Future of Medicine Archive
In-depth look at past health issues.

Many of the �cutting edge� surgical procedures from 25 years ago have become so commonplace that most people don't realize how radical they were at the time the began.

•	Can An Artificial Disc Surgery Replace Fusion Procedures?

 

Despite the furor over the risks of a heart attack or stroke triggered by the pain-relieving drugs known as Cox-2 inhibitors, they'll probably remain available on pharmacists' shelves.

•	Can Cox-2 Pain Relievers Be Used Safely and Effectively?

 

It's more than coincidence that history often repeats itself. Some of the earliest medicinal treatments are making a comeback, albeit under the aegis of modern technology.

•	A Blast From the Past: Maggots Can Clean Stubborn Wounds

 

Science is only now starting to find answers to determine how much of anything taken to keep you healthy is too much.

•	How Many Vitamins is Too Many Vitamins?

 

Surgery today is already faster, less invasive, and more effective. But that's only the beginning.

•	Radiological Intervention: The "Surgery" of the Future

 

Experts are warning Americans that its time to �bone up� on their health, with a recent Surgeon General's report estimating that at least half of those over 50 will suffer from fractures caused by osteoporosis by the year 2020..

•	Osteoporosis Doesn't Need to Lead to Fractures Later in Life

 

A new element has emerged in the seemingly never-ending battle against Alzheimer's disease: hope.

•	Alzheimer's Cure May Only Be a Decade Away

 

One of the most effective anti-drug advertising campaigns was the public service announcement showing an egg frying away in a pan with the superimposition: "This is your brain on drugs."

•	Brain Chemicals Hold Clue to Treatments of Emotional Disorders

 

What was once considered either old-fashioned or “far out” in the medical world is getting another look. And sometimes that new look can bring about different ways to treat diseases and conditions.

•	Complementary and Alternative Medicine No Longer in the Shadows

 

The U.S. government has adopted the American Diabetes Association's revised formula for evaluating pre-diabetes, which the ADA announced in November and the Department of Health and Human Services endorsed this spring. This now means two out of every five adults aged 40 to 74 are now considered to have pre-diabetes.

•	Diabetes: New Evaluation Procedure Means More People Are at Risk

 

During transplantation, surgeons remove a healthy organ from one person and place it into another person. This advanced and complicated surgery is an option when a person’s organ has stopped working due to illness or injury. Learn more about organ transplantation in this month's feature article.

•	Beyond Cholesterol Control: Statins’ role may expand into other health areas

 

During transplantation, surgeons remove a healthy organ from one person and place it into another person. This advanced and complicated surgery is an option when a person’s organ has stopped working due to illness or injury. Learn more about organ transplantation in this month's feature article.

•	Organ Transplantation: Researchers Strive to Reduce Organ Rejection

 

Hearing loss affects more than one third of people over 60 and one half of people over 85, as well as 1 million children in America. Read this article to learn about the different kinds of hearing loss and how they are treated.

•	New Treatments Help Manage Hearing Loss and Deafness, Common Conditions in Older Adults