Archive for the ‘News’ Category

Carbohydrates and Your Blood Sugar | Type 2 Diabetes

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

If you have type 2 diabetes and you’re not taking insulin you should be concerned and focused on counting your carbohydrates. It’s a skill and technique that will ultimately help you plan your diet and manage your condition. Being able to determine sugar and carbohydrate levels in the foods you eat allows you to spread them throughout the day. Ultimately this will reduce and hopefully prevent high blood sugar after meals. It will also give you the flexibility to eat what you want while also offering you the sense of control and confidence with managing your type 2 diabetes.

But what is carbohydrate counting? It involves adding the amount of carbohydrates in your food after eating. It’s important because it affects your blood sugar more than any other nutrient. Foods like, fruits and vegetables, milk and yogurt, bread, cereals, potatoes, corn, and candy and cakes all contain carbohydrates. Foods that contain sugar have more total carbohydrates per serving than those with just starch, like potatoes and corn.

One of the better ways to learn how to count carbohydrates is to speak to a registered dietician or your diabetes doctor. He or she can help you plan the amount your body can take in for each meal, and they can also help you with what snacks you can eat. In general though, each standard serving size should have 15 grams of carbohydrates.

Here is an example: A breakfast of two eggs, one cup of milk, one slice of toast, and two teaspoons of margarine contains thirty carbohydrates. Zero in the eggs and margarine, fifteen in the milk and fifteen in the toast.

Type 2 diabetes treatments are one of the research studies we’ve been working on here in the Orlando, Florida area. Some of our investigational treatments have shown promising results, but we need to do additional research studies to test investigational methods that may help us understand your condition. If you are near our diabetes Orlando center, or the area surrounding, please call us at 386.310.1334

The Risk Factors for Shingles

Friday, August 27th, 2010

Shingles, or herpes zoster, is a painful affliction for millions of Americans every year. Unfortunately, there is no cure for the disease at this point, but ongoing shingles vaccine trials hopes to deliver a solution in the not-to-distant future.

Shingles has a very defined list of risk factors. Leading the list is a bout of chickenpox. The chickenpox virus is the cause of shingles, so it is the definitive risk factor. Here are a few other subordinate risk factors.

• Being over the age of 50.
• Having cancer or being treated for cancer.
• Experiencing trauma or stress.
• Possessing a weakened immune system due to another affliction, usually a chronic disease such as diabetes.

As you can see, most of these risk factors are associated with a compromised immune system. Shingles is an opportunistic disease associated with the nervous system, therefore even psychological stress can be a trigger for a shingles episode. If you are at risk for shingles, it would be wise to consult your primary healthcare practitioner about steps you can take to prevent shingles.

H1N1 Influenza Pandemic Officially Over

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

Earlier this month the World Health Organization announced that the H1N1 flu (swine flu) worldwide epidemic is over. The H1N1 pandemic was surprisingly mild compared to previous pandemics. Although it killed approximately 18,000 people worldwide, the flu’s fatality rate was only comparable to that of seasonal flu. Part of the reason for H1N1’s relative mildness was attributed to swift action by world governments and a very effective influenza vaccine.

H1N1 originally broke out in Veracruz, Mexico, in spring 2009. By June it was declared a pandemic by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Spread by droplets expelled by the infected subject, the influenza virus followed typical transmission routes for seasonal flu. The flu’s symptoms include fever, cough, headache, and fatigue.

What made H1N1 unusual were its victims. While the elderly and adults with compromised immune systems were at higher risk to catch the disease, the influenza was particularly fatal to children with chronic health problems. In fact, it was far more lethal to that segment than seasonal flu.

Though the flu vaccine recommended for the 2010 flu season contains the H1N1 vaccine, WHO’s recent announcement should allay fears of an H1N1 influenza pandemic like that of last season.

New Drug Shows Promise Against Hepatitis C | Industry News Bought to you by Avail Clinical Research

Friday, August 20th, 2010

Heartening news for Hepatitis C sufferers: a new antiviral compound doubled the cure rate in a recently conducted small Hep C trials Orlando. The compound, boceprevir, was administered in conjunction with the standard treatment regimen of interferon and ribavirin. The addition of boceprevir dramatically boosted the cure rate from 38 percent to 75 percent.

