Health & Medicine for Senior Citizen
Features for Senior Citizens
Which Cardiac Arrest Patients are Taken to Hospital
Decided by Simple Tests for EMS
New guidelines identify which patients should be
brought to hospitals when emergency efforts to revive them aren’t
working
Sept. 24, 2008 - When someone’s heart suddenly
stops beating – a condition called cardiac arrest -- there’s a lot that
bystanders and ambulance crews can do to get it started again. But if
the victim doesn’t respond, when should such efforts stop? It is a
question of critical importance to senior citizens - the most likely
victims.
Read more...
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Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens
Virtual Colonoscopy Ready for Prime Time as Less
Worrisome Way to Find Colon Cancer
Large trial says CT Colonography comparable to
colonoscopy in helping prevent third most diagnosed cancer, second leading cause of cancer death
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Virtual colonoscopy, a minimally invasive
procedure, produces 3-D images and videos of the lining of the rectum
and colon. The technique can detect precancerous and cancerous polyps.
Image courtesy of Dr. Perry J. Pickhardt, University of Wisconsin
Medical School. |
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Sept. 22, 2008 – Medical researchers have long
sought an effective alternative to the standard colonoscopy, which uses
a long, flexible tube with a camera to view the lining of the colon to
detect cancer and precancerous polyps. Most have assumed it is the
procedure that causes millions of older men to skip the recommended exam
that could save them from colorectal cancer, the second leading cause of
cancer death. Researchers claim they have found the answer -
computerized tomographic (CT) colonography, known as “virtual
colonoscopy,” is now comparable to standard colonoscopy.
Read more...
High
Cholesterol Bad for Heart but May Also
Increases Prostate Cancer Risk
September both National Prostate Health and
National Cholesterol Education Months
Sept. 18, 2008 - Heart health isn’t the only reason
for older men to pay attention to cholesterol levels, according to the
American Urological Association, which points to recent research showing
that cholesterol plays an important role in prostate health as well.
Read more...
Lipitor, Other Statins May Reduce Risk of Heart
Attack for Men Only, Yet Marketed to Women
Billions of dollars may be being wasted on statin use
by women to lower cholesterol, prevent heart disease
September
17, 2008 – Lipitor has been the top-selling drug in the world and has
accounted for over $12 billion in annual sales. It has been prescribed
to both men and women to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart
attack and stroke in patients with common risk factors for heart
disease. A new study, however, was unable to find “high quality”
clinical evidence documenting reduced heart attack risk for women in a
primary prevention context.
Read
more...
One of Three Older Women Suffer with Incontinence As
Do One-Quarter of All Women
By the time women become 80 about half battle these
pelvic floor disorders
Sept.
16, 2008 – More than one out of three older women suffer from urinary or
fecal incontinence, according to a new study in the Journal of the
American Medical Association. These disorders become more prevalent with
increasing age and weight, the researchers found, but nearly one-quarter
of women of all ages report at least one of these pelvic floor
disorders.
Read more...
Surgeon General Calls for Action to Prevent Deep
Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism
Two guides to help seniors and other consumers,
clinicians issued by AHRQ
Sept.
15, 2008 - A campaign spearheaded by the U.S. surgeon general kicked off
today with the goal of reducing the number of cases of deep vein
thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, killers of over 100,000 people each
year in the U.S. Many of those who die are senior citizens. The Call to
Action urges a coordinated, multifaceted plan.
Read more...
Common Painkillers Like Aspirin Seem to Lower PSA
Level that Predicts Prostate Cancer
Not enough data to say that men who took the
medications were less likely to get prostate cancer
Sept. 8, 2008 – Can common painkillers, like
aspirin and ibuprofen, protect men from prostate cancer. Researchers say
men should not jump to that conclusion, although, their study shows
these over-the-counter drugs appear to lower a man’s PSA level, the
blood biomarker widely used by physicians to help gauge whether a man is
at risk of prostate cancer.
Height Linked to Prostate Cancer Development, Growth
in Review of 58 Studies
‘We speculate that factors that influence height may
also influence cancer and height is therefore acting as a marker for the
causal factors’
Sept.
3, 2008 – A man’s height appears to indicate his risk for prostate
cancer – more height, more risk. But British researchers, who reviewed
58 published studies, say height is a much stronger indicator of how
rapidly the cancer will progress.
Read more...
Study Confirms Older Americans Need to Have
Colonoscopy at Age 50
Cancer's precursor polyps, known as adenoma, sharply
increase after age 50
Below
see...
Medicare's coverage of tests for colorectal cancer.
More about colon cancer. |
Sept. 3, 2008 – People over age 50, who are still
wrestling with the decision of whether they should have a colonoscopy,
received another wake-up call this week from a study detailing the rapid
increase of polyps – the precursor of virtually all colorectal cancers –
that begin to occur at that age.
Read more...
Heart Attack Patients Who Stop Taking Statins Are
More Likely to Die Within a Year
Those who used statins before an AMI and continued
were 16% less likely to die over the next year than those who never
used them
Aug. 27, 2008 – The statin you were taking did not
prevent you from having a heart attack so why continue taking it? For
one reason, say researchers, if you discontinue the drug after your
acute myocardial infarction (AMI) you will greatly increase the chance
that you will die within a year.
Read more...
Four Online Interactive Tools Added by AARP to
Website's Health Section
Guides help users find disease from symptoms, check
safety of drugs, find doctors and hospitals, look up health information
Aug.
27, 2008 - AARP has added four health tools to its Web site. The data
sources, which the organization says provide “trusted, reliable online
health information,” are outside providers and their data is made
available through the AARP’s Health Section. Topics include solving
health problems to finding doctors and hospitals, but the
information is not specifically for senior citizens.
Read
more...
Increasing
Numbers of Seniors are Challenged by Checking Blood Pressure at Home
Free video by Harvard Heart Letter tells you
how to get a good reading
Aug. 26, 2008 – Senior citizens are more conscious
than most of the dangers from hypertension and blood pressure readings
are a common topic of discussion. Free machines to take your blood
pressure reading are available at pharmacies and increasingly are found
in homes. But getting an accurate reading may not be as easy as many
think, according to the Harvard Heart Letter, which is offering
free help.
Read more...
New Technique Used on Old Rats Offers New Hope for
Delayed Stroke Treatment
Loyola researchers hope to reverse stroke damage by
jumpstarting growth of nerve fibers
Aug.
25, 2008 - If a stroke patient doesn't get treatment within
approximately the first three hours of symptoms, there's not much
doctors can do today to limit damage to the brain. A new technique used
on rats that have experienced strokes in old age, however, could
potentially restore functions to patients weeks or even months after a
stroke.
Obese Senior Citizens Don’t Increase Death Risk but
Become Ticking Bomb for Disability
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![](News-Temporary/PhotosTemporary/ObeseMan125px_small1.jpg) |
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Only severely obese
men increase risk of death. |
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In most developed countries middle-aged and elderly
adults are more likely to be obese than people in any other age group
Aug. 21, 2008 – Being obese as a senior citizen may
not increase your risk of death above that of thinner seniors, but it is
a major contributor to increased disability in later life, which is
creating a ticking time bomb for health services in developed countries,
according to new research.
Read more...
Brachytherapy May Be Best Prostate Cancer Treatment
Choice for Obese Men
Follows finding that surgery is technically more
challenging in overweight men
Aug. 19, 2008 - A recent study found that obese men
with prostate cancer have less successful surgical treatment than normal
weight men, because the surgery is technically more challenging in obese
men. A study released today, says brachytherapy, also called “seed
implants,” may be a better treatment choice than surgery or external
beam radiation for these overweight patients.
