HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: bobk@csn.org (Bob Kinne)
Subject: Re: Is baloon angioplasty safe?
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 12:07:31 GMT

In article <1992Apr6.153046.17151@cbfsb.cb.att.com> agilbert@cbnewsg.cb.att.com (ann.gilbert) writes:
>
>
>	I might have the term incorrect for this procedure. Its
>the one that is supposed to open arteries. 
>	Does anyone know if this is a safe procedure for a 79 year
>old woman? Is it effective? She has had an echo cardiogram and her 
>doctor recommended the procedure.
>
There isn't a single simple answer to your specific question.
If her health is generally good, and her heart is sound, and
if the condition of the artery walls is good, the risk is
small.  A small fraction (less than 2-3%) of these procedures
result in problems that require immediate emergency bypass
surgery.  A smaller fraction (less than 1%) result in
fatality.  

A different risk is that roughly 1/3 of angioplasties reclose
within 3-6 months, requiring followup (usually another
angioplasty).

There are alternative procedures (arthrectomy, laser) that
have the same result of clearing arterial blockage.  Her
cardiologist no doubt has considered all the alternatives, 
including doing nothing, before recommending the procedure.
It is customary to do treadmill stress tests, thallium
imaging, and angiograms before proceeding.  The results of
these are successively more clear-cut, and often all three are
used to diagnose the arterial blockage before scheduling an
angioplasty.
From: geb@dsl.pitt.edu (gordon e. banks)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Anesthetic Alopecia Areata and Headaches
Date: 14 Apr 92 20:57:34 GMT
Organization: Decision Systems Laboratory, Univ. of Pittsburgh, PA.

In article <17658.29E840B0@stjhmc.fidonet.org> Nicholas.Capozzoli@f63.n161.z1.fidonet.org (Nicholas Capozzoli) writes:
>I am posting this request for diagnostic help.
>
>I have a 30yo male patient with a 2 year history of left occipital headaches, 
>dizziness, tremors, diaphoresis, and other signs of dysautonomia. Some of the 
>stuff suggests an anxiety disorder, and there is a question of disability 
>benefits...
>
>The thing that baffles me is that the patient has had three patches of 
>alopecia areata that are numb to pinprick sense. He denies hair pulling 
>habits.
>
Isn't alopecia areata where *all* the hair falls out, including eyebrows?
I'm no dermatologist, but that's how I remember it.  
Do the areas of alopecia fall within one dermatome, either for nerve
or root?  The diaphoresis is the only symptom you mention that 
I would consider a sign of dysautonomia, unless the dizziness was
from postural hypotension, which should be easily determined.
Were there others?  What kind of tremor, exactly, and where?
Better description of dizziness, might help.


-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "I have given you an argument; I am not obliged
geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  to supply you with an understanding." -S.Johnson
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: ems@Apple.COM (Mike Smith)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: White board markers, allergic reaction, & colds
Date: 10 Apr 92 20:38:04 GMT
Organization: Apple Computer Inc., Cupertino, CA

Anyone care for a research idea?  Try this one on for size:

I have developed an allergy to white board markers.  The night following
exposure to the dust from erasing, I get very itchy/burning eyes and
wakeup (typically at about 4am) with the need to wash my (very red) eyes.

A simple water wash makes things bearable again, but it doesn't 
completely resolve until the following day.

Simple allergy, right?

Maybe not ... several other folks in my building have had greater 
that usual number of colds and sinus problems since white boards
have become a common fixture in all conference rooms and cubbies....
I often get a minor cold after several exposures.

Could there be a (modestly strong) link between white board dust and
greater tendency to get a cold?

The brands of markers in use are: Sanford EXPO dry erase marker and
Claridge Products & Equipment, Inc. LCS Dry Removal Marker.

If someone is in need of a research project for a thesis, this would
be an interesting one to try (especially if your prof. uses a white board...)



-- 
E. Michael Smith  ems@apple.COM

"Nothing can keep an argument going like two persons who aren't
sure what they're arguing about."   O.A.Battista
From: sucram@cat.de (Marcus Halbe)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: search: article in Lancet
Date: 17 Apr 92 16:19:38 GMT
Organization: C.A.T. Kommunikations-System

Hello,

I'd appreciate some help:
a friend of mine is a doctor, and he's looking for a specific
article in one of the elder Lancets.
The article (get a hold of this!) is about a research that
there is a significant difference in the healing of chirugical (?)
operations if the doctor prays for his patients before the operation,
respectively there are supposed to be less complications.

