Single-monthly-dose vitamin D supplementation in elderly patients.

Objective: To determine the serum levels of calcidiol and calcitriol in 2 men and in 21 postmenopausal, primarily elderly women receiving hormone replacement therapy, orally administered calcium citrate, and an additional supplement of 50,000 IU of vitamin D (1.25 mg of cholecalciferol) once monthly for various periods.

Methods: We determined plasma calcidiol and calcitriol levels at various times, ranging from -1 to +60 days after intake of a single dose of 1.

The truth about oral contraceptives and venous thromboembolism.

In the last decade, the contribution of the progestin component of oral contraceptives (OCs) to the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) has come under scrutiny. The publication of 4 papers in late 1995 and early 1996 led to many women discontinuing OCs containing desogestrel and gastodene, the so-called third-generation OCs. This "pill scare" was the result of study findings that the third-generation OCs were associated with a higher risk of VTE than were OCs containing older progestins, primarily levonorgestrel.

Venous thromboembolism. A review.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) includes deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). A number of factors can increase VTE risk, including aging, smoking, immobility, pregnancy and a hereditary thrombophilia. Presenting symptoms are not definitive for DVT or PE, and objective testing is necessary for an accurate diagnosis.