Read more...
Seniors Much Less Likely Than Younger Patients to Be
Rushed to Trauma Centers
Unconscious age bias in EMS and receiving trauma
center personnel identified as a possible cause
Aug. 18, 2008 – If you are a senior citizen – age
65 or older – and suffer a trauma, your chances of getting emergency
services to transport you to a trauma center are 52 percent less than
for younger people. But, if you are 70 or older it gets even worse,
according to a report in the August issue of Archives of Surgery, one of
the JAMA/Archives journals.
Read
more...
State-Level Lawsuits are Vital Deterrent to Protect
Consumers from Drugmakers
Prestigious New England Journal of Medicine
editors file friend-of-court brief
Aug. 18, 2008 -
FDA by itself cannot guarantee drug safety and state-level lawsuits
are "a vital deterrent" to help protect consumers against drugmakers
that do not disclose all risks associated with a treatment, editors of
the New England Journal of Medicine wrote in a friend-of-the-court brief
on Thursday, the
AP/Orlando Sentinel reports (Alonso-Zaldivar, AP/Orlando Sentinel,
8/15). Read
more...
Large Trial of Drug Therapy for COPD Offers New Hope
for Those with This Lung Problem
It did not abolish the accelerated decline in lung
function but did make substantial improvement
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Shows the
respiratory system and cross-sections of healthy alveoli and
alveoli with COPD |
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Aug. 18, 2008 - For the first time, a drug therapy
appears to reduce lung function loss in patients with moderate to severe
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the fourth leading cause
of death in the U.S., which is primarily diagnosed in older people.
Read more...
Studies Show Waist Circumference is Heart Risk
Factor Even in Normal-Weight Individuals
Some of obese appear ‘Metabolically Healthy’ without
increased cardiovascular risk
Aug.
11, 2008 - Some obese individuals do not appear to have an increased
risk for heart disease, while some normal-weight individuals experience
a cluster of heart risks, according to two reports in the August 11/25
issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives
journals. The studies find a key factor is where the fat is located.
Interestingly, normal-weight individuals with metabolic abnormalities
tended to be older, less physically active and have larger waists.
Read more...
Prostate Screening Bias Against Obese Men Leads to
Late Detection, Less Surgical Success
Aggressiveness of obese men's late-detected tumors
and that they may be more difficult to remove, is a double whammy for
fat guys
Aug. 8, 2008 – Older men, still trying to digest
the government recommendation last week that those 75 or older should
not be recommended for prostate cancer screening, today got a new
warning. It says tests for elevated levels of prostate-specific antigen
(PSA) in the blood - the gold standard screening test for prostate
cancer - may be biased against obese men, whose PSA levels tend to be
deceptively low. This delays diagnosis and allows development of more
aggressive cancers.
Read more...
Barrett’s Esophagus, a Pre-cancerous Disease, is
Increasing Among White Male Senior Citizens
Study says doctors can do more about this disease
linked to chronic acid reflux
Aug.
7, 2008 - It is another one of those diseases that does not usually
strike until you are about to become a senior citizen, which may be one
of the reasons the disease known as Barrett’s esophagus gets overlooked.
A new study says the medical community can do a better job with this
pre-cancerous condition linked to chronic acid reflux.
Read more...
Task Force Says Men Age 75 and Older Should Not Be
Screened for Prostate Cancer
Chances are they will die of something else before
the cancer gets them
Aug. 5, 2008 - Men age 75 and older should not be
screened for prostate cancer, because even if they have it, chances are
they will die of something else first, as well as endure pain and
suffering from the testing. Younger men should discuss the benefits and
harms of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test with their clinicians
before being tested, according to new recommendations from the U.S.
Preventive Services Task Force.
Read more...
Vitamin C Injections Slow Pancreatic, Ovarian and
Brain Cancer Growth in Mice
High concentrations of ascorbate had anticancer
effects in 75% of cancer cell lines, while sparing normal cells
Aug.
4, 2008 - High-dose injections of vitamin C, also known as ascorbate or
ascorbic acid, reduced tumor weight and growth rate by about 50 percent
in mouse models of brain, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers, three of the
deadliest of cancers. Researchers from the National Institutes of Health
(NIH) report results in the August 5, 2008, issue of the Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences.
Read more...
Senior Citizens and Surgeons Failing to Communicate
Effectively, Study Finds
Few responses were elicited when surgeons asked, ‘Do
you have any questions or concerns?’
July
31, 2008 -- The decision to undergo surgery can be particularly
difficult and confusing for senior citizens. In a study published in the
July 2008 issue of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, older patients
also fail to discuss many of their concerns with the surgeon when
exploring surgical treatment options.
Read more...
Highest Danger for Heart Attack Comes from Fat
Around the Heart
Older people with highest levels of heart fat almost
five times more likely to have calcified coronary plaque
July 30, 2008 – Obesity may increase a senior
citizens risk of developing a number of diseases and physical problems,
but when it comes to risk of heart attack, having excess fat around the
heart may be worse than having a high body mass index or a thick waist,
according to researchers from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical
Center and colleagues reporting in the August issue of the journal
Obesity. Read
more...
Oldest Americans Falling Behind in America’s Rush to
Become Obese
New numbers show percent in US that are obese has
moved up by 2 percentage points
July 17, 2008 – New obesity figures show the
percentage of overweight Americans continues to expand but senior
citizens – at least those 70 and older – do not seem to be keeping up
with younger adults, especially those between age 60 and 69. An
estimated 25.6 percent of U.S. adults reported being obese in 2007
compared to 23.9 percent in 2005, an increase of 1.7 percent, according
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Read more...
Senior Citizens with Osteoarthritis Do Just Fine
After Hip or Knee Replacements
Patients 75 and older took about the same amount of
time to return to regular activities as those age 65 to 74
July 14, 2008 - Older adults who have hip or knee
replacement surgery for severe osteoarthritis may take several weeks to
recover but appear to have excellent long-term outcomes, according to a
report in the July 14 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the
JAMA/Archives journals.
Read
more...
CDC Researcher Suggests Lack of Insurance is Reason
for Lack of Colorectal Cancer Screening
Rates of those tested jumped after 2001 when Medicare
expanded coverage for colonoscopy
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While few people
will rank a colonoscopy as a favorite medical procedure, one
statistic argues clearly in its favor: a 90 percent cure rate in
colon cancers caught at an early stage. |
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July 14, 2008 – There is new evidence today that
national health insurance will save millions of lives and many health
care dollars. This new study looked at Americans age 50 and older and
found just about half are taking the recommended screening tests for
colorectal cancer, despite massive evidence showing this can reduce
deaths from this deadly cancer. Lack of insurance coverage seems to be a
major factor.
Read more...
Power of Positive Thinking Works Well for Heart
Health – at Least for Men
Most women who rated their risk "low" were far more
accurate than the men
July
14, 2008 - Men, up to age 75, who believed they were at
lower-than-average risk for cardiovascular disease actually experienced
a three times lower incidence of death from heart attacks and strokes.
The data did not support the same conclusion among women, according to
University of Rochester Medical Center researcher Robert Gramling, M.D.,
D.Sc. Read
more...
