Monday, May 25, 2009

Pills Plus Psychotherapy Can Beat Insomnia

Pills Plus Psychotherapy Can Beat Insomnia
Title: Pills Plus Psychotherapy Can Beat Insomnia
Category: Health News
Created: 5/20/2009 2:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 5/20/2009

2-Week Course Of Sleep Aid Increases CPAP Adherence In OSA Patients At 6 Months
New research suggests that patients newly diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who use a short-course of the sleep aid, eszopiclone, when beginning continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, are more adherent with therapy in six months. The findings were presented at the American Thoracic Society's International Conference in San Diego on May 17. OSA is a common disorder that leads to multiple adverse effects on health and quality of life.

Combination Therapy Appears Helpful For Short-Term Treatment Of Insomnia; Cognitive Behavior Therapy May Be Better For Long-Term
For patients with persistent insomnia, a combination of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and the medication zolpidem for 6 weeks was associated with improvement in sleep, although for a longer treatment period CBT alone was more beneficial, according to a study in the May 20 issue of JAMA. Insomnia is a prevalent public health problem affecting large segments of the population on a situational, recurrent, or chronic basis.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (Cot Death) Associated With New Virus - Ljungan Virus
Ljungan virus, transmitted from animals to humans, has been found in 11 of 12 cases of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS. Investigators from Sweden and the USA present these findings in the scientific journal Forensic Science in Medicine and Pathology. Animals infected with the virus suffer from a similar disease. Population cycles of wild rodents carrying Ljungan virus correlate with the frequency of SIDS cases.

New Options Offered for Sleep Apnea
Title: New Options Offered for Sleep Apnea
Category: Health News
Created: 5/19/2009
Last Editorial Review: 5/19/2009

Addrenex Pharmaceuticals Expands Product Pipeline By Licensing New Drug To Treat Narcolepsy
Addrenex Pharmaceuticals expanded its pipeline of products aimed at adrenergic regulation with the signing of an agreement to license a new drug for the treatment of narcolepsy, a chronic and debilitating sleep disorder, as well as other neurologic and psychiatric conditions.

Stanford Study Recruiting Participants Who Have Insomnia And Depression
"You'll feel better after a good night's sleep." We've all heard those words, but have we ever stopped to wonder about the mental health of people who just aren't able to sleep well? Rachel Manber has, and the Stanford University School of Medicine researcher is trying to identify the best way to treat patients suffering from both depression and insomnia.

In Greenland Constant Sunlight Linked To Summer Suicide Spike
Suicide rates in Greenland increase during the summer, peaking in June. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Psychiatry speculate that insomnia caused by incessant daylight may be to blame. Karin Sparring Björkstén from the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, led a team of researchers who studied the seasonal variation of suicides in all of Greenland from 1968-2002.