Your Health by John Denniston

Daytime dozing may indicate increased risk for stroke

Researchers from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons have found a connection between unintentionally falling asleep during the day, such as in front of the television, and the risk of stroke.
In a study of almost 2,200 New Yorkers over two years, the team found that those people who reported “significant daytime dozing” were 4.5 times more likely to have a stroke than those people who reported “no dozing.” People reporting “some dozing” were 2.6 times more likely.
The researchers said they suspect that the common connection between dozing and strokes is sleep apnea, a condition caused when a person stops breathing while asleep, but they called for further study and a heightened awareness by doctors into patients’ sleep problems.

New study advises against taking selenium supplements

A moderate amount of selenium has been found to decrease the risk of prostate, lung and colon cancers, but a new study has found that too much of a good thing may actually increase the risk of dying.
A study of nearly 14,000 U.S. adults found that high levels of selenium—a mineral found in foods such as grains, nuts, beef and tuna—not only offsets the benefits of moderate levels but also may increase the amount of cell-damaging substances called free radicals.
The Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health research cautioned against taking too much selenium, particularly in the form of supplements, and said that the typical American diet provides the beneficial amount. The research was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Some pneumonia patients benefit from cholesterol drugs

Older people who are hospitalized for pneumonia are less likely to die if they are taking statin drugs or ACE inhibitors, according to new research from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
An analysis of almost 9,000 people 65 and older with pneumonia found that those who were using statin drugs to lower cholesterol when hospitalized were 46 percent less likely to die within 30 days. Additionally, those taking ACE inhibitors to lower blood pressure were 20 percent less likely to die.
The analysis was surprising in that it also found that statin use seemed to decrease deaths from flu, according to the report in the European Respiratory Journal, but the study said that more research is needed in that area.

Hospitalization may trigger “widow effect,” study shows

The “widow effect,” the likelihood that a husband or wife will die soon after a spouse dies, may be triggered during hospitalization, according to the Harvard Medical School’s Department of Health Care Policy.
The stress and upheaval of admitting a spouse with a serious illness to a hospital may pose a great health risk to the other partner, analysis of more than half a million older couples indicates. The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The study found that a wife’s hospitalization increased the risk of a man’s death by 22 percent, and a husband’s hospitalization increased a wife’s risk by 16 percent. Risk varied by disease. A spouse’s hospitalization for dementia was most stressful, increasing risk of death 22 percent for men and 28 percent for women.

Age is no factor in surviving a heart valve replacement

Age should not be a determining factor in replacing the heart’s aortic valve, according to data reported by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
People over 80 years old who had their major heart valve replaced had essentially the same hospital and five-year survival rates as younger people, according to the research of more than 1,300 people. The older patients did spend an average of three extra days in the hospital and had a greater risk of respiratory failure.

High blood pressure drugs may decrease Parkinson’s risk

Calcium channel blockers, which people take to control high blood pressure, may also decrease the risk of Parkinson’s disease, according to new research from the University Hospital Basel in Switzerland.
The study of more than 7,000 people over 40 found that those with a long-term history of taking calcium channel blockers had a 23 percent lower risk of developing Parkinson’s. The disease involves a loss of brain cells and is marked by movement problems including tremors. It affects at least one million people in the United States.
The research was reported in the journal Neurology and stressed that more research was needed into the possible correlation

Conference aims to prevent “epidemic”

When drinkers take medications, they risk adverse interactions. As the U.S. population ages—and consumes more prescription drugs—more problems with alcohol-drug interactions will occur.
“The Hidden Epidemic: Alcohol, Medication and the Older Adult” is a one-day conference open to anyone who provides direct care to older Virginians, including health and social workers, family caregivers and older adults.
Conference participants will learn about the signs and symptoms of alcohol misuse, how to professionally and effectively address this issue with their clients and families, and how to refer them to the appropriate resources for assistance.
The conference is sponsored by VCU’s Virginia Center on Aging, the Virginia Department of Alcohol Beverage Control, and the Alcohol and Aging Awareness Group. It will be held on Tuesday, April 29, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at VCU. Cost is $15 if registered by April 1 or $25 if registered after April 1. The registration deadline is April 15. To register or get more information, call (804) 213-4688 or visit www.abc.virginia.gov/education.html.

 

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