The number of people with diabetes in the United States is expected to double over the next 25 years.
The study published in the December issue of Diabetes Care predicts that by 2034 about 44.1 million people will have the disease, up from 23.7 million today. At the same time, the cost of treating people with diabetes will triple, rising from an estimated $113 billion in 2009 to $336 billion in 2034.
Researchers note that a key factor driving the soaring costs is the number of people living with diabetes for lengthy periods. Over time, the cost of caring for someone with diabetes tends to rise along with their risk for developing complications, such as end-stage renal disease, which requires costly dialysis according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance.
In making their estimates, researchers at the University of Chicago used data on people 24 to 85 years old who took part in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the National Health Interview Study.
Prior forecasts, including the ones currently used by the federal government's budget analysts, have underestimated the burden, the researchers noted. A 1991 study, for example, predicted that 11.6 million people would have diabetes in 2030. In 2009, there were already more than twice that many living with diabetes.
Among Medicare beneficiaries, the number with diabetes is expected to rise from 8.2 million to 14.6 million in 2034, with an accompanying rise in spending from $45 billion to $171 billion the study reveals. The high cost of chronic disease is one of the most pressing issues facing the United States as legislators grapple with financial strains on Medicare and the larger issue of health-care reform, the researchers explained.
Factors driving the increase in diabetes cases include the aging population and continued high rates of obesity, both of which are risk factors for type 2 diabetes, in which the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells don't use it correctly. In the study, the researchers assumed that the obesity rate would remain relatively stable, topping out at about 30 percent in the next decade and then declining slightly to about 27 percent in 2033.
Showing posts with label women's health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label women's health. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Vigorous Exercise Cuts Stroke Risk for Older Men, Not Women
Moderate-to-high intensity exercise may help reduce stroke risk in older men but not in women.
New research examined over 3,000 men and women, average age 69, who were followed for about nine years. During that time, there were 238 strokes among the participants. At the start of the study, 20 percent of the participants said they did regular moderate-to-high intensity exercise such as jogging, swimming or tennis. Some 41 percent said they did no physical activity.
Men who did moderate-to-high intensity exercise were 63 percent less likely to have a stroke than people who didn't exercise. Over five years, the baseline risk of ischemic stroke which is the leading type of stroke for all study participants was 4.3 percent; 2.7 percent for those who did moderate-to-high intensity exercise and 4.6 percent for those who didn't exercise.
The study conducted by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center and New York Presbyterian Hospital at Columbia appears in the Nov. 24 issue of the journal Neurology. Taking part in moderate-to-heavy intensity physical activity may be an important factor for preventing stroke, noted the study's author.
A large percentage of the participants were not taking part in any physical activities. This may be true of many elderly people who live in cities. Identifying ways to improve physical activity among these people may be a key goal for public health.
Stroke is the leading cause of disability in the United States and the third leading cause of death according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, the national trade organization. This year some 600,000 Americans will suffer their first stroke.
New research examined over 3,000 men and women, average age 69, who were followed for about nine years. During that time, there were 238 strokes among the participants. At the start of the study, 20 percent of the participants said they did regular moderate-to-high intensity exercise such as jogging, swimming or tennis. Some 41 percent said they did no physical activity.
Men who did moderate-to-high intensity exercise were 63 percent less likely to have a stroke than people who didn't exercise. Over five years, the baseline risk of ischemic stroke which is the leading type of stroke for all study participants was 4.3 percent; 2.7 percent for those who did moderate-to-high intensity exercise and 4.6 percent for those who didn't exercise.
The study conducted by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center and New York Presbyterian Hospital at Columbia appears in the Nov. 24 issue of the journal Neurology. Taking part in moderate-to-heavy intensity physical activity may be an important factor for preventing stroke, noted the study's author.
A large percentage of the participants were not taking part in any physical activities. This may be true of many elderly people who live in cities. Identifying ways to improve physical activity among these people may be a key goal for public health.
Stroke is the leading cause of disability in the United States and the third leading cause of death according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, the national trade organization. This year some 600,000 Americans will suffer their first stroke.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Kidney Transplant Plus Sleep Disorder Adds Up to Trouble
Kidney transplant patients with sleep apnea are at increased risk for high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.
Researchers in Hungary conducted a study of kidney transplant recipients and found that 25 percent had moderate to severe sleep apnea, a rate similar to that seen in kidney disease patients on dialysis awaiting a transplant.
The findings they note indicate that both types of patients who have the breathing-related sleep disorder should be considered at high risk for serious heart-related complications. Transplant recipients with sleep apnea were more than twice as likely as those without the syndrome to be taking three or more anti-hypertensive drugs, but still had higher blood pressure than those without the sleep disorder. Obesity increased a transplant patient's risk of developing sleep apnea.
Organ transplants are increasingly available according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. Some critical illness policies will provide a cash benefit when a transplant is received.
When the Hungarian medical researchers calculated risk scores, they found that kidney disease patients with sleep apnea were twice as likely to suffer heart disease or stroke than those without sleep apnea. They recommend that physicians should screen transplant patients for obstructive sleep apnea and offer appropriate treatment," the study authors concluded.
The study will be published in January in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Researchers in Hungary conducted a study of kidney transplant recipients and found that 25 percent had moderate to severe sleep apnea, a rate similar to that seen in kidney disease patients on dialysis awaiting a transplant.
The findings they note indicate that both types of patients who have the breathing-related sleep disorder should be considered at high risk for serious heart-related complications. Transplant recipients with sleep apnea were more than twice as likely as those without the syndrome to be taking three or more anti-hypertensive drugs, but still had higher blood pressure than those without the sleep disorder. Obesity increased a transplant patient's risk of developing sleep apnea.
Organ transplants are increasingly available according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. Some critical illness policies will provide a cash benefit when a transplant is received.
When the Hungarian medical researchers calculated risk scores, they found that kidney disease patients with sleep apnea were twice as likely to suffer heart disease or stroke than those without sleep apnea. They recommend that physicians should screen transplant patients for obstructive sleep apnea and offer appropriate treatment," the study authors concluded.
The study will be published in January in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Moderate Drinking May Help Your Heart
A Spanish study has found that long-term moderate drinking decreased the risk of heart disease by up to one-third in men and to a lesser degree in women.
The type of alcohol -- beer, wine or spirits -- made no difference, the researchers reported in the Nov. 19 online issue of Heart. The Spanish analysis used 10-year data on over 40,000 men and women who were participants in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer study.
But for men, there was a point at which the coronary benefits of alcohol declined, and risk began to rise again. The rate of coronary heart disease for non-drinking women in the study was 56 per 100,000. For women listed as low drinkers, averaging less than 5 grams a day, it was 42. For women who were moderate drinkers (5 to 30 grams a day), it was 36; for high drinkers (30 to 90 grams a day) it was 12; and for heavy drinkers (more than 90 grams a day) it was 12.
