“About 80 per cent of dementia in Australia is caused by Alzheimer’s disease,” Dr Szoeke, says. “Early diagnosis is crucial if we are to begin managing this crisis more effectively.”

“By the time sufferers show symptoms of memory loss, severe irreversible brain cell death may have already occurred.”

“In Australia every week another 1000 people are being diagnosed with dementia. It is only by early diagnosis that treatment can be effective, preserving memory and brain.”

“With the initiation of the AIBL (Australian Imaging, Biomarker and Lifestyle) cluster study the combined institutions have potentially brought forward the detection of Alzheimer’s disease by 18 months,” Dr Szoeke says.

“Early detection can not only aid with future treatment options but it can also help with the planning and delivery of dementia care services in Australia.”

Released earlier this week, the Access Economics report also found that investment in dementia research is a key strategy for addressing the epidemic.

“There is no question that research is the key to reducing the burden of the disease on the community for the future and CSIRO and its partners will continue to seek effective, new approaches to prevention, diagnosis and treatment of these diseases,” Dr Szoeke says.

* The Australian Imaging, Biomarker and Lifestyle (AIBL) Flagship Study of Ageing is a collaboration initiated by the CSIRO Preventative Health National Research Flagship. AIBL is a joint activity between the Flagship, the University of Melbourne, Edith Cowan University – Western Australia, Neurosciences Australia, the Mental Health Research Institute of Victoria and the National Ageing Research Institute.

National Research Flagships

CSIRO initiated the National Research Flagships to provide science-based solutions in response to Australia’s major research challenges and opportunities. The nine Flagships form multidisciplinary teams with industry and the research community to deliver impact and benefits for Australia.

“Our studies confirm our hypothesis that Wild Blueberry-enriched diets significantly diminish arterial constriction in animal models by relaxing blood vessels, which may have implications on blood pressure regulation in both animal models with normal blood pressure and ones with high blood pressure. We also discovered that Wild Blueberries operate differently in the above animal models, but the end result is to aid in maintenance of a functional endothelium which may help prevent vascular complications associated with hypertension,” said Dr. Dorothy Klimis-Zacas, Ph.D., Professor of Clinical Nutrition and lead researcher from the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Maine, Orono.

According to Dr. Klimis-Zacas, controlling oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in the vascular environment is key to cardiovascular health. “We continue to focus our research on the role of diet in disease prevention. Our work with animals fed a diet of whole fruit, like Wild Blueberries, takes research one-step further beyond an examination of fruit extracts and their impact on cell cultures. If we can control oxidative stress and inflammation through diet, we could see a protective cardiovascular benefit. Recently, we have also come to appreciate that the role of Wild Blueberry bioactive compounds and their metabolites is not only accomplished through their antioxidant properties but also through their ability to act as regulators of signal transduction pathways and may also affect gene expression.”

Wild Blueberries and Antioxidants

According to Susan Davis, MS, RD, Nutrition Advisor to the Wild Blueberry Association of North America, Dr. Klimis-Zacas’ research contributes to a growing body of evidence that Wild Blueberries, as part of a well-balanced diet, have the potential to reduce chronic disease risk and promote healthy aging. “Studies like these make it clear that food truly can be medicine and that healthy eating is critical to a long and healthy life. Something as simple as having one cup of fruits and vegetables at every meal will pay large dividends in health,” said Davis. She noted that eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is key, but because USDA research findings using the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) measure ranked Wild Blueberries highest in antioxidant capacity per serving, she recommends eating Wild Blueberries every day. The study showed that a serving of Wild Blueberries had more antioxidant capacity than a serving of cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, apples, and even cultivated blueberries. (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2004; 52:4026-4037)

Antioxidants are important in terms of their ability to protect against oxidative cell damage that can lead to conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and heart disease – conditions also linked with chronic inflammation. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of blue-purple foods like Wild Blueberries may have the potential to help prevent these diseases.

Wild Blueberry Association of North America

The Wild Blueberry Association of North America is a trade association of growers and processors of Wild Blueberries from Mine and Canada, dedicated to bringing the Wild Blueberry health story and unique Wild Advantages to consumers and the trade worldwide. To learn more about Wild Blueberries visit wildblueberries.com.

