The officials in Shanghai, China are cautiously monitoring the negative reactions of the diabetes drug called Avandia.

The concern came when the anti-diabetes medicine displayed some indications of possible heart failure risks. Avandia utilization had been highly prohibited in the U.S. and in Europe, the selling of these particular medicines are suspended.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agency in Shanghai stated that they would be coordinating with the local health agencies to be able to monitor any signs of problems within the city.

The FDA likewise requested the drug manufacturer’s GlaxoSmithKline to gather as well as report any instances of negative reactions in Shanghai.

In line with this issue, the United States FDA prohibits the usage of Avandia to most patients who are not capable of managing their diabetes with any other medication or even to the present individuals who are using and obtaining advantages from the medication.

The European Medicines Agency on Thursday urged the suspension of the Avandia marketing and two other anti-diabetes medicines produced by GlaxoSmithKline, the Avaglim and Avandamet. The agency likewise said that the production of these medicines will be prohibited in Europe in the coming months.

The director of the Shanghai Diabetes Institute Dr. Jia Wieping, revealed that the decisions had increased the worry of the FDA that has a schedule today to talk about the usage Avandia and negative reaction monitoring all over China.

Dr Jia Weiping, director of the Shanghai Diabetes Institute, said the moves had aroused the concern of the State Food and Drug Administration, which will meet today to discuss the drug’s use and adverse reaction supervision across the country.

She added that the particular drug was a well-known anti-diabetes medication across China and so far, there are no reports of severe negative effects.

Meanwhile, GlaxoSmithKline stated that it already stopped Avandia marketing in all nations that includes China following the withdrawal of the products by the regulators in Europe and prohibited in the U.S. In addition, the British drug manufacturer had notified the FDA in China about the current condition, and will likewise notify the patients.

Recent research revealed that, having a dog in the family helps lower the risk of developing obesity in children.

Researchers from St George’s University of London made a study on 78 children in the inner-city primary schools in England and found out that children who have dogs at home are more active than those who do not.

Studies also showed that families who owned dogs are more likely to be involved with physical activities.

According to Christopher Owen, senior lecturer in epidemiology at St George’s the study is still not sure if families who are active tends to own a dog or sedentary families become active because of dogs.

“It’s probably both,” Owen added.

However, supplemental studies should still be conducted to reinforce the findings of the study.

The level of activity of about 2,000 kids aged nine and ten were measured in the study.  These activities include, number of steps walked and time spent in light or moderate to vigorous physical activity.

Survey reveals that one out of ten families in London, Birmingham and Leicester has a dog around the house.

These families tend to spend weekdays as well as weekdays with higher level of physical activities.

Kids in these families accompany their parents in walking the dog, or playing with the dog instead of just watching television or playing with computer games.

Other research states that, having a dog enhances physical and psychological wellbeing of humans.  Dog owners display better mental and physical health as compared to those non-owners.  Since these owners are more engaged with physical activities, minor health problems were significantly reduced.

Dr. Owen also added that significant result of reduced risk of developing obesity or diabetes were expected for these kids who are more engaged with physical activities.

Expert’s findings consider intravenous aspirin, a cost-effective medicine option for individuals who suffered with severe headaches and migraines.

Researchers conduct an examination about the medical record of people ages 18 to 75, who have been hospitalized due to a chronic headache.  Volunteers are mostly women, where most of them were accounted to experience daily pain, usually caused by migraine.

Experts from Department of Neurology, at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) discovered that lysine acetylsalicylate or IV aspirin had an average effect on relieving severe headaches been experienced by the patients.

However, there are some minor side-effects obtain by the almost six percent of their patients like nausea, vomiting, and pain on site of the IV injection, still, there are no accounted severe side effects in the whole process.

Medical experts give five shots with one-gram doses. Eighty-six of participants kept their hourly records of their pain levels that are gauge from scale of one up to ten. In the process, there is a reported 40 percent who experienced a moderate stage of pain relief.

