Archive for August 14th, 2006

The PAINKILLERS and Erectile Dysfunction

August 14, 2006

571729226.jpgNon-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Ibuprofen or Advil that we are familiar with have been shown in one study to not only Kill Pain but also Kill your Erection!… Whew… That’s pretty scary!

In a an item in Diabetes Control, 2006… it is a known fact that Diabetics are at highest risk of erectile dysfunction.  However drugs apparently are culprits of causing it too.

This study is the first to note the relationship between chronic intake of painkillers and the higher risk of developing impotence. This study involved 1126 men, between 50 and 70 years of age, without erectile dysfunction in 1994. Arthritis was the most common reason for NSAID use.

FINDINGS:

For whatever reason they were taken…

 NSAIDs increased the risk of erectile dysfunction by 50% 

Although arthritis in itself has been shown to increase ones risk…this study noted that the presence of arthritis without NSAID use increased the risk of erection difficulty by only 30 percent …SUGGESTING  that NSAIDs were largely to blame for the link between arthritis and erectile dysfunction. 

Until further studies are done…before you Grab Another ADVIL….

Better Check….Down Below! Be Sure He’s A OK! 

Posted in General Health Tips | 3 Comments »

Being Forgetful Maybe Due To Your Blood Sugar

August 14, 2006

imagessdfg.jpgIf you are a diabetic… or if you have family members who are diabetics… then this post is for you!

We all know the major complications associated with Poor Blood Sugar Control.  We know it can lead to major disabling complications like heart attack and stroke.  Now comes this new finding that links poor blood glucose control and the early problem of forgetfulness!

Are there Vitamins to stop my being forgetful? … is one of the common questions I get from my diabetic patients.  Alzheimer’s or Dementia now becomes a part of why we need to control our blood sugar.

Dr Ronald Peterson of the Mayo Clinic and as spokesman of the Alzheimers Conference noted this study involving 22,000 patients with Type 2 Diabetes and looked at their records from 1997 to 2005.  The HBA1c: a measure of patient’s overall glucose control in the past 3 months were recorded and compared.  The Ideal level should be < 6.5%.

The FINDINGS:

1. Patients with A1c of > 10% but < 12% were 16% more likely to develop dementia.

2. Patients with A1c > 12% but < 15% were 34 % more likely to develop dementia

3. Those with > 15% were 78% more likely to develop dementia.

Suggesting That: 

Those with less well controlled blood glucoses are at high risk to develop early signs of forgetfulness and dementia!

The higher the level of A1C… the higher the risk!

As always…. I have been an advocate of INTENSIVE DIABETES THERAPY because lowering ones A1c to goal has been shown to prevent the onset and progression of complications especially heart disease and stroke…and now a potential benefit would be lowering ones risk to develop DEMENTIA!

Be Aggressive…Avoid Dementia…

Help in The Campaign for Aggressive Sugar Control!

Posted in General Health Tips, The Diabetes Facts | 9 Comments »