Computer Program Significantly Improves Memory in Healthy Elders-Study

Declining memory is thought to be a normal part of the aging process. It is also seen in the presence of inflammatory diseases, schizophrenia, neurodegenerative diseases and dementia. According to a new study, a computer based training program, dubbed “BrainStim”, significantly improved working memory in older healthy adults. The study results were presented at the 18th Meeting of the European Neurological Society, in Nice, France. Read more

Analysis Shows Heart Attacks Under-Treated Following Hospitalization

According to an analysis published Junes 23 in the Archives of Internal Medicine, one in five patients experience angina (chest pain) within the first year after a heart attack, at least once a week. The association was strongest in younger patients, those who have had coronary bypass surgery (CABG), smoke, experience depression and had symptoms at rest during hospitalization. The study was led by Dr. Thomas M. Maddox, from the Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Colorado. Data was obtained from the Prospective Registry Evaluating Outcomes After Myocardial Infarction: Events and Recover (PREMIER) registry. Read more

Study – Long Term Marijuana use Toxic to the Brain

Recent studies show that marijuana may cause psychosis, increase the risk of heart disease, and provoke heart attack. Researchers now tell us that marijuana may be toxic to the brain, especially the left hippocampus. The hippocampus is responsible for short-term memory, spatial navigation, and the left hippocampus plays a large role in language dominance. The study is published online in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, led by Murat Yücel, PhD Read more

Zoledronic Acid Found to Improve Breast Cancer Outcomes

Women, who took Zoledronic acid (a bisphosphonate) in a recent trial, were found to have a 36% reduction of breast cancer recurrence when compared to a group who did not take the drug. Zoledronic acid is currently used to treat patients with bone metastasis, and was recently approved for osteoporosis treatment in post –menopausal women. It is marketed under the names Zometa and Reclast. The benefit of administering zoledronic acid to breast cancer patients proved significant in an Austrian trial of 1803 premenopausal women who showed improvement in all events associated with it’s spread and recurrence. Read more

Medication Program Effective for Remission of Newly Diagnosed RA

 Newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients might find new hope through a systematic medical program. A new study shows that the guided approach offered complete remission of rheumatoid arthritis for nine months to a year in 51% of the patients studied, and 15% of the patients were able to avoid traditional drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis during their 8.2-year follow-up. Read more

Annual Blood Pressure Screening for Children Recommended by AHA

The American Heart Association recommends that children over age 3 receive annual blood pressure measurements, noting that even babies can have high blood pressure. A new analysis of blood pressure studies shows that high blood pressure in childhood is a predictor of high blood pressure in adults. Read more

Pranayama for Heart Failure

Pranayama is practiced by many in India for health and longevity. Even though it’s considered an alternative form of healing, the benefits are well studied. Western healthcare providers are slow to incorporate alternative therapies into their practice, though many are proven and supported. Read more

Study Compares Diabetes Care Between Blacks and Whites

Black patients have been found to have less success with diabetes control according to a new study. The disparity is being attributed to individual differences in physician care, according to a report in the June 9 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. The study was led by Dr. Thomas D Sequist from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Ma. The results show that blacks are less likely to achieve good cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar control than white patients treated by the same doctor. The findings raise questions about barriers that may exist between physicians and black patients. Read more

Ten Percent of Adolescent Girls Admit to Either Binge Eating or Purging

According to the June 9, 2008 issue of the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, one in ten teenage girls either binge eats or purges at least once a week. The incidence of purging was highest among younger adolescent girls. Binge eating among boys was 3%, and boys were less likely to engage in purging. Alison E. Field, ScD, associate professor of pediatrics, in the division of adolescent medicine at Children’s Hospital, Boston, in Massachusetts said, “I would believe that 10% [of girls] would at least experiment with these behaviors, but once a week is quite severe.” The authors also found that girls who diet frequently and are concerned about their weight are at greater risk for developing eating disorders. Girls, younger than 14, were three times as likely to binge or purge if their mother had a history of an eating disorder. Read more

Study - Men with Muscles Live Longer

Everyone agrees that aerobic exercise leads to good cardiovascular health. It’s common for healthcare providers to emphasize the benefits of cardiorespiratory fitness, but a new study shows that men with increased muscular strength are likely to live longer. The study was presented at the American College of Sports Medicine 55th Annual Meeting. Senior investigator Jonatan R. Ruiz, PhD, from the unit for preventive nutrition at the department of biosciences and nutrition at Novum, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden, says, “These findings prove the benefits of having greater muscular strength and thus require further research to confirm the combined effects of strength and CRF”(cardio respiratory fitness). Read more

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