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MATURE MARKET HEADLINES 9/14/2000
In the Long Run Jogging Adds Years to LifeRun for your life. Literally. Despite recent reports of deaths during jogging, says the Center for the Advancement of Health, a new study is singing the praises of jogging. Researchers at the Bispebjerg University in Denmark report that the risk of death in persistent joggers is significantly lower than in non-joggers or even those new to jogging.A total of 4,658 Danish men aged 20-79 years participated in the five year Copenhagen City Heart Study conducted under the direction of Chief Cardiologist, Peter Schnohr at the Bispebjerg University Hospital. 4,335 of the male subjects were non-joggers. 325 jogged at one time or another. 96 of those joggers were still jogging after the five year study. The authors found a higher risk of death among non-joggers, or those who jogged at only one of the two examinations, compared to persistent joggers. This effect was independent of factors such as smoking, weight, blood pressure and cholesterol level, add the authors. The health benefits of physical activity are well known, but the optimal intensity, frequency and duration of activity has yet to be firmly established, say the authors. These findings support the current view in the medical community that, although light exercise has some value, moderate and vigorous activity such as jogging is now considered more favorable for health. Readers can find more details about the study findings at their local library. Access the research article, "Mortality in joggers: population based study of 4,658 men" in the British Medical Journal, Volume 321, page 602. See related articles in the AgeVenture archives. Fixing Our Bio-Clock Might Buy Us Time Genes Don't Always Fit Longevity Profile Gerontologists Seek Longevity Prescription Is Longevity An Equal Opportunity Event? Don't Turn Fitness Into an Exercise in Futility AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com BACK TO TOP Sleepless Nights Daze Would-be Dozers
"Five more minutes, mom." The great American cliche. It's always difficult to wake up, but for many of us, it's even harder to fall asleep. And when we do fall asleep, it's usually in the wrong place such as the front row seat in church or spread-eagle and snoring away on the living room couch. By the way, why do people always wake us from a wonderfully deep sleep on a warm and comfortable sofa just to say, "Wake up and go to bed". This is one of life's greatest mysteries because getting off the couch and going to bed make me absolutely wide-awake.
At any rate, if you're sleepless in Seattle, or anywhere else, don't fret. There's hope. Try moving your television set to another room, avoid caffeine and alcohol, and read in a chair, not your bed, says the September issue of Reader's Digest New Choices magazine. Watching television or reading in bed sends your body the message that bed is a place where you stay awake. New Choices magazine has lined up a few expert tips for all the sleepless people. Here's the run-down on those expert tips including a few words of wisdom from yours truly. If sleepless nights put you in a daze, here's what to do.
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives. Sleep Loss Harms Metabolic Functions Dentists Help Manage Snoring and Sleep Apnea Pillow Prescriptions for Sleepless Seniors AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com BACK TO TOP Lipoprotein Increases Heart Attack Risk 70%People with high blood levels of a fat-carrying lipoprotein particle known as Lp(a) have a 70 percent greater risk of heart attacks over a 10-year period than those with lower concentrations, according to the American Heart Association.In the first large-scale study of this topic so far, scientists at Oxford University found a "clear association" between elevated Lp(a) levels and increased coronary heart disease risk in the general population. Their findings are based on reviews of 27 smaller studies that involved more than 5,200 individuals who had heart disease or had survived a heart attack. "For more than a decade, there has been controversy about whether Lp(a) concentrations can predict increased risk of heart disease," says John Danesh, MBChB, MSc, DPhil., of Oxford's Clinical Trials Unit. "Our analysis indicates that high Lp(a) values are a definite risk factor, but there is still much we don't know, particularly whether reducing Lp(a) levels can help prevent heart attacks." Lp(a) was first discovered in Norway in the 1960s, Danesh notes, but its exact function in the bloodstream remains a mystery. It consists of two main attached components: a molecule of "bad" low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and a large protein which aids the blood's natural clot-preventing activity. "People tend to have either very high or very low concentrations of Lp(a), and Blacks generally have higher values than Whites", says Danesh. In the Oxford study, the number of heart attacks suffered by individuals with the highest Lp(a) concentrations was compared to the number of attacks among those with the lowest levels of Lp(a). During a decade of follow-up, the highest group had 70 percent more heart attacks than the lowest group. So far, there are no readily available drugs for lowering Lp(a), Danesh points out, and those that do exist have many undesirable side-effects. Also, he says there are no standardized blood tests at present to measure Lp(a). "Special tests are required and are used mainly for research purposes, but efforts are being made to make testing more available." "Overall, it will take much further study to determine the relevance of Lp(a) in the causation of coronary heart disease, but at least we have clearly established a moderately strong association between the two, independent of the standard risk factors." See related articles in the AgeVenture archives. Strengthen Your Healthy Heart Naturally New Heart By-Pass Guidelines Aid Doctors Cholesterol Counts for America's Heart Health New One-Minute Heart Attack Test Heart Health Requires Lifelong Effort AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com BACK TO TOP Estrogen Aids Early Menopausal DepressionWomen who suffer depression as they enter the early stages of menopause may find the female hormone, estrogen to be an effective alternative to traditional antidepressants, say researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Dr. Peter Schmidt, Dr. David Rubinow and colleagues, reported this findings in a recent issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.Estrogen levels, body thermostats and mood often fluctuate during early stages of menopause. But only a minority of women become clinically