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Jorge, I believe the"advertisement" refers to the box and not to the article, if you go to their home page, you will find the same format. Mario ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jorge Romero MD" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Sunday, February 03, 2002 8:56 PM Subject: Re: Please read - important > To Parkinsn List: > > I just wanted to share with you the fact that the "news report" by the > Health Scout News is an advertisement!!!! If you don't believe it, go to: > > http://www.healthscout.com/template.asp?page=newsdetail&ap=1&id=505649 > > Maybe Carol Menser and Edith, and all the others who have protested are > correct after all. The "reporter" totally misrepresents the findings in the > study. > > If you go to the Health Scout News Site, and find this article, at the top > you will see, in small print: > > > Advertisement > > > Printer Friendly Send to a Friend > > > Parkinson's Drugs Don't Cause Sudden Sleep > > Study: Nodding off during day common, but not while > driving > > By Ed Edelson > HealthScoutNews Reporter > > TUESDAY, Jan. 22 (HealthScoutNews) -- Debunking > previous research, a new study finds no connection between medications > people with Parkinson's disease take and their sudden bouts of sleepiness > while driving. > The finding is especially important in Canada, > because that government has required warning letters about pramipexole > (Mirapex) and ropinirole (Requip), based on studies suggesting they promote > sleepiness, says Dr. Douglas E. Hobson, lead author and an assistant > professor of neurology at the University of Manitoba. > > "When the Canadian government requested the warning > letters on these two drugs, it said the warning was pending further > information," Hobson says. "This is further information." > > The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not issued > a similar warning, but many doctors here have been cautious about > prescribing the drugs. > > Excessive daytime sleepiness is known to be common > among patients with Parkinson's disease, in which a deficit of the brain > chemical dopamine can cause trembling, stiffness, difficulty walking, and > reduced mental function. The two drugs, which promote dopamine activity, > have been reported to cause sudden sleepiness while driving. > > But a study of 638 patients at 18 Canadian clinics > found no such connection, says a report in tomorrow's issue of the Journal > of the American Medical Association. > > The researchers used the Epworth Sleepiness Scale > and an Inappropriate Sleep Composite Score, specifically developed for the > study, to determine not only the risk of falling asleep, but also how often > it occurs. > > They found 51 percent of the patients reported > daytime sleepiness, and the number of times that happened was not affected > by any medication the patients were taking. They also found the risk of the > much-feared sudden onset of sleep while driving is rare. Only 16 patients > reported a sudden onset of sleep while driving, and only 3 said it occurred > without warning. > > The score on the two tests, taken together, "is a > useful tool to identify patients who are abnormally sleepy, and may play a > role in increasing patient and physician awareness of this significant > clinical problem," the journal report says. > > "We were looking for predictors, because everyone > was told they shouldn't drive," Hobson says. "This will be helpful in > selecting out the patients who shouldn't be driving." > > The study is also useful because it gives solid > information about unwanted sleepiness, he says. > > "No one knew how often it happens," Hobson says. > "Knowing the frequency will help a lot in relation to regulations about > driving." > > The study will help doctors treating Parkinson > patients because it gives them a way of identifying patients at high risk of > unwanted sleepiness, says Dr. Cynthia L. Comella, of Rush-Presbyterian-St > Luke's Medical Center in Chicago. > > "The most important point of the study is the > ability to measure sleepiness in Parkinson's disease," says Comella, who > wrote an accompanying editorial. "The method is quite simple and clinically > applicable. Until now, nothing has been shown to assess sleepiness in > correlation with driving." > > What To Do > > "Patients considered to be at risk for falling > asleep behind the wheel should be cautioned to avoid driving, regardless of > the drug treatment," Comella writes. > > Basic information about Parkinson's disease can be > found at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke or the > National Parkinson Foundation. > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "supermario" <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2002 9:32 AM > Subject: Please read - important > > > Parkinson's Drugs Don't Cause Sudden Sleep > by: Ed Edelson, HealthScoutNews Reporter > > 01/22/2002 > > (HealthScoutNews) -- Debunking previous research, a new study finds no > connection between medications people with Parkinson's disease take and > their sudden bouts of sleepiness while driving. > > The finding is especially important in Canada, because that government has > required warning letters about pramipexole (Mirapex) and ropinirole > (Requip), based on studies suggesting they promote sleepiness, says Dr. > Douglas E. Hobson, lead author and an assistant professor of neurology at > the University of Manitoba. > > "When the Canadian government requested the warning letters on these two > drugs, it said the warning was pending further information," Hobson says. > "This is further information." > > The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not issued a similar warning, but > many doctors here have been cautious about prescribing the drugs. > > Excessive daytime sleepiness is known to be common among patients with > Parkinson's disease, in which a deficit of the brain chemical dopamine can > cause trembling, stiffness, difficulty walking, and reduced mental function. > The two drugs, which promote dopamine activity, have been reported to cause > sudden sleepiness while driving. > > But a study of 638 patients at 18 Canadian clinics found no such connection, > says a report in tomorrow's issue of the Journal of the American Medical > Association. > > The researchers used the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and an Inappropriate Sleep > Composite Score, specifically developed for the study, to determine not only > the risk of falling asleep, but also how often it occurs. > > They found 51 percent of the patients reported daytime sleepiness, and the > number of times that happened was not affected by any medication the > patients were taking. They also found the risk of the much-feared sudden > onset of sleep while driving is rare. Only 16 patients reported a sudden > onset of sleep while driving, and only 3 said it occurred without warning. > > The score on the two tests, taken together, "is a useful tool to identify > patients who are abnormally sleepy, and may play a role in increasing > patient and physician awareness of this significant clinical problem," the > journal report says. > > "We were looking for predictors, because everyone was told they shouldn't > drive," Hobson says. "This will be helpful in selecting out the patients who > shouldn't be driving." > > The study is also useful because it gives solid information about unwanted > sleepiness, he says. > > "No one knew how often it happens," Hobson says. "Knowing the frequency will > help a lot in relation to regulations about driving." > > The study will help doctors treating Parkinson patients because it gives > them a way of identifying patients at high risk of unwanted sleepiness, says > Dr. Cynthia L. Comella, of Rush-Presbyterian-St Luke's Medical Center in > Chicago. > > "The most important point of the study is the ability to measure sleepiness > in Parkinson's disease," says Comella, who wrote an accompanying editorial. > "The method is quite simple and clinically applicable. Until now, nothing > has been shown to assess sleepiness in correlation with driving." > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn