu University in Japan found that gastric cancer is also associated with low cholesterol. The study tracked 2,604 residents of the Hisayama area, with 40 years as the baseline age, and found that 97 of them developed gastric cancer. The researchers divided their blood cholesterol levels into four quartiles and discovered that the lower the cholesterol, the higher the incidence of gastric cancer. Among every 1,000 people, 3.9 were at risk of developing gastric cancer, while only 2.1 people with higher cholesterol levels were at risk.
They also excluded other possible factors that could cause gastric cancer, such as smoking, dietary habits, and Helicobacter pylori infection, and confirmed that it was indeed related to low serum cholesterol levels. Additionally, they found that the gastric cancer that occurred was pathologically related to intestinal-type gastric cancer, rather than diffuse-type gastric cancer. Therefore, the conclusion is that if you have low cholesterol, it is best to undergo regular gastroscopy to prevent the occurrence of gastric cancer.
Source: http:/ / cisc. twbbs. org/ lifety……rticle& articleId=14& blogId=1
Surprise -- cholesterol may actually pose benefits, study shows
http://www. physorg. com/ news119117414. html
January 09, 2008
If you're worried about high cholesterol levels and maintaining heart health as you age, don't push bacon and eggs aside. A new study suggests they might actually be beneficial.
Researchers at Texas A&M University found that lower cholesterol levels could actually reduce the muscle gains from exercise. Lead researcher Steven Riechman, an assistant professor of health and kinesiology, along with Simon Sheather, head of the statistics department, and colleagues from the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, recently published their findings in the Journal of Gerontology.
The bottom line: Before seeking secondary help from oats, cholesterol might not be as bad as we tend to believe.
"We did not expect to get these results," Riechman explained.
"We need further research in this area, but what we have found will make us look at cholesterol differently, especially when it comes to vigorous workouts."
The team studied 55 men and women aged 60-69, all healthy non-smokers capable of completing exercise tests and training.
Over a 12-week period, participants engaged in various exercises three times a week, including stretching, cycling on gym machines, and intense weightlifting. Those who missed one or more sessions made up for them, ensuring the entire group had the same level of activity by the end of the study. Additionally, all participants followed similar diets.
In concluding the study, researchers found a significant link between dietary cholesterol and strength changes. Generally, those who consumed more cholesterol also gained the most muscle strength.
Cholesterol circulating in the blood clearly contributed to participants gaining more muscle, Riechman said.
"One possible explanation is the important role cholesterol plays in the inflammation process," he said.
"When you exercise, your muscles become sore as they rebuild muscle mass. More cholesterol leads to a stronger inflammatory response. We know inflammation in certain areas, like near the heart, is not good, but for building muscle, it might be beneficial, and cholesterol clearly aids this process."
Riechman noted that study participants taking cholesterol-lowering medications gained muscle more slowly than those who were not.
"Needless to say, these findings were completely unexpected," he explained.
"Here, we need to look at some questions, such as: What exactly happens to cholesterol when you exercise? What role does protein absorption play in the entire process? What we need to do is track the moment cholesterol enters the muscle.""Combining exercise, cholesterol apparently plays some role in gaining muscle, says Riechman. The key here is exhaustion—that doesn't mean you can sit in front of the TV all day without worrying about cholesterol levels.
'Our findings confirm that limiting cholesterol—during training—clearly has a negative effect on the construction of muscle mass. If this is true, as our findings suggest, cholesterol may play a key role in muscle repair, and we need to understand exactly how this happens. And because cholesterol has a negative relationship with cardiovascular health, we need to further research this area. It proves that there is still much we don't know about cholesterol.'
Source: http:/ / only- perception. blogs……m/ 2008/ 01/ blog- post_900. html"
Safety of Cholesterol Drug "Vytorin" Questioned by New England Journal of Medicine
A controversial study on the safety of the cholesterol drug "Vytorin" by Merck & Co and Schering-Plough was presented in full at Europe's largest medical conference today, sparking debates among experts.
Researchers involved in the SEAS study stated that there is no credible evidence linking Vytorin to cancer, and the higher number of cancer cases observed in clinical trials was merely a matter of chance.
However, the influential New England Journal of Medicine published the full details of the Vytorin study online and noted in an editorial that the drug's safety is now in question, with several leading physicians expressing concerns.