The rates for men were 398 per 100,000 for those who never drank, 318 for low drinkers, 255 for moderate drinkers, 278 for high drinkers and 334 for heavy drinkers, the researchers reported.
The report showing that the source of alcohol made no difference does help puncture one explanation for what has come to be called the "French paradox," the low level of heart disease seen in that country despite consumption of what Americans would describe as an unhealthy, fat-rich diet. Some experts have attributed the paradox to the beneficial effects of red wine.
A number of well-done studies have shown that people who drink have higher levels of HDL cholesterol. HDL cholesterol is the "good" kind that prevents formation of artery-blocking plaque deposits.
The American Heart Association recommendation is that "if you drink, do so in moderation." That means one to two drinks a day for a man, one drink a day for a woman, with a drink defined as 12 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine or 1 ounce of 100-proof spirits.
Every 34 seconds an American will suffer a heart attack according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance.
SOURCES: Eric B. Rimm, Sc.D., associate professor, epidemiology and nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston; Kenneth Mukamal, M.D., internist, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, associate professor, medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Nov. 19, 2009, Heart, online.
The type of alcohol -- beer, wine or spirits -- made no difference, the researchers reported in the Nov. 19 online issue of Heart. The Spanish analysis used 10-year data on over 40,000 men and women who were participants in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer study.
But for men, there was a point at which the coronary benefits of alcohol declined, and risk began to rise again. The rate of coronary heart disease for non-drinking women in the study was 56 per 100,000. For women listed as low drinkers, averaging less than 5 grams a day, it was 42. For women who were moderate drinkers (5 to 30 grams a day), it was 36; for high drinkers (30 to 90 grams a day) it was 12; and for heavy drinkers (more than 90 grams a day) it was 12.
The rates for men were 398 per 100,000 for those who never drank, 318 for low drinkers, 255 for moderate drinkers, 278 for high drinkers and 334 for heavy drinkers, the researchers reported.
The report showing that the source of alcohol made no difference does help puncture one explanation for what has come to be called the "French paradox," the low level of heart disease seen in that country despite consumption of what Americans would describe as an unhealthy, fat-rich diet. Some experts have attributed the paradox to the beneficial effects of red wine.
A number of well-done studies have shown that people who drink have higher levels of HDL cholesterol. HDL cholesterol is the "good" kind that prevents formation of artery-blocking plaque deposits.
The American Heart Association recommendation is that "if you drink, do so in moderation." That means one to two drinks a day for a man, one drink a day for a woman, with a drink defined as 12 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine or 1 ounce of 100-proof spirits.
Every 34 seconds an American will suffer a heart attack according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance.
SOURCES: Eric B. Rimm, Sc.D., associate professor, epidemiology and nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston; Kenneth Mukamal, M.D., internist, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, associate professor, medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Nov. 19, 2009, Heart, online.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Migraine Increases Likelihood Of Stroke New Study Reports
People who suffer migraines have more than double the risk of ischemic stroke, and the risk is especially high in women.
Ischemic stroke, the most common type of stroke, occurs when blood supply to the brain is cut off by plaque accumulation or a blood clot.
In astudy presented at the American Heart Association's annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine reviewed the findings of 21 studies that included a total of 622,381 men and women, aged 18 to 70, in Europe and North America.
Those with migraines were 2.3 times more likely than people without migraines to suffer ischemic stroke. The risk was 2.5 times higher for migraine sufferers who experienced aura (visual disturbances such as flashing lights, zigzag lines and blurred vision), and for women experiencing aura, 2.9 times higher.
The findings reinforce the link between migraine and stroke and also correct some discrepancies in previous analyses that yielded mixed results, according to Hopkins cardiologist and senior study investigator Dr. Saman Nazarian.
Nazarian said nearly 1,800 articles have been written about the relationship between migraine and stroke, but the Hopkins review is believed to be the largest of its kind and was more selective, including only studies that used similar designs and groups of people.
"Identifying people at highest risk is crucial to preventing disabling strokes. Based on this data, physicians should consider addressing stroke risk factors in patients with a history or signs of light flashes and blurry vision associated with severe headaches," Nazarian said in a Hopkins news release.
There are a number of migraine prevention and treatment options, including smoking cessation, taking medications to lower blood pressure or taking blood-thinning drugs such as aspirin, Nazarian added. For women with migraines, additional options include discontinuing use of birth control pills or stopping hormone replacement therapy.
For information on critical illness insurance visit the website of the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance where you can obtain free, no obligation costs for this important protection.
Ischemic stroke, the most common type of stroke, occurs when blood supply to the brain is cut off by plaque accumulation or a blood clot.
In astudy presented at the American Heart Association's annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine reviewed the findings of 21 studies that included a total of 622,381 men and women, aged 18 to 70, in Europe and North America.
Those with migraines were 2.3 times more likely than people without migraines to suffer ischemic stroke. The risk was 2.5 times higher for migraine sufferers who experienced aura (visual disturbances such as flashing lights, zigzag lines and blurred vision), and for women experiencing aura, 2.9 times higher.
The findings reinforce the link between migraine and stroke and also correct some discrepancies in previous analyses that yielded mixed results, according to Hopkins cardiologist and senior study investigator Dr. Saman Nazarian.
Nazarian said nearly 1,800 articles have been written about the relationship between migraine and stroke, but the Hopkins review is believed to be the largest of its kind and was more selective, including only studies that used similar designs and groups of people.
"Identifying people at highest risk is crucial to preventing disabling strokes. Based on this data, physicians should consider addressing stroke risk factors in patients with a history or signs of light flashes and blurry vision associated with severe headaches," Nazarian said in a Hopkins news release.
There are a number of migraine prevention and treatment options, including smoking cessation, taking medications to lower blood pressure or taking blood-thinning drugs such as aspirin, Nazarian added. For women with migraines, additional options include discontinuing use of birth control pills or stopping hormone replacement therapy.
For information on critical illness insurance visit the website of the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance where you can obtain free, no obligation costs for this important protection.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Rapid Cooling May Help When Heart Attack Hits
Rapid cooling of heart attack patients may boost their chance of survival without brain damage.
Swedish researchers examined the use of a device called RhinoChill, which cools the brains of heart attack patients during ongoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
The median time between cardiac arrest onset and the start of cooling was 23 minutes. On arrival at hospital, the average body temperature of cooled patients was 93.56 degrees F, compared with 95.9 degrees for standard care patients.
The study found that 46.7 percent of patients in the cooling group survived to hospital discharge, compared with 31 percent of patients who received standard care. In addition, some 36.7 percent of those in the cooling group and 21.4 percent of those in the standard care group were in good neurological condition when discharged from the hospital.
Patients who received a combination of early CPR -- started within six minutes of collapse -- and cooling had the best outcomes. The researchers noted that the earlier you can do the cooling, the better. When resuscitation efforts were delayed, there was no significant difference in survival.