Now, I'm only doing this friend a favor, and he insists this was
no joke (sorry if he pulled my leg so hard it came off in his hand)...

But, anyhow, who knows...actually, if there *is* such an article, I
believe it would seriously pique my interest...

Thanx for any information,

Greetings,
Marcus.

---
  Marcus Halbe (sucram@cat.de)                     
  C.A.T. Kommunikations-System, Frankfurt, Germany
From: amigan@cup.portal.com (R Michael Medwid)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Estrogen/Progestin therapy
Date: Sun, 12 Apr 92 20:33:16 PDT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Distribution: na
  <1992Apr10.192521.10161@pegasus.com>

You may also want to check out estrogens patches.  These deliver 
17 beta estradiol directly to the bloodstread transdermally..
no equine proteins.  One patch on the market was recently given
an indication for prevention of osteoporosis.  Ask your doctor.  

-Mike
From: george@ibmpcug.co.uk (Michael Veltman)
Newsgroups: sci.med,connect.audit
Subject: Re: Units?
Date: 10 Apr 92 19:21:58 GMT
Organization: The IBM PC User Group, UK.


I'm not sure just who arbitrates the IU's but they are usually 
refer to some measure of potency.

Penicillin was originally measured in units, 600mg of benzylpenicillin
is one million units.

Insulin is still measured in units, most people require 20 to 40 units
per day.  (Healthy people produce a similar amount in their pancreas)

Not all drugs have a unit measurement.

United states pharmacopea is a US standard of measure  for generic
drugs.  It need not exactly conform with other measures.

For example, Thiopentone comes stabilised with 6% citrate, which is
included in the British pharmacpea, but not in the US pharmacopea,
thus a 6% discrepancy in potency.

I believe units are used more for complex molecules which would be 
inconvient to measure in grams or milligrams, Insulin certainly 
seems to fit this bill quite well.

Yours,

Michael

-- 
Automatic Disclaimer:
The views expressed above are those of the author alone and may not
represent the views of the IBM PC User Group.
-- 
The above opinion is not that of the IBMPCUG.
In fact, it may not be my opinion, either.

Michael Veltman         George@ibmpcug.co.uk
From: laura@TASVAX.NSWSES.NAVY.MIL
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Brainless legal decisions about newborns.
Date: 7 Apr 92 20:50:03 GMT
Article-I.D.: suned1.19255
Reply-To: laura@TASVAX.NSWSES.NAVY.MIL
Organization: Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division

In article <14230@pitt.UUCP>, geb@dsl.pitt.edu (gordon e. banks) writes:

>the main argument against (or at least my perception of it)
>is that this practice would be the first instance of actually
>killing something in order to get organs for transplant.

What is the status of a brain dead patient?  Is it alright to take out
organs?  Can't these babies be classified as brain dead?  I thought 
brain dead pretty much meant "dead".  Could it really be classified as
"killing something in order to get organs"?

Laura  McGovern
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
laura@tasvax.nswses.navy.mil		|   Naval Surface Warfare Center
(Baby due in August - our first!)	|   Port Hueneme, CA 
* My husband doesn't always share my opinions, so why should my employer? *
From: georgec@eng.umd.edu (George B. Clark)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Get Prescription Drugs Without Prescription - Mail Order
Date: 10 Apr 92 22:17:26 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: College of Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park


Progressive thinkers, who prefer to self-diagnose their medication
needs in lieu of consulting a medical doctor, may be unaware they
can purchase prescription drugs by mailorder without a prescription.

Either of these two distributors will be more than happy to mail
you their catalog of mailorder drugs:

InHome Health Services                          INTERLAB
Box 3112                                        BCM Box 5890
CH-2800 Delemont                                WCIN 3XX
Switzerland                                     England

In addition, they have available a variety of drugs that have yet
to be approved for any use in the United States.



                           Recommended Drugs

Dilantin should be given to your children in 50mg-100mg doses, twice
per day. It takes effect within an hour. In thousands of studied cases,
it has been shown to increase concentration, intelligence, learning
ability, memory, and verbal performance.

