Warning time
for overactive bladders
Rushing
to the toilet could be a thing of the past with a new treatment, taken by mouth, which has
the potential to prolong ‘warning time’ for those who suffer from an overactive
bladder (OAB), a very common condition, estimated to affect 16.5 per cent of the worldwide
adult population.
Symptoms of OAB affect both
sexes, though they are more common in women. They increase with age - as many as 30 to 50
per cent of women over the age of 50 are estimated to suffer from the symptoms. In many
patients, a specific cause cannot be identified. Many do not seek medical help (50-75 per
cent) and the majority of those who do seek help
do not receive treatment.
The consequences can seriously
reduce quality of life. Linda Cardozo, Professor in
Urogynaecology at Kings College Hospital London, reports that urgency is one of the most
distressing symptoms for patients with overactive bladder syndrome. People who suffer
symptoms often have a limited social life with increased psychological problems.
A study evaluated the change in
warning time of 72 patients either receiving the new drug darifenacin 30mg daily or
placebo. After two weeks of treatment, patients using darifenacin showed a significant
improvement in warning time of 4.3 minutes compared with patients in the placebo group.
This change represented a 22.5 per cent increase in warning time for patients taking
darifenacin.
Regulatory applications for
Enablex/Emselex (trade names for darifenacin hydrobromide) have been submitted to the
US and European authorities for the once daily treatment
of overactive bladder in doses of 7.5mg and 15mg. Pharmaceutical company Novartis expects
to launch Enablex/Emselex globally in 2004.
Daily dairy colostrum reduces risk of colds and flu
Research
carried out by the University of South
Australia has shown that a daily dose of
dairy colostrum could reduce the rate of colds and influenza by up to 30 per cent.
Dr John Buckley, Director of UniSA’s Centre for
Research in Education and Sport’s Science, who conducted the research, says, “The study revealed that participants who took
powdered bovine colostrum supplement daily were much less susceptible to getting upper
respiratory tract (URT) infections when compared with those who were given a
placebo.” Taking
colostrum is thought to increase the level of antibodies in the mouth and throat, and that
seems to protect against illness.
The use of dairy colostrum dates back thousands of years and spans many different
cultures. It is prescribed widely by health practitioners to boost the immune system and
help the body fight infection. Whilst it’s not
a cure for colds and flu, it can give protection across the broad range of upper
respiratory tract infections, and may provide a useful adjunct to flu shots.
An equivalent of the product used
in the study is Envirocol. It has no known
contra-indications and costs £19.95 for 60 capsules which each contain 150 milligrams of
colostrum - plus half the Recommended Daily Amount of Vitamins B1, B2 & B6,
Nicotinamide and Folic Acid.
Envirocol
- Colustrom & Vitamin Dietary supplement is available from Nutricentre.
Tooth loss and vitamins
If you suffer from tooth loss, check out
your fruit intake. Low levels of vitamin C have been
found in people with fewer teeth than the whole set. Since
another associated effect is cardiovascular disease, which is also linked to low levels of
vitamin C, the message is clear: eat more fruit.
Which fruits provide most vitamin C? Citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit, also
kiwifruit, blackcurrants, strawberries. Freshly
squeezed orange juice and newly opened cartons of orange juice have high content too, but
they lose a good deal when stored in the fridge overnight. Dried
fruits don’t have vitamin C and there’s not a lot in bananas.
Among the vegetables, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes are good sources. Remember vitamin C is lost in boiling vegetables, so
steam when you can. Peeling, chopping, soaking in
water all reduce vitamin content. New potatoes have
higher vitamin C content than those stored for several months.
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Brain power
If
you want to increase your brain power, take an afternoon nap. It helps the brain to process the morning’s mental
challenges and therefore makes for better decision-making for the rest of the day.
Or you could write your
autobiography. According to the American
Society on Aging, all that recollection in
tranquility gets the mental juices flowing. Crossword
puzzles, chess, bridge, all provide brain stimulation.
As for food,
you can’t beat fish. Go for the oily variety,
such as mackerel, kippers, sardines, herrings, to get a boost of omega-3 fatty acids that
provide good brain food. And blueberries with their high antioxidant content destroy free radicals, the substances that cause ageing
in the brain and everywhere else.
Breast cancer prevention
Tests are taking place with a new
anti breast cancer drug targetting those postmenopausal women known to be at high risk. The ten-year study by Cancer Research UK is recruiting 10,000 women for
the drug, anastrozole which is expected to halve the number of women with a family history
of breast cancer developing the disease.
The new drug, like tamoxifen, prevents or reduces impact of the female hormone
oestrogen, which is known to trigger breast cancer.
Risk of
developing breast cancer rises with age, and more than 80 per cent of cases are diagnosed
in women of 50 plus. Yet only one in ten women know
that the risk is age-related says Cancer Research UK .
Older women are not offered
regular screening, but this is still available free on the NHS on request. Make sure you get screened every 3 years if you are low
risk, but make it every year if you have a close relative – mother or sister –
who has had breast cancer. Women who had their first
babies over the age of 30 or who have not had children may also be at higher risk. See www.cancerresearchuk.org
/breastcancer
for more information.
Hip hoorah
Imagine
having a hip replacement and going home after 24 hours. A
new procedure, Zimmer 2 Incision, makes the prospect likely.
The operation has been developed in the US , but British surgeons are being
trained, and the hope is that up to 80 per cent of patients needing hip replacements will
be suitable.
The new operation takes up to two
hours to perform, reduces blood loss and makes for faster rehabilitation. Patients have been known to be up and walking, albeit a
little unsteadily, within three hours of the op. Can’t be bad.
If in any doubt about any of the
information covered in healthwise articles and it's relevance for you, consult your GP.
In edition 43:-
Get your flu jab now
It
is that time of year again
DoH launches another one
A
pneumococcal immunisation programme for people over 80 years
More about
schizophrenia
Supplements
to help treat this illness
Fewer glorious mornings
Overweight
older men can have a sharp decline in erectile function
Worrying about
depression returning
Some
patients are worried about suffering further bouts of illness
New for
chronic heart failure
A
new drug could help
Nation of
scatterbrains?
Some
help for those of us who are forgetful.
Index to
all previous Healthwise editions
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