depressed. Although researchers had long suspected that estrogen might lift mood in such women, there was not enough research to support that idea. Schmidt and Rubinow studied women, ages 44-55, who experienced depression during the early stages of menopause. The researchers confirmed that estrogen significantly boosted mood in 80 percent of the depressed women, independent of hot flushes. This level of relief, and the time required to achieve a therapeutic effect, about 3 weeks, are comparable to that seen with antidepressant drugs. Among depression symptoms that improved with the hormone were early morning awakening, loss of enjoyment, sadness and irritability. Among symptoms that failed to improve were sexual interest and disturbed sleep. Doctors often prescribe estrogen to protect women who are in the early stages of menopause from osteoporosis and heart disease. However, the researchers caution, long-term use of estrogen replacement may increase a woman's risk of breast and uterine cancer. Those interested in reading the research report in its entirety, may visit their local university library. The report is found in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, August 2000. The authors of the report are Schmidt PJ, Nieman L, Danaceau MA, Tobin MB, Roca CA, Murphy JH, and Rubinow DR. The title of the report is "Estrogen replacement in perimenopause-related depression: a preliminary report." See related articles in the AgeVenture archives. Estrogen Helps Fight Cognitive Decline What Menopause Patients Want to Know Managing Menopause in the Corporate Workplace Memory Problems Signal Depression Meds Plus Counseling Best Depression Therapy? AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com BACK TO TOP Medication Injury Plagues Nursing HomesMedication-related injuries in nursing homes are common and often preventable according a study of medication errors in U.S. nursing homes. More than half of the 546 medication-related injuries that were identified in a study of 18 community nursing homes were preventable, according to Jerry H. Gurwitz, M.D., University of Massachusetts Medical School, Meyers Primary Care Institute."This important study demonstrates that adverse events related to drug therapy continue to be a common, and perhaps preventable source of illness in nursing home residents," said Darrell Abernethy, M.D., Ph.D., Clinical Director of the National Institute on Aging. "It reinforces the necessity of putting prescribing systems and drug utilization systems in place to assist the health care provider to provide optimal pharmaceutical care for these patient groups." Of the total adverse drug events identified in the study, one was fatal, 6 percent were life-threatening, 38 percent were serious and 56 percent were significant. The study also identified 188 potential adverse drug events or "near misses," 80 percent of which were associated with the use of the blood thinner, warfarin. Psychoactive drugs (antipsychotics, antidepressants, sedatives and hypnotics) and anticoagulants were the most common medications associated with preventable adverse drug events (oversedation, confusion, hallucinations, delirium, falls and bleeds). More than 36 percent of the nursing home residents used antidepressants, 24 percent used sedatives/hypnotics and 17 percent used antipsychotic medications. Imprecise use of psychoactive medications in nursing homes has long been a concern, the authors of the study noted. The most frequent causes of preventable adverse drugs events were associated with drug orders by health care providers (47 percent) and when caregivers failed to adequately monitor residents (49 percent). Among the ordering errors, wrong doses were the most common problem followed by ordering drugs with harmful interactions, and wrong choices of drugs. Most common among monitoring errors was inadequate lab monitoring of drug therapies and failure or delay in responding to symptoms or signs of drug toxicity. "We're not saying people shouldn't be on these drugs. We're saying that sometimes providers are not monitoring residents appropriately and are missing signals that patients are experiencing adverse effects from drugs," says Gurwitz. "Clearly this offers an incredible opportunity to improve meaningfully on the health of a very vulnerable patient population". Currently there are over 1.5 million residents of U.S. nursing homes. Funded by the National Institute on Aging, the research project was undertaken by the Meyers Primary Care Institute, a joint initiative of the University of Massachusetts Medical School and the Fallon Healthcare System in Worcester, Massachusetts. The Massachusetts nursing home study, titled "Incidence and Preventability of Adverse Drug Events in the Nursing Home Setting," is published in the August 2000 issue of the American Journal of Medicine. See related articles in the AgeVenture archives. Dose Encounters with Elder Medications Pfizer - NCOA Partner on Mature Medication Management Nursing Homes Ignore Mentally ill Elders Nurseless Nursing Homes Nursing Less Nursing Homes Ignore Many Elders in Pain AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com BACK TO TOP Golfers Get Back Pain Treatment Via VideoGolfers who suffer from back pain may be interested in a new 45-minute video produced by orthopedic surgeon Bruce Dall, M.D. The video, "Golfing with Back Pain, A Physician's Approach," borrows techniques from industrial rehabilitation and applies them to the game of golf, reducing or eliminating back pain."For a generally healthy golfer, these techniques are a Godsend," says Dr. Dall. "Through mastery of a few simple swing modifications and "between" swing behaviors, golfers can say goodbye to back pain, and put the fun back in their game." A spinal surgery expert in a busy sports medicine practice in Kalamazoo, Mich., Dall notes that for twenty years, patients referred to him for surgical consultation have asked a common question, "How can I avoid surgery, but still continue to play golf?" Through research he conducted as a clinical professor of surgery at Michigan State University, Dall realized that back rehabilitation techniques proven effective in European industrial settings could be applied to protect golfers' backs. "Golf subjects the human back to enormous twisting stress," says Dall, "the same type of stress encountered in certain types of factory jobs. We're finding that the back protection strategy we prescribe to industrial 'athletes' is equally effective for golfers." To allow golfers to practice the techniques in the comfort of their homes, Dall and his partners created an instructional video that teaches a three-step-process to reduce or eliminate common back pain. Each step is demonstrated in the video.
