Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.health From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: health Wed, May 13 1992 Date: Wed, 13 May 92 05:40:09 EDT Message-ID: 05-13 0000 DECISIONLINE: Health USA TODAY Update May 13, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network SAY `I DO' AND QUIT THE GYM: Both men and women slack off exercise when they marry, suggests research presented Tuesday at the International Conference on Physical Activity, Fitness and Health. Researchers found a significant drop-off in exercise for men and women ages 18-30. For women it was most often linked to pregnancy, with sharp cutbacks; for men, the decrease was more gradual. PROSTATE SURGERY RECOMMENDED: None of the non-surgical treatments for enlarged prostate glands appear to work as well as surgery for relieving symptoms, experts said Tuesday. But they do work well if symptoms are mild, and they have fewer side effects than surgery, a panel of doctors said at an American Urological Association meeting. Guidlines for treating prostatic hyperplasia are due out in July. (For more, see special Prostate package below.) `MELTDOWN' IN HEALTH CARE SEEN: A continued explosion in costs will result in a "meltdown" of the U.S. health-care system in three years, Dr. George Lundberg, editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association said Tuesday. Annual spending on health care is doubling every five years and could hit $1.4 trillion by 1996, "which is impossible to tolerate economically," says Lundberg. STILL TOO MANY C-SECTIONS: The number of Caesarean deliveries fell by 8% in 1990 vs. 1988, but the number is still much too high, according to a report Tuesday by the Public Citizen Health Research Group. It estimated that $1.3 billion was spent on "nearly 480,000 unnecessary C-section deliveries" in 1990. The report also questioned whether higher fees for C-sections may be a motivation for some doctors. EAT FAST AND LIGHT: Fast-food chains have cleaned up their nutrition act in recent years, offering more grilled-chicken sandwiches, salads, light dressings, carrot sticks, fat-free muffins, frozen yogurt and lower-fat milk. Some recent reports indicate that sales of the healthy stuff may not be sizzling. But new foods continue. Burger King is working with Weight Watchers on a lighter menu. EDUCATION IS NEEDED: Some experts think getting people to eat healthier at fast food joints is just a matter of educating the public. "For 30 years, the public has learned fast food equals junk food," says Michael Jacobson, author of The Completely Updated and Revised Fast-Food Guide. "They are going to have to learn there are a few healthy products. It's going to take a while." DRUGS LEAD TO E.R. VISITS: The number of emergency room visits brought on by drug abuse rose 4% from the second quarter to the third quarter of 1991, the National Institute on Drug Abuse said Tuesday. Heroin emergencies alone were up 10%; cocaine-related visits rose 13%. Health and Human Services Secretary Louis W. Sullivan authorized $19 million for expansion of treatment programs. FRENCH KISSING PASSES TEST: An Italian commission has cleared French kissing as a transmitter of AIDS. Italy ordered an inquiry last March to determine whether people should be warned about a possible link between AIDS and deep kissing. The ruling said there is a slight possibility it could be transmitted if both partners had bleeding wounds in their mouths. AIDS PREVENTION PLAN PROPOSED: Washington, D.C., is considering adopting one of most comprehensive AIDS prevention plans of any major city. Citing a "public health emergency," Mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly Tuesday proposed needle exchanges for intravenous drug users and condoms for high school students and jail and prison inmates. Students would get counseling on AIDS and condoms from school nurses. HIV PATIENTS HAVE MAJOR NEEDS: At least one third of HIV-infected hospital patients don't yet have what the government calls AIDS. It's a myth that only those with AIDS - the last stage of illness caused by the human immune deficiency virus - have major health care needs, says Dennis Andrulis, of the National Public Health and Hospital Institute. Many more with HIV "are very ill, and some are dying," he says. ALLERGY ALMANAC AVAILABLE: The Allergy Almanac is a free booklet of information available from the Foundation for Allergy Care & Treatment. Anyone wishing to receive a copy can write to F.A.C.T., P.O. Box 13367, Silver Spring, Md. 20911. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON PROSTATE: MOST OLDER MEN GET BPH: Symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) include frequent urination, especially at night, urgency and a weak stream. It affects half of men in their 60s and up to 90% in their 70s and 80s. Standard surgery is transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP); 350,000 are done each year. SIDE EFFECTS CAN BE HARSH: While the surgical technique relieves the symptoms, side effects include temporary bladder leakage and permanent "dry" orgasms, says Dr. John McConnell of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. A survey of men with BPH shows they prefer treatment with fewer side effects, but will opt for TURP if symptoms are bad enough. ALPHA DRUGS ARE USED: Studies on alternatives show they work best in men with mild symptoms and have only minor differences from each other in success. Alpha blocker drugs are the most preferred alternative, but cause dizziness, fatigue. Balloon dilation works well for two years in moderately enlarged prostates. Heat probes used to shrink the gland are experimental, but show similar moderate success. (End of package.) Health Editor: Ed Kelleher. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM