Private MD News - Autoimmune Diseases

Understanding how the body functions as a unit can be difficult to grasp, since it contains so many intricate systems interacting and working independently at the same time. Doctors try to treat individual illnesses as they arise, but sometimes these ailments are products of problems in other parts of the body. Knowing this is only half the battle, however, as finding applicable treatments has heretofore been uncommon at best.

Recent research involving tissue and blood testing revealed that some of these medications are more effective than others in treating underlying and associated conditions. Specifically, clinicians found that those taking beta blockers for high blood pressure saw far fewer degenerative brain symptoms than those taking mixed or non-beta blocker prescriptions.

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) revealed that a 20 year research trial, the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study, showed a strong correlation between healthier hearts and brains. The study looked at more than 750 Japanese-American men between the ages of 70 and 95, some of whom were taking only beta blockers, while the majority took other blood pressure medications or a mixture of the two kinds. Those only being administered beta blockers saw a highly reduced incidence of lesions and infarcts, abnormalities in cerebral tissues associated with Alzheimer's and dementia.

Identifying problems before they arise... Full Story

It's not uncommon for parents to be baffled at first by strange behaviors in their children, but as blood tests and other procedures become more exacting and pick up on more kinds of illnesses, getting an accurate diagnosis is much easier. Understanding the underlying issues can help physicians better treat immediate symptoms, resulting in better overall care and quality of life.

A struggle for a cure... Full Story