Fighting for Your Legs: Peripheral Arterial Disease
on Rise for Senior Citizens
‘Silent killer’ bringing grave results that can
include gangrene, amputation, or death
By Dr. Gary M. Ansel
July
10, 2008 - Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), a condition synonymous
with the clogging of arteries in the body’s lower extremities, is often
referred to as a “silent killer” that can bring with it potentially
grave results that include gangrene, amputation, or death.
Read
more...
Heart, Diabetes, Cancer Groups Join Forces to
Increase U.S. Life Expectancy
Could add 220 million life-years in 30 years
or 1.3 years of life expectancy for every adult
See
Below in story:
> How Americans Die
> Link to WHO video on
chronic disease
> Link to research on
benefits of preventive services |
July 9, 2008 - Aggressive use of nationally
recommended clinical prevention activities, such as smoking cessation
programs, controlling pre-diabetes or lowering cholesterol, could
increase life expectancy for U.S. adults by reducing cardiovascular
disease (CVD), according to a joint report of three major national
healthcare organizations.
Read
more...
Breast Cancer in Senior Citizens Less Aggressive
Than in Younger Women
Women under 45 tend to respond less to treatment,
have higher recurrence rates than older women, particularly those over
the age of 65
July 8, 2008 - Young women's breast cancers tend to
be more aggressive and less responsive to treatment than the cancers
that arise in older women, and researchers at the Duke Comprehensive
Cancer Center and the Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy may
have discovered part of the reason why: young women's breast cancers
share unique genomic traits that the cancers in older women do not
exhibit. Read
more...
Androgen Deprivation Does Not Improve Survival for
Seniors with Prostate Cancer
Conservative management of the disease does a better
job, says study
July
8, 2008 - A therapy that involves depriving the prostate gland of the
male hormone androgen does not improve survival for elderly men with
localized prostate cancer, compared to conservative management of the
disease, according to a study in the July 9 issue of JAMA. Which is good
news for researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute that released a
study in February of 2007 warning this popular therapy may actually
increase the risk of death from heart disease for patients over age 65.
Read
more...
Ankle-to-Arm Blood Pressure Ratio May Help Define
Cardiovascular Risk
Ankle
brachial index is used to indicate the risk of peripheral artery disease
and atherosclerosis
July
8, 2008 – A ratio of blood pressure measurements from the ankles and
arms – the ankle brachial index – may improve the accuracy of predicting
cardiovascular risk, according to a review of previous research that is
reported in the July 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical
Association. Read
more...
One in Every Four Older Americans Now Diagnosed with
Diabetes
Three million increase in two years pushes total in
US to 24 million
June 30, 2008 – Last week new statistics on
diabetes were released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) that showed 24 million in the U.S. now have diabetes – 8 percent
of the population. What was buried deeper in the news release was the
staggering statistic that almost 25 percent of the population age 60 and
older had diabetes in 2007.
Hypertension Best Controlled in Study with Home
Monitoring and Web-Based Pharmacist
More than half reached blood pressure goal through
home monitoring-Web training-Web Pharmacy
June 24, 2008 – High blood pressure (hypertension)
is the leading chronic disease among senior citizens but a new treatment
method has achieved significant results in improving the control of
blood pressure. The patients who monitored their blood pressure from
home and received Web-based pharmacist care and training showed greater
improvement in blood pressure control than patients who received usual
care. Read
more...
Risk of Death in Senior Citizens Indicated by Subtle
Nervous System Abnormalities
Slowed reflexes, sagging posture and other small
neurological problems need more attention in elderly patients
June
23, 2008 – If you are elderly – say 72 or so – and show subtle signs of
reflexes that are not so quick, a posture that sags and maybe another
slight neurological problem or two, there is evidence from a new study
that you may be in danger of a stroke or death, even if you appear to be
otherwise healthy.
Read more...
Most Effective Emergency Stroke Treatment Drug May
Get Even Better with a Little Help
Benefits from tPA increased by leukemia drug,
imatinib (Gleevec) in tests
June
23, 2008 - For over a decade, the drug called
tPA has proven its worth as the most effective emergency treatment
for the most common kind of
stroke. But its promise is blemished by two facts: tPA can cause
dangerous bleeding in the brain, and its brain-saving power fades fast
after the third hour of a stroke.
Read more...
Bariatric Surgery to Attack Obesity Shown to Prevent
Cancer in New Study
Other recent success with stomach-shrinking surgery
has been against type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high
cholesterol
June 19, 2008 – Many over-weight senior citizens
have closely watched the news unfold over the last few years extolling
the ability of bariatric stomach surgery to prevent such dreaded
conditions as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
They can now add and even worse condition to that list - cancer.
Read more...
You Are Never Too Old for a Hip Replacement to
Improve Function
Researchers find it is cost-effective with no age
limit for benefits to patients
June
18, 2008 – Senior citizens with osteoarthritis who undergo total hip
replacement are twice as likely as those who do not to show improvements
in physical functioning and increased ability to care for themselves,
according to researchers at Duke University Medical Center. The study,
which is the largest of its kind, found that there is no age limit on
the benefits of hip replacement for patients.
Read more...
New Studies Impacting Deadly Atherosclerosis Have
Potential to Save Millions of Lives
Blocking ROCK1 could slow the disease; cooling the
inflammation; repair with artificial veins and arteries
June 18, 2008 - Even if you eat right and exercise
regularly, chances are high that you'll still die of a heart attack or
stroke. But thanks to new findings by researchers from Harvard and
Baylor, the odds may finally shift in your favor. Two studies published
online in The FASEB Journal describe findings on atherosclerosis that
have the potential to save millions of lives. A third reports on the
potential of repairing the damage using artificial.
Read more...
Radiation for Cancer Recurrence after Radical
Prostatectomy Shows Increased Survival
Provocative evidence that even men with adverse
prognostic features may benefit from salvage radiotherapy
June 17, 2008 - Preliminary findings indicate that
for men who underwent radical prostatectomy, radiation treatment after
prostate cancer recurrence was associated with an increase in prostate
cancer-related survival, according to a study in the June 18 issue of
the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Read
more...
Better Understanding How Tim Russert Died, How to
Avoid It Causing Senior Citizen Buzz
Many older Americans puzzled how newsman passed
stress test and then died shortly after of heart attack
By Tucker Sutherland,
editor & publisher, SeniorJournal.com
June
17, 2008 – The death of Tim Russert was a shocker to the world and the
cause of his death – heart attack - shortly after passing a stress test,
has left many senior citizens scratching their heads. Seniors, more
sensitive to news about heart attack deaths than most, have been a buzz
about the mystery. A better understanding may come from looking at a
report on a new gadget approved by the FDA in April that tells us more
about the killer plaque laying in wait inside our arteries and a
statement issued yesterday by the CEO of the company that makes it.
Read more...
Senior Citizen Disease that Inflames Arteries in
Head Found to Increase Risk of Blindness
Giant cells that destroy bacteria often found in
temporal arterities that usually hits at age 70, can lead to Polymyalgia
rheumatica
June
17, 2008 – A disease that usually strikes people at about age 70 –
temporal arteritis – has been found to increase by three the chance
these senior citizens will go blind. And, those with “Giant cells” are
three times more likely to develop Polymyalgia rheumatica.
Read more...
Elderly Patients with Ruptured Aortic Aneurysm
Improve Survival with Least Invasive Repair
Study finds having surgery and mesh stent procedures
available helps all ages survive
June
16, 2008 – Older people, in particular those over age 75, that suffer a
ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, have a much better chance of
survival if the repair is performed by a less invasive procedure than
open surgery. But for people of all ages, having two options for the
repair is shown to improve survival, according to a new study.
