Doctors at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland are testing a pill to restore hormone levels in women who have gone through menopause. Thus far, reports Dr. Leon Speroff, the results suggest that taken daily, the pill will drastically reduce the incidence of a number of major medical problems.
”Estrogen replacement can postpone as many as 50 percent of female heart attacks and can prevent 60 to 80 percent of fractures due to osteoporosis
(bone deterioration),” Speroff says.
If these findings stand the tests of time and confirmation, they will represent not only a major scientific breakthrough in preventive medicine but a giant economic boon as well.
”We`re spending $9 billion each year on fractures from osteoporosis alone,” Speroff says.
The hormone pills will also help older women maintain their sexuality, adds Speroff.
Obstetricians and gynecologists have a rare opportunity to practice preventive medicine, the doctor continues. A 1981 study showed that 62.4 percent of all people who visited OB/GYNs weren`t sick but came for check-ups. By comparison only 12.3 percent of those seeing internists and general practitioners weren`t sick.
Preventive medicine, not treatment, is the way of the future, Speroff insists. Escalating health care costs eventually will make fees for service obsolete and create a system of lump-sum allocations per patient. Because they will be paid only fixed amounts, Speroff says, doctors ”will fare best by avoiding . . . extraordinary care.”
”What preventive health care does is postpone illness,” he explains.
”Instead of being sick for the last 20 years of our lives, we`re sick for one year and then we die. That gives us 19 great years and a lot of money that we don`t have to spend on health care.”
BUZZ CUT
More people plan to buy electric can openers than any other kind of portable household appliance, according to a Better Homes & Gardens survey.
About 1 in 10 of those surveyed said they hoped to purchase an electric can opener in 1987. Can openers leaped a noteworthy 13 places from last year`s poll of buyer intentions to take the top spot from food processors. Other movers and shakers included full-size deep fryers, up 37 places to No. 8 on the wish list, and toaster ovens, up 32 places to No. 3.
The 10 most-coveted items among the more than 140 available were, in order: Can openers, food processors, toaster ovens, electric woks, waffle irons, electric skillets, countertop microwaves, full-size deep fryers, automatic drip coffeemakers and steam irons.
LOST IN THE SHUFFLE
The first music video aired on MTV was titled ”Video Killed the Radio Star” by a band called the Buggles.
