Washington, DC - Results from an international clinical trial of more than 4880 participants, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, show that combining clopidogrel and aspirin following a small stroke or experiencing minor stroke symptoms decreases risk of a new stroke, heart attack or other ischemic event within 90 days.  The combination therapy was also associated with an increase in major bleeding, although many of those episodes were non-fatal and did not occur in the brain.

Washington, DC - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Retacrit (epoetin alfa-epbx) as a biosimilar to Epogen/Procrit (epoetin alfa) for the treatment of anemia caused by chronic kidney disease, chemotherapy, or use of zidovudine in patients with HIV infection. Retacrit is also approved for use before and after surgery to reduce the chance that red blood cell transfusions will be needed because of blood loss during surgery.

Dallas, Texas - Annual well woman exams by OB/GYNs provide a golden opportunity to evaluate a woman’s heart health, according to a new joint advisory from the American Heart Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) which stresses the benefits of collaborative care between OB/GYN specialists and cardiologists.

Rochester, Minnesota - Many types of effective pain relief can be found without pills. Maybe you've gotten a massage, tried biofeedback or added dietary supplements. These are forms of what used to be called complementary and alternative medicine. Now, however, complementary and alternative medicine is most often referred to as integrative medicine.

Rochester, Minnesota - Many people think emergency departments tend to overprescribe opioids for people suffering from acute pain. However, a 2017 study published in Annals of Emergency Medicine found that's not true. According to Dr. Molly Jeffery, lead author of the study and scientific director of the Mayo Clinic Division of Emergency Medicine Research, the research revealed that the opioid prescriptions given in the emergency department are limited.

Rochester, Minnesota - Opioid medications, commonly called narcotics, are derived from the poppy plant. Some opioids are available as prescription medications. They are regulated as controlled substances by the Drug Enforcement Administration. A health care provider must have a special license to prescribe these opioids. Other opioids, such as heroin, are illegal under all circumstances and have no legitimate medical purpose.