Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Geriatrics for August 2019. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Cerebrovascular Risk Factors May Up Risk for Parkinson Disease
FRIDAY, Aug. 30, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Most cerebrovascular risk factors are associated with an increased risk for subsequent diagnosis of Parkinson disease, according to a study published online Aug. 29 in the Annals of Neurology.
Elder Abuse Most Commonly Perpetrated by Family Members
THURSDAY, Aug. 29, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Elder abuse is most commonly committed by family members, according to a study published online July 31 in the Journal of Applied Gerontology.
Hormone Tx Not Tied to Change in Muscle Mass in Older Women
THURSDAY, Aug. 29, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Hormone therapy (HT) does not significantly impact muscle mass in postmenopausal women, according to a review published online Aug. 28 in JAMA Network Open.
Low Micronutrient Levels Tied to Frailty in Older Adults
THURSDAY, Aug. 29, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Low levels of certain micronutrients are associated with measures of prefrailty and frailty in older adults, according to a study published online Aug. 7 in the Journal of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine.
High-Intensity Training Improves Walking in Stroke Survivors
THURSDAY, Aug. 29, 2019 (HealthDay News) — High-intensity stepping training that mimics real-world conditions may better improve walking ability in stroke survivors, according to a study published in the September issue of Stroke.
Low Nurse and Support Staffing Tied to Higher Inpatient Mortality
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 28, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Low levels of nurse and nursing support staffing are associated with increased inpatient mortality, according to a study published online Aug. 7 in BMJ Quality & Safety.
LV Hypertrophy Predicts Long-Term Risk for CV Events
TUESDAY, Aug. 27, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Elevated left ventricular (LV) mass is associated with an increased long-term risk for cardiovascular (CV) events, according to a study published online Aug. 27 in Radiology.
USPSTF Advises Broader Age Range for Hep C Screening
TUESDAY, Aug. 27, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection screening for individuals aged 18 to 79 years. These recommendations form the basis of a draft recommendation statement published online Aug. 27 by the USPSTF.
Draft Recommendation Statement
Draft Evidence Review
Comment on Recommendations
Survival Poor for Elderly Admitted to Long-Term Acute Care Setting
TUESDAY, Aug. 27, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Hospitalized older adults transferred to a long-term acute care (LTAC) hospital have poor survival, with more than one-third never returning home, according to a study published online Aug. 26 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
CT Scan Screen for Lung Cancer Can ID Smoking-Related Diseases
TUESDAY, Aug. 27, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Lung cancer screening (LCS) computed tomography (CT) scans can be used to identify smoking-related conditions that frequently are associated with adverse events, according to a study published in the July issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation.
More Physical Activity at Any Intensity May Reduce Mortality
THURSDAY, Aug. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For middle-aged and older adults, more physical activity at any intensity and less sedentary time are associated with a reduced risk for premature mortality, according to a review published online Aug. 21 in The BMJ.
Rx Size Predicts Persistent Opioid Use After Cardiothoracic Surgery
THURSDAY, Aug. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Prescription size is associated with increased new persistent opioid use among patients after cardiothoracic surgery, according to a study published online Aug. 22 in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
Risk Factors ID’d for Worse QOL From Knee Osteoarthritis
THURSDAY, Aug. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — It may be possible to identify persons at risk for suffering a worsening in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) due to knee osteoarthritis (OA), according to a study published online July 19 in PLOS ONE.
Intensifying BP Meds at Hospital Discharge May Harm Elderly
THURSDAY, Aug. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Increasing blood pressure medications at hospital discharge for elderly patients hospitalized with noncardiac conditions does not improve long-term outcomes and is tied to short-term harms, according to a study published online Aug. 19 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Odds of Developing C. Diff Increased in Older Cancer Patients
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Older adults with cancer have increased odds of developing Clostridiodes difficile infection (CDI), according to a study published in the September issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
High, Increasing BP in Midlife Tied to Brain Changes in Late Life
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) — There appears to be a correlation for high and increasing blood pressure (BP) from early adulthood and into midlife with white matter hyperintensity volume (WMHV) and smaller brain volumes at age 69 to 71 years, according to a study published online Aug. 21 in The Lancet Neurology.