The trims, though modest, are likely to spark opposition from lawmakers and interest groups seeking to shift to someone else cuts aimed at narrowing next year’s projected $1.2 trillion deficit.

“There are very few programs that don’t have a constituency and someone who is willing to stand up for them in Congress. We understand that,” a senior administration official said. But he added, “A lot of programs are implemented with the best of intentions. Not all of them are effective.”

Compared with the total $3.6 trillion spending plan for 2010, the proposed trims amount to one-half of 1%. Half the cuts would come from defense, especially Pentagon weapons programs already spelled out by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, such as trimming back the fleet of advanced F-22 fighter planes. The other half would come from programs that have strong support among progressive activists who cheered Mr. Obama’s election.

An administration official said that over 10 years, the total saved by the proposed program cuts would exceed $200 billion.

One of the biggest targets, the early childhood education program Even Start, had been on George W. Bush’s target list since 2004.

Other programs slated for elimination are the Education Department’s Jacob K. Javitz fellowship program and Christopher Columbus grants, the latter of which has a $1 million-a-year budget, 80% of which is overhead. Also gone would be an option to have the Earned Income Credit included in weekly or monthly paychecks, and the Justice Department’s State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, which compensated states for some of the costs of incarcerating illegal immigrants who commit crimes. A White House aide also cited the Long Range Radio Navigation System, a $35 million Coast Guard system made obsolete by global positioning systems.

“Some of these have been on the books north of 40 years,” said White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. “Inertia set in.”

The defense of many targeted programs has already begun. AIDS activists are fuming that an expansion of developing-world health programs will favor other health needs over HIV/AIDS.

Liberal think tanks are worried about a proposed partnership with state governments to root out fraud in joint state-federal programs such as Medicaid and children’s health insurance.

“There is a kind of ‘Nixon going to China’ aspect to this,” said Isabel Sawhill, co-director of the Center of Children and the Family at the liberal-leaning Brookings Institution. Just as only Republican President Richard Nixon could go to communist China in 1972 without being destroyed politically, only a popular Democrat could challenge liberal groups on sacrosanct programs that may have outlived their usefulness, she said.

“There’s a different perspective that exists and a different sense of commitment,” Mr. Emanuel said. “We bring a certain credibility.”

White House officials acknowledged the similarity between Mr. Obama’s 121 program cuts and consolidations and $17 billion savings and Mr. Bush’s 151 programs and $18 billion savings proposed for 2009. About 40% of the programs Mr. Obama has targeted for elimination or consolidation come directly off a similar list proposed by Mr. Bush over the past two budget seasons on Capitol Hill. Congress largely ignored those proposed cuts.

—Greg Hitt contributed to this article.

Write to Jonathan Weisman at jonathan.weisman@wsj.com

In addition to wasting billions of consumers’ dollars each year, health scams can lead patients to delay proper treatment and cause serious—and even fatal—injuries.

Since the 1990s, peddlers of fraudulent “health” products have used the Internet as a primary tool to hawk their wares. This has kept the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other agencies busier than ever in protecting the public from health fraud.

Since June 2008, FDA has warned consumers not to use bogus cancer-treatment products marketed online by 28 U.S. companies. These products include tablets, teas, tonics, salves, and creams sold under more than 180 different brand names.

And since December 2008, FDA has warned about more than 70 weight loss products containing unapproved pharmaceutical ingredients and chemicals not listed on the labels. Some of these ingredients present serious health risks when taken in dosages recommended on the product label.

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Common Types of Health Fraud

Cancer fraud: Among the many long-running cancer scams is the Hoxsey Cancer Treatment, an herbal regimen that has no proven benefit. Another scam involves products called black salves. These are offered with the false promise of drawing cancer out from the skin, but they are potentially corrosive to tissues.

Cancer requires individualized treatment by a specialized physician. No single device, remedy, or treatment can treat all types of cancer.

Patients looking to try an experimental cancer treatment should enroll in a legitimate clinical study. For more information, visit the National Cancer Institute Clinical Trials Web site www.cancer.gov/CLINICALTRIALS.

