FDA Adds Warnings to Cholesterol Drugs' Labels

The Food and Drug Administration has added new warnings to the statin class of cholesterol-lowering drugs and one longstanding precaution has been removed.

New Safety Warnings for Statin DrugsAnti-cholesterol medications such as lovastatin and simvistatin -- classified as statin drugs -- and combination medications such as Vytorin that include a statin component, will be required to include warnings about the potential risks of confusion and/or memory loss and elevated blood sugar levels, according to the FDA.

Both of these risks are considered to be small, reports the federal agency, and the confusion/loss of memory generally go away once the statin drug is discontinued. The slight risk of blood sugar levels being adversely affected may lead to the development of Type 2 diabetes.

For people taking statin drugs, it has long been recommended by the FDA they receive periodic liver function tests to prevent or detect serious liver injury. But the agency has determined that such injury is rare and unpredictable; the blood tests were not helpful in either detection or prevention of the condition. The agency now recommends that a liver function test is performed before a statin drug is prescribed so that any concern about liver condition can be determined before initiating therapy.

MSNBC.com reports Lipitor leads the world in prescription sales of more than $130 million; Zocor was the second most frequently prescribed drug in the U.S. in 2010.The popularity of the statin drugs among physicians and patients likely correlates to the fact that heart disease and stroke remain the leading causes of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Baby boomers and their seniors are a large portion of the statin-taking public, with more than 150,000 people under the age of 65 dying from cardiovascular disease in 2007, as reported by the CDC. Reducing cholesterol levels is an important factor in the prevention of both heart attacks and strokes.

1 million birth control pill packets recalled, may not prevent pregnancy

Pfizer Inc. is recalling 1 million packets of birth control pills due to a packaging error that could raise the risk of an accidental pregnancy by leaving women with an inadequate dose.

The problem affects 14 lots of Lo/Ovral-28 tablets and 14 lots of generic Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol tablets. Both products are manufactured by Pfizer and marketed in the U.S. by Akrimax Rx Products under the Akrimax Pharmaceuticals brand. Pfizer found that some packets of the drugs had too many active tablets, while others had too few.
Oral birth control products use a series of 21 hormone tablets and 7 inactive sugar tablets to regulate the menstrual period while providing contraception. The risk of an accidental pregnancy depends on how many doses a patient misses in the pill cycle, pharmacist Mike Parker said. Patients normally can miss a dose and then catch up the next day, but the risk rises if a woman goes more than a couple of days without the right dose. Parker said birth control pills account for about 25 percent of the prescriptions filled at his store, Fred's Neighborhood Pharmacy, in New Castle, Ind. But he doesn't expect many worried calls from customers about this recall. He said it focuses on an older pill that used to be popular but doesn't sell as well anymore compared with newer versions that have fewer side effects. "It's not a No. 1 or No. 2 seller," he said.

U.S. pharmacists filled 38.9 million birth control prescriptions in the first six months of last year, according to the most recent statistics from data firm IMS Health. A total of 78.6 million prescriptions were filled in 2010. An IMS spokesman said the pills subject to the recall are not among the top 5 prescriptions filled.
A Pfizer spokeswoman said the problem was caused by both mechanical and visual inspection failures on the packaging line. She said the problem has been corrected. Patients with the affected lot numbers should return them to the pharmacy.
Lot numbers of the recalled pills are at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm289770.htm.
The affected packets have expiration dates ranging between July 31, 2013, and March 31, 2014. The drugs were distributed to warehouses, clinics and retail pharmacies throughout the U.S.

High Blood Pressure

Health and wellness tips for your work, home, and life—brought to you by the insurance
and healthcare specialists at Riske, Brown & Associates.


High BloodPressure
The Silent Killer

Most cases of high blood pressure are discovered at a routine doctor visit, and once detected, are usually controllable.

