Health & Wellness - October 2012 Archives

Lima (Peru) — A Clínica Mayo, o Banco Interamericano de Desenvolvimento (BID) e a Iniciativa Salud Mesoamérica 2015 (SM2015) anunciam hoje um novo acordo de ...

Clostridium difficile (klos-TRID-e-uhm dif-uh-SEEL), often called C. difficile or C. diff, is a bacterium that can cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea to life-threatening inflammation of ...

People over age 70 who eat high levels of carbohydrates are at higher risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Consuming large amounts of sugar also seem to increase the risk ...

Elective Induction Can Lead to Unnecessary Complications for Mom and Baby October 12, 2012 Dear Mayo Clinic: I am 35 weeks pregnant with ...

Media Advisory: Mayo Clinic Expert Discusses Common Farm Injuries     The rush to bring crops in can create a hectic, hazardous harvest season, which means increasing the possiblity of farm accidents. But many agricultural injuries can be prevented, according to emergency medicine physician Howard Schumaker, M.D.,M.B.A., of the Mayo Clinic Health System in Sparta, Wis.  “We’ve seen everything from broken bones and amputations, to unfortunate traumatic situations. Many times farmers feel that due to the weather, they need to hurry to complete their field work." To interview Dr. Schumaker contact: Rick Thiesse  608-392-9435  Thiesse.Ricky@mayo.edu   Dr. Schumaker has these saftey tips: Regular inhalation of dust from grain bins, silos, milk vats and manure pits can cause respiratory issues such as bronchitis and other dangerous cardiac conditions. Wearing a mask over your nose and mouth can reduce risk. Farm vehicles such as tractors and all-terrain vehicles cause many injuries, particularly among children. Wearing a seat belt and helmet can help prevent traumatic brain injuries or even death. Children should be supervised and given only age-appropriate tasks and access to vehicles and other farm gear.

Physical and mental decline can be common side effects, even if you're hospitalized for just a few days. So, Mayo Clinic aging and fitness experts Nathan ...

ROCHESTER, Minn. — October 8, 2012.  If you attend elementary school in Olmsted County you can get your flu vaccines between classes. It's not just a good idea, but also a demonstration of how public health can improve when agencies and organizations work together. Organizers believe it to be the only countywide program of its kind in the state. Olmsted County has 30 elementary schools, both public and private. Since the flu knows no boundaries, health care shouldn't either. That was the thinking behind the consortium formed by area providers Olmsted Medical Center and Mayo Clinic, Olmsted County Public Health Services, and the participating education districts. Beginning in September and ending Oct. 11, the immunization clinics have offered shots or mist with parental permission in libraries and gyms by nurses from the two health centers. Halfway through the schedule, more than 1,100 youngsters have been immunized. This doesn't include children who received shots at their own doctor's office. "It makes it less likely that someone will be left unprotected," says school nurse Tabitha Hanson. "Plus it saves time, money and work absences for parents." Families are encouraged at the beginning of school with detailed materials sent home. They then register online — something unique with this program — and are billed for the immunizations by their respective provider. Children without health insurance are covered by the Minnesota N Vaccines for Children program. The program is a hit with school nurses.

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a debilitating neurological disease that is commonly misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis (MS) and manifests itself in attacks that can cause blindness ...