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives. Priest Says Golf Holier Than Thou Thinks Doc Offers Golfers Holistic Therapy Expert Says 80% of Back Pain Heals Itself Back Pain Treatment Enlists Acupuncture Scientists Put Screws to Back Pain AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com BACK TO TOP Surge in Cosmetic Surgery Up 300 PercentThe number of people who had cosmetic surgery procedures in 1999 nearly tripled those who had them performed in 1992, according to a new report by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). The five most popular procedures in 1999 were liposuction, breast augmentation, eyelid surgery, facelifts and tummy tucks.The ASPS statistics represent procedures performed by ASPS member plastic surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. "Cosmetic surgery is more popular than ever," explains ASPS President C. Lin Puckett, MD. "Both women and men are choosing cosmetic procedures to keep their youthful appearance and feel good about themselves." Liposuction, a surgical technique that removes unwanted fat from the body, while improving body contour, is still the most commonly performed cosmetic procedure. The number of liposuction procedures has increased nearly five times since 1992. Breast augmentation is the second most common cosmetic procedure. The number of women having the procedure has increased more than five times since 1992. Eyelid surgery, facelifts and tummy tucks complete the list of the top five procedures for 1999. Eyelid surgery, which corrects drooping upper lids and puffy bags below the eyes, doubled since 1992. Facelifts are up 82 percent. Tummy tucks or abdominoplasty tripled since 1992. "We anticipate that these numbers will continue to grow well into the millennium," says Dr. Puckett. "Not only are more and more people concerned about looking their best, but new techniques in cosmetic surgery will give patients more options and improved results." Founded in 1931, ASPS is the largest plastic surgery organization in the world. To find an ABPS-certified plastic surgeon in your area or to learn more about cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, call the Plastic Surgery Information Service at (888) 4-PLASTIC (475-2784.) See related articles in the AgeVenture archives. More Men Use Cosmetic Surgery to Battle Aging Age Trends Create Emphasis on Cosmetic Dentistry Liposuction #1 Cosmetic Surgery Among Men America's Gray Liberation Breaks All Age Limits Is Gray Pride going down the drain? AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com BACK TO TOP Parkinson's Research Offers New InsightsThe prediction and prevention of Parkinson's disease may, if researchers are correct, be a matter of the heart and mind. In other words, the key to understanding how Parkinson's damages the brain may be linked to certain processes that damage the heart. Researchers don't yet have all the answers, but it's a start. The first step in the long journey to prevention. Read on and find out how.For many years, researchers have known that the movement problems associated with Parkinson's disease result from a loss of neurons that produce a nerve-signaling chemical called dopamine in one part of the brain. A new study suggests that Parkinson's disease (PD) also affects nerve endings that produce a related chemical, norepinephrine, in the heart. The finding improves understanding about how Parkinson's disease develops and may lead to a way of predicting the disorder and possibly even preventing it. Using positron emission tomography (PET) scans, researchers at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) found that nearly all of the 29 Parkinson's disease patients they studied had decreased numbers of norepinephrine-producing nerve endings in the heart. This finding suggests that Parkinson's is more than just a brain disease and may be caused by an abnormality that affects the peripheral nervous system, which includes the sympathetic nervous system, as well as the brain. The sympathetic nervous system controls blood pressure, pulse rate, perspiration, and many other automatic responses to stress. Since norepinephrine and dopamine are part of the same family of chemicals, called catecholamines, the new finding suggests that whatever causes the loss of dopamine-producing nerve terminals in the brain also causes the loss of sympathetic nerve terminals in the heart. Checking for loss of sympathetic nerve terminals in the heart might therefore help physicians distinguish between Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy. Researchers are also carrying out studies to determine if the loss of sympathetic nerve terminals is restricted to the heart or if it also affects other organs of the body. They also hope to determine why dopamine- and norepinephrine-producing nerve terminals in the heart and in only a particular part of the brain are lost in Parkinson's disease. This new research was sponsored by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). NINDS is part of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, which is the nation's leading supporter of research on the brain and nervous system. For more information about these new findings on Parkinson's disease, read the following research articles at your local library.
Bionic Brain Battery Battles Parkinson's Mirapex Parkinson's Drug Shows Promise Help for Parkinson Patient Cargivers AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com BACK TO TOP |