Show 1013: Bacon Causes Cancer! How Good Is the Science Behind the Headlines?

Bacon and Cancer:

Not long ago, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Cancer Research stirred up a lot of controversy by announcing that processed meats such as bacon or hot dogs should be classified as human carcinogens. What does this pronouncement actually mean? Has it changed the way you cook or eat?

More Medicines Means More Chance of Interactions:

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has shown that more Americans than ever before are taking medication, and they are taking more medicines. Nearly 15 percent of adults are taking five or more pills on a regular basis. What should they be watching for? We’ll discuss the potential for disastrous interactions.

How Low Should Blood Pressure Go?

The SPRINT study showed the benefit of keeping blood pressure low, with systolic pressure at or under 120. The study subjects were middle aged and older, but another study showed that younger people too can benefit from vigorous blood pressure control. Dr. Jo‹o Lima tells us about his research.

This Week’s Guests:

David Kroll, PhD, is a pharmacologist and medical writer in the Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina. He has taught at the University of Colorado, Duke University and North Carolina Central University. He now works on educating the public on matters pharmacological through his blogs.

Jo‹o A. C. Lima, MBA, MD, is Professor of Medicine and Radiology and Director of Cardiovascular Imaging at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. His research was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.