Read
more...
Heart Disease Deaths Not Dropping for Diabetic Women
as for Men; Less Treatment May Be Cause
Women have worse control of blood pressure, sugar and
cholesterol but given cholesterol-lowering medications less often
Another Possible Heart Disease Risk for Overweight Women: Low
Growth Hormone - Read below main story. |
June 16, 2008 - Women with type 2 diabetes and
heart disease have poorer control of both diseases and receive less
intensive medical treatment than do men, which may help explain why
death due to heart disease has decreased among men but not women with
type 2 diabetes, according to a study presented yesterday.
Read
more...
Girk4 Gene May Hold the Key to Why Obesity Increases
with Age
Mice missing this gene develop obesity finds
University of Minnesota study
June 10, 2008 – The likelihood of developing
obesity more than doubles between the ages of 20 and 60, as most senior
citizens know. But, why? That is the unanswered question that
researchers hope to answer with the discovery of a gene that may hold
the secret. Read more...
Senior Heart Patients Need Help from Cardiac Rehab
Expert to Adhere to Healthy Habits
Mayo Clinic research shows that cardiac rehab can
extend life but is vastly underutilized
June
6, 2008 – It's a familiar pattern – the senior citizen suffers a serious
heart problem and comes out of the initial life-saving treatment
determined to do whatever it takes to live a healthier life. The diet,
the exercise – it all goes well for awhile and then, too often, the will
power and determination drastically diminishes. The answer could be a
cardiac "disease manager," according to researchers at Mayo Clinic in
Rochester, Minn.
Read more...
Younger Heart Failure Patients More Likely than
Seniors to Overestimate Life Expectancy
But majority of patients in study think they will
live longer than clinical prediction
June
3, 2008 – Senior citizens, especially those without the most severe
heart failures, are more realistic about their condition and remaining
life span than are younger heart failure patients, who are most likely
to overestimate their chances of survival.
Read more...
Are Machines Good Enough to Make Heart Transplants a
Thing of the Past?
Advanced heart-assisting devices are getting better
and better, but donated hearts are still the gold standard
June 2, 2008 - Heart transplants save the lives of
more than 2,100 Americans every year. But many more patients are still
waiting for a new heart to become available, and hundreds will die
without ever getting a second chance at life. Meanwhile, tens of
thousands more people aren’t sick enough to need a transplant, but
struggle every day with severe
heart failure that limits all aspects of their lives.
Read more...
Identifying Cancer Patients with Poor Quality of
Life May Spot Those with Aggressive Tumors
Quality of life predicts cancer survival in
University of Michigan study
May 29, 2008 - Head and neck cancer patients who
reported lower physical quality of life were more likely to die from
their disease, according to a new study from the University of Michigan
Comprehensive Cancer Center. The findings could mean that identifying
patients with poor quality of life could also identify patients with
particularly aggressive tumors.
Read more...
Many Senior Citizens with Heart Disease Have Poor
Knowledge of Heart Attack Symptoms
Despite 5 to 7 times more risk they don’t get it –
women do better than men
May 27, 2008 – A new study has produced the
stunning results that show nearly half of the people with a history of
heart disease know very little about the symptoms of a heart attack and
do not even consider themselves to have an elevated cardiovascular risk.
Read more...
Senior Citizens
Suffering Undiagnosed Disease May Find Help From New NIH Program
National
Institutes of Health clinic will focus on most puzzling medical cases
May 21, 2008 – Senior citizens who live with the
frustration of a mysterious condition that no one seems to diagnosis or,
therefore, treat my find hope with a new clinical research program announced
this week by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It is named the
“Undiagnosed Diseases Program,” and will focus on the most puzzling medical
cases referred to the NIH Clinical Center.
Read more...
Doctors Unsure When to Treat High Blood Pressure in
Diabetics
Uncertainty stems from ambiguous standards,
competing demands and overlapping health problems
It’s crucial for people with
diabetes to keep their blood pressure under control – below
130/80 if possible. |
May 20, 2008 – For people with
diabetes,
high blood pressure poses a special threat, multiplying their risk
of heart attacks, strokes and kidney problems. But a new study finds
that even when people with diabetes show up in their doctor’s office
with a high blood pressure reading, there’s only a 50-50 chance that
each of them will get some sort of attention for it.
Read more...
Family History of Shingles May Be Motivator to Get
Vaccination
Significantly higher proportion reported having
family history of herpes zoster
|
CDC Recommends
Shingles Vaccine for Those Age 60 and Older - see below news
report. |
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May 19, 2008 – There is new evidence to be
considered by the millions of older Americans wrestling with the
decision of whether or not to get the costly shingles vaccination.
Researchers report those who do get herpes zoster, or shingles, are much
more likely than others to have a family history of the condition.
Read more...
Quality of Life Found to Influence Survival in
Cancer Patients
Mayo researchers find ‘quality of life was a strong
predictor of survival’
May 16, 2008 - Patients that feel better live
longer, say Mayo Clinic researchers. Angelina Tan, the study’s lead
author, says the results show quality of life is an independent factor
in survival. Read
more...
Rapid Growth in Cardiovascular Implant Devices Spurs
New International Guidelines
Pacemakers, implantable cardioverter defibrillators,
cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices nearing 2 million in
U.S., Europe
May 15, 2008 - Approaching two million people in
the U.S. and Europe now live with cardiovascular implantable electronic
devices (CIED) and this number is expected to continue its rapid
increase. Doctors from both continents joined yesterday in releasing new
guidelines for the proper management of the devices, which include
pacemakers, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) or cardiac
resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices.
Read more...
Older Men With Prostate Cancer at Much Greater Risk
of Bone Fractures
Patients should be checked for osteoporosis,
particularly if treated with ADT
May 14, 2008 - As unlikely as it sounds, scientists
at the Garvan Institute for Medical Research have shown that there is a
link between prostate cancer and a higher risk of bone fracture. And,
this risk makes a significant jump if the patients have been treated
with ADT (androgen deprivation therapy).
Read more...
Rehab Program Improves Visual Function for
Low-Vision Elderly with Macular Disease
Low-vision rehabilitation aims to restore functional
ability, such as reading
May
13, 2008 - A low-vision rehabilitation program that includes a home
visit, counseling, assistive devices such as magnifiers and assignments
to practice using them appears to significantly improve vision in
elderly veterans with diseases of the macula (the area of the retina
with the sharpest vision), according to a report in the May issue of
Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Read more...
More than Half of Adults with Diabetes Hindered from
Needed Exercise by Painful Arthritis
CDC study says 29.8% of adults with arthritis and
diabetes were totally inactive
|
Both arthritis and diabetes are common chronic
diseases among senior citizens - see chart in news story. |
|
May 6, 2008 - Physical activity is important for
adults suffering with diabetes but a new study says more than half of
these patients also have arthritis, which is often a painful barrier to
exercise. Read
more...
Senior Citizens Offered Help in Dealing with a
Diabetes Diagnosis
Almost 10.5 million adults aged 60 and older in the
U.S. have diabetes
By the National Diabetes Education Program
May 6, 2008 - Senior citizens who have been told by a health care
professional that they have type 2 diabetes usually feel anxious or
uncertain. But if there is comfort in numbers that should know they are
not alone – almost 10.5 million adults aged 60 and older in the U.S.
have diabetes. Diabetes is serious, but it can be managed. The National
Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) offers tips to help older adults learn
to manage diabetes, avoid or delay serious complications, and live
longer, healthier lives.