The study was to be presented Nov. 15 at an American Heart Association's annual meeting in Orlando, Fla.
According to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, some785,000 Americans will have a new cornary attack this year.
Swedish researchers examined the use of a device called RhinoChill, which cools the brains of heart attack patients during ongoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
The median time between cardiac arrest onset and the start of cooling was 23 minutes. On arrival at hospital, the average body temperature of cooled patients was 93.56 degrees F, compared with 95.9 degrees for standard care patients.
The study found that 46.7 percent of patients in the cooling group survived to hospital discharge, compared with 31 percent of patients who received standard care. In addition, some 36.7 percent of those in the cooling group and 21.4 percent of those in the standard care group were in good neurological condition when discharged from the hospital.
Patients who received a combination of early CPR -- started within six minutes of collapse -- and cooling had the best outcomes. The researchers noted that the earlier you can do the cooling, the better. When resuscitation efforts were delayed, there was no significant difference in survival.
The study was to be presented Nov. 15 at an American Heart Association's annual meeting in Orlando, Fla.
According to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, some785,000 Americans will have a new cornary attack this year.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Study Drug Shrinks Lung Cancer Tumors In Mice
A potential new drug for lung cancer has eliminated tumors in 50% of mice.
Researchers report that the drug also stopped lung cancer tumors from growing and becoming resistant to treatment.
One in five people with lung cancer have small cell lung cancer and only three per cent of these people are expected to survive for five years. With this form of lung cancer, tumors spread quickly so it is rarely possible to remove the tumors surgically. Because of this, small cell lung cancer is treated with chemotherapy, with or without additional radiotherapy.
Initially, the treatment often appears to work, reducing the size of the tumors. However, the tumors usually grow back rapidly and then become resistant to further treatment.
The researchers have identified a drug that, in some mice, was able to completely shrink tumors away. In the mouse models, it was also able to stop tumors from growing and it helped other forms of chemotherapy to work more effectively. If the drug proves successful in humans, the researchers hope that it could help patients with this kind of lung cancer to live longer.
The Section of Molecular Oncology and Lung Cancer Research at Imperial College London which conducted the study suggests that it may be possible to develop the drug PD173074 into a new targeted therapy for small cell lung cancer. We hope to take this drug, or a similar drug that also stops FGF-2 from working, into clinical trials next year to see if it is a successful treatment for lung cancer in humans. An added bonus of this drug is that it could be taken orally, which would make it less invasive than some other forms of cancer therapy.
Lung cancer is one of the most common cancer killer in the world according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. Around one in five of people diagnosed with lung cancer will have small cell lung cancer. Although it responds to chemotherapy initially, the tumors soon become resistant to treatment and sadly nearly all people with the disease do not survive.
The Cancer Treatment and Research Trust, Cancer Research UK and the UK Department of Health funded the research.
Researchers report that the drug also stopped lung cancer tumors from growing and becoming resistant to treatment.
One in five people with lung cancer have small cell lung cancer and only three per cent of these people are expected to survive for five years. With this form of lung cancer, tumors spread quickly so it is rarely possible to remove the tumors surgically. Because of this, small cell lung cancer is treated with chemotherapy, with or without additional radiotherapy.
Initially, the treatment often appears to work, reducing the size of the tumors. However, the tumors usually grow back rapidly and then become resistant to further treatment.
The researchers have identified a drug that, in some mice, was able to completely shrink tumors away. In the mouse models, it was also able to stop tumors from growing and it helped other forms of chemotherapy to work more effectively. If the drug proves successful in humans, the researchers hope that it could help patients with this kind of lung cancer to live longer.
The Section of Molecular Oncology and Lung Cancer Research at Imperial College London which conducted the study suggests that it may be possible to develop the drug PD173074 into a new targeted therapy for small cell lung cancer. We hope to take this drug, or a similar drug that also stops FGF-2 from working, into clinical trials next year to see if it is a successful treatment for lung cancer in humans. An added bonus of this drug is that it could be taken orally, which would make it less invasive than some other forms of cancer therapy.
Lung cancer is one of the most common cancer killer in the world according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. Around one in five of people diagnosed with lung cancer will have small cell lung cancer. Although it responds to chemotherapy initially, the tumors soon become resistant to treatment and sadly nearly all people with the disease do not survive.
The Cancer Treatment and Research Trust, Cancer Research UK and the UK Department of Health funded the research.
Breast Cancer Cured But Pain Survives
Nearly half of breast cancer survivors suffer from persistent pain.
According to a report in today's Journal of the American Medical Association the pain exists even two or three years following treatment. Almost 60% of the over 3,000 women surveyed experience other symptoms of nerve damage, such as numbness or tenderness, according to a study of women treated for breast cancer in 2005 and 2006.
The researchers noted that women under 40 and those who have more extensive surgery, such as a mastectomy, and radiation are the most likely to report pain. Women, they report, also have more pain if surgeons removed many of the lymph nodes in their armpits, a common place for breast cancer to spread.
Most breast cancer patients can ease their symptoms with over-the-counter pain relievers. Every year nearly 700,000 American women are diagnosed with cancer according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. About one in four women are diagnosed with breast cancer and as a result of early detection and improved treatment, most survice.
While the medical experts explain that it is not always possible to prevent chronic pain, there are ways women can reduce their risk.
Women should choose doctors who perform "sentinel-node" biopsies, one of the experts writing in the Journal noted. In the procedure, surgeons remove and test one or a few key lymph node for malignant cells instead of automatically removing all of the nodes. If the sentinel node is cancer-free, surgeons leave the others in place. The procedure also reduces the risk of lymphedema, a painful swelling in the arm.
According to a report in today's Journal of the American Medical Association the pain exists even two or three years following treatment. Almost 60% of the over 3,000 women surveyed experience other symptoms of nerve damage, such as numbness or tenderness, according to a study of women treated for breast cancer in 2005 and 2006.
The researchers noted that women under 40 and those who have more extensive surgery, such as a mastectomy, and radiation are the most likely to report pain. Women, they report, also have more pain if surgeons removed many of the lymph nodes in their armpits, a common place for breast cancer to spread.
Most breast cancer patients can ease their symptoms with over-the-counter pain relievers. Every year nearly 700,000 American women are diagnosed with cancer according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. About one in four women are diagnosed with breast cancer and as a result of early detection and improved treatment, most survice.
While the medical experts explain that it is not always possible to prevent chronic pain, there are ways women can reduce their risk.
Women should choose doctors who perform "sentinel-node" biopsies, one of the experts writing in the Journal noted. In the procedure, surgeons remove and test one or a few key lymph node for malignant cells instead of automatically removing all of the nodes. If the sentinel node is cancer-free, surgeons leave the others in place. The procedure also reduces the risk of lymphedema, a painful swelling in the arm.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Obesity Causes 100,000 U.S. Cancer Cases
Obesity causes more than 100,000 cases of cancer in the United States each year according to a report from the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, creating a greater financial strain on health insurance companies and American families.