What is High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a condition in which your resting blood
pressure is consistently measured at 140/90 or more. When your heart pumps
blood through your arteries, the blood first travels through the large arteries
that exit your heart, into smaller arteries called arterioles. From the
arterioles, the blood travels to smaller vessels called capillaries, which
supply oxygen and nutrients to your organs, and the blood then returns to your
heart through the veins. Nerve impulses can cause your arteries to dilate or
contract. When your arteries are wide open your blood can flow through easily.
If your arteries narrow, it becomes harder for your blood to flow, and the
pressure inside increases. At that point, high blood pressure may occur.
When high blood pressure occurs, the heart is strained and blood vessels can become
damaged. The changes in the vessels that supply blood to the kidneys and the
brain may negatively affect these organs. Long-term effects of high blood
pressure on your heart, kidneys, and brain increase your risk of stroke, heart
attack, and kidney failure.

Causes & Risk Factors

Hypertension can occur in children and adults, but is most common for people over age thirty-five. In 90–95 percent of cases, the cause is unknown, and people often live with hypertension for years without knowing it. Since the direct cause of most cases of high blood pressure cannot be determined, it is difficult to determine all the risk factors. However, some characteristics make a person more likely to have high blood pressure.
·
Age - middle-aged and elderly
·
Race - African Americans
·
Gender - Males
·
Family history of high blood pressure

Other risk factors that can be controlled or managed include obesity, inactivity, tobacco use, sodium sensitivity, low potassium, excessive alcohol consumption, and stress.

Symptoms & Diagnosis

People with hypertension rarely exhibit symptoms of any kind, and the condition is often discovered during a routine physical examination. One high blood pressure reading does not mean you have high blood pressure. Rather, your doctor will take blood pressure readings several times over a period before finally diagnosing high blood pressure.
If your blood pressure is usually normal, it is recommended that you get it checked every two
years. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends more frequent blood
pressure checks if you have a history of high readings. Treatment of Hypertension can be controlled but not cured. If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, you will need to work with your doctor to determine the course of treatment that
works best for you.


Did you know...
Those with high blood pressure often exhibit few or no symptoms, and the
condition is thereby often referred to as the “silent killer”.

Turkey Trot TCAPS Fund Raiser

TCAPS invites all our families to sign up for the Turkey Trot today and bring your family to TCAPS' LEAP Under the Lights, a FREE event, on November 23rd. Come and run on TCAPS' Thirlby Field with the stadium lights and excitement celebrating you!

LEAP Under the Lights at Thirlby Field, a FREE event, on November 23rd from 5:00 PM-8:00 PM. Kids will enjoy fun and games Under the Lights at Thirlby Field Stadium at this special pre-Turkey Trot FREE event. The evening will be filled with fun activities for youth of all ages including:

• Punt-Pass-Kick Competition
• Challenge Courses
• 100-Yard Dash

Sign Up & Join the UpNorth Media Turkey Trot Race for Charity on Thanksgiving Day: TCAPS is thrilled to be a partner who will benefit from this year's Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot Race for Charity! The race will start and end at TCAPS' Thirlby Field Stadium with a 5K Walk/Run and 5 Miler options. We invite all our families, staff members, and the community to participate in this exciting event.

TCAPS will receive $10 for every registration fee that comes through TCAPS' special sign up page. These funds will help make athletic opportunities possible for more students in our schools.

TCAPS Team with Most Trotters To Win "Super" Serenade

Calling all TCAPS Turkey Trot Enthusiasts – Staff, Schools, PTO's, and all TCAPS Departments!

Superintendent Cousins, the guitar man, is challenging our collective school community to team-up for this event that will support TCAPS with $10 from every registration fee that comes through TCAPS' special sign up page. Steve will give a special performance to the TCAPS team with the most registered participants in this year's Turkey Trot at Thirlby Field. Get your group together today and register for the Trot.

The winning team of trotters gets to choose their event, such as a PTO fundraiser, school assembly, or staff gathering to receive a "super" serenade!

For TCAPS to benefit, Trotters must sign-up through the special TCAPS Turkey Trot web page.

Shop Your Community Day in Traverse City

I just wanted to take a moment to remind you of our participation in Shop Your Community Day in downtown Traverse City this Saturday, November 12^th, 2011.

