Heart Health Device Can Improve Survival Rates Of Some Heart Patients By Jane Farrell article Investigators have found that implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) provide improved survival rates among a specific group of heart failure patients. The findings, published in the June 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, focused on patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).
Aging Well Latest Developments in Aging Research By Sondra Forsyth article The 43rd Annual Meeting of the American Aging Association (AGE), held May 30th to June 2nd 2014 at the Westin Riverwalk Hotel in San Antonio, Texas, featured the latest scholarship and research findings in the field of aging research from more than 70 leading experts. The event has long been recognized as a launching pad for researchers to share cutting-edge discoveries into the underlying mechanisms of the causes of aging as well as the possible breakthroughs in finding ways to increase healthspan.
_ Midlife High BP May Affect Memory in Old Age By Sondra Forsyth article New research suggests that high blood pressure in middle age plays a critical role in whether blood pressure in old age may affect memory and thinking. The study is published in the June 4th 2014 online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
New Gene Involved in Parkinson's Disease By Sondra Forsyth article Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles have identified a new gene involved in Parkinson's disease, a finding that may one day provide a target for a new drug to prevent and potentially even cure the debilitating neurological disorder. The five-year study appears June 4th , 2014 in eLife, a new, open access scientific journal for groundbreaking biomedical and life research sponsored by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (United States), the Wellcome Trust (United Kingdom) and Max Plank Institutes (Germany).
_ The Subtle Signs of Diabetes By Jane Farrell article FROM THE MAYO CLINIC Early symptoms of diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes, can be subtle or seemingly harmless ΓÇö if you have symptoms at all. Over time, however, you may develop diabetes complications, even if you haven't had diabetes symptoms. In the United States alone, nearly 7 million people have undiagnosed diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. But you don't need to become a statistic. Understanding possible diabetes symptoms can lead to early diagnosis and treatment ΓÇö and a lifetime of better health.
_ Breakthrough in Fighting Skin & Lung Cancers By Sondra Forsyth article Researchers at UCLAΓÇÖs Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center are reporting promising treatment milestones for patients with deadly skin and lung cancers who are being treated with an experimental drug called MK-3475.
_ Exercise Night Owls Tend to Be More Sedentary By Sondra Forsyth article A study done at Northwestern University in Chicago suggests that night owls are more sedentary and feel that they have a harder time maintaining an exercise schedule. The research abstract was published in June 2014 in an online supplement of the journal Sleep, and presented on Wednesday, June 4th in Minneapolis at SLEEP 2014, the 28th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC.
_ 5 Facts To Know About Depression By Jane Farrell article Depression, a serious and potentially life-threatening condition, affects 14.8 million American adults, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The percentage of seniors who have the disorder varies from less than 1 percent to 5 percent, the CDC says. But the percentage rises sharply to 11.5 percent among elderly hospital patients to 13.5 percent among those who have home health care. The condition is complex and multi-faceted, encompassing both physical and mental symptoms, and for a patient or caregiver itΓÇÖs essential to know as much as possible about it.
_ Women's Health and Wellness Preventive Surgery Can Have Serious After-Effects By Jane Farrell article Women with the cancer-causing BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations have a number of serious issues that need to be monitored following preventive surgery, researchers say. A study from the University of Pennsylvania examined the after-effects of a preventive hysterectomy - known as risk-reducing salpingo-oopherectomy (RRSO).
_ Infection Risks in Home Health Care By article Each year, an estimated 12 million Americans receive care from more than 33,000 home health providers in the U.S., where the annual tab for home health services exceeds $72 billion. Patients depend on home health care services to recover from surgeries and hospital stays, as well as to manage daily life with chronic conditions. All too often, however, proven practices for preventing infections aren't followed when care is provided at home.
_ Combo Tx for Melanoma: Encouraging Results By article The first long-term follow-up results from a an immunotherapy trial combining drugs for advanced melanoma patients has shown long-lasting rsultswith high survival rates, according to researchers at Yale Cancer Center led by Dr. Mario Sznol, professor of medical oncology. Dr. Sznol presented the updated data in June at the 2014 annual conference of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago.
_ Prostate-Cancer Radiation Has Some Dangers By Jane Farrell article Prostate-cancer patients who have received radiation treatment appear more likely to develop bladder or rectal cancer, new research shows. And while the number of cases is relatively low, investigators said that patients should still be monitored for those illnesses. ΓÇ£Overall the incidence of these cancers is low. But when men have received radiation treatments, itΓÇÖs important to evaluate carefully any symptoms that could be a sign of bladder or rectal cancer,ΓÇ¥ says senior study author Kathleen A.
_ 3 Simple Things You Can Do Today to Feel Better TomorrowΓÇ¿ By Jane Farrell article By Dr. Frank King Imagine youΓÇÖre a spider with just one leg. You put forth immense effort to try to haul yourself around and not only does it wear you out, itΓÇÖs frustrating and you donΓÇÖt get far. It gets a bit easier with two legs and easier still with four legs. But itΓÇÖs not till you have all eight legs that you can really dance. The eight legs represent Eight Essentials we need for optimum mental, physical, and spiritual health:
_ Hep C Not a Survival Threat for HIV+ Patients with Ca By Jane Farrell article Researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia analyzed data from HIV+ patients diagnosed with lymphoma, collected over 17 years, to better understand how Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection influences survival outcomes. Study leader Stefan K. Barta, MD, MS, MRCP presented the group's findings at the 50th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in June 2014 in Chicago.
Mental & Emotional Health Depression & Diabetes Linked to Early Death in Seniors By Jane Farrell article A study led by the University of Californina, Los Angeles and published in June 2014 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that among adults 65 and older with diabetes, depression is linked with a far greater chance for early death than it is for diabetics of the same age who do not have depression.
Male Menopause: No Longer a Myth, But a Medical Reality By blog My search to understand male menopause began in the early 1990s and was both personal and professional. Personally, I was nearing the age of 50 and my wife was telling me something was wrong. ΓÇ£YouΓÇÖre hormonal,ΓÇ¥ she told me. ΓÇ£ItΓÇÖs like youΓÇÖre going through menopause or something.ΓÇ¥ At first I laughed at the idea. But professionally many of my male clients were experiencing prostate problems, erectile dysfunctions, anger, depression, and other symptoms that I was learning were related to the ΓÇ£change of life.ΓÇ¥
_ Recognizing the Symptoms of Hepatitis C By Jane Farrell article WHEN TO CONTACT A DOCTOR Unfortunately, itΓÇÖs possible to have hepatitis C without knowing it. But there are symptoms that can reveal its presence. The federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC) lists these: Fever Fatigue Loss of appetite Nausea Vomiting Abdominal pain Dark urine Clay-colored bowel movements Joint pain Jaundice (yellow color in the skin or eyes)
_ Doctors Don't Want Aggressive End-of-Life Treatment for Themselves By Jane Farrell article Although most physicians would choose a do-not-resuscitate code for themselves when terminally ill, they tend to pursue life-prolonging treatment for patients in a similar condition, new research shows. The study, conducted by researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine, demonstrates a ΓÇ£disconnectΓÇ¥ that needs to be further explored. ΓÇ£Why do we physicians choose to pursue such aggressive treatment for our patients when we wouldnΓÇÖt choose it for ourselves?ΓÇ¥ said lead author VJ Periyakoil, director of the Stanford Palliative Care Education and Training Program.