News You Can Use
Posted on November 29, 2011 by bob in NewsUCanUse
Increased Caffeinated Coffee Consumption Associated With Decreased Risk of Depression in Women
The risk of depression appears to decrease for women with increasing consumption of caffeinated coffee, according to a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine. When compared with women who consumed one cup of caffeinated coffee or less per week, those who consumed two to three cups per day had a 15% decrease in relative risk for depression, and those consuming four cups or more per day had a 20% decrease in relative risk. Compared with women in the lowest (less than 100 milligrams [mg] per day) categories of caffeine consumption, those in the highest category (550 mg per day or more) had a 20% decrease in relative risk of depression. No association was found between intake of decaffeinated coffee and depression risk.
Oral Steroids Linked to Severe Vitamin D Deficiency
People taking oral steroids are twice as likely as the general population to have severe vitamin D deficiency, according to a study of more than 31,000 children and adults by scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. Their findings, in the online edition of The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, suggest that physicians should more diligently monitor vitamin D levels in patients being treated with oral steroids. The severe vitamin D deficiency assessed in this study is known to be associated with softening of the bones and muscle weakness.
Alzheimer’s: Is It Time to Stop Driving?
Following are tips from the Alzheimer’s Association that it may be time to stop driving:
Forgetting how to locate familiar places
Failing to observe traffic signs
Making slow or poor decisions in traffic
Driving at an inappropriate speed
Becoming angry or confused while driving
Hitting curbs
Using poor lane control
Making errors at intersections
Confusing the brake and gas pedals
Returning from a routine drive later than usual
Forgetting the destination you are driving to during the trip
For more information on dementia and driving, visit www.alz.org/driving. (See pages 26-27 for more information about Alzheimer’s Disease.)
Low Vitamin B12 Levels May Lead to Brain Shrinkage
Older people with low blood levels of vitamin B12 markers may be more likely to have lower brain volumes and have problems with their thinking skills, according to researchers at Rush University Medical Center. Foods that come from animals, including fish, meat, especially liver, milk, eggs and poultry are usual sources of vitamin B12. (Neurology)
8 Easy Tips to Avoid Supplement and Medication Mishaps
Navigating the supplement and medication maze can get confusing, especially when you have multiple prescriptions. It is important to organize yourself with your medications and supplements to prevent unnecessary mishaps. Dr. Lorraine J. Gudas and Dr. Mark S. Lachs offered these key tips on how to steer clear of unsafe drug interactions at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center’s 29th Annual Women’s Health Symposium:
1. Keep a list of your medications with you at all times.
2. Make sure to include brand AND generic names as well as dosages and frequency.
3. Include all vitamins and supplements on the list.
4. Share the list with every health care provider you come in contact with, whether or not he or she suggests new medicines or medicine changes.
5. Never mix medications in the same bottle even if traveling; taping an actual pill to your medication list can help you identify which medicine is which.
6. When you hear about a new drug or a health tip, ask yourself: Is this based on a clinical trial, an observational study, or only personal endorsements?
7. Don’t make health decisions on the basis of observational studies. They are interesting to think about, but they don’t prove anything.
8. If you are thinking of buying a supplement or drug, ask your doctor. Don’t take them on the basis of personal testimony.
Many Obese Patients Fail to Link Weight to Their Health
Many overweight and obese patients in hospital emergency departments don’t believe weight poses health risks, and many say doctors never told them otherwise, according to a University of Florida study. Researchers asked random patients in a Florida hospital emergency department two questions: Do you believe your present weight is unhealthy, and has a doctor ever said you are overweight? Of those reporting that their weight was unhealthy, only 19% said they’d discussed it with a doctor. Only 30% of those who reported being told by their doctor that their weight was unhealthy agreed with that opinion. Researchers also measured body mass index and waist circumference, indicators of body fat. About 47% of obese and overweight men said they believed their weight was problematic; 53% didn’t.
Depression Associated with Increased Risk of Stroke and Stroke-Related Death
An analysis of nearly 30 studies including more than 300,000 patients finds depression is associated with a significantly increased risk of developing stroke and dying from stroke, according to an article in JAMA. According to the article the lifetime incidence of depression has been estimated at more than 16% in the general population. Whether depression increases the risk of stroke has been unclear. An Pan, Ph.D., of the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, and colleagues conducted a systematic review and a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies to describe the association between depression and risk of total and subtypes of stroke. The researchers found that when the data from the studies were pooled, analysis indicated that depression was associated with a 45% increased risk for total stroke; a 55% increased risk for fatal stroke; and a 25% increased risk for ischemic stroke. Depression was not associated with an increased of hemorrhagic stroke.
Professional Dental Cleanings May Reduce Stroke, Heart Attack Risk
Professional tooth scaling was associated with fewer heart attacks and strokes in a study (Abstract 17704) from Taiwan presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2011.The study found that patients who had professional tooth scraping and cleaning had reduced risks of heart attack and stroke. More frequent scraping/cleaning was associated with more reduced risk compared to occasional or never tooth scraping/cleaning
In a separate study from Sweden, the type of periodontal disease predicted degree of risks for heart attack, stroke and heart failure. Scientists considered tooth scaling frequent if it occurred at least twice or more in two years; occasional tooth scaling was once or less in two years.
The study included more than 51,000 adults who had received at least one full or partial tooth scaling and a similar number of people matched with gender and health conditions who had no tooth scaling. None of the participants had a history of heart attack or stroke at the beginning of the study.
The study didn’t adjust for heart attack and stroke risk factors — such as weight, smoking and race — that weren’t included in the Taiwan National Health insurance data base, the source of the information used in the analysis.
