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News on Drug Use in America

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Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently released 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) report – the largest of its kind (70,000 participants throughout the United States), and is the government’s primary vehicle for determining how many persons are using illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, as well as how many are misusing pharmaceuticals.

Although the rate of marijuana use rose in almost every age group, and was up from 5.8% of all Americans in 2007 to 7.3% in 2012, use of this substance dropped slightly for those aged 12 to 17 years.

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Falling Levels of Testosterone and Estradiol Conversion

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low-testosterone-basicsResearchers who tried to figure out the actual effects of low testosterone on male health came to several conclusions.

Low testosterone production can reduce strength, muscle size and lean mass. If the testosterone isn’t being converted to estrogen, men may see an increase in body fat. And a deficiency of either can spark a decline in sexual function.

The research, involving hundreds of volunteers and published online September 11 in the New England Journal of Medicine, comes at a time when testosterone supplements are being widely advertised to men in the U.S., for example, in commercials urging them to be… Continue reading →

Superbugs Resistant to Antibiotics

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  • superbug-infectionsSuperbugs, aka drug-resistant bacterial infections, can cause infections that are hard to treat with antibiotics, the drugs that usually kill bacteria.
    In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all bacterial infections in the world are slowly becoming resistant to antibiotic treatments. That's because disease-causing bacteria are living organisms that constantly evolve, enabling them to adapt to new environments. Antibiotic resistance develops over time — it can start from even a very small number of microbes within a population that have genes that allow them to continue to grow, despite the use of drugs that… Continue reading →

10 Facts Healthcare Providers Must Know About Health Insurance Exchanges

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More about health insurance exchanges on the InternetThe Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued a list of 10 facts healthcare providers “need to know” about the online health insurance exchanges, or marketplaces, created by healthcare reform. The publications include the following must-know information:

  • The exchanges are “a new way to shop for health coverage,” and allow customers to compare private insurance plans in terms of cost, quality and benefits.
  • Each state will have its own marketplace; some of these will be run by the state, others by the federal government and others by a partnership between the two.
  • Open enrollment in the exchanges will last… Continue reading →

Vitamin D Curbs Albuminuria in Kidney Disease

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Vitamin D supplementation decreases albuminuria and might slow the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to Spanish researchers.

“The study suggests that vitamin D repletion with daily mild doses of cholecalciferol may be effective to reduce albuminuria in patients with CKD 3-4 stage, with potential long-term benefits for this population,” Dr. Pablo Molina told Reuters Health by email. “In addition, we observed a modest but significant decline in PTH (parathyroid hormone) levels after cholecalciferol administration.”

In a report online August 24 in Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation, Dr. Molina of Hospital Universitario Dr Peset, Valencia, and colleagues note that several observational… Continue reading →

Medicare Seniors Do Not Need to Shop for Health Insurance

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No Medicare marketplaceStarting October 1, 2013, the enrollment period opens for Medicare beneficiaries to buy prescription drug coverage or the Medicare Advantage medical policies that are an alternative to traditional Medicare.

Starting January 1, 2014, most Americans will be required to have health insurance or pay a penalty and those without insurance will be able to buy it from the new Internet-based marketplaces, aka health insurance exchanges.

In support of the U.S. Government effort to get the word out, LabFlorida wants to reassure Medicare seniors and all our clients (ALFs, SNFs and home health companies) that Medicare is NOT PART OF HEALTH… Continue reading →

Los You Toons Se Preparan para Obamacare

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En Español

Antes del inicio del período de inscripción abierta, el 1 de octubre, la Kaiser Family Foundation presenta un video en español para que el público comprenda mejor los cambios que vienen próximamente bajo la Ley de Cuidado de Salud a Bajo Precio (Affordable Care Act o ACA, en inglés). “Los You Toons Se Preparan para Obamacare” explica las nuevas opciones que tendrán los estadounidenses para obtener seguro médico en el año 2014.

English

Before the October 1 start of open enrollment, the Kaiser Family Foundation presents a Spanish-language video as part of its continuing efforts to… Continue reading →

Legalization of Medical Marijuana

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Medical marijuana is legal in 20 states and the District of Columbia, with pending legislation to legalize the drug for medical purposes in four other states, including Florida. Although still illegal in 30 states, millions of patients are undoubtedly using marijuana for medicinal purposes in these jurisdictions.

Medical Marijuana: The Imperative of Educating Physicians published in September 2013 on Medscape Neurology provides a good coverage and would be particularly interesting to clinicians.

Get an LabFlorida instant drug screen for $25

Colorectal Cancer: FIT Twice a Year After 50

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Recent research data published in the September issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology confirms that an annual or biennial fecal immunological test (FIT) beginning at age 50 years in combination with a single colonoscopy at age 66 years is as effective as current colorectal cancer (CRC) screening guidelines. Moreover, the hybrid screening strategy requires fewer resources than the current CRC screening protocol. The findings are consistent with a recent US Preventive Services Task Force analysis.
The authors compared the hybrid screening strategy with single-modality screening using annual FIT, sigmoidoscopy every 5 years, and colonoscopy every 10 years. They also… Continue reading →

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