For people who had a severe headache case, with a scale that is rated from eight to ten, around 25 percent encounter a moderate relief from pain, and those who had mild headache experienced to get rid of pain completely. Generally they have accounted a three point’s reduction of headache on their pain scale.

Although IV aspirin is consider a cost effective medicine for migraine and Peter J. Goadsby, MD, PhD together with the Department Neurology, pointed out that these drugs can provide better treatment for headaches that is safe and effective,. However, he said that their findings still need to do an extensive research regarding the benefits of IV aspirin to people who suffers from severe headaches and migraine.

Older and middle-aged adults who acquired the flu vaccine may be less possible to experience a heart attack in the coming years compared with those who missed to take the shot.

According to a study published by the Canadian Medical Association Journal on Monday, the findings do not establish that the flu shots by itself can stop heart attacks. However, they said that there is evidence that flu infection can prompt heart attacks in several people, and that preventing the flu with the aid of vaccination can help control risk.

Also, the researchers said that they as well support accessible suggestion that older people and those with underlying heart illness receive a flu shot every season.

With accordance to the study, UK researchers evaluated the medical records of 16,000 patients who suffered from heart attack for the first time, with age of above 40, in comparison to those of almost 62,700 people who had no record of heart attack and dished up as a control group.

In addition, every heart attack patient was partnered with four members of the control group who belongs to the same age and sex, and also obtained care at the similar level of general practice.

Of all the patients suffered from a heart attack, 53 percent had obtained the flu vaccine in the past year; with accordance to 51 percent of the control group.

Furthermore, when the researchers explained for an array of other factors is risks of heart attack, including family history of heart disease, smoking, diabetes and high blood pressure, they discovered that flu vaccination was linked with 19 percent decrease in the grounds of having a heart attack for the next year, compared without vaccination.

Also, more previous vaccination was linked to a stronger defensive result than later vaccination in the flu season; a 21 percent decrease in risk of first –time heart attack against a 12 percent decrease.

A creamy non-fat yogurt drink is now making name in the industry with the promising benefit of loaded protein.

Some years ago, Greek yogurt is an uncommon product in the market.

Susan Bowerman, assistant director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition said that Greek yogurt that is now super thick and creamy is now becoming highly popular because of added flavor and high protein content with lesser fats and no calories.

Greek yogurt is fully packed, with its nutrition content of 100 calories, 18 grams of protein, 20% of the recommended daily value of calcium and 7 grams of carbohydrates all horded in a 6-ounce serving of Chobani nonfat plain Greek yogurt.

HealthFocus International, a market research firm based in St. Petersburg, Fla showed that since 2004 there are 62% of shoppers opting to buy foods that are rich in protein.

Barbara Davis, vice president of the said research firm stated that the towering protein content made it possible for Greek yogurt to make name in the market.

In addition, Harry Balzer, chief food industry analyst at NPD Group, a market research firm in Chicago believed that as of this year, there are 28% of Americans that have yogurt on a standard basis as compared against 14% last 2000.

Davis also added that Greek yogurt was able to attract consumers because it provides elevated amounts of proteins in a cheaper price.

Yogurt is a dairy product produced by bacterial fermentation of milk.  It is rich in protein, calcium, riboflavin, vitamin B6, and B12.

Greek yogurt has a more sour taste because it is strained after being fermented with live bacterial cultures resulting in a product that is as thick as sour cream as compared with regular yogurt.

Vicky Newman, director of the Healthy Eating Program at MooresUC San Diego Cancer Center in La Jolla said that Greek yogurt is just like any regular yogurts that swarm the intestine with helpful microbes that advance digestive health.

However, Newman strongly emphasized that consumers must always read labels carefully.  She said that, although Greek Yogurt low in fat or fat-free, they can versions that contain 20 grams of fat with 16 grams of saturated fat per serving.

Also, Newman suggested the use of plain, non-fat regular Greek yogurt.

UN claims that cases of HIV infections in countries of Sub Saharan Africa notably reduced, making them leaders in the global decline.

A drop of 25% in news cases of HIV infection was recognized in the 22 countries in the world’s most affected as reported by the UNAids.

African countries like Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Zimbabwe, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Ethiopia lead the global reduction of HIV cases.

Michel Sidibe, UNAids executive director stated in an interview that the world is now making moves to reach the sixth Millennium Development Goal (MDG6) of halting and reversing the spread of HIV/Aids by 2015.

Sidibe also added that the world is now seeing hope for the first time where HIV has taken away dreams.

According to UNAids, factors that may have helped in this progress were the use of condoms amid adults over the last five years, more number of young people who are delaying their sexual activities and more people do not have sexual partners.

Communities are now also more open in considering circumcision, which was according to UNAids, lessens the possibility of transfer of infection.

The UNAIDS report informs that South Africa increased its efforts to achieve universal access to HIV avoidance, management, care and maintenance.

UNAids reported that countries like China also showed great dedication in the eradication of HIV.  China’s sentinel surveillance revealed that 71.5% of China’s injectable drug addicts are now using sterile syringes as compared against 40.5% in 2007.

However, reports also showed that HIV cases among the countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia and along with gay men in developed countries are increasing.

UN recommends that national government should allot budget of their government revenue on HIV.

The UN is now calling for a greater investment in HIV/AIDS infection where reports claimed a $10 billion shortage last 2009.

A new study of Norwegian youth revealed teens with bad acne are twice likely to have mental health problems and suicidal ideations compared to those with clear skin.

It is common with people in their teen years to have moderate pimples.  However, one in five of these tens have the tendency to have moderate to severe acne.

Dr. Jerry Tan, M.D., a dermatologist at the University of Western Ontario, in Canada stated that it is psychologically devastating for a teenager to experience bad acne in the times where self-image and confidence should be established.

Also, Tan stated that bad acne have silent results that affect mental thinking of these teenagers in their growing years.

Acne commonly occurs during adolescence and is due to increase male sex hormones.  For most teen agers, acne diminishes as they aged while some carry this acne up to their thirties, forties and beyond.  Acne may affect both physical and mental state of the affected individual.

Researchers are not sure however if acne medication, Isotretinoin and other drug medication may have taken role in the development of mental disturbances.

The lead author of the study, Dr. Jon A. Halvorsen, M.D., of the University of Oslo, in Norway said that Isotretinoin has been under controversies in the US before but the study focuses on the relationship between the occurrences of Acne and its mental burden rather than the side effect of Isotretinoin.

The study was funded by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

In this study, researcher surveyed 4000 teens aged 18 or 19 where 14% were reported to have moderate to severe acne.

Results revealed that 25 percent of those that have severe acne claimed to have suicidal thinking.

Moreover, 52 percent of the respondents experienced social detachments and are more likely to be not too good at school and less likely to have opposite sex relationship.

The researchers claimed that the study could not directly point out acne to cause psychological disturbances as the link can run in the opposite direction, mental stress can worsen acne.

Results do not exclude Isotretinoin in the possible cause of depression but does associate severe acne with suicidal thoughts.

Suicide is the second leading cause of deaths among adolescents in the urban areas according to the background study of the research.

The results were published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.

A woman in Singapore infected by a swine flu virus became resistant to the drug almost overnight, according to the reports from the doctors stating the restrictions of using the drugs to treat the influenza.

On the course of the recovery of the woman, the alteration increased by 48 hours, which renders the infection significantly resistant to the effects of Tamiflu, the key medication used to battle flu and which is known by its generic name oseltamivir.

In addition, Masafumi Inoue of the Agency for Science, Research and Technology in Singapore and his associates wrote in the Emerging Infectious Diseases journal that the data they have accumulated indicates that the resistance to oseltamivir builds up within two days.

Meanwhile, the dreaded effect of the pandemic H1N1 swine flu is finally over, but the disease has joined the assortment of seasonal influenza viruses.

