Category: Brandpoint Health

2018-05-14T08:05:00

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2018-05-14T08:01:00

(BPT) – Poise partner and OBGYN Dr. Jessica Shepherd shares shocking misconceptions about light bladder leakage. To learn about product solutions, visit Poise.com.

2018-05-14T07:01:01

(BPT) – While all of us have experienced the dull pain of a headache and some know the recurrent pulse and throbbing of migraine, few people can understand the severity of pain associated with cluster headache, also known as “suicide headache.”

What is cluster headache?

Cluster headache is an extremely painful primary headache disorder characterized by recurring unilateral attacks, or attacks that occur on one side of the head. It is called “cluster” headache because headaches typically occur in bouts (or “clusters”) for 6 to 12 weeks, often at the same time each year or day, and are more frequent at night. It begins as sharp pain centered at the eye, temple or forehead, and can be as brief as 15 minutes or as long as several hours. Attacks can strike up to 8 times a day.

The condition, which affects about one to two people in every 1,000, predominantly occurs in males, with symptoms typically manifesting by the age of 30. Those at greater risk of cluster headache include heavy smokers and individuals with a family history of the condition.

“Cluster headache is one of the most painful conditions an individual can experience, known for being potentially more excruciating and debilitating than migraine,” said Stephen Silberstein, M.D., from the Jefferson Headache Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. “Sadly, patients diagnosed with cluster headache commit suicide twenty times more than the national average as the pain can be described as unbearable.”

Diagnosis and treatment

Unfortunately, diagnosis of cluster headache may be delayed significantly due to patients and physicians mistaking the end of a bout for resolution of a separate, standalone condition.

Historically, even after the proper diagnosis is made, there have been very few viable therapies for cluster headache, making prevention and treatment strategies a challenge. While the exact cause of cluster headache is unknown, it is typically treated with injectable sumatriptan, a combination of oxygen and various drugs and/or nerve blocks. These methods are associated with barriers to use including a myriad of pharmaceutical side effects. Not surprisingly, 79 percent of patients have been dissatisfied with available treatment options.^[1]

Today, patients now have a novel treatment option called gammaCore^®(nVNS). gammaCore, the first non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation therapy applied at the neck for the acute treatment of pain associated with migraine and episodic cluster headaches in adult patients, offers a way to treat symptoms without many of the side effects and dose limitations observed with commonly prescribed treatments or the need for invasive and costly procedures. Patients prescribed gammaCore can have reliable access to treatment for up to four cluster attacks per day for 30 days.

“gammaCore has shifted the paradigm by allowing patients to self-administer non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation therapy for acute treatment of cluster headache, resulting in the reduction of pain,” notes Dr. Silberstein. “gammaCore’s efficacy and safety profiles, along with its self-administered mode of delivery, have the potential to not only reduce the side-effect burden associated with other medications but also bring much needed relief to patients.”

For more information on cluster headache and treatment with gammaCore (non-invasive vagus nerve stimulator), please visit http://gammacore.com/.

Important Safety Information

gammaCore (non-invasive vagus nerve stimulator) is indicated for the acute treatment of pain associated with episodic cluster headache and migraine in adult patients.

• The safety and effectiveness of the gammaCore non-invasive vagus nerve stimulator (nVNS) has not been established in the acute treatment of chronic cluster headache.
• gammaCore has not been shown to be effective for the prophylactic treatment of migraine headache, chronic cluster headache, or episodic cluster headache.
• The long-term effects of the chronic use of gammaCore have not been evaluated.
• Safety and efficacy of gammaCore has not been evaluated in the following patients, and therefore is NOT indicated for:
  • Patients with an active implantable medical device, such as a pacemaker, hearing aid implant, or any implanted electronic device
  • Patients diagnosed with narrowing of the arteries (carotid atherosclerosis)
  • Patients who have had surgery to cut the vagus nerve in the neck (cervical vagotomy)
  • Pediatric patients
  • Pregnant women
  • Patients with clinically significant hypertension, hypotension, bradycardia, or tachycardia
• Patients should not use gammaCore if they:
  • Have a metallic device such as a stent, bone plate, or bone screw implanted at or near their neck
  • Are using another device at the same time (e.g., TENS Unit, muscle stimulator) or any portable electronic device (e.g., mobile phone)

Note: This list is not all inclusive. Please refer to the gammaCore Instructions for Use for all of the important warnings and precautions before using or prescribing this product.

gammaCore is available by prescription only. U.S. Federal Law restricts this device to sale by or on the order of a licensed healthcare provider.

