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Experts Urge Increased Education About Diabetes During Pregnancy
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Diabetes Association next month plan to launch a joint campaign designed to raise awareness about pregnancy-related risks from diabetes, USA Today reports. An increasing number of women are either beginning pregnancies with existing Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes -- known as pre-gestational diabetes -- or developing gestational diabetes, according to Sue Kirkman, vice president of clinical affairs for ADA. Kirkman said that diabetes increases the risk for miscarriage, delivery complications, maternal health problems and birth defects. However, these risks can be reduced through preconception counseling, controlling blood sugar and maintaining a healthy weight, she said. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost five of every 1,000 women ages 18 to 44 have diabetes. The majority of these women have Type 2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity, USA Today reports. Denise Charron-Prochownik, an associate professor of health promotion at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center School of Nursing and Graduate School of Public Health, said that pre-conception education for women with existing diabetes should begin as early as age 13 but that "it"s not happening."Helain Landy, chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Georgetown University Hospital, said that gestational diabetes occurs in about 4% of pregnant women. Landy said, "From an epidemiological standpoint, that is a lot." Florence Brown, co-director of the Joslin Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center"s Diabetes and Pregnancy Program, said that many women with gestational diabetes are unaware that they are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease later in life and have children who develop diabetes (Brophy Marcus, USA Today, 7/6).

PPD Confirms Takeda Receives FDA Complete Response For Alogliptin
PPD, Inc. (NASDAQ: PPDI) today announced that Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited issued a news release reporting that Takeda Global Research & Development Center, Inc., its wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, has received a complete response letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding its new drug application (NDA) for alogliptin.
News of the day
Corrie's Vera Duckworth Meets Health Secretary Andy Burnham MP To Discuss Living With COPD, UK
British Lung Foundation celebrity ambassador and ex Coronation Street actress Liz Dawn met Health Secretary Andy Burnham MP at the NHS Innovations Expo. Liz encouraged Andy Burnham MP to have a lung test and talked to him about living with the lung disease COPD. Health minister Lord Darzi and David Nicholson, Chief Executive of the NHS, also met with Liz and were given a lung test by a BLF specialist nurse.
Cardiovascular

GERD Patient Satisfaction Hinges On Medication Type And Physician Bedside Manner

Patient satisfaction with their medications and the quality of interactions with their doctor reflect the success of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) therapy, according to a new study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute. "Although patient satisfaction is a complex issue, improvements in recognition of GERD can improve management of the disease as well as patient satisfaction with their care and treatment," said Peter Bytzer, MD, PhD, of Copenhagen University and lead author of the study. "Patient satisfaction can be influenced by a number of factors including treatment regimen, general level of well-being, the "bedside manner" of the physician, the patient"s expectations and the quality of patient/physician communication." The researchers found that patients who were given prescriptions for proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) tended to be more satisfied than those given H2-receptor antagonists. Partial responders were likely to be more dissatisfied than patients whose symptoms were fully resolved. In addition, a decrease in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was associated with greater dissatisfaction. In fact, decreasing HRQoL was correlated with decreasing satisfaction with medical care in general. Patients were more likely to be satisfied if they were taken seriously by their physician and if their symptoms were investigated. They were also more likely to be satisfied if the patient/physician consultation was interactive. "Of the various factors influencing patient satisfaction, the quality of patient/physician communication is probably the most amenable to improvement. This can be done by using validated questionnaires to help physicians identify more effectively which symptoms patients have, and the impact of these symptoms on the patient"s well-being," added Dr. Bytzer. Researchers reviewed the possible reasons why patients were dissatisfied with the way their disease is managed. Studies published between 1970 and 2007 were identified from PubMed, EMBASE and the author"s existing database; 11 studies were found to be appropriate for use in this review. A key strength of this review was the fact that the searches identified a wide range of studies with varying methodologies. Typically characterized by frequent or troublesome heartburn and/or acid regurgitation, GERD is a chronic, painful condition that impairs HRQoL. GERD may result in disturbed sleep, reduced productivity at work and impaired daily activities. Despite the efficacy of PPIs as therapeutics for patients with GERD, a number of studies have shown that a proportion of patients with the disease are not satisfied with their treatment. In fact, population-based surveys show that at least one-third of individuals taking medication for GERD are not satisfied with their treatment. This is particularly true for those taking over-the-counter medicines to relieve symptoms. Alissa J. Cruz American Gastroenterological Association


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