HIV/AIDS fraud: There are legitimate treatments that can help people with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). While early treatment of HIV can delay progression to AIDS, there is currently no cure for the disease.

Relying on unproven products and treatments can be dangerous and cause delays in seeking legitimate medical treatments that have been proven in clinical trials to improve quality of life.

Safe, reliable testing to determine whether you have HIV can be done by a medical professional.

To date, there is one FDA-approved testing system that allows individuals to test themselves at home. It is an HIV collection system that tests only for HIV-1, which is the cause of the majority of the world’s HIV infections.

The test, sold either as The Home Access HIV-1 Test System or The Home Access Express HIV-1 Test System, allows blood samples to be sent to a laboratory for testing with an FDA approved HIV-1 test.

Arthritis fraud: The U.S. Federal Trade Commission says consumers spend about $2 billion annually on unproven arthritis remedies that are not backed by adequate science.

For current, accurate information on arthritis treatments and alternative therapies, visit the Arthritis Foundation Web site at www.arthritis.org.

Fraudulent “diagnostic” tests: Doctors often use in vitro diagnostic (IVD) tests—in tandem with a physical examination and a medical history—to get a picture of a patient’s overall health.

These tests involve blood, urine, or other specimen samples taken from the body. They help diagnose or measure many conditions, including pregnancy, hepatitis, fertility, HIV, cholesterol, and blood sugar.

It’s rare that the use of only one of these tests can provide a meaningful diagnosis. You can buy IVD tests in stores, through the mail, or online. Many of these tests are regulated by FDA and sold legally. However, many others are marketed illegally and do not meet FDA’s regulatory requirements. These tests may not work or may be harmful.

To find out whether FDA has cleared or approved an IVD test for a particular purpose, call FDA at (888) 463-6332, or your local FDA district office www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html.

Bogus dietary supplements: The array of dietary supplements—including vitamins and minerals, amino acids, enzymes, herbs, animal extracts and others—has grown tremendously.

Although the benefits of some of these have been documented, the advantages of others are unproven. For example, claims that a supplement allows you to eat all you want and lose weight effortlessly are false.

Claims to treat diseases cause products to be considered drugs. Firms wanting to make such claims legally must follow FDA’s premarket New Drug Approval process to show that the products are safe and effective.

Weight loss fraud: Since 2003, FDA has worked with national and international partners to take hundreds of compliance actions against companies pushing bogus and misleading weight loss schemes.

FDA has recently enhanced efforts to stop sales and importation of—and to warn consumers about—weight loss products that contain dangerous prescription drug ingredients that are not listed on the label.

Sexual enhancement product fraud: FDA has warned consumers about numerous illegal drugs promoted and sold online for treating erectile dysfunction and for enhancing sexual performance.

Although they are marketed as “dietary supplements,” these products are really illegal drugs that contain potentially harmful ingredients that are not listed on the label.

Diabetes fraud: FDA has taken numerous compliance actions against sales of fraudulent diabetes “treatments” promoted with bogus claims such as

• “drop your blood sugar 50 points in 30 days”
• “eliminate insulin resistance”
• “prevent the development of type 2 diabetes”
• “reduce or eliminate the need for diabetes drugs or insulin”

Influenza (flu) scams: Federal agencies have come across contaminated, counterfeit, and subpotent influenza products.

FDA, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, has intercepted products claimed to be generic versions of the influenza drug Tamiflu, but which actually contained vitamin C and other substances not shown to be effective in treating or preventing influenza.

Don’t Be a Victim

It’s ultimately up to the buyer to beware of potential health fraud. Know of the potential for health fraud and learn about the common techniques and gimmicks that fraudulent marketers use to gain your attention and trust.

For instance, testimonials from people who say they have used the product may sound convincing, but these can easily be made up. These “testimonials” are not a substitute for scientific proof.

Also, never diagnose or treat yourself with questionable products. Always check with your health care professional before using new medical products.

