Too much coffee may increase death risk - study

WASHINGTON DC -- A new study linked heavy coffee drinking to increased death risk among people under 55 years old.

Published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings, the study found a statistically significant 21 percent increased mortality among those drinking more than 28 cups of coffee a week or 4 cups of coffee a day.

The risk for death from all causes rose by more than 50 percent for men and women younger than 55 years but no adverse effects were found in heavy coffee drinkers aged over 55, it said.

University of South Carolina researchers examined coffee consumption of over 43,000 individuals aged 20 and 87 years from 1971 to 2002.

During the 17-year median follow-up period, more than 2,500 participants died.

The study found among younger men a trend toward higher mortality even at lower consumption but this became significant at about 28 cups per week where there was a 56 percent increase in mortality from all causes.

Younger women who consumed more than 28 cups of coffee per week had double the risk of dying from all causes than those who did not drink coffee, the study continued.

"For those drinking high amounts, there should be some caution as this dose is associated with at least a signal for increased total mortality in this large study, especially in those under 55 years of age," the study's co-author Xuemei Sui from University of South Carolina in Columbia told Xinhua on Friday.

Coffee has long been suspected of contributing to several chronic health conditions although earlier studies on coffee consumption in relation to deaths from all causes and deaths from coronary heart disease are limited and the results are often controversial.

"No organization has specific recommendations for coffee drinking - lots out there are based on published studies which yet reach a definite conclusion," Sui said. "My review is that it is safe to drink low doses (one to two cups and probably two to three cups per day) of coffee with even some potential benefits of the low dose. Really, moderation is key. Avoid excess drinking coffee."

source: interaksyon.com

Common antibiotic boosts death risk -- study

WASHINGTON DC -- A popular antibiotic used for treating bronchitis, pneumonia, ear infections, and sexually transmitted diseases may boost the risk of death, a US study said Wednesday.

Azithromycin has been on the worldwide market since the 1980s, but the study in the New England Journal of Medicine is the first to document serious heart risks -- up to a 2.5-fold higher chance of cardiovascular fatalities -- in the first five days of treatment compared to another or no antibiotic.

The comparison was based on an examination of patient records in the southern US state of Tennessee from 1992 to 2006.

Researchers at Vanderbilt University compared about 348,000 prescriptions of azithromycin to millions of records from people who were not treated with any antibiotics or who received amoxicillin, a similar medication that is considered heart safe.

The analysis found there were 47 more deaths per million in those taking azithromycin compared to those on amoxicillin.

When researchers examined patients already at high risk for heart problems, the chance increased to 245 additional cardiovascular deaths per million in the azithromycin group compared to the amoxicillin takers.

While the relative number of fatalities was low, researchers said the findings offer new information about possible dangers that doctors and patients should consider.

"We believe this study adds important information on the risk profile for azithromycin," said lead author Wayne Ray, professor of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University.

"For patients with elevated cardiovascular risk and infections for which there are alternative antibiotics, the cardiovascular effects of azithromycin may be an important clinical consideration."

The Croatian pharmaceutical company Pliva first patented azithromycin in 1981, and later struck a worldwide deal with Pfizer to sell the antibiotic worldwide. Pfizer branded the treatment Zithromax and Zmax.

Azithromycin is a macrolide antibiotic that works by stopping the growth of bacteria.

Side effects may include skin rashes, itching, swelling, difficulty breathing or swallowing and rapid, pounding or irregular heartbeats, according to the American Hospital Formulary Service.

source: interaksyon.com