|
|
|
FDA Home Page | Search
FDA Site | FDA A-Z Index | Contact
FDA
FDA Consumer magazine
November-December 2003 Issue
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death for Americans--both men and women, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. CHD is caused by a narrowing of the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart, and often results in a heart attack.
Government statistics show that about 1.1 million Americans suffer a heart attack each year. About 460,000 of those heart attacks are fatal.
Heart attack and stroke are the principal components of cardiovascular disease. About 950,000 Americans die of cardiovascular disease each year, which amounts to one death every 33 seconds. Statistics compiled by the CDC show that more than half of those who die of heart disease or stroke each year in the United States are women.
Deaths are only part of the picture. About 61 million Americans (nearly a quarter of the population) live with cardiovascular disease, the CDC says. About 6 million hospitalizations each year are due to cardiovascular disease.
The good news? Lifestyle changes and available medical treatments can help lower your risks for heart attack and stroke. Our cover story, "How to Keep Your Heart Healthy," takes a look at the latest research on CHD and provides you with the information you need to keep your heart fit.
The shelves of nearly every American supermarket are lined with foods that have been genetically altered to improve the product's taste, shelf life, or resistance to pests. Some varieties of tomatoes, potatoes, squash, corn, and soybeans have been altered through the science of biotechnology. So have the ingredients in everything from ketchup to cake mixes to hamburger buns.
The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act gives the FDA the authority to regulate all foods, food ingredients, and animal feeds derived from crops, including plant varieties developed through biotechnology. Our feature "Genetic Engineering: The Future of Foods?" takes a look at this emerging science and the FDA's regulatory role.
An "orphan disease" is defined under federal law as a condition that affects fewer than 200,000 persons in the United States. More than 6,000 of these rare conditions exist in about 20 million Americans, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders.
Since an orphan disease may affect only a few thousand people, the potential for a company to profit from developing an orphan treatment is small. Find out how the FDA is encouraging the development of treatments for these conditions in our feature titled "Orphan Products: Hope for People With Rare Diseases."
We also take a look at the latest advice from the FDA on sunless tanning products, menopausal hormone therapy, and cochlear implants.
Happy Holidays from the staff of FDA Consumer.
Ray Formanek Jr.
Editor