Certain Dietary Supplements Tied to Dysphagia, Choking in Seniors
TUESDAY, Aug. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Most reports of swallowing problems caused by dietary supplements involve seniors taking multivitamins or calcium supplements, according to a research letter published online Aug. 20 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Up to Half of Patients Do Not Disclose Imminent Threats to Physicians
FRIDAY, Aug. 16, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Up to 47.5 percent of patients withhold potentially life-threatening issues from their physicians, including depression, suicidal feelings, domestic violence, and sexual assault, according to a study published online Aug. 14 in JAMA Network Open.
Periop Covert Stroke ID’d in 7 Percent of Older Surgery Patients
FRIDAY, Aug. 16, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Seven percent of older patients undergoing inpatient, noncardiac surgery have perioperative covert stroke, which is associated with an increased risk for cognitive decline, according to a study published online Aug. 15 in The Lancet.
Intensive BP Therapy Not Beneficial in Nursing Home Residents
FRIDAY, Aug. 16, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Long-term nursing home residents with hypertension do not experience significant benefits from more intensive antihypertensive treatment, according to a study published online July 22 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Advertising Can Promote Interest in Health-Related Research
THURSDAY, Aug. 15, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Advertising current local health-related research using large TV monitors in emergency department waiting rooms can increase the short-term interest in health-related research, according to a study published online Aug. 1 in BMJ Open.
Antiarrhythmic Drugs May Up Fall Injuries in Older A-Fib Patients
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 14, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Use of antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) is associated with a higher risk for fall-related injuries and syncope among older patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), according to a study published online July 24 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Low Muscle Mass in the Arms, Legs Tied to Mortality in Elderly
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 14, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Low muscle mass is associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk in the elderly, according to a study published in the July issue of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.
Adult Weight Gain Likely Explains Link Between Parity, T2DM Risk
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 14, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The seeming association between parity and risk for type 2 diabetes among postmenopausal women is likely explained by adult weight gain, according to a study published online Aug. 7 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Non-Hospital-Based Provider-to-Patient Telehealth Use Growing
TUESDAY, Aug. 13, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Use of non-hospital-based provider-to-patient telehealth grew almost 1,400-fold from 2014 to 2018, according to a FAIR Health White Paper.
BP From Midlife to Late Life Tied to Risk for Subsequent Dementia
TUESDAY, Aug. 13, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The risk for subsequent dementia is significantly increased for blood pressure patterns of midlife and late-life hypertension as well as midlife hypertension and late-life hypotension; and intensive blood pressure treatment is associated with a smaller increase in cerebral white matter lesion volume, according to two studies published in the Aug. 13 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Abstract/Full Text – Walker (subscription or payment may be required)
Abstract/Full Text – Nasrallah (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Comorbid CVD May Up Mortality With ADT for Prostate Cancer
TUESDAY, Aug. 13, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Elderly prostate cancer patients with preexisting cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) using abiraterone acetate (AA) or enzalutamide (ENZ) have higher short-term mortality compared with their counterparts without CVDs, according to a study published online Aug. 13 in European Urology.
Seniors With Dementia at Home Have More Medical Needs
TUESDAY, Aug. 13, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Older adults with incident moderately severe dementia living at home have more medical needs than those living in residential care or nursing facilities, according to a study published online Aug. 7 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
One-Third of Physicians Will Take 10+ Years to Pay Off Debt
MONDAY, Aug. 12, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Nearly two-thirds of actively practicing physicians are still carrying medical school debt, according to the Medical School Debt Report 2019, published by the staffing firm Weatherby Healthcare.
Medical School Debt Report 2019
Flu Vaccine Tied to Better Long-Term Outcomes in Elderly ICU Survivors
MONDAY, Aug. 12, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Among elderly patients, influenza vaccination is associated with a reduced risk for dying in the year following discharge from an intensive care unit (ICU), according to a study published in the July issue of Intensive Care Medicine.
