Humana HealthBeat Transcript Archive

April 21

Weight Loss and Exercise

If you're overweight and trying to shed the extra pounds, you may need to spend more time exercising!

That’s the finding of a new study released by the Centers for Disease Control. The Agency surveyed more than 35-thousand overweight Americans and found that more than 60 percent exercised for more than thirty minutes at a time -- but they failed to do it the minimum five times a week. Walking and jogging were the favorite activities for men while women preferred walking and aerobics.

To manage your weight, set realistic goals, plan a menu with a large variety of foods, and make an activity plan to include 30 minutes of exercise a day, which can be accomplished in 10 minute increments!

RESOURCES:

Centers for Disease Control
www.cdc.gov

Partnership for Healthy Weight Management
www.consumer.gov/weightloss

Plavix (Clopidogrel)

A new study from the New England Journal of Medicine says that Plavix, the drug used to prevent chest pain and strokes, can cause small blood clots which can lead to organ damage, abnormal heart rhythm, and if not treated, death.

Eleven of the 20,000 patients who took part in the research developed the life threatening condition called thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, or TTP, in as little as 2 weeks.

Despite the findings... the study's authors are not suggesting doctors stop prescribing the drug. Instead they urge physicians to be aware of the possible side effects.

As always, it's a matter of weighing risks and benefits. This is a drug that can save lives by preventing heart attack and stroke in people who are at highest risk. Plavix is actually an improvement on an older drug, called Ticlodipine, which could also trigger the same disorder, called TTP, in one out of every 1600 to 5000 patients. For comparison, out of 20,000 people on Plavix that were studied, 11 were found to have TTP. Anyone taking the drug should talk to their doctors about symptoms they need to look out for.

RESOURCES:

New England Journal of Medicine
www.nejm.org/content/bennett/1.asp

Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP)
medlineplus.adam.com/ency/article/000552.htm
www.nejm.org/content/bennett/1.asp

Baby Babble

There may be more to baby talk than just babble. Researchers from the University of Texas say infants may have developed the very earliest forms of language with their cooing.

The scientists say some of the most persistent sounds found in many languages are very easy for a baby to make. They suggest listening to them may help us understand our linguistic origins.

April 21
Weight Loss and Exercise
	If you're overweight and trying to shed the extra pounds, you may need to spend more time exercising! That’s the finding of a new study released by the Centers for Disease Control. The Agency surveyed more than 35-thousand overweight Americans and found that more than 60 percent exercised for more than thirty minutes at a time -- but they failed to do it the minimum five times a week. Walking and jogging were the favorite activities for men while women preferred walking and aerobics. To manage your weight, set realistic goals, plan a menu with a large variety of foods, and make an activity plan to include 30 minutes of exercise a day, which can be accomplished in 10 minute increments!
	RESOURCES: Centers for Disease Control www.cdc.gov Partnership for Healthy Weight Management www.consumer.gov/weightloss
Plavix (Clopidogrel)
	A new study from the New England Journal of Medicine says that Plavix, the drug used to prevent chest pain and strokes, can cause small blood clots which can lead to organ damage, abnormal heart rhythm, and if not treated, death. Eleven of the 20,000 patients who took part in the research developed the life threatening condition called thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, or TTP, in as little as 2 weeks. Despite the findings... the study's authors are not suggesting doctors stop prescribing the drug. Instead they urge physicians to be aware of the possible side effects. As always, it's a matter of weighing risks and benefits. This is a drug that can save lives by preventing heart attack and stroke in people who are at highest risk. Plavix is actually an improvement on an older drug, called Ticlodipine, which could also trigger the same disorder, called TTP, in one out of every 1600 to 5000 patients. For comparison, out of 20,000 people on Plavix that were studied, 11 were found to have TTP. Anyone taking the drug should talk to their doctors about symptoms they need to look out for.
	RESOURCES: New England Journal of Medicine www.nejm.org/content/bennett/1.asp Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) medlineplus.adam.com/ency/article/000552.htm www.nejm.org/content/bennett/1.asp
Baby Babble
	There may be more to baby talk than just babble. Researchers from the University of Texas say infants may have developed the very earliest forms of language with their cooing. The scientists say some of the most persistent sounds found in many languages are very easy for a baby to make. They suggest listening to them may help us understand our linguistic origins.