Quick Reads
Posted on July 31, 2013 by bob in NewsUCanUse
Hands-Free is NOT Risk Free
Contrary to what many people think, using hands-free devices to talk, text or send e-mail while driving is distracting and risky (University of Utah study, issued by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety). Researchers found that the new, speech-based technologies in the car can overload the driver’s attention and impair their ability to drive safely.
The research found that as mental workload and distractions increase, reaction time slows, brain function is compromised, and drivers scan the road less and miss visual cues, potentially resulting in drivers not seeing items right in front of them, including stop signs and pedestrians.
Walking Improves Health in Older Men
The more an older man walks, the better his physical and mental health and his quality of life (American Journal of Health Promotion).
Although walking ranks among the favorite forms of physical activity for older adults, few studies have considered the specific impact of walking – as opposed to overall physical activity – on health in older people. The researchers divided the men into four groups based on the number of steps taken daily, ranging from lowest to highest.
The men averaged 8,539 steps per day.
“Older men who averaged the greatest number of steps per day reported more optimal quality of life profiles, in terms of both physical and mental health, than older men averaging fewer steps per day.”
Fish Oil May Lower Heart Stress
The omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil have long been thought to protect against cardiovascular disease – so much so that the American Heart Association currently recommends eating at least two servings of fish a week, particularly fatty varieties rich in omega 3’s.
However, the mechanism behind this protective effect still remains a mystery. In a new study, scientists of Michigan Technological University shed light on this phenomenon by providing evidence that fish oil might specifically counteract the detrimental effects of mental stress on the heart.
Findings show that volunteers who took fish oil supplements for several weeks had a blunted response to mental stress in several measurements of cardiovascular health, including heart rate and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (part of the “fight or flight” response) compared to volunteers who took olive oil instead.
The results may explain why taking fish oil could be beneficial to the heart and might eventually help doctors prevent heart disease in select populations.
Hypoglycemia and Dementia Linked
A study of older adults with diabetes mellitus (DM) suggests an association between hypoglycemic events (low blood glucose) and dementia (research conducted by University of California, San Francisco; published online by JAMA Internal Medicine).
There is a growing body of evidence that DM may increase the risk for developing cognitive impairment, including Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia.
When blood glucose declines to low levels, cognitive function is impaired and severe hypoglycemia may cause neuronal damage. Patients who experienced a hypoglycemic event had a two-fold increased risk for developing dementia compared with those who did not have a hypoglycemic event.
Assessing Pain in Older Adults
Several types of pain assessment tools are available to help clinicians evaluate pain in older people. However, too often the initial emphasis is to gauge pain intensity instead of determine how the pain affects function and the need for treatment (research presented at the American Pain Society Annual Scientific Meeting).
Researchers from the University of Iowa School of Nursing said persistent pain affects 50% of individuals 65 and older, and decisions regarding appropriate pain management strategies should rely on patient responses about how pain impacts daily life and activities, instead of simply asking ‘how much does it hurt?’
