Antibiotic for Asthma Sufferers

(American Health Newswire) -- People with severe asthma are more likely to have antibodies against the disease-causing bacteria Chlamydia pneumoniae than the general population and in some cases antibiotic treatment can greatly improve symptoms.

"We conclude that a subset of severe asthmatics harbor infectious C. pneumoniae in their lungs, resulting in antibody production and increased asthma severity," Eduard Drizik of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, was quoted as saying.

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease, whose causes are not completely understood, affecting over 300 million people worldwide, including almost 24 million American children and adults. There is no cure for asthma and the disease is managed by controlling disease symptoms. The recognition that asthma pathogenesis involves chronic inflammation has led to a flurry of studies exploring the prevalence of various infectious organisms in the asthmatic condition.

Having previously demonstrated an increased prevalence of C. pneumoniae in the lungs of children and adults with asthma, the researchers conducted a study designed to determine if the presence of Chlamydia-specific antibodies could predict asthma severity and if these antibody-positive patients would benefit from treatment with antibiotics.

"The data revealed a statistically significant link between Chlamydia-specific IgE antibody production and the severity of asthma," says Drizik. "Of the asthma patients analyzed, 55% had Chlamydia-specific IgE antibodies in their lungs compared to 12% of blood donor controls."

In addition, patients who were treated on the basis of asthma severity with antibiotics had significant improvements in asthma symptoms and some even experienced a complete abolition of these symptoms.

Healthcare For Free

ORLANDO, Fla. (American Health Newswire) --You already know how important healthcare benefits are, but do you know which services are covered? It turns out the stuff you thought was too expensive may actually be covered by your provider! Here are some ways you can to avoid paying double.

How much are you paying for that workout? Many major insurance companies offer discounts up to 30 percent on select gym memberships. Want more savings? Medicare and Medicaid began covering weight loss surgery five years ago. To qualify you need to be at least 100 pounds over your ideal weight, and need a BMI of 35 or higher. Lasik surgery used to be elective, but not anymore. If it's deemed "medically necessary" for you, you might not pay a dime.

Lastly, check the "durable medical equipment" section of your policy. Things like crutches, wheelchairs, and prosthetic limbs may be covered. Plus a mom with a new baby could score 90 percent off a breast pump or a $250.00 savings.

These money saving tips can keep you healthy for a long time. Experts say the best place to get savings information is the back of your insurance card. Take a few minutes to call the 800 number supplied to you, and you'll get a better idea of what your plan covers.

Pill Lowers Risk for Stroke and Heart Attack

(American HealthNewswire) -- The world's first international polypill trial has shown that a four-in-one combination pill can halve the predicted risk of heart disease and stroke.

The once-a-day polypill contains aspirin and agents to lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

These drugs are currently prescribed separately to millions of patients and are known individually to cut the risk of disease, but many experts believe that combining them into a single pill will encourage people to take the medications more reliably.

The trial tested the effectiveness and tolerability of the polypill in 378 people with raised risk of cardiovascular disease, who did not necessarily have high blood pressure or cholesterol, against a placebo. 

"The results show a halving in heart disease and stroke can be expected for people taking this polypill long-term," Professor Anthony Rodgers of The George Institute for Global Health, who led the international consortium, was quoted as saying. 

"We know from other trials that long-term there would also be a 25-50% lower death rate from colon cancer, plus reductions in other major cancers, heart failure and renal failure," Professor Rodgers said. "These benefits would take several years to 'kick in', but of course one of the hopes with a polypill is it helps people take medicines long-term."

The authors noted that the benefits, while large, were not as massive as previous researchers have suggested, and the side effects were also not as rare as first thought. In the short-term about 1 in 6 people experienced a side effect. Most were mild but about 1 in 20 overall stopped treatment due to side effects, indicating that treatment is best targeted to those at raised risk of disease.

This polypill will be available in India soon and then elsewhere within a few years, according to regulatory timelines within each individual country. 

In 2001, the World Health Organization and the Wellcome Trust convened a meeting of experts to discuss affordable interventions for non-communicable diseases, including the potential of a fixed-dose combination pill to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. From here a programme of research was outlined to assess whether this approach is safe, effective and practical.

SOURCE: PLoS ONE, May 2011.