Read more...
Women Who Stop Smoking Will See Their Risk of Death
Begin to Drop Rapidly
Communicating risks to smokers, helping them quit
should be integral part of public health
May 6, 2008 - An extensive review of the health
histories of thousands of women shows that when they stop smoking their
risk of death from any disease begins to decline. Within five years they
will significantly reduce their risk of dying from coronary heart
disease and will reduce their risk of death from smoking-related cancers
by 20 percent. The study reported in May 7 issue of the Journal of
the American Medical Association is good encouragement for older women
who may hesitate to stop, because they think it is too late.
Read more...
Calm the Heart to Stop a Stroke from Irregular
Heartbeat that Causes 20 Percent of Cases
Treatments for atrial fibrillation aim to reduce the
chance of a stroke, ease symptoms, for millions
May 6, 2008 – There’s an electrical storm brewing
inside the hearts of more than 2.2 million Americans. And just like
lightning, this kind of storm can have devastating consequences.
Read more...See
Video...
Little Doubt Left that Severe Obesity Can Lead to
Heart Failure
Study in 7,000 men and women ties obesity,
inflammatory proteins to heart failure
May
1, 2008 - Any remaining doubt that being severely overweight leads to
heart failure was probably erased today by the release of what is
described as the first wide-scale evidence of prolonged inflammation and
resulting damage to heart tissue causing failure of the body's
blood-pumping organ among the obese.
Read more...
Device to Detect Fat Content of Plaque Inside of
Coronary Arteries Cleared by FDA
InfraReDx LipiScan NIR Catheter Imaging System uses
infrared imaging to detect plaques
April 29, 2008 - Nearly a million Americans -
mostly senior citizens - will suffer a heart attack this year and about
half will die. The odds may swing in a more positive direction, however,
with the Food and Drug Administration's approval today of the marketing
of a device that a doctor can use to see inside a blood vessel to assess
the fat content of the plaque which builds up on the wall of the
coronary arteries.
Read more...
Avandia, Actos Double the Risk of Fractures Among
Diabetes Patients
These two drugs account for 21% of oral diabetes
medications in U.S.
April 29, 2008 - Diabetics taking rosiglitazone (Avandia)
or pioglitazone (Actos) approximately double or triple their odds of hip
and other non-spine fractures, according to a report in the April 28
issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives
journals. Diabetes is a leading chronic disease among senior citizens
that are often fighting the dangers of bone fractures from osteoporosis.
And, it was a no win day for these elderly, as the journal also reported
a drug for this ailment may cause atrial fibrillation (see sidebar).
Read more...
Osteoporosis Drug Fosamax Linked to Atrial
Fibrillation in Older Women
Merck's Fosamax is most widely used drug for bone-thinning osteoporosis
April 29, 2008 - Older women who use Fosamax (alendronate)
to prevent fractures from osteoporosis are nearly twice as likely to
develop the most common kind of chronically irregular heartbeat (atrial
fibrillation), according to research from Group Health and the
University of Washington published in the April 28 Archives of Internal
Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Read more...
Seniors Targeted by New Consumers Union Education
Campaign on Prescription Drugs
Attorneys General provide grant of $4.4 million to
Consumer Reports publisher
April 28, 2008 – Last week Attorneys General from
around the country announced a $4.4 million grant to Consumers Union
that will fund a public education program designed to eliminate huge
gaps in public knowledge about prescription drugs. Senior citizens, due
to their massive consumption of prescription drugs, will be a primary
target of the effort.
Read more...
Hemoglobin-based Blood Substitutes Linked with
Increased Risk of Death, Heart Attack
Heart attack risk jumps 2.7 times, death risk
increases by 30 percent
April 28, 2008 - What seems like a great idea - a
liquid blood substitute with a long shelf-life, that does not need
refrigeration and does not cause infection - is turning into a
nightmare. Studies of hemoglobin-based blood substitutes indicate their
use is associated with an increased risk of death and heart attack,
according to a report published online by the Journal of the American
Medical Association.
Read more...
Scraps Left from Heart Surgery Grow into New Heart
Muscle Cells
Good news for treatment, scientific research and
testing of potentially new drugs
April
23, 2008 - Stem cells derived from material left over from open heart
surgeries have been used to grow large numbers of stem cells and create
new heart muscle cells. The Dutch researchers say it is a "breakthrough"
in stem cell research - previously it was necessary to use embryonic
stem cells to make this happen. It also means stem cell research is
advancing rapidly and may prove useful to today's senior citizens in
fighting a variety of diseases.
Read more...
Mammography Beneficial After 75?, 80?; Breast Cancer
Spreads Faster After 70
Studies of breast cancer in older women point to
extending mammography
April 22, 2008 - A study released yesterday found
mammography, the gold-standard for breast cancer screening, can
significantly reduce the risk of being diagnosed with advanced stage
breast cancer in women over the age of 80, an age group currently
without clear guidelines for regular screenings. While a European study
released earlier found it is effective, appropriate and reduces deaths
from the disease in women aged up to 75 years old. Both report to be the
first to study cancer screening at these ages. Another study of breast
cancer in older women found the cancer found in women over age 70 is
more likely to spread.
Read
more...
Large Skin
Lesions More Likely to be Melanomas; Scalp, Neck Cancers More Deadly
Screening becomes increasingly critical as rate of melanomas
increases
April
21, 2008 - Skin lesions larger than 6 millimeters (.236 inch) in diameter are
more likely to be melanomas than smaller skin growths, according to a report in
the April issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
The researchers support the diameter guidelines currently used by dermatologists
in searching for this skin cancer that likes to strike older men.
Read more....
Risk of Death From Vioxx In Clinical Trials May Have
Been Misrepresented By Merck
JAMA focuses on drug-maker Merck's apparent attempt
to manipulate data
April
15, 2008 - A comparison of internal company documents, data submitted by
the company to the FDA, and published clinical trial results indicates
that the risk-benefit profile of rofecoxib, marketed as Vioxx and Ceoxx,
in clinical trials involving patients with cognitive impairment may have
been misrepresented by study sponsor Merck, according to an article in
the April 16 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association
(JAMA). Read more...
link to video
Cholesterol Fighting Statins May Also Help Senior
Citizens Battle High Blood Pressure
Statins may activate compounds that widen blood
vessels and improve their function
April
15, 2008 - Statins, the medication swallowed daily by millions of senior
citizens to lower their blood cholesterol levels, may also help fight
the most dominant chronic problem for senior citizens - hypertension. A
new study found statins modestly reduce blood pressure, according to a
report in the April 14 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of
the JAMA/Archives journals.
Read more...
Another Study Points to Higher Breast Cancer Risk
from Alcohol for Older Women
The more older (postmenopausal) women drink the
greater the risk
April 14, 2008 – A large study has confirmed
several previous studies showing that drinking alcohol is a substantial
risk factor among older women for the development of breast cancer. This
study focused on the most common type of breast cancer – the 70% found
positive for both estrogen and progesterone receptors, referred to as
"ER+/PR+" breast cancer. And, the study says the more one drinks the
higher the risk.
Read more...
Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers Killing More Senior
Citizens in Australia
More
elderly dying from Squamous Cell and Merkel
Cell Carcinomas
April 14, 2008 – Skin cancer is the most common
cancer in the U.S. – more than a million are diagnosed annually – but it
is the melanoma skin cancer that older Americans fear most, because of
the high death rate. There is a new skin cancer worry for senior
citizens emerging in Australia, however, where deaths from non-melanoma
skin cancer (NMSC) are increasing rapidly among older Australians.
