Study Finds Loss of Normal Nighttime Parasympathetic Activity in Veterans Suffering from Gulf War Sy

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Study Finds Loss of Normal Nighttime Parasympathetic Activity in Veterans Suffering from Gulf War Syndrome

Research Establishes Medical Basis for Symptoms of Gulf War Illness

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A scientific paper confirming the relationship between autonomic nervous system dysfunction and Gulf War Illness was published online November 26, 2012 in the Archives of Neurology, according to Targeted Medical Pharma, Inc. (OTCQB: TRGM) (OTCBB: TRGM), a specialty pharmaceutical company that develops and distributes prescription medical foods to physicians and pharmacies.


The paper, "Cholinergic Autonomic Dysfunction in Veterans with Gulf War Illness," revealed a blunting or loss of normal nighttime parasympathetic activity in veterans suffering from Gulf War Illness was strongly associated with upper gastrointestinal dysmotility and sleep dysfunction. The abstract of the study can be viewed by visiting: http://bit.ly/CholinergicAutonomicDysfunctionStudy.

"The results of this study confirm our company's approach to the management of Gulf War Illness and other diseases involving disordered autonomic function," said William Shell, M.D., CEO and chief scientific officer of Targeted Medical Pharma, Inc., co-author of the scientific paper who provided data, analysis, and manuscript revisions, along with the late Elizabeth Charuvastra, RN, co-founder of Targeted Medical Pharma. "Our company is poised to educate military and civilian healthcare providers how to utilize the prescription-only medical foods Sentra AM® and Sentra PM® as part of a regimen to manage autonomic dysfunction associated with Gulf War Illness and other chronic diseases."

The scientific paper was primarily designed and implemented by Dr. Robert W. Haley, chief of epidemiology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and Dr. Steven Vernino, chief of the neuromuscular division at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

"This is the first study to establish a medical basis for symptoms of Gulf War Illness in a large, representative sample of veterans using validated medical tests," said Dr. Haley, principal author of the paper. "It now gives physicians a medical condition they can test for and treat."

Funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command, and the National Institute of Health, the study looked at 97 Gulf War-era veterans who met the standardized case definition of Gulf War Illness. The authors of prior studies raised the hypothesis that symptoms in veterans of the 1991 Gulf War, such as chronic diarrhea, dizziness, fatigue, and sexual dysfunction, are due to cholinergic autonomic dysfunction.

About Targeted Medical Pharma, Inc.'s Medical Foods

Targeted Medical Pharma's medical foods are amino acid based, FDA-regulated medications specially formulated to meet the body's increased nutritional requirements of certain disease states. They are a safe and effective option for treating pain syndromes, sleep and cognitive disorders, obesity, hypertension and peripheral neuropathy without harmful side effects. These medical foods are available by prescription only and must be administered under the ongoing supervision of a physician.

The company recently published results from a clinical trial of its proprietary medical food Sentra PM, which demonstrated improved sleep latency and improved nighttime parasympathetic nervous system activity as a standalone medication or used in conjunction with a low dose of Trazadone. The results of the study have been published in the May issue of the Journal of Central Nervous System Disease (http://bit.ly/SentraPM_Study).

Targeted Medical Pharma, Inc.

Targeted Medical Pharma, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company that developsand sells prescription medical foods to physicians and pharmacies for the treatment of chronic disease including pain syndromes, obesity, peripheral neuropathy, sleep and cognitive disorders. The company manufactures ten proprietary prescription-only medical foods, as well as 48 convenience packed kits, which pair a medical food and branded or generic pharmaceutical. These prescription medical food products and therapeutic systems represent a novel approach to the management of certain disease states, focusing on safety and efficacy without the deleterious side effects of traditional, high dose prescription drugs. Based in Los Angeles, the company's proprietary pharmaceutical therapeutic systems are currently sold in the United States and the Middle East. Targeted Medical Pharma also provides cardiac diagnostic testing services as well as billing and collection services on behalf of dispensing physicians.

Forward Looking Statement

This press releasemay contain forward-looking statements related to the company's business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions or goals. The words "may," "will," "should," "plans," "explores," "expects," "anticipates," "continue," "estimate," "project," "intend," and similar expressions, identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, but their absence does not mean that the statement is not forward-looking. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Actual results could differ materially. Targted Medical Pharma expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in the company's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances upon which any statement is based.

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