Consumer Reports Health News

YONKERS, N.Y., March 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Welcome to Consumer
Reports Health News for health and medical journalists. Consumer Reports
and ConsumerReportsHealth.org cover issues pertaining to the efficacy and
safety of prescription and non-prescription drugs (including natural
medicines), mental health, diet and nutrition, food safety, and fitness. CR
tests health and fitness products, rates the effectiveness and
affordability of prescription drugs, and evaluates the claims made by drug
companies and the health care industry -- all without commercial agendas or
advertiser influence.



SPECIAL REPORT: THE HARM IN HOMEOPATHY



The days are getting longer and warmer, but the flu season is still
thriving and making plenty of adults and children miserable. If you're
thinking of trying a homeopathic remedy to treat the flu or any other
illness, Consumer Reports recommends sticking with conventional medicines.



Homeopathy is a centuries-old form of medicine that takes a substance
that might otherwise cause symptoms or harm and dilutes it until the
substance becomes virtually undetectable.



The "active" ingredient in the flu remedy Oscillococcinum is wild duck
heart and liver, apparently because those organs are purported to contain
tiny amounts of the flu virus. Because of the extreme amount of dilution,
it's easy to assume that taking a homeopathic remedy can't hurt you. But CR
points out that the use of homeopathic remedies is tantamount to no remedy
at all, which can lead to problems if symptoms worsen and patients get
sicker instead of getting better.



So why do consumers continue to buy homeopathic remedies? Part of the
confusion lies in the way drugstore shelves are organized -- with
homeopathic remedies sold right next to traditional medicines. And why is
this over-the-counter confusion cause for concern? If a consumer purchases
a homeopathic remedy, they're not getting an FDA-reviewed drug, states CR.
That's because the FDA is officially required to regulate homeopathic
remedies, but in practice the FDA doesn't review those products for a
variety of reasons, including the assumption that the products are so
diluted that they can't pose any risks. For the full report, log on to CR's
Health blog at http://blogs.consumerreports.org/health.



FIVE SIGNS YOU'RE HAVING A HEART ATTACK



Less than one-third of adults recognize the five warning signs of a
heart attack, notes Dr. Orly Avitzur, medical adviser for Consumer Reports
in a recent blog posting at http://blogs.consumerreports.org/health.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
many people who suspect a heart attack would delay calling 911. Here are
the five warning signs to look out for:



1. Pain and discomfort in the jaw, neck or back

2. Feeling weak, lightheaded or faint

3. Chest pain or discomfort

4. Pain or discomfort in the arms or shoulder

5. Shortness of breath



DEFENSIVE EATING IN THE FAST FOOD JUNGLE



The April issue of Consumer Reports on Health provides survival
strategies for consuming fast food. CR notes that a single fast food meal
can easily pack more calories, fat, and sodium than most people should get
in a day. So how do you avoid a heart attack to go? CR provides ordering
strategies for all the major food categories, such as:



-- Avoid combination meals, which tend to have larger sizes and more
calories.

-- Select meats that are grilled or roasted, not fried.

-- Don't be hesitant to ask about ingredients or make special requests.

-- Share appetizers with your dining partners, or turn a side dish into
an entree.

-- Stick with a chain's "original" or "traditional" burgers or
sandwiches; they are usually smaller and less caloric.



Log on to http://www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org for CR's fast food survival
guide with tips for every food category plus a listing of good food choices
at fast food chains.



KIDNEY DISEASE: A SILENT KILLER ON THE RISE



It's dubbed a silent killer because it damages the organs so slowly
that symptoms can take years to emerge. Kidney disease is now more common
than diabetes in part because of the increasing number of people who take
multiple medications which travel through the kidney as they leave the
body, taxing the organ. Another factor is the growing, and related,
epidemic of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, both of which further
strain the kidneys. People over age 60 are especially vulnerable because
they tend to take more drugs and because kidney function normally declines
somewhat with age. There are several steps people can take to ward off or
rein in kidney damage, outlined in the April issue of Consumer Reports on
Health and online at http://www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org.



TRACKING DOWN MIGRAINE TRIGGERS



Consumer Reports medical adviser, Dr. Orly Avitzur, a practicing
neurologist, sees plenty of patients with migraines on a daily basis. The
challenge of treating migraines ? which affect 18 percent of women and 6
percent of men in the U.S. ? is that the treatment often diminishes a
patient's ability to function or work afterward. Adding to lost
productivity is the fact that the overall cost burden of migraines to
society exceeds that of other chronic conditions including asthma,
depression, diabetes, and heart disease. In her "Office Visit" column in
the April issue of Consumer Reports on Health, Dr. Avitzur suggests steps
people can take to thwart headaches before medicine becomes necessary. The
list of common culprits starts with beer, red wine, chocolate, and cheeses,
and also includes hunger and odors, such as perfume. For the full report,
and advice about how to identify migraine triggers, log on to CR's Health
blog at http://blogs.consumerreports.org/health.



APRIL 2008

(C) Consumers Union 2008. The material above is intended for legitimate
news entities only; it may not be used for commercial or promotional
purposes. Consumer Reports on Health(R) is published by Consumers Union, an
expert, independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to work for a
fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers
to protect themselves. To achieve this mission, we test, inform, and
protect. To maintain our independence and impartiality, Consumers Union
accepts no outside advertising, no free test samples, and has no agenda
other than the interests of consumers. Consumers Union supports itself
through the sale of our information products and services, individual
contributions, and a few noncommercial grants.









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Via: Healthcare