Read more...
Nano-Sized Technology Has Super-Sized Effect on
Slowing Tumor Growth
|
A tumor treated with fumagillin nanoparticles
(left) is smaller than an untreated tumor. Nanoparticles containing an
image-enhancing metal (yellow) show that the treated tumor has much less
blood vessel growth than the untreated tumor. |
|
Researchers find success with 1,000 times lower
dose of chemotherapy
April 2, 2008 - In the world that most senior citizens live in,
discussions frequently turn to cancer treatments, since contemporaries are
often battling the disease. The struggle against the
side-effects of chemotherapy frequently comes up. There is good news
today, however, that researchers may have found a way to use
nanotechnology to dramatically reduce the dose of chemo required.
Read more...
New Discovery of Four More Genetic Variants Involved
in Type 2 Diabetes
This brings total to 16 for diabetes - one
has link with prostate cancer
April 1, 2008 – An unprecedented analysis of
genetic data from over 70,000 people has identified six more genetic
variants involved in type 2 diabetes. That brings the number to 16 of
genetic risk factors associated with increased risk of the disease. None
of the new variants had previously been suspected of playing a role in
type 2 diabetes. Intriguingly, the new variant most strongly associated
with type 2 diabetes also was recently implicated in a very different
condition: prostate cancer.
Read more...
Significant Reduction in Deaths Using Blood
Pressure-Lowering Treatment in Very Elderly
Note: This story about the Hypertension in the Very
Elderly Trial (HYVET) was added in December to the SeniorJournal.com archives after it became a stop health story for 2008
March 31, 2008 - Lowering the blood pressure of
elderly patients could cut their total mortality by a fifth and their
rate of cardiovascular events by a third, according to a new study
presented today at the American College of Cardiology in Chicago and
published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine. The
trial was so successful in saving lives that it was concluded early last
August to rush the data into use.
Read more...
Antidiabetic Agent Proves It Can
Slow Plaque
Build-Up in Coronary Arteries
Thiazolidineddiones drug pioglitzsone (Actos) beats
sulfonyhlureas drug glimepiride (Amaryl)
March 31, 2008 – A new study has found the
medication pioglitzone – from a newer class of antidiabetic agents – is more
effective than glimepiride in slowing the development of plaque in the
coronary arteries of diabetics. More importantly, the researchers say it
is the first demonstration of the ability of any hypoglycemic agent to
slow the progression of coronary atherosclerosis in patients with
diabetes. Read
more...
New CPR Recommendation Takes Little Training – Just
Push Hard and Fast
Mouth-to-mouth no longer recommended for bystanders
trying to save lives
March 31, 2008 - Chest compressions alone, or
Hands-Only Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), can save lives and can
be used to help an adult who suddenly collapses, according to a new
American Heart Association scientific statement posted on the Web site
today. Read more...
Morbid Obesity Levels the Playing Field for
Cardiovascular Risk Between Men, Women
Interestingly, excess obesity appears to offer
protection from heart attack
March 31, 2008 - Heart disease remains the leading
killer of men and women; but while men tend to be at greater risk for
developing heart problems, cardiovascular risk profiles often vary
between genders. A new study suggests such gender-related differences
disappear in patients who are morbidly obese compared to those who are
overweight or obese, according to data presented today at the American
College of Cardiology’s 57th Annual Scientific Session.
Read more...
Anniversary of Loved Ones Death Shown to Trigger
Sudden Death, Men Especially
History of heart attack, family SD or coronary
disease, cardiovascular risks add to vulnerability
March
31, 2008 - If the date of a loved one’s passing is approaching, beware.
The anniversary of the death of a close family member, especially a
mother or father, is a significant trigger for Sudden Death (SD),
especially in men, according to research presented today at the American
College of Cardiology’s 57th Annual Scientific Session.
Read more...
Colon Cancer Usually Preventable if Older People
Just Step Up to Screening
Researchers working to make screening less
invasive, more accurate
By Nicole Fawcett
March 28, 2008 - Colon cancer screening is a tough
sell. It’s icky, uncomfortable and the thought of a
colonoscopy, especially the prep, can be intimidating, to say the
least. But here’s what clinches the sale:
Colon cancer can be largely prevented through proper screening.
Read more...
Body Fat More Reliable Measure of Heart Disease Risk
Than Obesity, BMI
Normal Weight Not Safe Zone for Heart, Metabolic
Problems
March
28, 2008 – So you finally did it – you reduced your weight to the
“normal” level. Now the Mayo Clinic has some bad news for you. More than
half of American adults considered to have normal body weight in America
have high body fat percentages - greater than 20 percent for men and 30
percent for women - as well as heart and metabolic disturbances.
Read more...
Seven Conditions Common to Senior Citizens Can Be
Managed Without Drugs
Harvard Health Letter says the no-drugs approach
often as good as pills
March 27, 2008 – Seven of the most common and
distressing conditions that hit senior citizens the hardest can be
managed without medications, which have side effects and are expensive.
The April 2008 issue of the Harvard Health Letter tells how to do it. It
takes some discipline, but in many cases, the nonpharmacological
approach can do as much as pills.
Read more....
Xenical/alli and Meridia Help Adults Lose Weight but Just One Lowers
Blood Pressure, Too
Those fighting high blood pressure most successful
with orlistat (alli/Xenical) or just diet
March
24, 2008 – Although orlistat, sold as alli or Xenical, and sibutramine (Medidia)
both appear to help adults lose weight, orlistat or just a weight-loss
diet are best for losing weight and lowering blood pressure, according
to analysis of previously published studies reported in the March 24
issue of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Read more...
Men Inherit High Risk of Hypertension Throughout
Life if Either Parent has It
Early-onset high blood in both parents indicates a
6.2-fold higher risk
March 24, 2008 – High blood pressure tends to
cluster in families, according to a new study, which has found that men
with one or two parents with hypertension apparently have a
significantly increased risk of elevated blood pressure throughout their
adult lives. Read
more....
Type of
Prostate Cancer Treatment Affects Quality of Life: Factor to Consider
Prostate
size, other neglected factors influence satisfaction with treatment outcomes
March 20, 2008 – The wide spread prevalence of prostate
cancer, and the fact that it often strikes men so late in life, feeds an
on-going debate about the best way to treat it. A major new study, however,
says that of the three major treatment options, there is a distinct
difference in how each affected the quality of life after treatment.
Read more....
Genomic Medicine’s Help for Seniors Fighting Chronic
Disease Stuck in Bottleneck
Knowledge about genomic medicine way ahead of
incorporating it into clinical practice
Link to video in
news story. |
March 19, 2008 – Using genomic medicine to treat or
even prevent chronic diseases cannot develop fast enough for millions of
senior citizens – the adults most likely to have such devastating
diseases. But, there is a bottleneck between what knowledge is available
about genomic medicine and incorporating it into clinical practice for
assessing the risk and battling such diseases as cardiovascular disease,
diabetes, and cancer, according to a systematic review in the Journal of
the American Medical Association.
Read more...
Robo4 Stops Age-Related Macular Degeneration,
Diabetic Retinopathy in Mice
‘This is a major breakthrough in an area where the
advances have been minimal’
March 17, 2008 - Two major eye diseases and leading
causes of blindness - age-related macular degeneration and diabetic
retinopathy - can be reversed or even prevented by drugs that activate a
protein found in blood vessel cells, researchers at the University of
Utah School of Medicine and several other institutions have announced in
a new study. Read more...
