Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have implanted silicon chips into the eyes of 3 patients nearly blind with retinal disease. The retina, which is at the back of the eye, translates light patterns into nerve pulses. Vision is not assured; trials have just started; more coming.

Colesevelam (Welchol) has been approved for lowering "lousy" LDL cholesterol. The drug works by binding bile salts in the intestine, preventing recycling. In this it is like cholestyramine (Questran) and it has similar side effects such as constipation and flatulence. The usual dose is 3 tablets twice a day with meals; it can be combined with other drugs such as the statins (Zocor, Pravachol, Lipitor & others).

The Winner is - Wine! From Denmark comes news that wine drinkers live longer than non-drinkers or those who avoid wine to drink beer or liquor. Dr. Morten Gronbaek and colleagues at the University of Copenhagen report in the Annals of Internal Medicine that those drinking wine 1-7 times a week had a 34% lower risk of dying than tea-totalers. Now, red or white?

Alzheimer’s Vaccine? Early safety trials of a vaccine for Alz-heimer’s disease are almost done in the US and Britain. "At this point," Elan Pharmaceuticals’ Dr. Dale Schenk told the World Alzheimer Congress in Washington, "we’re cautiously optimistic." The vaccine stimulates antibodies against a pri-mary component (called A-beta) of amyloid plaques that are thought to cause the disease. Mouse experiments showed that the vaccine prevented new plaques and removed old ones. The current human trials are for safety; further studies are planned.

Bone Density Testing: A reminder: state of the art DEXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) testing is coming to our office Wednesday October 18 and Friday October 20. This is the most accurate way to look for osteoporosis or "brittle bones." If you’re interested and haven’t yet signed up, we have a few slots left: please call. Women & some men are covered under Medicare.

Our Latest Winner for getting their colon cancer screening cards in promptly is Sue Bunting. She gets 2 movie tickets; everyone who participates in our monthly drawing gets to help prevent colon cancer.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month: The American Cancer Society estimates that 182,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000, and about 40,800 will die of it. This is the month to check your mammogram. Is yours up to date? If you’re over 40, you should get this breast x-ray at least every 2 years; if you’re over 50 or high risk (family history, late or no pregnancy), you should have it every year. And mammograms catch tumors about 2 years before you or we can feel them! 5 year survival for localized disease has improved from 78% in the 1940's to 96% now. Breast cancer can be a nasty disease to get – it can kill by getting into your lungs or bone or brain. We’ve noticed through our tracking system that many of you over 70 - when the odds are 1 in 14 of getting the disease - aren’t getting your mammograms. Please reconsider!