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The Medical Minute: Know Your Medications

10/16/02

According to the latest edition of the Medical Minute, a service of Penn State's Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, prescription medications have had a major impact on people's health in the past half century. Infectious diseases and other conditions that were a major cause of death in the early 20th century are now much less threatening. But with so many new and effective medications comes greater responsibility on the part of the consumer. It's important that patients ask their doctor what to expect with any new prescription.

The Medical Minute: Vaccinations - not just kid stuff

10/9/02

Polio, diphtheria, measles, mumps, German measles - illnesses that were once a major source of worry for parents and doctors are little more than an afterthought today. Vaccination programs have now safeguarded roughly three generations of children from a host of illnesses, and they continue to keep kids safe from nearly a dozen diseases. But vaccinations aren't just kid stuff. It's important that adults make sure their vaccinations are up to date. Experience in other parts of the world shows that epidemics start when the population's immunity against certain diseases is allowed to wane.

The Medical Minute: The Message Behind Breast Cancer Risk Stats

10/2/02

According to the latest Medical Minute from Penn State's Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and the second leading cause of cancer death. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which means the public will hear a lot of statistics this month that may seem a bit frightening. The goal isn't to frighten women--it's to get them to think seriously about the risk of breast cancer and what they should do about it. An average 40-year-old woman could have a risk as high as one in eight or as low as one in 85, depending on a variety of factors.

The Medical Minute: A balanced perspective on West Nile

9/25/02

According to the latest edition of the Medical Minute, a service of Penn State's Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, it's scary to confront unfamiliar health threats like the West Nile Virus. News stories provide basic information, but in the interest of time or ratings, sometimes a balanced perspective is sacrificed. West Nile is caused by a virus that mostly affects birds. Mosquitoes bite an infected bird, pick up the virus and pass it on to more birds or to humans.

The Medical Minute: Time to plan for flu vaccine

9/18/02

Many times "the flu" is a term used to explain everything from a cold to upset stomachs. Real influenza comes from a virus that causes an average of 20,000 deaths annually in the U.S. alone. There are three types of influenza: A, B and C. Influenza C is a mild illness and not a threat. Influenza B is generally milder than influenza A, but both typically cause fever over 101 degrees, sore throat, severe headache and body aches, and coughing that can last up to two weeks. Influenza can lead to pneumonia, a bacterial lung infection that can be fatal.

The Medical Minute: Early treatment offers hope for depression

9/11/02

No one will forget the tragic events of last Sept. 11. The impact of the horrific images that played and replayed on network news during the days and weeks that followed caused thousands of people to seek treatment for a variety of health problems brought on by psychological trauma. As the nation recalls 9/11, feelings of dread or sadness return for many. Depression is a common problem touching 19 million Americans every year and affecting nearly 10 percent of the population at any time. For most, it is a state of life with ongoing feelings of inadequacy or unhappiness.

The Medical Minute: Cholesterol - the good, the bad, the triglycerides

9/4/02

Hardly a day passes without news on cholesterol and heart disease. One day fat is bad for us. The next day, fat is OK, but carbohydrates are bad. Good cholesterol vs. bad cholesterol vs. triglycerides. Chocolate is good, but the calories are bad. Wine is good, but only the red. How can we make sense of the conflicting information? Since September is Cholesterol Awareness month, now is as good a time as any to sort out the facts. Cholesterol actually serves an important role. The body uses it to build cells and make hormones, but many of us make too much of the wrong type of cholesterol.

The Medical Minute: Keep Labor Day picnics safe from illness

8/28/02

End of summer means Labor Day picnics putting a cap on the season. The Centers for Disease Control estimate 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths result each year from people eating contaminated food. Many cases of food poisoning are mild -- but whatever the symptoms, no case is ever pleasant. With a little attention to basic food handling you can avoid Labor Day picnic memories tainted by food borne illness. The biggest threat is meat. Meats should be kept cold to prevent bacteria present on all fresh meats from growing.

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