RedScrubs
The Resource for Medical Professionals

Well, the mighty Jalepeno Pepper became an unwitting celebrity amongst bloggers this week as the latest suspect in a string of salmonella outbreaks across the U.S. Medicare and the U.S. health care system also continue to be the rage (sometimes quite literally) among a large number of the blogs I read this week.

I like to dig deep, however, and find those really good posts that others may have missed while perusing only the most topical headlines of the last several days. That said, I think you’ll enjoy this week’s Scrubby Award winners in the RedScrubs Weekly Wrap Up.

- Dr. Incognito

P.S. If you have a blog submission for the upcoming week please submit it here.

The objective of this recent study was to compare the lipid-lowering effects of lifestyle changes, red yeast rice and fish oil with a standard statin drug. The trial was randomized and contained 74 hypercholesterolemic clients. Participants were randomly assigned to an alternate treatment group (lifestyle changes, fish oil and red yeast rice) or to a statin group.

Body weight and BMI decreased in the alternate treatment group (ATG). Weight loss was 5% in the ATG group relative to .4% in the statin group. In the ATG, all lipid values except for HDL decreased, similar to the statin group. There was a statistically significant drop in the LDL fraction of the lipid values in the ATG cohort.

Plant sterols are known to decrease cholesterol and LDL when consumed in sufficient quantities. Since one is not likely to get this quantity from food alone, food companies have begun fortifying foods with plant sterols in an effort at lowering risk for heart disease in those who consume such fortified foods.

However, a recent study just published in the Journal of Lipid Research brings up a question as to whether this fortification is, in the long run, a good thing. Since the pathogenesis of aortic valve stenosis (AS) is characterized by an accumulation of LDL-derived cholesterol in the diseased valves and LDL particles also contain plant sterols, a study was designed to see what the relationship was between the plant sterols and aortic valve lesions.

While many therapies have been suggested to reduce cardiovascular disease risk, the potential effects of a comprehensive set of prevention activities aimed at cardiovascular mortality, morbidity and costs have never been evaluated.

Study design used a person-specific data set from a representative sample of the U.S. to determine the number and characteristics of an adult cohort who were candidates for different prevention activities related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk reduction. The Archimedes model was used to create a simulated population and a series of clinical trials that examined the effects on cardiovascular disease over the next 30 years of applying each prevention activity one by one or altogether.

Despite progress in the detection and treatment of high blood pressure in recent years, the problem remains epidemic in proportion and is a major cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide. In a study that involved 4680 adults in a cross sectional epidemiological study using an average of 8 blood pressure readings, the associations of dietary iron (total, heme and non-heme), supplemental iron and red meat intake with blood pressure readings were evaluated.

The relationship between iron and blood pressure is largely unknown. Iron is a redox active transition metal that might contribute to the production of oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species and inflammation – all variables that might impact blood pressure. Of particular interest was whether there is an effect difference between heme iron (found in red meat), or non-heme iron (found in high iron plant-based foods).

As is my weekly pleasure, I read through a lot of blogs and submissions this week and boy did they run the gamut; everything from organic jeans with healing properties, to mental model shifts (the latter of which is this week’s Scrubby Award Winner). Let us also not forget trailblazing surgeon Michael DeBakey. M.D., who passed away last Friday at age 99 - a truly remarkable man that achieved remarkable success throughout his long career.

Just remember to keep the submissions coming in or nominate one of your favorite bloggers for the week. The best blogger for the week gets a brand new, fashionable pair of red scrubs courtesy of NW Scrubs.

- Dr. Incognito