Researchers estimate that obesity-related diseases account for nearly 10 percent of all medical spending in the United States or an estimated $147 billion a year. Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States after heart disease. The American Cancer Society reports that nearl 1.5 million people will be diagnosed with cancer this year and 562,000 will die of the disease.
Medical researchers at the American Institute for Cancer Research reported that having too much body fat causes nearly half the cases of endometrial cancer, which is a type of cancer of the uterus. Too much body fat they note was also responsible for one third of esophageal cancer cases.
The researchers expect the number of cancer cases will likely rise as Americans get fatter. Nearly a third of Americans are overweight, defined as having a BMI of 25 to 30.
More than 26 percent of Americans are obese, defined as having a body mass index of 30 or higher. BMI is equal to weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. A person 5 feet 5 inches tall becomes obese at 180 pounds (82 kg).
The American Institute for Cancer Research reported the percented of cancer cases that would be prevented if everyone in the United States maintained a healthy weight. Here are some of its estimates of cancer types that could be prevented annually if Americans stayed slender:
Endometrium - 49 percent of cases or 20,700 people
Esophageal - 35 percent of cases or 5,800 people
Pancreatic - 28 percent or 11,900 people
Kidney - 24 percent or 13,900 people
Gallbladder - 21 percent or 2,000 people
Breast - 17 percent or 33,000 people
Colon - 9 percent or 13,200 people
Researchers estimate that obesity-related diseases account for nearly 10 percent of all medical spending in the United States or an estimated $147 billion a year. Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States after heart disease. The American Cancer Society reports that nearl 1.5 million people will be diagnosed with cancer this year and 562,000 will die of the disease.
Medical researchers at the American Institute for Cancer Research reported that having too much body fat causes nearly half the cases of endometrial cancer, which is a type of cancer of the uterus. Too much body fat they note was also responsible for one third of esophageal cancer cases.
The researchers expect the number of cancer cases will likely rise as Americans get fatter. Nearly a third of Americans are overweight, defined as having a BMI of 25 to 30.
More than 26 percent of Americans are obese, defined as having a body mass index of 30 or higher. BMI is equal to weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. A person 5 feet 5 inches tall becomes obese at 180 pounds (82 kg).
The American Institute for Cancer Research reported the percented of cancer cases that would be prevented if everyone in the United States maintained a healthy weight. Here are some of its estimates of cancer types that could be prevented annually if Americans stayed slender:
Endometrium - 49 percent of cases or 20,700 people
Esophageal - 35 percent of cases or 5,800 people
Pancreatic - 28 percent or 11,900 people
Kidney - 24 percent or 13,900 people
Gallbladder - 21 percent or 2,000 people
Breast - 17 percent or 33,000 people
Colon - 9 percent or 13,200 people
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Low Cholesterol Could Be Sign Of Cancer In Men Especially
Low total cholesterol may be a sign of cancer according to researchers.
Previously, some medical experts had thought that low cholesterol may have been a cause. According to researchers reporting this week, findings suggest that men who have low cholesterol actually have a lower risk of developing high-risk prostate cancer.
There were some 1.4 million cancer cases in the United States last year according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. The cost of caring for medical conditions caused over 60 percent of the 1.5 million Americans to declare bankruptcy.
A study of more than 5,000 U.S. men conducted by Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore found a link between low cholesterol and a lower risk of high-grade prostate cancer among men over age 55.
The researchers report that if men had total cholesterol of less than 200 milligrams/deciliter, they had a nearly 60 percent lower risk of developing high-grade prostate cancer, the riskiest kind.
It is not clear whether taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs might help men with prostate cancer. That would need to be studied, the medical experts noted. The study was reported in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
For years, researchers had noticed that people who have lower total cholesterol -- a combination of both low-density lipoprotein or LDL, the "bad" kind, and high-density lipoprotein or HDL, the "good" kind -- appeared more likely to have certain types of cancers than other people.
They report this finding was worrisome because having low cholesterol, and particularly low levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol, has been shown to protect against heart attacks and strokes.
An expert at the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, said in a statement, "The study affirms that lower total cholesterol may be caused by undiagnosed cancer. In terms of a public health message, we found that higher levels of 'good' cholesterol seem to be protective for all cancers."
An 18-year study of nearly 30,000 Finnish male smokers, the largest and longest of its kind, found that over the nearly two decades some 7,545 men developed cancer. The men with lower total cholesterol levels -- below 230 milligrams/deciliter -- had an 18 percent higher risk of cancer overall.
But, when the researchers excluded cancers that occurred in the first nine years of the study, this risk disappears. The findings the researchers notes support the idea that the lower serum total cholesterol level we detected as a possible cancer risk factor may actually have been the result of undiagnosed cancers.
Previously, some medical experts had thought that low cholesterol may have been a cause. According to researchers reporting this week, findings suggest that men who have low cholesterol actually have a lower risk of developing high-risk prostate cancer.
There were some 1.4 million cancer cases in the United States last year according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. The cost of caring for medical conditions caused over 60 percent of the 1.5 million Americans to declare bankruptcy.
A study of more than 5,000 U.S. men conducted by Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore found a link between low cholesterol and a lower risk of high-grade prostate cancer among men over age 55.
The researchers report that if men had total cholesterol of less than 200 milligrams/deciliter, they had a nearly 60 percent lower risk of developing high-grade prostate cancer, the riskiest kind.
It is not clear whether taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs might help men with prostate cancer. That would need to be studied, the medical experts noted. The study was reported in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
For years, researchers had noticed that people who have lower total cholesterol -- a combination of both low-density lipoprotein or LDL, the "bad" kind, and high-density lipoprotein or HDL, the "good" kind -- appeared more likely to have certain types of cancers than other people.
They report this finding was worrisome because having low cholesterol, and particularly low levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol, has been shown to protect against heart attacks and strokes.
An expert at the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, said in a statement, "The study affirms that lower total cholesterol may be caused by undiagnosed cancer. In terms of a public health message, we found that higher levels of 'good' cholesterol seem to be protective for all cancers."
An 18-year study of nearly 30,000 Finnish male smokers, the largest and longest of its kind, found that over the nearly two decades some 7,545 men developed cancer. The men with lower total cholesterol levels -- below 230 milligrams/deciliter -- had an 18 percent higher risk of cancer overall.
But, when the researchers excluded cancers that occurred in the first nine years of the study, this risk disappears. The findings the researchers notes support the idea that the lower serum total cholesterol level we detected as a possible cancer risk factor may actually have been the result of undiagnosed cancers.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Study Reports Cholesterol Medicines Effective Against Cancer
Research shows that medicines based on statins used to lower blood cholesterol may also be effective in the treatment of cancer.