2018-05-14T07:01:01

(BPT) – Recently, World Cancer Day was commemorated, which is an annual effort focused on raising awareness of cancer and those impacted by the disease around the world. This day is another reminder of the impact the progress being made in oncology has on the cancer community, particularly patients facing the need for additional treatment options. One patient’s story truly showcases just how the lives of people impacted by cancer are improved with a curative resolve through science and innovation.

Receiving a diagnosis of follicular lymphoma (FL) felt “like getting hit in the face with a brick,” recalls Brenda Montgomery of Carrollton, Kentucky. Active and healthy throughout her life, Montgomery never expected a routine gynecological checkup to lead to a nine-year battle with FL, the most common form of indolent non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.¹ Nor could she have guessed she would relapse after receiving first- and second-line treatment, leaving her with few options until the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of another treatment option for patients like Brenda.

“When I was first diagnosed, my husband and I had a three-day pity party,” she says of her initial diagnosis. “I wondered why me, when I’d been so healthy my whole life. I felt like I was too young to die, so when we were done with our pity party, we got up and decided ‘What are we going to do next?’ and we started treatment.”

Some patients, like Montgomery, experience initial success with first- and second-line treatments, only to find out later on that their disease has come back.

“Often, patients who are diagnosed with lymphoma initially know little about the disease, and those diagnosed with a rarer form, such as follicular lymphoma, may be even less aware at first what their diagnosis means,” says Dr. Don Stevens, Medical Oncologist, Norton Cancer Institute, Louisville, KY, Montgomery’s physician and investigator in the clinical trial of this treatment that led to its approval. “They may have experienced no symptoms prior to diagnosis, or they may be diagnosed when their follicular lymphoma is in a more advanced stage. Many patients’ follicular lymphoma may come back after first- and second-line forms of treatments, but currently, only a small portion of patients receive systemic therapy in third-line and beyond after initial treatments fail. It’s important for these patients to know they now have another treatment option in the third-line that has been FDA-approved.”

A different option

In February 2016, Montgomery made the decision to participate in a clinical trial of Aliqopa (copanlisib) 60 mg vial for injection. The study, known as CHRONOS-1, was investigating the safety and effectiveness of Aliqopa in 104 adult patients with FL when the disease has come back after treatment with at least two prior medicines.² Fifty-nine percent of patients (61 of 104) had a response to the drug in the clinical trial, and the average duration of response was about one year (median of 12.2 months).²

Following an FL diagnosis

If you’ve been diagnosed with FL, it’s important to know some basic facts about the disease, including:

These are not all of the possible side effects of ALIQOPA. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

For full prescribing information, visit:

http://labeling.bayerhealthcare.com/html/products/pi/Aliqopa_PI.pdf

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¹Cancer.net. Lymphoma – Non-Hodgkin: Subtypes. http://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/lymphoma-non-hodgkin/subtypes. Accessed March 2018.

²Aliqopa™ injection [Prescribing Information]. Whippany, NJ: Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, September 2017.

³Lymphoma Research Foundation. Follicular Lymphoma. 2017. Available at:

http://www.lymphoma.org/site/pp.asp?c=bkLTKaOQLmK8E&b=6300155. Accessed March 2018.