Boceprevir hinders the Hep C virus’ ability to replicate by attacking its protease enzyme. The same approach has been used effectively to combat the HIV virus. Even more heartening is this study was conducted on the Hepatitis C genotype 1, typically the strain most resistant to standard treatment. The boceprevir treatment did result in a significantly higher rate of anemia and altered sense of taste among its subjects compared to those receiving the standard treatment regimen. Boceprevir will now move to larger-scale Phase 3 clinical trials by Merck, its patent holder.

Hep C is a serious issue for its 170 million sufferers worldwide. This chronic liver disease can lead to a host of problems, including, eventually, liver cancer. It is transmitted through blood-to-blood contact.

By participating in Hep C trials Orlando, and in other cities nationwide, you can help in the fight against this debilitating disease, and at most, you could be cured.

Shingles Trials | What Is Shingles?

Friday, August 13th, 2010

Shingles, or herpes zoster, is a viral disease caused by an initial infection of the varicella zoster virus—which also causes chickenpox. After a childhood (usually) bout of chickenpox, the virus lies dormant in the nerve ganglia only to reappear much later in life as a shingles outbreak. There is an effective live vaccine for shingles, with more yet to go through clinical shingles trials for eventual FDA approval.

Shingles is characterized by a painful skin rash. This red rash is identified by pustules that eventually pop and then heal. The rash throbs painfully and can be accompanied by debilitating discomfort. The irritation only usually lasts for a week, but causes significant physical distress. To be sure, an episode of shingles impacts daily life and habits very negatively.

What makes a correct shingles diagnoses so difficult is, as a skin outbreak, it can resemble a number of simple skin infections, including herpes simplex. And by the time a visual diagnosis is made, the disease is already at its most painful. At this point, topical ointments and nerve blockers can be effective in relieving most discomfort.

Shingles affects those over age sixty disproportionately, but is a threat to anyone who has had chickenpox and suffers from a compromised immune system. If you think you are at risk for shingles, check with your healthcare professional to see if you might be a good candidate for the shingles vaccine.

FDA Approves 2010-11 Flu Vaccine for Influenza Trials

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

The H1NI influenza virus made the 2009-10 flu season particularly dangerous. Fortunately, swift action by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) and healthcare practitioners nationwide prevented what could have been a far more serious outbreak. This season, according to the CDCP, we should be spared as well, through a combination of a better influenza vaccine and a milder climate overall.

The new flu vaccine has cleared the last phase of influenza trials and has now been approved for distribution. The 2010-11 vaccine contains the H1NI vaccine in addition to two seasonal flu vaccines. Only one vaccine will needed to protect against the anticipated strains for this season.

The CDCP has also changed its guidelines. Now it recommends the flu vaccine for anyone over the age of six months, and that most kids up to age eight should receive two doses of the vaccine.

The CDCP estimates that between five and twenty percent of all Americans catch the influenza virus every year. This leads to approximately 36,000 deaths per year. The young and elderly are particularly at risk for flu-related fatality. Annual vaccinations are the key component to fighting the spread of this deadly infection.

New Obesity Numbers Bode Ill for Fight Against Diabetes

Thursday, August 5th, 2010

A recent New York Times article cites an alarming new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey that found the country’s obesity rate to be growing at a sobering rate. Americans’ waistlines in the South in particular are bulging ever outward. Given the established causal link between obesity and diabetes, this is also disturbing for our ongoing fight against diabetes. There’s no time like the present to consider participating in a diabetes trial Orlando. New diabetes treatments may help us all understand the condition.

The survey found an obesity rate exceeding thirty percent in nine states (Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia, with Mississippi topping all), where three years ago, only three states earned that distinction. That translates to almost three million more obese Americans than in 2007, bringing the total number to right around 73 million. Taking into account this survey was self-reported over the phone, odds are this number is probably a little light. (“Obese” as defined by the CDCP would translate to a woman 5’4” and 174lbs. or a man 5’10” and 209lbs.) There is small reason to think these numbers won’t worsen in the next three years.

