Posted on 04/29/2005 5:37:26 PM PDT by neverdem
VITAL SIGNS
Treatments: Artery Cleanup Misses Its Mark
A common bacterium has been found in the plaque that builds up in the coronary arteries, and infection with it may be linked to cardiovascular illness.
With that in mind, researchers suspected that giving heart patients an antibiotic to knock out the bacterium might reduce their risk of more cardiac problems.
But, the drugs do not seem to help at all, two new studies in The New England Journal of Medicine report.
"The testing of these agents for the treatment of advanced coronary heart disease appears to be at the end of the road," concluded an editorial in the journal by Dr. Jeffrey L. Anderson of the University of Utah School of Medicine.
Still, infection's role in heart disease remains very much an issue.
In one study, about 4,000 men and women were given either a once-a-week antibiotic or a placebo for a year, and then were followed up for an average of almost four years. All the participants had stable coronary artery disease after having various problems or procedures.
The study found that those who had been given the drug suffered the same number of new heart problems as those who did not.
The second study also looked at about 4,000 patients, but used a different drug for two weeks and then for 10 days a month over about two years. It, too, found no difference between those people given the drug and those given a placebo.
Dr. J. Thomas Grayston of the University of Washington and Dr. Christopher P. Cannon of Harvard led the studies.
Freepers are amazing! ... Lots of reading just got added to my 'pile'. Many thanks.
Glad to hear you're doing better.....my problems were never in my hands....all shoulders....hips....knees, and more....BUT, now, MUCH better. Is ANA the one where they talk about it being "speckled?" Seems to me, if that is so, mine was kind of inconclusive.
This stuff about inflammation is interesting, as that's how I feel....inflamed (esp behind knees.) I'm still doing aspirin, too 3-4 a day. Seems to help the most.
I don't think so...it's a ratio thing. Mine was pretty high.
Aspirin is, for me, a wonder drug. I take 8 a day, two in the form of Alka-seltzer early am and bedtime, then two with lunch and two with supper.
So far, no toxic effects. And I think the myrrh is helping. At least it's better than some of the other, more toxic new meds, or prednisone.
THIS from my favorite Doctor....in 2000...he wrote.....(You have to read it ALL)
NANOBACTERIA MAY NOT EXIST
Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
I reported earlier that Olavi Kajander of Finland claims that he has discovered a new kind of bacteria that are so small that many doctors believe that they do not exist (see report #G135). However, with each supporting paper, I have become increasingly impressed with his research showing the association of nanobacteria with kidney stones, so I have treated my patients with kidney stones with doxycycline to kill the nanobacteria.
So far there have been five studies from different authors supporting his work on nanobacteria. However, John Cisar of the National Institutes of Dental and Craniofacial Research in Bethesda, Maryland, found calcified shells in the saliva that looked just like the calcified shells that Dr. Kajander found and claimed were made by nanobacteria. He used a test called polymerase chain reaction to check the DNA sequence of the bacteria in the mouth and claims that the DNA sequences are of frequent contaminants in the mouth, and not from newly-found bacteria called nanobacteria.
However, Cisar did his tests on saliva and Dr. Kajander did his research on urine. I do not know whether nanobacteria really exist, but I believe that many people can prevent kidney stones by taking the antibiotic, doxycycline, whether it kills nanobacteria or not. This is what you see frequently. Every discovery in medicine is always met with disbelief and all great discoverers start out by being called quacks. We await further research to see if Dr. Kajander is a real prophet with a major discovery or he is a false prophet as Dr. Cisar of NIH claims. I'm putting my money on nanobacteria and Dr. Kajander.
Is myrrh for your stomach? Or something else? I use DGL (dglycerized licorice...when I need to....mostly if I eat something, the aspirin doesn't bother me.)
The myrrh is supposed to be helpful in a number of conditions, including RA.
One of my sons has RA. If he eats potatoes, tomatoes, or peppers, he suffers so bad the next day - sometimes immediately. I wonder how many people with rheumatoid arthritis know they are supposed to stay away from the nightshade family? He's had it for a few years now and just found out about nightshades a year or so ago.
I never heard of using myrrh. Is it in capsule form, tea, or what? And how much do you use?
He tried the white grapes and gin thing. The only time it did him any good was when he finally drank the gin. :0)
He WILL NOT take prescription medicines. He believes they effect the body in adverse conditions that may not show up until later. He was proven right recently over the recent flap about how the arthritis medicine was causing heart attacks and such. Plus he watched his grandmother weaken under steroids until she had no immunity left and died very young.
I think she just got so tired of living with such horrible pain that she finally gave up. What a strong woman she was. She was told she'd be in a wheel chair and never walk again when she came down with it in her 20's. Well, she couldn't. She had 4 boys to raise, and raise them she did!
One of my daughters is a doctor. She said that now she knows so much and despite the people she's watched with other diseases, she said my son's grandma was the bravest woman she ever knew.
So, my sympathy sure lies with my son in his pain and am proud of his fortitude. He's like his grandma.
Carrying that thought further, I am also proud of you and other FReepers who have this disease. You are troopers, too!
I am able to be active on my regimen of Aspirin, Myrrh, and 1 or 2 Ultram 50 per day.
By this, I mean very active. I have pain, but I've had arthritis for years, just recently it became RA, so I'm kind of used to it, or whatever...The biggest benefit is aspirin in divided doses totalling 2600 mg per day. That's not for everyone, but so far it isn't a problem for me. Two of the divided doses (650 mg each) are in the form of AlkaSeltzer, in the early am and at bedtime.
Myrrh is with breakfast and supper, along with two aspirin each meal.
Having a good day is my chief hobby, and like many rewarding hobbies, it takes work, and learning, and lots and lots of practice. Someday, I hope to be really good at it. ;-D
"Patient Heal Thyself"
My doctor started giving me the typical meds for a sudden emergence of gout.
I stopped all the usual suspects but still got that big toe ache.
It took me 3 years to finally realize that I was allergic to a combination of dairy and japanese cooking spices - I cut out the two and now no meds and I can have all the lobster, steak, beer wine, etc. But Brie and ginger together? Look out - i get the twinge immediately the next AM
Dr. still does not believe it.
This looks much more predictive than HDL- LDL, etc
Hawthorn Berries, too.
They have natural anti-bio & are less expensive than drugs.
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