PP-860-US-0252

2018-05-11T11:01:00

(BPT) – Worldwide, cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer of women and men.^[i] In the U.S., the disease leads to one in every three deaths — one death approximately every 38 seconds.^[i] Although both genders suffer from the disease, women can experience more subtle symptoms than men, which may go unnoticed. That’s why it is important for women to know the heart disease risk factors that are specific to them. Here are four steps women should take to protect their heart health:

1. Know the Signs.

Chest pain is the most common heart attack symptom for women, but women are more likely than men to experience symptoms unrelated to chest pain including shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, sweating, lightheadedness/dizziness, or pain or discomfort in the neck, stomach, one or both arms, back, or jaw.^[ii]

2. Don’t Stall, Get Help Immediately.

Recent research found women have a higher risk of death in the first year after a heart attack than men.^[iii] If you recognize any of these signs or symptoms, it is important to get help immediately. Stalling may worsen your condition.

3. Prevention is Key.

Heart disease is preventable. Knowing and watching your heart health indicators, such as diet, exercise, smoking and alcohol consumption, are a few ways to protect your heart. If lifestyle modifications are not enough to lower your risk, you may need to speak with your doctor about alternate solutions.

4. Talk to Your Doctor.

High triglycerides (fat in the blood) are an indicator of cardiovascular risk.^{[iv],[v],[vi]} You should talk to your doctor about your triglyceride levels as well as your cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure levels — all important cardiovascular risk factors that can impact your heart health.

2018-05-11T11:01:00

(BPT) – National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month is the perfect time to educate yourself, family, friends, co-workers and others about asthma, the impact of uncontrolled disease and available resources.

2018-05-09T14:21:00

(BPT) – According to a recent Planet Fitness study, motherhood makes most women feel powerful — in body and mind.

2018-05-09T14:03:00

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2018-05-07T07:01:00

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2018-05-03T07:01:01

(BPT) – You helped friends move their furniture; now your back is so sore you can’t move. You could be out of work and unable to collect at least three paychecks.

Your doctor says you’ve eaten your last bacon-wrapped hot dog, or your health could keep you out of work for four paychecks.

You made a diving catch to clinch the win for the company softball team. Though you were carried off the field a hero, you’ll be away from the office for eight paychecks.

We’re all temporarily able-bodied — no one is immune from an unexpected illness or injury. One in four of today’s 20-year-olds will experience a disability before they hit retirement age, according to a June 2016 Social Security Administration fact sheet.

Back injuries, heart attacks, knee replacements or other disabling conditions can leave workers without a paycheck and employers short-staffed. Based on the average time out of work for each ailment as reported by MDguidelines.com (which assumes a medium-duty job classification), these conditions could put employees out of commission for six weeks, eight weeks or 16 weeks, respectively.

Yet, less than 30 percent of American workers have disability coverage, according to a 2018 LIMRA survey. Those counting on the government to provide disability payments are often disappointed: The latest Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program shows that nearly 70 percent of SSDI claims are denied and less than 40 percent of those claims are approved upon appeal.

Insurers like Prudential Insurance Company of America have come forward to fill the gap, offering employer-sponsored disability coverage, absence management and return-to-work solutions.

“No one imagines their livelihood being threatened by an injury or disability, even for a short time,” says Jim Gemus, a senior vice president for Prudential Group Insurance. “The statistics show it’s something we need to be concerned about.”

Risk of a debilitating injury isn’t limited to physically demanding, blue-collar work. Disabling illnesses and accidents often happen outside the workplace — like at a softball game.

With more than 1,170 short-term and 1,645 long-term disability clients, Prudential saw a need to provide easy-to-use tools to help workers and employers understand how much coverage they may need. Prudential’s Disability Insurance Needs Estimator calculates the expected amount based on age, marital status and income. Disability insurance helps pay a portion of these costs, reducing the financial burden at a time when individuals can least afford any additional stress.

“A good employer-sponsored disability insurance plan not only helps protect employees’ financial wellness, it also helps businesses handle the costs and complexities of disability management,” Gemus says. “Our main concern is helping individuals pay the bills so they can recover and get back to work.”

That may be the biggest benefit to employers who provide disability insurance. After all, every winning company softball team needs to keep its stars on the field.