Also, a distant relative, also known as H1N1, had developed a wide resistance to family back in 2008, which results in consideration that the drug is useless against it. Moreover, Tamiflu is manufactured and distributed by Roche and Gilead Sciences.

Likewise, researchers also stated that the flu is significantly prone to mutate and most of the strains have developed resistance to two other drugs, rimantadine and amantadine.

In the event where the H1N1 posed threats worldwide back in March 2009, doctors worried that it would be not as good as it was. Also, in Singapore, people having the disease were quickly treated by Tamiflu.

However, doctors are still cautious that the virus could mutate, and they are intently watching for a particular genetic mutation, which is called H275Y, as it holds resistance to Tamiflu.

Furthermore, Inoue and his associates reported that the virus sample obtained from the patient in Singapore showed the mutation after 48 hours when she had taken the drugs.

The US Food and Drug Administration Advisory panel opposed to require prescriptions for over-the-counter cough medicines that contain Dextromethorphan that can be addictive when abused.

FDA advisory panel were came out to a decision to vote against requiring prescriptions for Dextromethorphan (DXM), they opposed to regulate this rule under the Controlled Substances Act. Even there many individuals and teenagers abuse this kind of cough medicines.  The congress only limits the sale of this kind of drugs to individuals who are under 18-year old.

Robitussin, an over-the-counter cough medicine, was used and abused by many US teens that are in search for inexpensive way to get high.

They are getting involved in taking high doses of this over-the-counter cough medicine that DXM, as an alternative to expensive drugs to get cheap high that is known as Robo tripping.

Cough remedies that has DXM substance are the most widely used cold suppressant in the US today. Taking the recommended doses can be safe and effective for a person. However, the abusive consumption of any drug that contains DXM like Robitussin can be addictive to an individual.

There are some other nicknames been called for DXM-containing pills, gel capsules powder and tablets that are available in the market today  that are usually called as robo, rojo, tussin, red velvet , dex and triple C. Some of these medicines contain higher doses of DXM for a non-prescription cough medicine product.

Although DXM does not made a person really get high when getting a prescribed and recommended amount of doses, this can still produce nausea, drowsiness , dizziness and digestive disturbance. When been abused by anyone can give them a blurred vision, rashes, itching, fever, sweating,, shallow breathing and an increased in blood pressure that can affect the heart rate and a person’s body temperature.

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) released guidelines last July to help every parent to distinguish the signs that characterized that their children are taking a Robo tripping; such as hallucinations and loss of motor control are the usual effects of it. However, there are some severe cases that can end up to death.

People who were on their senior years in Brevard County are hoping to get a higher doze of flu vaccine for additional protection.

Seniors who are older than 65, are the target of a new flu vaccine. It consists of three viral influenza vaccine like of the regular shots given by health workers to protect patients against deadly respiratory illness.

The safety profile of the high-dose vaccine is likely similar as of the two regular shots but the two differs in prices. Center for Disease Control and Prevention are still in uncertain if the high doze vaccine can really offer a better protection against deadly flu, this is a question that need to surpass a series of examination and researching to be completed until this coming 2012.

This made this shot an optional choice for everyone; people still have their decision whether to choose the regular vaccine or the high-dose one. According to CDC the high-dose shot cost around $45, almost double the price of a regular flu shot, the good thing about it, the Medicare of a person covers it.

Health workers are not yet sure about the protection that the higher dosage vaccine can provide to a person, the reason why the health director in Brevard County, Dr. Heidar Heshmati said that they did not order high-dose vaccine until they receive a result that shows the effectiveness of the vaccine. That’s when they will consider using the flu shot.

Miranda Aiken, purchasing director for MIMA, said that the area is now experiencing and facing its flu season, and the largest physician group in Brevard County is now intends to use and try the high-dose vaccine on this season.  They try to offer this to some patients for an additional protection.

However, public health officials say this vaccine is not medically recommended to people who suffer allergies from eggs and for infants who are younger than six months-old like in regular flu vaccines.