Piracetam was the first medication to be specifically labeled nootropic,
i.e. brain enhancing. It improves alertness, attention span, learning,
and memory. It also promotes the flow of information between right and
left hemispheres of the brain, inducing flashes of creativity. It is
non-toxic, non-addictive, and non-expensive. It is available only by
mailorder from Europe. The usual dose of Piracetam is 2,400mg-4,800mg
per day taken in three divided doses. It takes effect within 30 to
60 minutes.

Hydergine has been shown in study after study to increase intelligence
in such areas as learning, memory, and recall. It can even reverse
brain damage. In spite of these studies, hydergine is still scorned
by most American physicians.

Eldepryl should be taken in doses of two 5mg tablets per week. It will
preserve those brain cells that make dopamine. Since a decrease in
dopamine production with age is responsible for loss of mental acuity
with age, taking Eldepryl will ensure you retain your motor
coordination, immune functioning, motivation, insulin regulation,
physical energy, thinking ability, short-trem memory, and sexual
desire. (Dopamine levels in your body drop by 13% per decade, making
it the most rapidly aging process in our brains.) In addition, studies
have shown that rats fed Eldepryl live 210% longer, suggesting it may
have life-extending properties for people, as well.


Reference

Health & Healing
Editor: Julian Whitaker, M.D.
        graduate of Emory University Medical School.

Co-editor: Jane Heimlich, medical journalist,
           and wife of Henry Heimlich, M.D., who invented
           the Heimlich Maneuver.

Readers who want to subscribe to this periodical may do so by contacting
the publisher:

Phillips Publishing, Inc.
7811 Montrose Road
Potomac, MD 20854

(301) 424-3700
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: suhre@meltami.dsd.trw.com (Maurice E. Suhre)
Subject: Re: Why allergies come in "attacks"?
Organization: TRW, INC.
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 23:11:31 GMT

In article <1992Apr13.043519.11649@athena.cs.uga.edu> mcovingt@athena.cs.uga.edu (Michael A. Covington) writes:
>One handy hint for allergy sufferers: Look for _all_ your allergens, not
>just pollen.  The body can only withstand a certain amount of "allergic
>load" before developing symptoms.  

I graduated in 1962 and moved to Kansas.  I had to find an allergist
there.  I got complete allergy testing (I only got 9 tests at Illinois
and was allergic to ragweed, giant ragweed, and cockleburr pollens).
The Kansas testing showed a list of food allergies (tomatoes, corn, and
bourbon come to mind).  I told the doctor that I had eaten lots of
these things and never had a symptoms.  He advised me that the food
allergies were slight.  He recommended that I eat not more than one of
the items per meal.

The phemonemon of weather matters.  When it rains, that tends to wash
the air and beat the pollen off the plants.  And the allergy sufferers
are better for a few days.  Then the renewed growth from the rain causes
the pollens to be even worse than usual.  And so are the allergy
sufferers :-(

-- 
Maurice Suhre
suhre@trwrb.dsd.trw.com
Xref: sparky sci.med:8561 sci.psychology:2366
From: thomas@mvac23.UUCP (Thomas Lapp)
Newsgroups: sci.med,sci.psychology
Subject: Re: Bernie S. Siegel
Date: 12 Apr 92 16:05:26 GMT
Article-I.D.: mvac23.613.UUL1.3#5131
Organization: MultiVac23, Newark, DE, U.S.A.

gaumondp@ERE.UMontreal.CA (Gaumond Pierre) writes:
> He claims that while under anesthesia, the unconscious mind remains "awake",
> that is, it can respond to the suggestion of the surgeon. For example, he cited 
> a case where a person having an organ transplant needed only 3 units of blood
> while about 200 units are usually needed. He said he suggested to the patient
> under anesthesia not to bleed.

200 Units for a transplant?  That sounds way too high.  20 maybe?

The power of the self is very strong and so I could see how it would
work in some patients.


                         - tom
--
internet     : mvac23!thomas@udel.edu  or  thomas%mvac23@udel.edu (home)
             : 4398613@mcimail.com (work)
OSI          : C=US/A=MCI/S=LAPP/D=ID=4398613
uucp         : {ucbvax,mcvax,uunet}!udel!mvac23!thomas
Location     : Newark, DE, USA
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: kmldorf@utdallas.edu (George Kimeldorf)
Subject: Re: O2 a "prescription-only" drug?  Why?
Organization: Univ. of Texas at Dallas
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 04:40:39 GMT