What that means is this- If you shop downtown Traverse City this Saturday, you can help Child Care Connections. 15% of your purchase will be donated to us simply by letting the participating merchant know that you’d like your contribution to be made to us. You can view the linked flyer for a complete list of merchants who are taking part in this great fundraising opportunity.

http://www.downtowntc.com/userfiles/file/DTCAsycFLYER11.jpg

I just wanted to take a moment to remind you of our participation in Shop Your Community Day in downtown Traverse City this Saturday, November 12^th, 2011.

What that means is this- If you shop downtown Traverse City this Saturday, you can help Child Care Connections. 15% of your purchase will be donated to us simply by letting the participating merchant know that you’d like your contribution to be made to us. You can view the linked flyer for a complete list of merchants who are taking part in this great fund raising opportunity.

http://www.downtowntc.com/userfiles/file/DTCAsycFLYER11.jpg

Turkey Trot 2011

START SOMETHING BIG TODAY! November 2011
Sign up for the Turkey Trot! Join in the fun! The Thanksgiving Day 5K and 5 Mile run/walk event is back and better than ever! The UpNorthMedia Traverse City Turkey Trot for Charities event has a lot of exciting changes this year! A new venue: Thirlby Field A new distance offered: 5 mile course, along with a 5K A new presenting sponsor: PNC Bank A new Thanksgiving Eve event: LEAP Under the Lights And more event beneficiaries - including Big Brothers Big Sisters! Make plans to run or walk this event on Thanksgiving morning before settling in for the big meal. It's a guilt-free way to indulge in seconds and an extra dollop of whipped cream on the pumpkin pie! Your belt buckle will thank you! Sign up now: The price to participate is $35 for individuals, $20 for students. Go to http://cts.vresp.com/c/?BigBrothersBigSister/1f8f67f9b1/1aa84bc42f/079c6e114c to sign up. Event Details: Who: UpNorthMedia, Inc. Traverse City Turkey Trot for Charities, Presented by PNC Bank What: 5K or 5 Mile run/walk Where: Thirlby Field, Traverse City, MI When: Thursday, November 24, 2011 (Thanksgiving Day) at 9am Why: Get some exercise, support Big Brothers Big Sisters and your community, and have fun! OUR MISSION.. The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Michigan is to help children in need reach their potential through professionally supported, one-to-one mentoring relationships with volunteers. Web: http://cts.vresp.com/c/?BigBrothersBigSister/1f8f67f9b1/1aa84bc42f/e19beb7d0e	REGISTER COURSE INFO EVENT SPONSORS RACE BENEFICIARIES VOLUNTEER!
Tel: (231) 946-2447 Fax: (231) 946-8016 Email: office@bigsupnorth.com

CDC Recommends Boys Be Vaccinated Against HPV.

Coverage of the decision by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to expand its recommendation for the HPV vaccine to boys and young men aged 11-21 was widespread, appearing on the three network newscasts, and in national newspapers. The story took up over ten percent of news time. ABC World News (10/25, story 3, 0:30, Sawyer) reported that the committee "recommended boys ages 11 and 12 and young men 13 to 21 be vaccinated. Not just girls, who, as we know, are at risk for cervical cancer."

On its front page, the New York Times (10/26, A1, Harris, Subscription Publication) reports that the committee said that the vaccine would "protect against anal and throat cancers that can result from sexual activity." The three-dose vaccine series "may be given to boys as young as 9 and to men between the ages of 22 and 26." The Times notes that while the HPV vaccine can be expensive, "Vaccinating boys is cost effective when vaccination rates in girls are relatively low, which they are now. Fewer than half of girls between the ages of 13 and 17 have received at least one dose of the HPV vaccine, and fewer than a third have received all three."

The Washington Post (10/26, Stein) reports that HPV "causes at least 250,000 new cases of genital warts and an estimated 7,000 cancers in males each year, leading to perhaps about 1,000 deaths." However, some experts "are concerned that there is insufficient evidence about how long Gardasil's protection will last, whether serious side effects will emerge and whether the relatively modest benefits for boys are worth even the small risks associated with any vaccine. They noted that so far the vaccine has only been shown to reduce the risk of developing pre-cancerous growths, not cancer itself."