Skip to main content

Featured

Posted by

New Guidance Says Doctors Should Discuss Vaping as One Option to Help Adults Quit Smoking

Quitting smoking is one of the best things a person can do for their health—but it's also one of the hardest habits to break. Many smokers make several attempts before they successfully quit, even when using medications or nicotine replacement products. Now, a panel of tobacco treatment experts is encouraging healthcare providers to expand the conversation about smoking cessation by discussing nicotine e-cigarettes as one possible option for adults who smoke cigarettes. The recommendations, published in JAMA , were developed by the Harm Reduction Work Group of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco’s Treatment Research Network. Rather than promoting vaping, the group says clinicians should focus on helping patients choose the quit-smoking method that best fits their individual circumstances. A Personalized Approach to Quitting Smoking cessation isn't the same for everyone. What works well for one person may not work for another, which is why the authors recommend mo...
Post a Comment
Read more
Labels
Posted by

Family History of Melanoma Doubles Parkinson’s Disease Risk


A large study, involving nearly 157,000 people, shows that family history of melanoma may be linked to increased risk of Parkinson’s disease. Family history of melanoma showed double the risk of Parkinson’s disease in the study group, when researchers compared to those with no family history of melanoma.

The new study, due for presentation at the 61st Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, beginning April 25 2009, looked into family history of the individuals included in the study. The researchers asked the group whether their siblings or parents had been diagnosed with melanoma. None of the nearly 157000 individuals had Parkinson’s disease.

The scientists monitored the group for fourteen to twenty years, finding that 616 of the individuals followed in the study were diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Study author Xiang Gao, MD, PhD, of the Harvard University School of Public Health in Boston, MA, says, “The results from this study suggest that melanoma and Parkinson’s could share common genetic components.” The study found that individuals with a family history of melanoma had twice the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, compared to those with no family history.

Interestingly, past studies have shown that people with Parkinson’s disease also have a greater risk of melanoma. The group recommends further studies to clarify the link between melanoma and Parkinson’s disease.

Family history of melanoma may provide clues that can also help identify individuals at risk for Parkinson’s disease, leading to early intervention.

Kathleen Blanchard RN
http://grabsomehealthnews.blogspot.com

Source: http://www.aan.com/press/index.cfm?fuseaction=release.view&release=694
Email Post
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment