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Dark chocolate and cocoa may help arterial stiffness

“This is the first study to investigate whether chocolate has any favorable effects on cardiovascular function in healthy subjects,” says Charalambos Vlachopoulos, MD, of the Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece. “We found dark chocolate improves endothelial function and decreases arterial stiffness in healthy young adults.”

19 May 2004

Matching method allows surgeons to successfully transplant kidneys that would otherwise be discarded

By carefully matching the estimated function of kidneys from deceased donors with the needs of potential recipients, surgeons can successfully transplant kidneys that would otherwise be discarded, according to a report from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. The center was able to double its transplant volume within a year.

18 May 2004

Speaking their language aids dementia patients

Elderly dementia patients from non-English speaking backgrounds communicate more with others and take fewer psychiatric medications when living in ethno-specific nursing homes, an Australian study at Monash University has revealed.

17 May 2004

Technology will help as world's population over 60 doubles

It's just a collection of bloody nuts and bolts." That was the damning reaction of a 69-year-old resident at a Scottish nursing home - let's call him William Brown - when asked if he would like a robotic pet as a companion to help relieve his boredom and loneliness. But once he realised that the robot could play games with him, he quickly changed his mind.

15 May 2004

Vitamin discovery offers clues for cancer chemotherapy

NH-Dartmouth Medical School cancer researchers, in a fusion of biochemistry and genetics, have discovered a new vitamin in a molecular pathway central to such vital processes as gene regulation, metabolism and aging. And, they found that milk contains this nutrient.

15 May 2004

Estrogen therapy may help bone density, muscle mass, sexual function, memory, and psychological wellbeing in postmenopausal women

Research in monkeys suggests that long-term use of estrogen therapy may reduce levels of androgens – hormones involved in maintaining bone density, muscle mass, sexual function, memory, and psychological wellbeing in postmenopausal women.

14 May 2004

Americans spend more on health care but feel worse

Americans spend twice as much on health care as their European and Canadian counterparts, yet are more likely to rate their own quality of health as poor, says a new report, “Spending more, feeling worse: medical care expenditures and self-rated health,” forthcoming in the June 2004 edition of the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

14 May 2004

Leading experts to shed light on controversial testosterone therapy treatment

The use of testosterone therapy will be the topic of a special panel briefing to be held during the 99th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association on May 11, 2004 in the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

12 May 2004

Physicians perceive overactive bladder as a normal part of aging when in fact it is a treatable medical condition

Nearly half of people with symptoms of overactive bladder had to initiate multiple conversations with their doctor before receiving a diagnosis or treatment, according to a national survey of more than 500 people with symptoms of overactive bladder. Furthermore, only 15 percent of those surveyed said their doctors had ever initiated a discussion about overactive bladder symptoms.

12 May 2004

Botox shows promise as an alternative treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia

Injections of botulinum toxin A (botox) into the prostate are a promising alternative treatment for the millions of men who have benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition commonly referred to as enlarged prostate, according to a study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan.

11 May 2004

Study shows states will see an average 44 percent increase in Alzheimer’s disease by 2025

According to the May 11 issue of Neurology, U. S. states will see an average 44 percent increase in Alzheimer’s disease by 2025, with the Western and Southeastern states to be hit the hardest.

11 May 2004

Quality of life for men after prostate cancer treatment

Four to eight years after men undergo treatment for prostate cancer, they continue to see changes – both positive and negative – in their quality of life because of that treatment, researchers at the University of Michigan Health System and Harvard Medical School report.

11 May 2004

Increasing number of cases of wet age-related macular degeneration

Nearly all retina specialists are greatly alarmed by the increasing number of cases of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of severe vision loss and blindness in people over the age of 50, and believe the disease will have a serious impact on the public.

11 May 2004

Australian Government outlines measures to reduce the red tape burden on GPs

The Australian Government has today outlined additional measures to reduce the red tape burden on GPs. Reducing red tape means that GPs can spend more time on patient care and less time on paperwork.

11 May 2004

Telecare and telemedicine services seen as solution for long-term care of elderly or vulnerable people

Telecare and telemedicine services are increasingly being seen as a potential solution to one of society’s most pressing healthcare issues, that of long-term care of elderly or vulnerable people. BT’s broadband telecare proposition is simple and compelling

11 May 2004

Country Industry Forecast - European Union Healthcare Industry

The accession of ten more central and east European countries to the European Union (EU) -15 in 2004 has created a single European market, the largest market and trading zone for the healthcare industry with almost 500 million consumers. The total healthcare industry comprising pharmaceuticals and drugs, medical devices and equipment, and health services is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6.4 per cent from 2003 to 2008.

11 May 2004

Risk of prostate cancer greater in men over 50 with high levels of testosterone

Men over 50 years of age with high blood levels of testosterone have an increased risk of prostate cancer, according to a study by researchers at Johns Hopkins and the National Institute on Aging. The finding throws some doubt on the safety of testosterone replacement therapy, the investigators say.

11 May 2004

Less educated people have more severe stress

While less educated people report fewer stressful days than those with more education, their stress is more severe and has a larger impact on their health, reports a researcher from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and his colleagues in the current issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.

10 May 2004

The First International Congress on Antioxidant Methods

The First International Congress on Antioxidant Methods will be held June 16-18 in Orlando, Fla., in an effort to reach agreement on techniques for measuring and reporting on antioxidants, beneficial compounds found in foods, cosmetics and certain vitamins that are believed to fight cancer, heart disease and aging.

6 May 2004

Weight loss and exercise regime helps osteoarthritis

A combination of moderate weight loss and exercise is an effective treatment for overweight adults with osteoarthritis of the knee, according to new research from Wake Forest University published in the May issue of the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism.

6 May 2004