The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a screening tool called the Listing of Impairments to identify claimants who are so severely impaired that they cannot work at all and thus immediately qualify for benefits. In this report, the IOM makes several recommendations for improving SSA's capacity to determine disability benefits more quickly and efficiently using the Listings.
Caffeine in Food and Dietary Supplements is the summary of a workshop convened by the Institute of Medicine in August 2013 to review the available science on safe levels of caffeine consumption in foods, beverages, and dietary supplements and to identify data gaps. Scientists with expertise in food safety, nutrition, pharmacology, psychology, toxicology, and related disciplines; medical professionals with pediatric and adult patient experience in cardiology, neurology, and psychiatry; public health professionals; food industry representatives; regulatory experts; and consumer advocates discussed the safety of caffeine in food and dietary supplements, including, but not limited to, caffeinated beverage products, and identified data gaps. Caffeine, a central nervous stimulant, is arguably the most frequently ingested pharmacologically active substance in the world. Occurring naturally in more than 60 plants, including coffee beans, tea leaves, cola nuts and cocoa pods, caffeine has been part of innumerable cultures for centuries. But the caffeine-in-food landscape is changing. There are an array of new caffeine-containing energy products, from waffles to sunflower seeds, jelly beans to syrup, even bottled water, entering the marketplace. Years of scientific research have shown that moderate consumption by healthy adults of products containing naturally-occurring caffeine is not associated with adverse health effects. The changing caffeine landscape raises concerns about safety and whether any of these new products might be targeting populations not normally associated with caffeine consumption, namely children and adolescents, and whether caffeine poses a greater health risk to those populations than it does for healthy adults. This report delineates vulnerable populations who may be at risk from caffeine exposure; describes caffeine exposure and risk of cardiovascular and other health effects on vulnerable populations, including additive effects with other ingredients and effects related to pre-existing conditions; explores safe caffeine exposure levels for general and vulnerable populations; and identifies data gaps on caffeine stimulant effects.
HIGHLY COMMENDED IN THE CARDIOLOGY CATEGORY, BMA AWARDS 2006! Specialist Training in Cardiology is written for those doctors starting their career in this specialty (or in general internal medicine). The text presents a succinct account of the subject concentrating on diagnostic techniques, treatment and management. Throughout extensive use is made of radiographs, drawings, lists and tables. The aim is to provide a 'bridge' between introductory undergraduate texts and the very large and expensive major reference works. Wherever possible evidence-based treatment options are given and referenced. A detailed list of further reading is also provided. Series aimed at specialist registrar level Succinct style making use of bullet points, boxes, tables etc. Highly accessible four-colour design
This book by the National Institutes of Health (Publication 06-4082) and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute provides information and effective ways to work with your diet because what you choose to eat affects your chances of developing high blood pressure, or hypertension (the medical term). Recent studies show that blood pressure can be lowered by following the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan-and by eating less salt, also called sodium. While each step alone lowers blood pressure, the combination of the eating plan and a reduced sodium intake gives the biggest benefit and may help prevent the development of high blood pressure. This book, based on the DASH research findings, tells how to follow the DASH eating plan and reduce the amount of sodium you consume. It offers tips on how to start and stay on the eating plan, as well as a week of menus and some recipes. The menus and recipes are given for two levels of daily sodium consumption-2,300 and 1,500 milligrams per day. Twenty-three hundred milligrams is the highest level considered acceptable by the National High Blood Pressure Education Program. It is also the highest amount recommended for healthy Americans by the 2005 "U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans." The 1,500 milligram level can lower blood pressure further and more recently is the amount recommended by the Institute of Medicine as an adequate intake level and one that most people should try to achieve. The lower your salt intake is, the lower your blood pressure. Studies have found that the DASH menus containing 2,300 milligrams of sodium can lower blood pressure and that an even lower level of sodium, 1,500 milligrams, can further reduce blood pressure. All the menus are lower in sodium than what adults in the United States currently eat-about 4,200 milligrams per day in men and 3,300 milligrams per day in women. Those with high blood pressure and prehypertension may benefit especially from following the DASH eating plan and reducing their sodium intake.
