CHRONIC PAIN
• Fewer Painkiller Deaths in States with Medical Marijuana: Access
to medical marijuana is associated with 25 percent fewer prescription drug
overdose deaths each year compared to states where medical pot is illegal. The
study authors believe that people suffering from chronic pain tend to rely on
medical marijuana when they have that option, which reduces the risk of
addiction and overdose that accompanies use of narcotic medications. JAMA
Internal Medicine 8/25/14
COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
• Playing Video Game May Boost MS Patient’sBalance: It
appears that patients who use the Wii Balance Board five days a week -- moving
to snowboarding or dance games, for example -- may help reduce their risk of
falls and boost certain brain connections, possibly because they're
coordinating their movements with a figure on a screen. Radiology 8/26/14
• Yoga Relieves MS Symptoms: A specialized yoga program is
beneficial to everyday living for those with multiple sclerosis, a study
concludes. After an eight-week trial, the researchers found that participants
had better balance, fine motor coordination, an improved quality of life and a
decrease in pain and fatigue. Science Daily
• Benefits, risks of yoga found
for bipolar disorder A
survey of people with bipolar disorder who practice yoga have identified
benefits and risks of the practice. The information, plus a pilot clinical
trial currently underway, could help psychologists develop yoga as an
adjunctive therapy for the condition. Journal of Psychiatric Practice
FOOD & DRUG
ADMINISTRATION ACTION
• Approves Trulicity
to Treat Type 2 Diabetes
• Approves
Movantik ofr Opioid induced constipation
• Approves weight-management drug Contrave
• Allows
marketing of the first test to assess risk of developing acute kidney injury
• Approves Keytruda for
advanced melanoma
• Allows marketing
of first ZnT8Ab autoantibody test to help diagnose type 1 diabetes
PREVENTION
• Is Baby Aspirin the New Apple? Interesting review of low dose aspirin as a
preventive medicine. Scientific American
• Antibiotic Might Raise Heart Risks forSome: Taking
the widely used antibiotic clarithromycin may boost some patients' odds of
dying from heart-related causes, a new study suggests. BMJ, news release, Aug.
19, 2014
• Exercise May Guard Against Irregular Heartbeat in Older Women:
Physically active postmenopausal women had a 10 percent lower risk of
developing atrial fibrillation, compared to women who were more sedentary, researchers
report in the Aug. 20 issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association.
• Good Neighbors Are Good For Your Heart: Having good neighbors may reduce
your heart attack risk, new research suggests. Specifically, a single unit
increase in neighborhood social cohesion was associated with a 17 percent
reduced risk of heart attack, according to the findings published online Aug.
18 in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.
• Train Your Heart to Protect Your Mind: Exercising to improve our
cardiovascular strength may protect us from cognitive impairment as we age,
according to a new study. "Our body's arteries stiffen with age, and the
vessel hardening is believed to begin in the aorta, the main vessel coming out
of the heart, before reaching the brain. Indeed, the hardening may contribute
to cognitive changes that occur during a similar time frame," explained
the first author of the study. Neurobiology of Aging
• Second
hand e-cig smoke compared to regular cigarettes:Scientists studying secondhand smoke from e-cigarettes discovered an overall
10-fold decrease in exposure to harmful particles, with close-to-zero exposure
to organic carcinogens. However, levels of exposure to some harmful metals in
second-hand e-cigarette smoke were found to be significantly higher. Environmental
Science: Processes & Impacts, 2014
• Up to 3,000 times the bacterial growth on hollow-head toothbrushes: Solid-head power toothbrushes
retain less bacteria compared to hollow-head toothbrushes. "Toothbrushes
can transmit microorganisms that cause disease and infections. A solid-head
design allows for less growth of bacteria and bristles should be soft and made
of nylon. It is also important to disinfect and to let your toothbrush dry
between uses. Some power toothbrushes now include an ultraviolet system or you
can soak the head in mouthwash for 20 minutes."Journal of Dental
Hygiene Aug 2014
• An hour of moderate exercise a day may
decrease heart failure risk: In a new study
reported in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Heart
Failure, researchers say more than an hour of moderate or half an hour of
vigorous exercise per day may lower your risk of heart failure by 46 percent.
