When it comes to sleep, more isn’t necessarily better, according to a global study. Researchers who studied more than 116,000 people in seven regions of the world found that who slept for longer than the recommended duration of six to eight hours a day had an increased risk of dying or developing diseases of the… Continue reading Too Much of A Good Thing?
Tag: death
When Blood Transfusions Can Be Fatal
Although blood is meant to save lives in emergency situations, that might not always be the case. Major trauma victims who receive transfusions of packed blood 22 days or older may face an increased risk of death within 24 hours, according to a new study in Annals of Emergency Medicine. Following a major trauma, the… Continue reading When Blood Transfusions Can Be Fatal
A Gene Mutation that Could Someday Block Diabetes
Researchers have discovered a gene mutation that slows the metabolism of sugar in the gut, giving people who have the mutation a distinct advantage over those who do not. Those with the mutation have a lower risk of diabetes, obesity and heart failure. According to a news release from the National Institutes of Health, the… Continue reading A Gene Mutation that Could Someday Block Diabetes
Annual Report to The Nation: Overall Cancer Mortality Continues to Decline
The latest Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer finds that overall cancer death rates continue to decline in men, women, and children in the United States in all major racial and ethnic groups. Overall cancer incidence, or rates of new cancers, decreased in men and were stable in women from 1999… Continue reading Annual Report to The Nation: Overall Cancer Mortality Continues to Decline
Cognitive Health and Older Drivers
Researchers have a history of studying driver safety in older adults after they’ve been diagnosed with dementia, a decline in memory and other mental abilities that make daily living difficult. However, we have limited knowledge about the effects on older drivers whose problems with mental abilities are less severe than those associated with dementia.… Continue reading Cognitive Health and Older Drivers
African-Americans Have More Exposure than Whites to Air Pollutants Raising Risk of Heart Disease, Death
African-Americans often have higher exposure to air pollution than whites, which may partially explain their higher risk heart disease and death compared to whites, according to new research in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, an American Heart Association journal. Exposure to air pollution is associated with elevated blood sugar levels, poorly functioning blood vessels,… Continue reading African-Americans Have More Exposure than Whites to Air Pollutants Raising Risk of Heart Disease, Death
Report on The Status of Cancer: Good and Bad News
Although cancer is still one of the greatest health dangers facing Americans, an analysis by the federal National Cancer Institute (NCI) and other agencies has found that overall death rates from the illness continue to decline. But disparities in survival rates remain affected by an array of socioeconomic factors, and more progress needs to be… Continue reading Report on The Status of Cancer: Good and Bad News
Emergency-Room Visits Linked to Increased Disability Risks
Older adults who go to the emergency department (ED) for an illness or injury have higher risks for disability and decline in physical ability up to six months later, accordinig to a study from researchers at Yale. The study was published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine. Most adults aged 65 and older who visit… Continue reading Emergency-Room Visits Linked to Increased Disability Risks
Loneliness and Serious Illness
Loneliness and social isolation take a substantial toll on the human body, researchers say, in some frightening ways. But they are beginning to find out exactly why that is. Studies show that people who are chronically lonely have significantly more heart disease, are more vulnerable to metastatic cancer, have an increased risk of stroke and… Continue reading Loneliness and Serious Illness
Creative People Fear Death Less than Others
Creative people with high levels of ambition and achievement are less likely to fear death than other people with lower creativity levels, according to new research from the UK. The study was conducted by Rotem Perach, a postgraduate researcher at the University of Kent’s School of Psychology, under the supervision of Dr Arnaud Wisman, shows… Continue reading Creative People Fear Death Less than Others
How to Get Vital Records
It can seem overwhelming to deal with government agencies, especially when you’re requesting something as important as a vital record. Knowing in advance what to do can make the process much easier. Here, the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the federal Centers for Disease Control, shares the best ways to get the records… Continue reading How to Get Vital Records
My Sister’s Lungs, Part Two: Someone Has to Die for My Sister to Live
Editor’s Note: In the second part of a five-part series, thirdAGE contributor Nancy Wurtzel (at left in the above photo) shares the ordeal her sister Barbara (at right in the above photo) is undergoing as she waits for a match for a lung transplant. Barbara’s situation is complicated by the fact that her husband, Jim,… Continue reading My Sister’s Lungs, Part Two: Someone Has to Die for My Sister to Live
The Five-Point Plan for a Healthier Heart
Heart disease is the number one killer of people of most ethnicities in the United States. (It’s the second biggest killer for American Indians, Alaska Natives and Asians or Pacific Islanders.) So it’s crucial to do as much as you can to keep this vital organ healthy. Here, from the experts at Labdoor, a dietary-supplement… Continue reading The Five-Point Plan for a Healthier Heart
Researchers: Drinking Coffee Doesn’t Lead to Extra Heartbeats
Regular caffeine consumption does not lead to extra heartbeats and possible heart disease, according to UC San Francisco researchers. The finding is in contrast to current clinical trend of discouraging consumption of the beverage. The study, which measured the chronic consumption of caffeinated products over a 12-month period, rather than acute consumption, appears in the… Continue reading Researchers: Drinking Coffee Doesn’t Lead to Extra Heartbeats
Couples’ Quality of Life Linked Even After One Spouse Dies
When one spouse passes away, his or her characteristics continue to be linked with the surviving spouse’s well-being, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The findings also indicate that this link between the deceased spouse and surviving spouse is as strong as that between partners… Continue reading Couples’ Quality of Life Linked Even After One Spouse Dies
Heart Drug May Raise Risk of Alzheimer’s and Macular Degeneration
A drug that can halt the progression of heart failure and reduce cardiovascular-related deaths may have serious side effects, including increased risk of Alzheimer’s and macular degeneration, according to an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The drug — a tablet that combines the agents valsartan and sacubitril, sold under the… Continue reading Heart Drug May Raise Risk of Alzheimer’s and Macular Degeneration
Fear of A Lonely Death
By Nancy Wurtzel Last year, in the middle of summer, George Bell, a 73-year-old man died alone in his Queens, New York apartment. His body wasn’t discovered for almost a week, and he may well have remained there longer if a neighbor, smelling a putrid odor, had not alerted police. George Bell’s death and its… Continue reading Fear of A Lonely Death
Phase 1 Drug Trials Are Safe for Most Subjects
Phase 1 trials with healthy volunteers are often perceived as risky and even unethical. But according to new research, less than 1 percent of 11,000 healthy volunteers for new drugs suffered serious complications. In a Phase 1 trial, clinicians test a new drug on people for the first time. The study, by researchers from the… Continue reading Phase 1 Drug Trials Are Safe for Most Subjects