Statins lower cholesterol by blocking certain enzymes involved in metabolism. Medical experts note that they have also been shown to help proteins attach to cell membranes. Because many of the proteins that are lipid-modified cause cancer, there are now hopes that it will be possible to use statins in the treatment of cancer.
Researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Germany, conducted studies that show statins can have a dramatic inhibitory effect on growth and development. The researchers note that their results support the idea that statins can be used in more ways than just to lower cholesterol. Not least that they can prevent the growth of cancer cells caused by lipid-modified proteins, but also that they can be effective in the treatment of diabetes and neurological disorders such as Parkinson's.
The findings were published in the article Statins Inhibit Protein Lipidation and Induce the Unfolded Protein Response in the Non-Sterol Producing Nematode C. elegans, published in the journal PNAS. The study is the result of a research partnership between the University of Gothenburg, Chalmers University of Technology.
Information on critical illness is gathered and posted by the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, the national trade organization focused on helping individuals understand the importance of protecting their financial futures.
Statins lower cholesterol by blocking certain enzymes involved in metabolism. Medical experts note that they have also been shown to help proteins attach to cell membranes. Because many of the proteins that are lipid-modified cause cancer, there are now hopes that it will be possible to use statins in the treatment of cancer.
Researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Germany, conducted studies that show statins can have a dramatic inhibitory effect on growth and development. The researchers note that their results support the idea that statins can be used in more ways than just to lower cholesterol. Not least that they can prevent the growth of cancer cells caused by lipid-modified proteins, but also that they can be effective in the treatment of diabetes and neurological disorders such as Parkinson's.
The findings were published in the article Statins Inhibit Protein Lipidation and Induce the Unfolded Protein Response in the Non-Sterol Producing Nematode C. elegans, published in the journal PNAS. The study is the result of a research partnership between the University of Gothenburg, Chalmers University of Technology.
Information on critical illness is gathered and posted by the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, the national trade organization focused on helping individuals understand the importance of protecting their financial futures.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Low Vitamin D Linked To Heart, Stroke Deaths
Low vitamin D levels in the may be deadly causing a higher risk of death from heart disease or stroke.
According to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, the non-profit industry organization, some 785,000 Americans will have a new coronary attack this year. From 1995 to 2005, the death rate from coronary heart disease declined 34 percent.
The new study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology reports that adults with lower, versus higher, vitamin D levels in their blood may be more likely to die from heart disease or stroke.
Vitamin D is an essential vitamin mostly obtained from direct sunlight exposure, but also found in foods and multivitamins. Researchers at the National Institute for Health and Welfare in Helsinki, Finland compared blood levels of vitamin D and deaths from heart disease or stroke over time in several thousand men and 3,402 women.
Participants were just over 49 years old on average at the beginning of the research and had no indicators of cardiovascular disease. During follow-up of about 27 years on average, 640 of the participants (358 men) died from heart disease and another 293 (122 men) died from stroke. Compared with participants' with the highest vitamin D, those with the lowest had 25 percent higher risk of dying from heart disease or stroke, the researchers noted.
There was a "particularly striking association" between vitamin D levels and stroke deaths, they explain. Those having the lowest vitamin D seemed to confer "twice the risk," compared with those having the highest vitamin D. Allowing for age, gender, and other demographic factors, plus alcohol intake, smoking, physical activity, and season in which vitamin D levels were obtained did not significantly alter these associations.
In this study, vitamin D levels were "substantially lower" than levels thought to be sufficient, and "somewhat lower" than those reported in previous studies in other European and American populations.
According to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, the non-profit industry organization, some 785,000 Americans will have a new coronary attack this year. From 1995 to 2005, the death rate from coronary heart disease declined 34 percent.
The new study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology reports that adults with lower, versus higher, vitamin D levels in their blood may be more likely to die from heart disease or stroke.
Vitamin D is an essential vitamin mostly obtained from direct sunlight exposure, but also found in foods and multivitamins. Researchers at the National Institute for Health and Welfare in Helsinki, Finland compared blood levels of vitamin D and deaths from heart disease or stroke over time in several thousand men and 3,402 women.
Participants were just over 49 years old on average at the beginning of the research and had no indicators of cardiovascular disease. During follow-up of about 27 years on average, 640 of the participants (358 men) died from heart disease and another 293 (122 men) died from stroke. Compared with participants' with the highest vitamin D, those with the lowest had 25 percent higher risk of dying from heart disease or stroke, the researchers noted.
There was a "particularly striking association" between vitamin D levels and stroke deaths, they explain. Those having the lowest vitamin D seemed to confer "twice the risk," compared with those having the highest vitamin D. Allowing for age, gender, and other demographic factors, plus alcohol intake, smoking, physical activity, and season in which vitamin D levels were obtained did not significantly alter these associations.
In this study, vitamin D levels were "substantially lower" than levels thought to be sufficient, and "somewhat lower" than those reported in previous studies in other European and American populations.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Fitness Level, Not Body Fat, Stronger Predictor Of Longevity After 60
Want to live longer? Focus on fitness. A study reveals that adults over age 60 who had higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness lived longer than unfit adults, independent of their levels of body fat.
Prior studies have provided evidence that obesity and physical inactivity each can produce a higher risk of death in middle-aged adults. Whether this is also true for older adults is uncertain, according to background information in the article.
According to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, which tracks important developments and news that can help Americans remain healthy and avoid critical illness including heart disease, stroke and cancer, Medical researchers at the University of South Carolina, Columbia examined the associations between cardiorespiratory fitness, various clinical measures of adiposity (body fat) and death in older women and men. The study included 2,603 adults age 60 years or older (average age, 64.4 years; 19.8 percent women) enrolled in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study who completed a baseline health examination during 1979-2001. Fitness was assessed by a treadmill exercise test and adiposity was assessed by body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and percent body fat. Low fitness was defined as the lowest fifth of the sex-specific distribution of treadmill exercise test duration. There were 450 deaths during an average follow-up of 12 years.
The researchers found that those who died were older, had lower fitness levels, and had more cardiovascular risk factors than survivors. However, there were no significant differences in adiposity measures. Participants in the higher fitness groups were for the most part less likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as hypertension, diabetes, or high cholesterol levels.
Fit participants had lower death rates than unfit participants within each stratum of adiposity, except for two of the obesity groups. In most instances, death rates for those with higher fitness were less than half of rates for those who were unfit.
Higher levels of fitness were inversely related to all-cause death in both normal-weight and overweight BMI subgroups, in those with a normal waist circumference and in those with abdominal obesity, and in those who have normal percent body fat and those who have excessive percent body fat.
The data provided further evidence regarding the complex long-term relationship among fitness, body size, and survival. It may be possible to reduce all-cause death rates among older adults, including those who are obese, by promoting regular physical activity, such as brisk walking for 30 minutes or more on most days of the week (about 8 kcal/kg per week), which will keep most individuals out of the low-fitness category. Enhancing functional capacity also should allow older adults to achieve a healthy lifestyle and to enjoy longer life in better health, they noted.
