Millions of Americans take aspirin daily to prevent blood clots, heart attack and stroke. But are they taking too much?

A recent study by researchers at the University of Kentucky suggests that a 325 mg dose of adult aspirin is not more effective than an 81 mg dose of baby aspirin but carries a higher risk for bleeding of the gastrointestinal tract.

A review of the published data found no benefit to higher doses of aspirin and cited the dangers of bleeding as a reason for patients to take the lowest effective dose. According to Dr. Steve Steinhubl, one of the study’s authors, there is almost no one who needs to take more than 81 mg of aspirin a day but cautions patients to check with their doctors to be sure.

UK Study: Baby Aspirin Better for Your Health

Diabetes causes poor circulation and reduced ability to fight infection. Because of reduced sensation in the feet, many will develop diabetic foot ulcers leading to possible amputation. As infectious organisms become more drug-resistand, traditional treatment with antibiotics becomes less effective.

Doctors at the University of Wisconsin Scool of Medicine and Public Health think there might be a better way to treat diabetic ulcers, and the cure might be right in your own kitchen.

The answer? Honey. In a double-blind study, doctors will treat patients with diabetic foot ulcers by giving half topical honey and the other half a wound care gel that has been made to look and smell like honey. The patients will be followed to ascertain the effectiveness of each type of treatment.

Honey has properties that may make it very effective in treating these types of wounds.

Since honey fights bacteria in numerous ways, it is essentially immune to resistance. Honey’s acidic pH, low water content (which effectively dehydrates bacteria), and the hydrogen peroxide secreted by its naturally-occurring enzymes make it ideal for combating organisms that have developed resistance to standard antibiotics.

If the honey proves effective, patients would still need to be followed by a doctor during treatment. Wounds would require the sterile removal of dead skin and bacteria and precautions regarding weight-bearing and walking need to be monitored.

UW study tests topical honey as a treatment for diabetic ulcers

The FDA has added warning labels to some commonly used pain relievers like ibuprophen and naproxen, warning that use of these NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) increase the risk of heart attacks.

But according to Curt Furberg, M.D., Ph.D., from Wake Forest University School of Medicine, the FDA has ignored the most dangerous of these drugs, Voltaren, and incorrectly labeled naproxen, which appears to be safe based on research.

High doses (500 mg twice daily) of Aleve were not associated with an increased risk of heart attacks compared to a placebo. High doses of Advil (800 mg three times a day) and Voltaren (75 mg twice daily) were associated with rates of heart attack that were 51 percent and 63 percent higher, than the placebo. The increased risk of heart attack is associated with drugs that are COX-2 inhibitors.

“Naproxen does not increase the risk of heart attacks and ought to be a painkiller of choice,” said Furberg. “On the other hand, Voltaren carries the same risk as the harmful COX-2 inhibitors Bextra® and Vioxx®, which have been taken off the market.

Read more at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

270 Medicare recipients in Tennessee will soon have someone to help remind them when to take their medications. As part of a Medicare program to reduce hospitalizations, a new device called the Med-eMonitor will alert patients when it is time to take a pill.

These “smart pillboxes” will also monitor whether a patient has missed a dose or taken the wrong medication and send an alert over a standard phone line to a secure Internet site which will prompt a follow-up call from a health professional.

The Med-eMonitor is programmed with each patient’s individual schedule and alerts the patient with a sound - usually a song - when it is time to take medication.

Web-linked pillbox reminds patients to take meds