In article <34601@ttidca.TTI.COM> hollombe@polymath.tti.com (The Polymath) writes:
>In article <14355@pitt.UUCP> geb@dsl.pitt.edu (gordon e. banks) writes:
>}In article <1992Apr10.154558@ddxrus.enet.dec.com> fgz@ddxrus.enet.dec.com (Federico Genoese-Zerbi) writes:
>}>
>}>... Imagine my surprise
>}>when I found out that in Massachusetts you need a prescription to
>}>buy the stuff....
>}>
>}Tell them you are taking up welding.
>
>Indeed, I've always found this puzzling -- and a bit amusing.  I can
>purchase the same bottle of oxygen at my local welding supply, probably
>for much less money, that the local medical rental won't give me without a
>prescription.  Note that welder's oxygen isn't any less pure or more
>likely to be contaminated than the medical variety.  On the contrary,
>professional welders are very picky about the purity of such things for
>reasons having to do with both safety and quality of work.
>
>Likewise for aviator's oxygen.  Makes you wonder how the medical rentals
>stay in business. (-:
>
I found a similar situation for normal saline.  At the drugstore, it requires
a prescription and is expensive.  At the grocery store (table salt plus
distilled water), it is cheap and available to everybody.

Newsgroups: sci.med
From: kim@techbook.com (Kim Larsen)
Subject: Leg Aches
Reply-To: kim@techbook.com (Kim Larsen)
Organization: TECHbooks - Beaverton, Oregon - Public Access Unix
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 15:27:47 GMT

My right leg has been aching at the end of the day recently.  The pain
seems to start at the hip and travel down the outside of the leg, becoming
strongest in the calf.  Sometimes the pain in my hip is such that driving
home is uncomfortable and I have to shift positions frequently (and there
are a limited number of positions to be in when one is driving.)

Elevating my leg doesn't seem to help much, although getting in the hot
tub does.

Is this all part of being 33 and should I just stop whining about it?  I have
an appointment with my doctor for an unrelated problem; would this even
be worth mentioning?

  --Kim
-- 
kim@techbook.COM    Not affiliated with TECHbooks
----------------------------------------------------------
From: Mike.Fitzgerald@f432.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Mike Fitzgerald)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Sustained release
Date: 15 Apr 92 13:38:41 GMT
Organization: FidoNet node 1:109/432 - The Idea Link, Wheaton MD

I have a high metabolism rate, and take 2,000 mg of Theodur a day.
  It is supposed to last 12 hours, but actually lasts about 4 1/2
  (that is to say, I can sense decreased efficiency at about 4-5 hours
  since the previous dose).  Since I take it 4 times a day, I
  experience periodic discomfort.  What I really worry about is during
  the period of sleep ( 6 -  6 1/2 hr), because asthma seems to
  aggravate a sleep disorder.

  A few years ago I visited an allergist who put me on 2,000 mg per
  day of a 24-hour formulation, and I started having problems
  immediately.  I figure that a 24-hr med is not going to put as much
  medication into the system at any one time as the same dosage of a
  shorter-acting medium.  Does that make sense?

  Anyhow, I'm asking here - and I'm not asking for any precise dosages
  - given the 4 1/2 hr effective time for the 12-hr formulation, and
  that 2,000 mg per day taken in 4 doses is _almost_ adequate, would
  it follow that I should take more than 2,000 mg of the 24-hr
  formulation?

  Secondly, given the fast metabolism, would it make any sense to mix
  the formulations?  Say some 24-hr stuff before bedtime, but the 12-
  hr stuff during the day?

  And within the parameters of what I'm now taking - 2,000 mg of the
  12-hrs stuff (that only works 4 1/2 hrs), should I alter the
  individual doses so that I take a larger dose at bedtime than during
  the day?  In other words, is it possible that a larger dose would
  last a little longer so that I get enough oxygen in my 5th and 6th
  hours of sleep?

  I guess this all sounds pretty weird, but believe me, the sleep
  disorder has severely screwed up my life, and I'm serious about
  these questions on the relative effectiveness of sustained-release
  meds.

