The Physicians’ Information and Education Resource (PIER) was developed by the American College of Physicians (ACP). It includes tools designed by the Ambulatory Care Quality Alliance (AQA) that are intended to help improve preventive health services and patient outcomes in asthma, coronary artery disease, diabetes, depression, falls, and heart failure.

Interestingly, the PIER modules include information on CAM, as well as ethical and legal issues, and procedures for screening and prevention. PIER is available online to members of the American College of Physicians. This is good because attention to CAM by ACP enhances its perceived worth among its members.

But what about the rest of us?

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This past June, the American Heart Association (AHA) categorized soy as a dietary factor with unproven or uncertain effects on cardiovascular disease.

Recent studies do not confirm direct benefit of consuming soy on plasma cholesterol levels.

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Policosanol is available in the United States as a nutritional supplement with claims that it lowers cholesterol levels. It has been covered extensively on this blog.

With the increase in combination therapy to control hypercholesterolemia, its now been tried and failed when used in combination with atorvastatin (Lipitor).

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There’s really not enough evidence to be certain of the risk to benefit ratio in elderly patients. But what is known is summarized in a Cochrane review.

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Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by chronic anxiety and exaggerated worry and tension even when there is little or nothing to provoke it.

Based on the results of clinical studies, psychological therapy based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles is effective treatment for (GAD) — at least short-term.

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Agitated behavior occurs in nearly half of patients with dementia. It can be the difference between a person qualifying for different levels (and cost) of nursing home care.

The problem is that the nursing staff is limited in using drugs to control it.

Now, the results of a small study at the National Yang-Ming University in Taipei, Taiwan suggest that acupressure might be a useful alternative.

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Did you know that when it debuted in 1911, Crisco, the queen (oops; sexist reference) of trans fat products, was hailed as a healthful alternative to butter and lard.

Times have changed, and Crisco has eliminated trans fats from its formula.

This doesn’t automatically mean it’s healthy. We’ll see if the change is for the better.

1/27/07 00:16 JR

The American Medical Association (AMA) has adopted a resolution that promotes education of medical doctors and medical students on the “benefits, risks, and efficacy” of CAM.

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Aquaculture supplies about one-third of the fish and shellfish sold today. Now, advances in this field are making aquaculturists more sensitive to the welfare of farmed fish in their final days and the potential for stress to exert an adverse effect on the quality of seafood.

That’s nice. But what’s it got to do with me.

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A recent study in The Lancet medical journal found that over the long term, it appears that taking folic acid improves cognitive function (eg, perception, memory, judgment, and reasoning) in older adults.

Not so fast.

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It’s estimated that regular use of sun protective factor (SPF) 15 during the first 18 years of life would reduce the lifetime incidence of nonmelanoma skin cancers by 78%.

It turns out that sunscreen protects against squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) but is marginal at best against basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) — two cancers that affect different layers in the skin.

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Most people are misinformed about the extent of government regulation of vitamins, minerals and food supplements, according to a National Harris Interactive Survey.

Commonly held misperceptions

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In his book, Natural Causes, Dan Hurley blames the Dietary Supplements and Health Education Act (DSHEA) for what he considers an unacceptable state of affairs.

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There’s evidence that blood levels of coenzyme Q10 decrease in people with advanced chronic heart failure.

Now we know that CoQ10 supplements help and exercise helps more.

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During the most recent meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians Dr. Paul Blanc from the University of California at San Francisco reported that half of all people with asthma use CAM.

Here are the highlights from Medscape.

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Last year, legislation was submitted in Ontario, Canada that would regulate acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in that province.

The deed is done.

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Omega-3 fatty acid consumption has been linked to reductions in the risk of death from heart disease.

Now, researchers from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine report that omega-3 acts directly on the heart rather than acting through the vagus nerve, which normally regulates the heart rhythm.

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Research conducted in Malaysia and at Brandeis University shows that a new method of modifying fat in commercial products to replace unhealthy trans fats actually raises blood sugar levels and lowers insulin in humans — common precursors to diabetes.

Oh yea, one more thing.

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Medical News Today has the 10 most common myths about diet and exercise.

Here’s one example.

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Chronic pancreatitis is most often caused by alcoholism and alcohol abuse. The ability to get these patients to commit and stick with yoga classes twice weekly for 12 weeks is a major accomplishment. Improved quality of life is a bonus.

Here are the results from two studies.

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