Be wary of these red flags:

• claims that a product is a quick, effective cure-all or a diagnostic tool for a wide variety of ailments
• suggestions that a product can treat or cure diseases
• promotions using words such as “scientific breakthrough,” “miraculous cure,” “secret ingredient,” and “ancient remedy”
• text with impressive-sounding terms such as: “hunger stimulation point” and “thermogenesis” for a weight loss product
• undocumented case histories by consumers or doctors claiming amazing results
• limited availability and advance payment requirements
• promises of no-risk, money-back guarantees
• promises of an “easy” fix
• claims that the product is “natural” or “non-toxic” (which doesn’t necessarily mean safe)

Don’t be fooled by professional-looking Web sites. Avoid Web sites that fail to list the company’s name, physical address, phone number, or other contact information. For more tips for online buying, visit www.fda.gov/buyonlineguide/.

Report Problems

If you find a person or company that you think is illegally selling human drugs, animal drugs, medical devices, biological products, foods, dietary supplements, or cosmetics, report it to FDA.

To report problems with FDA-regulated products, visit www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html.

To report unlawful sales of medical products on the Internet, visit www.fda.gov/oc/buyonline/buyonlineform.htm.

This article appears on FDA’s Consumer Health Information Web page (www.fda.gov/consumer), which features the latest updates on FDA-regulated products. Sign up for free e-mail subscriptions atwww.fda.gov/consumer/consumerenews.html.

Screenings for hearing, vision, blood pressure and bone density will be available from 8:30-11:30am. Representatives will also be available to provide information on advance directives, safe sleep guidelines for grandbabies, arthritis, AARP, Medical Insurance, Dental Insurance, SilverSneakers and behavioral health issues.

Free presentations will also be provided on two specific health topics. The first presentation “Brain Fitness” will be presented by Julie Bryson of Aurora Health Care and begins at 9:30am. Julie Bryson will discuss fun exercise for the brain. She will show how a healthy brain can help stay mentally sharp, tackle new challenges, as well as stave off some of the natural effects of aging.

Dr.Robert Amiot of Aspen Orthopedic & Rehabilitation Specialists will discuss “Medical Management of Arthritis and Lower Leg Pain” beginning at 11:00am. He will also provide foot screenings following the presentation.

This is free and no registration is required for the event. Refreshments will be available throughout the morning. The Southwest YMCA Senior Health and Fitness event was made possible by a grant from NcNeil Consumer Healthcare-Makers of Tylenol.

For more information contact the Southwest YMCA at 414-546-9622 or visit our website at www.ymcamke.org. The Southwest YMCA is located at 11311 W. Howard Ave. in Greenfield.

The report, authored by Richard Levy, Ph.D., Robert C. Like M.D., M.S., and Harry S. Shabsin, Ph.D., finds disparities in access to medications through insurance programs, in the prescribing of medications and in adherence to medication regimens. The report offers recommendations for health-care planners and advocates, clinicians and health-care organizations to improve prescribing and use of medications in a diverse society.

“Since medications are a cornerstone of treatment for many diseases, addressing unequal or inappropriate medication use should be a focus for practitioners and organizations committed to the goal of eliminating health-care disparities. We hope this report raises awareness of the extent of medication disparities and will stimulate solutions to address the problem,” said Dr. Like, Professor and Director of the Center for Healthy Families and Cultural Diversity of the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

The report points out that improving access to and use of medications in diverse groups requires policies that enable affordable, personalized therapy. Ethnic/racial background should, like other factors such as age or gender, be considered in selecting drugs and dosages, in the composition of drug formularies and preferred drug lists and in determining the scope of drug substitution policies. The report emphasizes that therapy must be tailored to individual needs and stereotyping and overgeneralization in caring for diverse populations should be avoided.

Dr. Levy, a health care consultant and former vice president of the National Pharmaceutical Council, states: “Differences in response to pharmaceuticals in minority populations indicate the importance of including diverse groups in comparative-effectiveness assessments. Failure to do so may reduce, rather than improve, the quality of care for ethnic and racial minorities”.