ROCHESTER, Minn. — October 8, 2012.  Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a new therapy for patients with neuromyelitis optica that appears to stop inflammation of the eye nerves and spinal cord. NMO is a debilitating central nervous system disorder that is often misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis (MS). In the study, patients with severe symptoms of the disease, also known as NMO, were given eculizumab, a drug typically used to treat blood disorders. While not a cure, the therapy Mayo Clinic researchers used in the study to halt attacks could potentially lead to longer attack-free periods for the thousands of NMO patients worldwide. The research is being presented Oct. 9 at the American Neurological Association Annual Meeting in Boston. NMO manifests itself in attacks that can cause blindness in one or both eyes, weakness or paralysis in the legs or arms, painful spasms, loss of sensation, and bladder or bowel dysfunction from spinal cord damage. Attacks may be reversible, but can be severe enough to cause permanent visual loss and problems with walking. NMO can affect children as young as 2 and adults as old as 90. It is more prevalent in females than males, but affects all racial and ethnic groups. Immunosuppressants are the first line of treatment for NMO. Mayo Clinic researchers have been international leaders in NMO diagnosis and treatment. In 2004, Mayo Clinic researchers discovered the antibody NMO-IgG — the first serum biomarker for any form of inflammatory demyelinating brain disease. A year later, they identified the target of the antibody as the water channel aquaporin 4. These discoveries helped physicians better understand the cause and potential treatments for NMO. Mayo researchers studied 14 NMO patients with active and severe disease symptoms, defined as two attacks in the previous six months, or three within the past year. When the NMO-IgG antibody binds to its target on brain cells, it activates complement, a substance that can kill or injure these brain cells. Patients were treated with eculizumab, an antibody that stops complement from being activated. All 14 study participants received the treatment intravenously every two weeks for one year. "Disability in NMO is attack related and these attacks are usually severe. If untreated, they can have devastating, irreversible effects on function," says lead author Sean Pittock, M.D., a Mayo Clinic neurologist. "If we can stop the attacks in NMO — and it appears we can — then we can hopefully prevent disability and allow patients to maintain function and a good quality of life.

BISMARCK, N.D. — October 8, 2012.  Mayo Clinic and St. Alexius Medical Center today announced that the Bismarck-based organization is the newest member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network. St. Alexius is the first medical center in western North Dakota to have passed Mayo's rigorous review process and been selected as a member of the year-old network. The Mayo Clinic Care Network extends Mayo Clinic's knowledge and expertise to physicians and providers interested in working together in the best interest of their patients. St. Alexius' physicians will now be able to connect with Mayo Clinic specialists on questions of patient care using an electronic consulting technique called eConsults. St. Alexius physicians also will have access to Mayo-vetted medical information through the AskMayoExpert database. These tools, in addition to health care consulting, will help St. Alexius provide the best care for its patients as well as improve its systems and the health of the community. "Mayo Clinic and St. Alexius are committed to improve the delivery of health care through high-quality, data-driven, evidence-based medical care and treatment," says David Hayes, M.D., medical director, Mayo Clinic Care Network. "Collaborating with other medical providers to provide the best possible care for patients has always been part of Mayo's culture, and through the Mayo Clinic Care Network we can work in new ways with community care organizations to enhance the lives of patients." "Today, our membership in the Mayo Clinic Care Network will serve to further enhance the level of clinical expertise that our physicians and their patients have access to," says Gary P. Miller, president and CEO, St. Alexius Medical Center. "We are proud to be recognized for our long heritage of healing and quality and to be accepted as a member of the growing Mayo Clinic Care Network." "This is a great day for our providers, but more importantly for health care consumers in our region," says Shiraz Hyder, M.D., vice president of medical affairs, St. Alexius Medical Center. "Now our providers will be able to tap into the expert resources available at Mayo Clinic, which means even the more complex patients have the opportunity to be treated here at home in consultation with Mayo's experts." Founded in 1885, St. Alexius Medical Center serves the residents of central and western North Dakota, northern South Dakota and eastern Montana. The main campus in Bismarck consists of a 306-bed, full-service, acute care medical center that offers a full line of inpatient and outpatient medical services. In North Dakota, St. Alexius owns and operates hospitals and clinics in Garrison and Turtle Lake, a primary care clinic in Mandan, and specialty and primary care clinics in Minot. In addition, St. Alexius manages the hospital and clinics owned by Mobridge Regional Hospital in Mobridge, S.D.

Chemical Peels and Dermabrasion Can Be Safe, Effective Wrinkle Treatments October 5, 2012 Dear Mayo Clinic: Are wrinkle treatments like dermabrasion and chemical ...

The medical journal JAMA recently devoted an entire issue to the topic of obesity — from research on risk factors for childhood obesity to outcomes of ...