Worse Cancer Outcomes for Elderly HIV-Infected Patients
FRIDAY, Aug. 9, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Elderly HIV-infected patients with cancer have worse outcomes than HIV-uninfected patients with cancer, according to a study published online Aug. 1 in JAMA Oncology.
NSAIDs Contribute to Increased CVD Risk in Osteoarthritis
THURSDAY, Aug. 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Osteoarthritis (OA) is an independent risk factor for increased cardiovascular disease (CVD), and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) contribute substantially to this risk, according to a study published online Aug. 6 in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
Some Cancer Trends Differ for Oldest Old in the United States
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 7, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Some cancer trends differ for U.S. patients aged 85 years and older, according to a study published online Aug. 7 in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
Recent Stressful Life Events Linked to Later Verbal Memory Decline
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 7, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Middle-aged women, but not men, with a greater number of recent stressful life events have memory decline later in life, according to a study published in the July issue of the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.
Medicare Spending on Essential Medicines Up 116 Percent From 2011 to 2015
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 7, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Spending associated with essential medicines grew substantially from 2011 to 2015 for Medicare Part D beneficiaries, according to a study published online July 17 in The BMJ.
High-Intensity Lipid Lowering May Aid Very Elderly After ACS
TUESDAY, Aug. 6, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Among patients hospitalized for acute coronary syndrome (ACS), the greatest benefit from simvastatin-ezetimibe compared with simvastatin alone to lower lipid levels was observed in those 75 years of age or older, according to a study published online July 17 in JAMA Cardiology.
Lifestyle Counseling Frequency, CV Outcomes Linked in Diabetes
TUESDAY, Aug. 6, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For hyperglycemic adults with diabetes, a higher frequency of lifestyle counseling is associated with a lower incidence of a composite outcome of death and cardiovascular events, according to a study published online Aug. 1 in Diabetes Care.
Electric Fans Help in Hot, Humid Conditions but Not Hot, Dry Ones
MONDAY, Aug. 5, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Electric fans reduce core temperature and cardiovascular strain and improve thermal comfort in hot, humid conditions but are detrimental for all measures in very hot, dry conditions, according to a research letter published online Aug. 6 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
More Social Contact at Age 60 Linked to Lower Dementia Risk
MONDAY, Aug. 5, 2019 (HealthDay News) — More frequent social contact during midlife is associated with a lower dementia risk and better cognitive trajectories, according to a study published online Aug. 2 in PLOS Medicine.
Risk for Developing Frailty High in Older Adults
FRIDAY, Aug. 2, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Community-dwelling older adults are prone to developing frailty, according to a review published online Aug. 2 in JAMA Network Open.
Brand-Brand Competition Has Not Cut Prices in Pharma Market
FRIDAY, Aug. 2, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Brand-brand competition in the U.S. pharmaceutical market has not lowered drug list prices, according to a review published online July 30 in PLOS Medicine.
AI-Enabled ECG During Normal Sinus Rhythm Identifies A-Fib
FRIDAY, Aug. 2, 2019 (HealthDay News) — An artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled electrocardiograph (ECG) acquired during normal sinus rhythm can identify individuals with atrial fibrillation, according to a study published online Aug. 1 in The Lancet.
Discontinuing Statins Linked to Cardiac Admissions in Elderly
FRIDAY, Aug. 2, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For elderly patients taking statins for primary prevention, statin discontinuation is associated with an increased risk for admission for any cardiovascular event, according to a study published online July 30 in the European Heart Journal.
Trump Admin Announces Plan to Allow Drug Imports From Canada
THURSDAY, Aug. 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Americans could import less expensive prescription drugs from Canada under a plan being developed by the Trump administration.
HHS Press Release
PhRMA Statement
Early Menarche Linked to Risk for T2DM in Rural Chinese Women
THURSDAY, Aug. 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For rural Chinese women, a history of early menarche is associated with an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), with the correlation partially mediated by adult body mass index (BMI), according to a study published online July 29 in Menopause.
Copyright © 2019 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.