Key Findings from the Report

• Many studies have revealed ethnic/racial disparities in prescribing (under-prescribing, over-prescribing or mis-prescribing) for specific diseases or classes of medication, including medications for asthma, depression, psychosis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, pain and infectious disease.
• Medication disparities can stem from a relative lack of health and drug insurance, aggressive cost containment in pharmacy benefits plans and reduced services at pharmacies in minority neighborhoods. All of these situations can limit access to medications or cause patients to reduce or discontinue therapy.
• Most state Medicaid programs utilize pharmaceutical cost containment polices which include prior authorization, generic substitution, preferred drug lists, copayments and caps. While fulfilling their intent to save drug costs, these policies may have the unintended consequences of limiting access to necessary medications. This limitation has been associated with increased utilization of medical services by minority patients.
• Suboptimal prescribing may reflect a clinician’s lack of knowledge about the patient’s culture or to the clinician’s beliefs about that culture. Clinicians who have that knowledge and who communicate well can positively affect treatment outcomes.
• Relatively low adherence in filling initial prescriptions, refilling prescriptions and taking medications according to directions has been reported in minority patients being treated for asthma, depression, psychosis, cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, diabetes and in receiving vaccinations. Low medication adherence in minority populations has been correlated with reduced health status.
• Much of the association between race/ethnicity and low adherence is explained by low household income, lack of insurance, poor education, low health literacy, language barriers and cultural beliefs. Low adherence may also reflect poor communication by providers, often due to lack of cultural competence training and time/resource constraints.
• Use of herbal or other folk remedies by persons from various cultural backgrounds can complicate, interact and sometimes detract from treatment with western medicines.
• Response to medications and optimal dosages may differ due to genetic or environmental factors, or diet. Ethnic differences have been consistently reported in the metabolism, effectiveness and frequency of side effects of many important drugs. Failure to account for these differences when prescribing or selecting agents for formularies or preferred drug lists may lead to suboptimal treatment and disparities.

The report is available online at http://store.nmqf.org/p-13-nmqf-e-books.aspx.

(HealthDay News) — While too-high blood pressure is a clear hazard for most people, too-low pressure can apparently be a threat in some cases as well.

A new study of 10,001 people with coronary artery disease found what statisticians call a J-shaped curve of mortality, meaning a higher death rate for people with the lowest blood pressure. Dr. Franz H. Messerli, a professor of clinical medicine at Columbia University Medical Center and director of the hypertension program at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital in New York City, reported on the finding Thursday at the American Society of Hypertension meeting in San Francisco.

“It stands to reason that there has to be a J-shaped curve,” Messerli said. “If your blood pressure were zero, you would be dead.”

He acknowledged that the people in the study were a bit out of the ordinary, with already-diagnosed coronary artery disease. The study was aimed at determining the effect of treatment with different amounts of a cholesterol-lowering statin drug, with blood pressure measured as a matter of routine.

When the results were in, the lowest rate of deaths and major coronary problems such as heart disease was seen not in the participants with the lowest blood pressure but in those slightly to the right on the curve, with a reading of 139.9 for systolic pressure (the reading when the heart contracts) and 79.2 for diastolic pressure.

Though Messerli stressed that this was “a unique population, with coronary artery disease, where the coronary arteries are compromised,” he noted that “there has to be a point where lowering blood pressure is counterproductive.”

That point can be seen on the curve of systolic pressure in this group, he said. “When you go from 120 to 130, even from 110 to 130, there is very little difference,” Messerli said. “When it goes below 110, then all of a sudden it becomes very obvious.”

 The effect is more pronounced for diastolic pressure readings. “If you go to 70 or below, say to 60, there is a fourfold higher risk in the primary outcomes,” he said.

A too-low reading, he noted, could mean that the brain is not getting enough blood. “Obviously, if there is a lack of blood, there can be danger similar to that when there is too much blood,” Messerli said.

The finding in this particular group certainly doesn’t mean that most people should worry about blood pressure being too low, he said. “By and large, within reason, lower is better,” Messerli said.

But that might not be true in special cases, he said. “You can have a funny situation where one organ in the body is demanding more blood than is good for the rest of the body,” Messerli said. “What is OK for the kidney and OK for the brain may not be OK for the heart.”

Controlling high blood pressure remains a major concern for physicians, Messerli said. “There are a lot of patients who are untreated and uncontrolled,” he said. “We need to do a better job.”

