Antipsychotics Best for Controlling Mania: Study

The manic episodes experienced by those with bipolar disorder are better controlled by antipsychotic drugs than mood stabilizers, a new, large study suggests.

Researchers from Italy and the United Kingdom also found that three antipsychotics — first-generation haloperidol (Haldol) along with later formulations of risperidone (Risperdal) and olanzapine (Zyprexa) — outperformed 11 other drugs. The scientists analyzed results from 68 randomized, controlled trials with more than 16,000 participants over a 30-year period.

Mania typically alternates with depression in those with bipolar disorder, which tends to run in families and begin between the ages of 15 and 25, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Acute manic episodes — characterized by hyperactivity, racing thoughts and reckless behavior — are not experienced by all bipolar patients, but severe symptoms often require hospitalization, health officials said.

Genetic Links Seen Between Bipolar Illness and Schizophrenia

There is a genetic link between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, two common and often disabling brain disorders, a new study indicates.

Researchers identified 11 genetic regions, including six that had never been discovered before, which play a role in people’s risk for these mental illnesses. The findings, they say, provide new insight into the causes of both conditions.

“Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are debilitating illnesses affecting millions of people around the world, and existing therapies for these people are ineffective as long-term options,” the bipolar study’s lead author Dr. Pamela Sklar, chief of the division of psychiatric genomics in the department of psychiatry and a professor of psychiatry at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, said in a news release. “We have been hard at work trying to determine genetic risk for these diseases so that we can intervene earlier and develop new therapies with which to treat them. Through this research, we are an important step closer to making that possible.”

Researchers examined the DNA of 7,481 people with bipolar disorder as well as 9,250 healthy people. In a separate study, another team of scientists evaluated the same DNA sites in more than 17,000 people with schizophrenia.

Painful Sex After Menopause? When Hormones Aren’t an Option, Some Women Consider Surgery

THURSDAY, October 6, 2011 (Health.com) — Linda Bianchini was in her mid-50s when sex with her husband became unbearably painful.

“Before I started to have discomfort, our sex life was good. I had only remarried in 2004 so, although we were middle-aged, we were still like newlyweds,” recalls Bianchini, now 57, a human resources manager at a hospital in Staten Island, N.Y. “It had been going on for at least a year, but I just did not bring it to my doctor since I thought it is just the way it is.”

Being Heavier May Mean Fewer Hot Flashes for Women Over 60

Older, heavier women tend to have fewer hot flashes than younger, leaner menopausal women, a small, new study suggests.

The study included 52 women who experienced hot flashes and were not taking medication for those symptoms.

The women’s body fat percentage, waist circumference and body mass index (BMI) were also measured, and a special skin monitor and electronic diary were used to track their hot flashes.

The result: the researchers found that higher fat levels, BMI and waist circumference were associated with fewer hot flashes. These associations were strongest among white women.

Aging, Not Menopause, Raises Women’s Heart Risks, Study Finds

There’s no link between menopause and increased risk of death from heart disease, says a study that challenges a long-held medical belief that the rate of cardiovascular death in women spikes after menopause.

Aging alone, not the hormonal impact of menopause, explains the increasing number of deaths among older women, according to the Johns Hopkins researchers.

The new findings could affect how heart health is assessed in premenopausal women, who were previously believed to have a low risk of death from heart attack, the authors pointed out in the study published in the Sept. 6 issue of the BMJ.

Factors Identified That May Raise Risk of Early Menopause

Certain factors have been found to be associated with a raised risk of early menopause, including having a chronic inflammatory disease or having one of two genes known to be linked to breast cancer, especially among those who smoke, according to two new studies.

The stud

ies were slated for presentation Tuesday at the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) in Orlando, Fla.

In one study, researchers examined data from the University of California, San Francisco Cancer Risk Registry on 931 white women in the United States and found that BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers started menopause at a much earlier age than those without the breast cancer genes — age 48 versus 53.

Use of Asthma Controller Meds on the Rise Among U.S. Kids

The percentage of children with asthma in the United States who use a prescription “controller” medicine has nearly doubled since the late 1990s, a new federal government report finds.

The analysis of data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey showed that the use of controller drugs by these children increased from 29 percent in 1997-1998 to 58 percent in 2007-2008, according to the latest News and Numbers from the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Celebrity Health

Some celebrities chose to speak out about the various health conditions that are near and dear to their hearts, whether they themselves have struggled with an illness, a chronic condition, or fluctuating weight, or a family member or close friend's experience has left a mark in their lives. Debi Mazar explains what it's like to have a family member with bipolar disorder, Sheryl Crow talks breast cancer, and why those crash diets the celebs love are simply not going to help you.

Childhood Vaccines

Vaccines or immunizations are the reason few people have seen a child with polio, German measles, or whooping cough. At the same time, concerns about vaccine side effects have led some parents to avoid vaccinating their children, resulting in outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. There are currently 12 vaccines recommended for children between birth and 18 years of age.

11 Signs Cholesterol Is Harming Your Legs

What is PAD?

Cholesterol can clog the heart's blood vessels, but it can also affect the legs, leading to peripheral arterial disease, or PAD.

3 Hours of Exercise Weekly Can Cut Men’s Heart Risks

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 5 (HealthDay News) — Three hours of vigorous exercise a week can reduce a man’s heart attack risk by 22 percent, a new study suggests.

The Harvard School of Public Health researchers also found that about 38 percent of that decreased risk was due to the beneficial effects of exercise on a man’s levels of “good” high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.

The findings were published Oct. 4 the journalMedicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

14 Smart Ways Seniors Can Cut Medical Costs

How to save money

By Karen Pallarito

Are rising healthcare costs hammering your budget? If so, you're not alone. One in four people on Medicare laid out 30% or more of their income on healthcare in 2006, according to a recent analysis by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

As healthcare costs continue to swell, people on Medicare likely will be required "to put even more skin in the game to pay for their health expenses," the foundation concludes.

But there are plenty of ways for the savvy senior to stretch a dollar. Here are some strategies that may lower your overall healthcare tab.

6 Surprising Libido Boosters

Astonishing aphrodisiacs

You’ve heard (and tried) it all before: down a dozen oysters, watch a marathon of sultry movies, get a couples massage. Even if these usual turn-ons work for you, sooner or later they start to feel tired—which may make you less likely to respond to them, says Irwin Goldstein, MD, director of sexual medicine at Alvarado Hospital in San Diego.

Luckily, science has discovered a few more offbeat things that crank up your desire. Try one out tonight!

Are You at Risk for Psoriatic Arthritis?

Psoriatic arthritis risk factors

By Amanda Gardner

Psoriatic arthritis can't be prevented or cured, but it can be treated. It's not easy to predict who will get this painful joint condition, but if you're at risk, it makes sense to watch for early symptoms such as swollen and painful fingers and toes.

Psoriatic arthritis symptomscan be mild or severe, depending on the individual, but either way, gettingtreatment sooner rather than later can help you avoid permanent joint damage.

Here are some reasons you may be at higher risk of psoriatic arthritis.

5 Simple Things That Could Cut Your Breast Cancer Risk

1. Limit yourself to two or three alcoholic drinks a week

By Lorie Parch

Alcohol, consumed even in small amounts, is believed to increase the risk of breast cancer. Most doctors recommend cutting back on wine, beer, and hard liquor.

A recent study showed the link between drinking and breast cancer was especially strong in the 70% of tumors known as hormone-sensitive.