Your Health News at BAMI.us

The down-side of antibiotics

The FDA announced yesterday the requirement of a new boxed warning about the risks of tendinitis and tendon rupture on the labels of fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Drugs in this class are relatively new and are commonly prescribed for certain bacterial infections.  They include:  ciprofloxacin (Cipro, Cipro XR, and Proquin XR), gemifloxacin (Factive), levofloxacin (Levaquin), moxifloxacin (Avelox), norfloxacin (Noroxin), and ofloxacin (Floxin), as well as generic versions. Those at highest risk of this complication include persons older than 60, and recipients of a kidney, heart, or lung transplant, as well as corticosteroid users.  The achilles tendon (in the ankle) is the most common site of tendon rupture.

According to the FDA, “Physicians should advise patients, at the first sign of tendon pain, swelling, or inflammation, to stop taking the fluoroquinolone, to avoid exercise and use of the affected area, and to promptly contact their doctor about changing to a non-fluoroquinolone antimicrobial drug.” Although these side effects are uncommon, they certainly can be serious and would not be expected in someone taking the drug who is uninformed.  

Antibiotics are powerful, yet often misused drugs.  They have saved millions of lives and have dramatically improved the quality of health care in this country and around the world, yet today these drugs have also become a growing source of serious side effects as well as a cause of many drug-resistant bacterial infections.  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has declared antibiotic resistance one of its “top concerns.” 

Antibiotics should never be taken for a viral infection, such as a cold or the flu, because they will not make a difference, other than possibly causing undesirable side effects.  Antibiotics should only be taken as directed and under the supervision of a health care provider.

via FDA, July 8, 2008

Obesity genes detected by researchers

Many who struggle with an insatiable appetite and bulging waistline have known it all along, but now researchers are finally documenting specific genetic variations that appear to be linked with huge gains in weight.  In a recent study published in the British journal Nature, British and French scientists have identified several variants of a single gene that increase the risk of obesity.  This is one of several recent studies which have identified mutations of genes which control appetite and metabolism. 

via Nature, July 6, 2008

The price you pay for going barefoot or wearing high heels

Going barefoot or wearing the highest of heels is certainly part of our American way of life, but unfortunately our feet are more prone to injury than almost any other part of our body. Despite its small size, the foot is one of the most highly intricate and valuable structures in our body. It must provide agile mobility and critical balance while bearing an enormous amount of weight — an average day of walking brings a force equal to several hundred tons to bear on the feet.

Our feet are critical to our well being, yet we take them for granted.  We let our children run barefoot over hard pavement and through murky mud puddles, while we women walk around all day in high-heeled shoes. It is no wonder that foot ailments are among the most common of our health problems today.  And foot problems can become chronic sources of nagging and sometimes disabling pain. 

But for those of you who choose to wear the highest of heels, or leave the shoes in the closet altogether, here are a few very important tips to keep in mind:

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