MDNews - Greater Kansas

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++ +++++++++++ +++++++++++ +++++++++++ +++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ THAT'SNEWS Routine Aspirin Intake More Likely to Harm Than Benefit A RECENT UK study, thought to be the largest ever to look at the effects of aspirin in people with no history of cardiovascular disease, has revealed that regular aspirin intake is more likely to harm than benefit healthy individuals. The study's senior author, Kausik Ray, professor of car- diovascular disease prevention at St George's University of London, and colleagues analyzed data from nine clinical trials, which included more than 100,000 individuals. Half of those participants took aspirin for an average of six years, while the other half took a placebo. Researchers discovered that while aspirin taken daily or every other day reduced the risk of total cardiovascular disease events by 10%, the benefit was outweighed by the 30% increase in the risk of potentially fatal or debilitating internal bleeding. One in 73 study participants developed significant internal bleeding, while only one cardiovascular disease was prevented for every 120 people. Routine aspirin regimens are commonly used as a second- ary prevention measure against heart attack or stroke in patients with a history of cardiovascular disease. However, researchers concluded that routine aspirin use is "not war- ranted in patients with no history, and treatment decisions should be considered carefully on a case-by-case basis." ■ DiabetesGestational Linked to ADHD Risk RESEARCHERS AT QUEENS College in New York have released results of a study that suggest babies who are born to mothers with gestational diabetes and/ or living in low-income households have a higher risk of developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) during childhood. Yoko Nomura, M.D., Ph.D., of Queens College and her team studied a group of 212 3- and 4-year-olds from preschools near the college and compared children born to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) to those born to mothers without the condition in all social classes. The parents and teachers completed the ADHD Rating Scale-IV to help determine scores. Children born to mothers with GDM had notably higher overall scores than other children, and children from low-income families displayed more signs of inattention or hyperactivity compared with children from high-income families. While differences were minimal at the beginning of the study, by the time the children were 6 years old, those whose mothers had GDM had double the chance of developing ADHD. Children born to mothers with GDM and from low-income families were 14 times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD. ■ 18 | Greater Kansas MD NEWS ■ MDNEWS.COM Clarifying the Link Between Salt and Hypertension RESEARCHERS AT BOSTON University School of Medicine (BUSM) recently led a study that debunks the longtime myth that excess salt causes an increase in blood volume, putting extra pressure on the arteries and causing hypertension. It's long been thought that excess salt causes fluid retention in the arterial circulatory system, increasing pressure on the arterial walls. However, researchers led by Irene Gavras, M.D., and Haralambos Gavras, M.D., professors at BUSM, proved that excess salt actually stimulates the sympathetic nervous system in the brain to increase adrenaline production. The increase in adrenaline causes arteries to constrict, which increases resistance to blood flow and decreases circulatory volume. While diuretics have been used in the past to remove excess salt to treat hypertension, researchers say physicians should also focus on blocking the sympathetic nervous system. ■ ADVERTISERS' INDEX Coram Specialty Infusion Services .......................................................13 Goodell Stratton Edmunds & Palmer ................... Inside Back Cover Keurig ...............................................................................................................9 MMIC Health IT ..........................................................................Back Cover Via Christi Health ....................................................... Inside Front Cover Wichita Nephrology Group, P.A. ............................................................5

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