Once again, we’re reminded just how serious the growing threat of both obesity and diabetes is to Americans (and by extension, the American healthcare system).

Hep C Trials Orlando: The Hepatitis C Basics

Wednesday, August 4th, 2010

Hepatitis C is, strictly speaking, an inflammation of the liver. More specifically, it is an inflammation of the liver caused by the Hepatitis C virus, one of the five different variants of the Hepatitis virus. Today there are a number of Hep C Trials Orlando at Avail Clinical Research that can help you.

Hep C is transmitted through blood-to-blood contact. One transmission channel is intravenous drug use (shared needles), while others include improperly sterilized medical and tattoo instruments, and accidental “needle sticks” sustained while administering emergency first aid. Transmission through sexual intercourse is now thought to be very, very rare.

Hepatitis C can be asymptomatic in the early stages of infection, which, unfortunately, is the optimal time to effect a cure. If detected and treated in its acute phase (within six months of infection), the cure rate is around 90 percent. Chronic Hep C typically progressively damages the liver, from fibrosis through cirrhosis, and sometimes culminating in liver failure.

Hep C is currently treated with a combination of Pegylated interferon-alpha-2a or Pegylated interferon-alpha-2b and ribavirin for at least six months. Treatment is very rigorous due to adverse drug reactions, which can range from flu-like symptoms to heart problems. The length of the treatment takes a psychological toll and it is often recommended that patients under treatment seek counseling. Unsurprisingly, many patients abandon Hep C treatment before its suggested conclusion.

Hep C is a very serious disease, and the medical community expects the number of Hep C cases identified to rise substantially in the very near future. But you can help. If you happen to suffer from Hepatitis C and live in Florida and are interested in participating in one of our new Hep C treatment trials, please give us a call at 386.310.1334, or find more information by typing “Hep C Trials Orlando” into your search engine.

Hepatitis C and Depression

Friday, July 30th, 2010

Living with a chronic disease like Hepatitis C can lead to periodic bouts of depression. The strain it puts on your daily regimen is not only physical but psychological. Drug treatments last close to a year, and the physical side effects are considerable. In fact, a large percentage of patients on a treatment program never finish due to its arduous nature.

Some research suggests that twenty to forty percent of patients under treatment for Hep C suffer chemically-induced depression (from the antivirals used to eliminate the disease). Add to that number those who become clinically depressed as a result of living with the disease, and you can see what a danger depression can be to Hep C sufferers.

If you have Hep C and are about to embark on drug treatment (typically the antivirals peginterferon-alfa and ribavirin), it’s important to discuss with your healthcare professional the possibility of clinical depression. He or she may suggest counseling or anti-depressants (or both) in the early stages as a preventative measure. If you already suffer from depression, it’s unwise to pursue drug treatment until your depression is controlled.

We are conducting ongoing Hep C studies in our Florida facilities on new drug treatments that we hope pose a smaller risk for depression, If you would like to learn more, please call us or type “Hep C studies Orlando” into your search engine.

Hep C Trials Need Your Participation

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

It is estimated that between 10,000 and 20,000 Americans will die this year from Hepatitis C. Worldwide, this infectious liver disease impacts the lives of 200 million people. Despite the organized efforts of the healthcare community, the cure rate for Hepatitis C is still only fifty percent.

Certainly, the fight against Hep C has taken a turn for the better in recent years. The foremost reason is that diagnosing for the disease has become quicker, easier, and surer. A new blood test cuts down the identification of Hepatitis C to a mere twenty minutes where before it took several hours. Indeed, it’s believed that a simple mouth swab test is on the horizon.

Complicating Hep C research is the fact that only humans and chimpanzees can be infected with the disease (though there has been headway in finding ways to infect other test animals, such as mice). New Hep C drugs and treatments can take longer to reach the clinical trial stage for this very reason. Researchers are in need of a steady stream of human volunteers to develop these exciting new therapies.

That’s where you can help. If you happen to suffer from Hepatitis C and live in Florida and are interested in participating in one of our Hep C studies, please give us a call, or find more information by typing “Hep C Trials Orlando” into your search engine.