Dr. Alan H. Gradman, professor of medicine at Temple University, said that the study should be treated with caution because the number of people with very low blood pressure was small, but he said that “it does suggest that there may well be a J curve in people with coronary artery disease.”

Though many other studies have not shown a J curve, “which is why the idea that you can’t go too low is out there,” the new study results might mean a slight revision of that rule in some cases, Gradman said.

“If you treat people with coronary artery disease for hypertension, you don’t want to go too low, to diastolic pressure below about 70,” he said. “That’s the take-home message here.”

Potomac, MD (PRWEB) — The Healthy Living Network, a division of Healthy Directions, LLC, is proud to announce the launch of searchvitaminsupplements.com, a new informational Web site devoted to all aspects of nutritional supplements, including vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, enzymes, and more.

Visitors to searchvitaminsupplements.com can expect to find original articles, blogs, studies, forums, encyclopedias, and more on a variety of topics and concerns, including nutrient categories such as antioxidants, vitamins, herbs, and enzymes, as well as a wide variety of health conditions and the specific nutrient solutions to those health concerns. Searchvitaminsupplements.com will also offer weekly eLetters so consumers can have continuous access to breaking news and up-to-date information.

According to Ed Hauck, President of Healthy Directions, “In an ideal world, your daily intake of food would meet all your nutritional needs, and supplements would not be necessary. However, due to nutrient-deplete soils, pesticide and herbicide use, and overly processed and fast food-filled diets of many Americans, supplementation is becoming more and more critical. Worse yet,

here is so much misinformation out there, most people don’t even know where to start.”

“That’s why we created searchvitaminsupplements.com,” explains Hauck. “All information and advice found on searchvitaminsupplements.com has been carefully screened and selected to provide the most current, ground-breaking, well-researched, and highly effective recommendations for all your supplementation and general health needs.”

While the majority of the experts and authorities on the site are doctors, the material on the Web site is intended to provide timely and accurate medical news and education, not personal medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

For more information about this exciting new resource for supplementation, common dosages, and natural health information, visit Searchvitaminsupplements.com.

About Healthy Directions, LLC

Healthy Directions, LLC, is the recognized leader in providing authoritative health and wellness solutions to consumers. Healthy Directions’ subsidiary, Doctors’ Preferred, LLC, is a leading vitamin and nutritional supplement business that develops and sells proprietary, branded nutritional supplements based upon the research of the Healthy Directions health experts, marketed primarily through direct mail. For more information on Healthy Directions, please visit Healthydirections.com

Light, long-term alcohol consumption of all types of beverages, whether wine, spirits or beer, increased life by 2.5 years among men compared with abstention, the researchers found. By “light,” they meant up to 20 grams, or about 0.7 ounces a day.

While numerous other studies have found similar benefits, study author Martinette Streppel, of the division of human nutrition at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, said 40 years of follow-up is noteworthy for many reasons.

“The main strength of our study was the collection of detailed information on the consumption of different alcohol beverages at each of seven measurement rounds,” Streppel said.

The long-term, regular follow-up, Streppel added, enabled the researchers to study the effect of long-term alcohol intake on mortality.

The study is published online in April in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

The Dutch researchers evaluated 1,373 men, all part of the Zutphen Study, started in 1960 and named for an industrial town in the Netherlands. The researchers followed them from 1960 to 2000, tracking weight, diet, cigarette smoking, the diagnosis of serious illness and other data, along with their drinking habits.

Over the follow-up period, 1,130 of the men died, half from cardiovascular disease.

The proportion of men who drank alcohol nearly doubled from 45 percent of the men in 1960 to 86 percent in 2000. Those drinking wine rose even more dramatically — from just 2 percent to 44 percent.

The findings in more detail:

• All long-term light alcohol drinking boosted life expectancy by about 2.5 years in comparison to abstaners. Drinking more than 0.7 ounces a day extended life expectancy by nearly two years compared with nondrinkers.
• Wine drinkers who averaged just 0.7 ounces a day had a 2.5 year-longer life expectancy at age 50 compared to those who drank beer or spirits. And their life expectancy was nearly five years longer than nondrinkers.
• Drinking moderately was linked with lower death risk, and drinking wine was strongly linked with a lower risk of dying from heart disease, stroke or other causes.