The complete report of the clinical study involving 1,873 patients showed that 105 Vytorin users developed cancer, compared to 70 in the placebo control group, revising the earlier summary of 93 vs. 65 released in July.
Some cardiologists remain cautious. Heinz Drexel, a medical professor at the University of Innsbruck in Austria and spokesperson for the European Society of Cardiology, said, "I am quite concerned, and I would not take such a drug myself at this time."
Updated: 2008/09/03 11:52
Low Cholesterol May be A Risk Factor for Gastric Cancer
Gastric cancer ranks first in both incidence and mortality rates of cancer in Japan, South Korea, and mainland China. The reasons for this may be related to smoking, Helicobacter pylori infection, dietary habits, and other factors.
However, a recent research report by Dr. Asano's team at Kyushu University in Japan found that gastric cancer is also associated with low cholesterol. The study tracked 2,604 residents of the Hisayama area, with 40 years as the baseline age, and found that 97 of them developed gastric cancer. The researchers divided their blood cholesterol levels into four quartiles and discovered that the lower the cholesterol, the higher the incidence of gastric cancer. Among every 1,000 people, 3.9 were at risk of developing gastric cancer, while only 2.1 people with higher cholesterol levels were at risk.
They also excluded other possible factors that could cause gastric cancer, such as smoking, dietary habits, and Helicobacter pylori infection, and confirmed that it was indeed related to low serum cholesterol levels. Additionally, they found that the gastric cancer that occurred was pathologically related to intestinal-type gastric cancer, rather than diffuse-type gastric cancer. Therefore, the conclusion is that if you have low cholesterol, it is best to undergo regular gastroscopy to prevent the occurrence of gastric cancer.
Source: http:/ / cisc. twbbs. org/ lifety……rticle& articleId=14& blogId=1
Study: Cholesterol Has Benefits Too
http://www. physorg. com/ news119117414. html
January 09, 2008
If you're worried about high cholesterol levels and maintaining heart health as you age, don't push bacon and eggs aside. A new study suggests they might actually be beneficial.
Researchers at Texas A&M University found that lower cholesterol levels could actually reduce the muscle gains from exercise. Lead researcher Steven Riechman, an assistant professor of health and kinesiology, along with Simon Sheather, head of the statistics department, and colleagues from the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, recently published their findings in the Journal of Gerontology.
The bottom line: Before seeking secondary help from oats, cholesterol might not be as bad as we tend to believe.
"We did not expect to get these results," Riechman explained.
"We need further research in this area, but what we have found will make us look at cholesterol differently, especially when it comes to vigorous workouts."
The team studied 55 men and women aged 60-69, all healthy non-smokers capable of completing exercise tests and training.
Over a 12-week period, participants engaged in various exercises three times a week, including stretching, cycling on gym machines, and intense weightlifting. Those who missed one or more sessions made up for them, ensuring the entire group had the same level of activity by the end of the study. Additionally, all participants followed similar diets.
In concluding the study, researchers found a significant link between dietary cholesterol and strength changes. Generally, those who consumed more cholesterol also gained the most muscle strength.
Cholesterol circulating in the blood clearly contributed to participants gaining more muscle, Riechman said.
"One possible explanation is the important role cholesterol plays in the inflammation process," he said.
"When you exercise, your muscles become sore as they rebuild muscle mass. More cholesterol leads to a stronger inflammatory response. We know inflammation in certain areas, like near the heart, is not good, but for building muscle, it might be beneficial, and cholesterol clearly aids this process."
Riechman noted that study participants taking cholesterol-lowering medications gained muscle more slowly than those who were not.
"Needless to say, these findings were completely unexpected," he explained.
"Here, we need to look at some questions, such as: What exactly happens to cholesterol when you exercise? What role does protein absorption play in the entire process? What we need to do is track the moment cholesterol enters the muscle.""Combining exercise, cholesterol apparently plays some role in gaining muscle, says Riechman. The key here is exhaustion—that doesn't mean you can sit in front of the TV all day without worrying about cholesterol levels.
'Our findings confirm that limiting cholesterol—during training—clearly has a negative effect on the construction of muscle mass. If this is true, as our findings suggest, cholesterol may play a key role in muscle repair, and we need to understand exactly how this happens. And because cholesterol has a negative relationship with cardiovascular health, we need to further research this area. It proves that there is still much we don't know about cholesterol.'
Source: http:/ / only- perception. blogs……m/ 2008/ 01/ blog- post_900. html"