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Salmonella tomato outbreak spreads in the U.S.

According to officials in the U.S. a salmonella outbreak linked to tainted tomatoes has expanded to five more states and the district of Columbia.

17 Jun 2008

Warning about use of psychiatric drugs with the elderly

Health officials in the U.S. are warning doctors that prescribing certain psychiatric drugs to elderly people suffering from dementia can increase their risk of death.

17 Jun 2008

Molecular imaging helps follow the progression of Alzheimer's disease

In the past, physicians were able only to follow the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) through careful clinical histories, noting the often subtle changes associated with cognitive decline over a number of years.

16 Jun 2008

ExpIND process speeds Alzheimer's drug research

Researchers are actively cutting the time and cost it normally takes to develop radiopharmaceuticals by taking advantage of "Exploratory Investigational New Drug" (ExpIND), an FDA-sanctioned procedure that enhances post-discovery drug development while observing scientific and patient safety standards.

16 Jun 2008

Largest ever Canadian study on osteoporosis informs health policy

Dr David Goltzman and his team from the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI MUHC) and McGill University - along with colleagues from across Canada - have issued new recommendations to public health authorities about how to best cope with osteoporosis, a bone disease which leads to increased risk of fracture, particularly in the elderly.

16 Jun 2008

Antipsychotic drugs get FDA label changes

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today exercised its new authority under the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 (FDAAA) to require manufacturers of "conventional" antipsychotic drugs to make safety-related changes to prescribing information, or labeling, to warn about an increased risk of death associated with the off-label use of these drugs to treat behavioral problems in older people with dementia.

16 Jun 2008

Patient access, broadband connected, report says

Adoption of health information technology will help patients gain access to care; however, roadblocks such as the costs and expertise required to buy and operate the technology are making adoption in medical settings slower than desired. Further challenging some regions of Pennsylvania is limited access or affordable pricing for true high-speed broadband telecommunication networks to connect health care professionals.

16 Jun 2008

Study shows many Australian heart patients die needlessly

An extensive study of heart attack patients has found some patients in Australia are dying unnecessarily.

16 Jun 2008

Heart Failure 2008 - Congress to address a heart condition whose prevalence is increasing with 'exponential growth'

Heart failure is by far the single biggest reason for acute hospital admission. Around 30 million people in Europe have heart failure and its incidence is still increasing: more cases are being identified, more people are living to an old age, and more are surviving a heart attack but with damage to the heart muscle.

11 Jun 2008

Quick responses to influenza outbreaks reduces illness and death

Influenza outbreaks were shorter and resulted in fewer cases and fewer deaths at long-term care facilities that started residents on preventive antiviral medications within five days of the first case, compared to those that started later, according to a new study in the July 1 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, currently available online.

11 Jun 2008

CMS announces $15 million funding increase for Medicare counseling programs

CMS officials on Friday announced that the agency this year will increase funding by $15 million to a total of $50 million to organizations that advise Medicare beneficiaries on prescription drug and health plan choices, CQ HealthBeat reports.

11 Jun 2008

European research project to explore Alzheimer's diagnosis

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, GE Healthcare, a division of the General Electric Company (NYSE: GE) and a Consortium of leading research institutions across Europe announced the PredictAD project, a research collaboration aimed at developing new diagnostic procedures for patients with Alzheimer's disease.

10 Jun 2008

World's oldest woman had normal brain

A 115-year-old woman who remained mentally alert throughout her life had an essentially normal brain, with little or no evidence of Alzheimer's disease, according to a study in the August issue of Neurobiology of Aging.

9 Jun 2008

UNISON condemns proposed cuts to care home inspections

UNISON has warned that changes to the inspection regime for care homes will put the lives of elderly residents at risk.

8 Jun 2008

FDA warns consumers in New Mexico and Texas not to eat certain types of raw red tomatoes

The Food and Drug Administration is alerting consumers in New Mexico and Texas that a salmonellosis outbreak appears to be linked to consumption of certain types of raw red tomatoes and products containing raw red tomatoes. The bacteria causing the illnesses are Salmonella serotype Saintpaul, an uncommon type of Salmonella.

3 Jun 2008

Vigorous exercise helps seniors avoid disability

Healthy seniors who are physically active and exercise for more than 60 minutes each week can lessen their chances of disability as they age, finds a new long-term study.

3 Jun 2008

Socializing can help elderly women stay sharp

Socializing with friends and family can do more than lift the spirits of elderly women - it can improve cognition and might help prevent dementia, according to a new study.

3 Jun 2008

Preventable adverse events in hospitals occur 3 times more among patients with deafness, blindness or psychiatric disorders

Preventable adverse events in hospitals occur 3 times more often among patients with communication problems, such as deafness, blindness, psychiatric disorders and multiple health issues or comorbidities, found researchers in this study of nearly 2,400 patient records from 20 hospitals in Quebec.

2 Jun 2008

Less than 1 in 5 patients receive treatment to prevent venous thrombosis after surgery

Fewer than 1 in 5 patients received post-discharge therapy to prevent life-threatening blood clots - venous thrombosis - after hip- or knee-replacement surgery, report Rahme and colleagues in a retrospective cohort study. Venous thrombosis is one of the leading causes of death among hospital patients. However, elderly patients have a 70% lower chance of dying within 3 months if they take an anticoagulant drug to prevent blood clots.

2 Jun 2008

Senate Democrats to move forward with bill that would halt 10.6% Medicare physician payment cut despite veto threat

Despite a veto threat from the White House, Senate Democrats plan to move forward in the next two weeks with a bill (S 1951) that would reduce payments to Medicare Advantage plans to offset delaying a 10.6% cut to Medicare physicians' payments, CQ Today reports.

2 Jun 2008