Prior studies have provided evidence that obesity and physical inactivity each can produce a higher risk of death in middle-aged adults. Whether this is also true for older adults is uncertain, according to background information in the article.
According to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, which tracks important developments and news that can help Americans remain healthy and avoid critical illness including heart disease, stroke and cancer, Medical researchers at the University of South Carolina, Columbia examined the associations between cardiorespiratory fitness, various clinical measures of adiposity (body fat) and death in older women and men. The study included 2,603 adults age 60 years or older (average age, 64.4 years; 19.8 percent women) enrolled in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study who completed a baseline health examination during 1979-2001. Fitness was assessed by a treadmill exercise test and adiposity was assessed by body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and percent body fat. Low fitness was defined as the lowest fifth of the sex-specific distribution of treadmill exercise test duration. There were 450 deaths during an average follow-up of 12 years.
The researchers found that those who died were older, had lower fitness levels, and had more cardiovascular risk factors than survivors. However, there were no significant differences in adiposity measures. Participants in the higher fitness groups were for the most part less likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as hypertension, diabetes, or high cholesterol levels.
Fit participants had lower death rates than unfit participants within each stratum of adiposity, except for two of the obesity groups. In most instances, death rates for those with higher fitness were less than half of rates for those who were unfit.
Higher levels of fitness were inversely related to all-cause death in both normal-weight and overweight BMI subgroups, in those with a normal waist circumference and in those with abdominal obesity, and in those who have normal percent body fat and those who have excessive percent body fat.
The data provided further evidence regarding the complex long-term relationship among fitness, body size, and survival. It may be possible to reduce all-cause death rates among older adults, including those who are obese, by promoting regular physical activity, such as brisk walking for 30 minutes or more on most days of the week (about 8 kcal/kg per week), which will keep most individuals out of the low-fitness category. Enhancing functional capacity also should allow older adults to achieve a healthy lifestyle and to enjoy longer life in better health, they noted.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Migraine Headaches With Aura Can Double Stroke Risk
Young women who smoke and use birth control pills may be susceptible to getting migraine headaches with aura.
Medical researchers advise that those with the combination of conditions should stop smoking and using birth control pills because new findings reveal they may increase their risk of stroke.
People who suffer migraine headaches with aura experience visual disturbances before or during the migraine. For these individuals, the medical scientists found that the risk for ischemic stroke is doubled. Being female, under 45, smoking and using oral contraceptives that contain estrogen added to the risk. Studies were conducted at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
According to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, the national organization that tracks data on strokesm heart attacks and cancer, an ischemic stroke is caused by a blockage in a blood vessel. The connection between migraine and stroke was already suspected executives note. What was unknown was the extent of risk and who is most at risk.
Migraine headaches affect up to 20 percent of the U.S. population. Women are up to four times more likely than men to get migraines, and as many as one third also experience an aura before or during a migraine.
Migraine with aura is associated with a twofold increased risk for ischemic stroke compared to people without migraine. The report notes that migraine without aura does not appear to change the risk.
The report is published in the Oct. 27 online edition of the British Medical Journal confirms that the risk appears to be highest among women with migraine with aura who smoke and use oral contraceptives. The medical reserachers add that migraine alone does not appear to alter the risk for heart attack and death from cardiovascular disease.
Medical researchers advise that those with the combination of conditions should stop smoking and using birth control pills because new findings reveal they may increase their risk of stroke.
People who suffer migraine headaches with aura experience visual disturbances before or during the migraine. For these individuals, the medical scientists found that the risk for ischemic stroke is doubled. Being female, under 45, smoking and using oral contraceptives that contain estrogen added to the risk. Studies were conducted at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
According to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, the national organization that tracks data on strokesm heart attacks and cancer, an ischemic stroke is caused by a blockage in a blood vessel. The connection between migraine and stroke was already suspected executives note. What was unknown was the extent of risk and who is most at risk.
Migraine headaches affect up to 20 percent of the U.S. population. Women are up to four times more likely than men to get migraines, and as many as one third also experience an aura before or during a migraine.
Migraine with aura is associated with a twofold increased risk for ischemic stroke compared to people without migraine. The report notes that migraine without aura does not appear to change the risk.
The report is published in the Oct. 27 online edition of the British Medical Journal confirms that the risk appears to be highest among women with migraine with aura who smoke and use oral contraceptives. The medical reserachers add that migraine alone does not appear to alter the risk for heart attack and death from cardiovascular disease.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Women Have More Heart Attacks; Survival More Likely
Hearts attacks among middle-aged American women have increased over the past two decades. That news is accompanied by a report that their chance of survival has improved.
Two new studies reveal that men still have a higher prevalence of heart attack than women. Medical researchers report that the gap has narrowed as heart attacks among women have increased while they have decreased among men.
A study by researchers at the University of Southern California revealed that 2.5 percent of the men and 0.7 percent of the women reported a history of heart attacks in the prior surveys. In the more recent study, they found 2.2 percent of men and 1 percent of women reported heart attacks.
Every 34 seconds an American will suffer a heart attack according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. Some 785,000 Americans will have a new coronary attack and nearly half a million will have a recurrent attack.
The narrowing of the male-female difference is easily explained, according to medical experts. They point to the fact that risk factors are being better controlled in men than in women. In men, levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol remained the same between the two surveys, while levels of "good" HDL cholesterol improved. Blood pressure levels improved, and fewer men smoked.
Researchers noted that the improvements for women were marginal, with LDL cholesterol levels about the same. The only risk factor that improved in women was HDL cholesterol. Diabetes and obesity increased in both men and women, the study found.
They noted that societal changes may play a role. With more women in the work force, rising rates of obesity and diabetes can be attributed to job demands.
A second study used information from a different data bank listing death rate trends from 1994 to 2006. Researchers found a marked reduction in hospital deaths from heart attacks in all patients, especially among women. For women under 55, the risk of dying dropped by 53 percent, which was the greatest improvement noted. The least reduction, 33 percent, was seen in men under 55.
The studies are reported in the October 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
Two new studies reveal that men still have a higher prevalence of heart attack than women. Medical researchers report that the gap has narrowed as heart attacks among women have increased while they have decreased among men.
A study by researchers at the University of Southern California revealed that 2.5 percent of the men and 0.7 percent of the women reported a history of heart attacks in the prior surveys. In the more recent study, they found 2.2 percent of men and 1 percent of women reported heart attacks.
Every 34 seconds an American will suffer a heart attack according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. Some 785,000 Americans will have a new coronary attack and nearly half a million will have a recurrent attack.
The narrowing of the male-female difference is easily explained, according to medical experts. They point to the fact that risk factors are being better controlled in men than in women. In men, levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol remained the same between the two surveys, while levels of "good" HDL cholesterol improved. Blood pressure levels improved, and fewer men smoked.
