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Most seniors with diabetes have at least one other major chronic medical condition

As if diabetes weren't enough to handle, a new study shows that 92 percent of older people with the disease have at least one other major chronic medical condition - and that nearly half have three or more major diseases besides their diabetes.

14 Nov 2007

Urinary complications in men over 45

As many as one in four men admitted to hospital with acute urinary retention will die within a year, finds a study published on bmj.com.

13 Nov 2007

75% of Medicare beneficiaries with stand-alone prescription drug plans could face premium increases in 2008

The open enrollment period for the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit begins Thursday and continues through the end of the year, and beneficiaries should "look closely" at their plans because many of them are increasing premiums, copayments and deductibles, the Baltimore Sun reports.

12 Nov 2007

New study looks at effects of obesity on disability over time

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine report that older adults today are much more likely to suffer from disability than those 10 years ago.

6 Nov 2007

Diesel exhaust fumes increase clot formation and blood platelet activity

Increased roadway pollution produced by diesel fuel in vehicles is leading to a cascade of conditions that could result in heart attack or stroke, researchers suggested in the report of a small study presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2007.

6 Nov 2007

Highmark, in partnership with Visa, markets new Healthcare Gift Card

Pennsylvania-based health insurer Highmark, in partnership with Visa, has begun to market a new Healthcare Gift Card in an effort to encourage the use of medical services among certain populations, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

6 Nov 2007

Lives are saved when defibrillators are placed in public spaces

Heart experts at Johns Hopkins and elsewhere have evidence that at least 522 lives can be saved annually in the United States and Canada by the widespread placement of automated external defibrillators, the paddle-fitted, electrical devices used to shock and revive people whose hearts have suddenly stopped beating.

6 Nov 2007

Link between statins and cognitive decline a complex one

Previous explorations of a link between statins, a cholesterol lowering medication, and cognitive decline have produced inconsistent results.

6 Nov 2007

64-slice CT scans a good test for clogged arteries

A study by an international team of cardiac imaging specialists, led by researchers at Johns Hopkins, concludes that sophisticated computed tomography (CT) scans of the heart and its surrounding arteries are almost as reliable and accurate as more invasive procedures to check for blockages.

6 Nov 2007

Children with apoE4 gene show reduced cognitive function

Children who possess a gene known to increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease already show signs of reduced cognitive function, an Oregon Health & Science University study has found.

6 Nov 2007

World-famous Papworth heart transplant hospital in trouble

A hospital in Britain which has been at the forefront of heart transplant surgery ever since it carried out the UK's first successful operation in 1979, is in trouble.

5 Nov 2007

Scientists challenge the underlying scientific premise behind folic acid fortification

Scientists at the Institute of Food Research have highlighted possible consequences of fortifying flour with folic acid due to new evidence of how it is absorbed by the body.

5 Nov 2007

Older adults no more distractible than younger adults

Despite previous research suggesting that older adults are more distractible, new research shows they are no more distractible than younger adults when asked to focus their attention on their sense of sight or sound, or when asked to switch their attention from one sense to the other.

5 Nov 2007

Latest US food scare - 3.3 million pounds of frozen meat pizza products!

The latest food recall in the United States involves approximately 3.3 million pounds of frozen meat pizza products which are suspected of being contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

4 Nov 2007

Research sheds light on carotid artery stenting risk in elderly

Dr. Hernan Bazan, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Section of Vascular Surgery, at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans' School of Medicine, is the lead author of a research paper which may help physicians decide which patients with carotid artery occlusive disease should have carotid surgery or carotid stenting.

2 Nov 2007

Immune cell age plays role in retinal damage in age-related macular degeneration

Studying a mouse model of age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older Americans, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found age is key in determining whether damaging blood vessels will form beneath the retina and contribute to vision loss.

2 Nov 2007

Supplements do not reduce cancer risk

Most experts agree that supplements add little, if anything, to a well-balanced diet.

2 Nov 2007

Type 2 diabetes increasing throughout U.S.-Mexico border area

Diabetes has become the leading cause of death in Mexico and the third-leading cause of death among those living along the U.S. side of the border, health officials from the United States and Mexico said today in presenting the results of a new study coordinated by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

2 Nov 2007

Blood gene expression signatures predict exposure levels

In a new study, researchers found they could detect toxic levels of acetaminophen in laboratory animals by analyzing gene expression in the blood.

1 Nov 2007

New tool helps pharmacies cater for customers with poor health literacy

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality today announced two new tools to help pharmacies provide better quality services to people with limited health literacy.

1 Nov 2007