This is Insidermedicine in 60.
From Belgium, oral contraceptives may significantly increase a woman's chances of plaque buildup in the arteries. In a study of women aged 35 to 55, the risk of arterial atherosclerosis increased between 20% and 30% for each decade of pill use. Unlike other side effects of oral contraceptives, such as increased blood pressure and risk of blood clots, the risk of plaque buildup was not lowered after a woman stopped taking the pill.
From California, taking as little as two doses a week of over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen could drastically reduce the risk of developing Parkinson's disease. Those who took non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, except aspirin on a regular basis, had a 60% lower chance of developing Parkinson's. In addition, women who took aspirin alone reduced the likelihood of contracting the disorder by 40%, an effect which was not seen in men.
From Nicaragua, health care professionals are blaming the death of a 22-year-old Nicaraguan law student on the country's recent ban on abortions. The young woman had been diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy, a complication which results in the loss of the fetus and can cause severe bleeding in the mother if left untreated. Citing the no-exceptions law banning abortions, it seems some doctors are unwilling to treat women prior to the fetus dying naturally.
And finally from Washington, the FDA says that it won't investigate glow-in-the-dark shrimp being sold in some Seattle supermarkets. Several consumers alerted authorities when they noticed that packages of pre-cooked shrimp from food supplier Ocean Beauty Seafood emitted a blue glow in darkened kitchens and freezers. Scientists believe that luminescent species of bacteria found in salt water, which are not harmful to humans are responsible.
For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.
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