Health Highlights: Nov. 18, 2009

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:

Mini Pump Improves Heart Failure Patients' Survival: Study

A miniature heart pump improved survival among severe heart failure patients, say researchers who conducted the first trial of this kind of new-generation device as a permanent treatment.

The HeartMate II pushes blood continuously instead of simulating a heartbeat, which is what older pumps do, the Associated Press reported. Last year, the HeartMate II was approved for short-term use in patients awaiting a heart transplant.

This study tested the device as a permanent therapy in severe heart failure patients who weren't candidates for a heart transplant. After two years, 46% of patients who received the new pump were alive without having suffered a stroke or a device failure, compared with 11% of patients who received an older pump.

The study, sponsored by California-based device maker Thoratec Corp., was published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at an American Heart Association conference.

The HeartMate II costs $80,000 while surgery to implant the device and the related hospital stay is about $45,000, the AP reported.

-----

RockHard Dietary Supplement Recalled: FDA

A dietary supplement called "RockHard Weekend" has been recalled because it poses a potential health hazard, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA said the product might contain sulfoaildenafil, an analogue of sildenafil, which is approved to treat erectile dysfunction. Sulfoaildenafil can interact with some prescription drugs and lower blood pressure to dangerous levels, United Press International reported.

The voluntary recall by RockHard Laboratories of Atlanta includes "RockHard Weekend" in blister packs with an expiration of "10/11," "3/12" or "8/12"; in three-count bottles with an expiration date of "09/12," and in eight-count bottles with an expiration date of "06/12."

For more information, consumers can contact RockHard Laboratories at 800-562-0543.

-----

Microsoft Co-Founder Diagnosed With Lymphoma

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, 56, has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, according to an email sent by his sister to employees of Allen's investment company, Vulcan.

"Paul is feeling O.K. and remains upbeat," Jody Allen, Vulcan's chief executive, wrote in the message, The New York Times reported. "He continues to work and he has no plans to change his role at Vulcan. His health comes first, though, and we'll be sure that nothing intrudes on that."

The diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was made this month. It's a relatively common form of lymphoma.

In 1983, Paul Allen was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease and left Microsoft to undergo radiation therapy and a bone marrow transplant. He never returned to day-to-day operations at Microsoft, but his stock in the company made him the 17th richest man in the United States, The Times reported.

-----

Ketamine Affects Memory: Study

Regular use of the drug ketamine can cause memory problems, say English researchers who conducted memory and psychological tests on 120 users and non-users.

Those who frequently used the drug -- dubbed Special K -- performed significantly worse when asked to recall names, conversations and patterns. Performance on the tests was even worse when the University College London researchers conducted a follow-up a year later, BBC News reported.

The study appears in the journal Addiction.

Ketamine, which is popular among club goers, acts as a stimulant and induces hallucinations. Previous studies have suggested the drug could cause bladder and kidney damage, BBC News reported.

Lead researcher Dr. Celia Morgan said "many young people who use this drug may be largely unaware of its damaging properties and its potential for addiction. We need to ensure that users are informed of the potentially negative consequences of heavy ketamine use."

-----

Critics Question Drug Price Increases

The wholesale prices of brand-name prescription drugs in the United States increased by about 9% in the last year, a sharp contrast to the 1.3% decrease in the Consumer Price Index.

Critics say drug companies are trying to establish a higher base price before Congress passes legislation to slow drug spending, but drug makers say they have valid business reasons for the price increases, The New York Times reported.

With the increases, the average yearly cost for a brand-name prescription drug taken daily has increased by about $200 to more than $2,000, according to Stephen W. Schondelmeyer, a professor of pharmaceutical economics at the University of Minnesota.

"When we have major legislation anticipated, we see a run-up in price increases," he told The Times.

Drug companies claim the price increases are necessary to maintain the profits they need to invest in research and development of new drugs.

"Price adjustments for our products have no connection to health care reform," Merck spokesman Ron Rogers told The Times.

Copyright © 2009 ScoutNews LLC. All rights reserved.