Streppel couldn’t say if the findings apply to women, but suspects the polyphenolic compounds found in wine, especially red wine, produce the heart-healthy effects.

The study adds to the literature of the health benefits of alcohol, but has both strengths and weaknesses, said Dr. Arthur Klatsky, a long-time investigator on the health benefits of alcohol.

“Once again, it shows that people who drink [moderately] do a lot better than people who don’t in terms of survival,” he said.

However, as with other research, Klatsky wondered if it’s the pattern of drinking or something related to the wine drinking — such as wine drinkers being more likely to exercise or eat a healthy diet — that is the real link.

In the new Dutch study, he says, alcohol from spirits contributes the most to the total alcohol intake, more than wine or beer.

“It’s a little hard to think that a little bit of wine is what is responsible for extending their life,” Klatsky said.

The finding, like similar ones, applies more to middle-aged people than younger ones, he said. “People over 50 are the ones most likely to have health benefits from light drinking anyways.”

Much more important in reducing heart disease risk, he said, is not smoking, exercising regularly, eating healthfully and maintaining a healthy weight.

You have been given zanamivir because you may have been exposed to the swine influenza (swine flu). As you may already be aware, a public health emergency has been declared in the U.S. due to a current outbreak of swine influenza virus. You can decide whether to take this drug. Taking zanamivir may help you or your child recover more quickly if you have swine flu or may help keep you or your child from getting sick from swine flu. If you are taking zanamivir as directed and you begin to feel sick, get medical care right away.

What is Swine Flu?

Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by a virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Spread of swine flu can occur through contact with infected pigs or environments, or through contact with a person with swine flu.

What is Zanamivir?

Relenza® (zanamivir) is a medicine that is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat and prevent influenza.* The FDA-approved package insert on zanamivir can be found via Drugs@FDA on www.fda.gov/cder.

Who should not take Zanamivir?

Do not take zanamivir if you have ever had a severe allergic reaction to zanamivir or lactose. Zanamivir is not recommended for people with chronic lung disease such as asthma or COPD. Zanamivir should only be used for treatment of persons aged 7 years and older, and for prevention in persons aged 5 years and older. It should not be used for prevention of flu in nursing home patients.

What is the dose of Zanamivir?

• For Treatment: 10 mg (2 inhalations) twice daily for 5 days

• For Prevention: Household Setting: 10 mg (2 inhalations) once daily for 10 days

Community Outbreaks: 10 mg (2 inhalations) once daily for 28 days

The dose should be given at approximately the same time each day.

How should zanamivir be taken?

Zanamivir is packaged in a medicine disk called a Rotadisk® and is inhaled by mouth using a delivery device called a Diskhaler®. Each Rotadisk® contains 4 blisters. Each blister contains 5 mg of active drug and 20 mg of lactose powder (which contains milk proteins). Each packaged box of zanamivir contains 5 Rotadisks (total of 10 doses) and a Diskhaler® inhalation device. Read the “Patient Instructions for Use” in the package and refer to your healthcare provider for instructions on how to use the Diskhaler®. Zanamivir should be given to children only under adult supervision and instruction.

What are the possible severe side effects from Zanamivir?

People should be aware of the risk of increased difficulty breathing, especially among people with a history of underlying breathing problems. If patients have increased difficulty breathing, they should stop Relenza and get medical attention right away. People with the flu, particularly children and adolescents, may be at an increased risk of seizures, confusion, or abnormal behavior early in their illness. These events may occur after beginning zanamivir or may occur when flu is not treated. These events are uncommon but may result in accidental injury to the patient. Therefore, patients should be observed for signs of unusual behavior and a healthcare professional should be contacted immediately if the patient shows any signs of unusual behavior.

How do I report side effects with Zanamivir?

Call your healthcare provider if your child experience side effects that bother you or that do not go away. Report side effects to FDA MedWatch at www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

*Certain aspects of this emergency use are not part of the approved drug applications. However, the FDA Commissioner has authorized the emergency use of zanamivir. Additional information can be found on www.cdc.gov/swineflu.