Researchers noted that the improvements for women were marginal, with LDL cholesterol levels about the same. The only risk factor that improved in women was HDL cholesterol. Diabetes and obesity increased in both men and women, the study found.
They noted that societal changes may play a role. With more women in the work force, rising rates of obesity and diabetes can be attributed to job demands.
A second study used information from a different data bank listing death rate trends from 1994 to 2006. Researchers found a marked reduction in hospital deaths from heart attacks in all patients, especially among women. For women under 55, the risk of dying dropped by 53 percent, which was the greatest improvement noted. The least reduction, 33 percent, was seen in men under 55.
The studies are reported in the October 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Drinking Coffee May Slow Development Of Liver Disease
Coffee slows the progression of advanced liver disease in people with chronic hepatitis C.
New research published in the November issue of the journal Hepatology reveals information on the first study to address the association between liver disease progression related to hepatitis C and coffee intake.
Researchers studies nearly 800 patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) who were asked to report their intake of coffee, green tea and black tea. The patients were seen every three months during the nearly four-year study, and liver biopsies were taken at 18 months and 3.5 years to determine the progression of liver disease.
Patients who drank three or more cups of coffee per day were 53 percent less likely to have liver disease progression than those who didn't drink coffee. Green and black tea didn't appear to have an effect, but tea consumption was low among the study participants, the researchers noted in the report.
Given the large number of people affected by HCV, the researchers noted the importance of identifying modifiable risk factors associated with the progression of liver disease. Although we cannot rule out a possible role for other factors that go along with drinking coffee, results from our study suggest that patients with high coffee intake had a lower risk of disease progression, the study concluded.
HCV infects about 2.2 percent of the worldwide population, including more than 3 million Americans according to the Ameriocan Association for Critical Illness Insurance. The virus is the leading cause of liver transplantation in the United States and is responsible for 8,000 to 10,000 deaths in the country each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
New research published in the November issue of the journal Hepatology reveals information on the first study to address the association between liver disease progression related to hepatitis C and coffee intake.
Researchers studies nearly 800 patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) who were asked to report their intake of coffee, green tea and black tea. The patients were seen every three months during the nearly four-year study, and liver biopsies were taken at 18 months and 3.5 years to determine the progression of liver disease.
Patients who drank three or more cups of coffee per day were 53 percent less likely to have liver disease progression than those who didn't drink coffee. Green and black tea didn't appear to have an effect, but tea consumption was low among the study participants, the researchers noted in the report.
Given the large number of people affected by HCV, the researchers noted the importance of identifying modifiable risk factors associated with the progression of liver disease. Although we cannot rule out a possible role for other factors that go along with drinking coffee, results from our study suggest that patients with high coffee intake had a lower risk of disease progression, the study concluded.
HCV infects about 2.2 percent of the worldwide population, including more than 3 million Americans according to the Ameriocan Association for Critical Illness Insurance. The virus is the leading cause of liver transplantation in the United States and is responsible for 8,000 to 10,000 deaths in the country each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Breast Cancer Hits Well Educated Women Hardest By Breast Cancer
Well-educated women are emotionally the hardest hit by breast cancer.
A study undertaken by Australia's Monash University Medical School's Women's Health Program, found that well-educated women and those who live alone are emotionally the hardest hit.
Nearly 1.5 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in 2010 according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, the industry trade group, including almost 180,000 breast cancer cases in women. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. With improvements in detection and treatment of breast cancer, 87 per cent of women affected survive five years or more from the time of detection.
The researchers found that two years post diagnosis women with breast cancer were not more likely to be depressed but were more likely to experience a lowered sense of control over their life, and lower general health, with lessened vitality being limited to older women.
Women living alone were more likely to have a lower well being is an important finding suggesting that such women may benefit by targeted provision of social support.
The study reported that women's well being two years out from being treated for the disease was overall only modestly lower than for women in general.
Posted by Jesse Slome
For information on long-term care coverage, visit the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance.
A study undertaken by Australia's Monash University Medical School's Women's Health Program, found that well-educated women and those who live alone are emotionally the hardest hit.
Nearly 1.5 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in 2010 according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, the industry trade group, including almost 180,000 breast cancer cases in women. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. With improvements in detection and treatment of breast cancer, 87 per cent of women affected survive five years or more from the time of detection.
The researchers found that two years post diagnosis women with breast cancer were not more likely to be depressed but were more likely to experience a lowered sense of control over their life, and lower general health, with lessened vitality being limited to older women.
Women living alone were more likely to have a lower well being is an important finding suggesting that such women may benefit by targeted provision of social support.
The study reported that women's well being two years out from being treated for the disease was overall only modestly lower than for women in general.
Posted by Jesse Slome
For information on long-term care coverage, visit the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Researchers Report Tie Between Depression And Chronic Kidney Disease
A new study finds that one in five patients with chronic kidney disease is depressed, even before beginning long-term dialysis therapy or developing end-stage renal disease.
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center conducted the first study to examine the relationship.
Medical experts have noted that patients in the early stages of chronic kidney disease are at increased risk for clinical depression according to the study in the current issue of the American Journal of Kidney Diseases.
Previous research has shown that depression rates in the general community are 2 percent to 4 percent. Among diabetes patients, the rate is 11 percent. Among congestive heart failure patients, 14 percent; and among coronary artery disease after heart attack patients, 16 percent.
Chronic kidney disease patient depression numbers may be higher due to the presence of the same simultaneously occurring conditions that resulted in progressive kidney disease, such as diabetes and atherosclerotic vascular disease, one of the researchers noted. Patients such as diabetics, who are depressed, may develop progressive kidney disease because of non-adherence to medications and physicians' advice.
From May 2005 to November 2006, researchers invited patients at the Dallas VA Medical Center who were visiting the clinic for chronic kidney disease appointments to join the study. Patients who agreed to participate then underwent a structured clinical interview to determine if they had a current major depressive episode, based on the DSM IV definition of major depressive disorder.
Some 21 percent were found to be depressed. The mean age of depressed patients was about 65. The researchers also found that diabetic patients were twice as likely to be depressed as those without diabetes; 63 percent of patients had at least three other medical conditions; and 41 percent had at least four other diseases.
According to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, some 26 million Americans have chronic kidney disease and millions more are at increased risk. If treatment does not begin early, the condition progresses to end-stage renal disease. At that point, a patient's kidneys have failed to the point where dialysis is needed. Dialysis involves filtering of toxic chemicals in the blood and removing fluid to help control blood pressure.
Expenditures for end-stage renal disease patients totaled $15.5 billion, which is approximately 6 percent of the entire Medicare budget, and are projected to consume $28 billion by 2010.
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center conducted the first study to examine the relationship.
Medical experts have noted that patients in the early stages of chronic kidney disease are at increased risk for clinical depression according to the study in the current issue of the American Journal of Kidney Diseases.
