Insidermedicine in 60 - March 27, 2008

From Boston - Taking time to approve medicines may prevent a number of cases in which patients develop serious side effects. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act mandated that the FDA must act on drug applications within 10 months of submission. Drugs approved before the deadline were 5 times more likely to be eventually withdrawn from the market and over 4 times more likely to have a black-box warning added to its label, when compared to medicines reviewed beyond the deadline.

From Bonn - Fear and anxiety may raise the risk of heart attack. In a study of coagulation in patients with anxiety disorders, researchers found that intense fear and panic attacks increase blood clotting, which can increase the risk of thrombosis or heart attack. This increase in coagulation may explain why anxiety patients have a higher risk of dying from heart disease.

And finally, from California - Having a large belly, independent of weight, is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. In a study of over 6,000 subjects, those with the large bellies were two to three times more likely to develop Alzheimer's in later life. It is believed that visceral fat may lead to the creation of substances that are toxic to neurons and increase insulin resistance.

For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.

Category:

Science & Technology

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• food
• drug
• administration
• regulation
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• label
• recall
• pdufa
• fear
• anxiety
• panic
• attack
• blood
• clot
• obesity
• diet