Chronic diseases are common and costly, yet they are also among the most preventable health problems. Comprehensive and accurate disease surveillance systems are needed to implement successful efforts which will reduce the burden of chronic diseases on the U.S. population. A number of sources of surveillance data-including population surveys, cohort studies, disease registries, administrative health data, and vital statistics-contribute critical information about chronic disease. But no central surveillance system provides the information needed to analyze how chronic disease impacts the U.S. population, to identify public health priorities, or to track the progress of preventive efforts. A Nationwide Framework for Surveillance of Cardiovascular and Chronic Lung Diseases outlines a conceptual framework for building a national chronic disease surveillance system focused primarily on cardiovascular and chronic lung diseases. This system should be capable of providing data on disparities in incidence and prevalence of the diseases by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geographic region, along with data on disease risk factors, clinical care delivery, and functional health outcomes. This coordinated surveillance system is needed to integrate and expand existing information across the multiple levels of decision making in order to generate actionable, timely knowledge for a range of stakeholders at the local, state or regional, and national levels. The recommendations presented in A Nationwide Framework for Surveillance of Cardiovascular and Chronic Lung Diseases focus on data collection, resource allocation, monitoring activities, and implementation. The report also recommends that systems evolve along with new knowledge about emerging risk factors, advancing technologies, and new understanding of the basis for disease. This report will inform decision-making among federal health agencies, especially the Department of Health and Human Services; public health and clinical practitioners; non-governmental organizations; and policy makers, among others.
The Heart and Toxins brings together global experts to provide the latest information and clinical trials that make the connection between genetic susceptibility, gene expression, and environmental factors in cardiovascular diseases. This unique reference, edited by renowned cardiologist Meenakshi Sundaram Ramachandran, solves the problem of managing multiple clinical cases of cardiovascular toxicity. It allows connections to be made between research, diagnosis, and treatment to avoid higher morbidity and mortality rates as a result of cardiovascular toxicity. - Structured to bring together exploration into the epidemiology, molecular mechanism, pathogenesis, environmental factors and management in cardiovascular toxins - Included various topics on cardiovascular toxins such as plant, chemical, animal, nanomaterial and marine biology induced cardiac damage – which are new ideas discussed in detail - Comprehensive chapters on the cardiovascular toxicity from drugs, radiotherapy and radiological imaging - Enables you to manage multiple clinical cases of cardiovascular toxicity - Outlined conclusions at the end of each chapter providing "key learning points to help you organize the chapter's details without losing insight
This report considers the biological and behavioral mechanisms that may underlie the pathogenicity of tobacco smoke. Many Surgeon General's reports have considered research findings on mechanisms in assessing the biological plausibility of associations observed in epidemiologic studies. Mechanisms of disease are important because they may provide plausibility, which is one of the guideline criteria for assessing evidence on causation. This report specifically reviews the evidence on the potential mechanisms by which smoking causes diseases and considers whether a mechanism is likely to be operative in the production of human disease by tobacco smoke. This evidence is relevant to understanding how smoking causes disease, to identifying those who may be particularly susceptible, and to assessing the potential risks of tobacco products.
People with diabetes want heart-healthy recipes, since heart disease strikes people with diabetes twice as often as the rest of the population. But they also want recipes that taste great. In Diabetes & Heart Healthy Meals for Two, the two largest health associations in America team up to provide recipes that are simple, flavorful, and perfect for people with diabetes who are worried about improving or maintaining their cardiovascular health. A follow-up to Diabetes & Heart Healthy Cookbook, this collaboration from the American Diabetes Association® and the American Heart Association focuses on meals with only two servings. Because so many adults with diabetes are older, two-serving meals are perfect for those without children in the house—or even those living alone who want to keep leftovers to a minimum.
Recently, there has been a growing awareness of the multiple interrelationships between depression and various physical diseases. Patients with psychiatric problems, particularly depression, may be more susceptible to cardiovascular disorders. Depression and Heart Disease synthesizes current evidence, including some previously unpublished data, in a concise, easy-to-read format. The authors succinctly describe the epidemiology, pathogenesis (including cytokines and genetics), and risk factors of the comorbidity between depression and heart disease. The book also reviews the best pharmacological and psychotherapeutic approaches for people with this comorbidity.
Acute heart failure is a potentially life threatening situation where correct, rapid therapy can have a life saving impact. In this rapidly changing area of medicine this text aims to bring the latest understanding of the pathophysiology together with a practical guide to diagnosis and management using a thoroughly evidence based approach. This will appeal to a wide audience of health care professionals who will treat patients with acute heart failure, including doctors, medical students, nurses, and other professionals in the Emergency Department, General Internal Medicine, Anaesthetics, Cardiology (Medicine and Surgery) and Critical Care settings. It may be used as an evidence based guide for the junior practitioner or as an aide-memoire for the more senior. Always keeping the underlying pathophysiology at the forefront of the discussion, the reader is encouraged to understand the aetiology of the acute situation and how to direct management in order to correct the abnormal physiology. Each chapter is heavily referenced allowing the reader to easily refer to the original experimental studies and pursue topics in more detail if required. This text is a valuable addition to any practitioner who treats patients with acute heart failure and wants a deeper understanding of the condition.