Previous research has shown that depression rates in the general community are 2 percent to 4 percent. Among diabetes patients, the rate is 11 percent. Among congestive heart failure patients, 14 percent; and among coronary artery disease after heart attack patients, 16 percent.
Chronic kidney disease patient depression numbers may be higher due to the presence of the same simultaneously occurring conditions that resulted in progressive kidney disease, such as diabetes and atherosclerotic vascular disease, one of the researchers noted. Patients such as diabetics, who are depressed, may develop progressive kidney disease because of non-adherence to medications and physicians' advice.
From May 2005 to November 2006, researchers invited patients at the Dallas VA Medical Center who were visiting the clinic for chronic kidney disease appointments to join the study. Patients who agreed to participate then underwent a structured clinical interview to determine if they had a current major depressive episode, based on the DSM IV definition of major depressive disorder.
Some 21 percent were found to be depressed. The mean age of depressed patients was about 65. The researchers also found that diabetic patients were twice as likely to be depressed as those without diabetes; 63 percent of patients had at least three other medical conditions; and 41 percent had at least four other diseases.
According to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, some 26 million Americans have chronic kidney disease and millions more are at increased risk. If treatment does not begin early, the condition progresses to end-stage renal disease. At that point, a patient's kidneys have failed to the point where dialysis is needed. Dialysis involves filtering of toxic chemicals in the blood and removing fluid to help control blood pressure.
Expenditures for end-stage renal disease patients totaled $15.5 billion, which is approximately 6 percent of the entire Medicare budget, and are projected to consume $28 billion by 2010.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Protein May Predict Heart Attack
October 21, 2009. People with high levels of a protein called C-reactive protein may be at higher risk for heart attack.
According to a study published in the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology the C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker for inflammation in the blood, may predict those at higher risk for heart attack and death but not stroke.
The study involved over 2,200 people who were 40 years old or older and stroke-free. All participants had their blood tested for CRP levels and were evaluated for stroke and heart attack risk factors.
Participants were followed for an average of eight years. In that time, there were 198 strokes, 156 heart-related events and 586 deaths. The group was comprised of 63 percent Hispanic, 20 percent non-Hispanic black and 15 percent non-Hispanic white residents.
The study's researchers found that people with CRP levels greater than three milligrams per liter were 70 percent more likely to suffer a heart attack and 55 percent more likely to die early compared to people who had levels of one milligram per liter or less of the protein in their blood. The protein was not associated with an increased risk of stroke once other risk factors were taken into account.
Prior studies have found the C-reactive protein to be a marker for predicting risk of heart disease. CRP protein levels are associated with such medical and lifestyle risk factors as diabetes, smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity. A lead researcher noted that by living a healthy lifestyle, one may be able to lower these protein levels, thus lowering the risk of cardiac events and possibly early death.
The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health. Reported by Jesse Slome, American Association for Critical Illness Insurance.
According to a study published in the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology the C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker for inflammation in the blood, may predict those at higher risk for heart attack and death but not stroke.
The study involved over 2,200 people who were 40 years old or older and stroke-free. All participants had their blood tested for CRP levels and were evaluated for stroke and heart attack risk factors.
Participants were followed for an average of eight years. In that time, there were 198 strokes, 156 heart-related events and 586 deaths. The group was comprised of 63 percent Hispanic, 20 percent non-Hispanic black and 15 percent non-Hispanic white residents.
The study's researchers found that people with CRP levels greater than three milligrams per liter were 70 percent more likely to suffer a heart attack and 55 percent more likely to die early compared to people who had levels of one milligram per liter or less of the protein in their blood. The protein was not associated with an increased risk of stroke once other risk factors were taken into account.
Prior studies have found the C-reactive protein to be a marker for predicting risk of heart disease. CRP protein levels are associated with such medical and lifestyle risk factors as diabetes, smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity. A lead researcher noted that by living a healthy lifestyle, one may be able to lower these protein levels, thus lowering the risk of cardiac events and possibly early death.
The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health. Reported by Jesse Slome, American Association for Critical Illness Insurance.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Breast Cancer Developing Earlier
Researchers noted that breast cancer may be developing in more women at younger ages.
The findings presented at the 2009 Breast Cancer Symposium, held last week in San Francisco, could potentially affect how women are screened for breast cancer.
Reserachers reported that women with a high genetic risk of developing breast cancer are being diagnosed sooner than similar women in the past. They note this may suggest that tumors are being found earlier in the younger generation.
About 5 percent to 10 percent of breast cancer cases are thought to be connected to a genetic mutation that is also linked to ovarian cancer. Women with the mutations, known as BRCA1 or BRCA2, have an increased risk of developing breast tumors the scientists noted. Over a lifetime, 60 percent of these women will develop the disease, according to the American Cancer Society. By comparison, 12 percent of women in the general population will develop breast cancer.
Women who have the genetic mutation are advised to be screened for breast cancer starting when they are 25. The same they note is true for women whose mothers or aunts have the genetic mutation. A Mammography and MRI are now recommended for these women.
Some 1.4 million Americans were diagnosed with cancer last year according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. About 26 percent of cases diagnosed in women are breast cancer.
In the new study, the researchers examined the medical records of women with the genetic mutation who took part in the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center's clinical cancer genetics program. The median age of diagnosis in the newer generation was 42, but 47 in the older women. The study authors report that this is worrisome because it could mean that the cancer is developing earlier.
The findings the researchers noted are concerning and could have implications on the screening and genetic counseling of these women.
The findings presented at the 2009 Breast Cancer Symposium, held last week in San Francisco, could potentially affect how women are screened for breast cancer.
Reserachers reported that women with a high genetic risk of developing breast cancer are being diagnosed sooner than similar women in the past. They note this may suggest that tumors are being found earlier in the younger generation.
About 5 percent to 10 percent of breast cancer cases are thought to be connected to a genetic mutation that is also linked to ovarian cancer. Women with the mutations, known as BRCA1 or BRCA2, have an increased risk of developing breast tumors the scientists noted. Over a lifetime, 60 percent of these women will develop the disease, according to the American Cancer Society. By comparison, 12 percent of women in the general population will develop breast cancer.
Women who have the genetic mutation are advised to be screened for breast cancer starting when they are 25. The same they note is true for women whose mothers or aunts have the genetic mutation. A Mammography and MRI are now recommended for these women.
Some 1.4 million Americans were diagnosed with cancer last year according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. About 26 percent of cases diagnosed in women are breast cancer.
In the new study, the researchers examined the medical records of women with the genetic mutation who took part in the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center's clinical cancer genetics program. The median age of diagnosis in the newer generation was 42, but 47 in the older women. The study authors report that this is worrisome because it could mean that the cancer is developing earlier.
The findings the researchers noted are concerning and could have implications on the screening and genetic counseling of these women.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
