News lifestyle 2008-05-06 Andanh.com

Drug-resistant bacteria 'eat' antibiotics Tue, 06 May 2008 02:03 EDT
The threat of death-defying bacteria, stubborn organisms that refuse to be conquered by antibiotic medicines, is growing more alarming.

Infectious microbes that used to be able to resist only one drug, such as penicillin or methicillin, now resist multiple drugs. Some can survive virtually every weapon in doctors' medicine cabinets.

"This is very worrisome," said Stuart Levy, a microbiologist at Tufts University in Boston. "In many cases, there might be only one or no drugs to treat (an infection). We are not keeping up with the bacteria."

Two troubling recent developments:

.. Some bacteria have acquired the ability to "eat" the very antibiotic medicines that are supposed to eat them.

Revelry a sure bet Tue, 06 May 2008 09:26 EDT

Pitch a tent, invite 1,500 or so of your friends, and voil.: Derby party. That's the way Bill Morgan has been doing it since 1972. But it didn't start out quite so big.

While Morgan was a student at the University of Kentucky, he decided to throw a party for his friends who couldn't afford the exclusive Derby parties. The Poor Man's Harlan County Derby Eve Party was born.

Now it's the biggest party of them all.

And just like the more expensive parties, this bash is for .charity. .Morgan, wife Elizabeth Morgan, brother Bryan Morgan and friend James .Smitty. Jones . a onetime maitre'd at Columbia's Steak House on North Limestone . were the hosts.

Drug combo might do more harm than good Tue, 06 May 2008 09:51 EDT

Question: I am a woman, 73, with type 2 diabetes. My doctor has .prescribed fenofibrate and .simvastatin.

Your recent column cautioned about possible muscle damage with this combination. I suffer from .arthritis, and I have a bad back and lots of joint pain, so how am I to distinguish between the pains? I have not had the additional blood work that was ordered and have not started on the above drugs yet. I would appreciate your opinion. (I currently take metformin, metoprolol and hydrochlorothiazide.)

Answer: Based on the drugs you mention, you appear to have mixed hyperlipidemia (high LDL .cholesterol and high triglycerides).

Fenofibrate reduces triglycerides, and simvastatin is a statin drug that reduces LDL cholesterol (the bad kind).

Summer getaways
With spring in full swing, many are getting excited about making plans for summer travel.And many tourist spots are gearing up for the crowds by introducing new additions to their parks or entertainment lineup.

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