Killers of 300,000 a Year: DVTs, PEs Most Likely to
Strike as We Age
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![](News-Temporary/PhotosTemporary/Travel-Crd-DVT-sml_small.jpg) |
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Send this
life-saving e-card to a friend. See how below story. |
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Most deaths can be prevented by education, preventive
actions
March 17, 2008 - They kill 300,000 people a year -
but most of them could be prevented. They strike more than a million
people every year, most of them out of the blue - and half without
causing symptoms. They target the bedridden, the hospitalized, the
elderly - and even some generally healthy people too. They are among
those villains that are more likely to strike as we get older. But many
senior citizens have no idea what they are, who gets them, or how to
avoid them. Read
more...
Obesity Means More Aggressive Breast Cancer; Body
Mass Index May Predict It
Women with locally advanced, inflammatory breast
cancers also have poor outcomes if overweight
March 14, 2008 - Women with breast cancer have more
aggressive disease and lower survival rates if they are overweight or
obese, according to findings published in the March 15 issue of Clinical
Cancer Research. The researchers suggest Body Mass Index (BMI), the
measure of a person's fat based on their height and weight, may be an
effective prognostic tool for specific types of breast cancer.
Read more...
Senior Citizens Taking Ibuprofen for Pain, Aspirin
for Stroke are at Risk
‘…interaction between aspirin and ibuprofen… one of
the best-known, but well-kept secrets in stroke medicine’
Brand names for ibuprofen include Advil, Motrin,
Genpril, Haltran, IBU, Menadol and Midol. There are other combination
products that contain ibuprofen. |
March 13, 2008 – Many senior citizens fight pain –
often from arthritis – with ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, etc.). At the same
time, many of these seniors are taking aspirin to reduce the risk of a
second stroke, and other cardiovascular problems. It’s not working. A
new study confirms that ibuprofen undermines aspirin’s ability to act as
an anti-platelet agent, say researchers at the University of Buffalo.
Read more...
Trial of Significant New Option to Treat Advance
Emphysema Needs Patients
Exhale Airway Stents for Emphysema Trial (EASE) is
international
March 12, 2008 – The test of a “significant new
option” for those suffering with advanced emphysema will be the mission
of EASE (Exhale Airway Stents for Emphysema) Trial, an international,
multi-center clinical trial. Over 3.1 million Americans have been
diagnosed with emphysema, of which 91% were 45 years of age or older.
Predominantly caused by smoking, it generally strikes people between
ages 50 and 60.
Read more...
Discovery May Revive Penicillin to Battle
Antibiotic-Resistant Pneumonia, Staph that Kill Millions
Streptococcus pneumoniae strikes one million a year
of U.S. elderly, 7% die
March 12, 2008 – Senior citizens, by far the most
often requiring hospitalization or other confined care, have been the
most alarmed by the antibiotic-resistant infections festering in health
care institutions. There is welcomed news today that researchers have
learned what makes Streptococcus pneumoniae resistant to antibiotic
penicillin, which could lead to new drugs that can stop this killer, as
well as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
Read more...
Very Low Survival after Out-of-Hospital Cardiac
Arrest Improved by New Resuscitation
MICR emphasizes minimal interruption of chest
compressions
March 11, 2008 – Those experiencing a cardiac
arrest outside of a hospital have a scant chance of survival, despite
massive efforts in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training and
efforts to place more automated external defibrillators in public
places. A new study, however, finds hope in minimally interrupted
cardiac resuscitation (MICR), which emphasizes minimal interruption of
chest compressions during a rescue attempt.
Read more...
Lack of Statin, Aspirin Therapy May be Why Women
Trail Men in Decline of Cardiovascular Deaths
Only 78.1% of women treated with statins, 90.8% of
men; men 6 times more likely to get aspirin, beta-blockers, too
March 7, 2008 – The use of statins, aspirin and
beta-blockers seem to have led in a dramatic decrease in the
cardiovascular death rate for men. Women, however, who have led men in
the number of cardiovascular-related deaths since 1984, have not shown
this same rate decline and a new study suggests it is because women are
significantly less likely than their male counterparts to be treated
with these therapies.
Read more...
Aspirin, NSAIDS May Reduce Breast Cancer by 20
Percent, Large Study Finds
May also help in treating women with
established breast cancer
March 6, 2008 - Anti-inflammatory drugs like
aspirin may reduce breast cancer by up to 20 per cent, according to an
extensive review carried out by experts at London’s Guy’s Hospital, who
reviewed 21 studies covering more than 37,000 women published between
1980 and 2007.
Read
more...
It’s Never Too Late to Quit Smoking and at
Retirement Looks Promising
English researchers say point of retirement is one of
the most effective times for many healthy improvements
March 6, 2008 - Many people spend a lifetime trying
to give up smoking, but there is good news for older smokers from
research carried out at the Peninsula Medical School in South West
England. It may work best as part of a healthy retirement.
Read more...
Age Should Not be Factor in Who Gets ACL Repair,
Study Finds
Success achieved in anterior cruciate ligament repair
for Baby Boomers and older
March
5, 2008 - Baby boomers and Weekend warriors – Baby Boomers and senior
citizens - are staying active well into their later years, making them
susceptible to injuring those aging frames-especially vulnerable to
tearing their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). A new study presented
today at the 75th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic
Surgeons (AAOS), found that “boomers” and patients up to age 66, who
undergo ACL surgery, are about as likely to return to pre-injury levels
of activity as much younger people.
Read more...
Women in Halted 2002 Clinical Trial of Estrogen Plus
Progestin Still have Cancer Risk
Report in JAMA finds those on therapy with more
cancer than placebo-takers
March 4, 2008 – Back in 2002 they stopped the
clinical trial where thousands of women were given the hormone therapy
of estrogen plus progestin, while others received a placebo, because
there were indications of increased breast cancer risk for those
receiving therapy. Now there is new evidence that these women may still
have an increased risk of cancer.
Read more...
Osteoarthritis Leads Surge of
Rheumatic Disease Creating
Major Health Challenge
Report shows prevalence of arthritis and other
rheumatic conditions in U.S.
March 4, 2008 - Few senior citizens in the U.S.
will be surprised to learn that arthritis is the most common cause of
disability in the United States. According to recent estimates by the
National Arthritis Data Workgroup, more than 21 percent of U.S. adults
have arthritis or another rheumatic condition that has been diagnosed.
This is over 46 million Americans, but the number is projected to shoot up to 67
million by 2030.
Read more...
Prostate Cancer Killed in Animals by Blocking Stat5
Protein
Researchers say this vital protein is now target for
drug therapy
|
Age is the most important risk factor for prostate cancer. More
than 65% of cases are diagnosed in men over age 65 - average age
at the time of diagnosis is 70. –
NIH SeniorHealth |
|
Feb. 28, 2008 – By blocking a protein – Stat5 –
researchers effectively killed prostate cancer cells in both laboratory
and experimental animal models. This protein that is key to the cancer’s
growth and remaining vital is now viewed as a viable target for drug
therapy, according to the study from Thomas Jefferson University’s
Kimmel Cancer Center in Philadelphia.
Read more...
Older Stroke, Heart Attack Victims Most Likely to
Benefit from Aspirin Therapy
‘Aspirin Failure’ leaving 20% of all ages unprotected
from second stroke, heart attack
Feb.
26, 2008 – It is well established in medical research that taking
aspirin will lower the risk of a second cerebrovascula event (stroke).
