Idea #315 for December 30th, 2009: Passing Muster or Stricter Device Approval Guidelines At The FDA

The FDA has announced plans to implement a more strict process for the approval of medical devices. This decision comes after several journal articles brought to light flaws in the current approval process. For instance, an article in JAMA showed that the approvals of a number of cardiovascular devices in the last decade were based on a single study. Also, only about half of the outcomes in the studies were compared to control groups. Rigor has certainly been lacking in these FDA approvals. It might be a case of too little, too late, but at least the FDA has admitted to the problem and will make an effort to address it.

Read more about this story here.

Idea #254 for October 30th, 2009: Another Reason To Quit or Smoking a Single Cigarette Can Harden Arteries

A few days ago, this blog dealt with the issue of occasional smokers, and how that particular group is often overlooked by researchers and providers alike. Now there’s more evidence that even the occasional cigarette is indeed harmful. The study found that even one cigarette will temporarily harden the arteries of young adults by 25%.

The study specifically looked at the effects of smoking before exercise and involved subjects between 18-30 years old who smoked about five cigarettes daily as well as non-smokers. Before exercising, both the smokers and non-smokers had the same level of arterial stiffness. Prior to exercise, the smoking group was allowed to smoke a single cigarette, and all participants were assessed on the hardness of their arteries afterward.

In non-smokers, arterial stiffness actually decreased slightly after exercise. In smokers, the stiffness increased by 25%. Even for members of the smoking group who did not have a cigarette before exercise, their arterial stiffness still rose slightly following exercise. The effects of this hardening can make the vascular system less able to deal with physical stress, like running. This is further evidence that occasional smoking — even in young adults — can have quantifiable negative effects on health. Smoking just a few cigarettes a day is a harmful activity, despite what the occasional smoker may believe.

Read more about this issue here.