_ What You Need to Know About COPD By Jane Farrell article Along with lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, affects a patient’s very ability to breathe. COPD, which is also called emphysema or chronic bronchitis, is a progressive lung disease in which the airways of the lungs become damaged, making it hard to breathe. COPD is also known as emphysema or chronic bronchitis. According to the National Institutes of Health, COPD is a major cause of death and illness worldwide. In the U.S., it kills more than 120,000 Americans every year, or one every four minutes.
_ Caregiving Doesn't Cause Depression By Jane Farrell article A caregiver’s depression appears to be related to family and genetic factors more than the difficulty of the caregiving itself, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Washington analyzed 1,228 female twins. Some were caregivers and some were not. When it comes to life's stressors, most people would put caregiving at the top of the list. But according to Peter Vitaliano, a professor of psychiatry and psychology at UW, there never have been data actually showing caregiving causes psychological distress.
_ Some Women May Need More Hormone Therapy By Jane Farrell article Researchers have found that for a substantial percentage of women, moderate to severe hot flashes last up to ten years or more after menopause, and that may mean hormone therapy should be prescribed for a longer period of time. Investigators from the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine discovered that for most women, moderate to severe hot flashes continue, on average, for just five years after menopause, but more than one third of women have hot flashes for a decade or beyond.
_ Slow Reaction Time Can be Deadly By Jane Farrell article Having a slow reaction time can be fatal: a new study shows that people who have that in midlife increase their risk of death 15 years later. The findings were published in the journal PLOS ONE. Researchers from University College London and the University of Edinburgh looked at statistics from more than 5,000 participants (age 20 to 59). The figures were collected from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES-III) in the US.
Breast Cancer Running Trumps Walking for Breast Cancer Survival By article Previous studies have shown that breast cancer survivors who meet the current exercise recommendations of 2.5 hours of moderate intensity physical activity per week are at 25% lower risk for dying from breast cancer. Now research from the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and reported in the International Journal of Cancer suggests that exceeding the recommendations may provide greater protection, and that running may be better than walking.
_ Aspirin Overprescribed for AFib By article Aspirin is still overprescribed for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation despite the potential for dangerous side effects, according to a study done by the European Society of Cardiology andpublished January 28th 2014 in in the American Journal of Medicine. Another worrying finding was that oral anticoagulants were underprescribed in elderly patients, with aspirin alone more commonly prescribed.
_ The Letter that Can Make You Healthier By Jane Farrell article Patients at high risk of osteoporosis can be identified via an automated letter-generating system that encourages them to follow up on their care, according to researchers. Investigators from the Penn State College of Medicine say that the system effectively promotes osteoporosis intervention and can help prevent future fractures.
_ The High Cost of "Free" Foods By Jane Farrell article Think twice before reaching for that fat-free cookie or sugar-free ice cream bar as an afternoon snack. In most cases, you’re better off having the real thing in moderate portions, says Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RD, LD, wellness manager at Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Institute. The issue, Kirkpatrick says, is that choosing heavily processed foods over natural foods often means taking in too many additives and refined ingredients with questionable nutritional value. Substitutions — but no substitute for the real thing.
Men's Health Screening for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in Older Men By article A one-time screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm in men 65 years or older is associated with decreased AAA rupture and AAA-related mortality rates, according to a new review published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
_ Flu Vaccines Needed for Diabetics By Jane Farrell article Diabetics between the ages of 18 and 65 are at higher risk of getting the flu than are those without the condition, a new study has shown.
_ Heart Health When Good Cholesterol Goes Bad By article A dysfunctional version of the normally protective protein that makes high-density lipoprotein (HDL) – the so-called "good cholesterol" –promotes inflammation and coronary artery disease. That’s the finding of researchers at the Cleveland Clinic who discovered the process by which HDL loses its cardio-protective properties, and instead causes atherosclerosis, or the clogging and hardening of the arteries. Their research was published online January 26th 2014 in the journal Nature Medicine.
Hearing Loss Hastens Brain Tissue Loss By article Although the brain becomes smaller with age, the shrinkage seems to be fast-tracked in older adults with hearing loss, according to the results of a study by researchers from Johns Hopkins and the National Institute on Aging. The findings add to a growing list of health consequences associated with hearing loss, including increased risk of dementia, falls, hospitalizations, and diminished physical and mental health overall.
_ Men Really Are More Forgetful Than Women By article If your husband is absent-minded and forgets your wedding anniversary or the name of your new neighbor, don't worry. You’re not the only one with a forgetful man in the house, according to a Norwegian study published in the journal BMC Psychology.
_ Meds That Fight Fever May Spread the Flu By article Better not reach for the Advil or some aspirin when you have the flu. You may end up infecting others. Research done at McMaster University in Ontario showed that the widespread use of medications containing fever-reducing drugs may lead to tens of thousands more influenza cases and more than a thousand deaths attributable to influenza, each year across North America. These drugs include ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and acetylsalicylic acid. The study was published in January 2014 in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
_ Glaucoma Cases Reduced by Half By Jane Farrell article Glaucoma is a serious issue faced by millions of people, but the likelihood of the condition has been cut in half, probably due to advances in diagnosis and therapy, a new study says Still, researchers also caution that many patients still progress to blindness. Glaucoma affects more than 2.7 million individuals aged 40 and older in the United States and 60.5 million people.
Genetic Counseling Via Phone Is Effective By article Genetic counseling delivered over the telephone is as effective as face-to-face counseling, according to the largest randomized study to date comparing the two methods. The multi-center study, led by researchers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, was published in January 2014 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
_ Chocolate, Tea & Berries May Prevent Diabetes By article Chow down on chocolate, sip some tea, and eat lots of berries if you’re hoping to avoid being diabetic. That’s the advice of researchers at the University of East Anglia and King's College London who found that high intakes of phytochemicals called flavonoids and pigments called anthocyanins are associated with lower insulin resistance and better blood glucose regulation.