  Thanks,
  Mike

 

 

--  
Uucp: ...{gatech,ames,rutgers}!ncar!asuvax!stjhmc!109!432!Mike.Fitzgerald
Internet: Mike.Fitzgerald@f432.n109.z1.fidonet.org
From: pwageman@visual.spk.wa.us (Peggy Wageman)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Varicose Veins
Date: 13 Apr 92 08:42:00 GMT
Organization: The Visual Market Public Access Site - Spokane, WA

What are the usual treatments for varicose veins, and does the treatment
also eliminate spider veins?  Any imput on this would be appreciated.
Thanks,  Peggy Wageman

:
  :                 n
 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peggy Wageman 
pwageman@visual.spk.wa.us (or) visual!pwageman@tau-ceti.isc-br.com
From: The Dodger
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Dropsy, or general fluid buildup
Keywords: dropsy,cirrhosis
Date: 17 Apr 92 15:15:42 GMT
Originator: dajr@snark

My wife's aunt initially appeared to have cirrhosis of the liver.
Testing indicates it does not quite fit the profile, nor did the
hepatitis test show positive.  A family member mentioned that the
great-grandmother (aunt's mother) may have died of/contributed by
'dropsy'.  Dictionary is rather vague about whether this is a symptom
or an actual disease.  Any help would be appreciated.
*********************************************************************
* Don Anderson      Computer Resource Management, Inc. (CRM)        *
*                   NAS Sim. Support Facility, FAA Technical Center *
*                   Atlantic City Airport, NJ 08405                 *
* UUCP:  ...!rutgers!faatcrl!dajr    Internet:  dajr@faatcrl.UUCP   *
*   When the Supreme Court can "re-interpret" something as clearly  *
* written as the Second Amendment, do you think the others are safe?*
*********************************************************************
Xref: sparky sci.med:8669 misc.kids:12987
From: klier@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: sci.med,misc.kids
Subject: Re: Headaches in pre-pubescent girl
Date: 14 Apr 92 21:49:20 -0500
Organization: University of Northern Iowa

In article <DSR.92Apr14113453@chickpea.mitre.org>, dsr@chickpea.mitre.org (Douglas S. Rand) writes:
> In article <167C8758D.M20614@mwvm.mitre.org> M20614@mwvm.mitre.org (Hugh Pritchard) writes:
> 
>     My almost-10-yr-old daughter suffers from an occasional (every month or so)
>     headache (above her eye), leading within a few hours to vomiting.
> 
> I encourage you to get her to a neurologist,  but start with
> your GP and make sure other posibilities are ruled out.  
> 
> Clearly she will be unable to avoid her triggers if they are hormonal,
> but you may find other factors that are controllable in her life such
> as her diet.  There are many things they can do to prevent or reduce the
> severity of the migraines.

I concur.  I started having migraines about that age.  For me the
"cure" has been a small amount of caffeine every day.   Headaches that
are bad enough to make you barf are absolutely no fun at all....

Kay Klier  Biology Dept  UNI
From: geb@dsl.pitt.edu (gordon e. banks)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: selling organs
Date: 9 Apr 92 17:11:38 GMT
Organization: Decision Systems Laboratory, Univ. of Pittsburgh, PA.


I think one of the major problems with selling organs is the fear
that people will be murdered for their organs.  I suspect some of
this fear is justified.  FOr similar reasons the poor are not
allowed to sell their children.
-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "I have given you an argument; I am not obliged
geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  to supply you with an understanding." -S.Johnson
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: siproj@grayhawk.rent.com (D. R. Arthur)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: selling organs
Date: 12 Apr 92 14:25:14 GMT
Organization: grayhawk; Des Moines, Iowa public access unix; 515/277-6753

In article <14279@pitt.UUCP> geb@dsl.pitt.edu (gordon e. banks) writes:
>
>I think one of the major problems with selling organs is the fear
>that people will be murdered for their organs.  I suspect some of
>this fear is justified.  FOr similar reasons the poor are not
>allowed to sell their children.
>-- 
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "I have given you an argument; I am not obliged
>geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  to supply you with an understanding." -S.Johnson
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------


If you read some of the stories in Science Fiction, like 'The Long Arm of Gil
Hamilton' by Larry Niven and others, a prognosticated industry called 
Organlegging (like bootlegging ?) is a social problem and a way of punishment
for criminals at in 'Shockwave Rider' by John Brunner (please correct me)
are also scenerios to the point of political prisoners taken apart for an
elite class of overlords (i.e. Stan Ridgway music OverLords on the PARTYBALL CD)
and the like.

There is already likely a black stock market of certain body parts out thre
there now.  The question is who is doing this and what is really happening.

-- 
 /----------------------------/
 / Chronocide - Euthanasia    /   siproj@grayhawk.rent.com
 /             for boredom?   /   Is that European or African?
 /----------------------------/