But new research has found that as many as one of five patients do not
have the antiplatelet response – the protective effect that prevents
blood platelets from clogging arteries – after taking aspirin.
Read more...
Contribution of Specialist Breast Cancer Care Nurses
Is Hard to Gauge
Research shows they do help navigate life and
social adjustments
By Taunya English, Associate Editor
Health Behavior News Service
Feb. 25, 2008 - In the United States and in other
high-income countries, women diagnosed with breast cancer are commonly
matched with a specialist cancer nurse who provides care, support and
information. However, a new review of randomized controlled trials
reveals that research on the subject is slim and the ability to assess
the contribution of specialist nurses is, so far, elusive.
Read
more...
Obesity Linked to Large Stroke Increase Among
Middle-Aged Women
|
Watch Video -
Link in Story |
|
Still only about 2% have stroke buy increase
is almost four-fold
Feb. 21, 2008 - Middle-aged women’s waists aren’t
the only thing that increased in the last decade. So did their chance of
stroke. In a new study reported at the American Stroke Association’s
International Stroke Conference 2008. Rising obesity rates have been
linked to a four-fold increase in strokes among women aged 35 to 54.
Read more...
Canadians Claim Major Discovery in Fight Against Dry
Form of AMD
Age-related macular degeneration discovery is new
hope to fight leading cause of blindness in senior citizens
Feb. 20, 2008 – Canadian scientists are claiming a
major victory in the fight against age-related macular degeneration, or
AMD, the blinding eye disease that affects millions of people and is the
leading cause of blindness in senior citizens. The international team,
led by researchers at Sainte-Justine Hospital and the Université de
Montréal, says it has identified the deficient receptor that causes the
dry form of AMD.
Read more....
Cancer Death Rates Continue Decline but at Lower
Rate Causing Deaths to Jump
Half million cancer deaths have been avoided says
American Cancer Society report
Feb. 20, 2008 – There is good news and there is bad
news in the latest statistics on cancer in the United States. The bad
news - there was an increase of 5,424 deaths (559,312 in
2005 compared to 553,888 in 2004). The good news – The
cancer death rate continues to decline and has decreased by 18.4%
among men and by 10.5% among women since the decline in rates began in the early 1990s. This means 534,500 fewer
deaths, according to the
report by the American Cancer Society.
Read more...
Being Taken to Level 1 Trauma Center May Not Be As Desirable as It
Sounds
New
study finds the results being produced by these premier hospitals
inconsistent
Feb. 18, 2008 - A survey in 2005 found nine out of ten
Americans think it is really important to be taken to a trauma center in the
event of a life-threatening injury. But, most Americans probably do not
really know what a trauma center is, nor what they do. Even most disturbing,
a new study finds widely varying results are being produced in the country’s
few Level 1 Trauma Centers.
Read more...
Rapidly Emerging New Drug Resistant Infections Spurs
Call for More Healthcare Action
Infection control group say new organisms
resist strongest antibiotics
Feb. 13, 2008 – The alarm was sounded today on the
rapidly increasing new strains of antibiotic resistant infection that
are endangering Americans, particularly those in healthcare
institutions. Kathy Warye, CEO of the Association for Professionals in
Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), says “the very nature of
these organisms is changing -- producing infections that are
increasingly resistant to our strongest antibiotics.”
Read more...
Women Face Unique Challenges from High Blood
Pressure Says Themed Issue of Hypertension
Failure of men and women with high blood pressure
to follow diet guidelines highlighted by Archives of Internal Medicine
Feb. 11, 2008 - Women face unique risks for
developing hypertension and special challenges in keeping it under control, which is the feature of a special themed
edition of Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association. It
features more than 45 studies and editorials related to women and
hypertension as part of the recognition of the fifth anniversary of the
American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement,
which raises awareness of heart disease risks for women. But, also
today, the Archives of Internal Medicine is reporting that few men or
women with hypertension eat diets that align with government guidelines
for controlling the disease.
Read more...
Surprising Number of Deaths Cause NIH Institute to
Shut Down Diabetes Trial
For safety, NHLBI changes intensive blood sugar
treatment strategy in trial of diabetes and cardiovascular disease
Feb. 6, 2008 - The National Heart, Lung, and Blood
Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health has stopped one
treatment within a large, ongoing North American clinical trial of
diabetes and cardiovascular disease 18 months early due to safety
concerns after review of available data, although the study will
continue. Read
more...
Prostate Cancer Vaccine Successfully Prevents Cancer
in 90 Percent of Lab Mice
Might work for men with rising levels of PSA, says
USC researcher
Feb.
1, 2008 – A universal worry for older men is the threat of prostate
cancer but there is very encouraging news from researchers at the
University of Southern California that are working on a vaccine to
prevent it. In a recent test it prevented the development of cancer in
90 percent of young mice genetically predestined to develop the disease.
Read
more...
Urine Test Leads to More Accurate Diagnoses of
Prostate Cancer
Far more accurate than the PSA blood test currently
in use worldwide
Feb. 1, 2008 – A simple urine test that screens for
the presence of four different RNA molecules accurately identified 80
percent of patients in a study who were later found to have prostate
cancer, and was 61 percent effective in ruling out disease in other
study participants, according to researchers at the University of
Michigan. This test is more accurate than other available screening
methods, they say.
Read more...
Senior Citizens Experience Jump in Diabetes Cases as
Complications Grow
Prevalence increased by 62%,
death rate decreased by 8.3%
Jan. 30, 2008 - The annual number of Americans
older than 65 newly diagnosed with diabetes increased by 23 percent
between the 1994 to 1995 period and 2003 to 2004, according to a report
in the January 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the
JAMA/Archives journals.
Read more...
Senior Citizens Stunned by Doubts About Statin's
Ability to Fight Heart Disease
Major publications raising questions about America’s
most prescribed drugs
Jan.
29, 2008 - Statins, the pills millions of senior citizen depend on to
protect them from heart attacks, is now under attack by some who are
questioning this cholesterol-lowering miracle drugs ability to prevent
heart disease. Two major newspapers have reports today, according to KaiserNetwork.org, and CBS with BusinessWeek raised questions in a
report on January 17.
Read more...
Human Stem Cells Implanted to Grow New Blood Vessels
in Dying Legs
First human trial is for patients at end of
therapeutic road
Jan. 23, 2008 – Two patients facing possible leg
amputation have become the first to be treated by transplanting a
purified form of the subjects’ own adult stem cells into the leg muscles
with severely blocked arteries in hopes new small blood vessels will
grow and restore circulation in the legs. This was the launch by
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine of the first U.S.
trial of the technique that has worked in laboratory animals.
Read more...
Caffeine Appears to Lower Ovarian Cancer Risk;
Smoking, Alcohol No Effect
Caffeine may lower risk, particularly in women not
using hormones
Jan. 23, 2008 - A very large new study has found
that cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption do not have an effect on
ovarian cancer risk, while caffeine intake may lower the risk,
particularly in women not using hormones. The study is published in the
March 1, 2008 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American
Cancer Society.
Read more...
Cancerous Melanomas Are
‘Ugly Ducklings’ of Skin Moles, Study Finds
This cancer that is an
increasing problem for older men has always been noted for its unusual
appearance
Jan.
21, 2008 – It is not exactly news but it is a good reminder. A study in
the January issue of the Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives
journals, says melanomas – the skin cancer that likes to hit older men –
are the “ugly ducklings” of skin moles.
Read more...