GOOD NEWS

Drug for hair loss

Finasteride, an orally administered drug approved for male-pattern baldness, can improve female-pattern hair loss in most women when given in combination with oral contraceptives, according to the results of a study reported in the Archives of Dermatology. At present, the main treatment for female-pattern hair loss is topical minoxidil, which is effective, but tolerability can be an issue, researchers at the University of Bologna in Italy said. Whether treatment with agents such as finasteride, which show activity against male hormones, might promote hair growth in women has been unclear.

Artery-friendly cure

Drugs used to treat heart disease, including statins to control cholesterol, aspirin to prevent blood clots, beta-blockers, and ACE inhibitors all prolong survival in patients with peripheral artery disease, investigators report in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a form of atherosclerosis, a condition in which fatty build-up accumulates inside the arteries and obstructs blood flow. In PAD, blood flow in the legs and feet is impaired, which can cause lameness and pain. The researchers also note that adding walking or other exercise and risk factor modification, plus multi-drug therapy, could decrease the mortality risk in patients with PAD even further.

BAD NEWS

Dangerous fashion

Adolescents who own t-shirts, hats and other promotional merchandise with an alcohol brand name on it are more likely to begin drinking than their peers who do not own these items, according to a report in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. The study found that the rate of drinking among those who owned a branded item was 25.5 per cent, compared to 13.1 per cent who did not own a branded item. Dr Auden McClure at Dartmouth Medical School, says, “We recommend that parents discourage their children from wearing these products.”

Stigma harmful

A WebMD report says that stigma about Alzheimer’s disease may delay the disease’s diagnosis by up to six years, according to a new online survey conducted recently by Harris Interactive for the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America with funding by Forest Pharmaceuticals. The study found that patients with Alzheimer’s symptoms would wait for two years on an average to see doctors and getting diagnosed.