http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. Patients' non-adherence to prescribed medication costs the U.S. health care system an estimated $290 billion annually and can lead to poor clinical outcomes, increased hospitalizations and higher mortality. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-physicians-dont-adequately-patients-medication.html Health Mon, 16 Jul 2012 16:59:07 EST news261676738 (HealthDay) -- A supplement mixture (Souvenaid) containing dietary precursors and specific nutrients can improve memory in drug-naive patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD), according to a study published in the July issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-supplement-mixture-memory-mild-alzheimer.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Thu, 12 Jul 2012 05:50:02 EST news261287299 Various trials examining the use of anti-retroviral drugs in healthy heterosexuals as a way to prevent HIV have shown drastically different results, research showed Wednesday. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-pills-hiv.html HIV & AIDS Wed, 11 Jul 2012 18:28:07 EST news261250077 A new once-daily pill combining three antiretrovirals and a booster molecule is a safe and effective alternative to two widely used drug regimens for newly diagnosed HIV-positive adults who have had no previous treatment. The findings of two large international randomized trials published in this week's Lancet also indicate that the new "Quad" pill is faster acting, doesn't have the neuropsychiatric side effects associated with other combinations, and could improve compliance with treatment. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-once-daily-quad-pill-hiv-safe.html HIV & AIDS Thu, 28 Jun 2012 18:30:01 EST news260123746 A telephone intervention trial was associated with improvement in glaucoma medication adherence in both the treatment group and the control group but, when the two groups were compared, interactive telephone calls and tailored print materials did not significantly improve adherence, according to a report of a randomized controlled clinical trial published Online First by Archives of Ophthalmology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-intervention-glaucoma-treatment-adherence.html Ophthalmology Mon, 11 Jun 2012 15:59:06 EST news258649136 An Australian court ordered the parents of a cancer-stricken child to put aside their religious beliefs and allow her life-saving treatment including a blood transfusion, reports said Saturday. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-australian-court-overrules-parents-cancer.html Other Sat, 02 Jun 2012 04:20:05 EST news257829596 (HealthDay) -- For patients taking statins for prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD), extended care with nurse-led cardiovascular risk-factor counseling improves statin adherence and reduces anxiety, with improvements seen in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol for primary prevention patients, according to a study published online May 24 in The American Journal of Cardiology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-cardiovascular-statin-adherence.html Cardiology Thu, 31 May 2012 21:20:01 EST news257706942 Text message prompts can help patients living with long term conditions stick to their treatment programmes - at least in the short term - indicates a review of the available evidence, published online in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-text-messages-patients-term-conditions.html Health Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:49:29 EST news254663355 To relieve pain, arthritis sufferers are prescribed medications that may include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors, both of which can irritate the digestive tract. At times additional drugs are co-prescribed with NSAIDs or COX-2 inhibitors to prevent adverse gastrointestinal (GI) effects. Now a new study available today in the American College of Rheumatology journal, Arthritis & Rheumatism, reveals that decreasing gastroprotective agent (GPA) adherence among users of COX-2 inhibitors is linked to an increased risk of such upper GI complications. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-gastroprotective-drugs-anti-inflammatory-medicines.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Mon, 16 Apr 2012 03:57:14 EST news253766693 (HealthDay) -- Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is not associated with adherence to pediatric asthma treatment, according to a study published online April 9 in Pediatrics. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-alternative-medicine-doesnt-affect-asthma.html Inflammatory disorders Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:19:52 EST news253286376 Telephone motivational counseling sessions did not result in a statistically significant improvement in adherence to an osteoporosis medication regimen, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-intervention-adherence-osteoporosis-medication-regimen.html Health Mon, 27 Feb 2012 16:00:11 EST news249573776 The benefits of exercise in minimizing pain and improving mobility for individuals living with osteoarthritis has been well documented. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-video-based-home-minimize-osteoarthritis-pain.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:57:38 EST news247921032 Take your medicine, Doctor's orders. It's a simple idea that may seem especially obvious when the pills are the antiretroviral (ARV) drugs that add decades to the lives of HIV-positive patients. But despite the reality that keeping up with drug regimens is not easy for many patients, a new analysis of hundreds of recorded doctor's office visits finds that physicians and nurse practitioners often still rely on lecturing, ordering, and scolding rather than listening and problem solving with their patients. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-patients-waver-meds.html HIV & AIDS Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:04:37 EST news247410271 Experts from the International Headache Society (IHS) have developed new recommendations for conduct of acute and preventive migraine clinical trials. The third edition of Migraine Clinical Trials Guidelines is now available in the IHS journal Cephalalgia, which is published by SAGE. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-migraine-clinical-trial-guidelines.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:57:53 EST news246625032 When it comes to taking prescribed medications for hypertension, a patient's self confidence could be as important as doctor's orders. A new study by researchers at NYU School of Medicine reveals that positive affirmation, when coupled with patient education, seems to help patients more effectively follow their prescribed medication regimen. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-confidence-positive-medication-adherence-hypertensive.html Health Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:00:07 EST news246555009 (Medical Xpress) -- Patients simultaneously treated for both Type 2 diabetes and depression improve medication compliance and significantly improve blood sugar and depression levels compared to patients receiving usual care, according to a new study by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Of patients receiving integrated care combined with a brief period of intervention to assist with adherence to prescribed medication regimens, more than 60 percent had improved blood sugar test results and 58 percent had reduced depression symptoms, compared to only 36 percent and 31 percent, respectively, of patients receiving usual care. The full results of the study are published in the January/February issue of The Annals of Family Medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-concurrent-treatment-diabetes-depression-significantly.html Health Tue, 10 Jan 2012 06:11:02 EST news245398250 In childhood, rituals like regular schedules for meal, bath, and bed times are a healthy part of behavioral development. But combined with oral and tactile sensitivities, such as discomfort at the dentist or irritation caused by specific fabrics, these rituals could be an early warning sign of adult Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-childhood-hypersensitivity-linked-ocd.html Psychology & Psychiatry Tue, 27 Dec 2011 16:39:45 EST news244226378 Researchers at Henry Ford Hospital have found that one-quarter of severe asthma attacks could be prevented if only patients consistently took their medication as prescribed. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-medication-severe-asthma.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 12 Dec 2011 11:36:22 EST news242912175 Hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HGNS) produced marked dose-related increases in airflow in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients without arousing them from sleep, according to a new study from the Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center. The study suggests the potential therapeutic efficacy of HGNS across a broad range of sleep apnea severity and offers an alternative to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), the current mainstay of treatment for moderate to severe OSA. The effectiveness of CPAP is often limited by poor patient adherence. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-hypoglossal-nerve-airflow-obstructive-apnea.html Sleep apnea Fri, 25 Nov 2011 04:48:33 EST news241418889 The use of specific medications following a heart attack has been shown to reduce cardiovascular events and mortality, however; while highly effective, the rate of adherence to these medications is poor. Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) evaluated whether eliminating co-payments for these medications would increase adherence and improve outcomes in patients who have had a heart attack. The findings will be presented as a Late Breaking Clinical Trial at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions on November 14 and simultaneously published online in the New England Journal of Medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-co-payments-heart-medications-adherence.html Health Mon, 14 Nov 2011 11:30:39 EST news240492629 Eating a Mediterranean diet combined with physical activity can help to improve some of the symptoms of sleep apnoea, according to new research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-mediterranean-diet-apnea-symptoms.html Sleep apnea Wed, 02 Nov 2011 10:44:26 EST news239449446 The main challenge to providing patient-centred health care is education, as many patients do know how to access the health care system, states an editorial in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-patient-centered.html Health Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:29:00 EST news239282929 In a trial that included more than 150,000 participants, those who underwent annual chest radiographic screening for up to 4 years did not have a significantly lower rate of death from lung cancer compared to participants who were not screened, according to a study in the November 2 issue of JAMA. The study is being published early online to coincide with its presentation at the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST 2011). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-annual-screening-chest-x-ray-lung.html Cancer Wed, 26 Oct 2011 13:51:21 EST news238855853 Patients being treated for chronic hepatitis C become less likely to take their medications over time, according to a new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Since the study also showed better response to the drugs when they're taken correctly, the researchers say the findings should prompt clinicians to assess patients for barriers to medication adherence throughout their treatment, and develop strategies to help them stay on track. The study is published online this month in Annals of Internal Medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-hepatitis-patients-falter-adherence-treatment.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 29 Sep 2011 16:47:54 EST news236533666 For medications to be effective, they must be taken in the correct dosage at the right time, as prescribed by healthcare providers. The World Health Organization estimates that half of patients take their medications incorrectly, costing the U.S. health care system and consumers about $300 billion each year. In a new article, University of Missouri researchers say medication non-adherence interventions should be based on a personal systems approach that focuses on integrating medication taking into daily routines and involving supportive people who encourage taking medications correctly. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-medication-regimens-daily-routines-adherence.html Health Mon, 19 Sep 2011 14:16:26 EST news235660563 A year after hospital discharge, the majority of stroke patients are listening to doctor's orders when it comes to taking their prescribed secondary stroke prevention medications, new data out of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center shows. However, there is room for improvement, according to investigators. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-focus-secondary-reveals-room.html Neuroscience Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:53:51 EST news235061613 In spite of an increased attention to gender differences in treatment of myocardial infarctions, focus on adherence to guidelines and a change in predominant therapy, the gender difference in treatment and mortality regarding the big infarctions – STEMI – has not diminished from 1998-2000 to 2004-2006. For some therapies, it has actually increased. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-08-trends-stemi-treatment-outcome.html Cardiology Mon, 29 Aug 2011 11:43:49 EST news233837004 Kaiser Permanente Northern California patients who obtained new statin prescriptions via a mail-order pharmacy achieved better cholesterol control in the first 3-15 months following the initiation of therapy -- compared to those patients who only obtained their statin prescription from their local Kaiser Permanente Northern California pharmacy. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-07-mail-order-pharmacy-statin-prescriptions-cholesterol.html Health Fri, 22 Jul 2011 10:09:04 EST news230547983 Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have found that among HIV-infected adults with alcohol problems, measuring their carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) biomarker was a poor and inaccurate method for detecting unhealthy drinking. These findings currently appear on-line in AIDS Care. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-06-cdt-biomarker-ineffective-unhealthy-alcohol.html Health Mon, 20 Jun 2011 10:58:17 EST news227786286 Physicians can help their patients follow prescribed treatments and achieve healthier results – particularly in chronic disease management – by using a three-pronged strategy developed by a team of researchers from the University of California, Riverside, Texas State University-San Marcos, and La Sierra University in Riverside, Calif. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-06-strategy-patient-adherence.html Other Wed, 01 Jun 2011 17:46:20 EST news226169169