Senior Citizen Health & Medicine

Diagnosed Diabetes by Age, United States, 1980–2005

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. Read more...

Hypertension Best Controlled in Study with Home Monitoring and Web-Based Pharmacist

	Link to Video in story

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

	And now add "Cancer"

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, 2006 – 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

Click to view video

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.

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

InfraReDx website with video at www.infraredx.com

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

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...

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

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

	Send this life-saving e-card to a friend. See how below story.

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’

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

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

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

Senior Citizen Health & Medicine