• Statins MayHelp Prevent Diabetes-Related Nerve Damage: Although the drugs
are known to lower the risk for heart attack and stroke among those with type 2
diabetes, Danish researchers report statins may also help protect against
diabetes-related damage to small blood vessels in the body that can lead to
blindness and amputations. Sept. 9 in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology
• Short Walks Can Offset Long Stretches of Sitting: Taking really short but frequent
walks can counteract the harm caused by sitting for long periods of time, a new
study suggests. The researchers found that even just a five-minute stroll can
help. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 9/8/14
• Almost
Everyone Needs a Flu Shot: The CDC is urging that everyone 6
months and older receive the flu shot. MMWR
• Health Lifestyle Changes Linked to Reduced Risk for Dementia:
Managing diabetes, quitting smoking, controlling high blood pressure,
exercising and maintaining a healthy weight can reduce the risk for dementia --
even late in life, according to new research. Alzheimer's Disease International
website
• Treating insomnia in elderly reduces inflammation, lowers risk for chronic diseases: Insomnia can cause chronic inflammation, which can
lead to hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and more. This study finds that
curing the insomnia reduces the inflammation and hopefully reduces disease. It
also found the best way to cure lack of sleep is through the use of a common
psychotherapy treatment—cognitive behavioral therapy.
SUPPLEMENTATION/NUTRITION/VITAMINS
• Can a Dietary Support Supplement Treat a Concussion? No! Exploiting the public's rising
concern about concussions, some companies are offering untested, unproven and
possibly dangerous products that claim to prevent, treat or cure concussions
and other traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). FDA
• Low Carb Beats Low Fat for Weight Loss and Heart Health : In a study of 148 men and women, after
one year, the people on the low-carbohydrate diet lost more weight and had
greater decreases in fat mass and other cardiovascular risk factors than those
on the low-fat regimen. Reductions in LDL or bad cholesterol were similar in
both groups. But HDL or good cholesterol levels increased more in those
following the low-carb diet. Annals of Internal Medicine
• Comparison of Named Diet Programs Finds Little Difference in Weight Loss In an
analysis of data from nearly 50 trials including about 7,300 individuals,
significant weight loss was observed with any low-carbohydrate or low-fat diet,
with weight loss differences between diet programs small, findings that support
the practice of recommending any diet that a patient will adhere to in order to
lose weight. JAMA
• Science on Diets is Low inEssential Information: Good article on the scientific study
of diets in view of the two previous studies listed. NPR
• Drinking tea reduces non-cardiovascular mortality by 24%: Drinking
tea reduces non-cardiovascular mortality by 24 percent, reveals a study in
131,000 people. "Tea has antioxidants which may provide survival benefits.
Tea drinkers also have healthier lifestyles so does tea drinking reflect a
particular person profile or is it tea, per se, that improves outcomes.” ESC
Congress
• Potassium Rich foods cut stroke, death risks among older women: Older
women who eat foods with higher amounts of potassium may be at lower risk of
stroke and death than women who consume less potassium-rich foods. The health
benefits from potassium-rich foods are greater among older women who do not
have high blood pressure. Most older American women do not eat the recommended
amounts of potassium from foods. American Heart Association
• Vitamin E, Selenium Supplements Don’t Seem to Prevent Cataracts: Daily
supplements of selenium or vitamin E don't seem to protect against the
development of age-related cataracts among men, a new study indicates. JAMA Opthalmology
• Artifical
Sweeteners May Raise Blood Sugar Levels: Artificial sweeteners can
potentially make blood sugar levels rise despite containing no calories,
researchers found in human and mouse studies. That's because saccharine and its
counterparts appear to alter the bacteria residing in the intestines in
• The benefits and dangers of supplements: From multivitamins to supplements
that pledge to help with everything from depression to treating athlete’s foot,
whole stores are filled with these alternative medications. With so many
options out there it can be difficult for patients to know what is beneficial
or even where to start.
