Migraine is a common and disabling health problem among adult Americans. Surveys from the U.S. and elsewhere suggest that 6% of men and 15% to 17% of women experience migraine headaches. These headaches result in significant disability and work loss; estimated aggregate indirect costs to employers in theU.S. for reduced productivity due to migraine range from $6.5 billion to $17 billion annually. Patterns of medical care for the treatment of migraine are highly variable. A substantial proportion of migraineurs never consult a physician about their headaches. Among those who do seek medical attention, many do not continue with the course of treatment prescribed by their physician, citing the availability of nonprescription medications and negative side effects associated with prescription medications among the reasons for self-treatment. Preventive drug treatments are used by a small percentage of migraineurs -- 3% to 5% of patients in various studies. It is not known whether the patients in these studies who were not using preventive drug therapy had never been offered such treatment or had tried it and found it ineffective or intolerable. A substantial body of high-quality evidence exists describing the effectiveness of various drugs for the prevention of migraine. Synthesis and dissemination of this information may help correct the underuse or misuse of preventive drug treatment strategies for migraine. The objective of this evidence report is to provide a comprehensive review and analysis of published reports of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and other prospective, comparative clinical trials of drug treatments for the prevention of migraine. The present report does not cover all drugs that may be used for the prevention of migraine, but only those that have been studied in controlled trials among a population of migraineurs. These include (in alphabetical order): alpha-2 agonists (clonidine, guanfacine); anticonvulsants (divalproex sodium, sodium valproate, carbamazepine, clonazepam, gabapentin); antidepressants (amitriptyline, clomipramine, femoxetine, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, mianserin, opipramol); beta-blockers (propranolol, metoprolol, acebutolol, alprenolol, atenolol, bisoprolol, nadolol, oxprenolol, pindolol, practolol, timolol); calcium antagonists (cyclandelate, flunarizine, nicardipine, nifedipine, nimodipine, verapamil); ergots (dihydroergotamine DHE], dihydroergokryptine DEK], ergotamine, and the combination agent Cafergot comp.(r)); methysergide; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (aspirin, fenoprofen, flurbiprofen, indobufen, indomethacin, ketoprofen, lornoxicam, mefenamic acid, naproxen, naproxen sodium, tolfenamic acid); other serotoninergic drugs (pizotifen, lisuride, oxitriptan, iprazochrome, tropisetron); and other treatments (hormonal preparations estradiol, mixed estradiol/progestogen oral contraceptives, flumedroxone] and the herbal remedy feverfew). Several drugs for which there is a large body of evidence are unavailable in the U.S., including flunarizine, pizotifen, and lisurid

High blood cholesterol is a serious problem. Along with high blood pressure and cigarette smoking, it is one of the three major modifiable risk factors for coronary heart disease. Approximately 25 percent of the adult population 20 years of age and older has "high" blood cholesterol levels-levels that are high enough to need intensive medical attention. More than half of all adult Americans have a blood cholesterol level that is higher than "desirable." Because high blood cholesterol is a risk to your health, you need to take steps to lower your blood cholesterol level. The best way to do this is to make sure you eat foods that are low in saturated fat and cholesterol. The purpose of this book is to help you learn how to choose these foods. This book will also introduce you to key concepts about blood cholesterol and its relationship to your diet. For example, it includes basic (but very important) information about saturated fat-the dietary component most responsible for raising blood cholesterol-and about dietary cholesterol-the cholesterol contained in food. This book is divided into three parts. The first part of the book gives background information about high blood cholesterol and its relationship to heart disease. The second part introduces key points on diet changes and better food choices to lower blood cholesterol levels. Finally, in the third part more specific instructions are given for modifying eating patterns to lower your blood cholesterol, choosing low-saturated fat and low-cholesterol foods, and preparing low-fat dishes. The "glossary" provides easy definitions of new or unfamiliar terms. The "appendices" that follow the glossary list the saturated fat and cholesterol content of a variety of foods. Contents Eating to Lower Your High Blood Cholesterol What You Need to Know About High Blood Cholesterol Why Should You Know Your Blood Cholesterol Level? How High Is Your Blood Cholesterol Level? What Should Your Blood Cholesterol Goal Be? How Does Your Blood Cholesterol Become High? The Recommended Treatment: A Blood Cholesterol-Lowering Diet What Changes Should You Make in Your Diet? Eat Less High-Fat Food Eat Less Saturated Fat Substitute Unsaturated Fat for Saturated Fat Eat Less High-Cholesterol Food Substitute Complex Carbohydrates for Saturated Fat Maintain a Desirable Weight How Should You Change Your Daily Menu? What Kind of Success Can You Expect? How to Change Your Eating Patterns Shop for Foods That Are Low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol Read the Labels Low-Fat Cooking Tips Where Can You Go For Help? Glossary

The intent of this first-ever Surgeon General's Report on Oral Health is to alert Americans to the full meaning of oral health and its importance to general health and well-being. Great progress has been made in reducing the extent and severity of common oral diseases. Successful prevention measures adopted by communities, individuals, and oral health professionals have resulted in marked improvements in the nation's oral and dental health. The terms oral health and general health should not be interpreted as separate entities. Oral health is integral to general health; this report provides important reminders that oral health means more than healthy teeth and that you cannot be healthy without oral health. Further, the report outlines existing safe and effective disease prevention measures that everyone can adopt to improve oral health and prevent disease. However, not everyone is experiencing the same degree of improvement. This Surgeon General's report addresses the inequities and disparities that affect those least able to muster the resources to achieve optimal oral health. For whatever the reason, ignoring oral health problems can lead to needless pain and suffering, causing devastating complications to an individual's well-being, with financial and social costs that significantly diminish quality of life and burden American society.