underwriting

FDA Warns Chantix May Up Heart Risk

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A meta-analysis ordered by the agency and conducted by drugmaker Pfizer found a higher occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events — including death, MI, and stroke — with the drug than with placebo.

The FDA noted, however, that such events were uncommon in both groups, and the increased risk wasn’t statistically significant.

via Chantix May Up Heart Risk, FDA Warns.

Quitting smoking is good.  Maybe quitting smoking without a pharmaceutical assist is better.  Additional link to the FDA release follows.

Safety Alerts for Human Medical Products > Chantix (Varenicline): Safety Communication – Updated Safety Review On The Risk of Cardiovascular Adverse Events.

Diet’s Role in Lowering Risk of Repeat Heart Attacks – WSJ.com

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People with the healthiest diets—those with the highest intakes of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and a higher intake of fish relative to meat poultry and eggs—were 35% less likely to die from a repeat heart attack or stroke during the length of the study, compared with those with the least healthy diets, according to the five-year study of 32,000 people in 40 countries.

They also were 28% less likely to develop congestive heart failure, 14% less likely to have an additional heart attack and 19% less likely to have a stroke.

via Diet’s Role in Lowering Risk of Repeat Heart Attacks – WSJ.com.

When the Patient Is ‘Noncompliant’ – NYTimes.com

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Despite efforts to change the term to the slightly more accurate “nonadherent,” the word “noncompliant” remains firmly entrenched in the medical lexicon. No matter what it’s called, however, it’s an enormous problem. Experts estimate that some 50 percent of patients do not take their medicines as prescribed or follow doctors’ recommendations.

via When the Patient Is ‘Noncompliant’ – NYTimes.com.

Underwriting and mortality issue?  I think so.

U.S. Diabetes Prevalence Soars

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From 1995 to 2010, the median age-adjusted prevalence of diagnosed diabetes for all 50 states, the District of Columbia (D.C.), and Puerto Rico rose from 4.5% to 8.2% Linda Geiss, MA, of the CDC, and colleagues reported in the Nov. 16 issue of Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report.

via U.S. Diabetes Prevalence Soars.

and MMWR link Increasing Prevalence of Diagnosed Diabetes — United States and Puerto Rico, 1995–2010.

Maybe the demise of Twinkies wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

Life Underwriting Expert Witness (for now)

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It’s up to you to carve out your place, to know when to change course, and to keep yourself engaged and productive during a work life that may span some 50 years. To do those things well, you’ll need to cultivate a deep understanding of yourself—not only what your strengths and weaknesses are but also how you learn, how you work with others, what your values are, and where you can make the greatest contribution. Because only when you operate from strengths can you achieve true excellence.  And we will have to stay mentally alert and engaged during a 50-year working life, which means knowing how and when to change the work we do.

Peter Drucker

If you had told me 10 years ago that I would be doing expert witness work 10 years in the future I would not have believed you.  Read Drucker’s quote above and read it again.  Let these words sink in, especially the wisdom about knowing how and when to change the work you do.  I’ve changed the work I do multiple times in my life.  I’ll probably change again at some point in the future.  Don’t fool yourself.  Change of this nature is not easy but it will become increasingly necessary for your career.

Statin-Exercise Combo Lowers Mortality Risk

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Patients who took statins and were physically fit had as much as a 70% reduction in the risk of dying during the follow-up period as compared with the least physically fit patients who were taking statins, according to Peter Kokkinos, PhD, of George Washington University in Washington, and colleagues.

Physical fitness also had an independent effect on mortality risk among patients who were not taking statins, reducing the likelihood of death during follow-up by as much as 47%, they reported online in The Lancet.

via Statin-Exercise Combo Lowers Mortality Risk.

I really need to get the gym more often.