The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point

Archive for November, 2011

Review: CAM for treating Alzheimer’s disease

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

Dr. Keith Wollen at Washington State University, in Port Angeles, has written a review of treatment options.

Let’s focus on CAM. (more…)

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

Dr. John Russo, Jr. is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website. He was also chief-of-operations and director of continuing medical education at Churchill Communications North America.

Before entering the field of medical communications, Dr. Russo was associate professor of clinical pharmacy and adjunct associate professor of surgery at the University of Utah. Dr. Russo graduated from Rutgers University with a BS degree in pharmacy. He received a master of science degree in institutional pharmacy practice at St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions in New York, and a doctor of pharmacy degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Dr. Russo has written and edited hundreds of articles, symposium proceedings, and monographs, as well as edited several medical textbooks. The C.A.M. Report exists because there is a need to fill, and it is enjoyable to do.

Does music benefit patients on a respirator?

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

This Cochrane review examined the effects of music on anxiety and physiological responses in mechanically ventilated patients. (more…)

Interaction between inhaled cannabinoid and opioids

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

Cannabinoids and opioids share several pharmacologic properties. They might act synergistically to manage pain, but the safety of the combination isn’t known.

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, undertook a study to answer these questions. (more…)

Consumer Alert: FDA takes legal action against ATF Fitness Products Inc.

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

This is the first time FDA has taken legal action against a dietary supplement manufacturer (ATF Fitness Products) of this size for failure to comply with the dietary supplement current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations. (more…)

Need to go to the emergency department? Call ahead.

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

Due to emergency care overcrowding, it’s necessary to provide the best care in a timely manor.

Researchers at Sophia Children’s Hospital, in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, attempted to validate a computer-based Netherlands Triage System developed for physical triage at emergency departments and telephone triage at general practitioner cooperatives. (more…)

The association between vitamin D and hyperglycemia in older people

Monday, November 28th, 2011

This relationship is potentially of high public health importance because of the adverse effect of both on well-being.

Researchers at the Royal Free and University College, London Medical School, in the UK, investigated the association. (more…)

No benefit from milk thistle to treat hepatitis C

Monday, November 28th, 2011

The botanical extract silymarin (milk thistle,) has anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties and is used by patients with chronic liver disease.

Researchers throughout the U.S. collaborated to evaluate the response to high doses of silymarin taken by mouth on disease activity in patients with chronic hepatitis C. The results were presented during the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases November Annual Meeting. (more…)

Re-assessing the sodium-heart disease connection

Monday, November 28th, 2011

Almost everyone knows that moderation of salt intake might reduce cardiovascular events. Right?

Researchers in Europe studied whether 24-hour urinary sodium excretion predicts blood pressure and health outcomes. (more…)

Telephone-delivered CBT and exercise to treat chronic widespread pain

Sunday, November 27th, 2011

Researchers at the University of Manchester, in the UK, studied the clinical impact of telephone-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exercise alone vs both for patients with chronic widespread pain. (more…)

Comparing mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy

Sunday, November 27th, 2011

In the past few years this weblog has published dozens of entries on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Therefore, it’s a good time to define and distinguish between these psychological treatment options.

(more…)

Stroke as an opportunity for the chiropractic profession

Friday, November 25th, 2011

Dr. Donald Murphy is Clinical Director of the Rhode Island Spine Center and a member of the Clinical Faculty at Brown University School of Medicine and the Postgraduate Faculty of 4 chiropractic schools.

Here’s his perspective on cervical manipulation, stroke, and what does it mean for the chiropractic profession. (more…)

Cannabis and the genetic vulnerability for depression

Friday, November 25th, 2011

Evidence for the association between cannabis and depression is inconsistent.

Researchers at Radboud University Nijmegen, in The Netherlands, evaluated the potential influence of a person’s genetics on the cannabis/depression risk. (more…)

Acupuncture to prevent dry mouth after radiation therapy

Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011

Xerostomia (dry mouth) after head/neck radiation is a common problem among cancer patients, and available treatments are of little benefit.

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center determined whether acupuncture can prevent xerostomia among head/neck patients undergoing radiotherapy. (more…)

Safety of acupuncture in children

Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011

Researchers at the University of Alberta, in Edmonton, reviewed the adverse events associated with needle acupuncture in children. (more…)

E-cigs from a public health perspective

Monday, November 21st, 2011

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) have experienced rapid growth in popularity, but little is known about how they are used.

Researchers at the Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine, in Hershey, surveyed the pattern of e-cig use and their impact on tobacco use. (more…)

Vitamin D and high blood pressure in African-Americans

Monday, November 21st, 2011

Higher prevalence of hypertension among African Americans is a key cause of racial disparity in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

Researchers in New York and California assessed the contribution of vitamin D to racial disparity in blood pressure. (more…)

Sodium effects on blood pressure

Sunday, November 20th, 2011

Just how effective is a low sodium diet to treat high blood pressure?

This Cochrane review presents the evidence. (more…)

Marijuana and brain volume changes in people at high risk of schizophrenia

Sunday, November 20th, 2011

Researchers at Royal Edinburgh Hospital, in the UK are the first to follow patients over 2 years. (more…)

Reviewing the reviews of tai chi

Sunday, November 20th, 2011

Prof. Ernst and a colleague critically evaluated the systematic reviews of tai chi for any improvement of medical conditions or clinical symptoms. (more…)