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Major Breakthrough In Macular Degeneration
A team of researchers led by Dr. Jayakrishna Ambati at the University of Kentucky has discovered a biological marker for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in older adults.
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Efforts To 'Fix' Medicare Payments At Center Of Reform
The Wall Street Journal reports: "A plan to end a program that would cut government payments to doctors is emerging as the flash point in the debate over whether President Barack Obama"s effort to overhaul the health system would increase the federal budget deficit. The proposal was crucial to winning support from the politically powerful American Medical Association -- but it has also made it tougher to argue that the health overhaul would pay for itself. ... Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, appearing on NBC"s "Meet the Press," said costs associated with the legislation could be reduced significantly if lawmakers included the administration"s recommendation to bolster the power of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, or MedPAC, to set Medicare payment policies.
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HCL Welcomes Government Proposals For More Flexible NHS, UK
HCL plc, the UK"s largest health and social care recruitment agency, said the Government"s proposals to reform the NHS by devolving power to frontline professionals and patients will mean a greater need for flexible staffing and more collaboration between the public and private sectors.
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If You Have Taken Flomax(R), Tell Your Ophthalmologist BEFORE Having Cataract Surgery

The results of a new study reinforce an advisory that patients taking Flomax(R) (Tamsulosin) to treat prostate enlargement and urinary problems should inform their ophthalmologist about their use of this drug before undergoing eye surgery. The advisory was issued by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (Academy) and the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) and updates the advisory the organizations released in 2006. The new study, published last month in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that the alpha-blocker Flomax increased the risk of certain complications following cataract surgery. Advice for patients: Men and Women Patients who take alpha-blockers or are considering taking alpha-blockers should be aware that the drugs may increase the difficulty of cataract surgery.÷  While Flomax is largely prescribed to men to treat prostate enlargement, some women also take the drug to treat urinary retention problems. Other alpha-blockers are used to treat hypertension. It is important that patients inform their ophthalmologist whether they are currently taking alpha-blockers, such as Flomax, or did so in the past. Once informed, the ophthalmologist can anticipate certain problems and employ different surgical techniques that help to achieve excellent outcomes. Patients should not decide on their own to discontinue their prostate/alpha-blocker drugs without consulting their prescribing physician. Before being started on an alpha-blocker medication for the first time, patients who already have cataracts should understand that these drugs can complicate cataract surgery later on. For this reason, they may want to discuss the risks and the timing of their operation with their ophthalmologist performing cataract surgery. "There are many factors that a prescribing doctor considers in selecting a medication to treat prostate enlargement," said David F. Chang, MD, one of the investigators who first identified the effect that Flomax can have on cataract surgery. "Cataract surgeons can provide additional counsel about how Flomax might affect an individual patient"s risk for eye surgery, and whether stopping, delaying, or avoiding the drug is advisable. In addition, many ophthalmologists believe that other alpha-blockers pose less surgical difficulty and risk compared to Flomax." It is also important to reassure patients already taking Flomax that they have an excellent prognosis for successful cataract surgery, as long as their ophthalmologist performing eye surgery is forewarned. "Even with Flomax, the overall risk of serious cataract surgical complications is very low, and patients needn"t otherwise avoid or delay recommended surgery," Dr. Chang said. Background Cataracts and prostate enlargement are very common age-related conditions. A cataract is a progressive clouding of the lens of the eye and is the most common age-related cause of worsening vision. Ophthalmologists treat cataracts by surgically removing the cloudy natural lens and replacing it with a clear artificial lens implant. American Academy of Ophthalmology


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