TREATMENT RESEARCH
• Deep Brain Stimulation Safe
for Older Parkinson’s Patients: The
risk of complications when implanting deep brain stimulation devices in the
brains of people with Parkinson's disease is no greater in older patients than
younger ones, a new study shows. JAMA Neurology 8/25/14
• Cutting
Back on Carbs, Not Fat, May Lead to More
Weight Loss: Turns out eating foods with fat-everything from
avocados and nuts to dairy fat doens’t make us fat. But
eating too many carbohydrates — particularly the heavily refined starches found
in bagels, white pasta and crackers — does our collective waistlines no favors.
The low carb, healthy fats approach has been shown to cut the risk of heart
disease. Annals of Internal Medicine
• Talk Therapy Plus Meds May be Best for Severe Depression: Four
out of five people suffering from severe depression for less than two years
experienced full recovery when treated with cognitive therapy plus
antidepressant medication, researchers found. On the other hand, the
combination didn't work much better than drugs alone in helping people with
mild depression or those with severe and chronic depression lasting longer than
two years. Aug. 20 in JAMA Psychiatry
• Three-quarters of depressed cancer patients do not receive treatment for depression; new approach could transform care: Three papers reveal that around three-quarters of
cancer patients who have major depression are not currently receiving treatment
for depression, and that a new integrated treatment program is strikingly more
effective at reducing depression and improving quality of life than current
care. The Lancet 8/27/14
• Marijuana Compound May Offer Treatment for Alzheimer’s: Extremely low levels of the
compound in marijuana known as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, may slow
or halt the progression of Alzheimer's disease, a recent study from
neuroscientists shows. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease
• Electric Current to Brain Boosts Memory: Stimulating a region in the brain via
non-invasive delivery of electrical current using magnetic pulses, called
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, improves memory. The discovery opens a new
field of possibilities for treating memory impairments caused by conditions
such as stroke, early-stage Alzheimer's disease, traumatic brain injury,
cardiac arrest and the memory problems that occur in healthy aging. Science Aug
29
• Family Squabbles Can Derail Recovery from Cancer Surgery: Cancer
patients burdened by stress and family conflicts before surgery may face a
higher risk for complications following their operation, a new study suggests.
Investigators found that patients with a so-called quality-of-life
"deficit" appeared to have a nearly three times greater risk for
complications compared to those with a normal or good quality of life. Journal
of Gastrointestinal Surgery
• Combo Therapy Best for COPD: COPD patients who received a combination
of long-acting beta agonists and inhaled corticosteroids were less likely to
die or require hospitalization because of their breathing disorder, compared to
people receiving only one of the two medications, Canadian researchers report.
JAMA
OTHER
• Optimizing Health for Persons with Multiple Chronic Conditions: Recently,
the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released new data
resources on chronic conditions among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries to
better define the burden of chronic conditions among beneficiaries and the
implications for the US health care system. In response to this public health
challenge, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released its
report “Strategic Framework on Multiple Chronic Conditions” in 2010. The
strategic framework, developed with private sector input, provides HHS and its
partners with a roadmap for improving the health status of persons with
multiple chronic conditions across 4 overarching goals. Within
the first few years of implementation, the strategic framework has led to the
following selected actions and continues to offer additional opportunities for
further collaboration. JAMA
• People with AB Blood Type More Likely to Have Memory Loss: People with blood type AB may be
more likely to develop memory loss in later years than people with other blood
types, according to a study published in the online edition of the journal Neurology.
• Grief Can Weigh on Immune System: The balance of stress hormones during
bereavement changes with age, British researchers say. As a result, older
people who are grieving are more likely to have weakened immune systems and
develop infections, a new study found. Immunity and Ageing
• 1 in 5 US Men Admits to Violence Against Women: A nationally representative
study from the University of Michigan revealed that such violence is more prevalent
than diabetes. This violence includes pushing and shoving, grabbing, throwing
objects, slapping and hitting, kicking, biting, choking, burning or threatening
their partner with a weapon, the researchers said. There are a number of
telltale signs among men that are associated with a higher risk of intimate
partner violence including; irritable bowel syndrome; insomnia; history of
substance abuse; history of experiencing or witnessing violence as a child.
Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
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