Faculty Bibliography

Everyone has different sleep requirements. The important thing is to get enough sleep to awaken refreshed and feel alert throughout the day. Lamm discusses some common sleep problems and how to alleviate them

Patients don't hesitate to complain to their physicians after being made to wait in the office, or when they feel they've received so-so treatment during their eight-minute consult

It's called the silent killer. By the time many middle-aged and menopausal women finally consult with their doctors about their vague, nonspecific complaints of pelvic pain, backache, bloating and overall malaise, they're stunned when they're finally told that thief test results indicate advanced ovarian cancer

An older member of the benzodiazepine family of sedatives, Valium is now being dispensed to thousands of fleeing Kosovar refugees to treat the anxiety, insomnia and depression associated with he horrors of their persecution and forced flight

Lamm and Couzens discuss possible causes of stomach pain and how to determine when the pain may signal an emergency. Sudden, severe abdominal pain typically indicates the need for emergency care

WITH the recent news of high-profile men such as Yankee manager, Joe Torre, actor Charlton Heston, Kansas City Chiefs owner, Lamar Hunt, former Sen.Bob Dole and golfer Arnold Palmer developing prostate cancer, many concerned men (and their partners) want to know what they can do to protect themselves. Soy protein products are widely available and can be purchased at most supermarkets. Traditional sources of soybeans and isoflavones include tofu, bean curd, tempeh, soy milk, miso and soy sauce. A new study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute reported that there is now enough evidence to show convincingly that tomatoes in many forms, including raw, ketchup, pasta sauce, tomato paste, soup and salsa have prostate cancer fighting abilities

"What's happening to my memory" is one of the most troubling questions for people over 50. Reasons for memory lapses are discussed, and tips for improving memory are offered, along with information on Alzheimer's disease

To date, the Food and Drug Administration has not approved the mighty Blue Diamond for women's use. Clinical trials of both Viagra and of Vasomax, a new oral medication, are only now in the early investigational phases needed for approval. "I'm absolutely against women indiscriminately using the medication," says Laura A. Berman, a sex therapist at the Boston University Medical Center. Along with her sister Jennifer, a urologist and director of the new Women's Sexual Health Clinic, Berman is now evaluating women of all ages from around the country who complain of sexual dysfunction. Viagra and other drugs in the rapidly growing sexual medicine armamaterium - such as testosterone and estrogen and, eventually, Viagra-like topical gels and creams - relax the arteries and allow more blood to flow to the genitals, where it's needed. With more blood comes increased sensitivity, even for post-menopausal women and those who have had hysterectomies

These are not just pill formulations that a man gulps down with a glass of water; indeed, some of the novel drugs being tested include gels and creams (tasteless, most likely. Flavored? We don't know.) that are rubbed into the penis. There are also "needle-less" and "painless" injectable medications. Bill Gates, Microsoft's CEO, currently has a sizable interest in Icos, a Bothell, Wash., company that's developing a medication similar to Viagra. Approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), however, could be years away. While many of these men can be helped by Viagra, it's estimated that of the men 50 years of age and older with heart ailments, approximately 10 to 20 men per million will die (without taking Viagra or any other prosexual) during sexual intercourse. Still, the FDA considers Viagra to be a very safe medication and should be readily prescribed to men who need it and can safely use it. If you're considering Viagra, be sure to first have a thorough cardiovascular assessment

Lamm and Couzens discuss the cure for fatigue: activity. Exercise fights fatigue, reduces the risk of heart disease, obesity, osteoporosis, and some cancers