Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Geriatrics for January 2016. 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.
Demand for Medical Office Space High and Increasing
FRIDAY, Jan. 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Demand for medical office space for ambulatory care is at a high point and looks likely to continue increasing, according to an article published in Forbes.
AMA Highlights Top Four Issues to Promote in State Legislation
THURSDAY, Jan. 28, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The top four issues that will be promoted in state legislation in 2016 were discussed at the 2016 American Medical Association (AMA) State Legislative Strategy Conference, according to a report published by the AMA.
Driving Cessation Tied to Adverse Effects on Health in Older Adults
THURSDAY, Jan. 28, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Driving cessation in older adults is tied to a variety of health problems, particularly depression, according to a review published online Jan. 19 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
~1% of Physicians Account for One-Third of Malpractice Claims
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A small number of physicians account for a considerable proportion of all paid malpractice claims, according to a study published in the Jan. 28 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Alternative Payment Models Can Help Improve Patient Care
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Alternative payment models (APMs) have been and are being developed that can allow physicians to offer new and improved services to their patients, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Clinical Significance of Varying Degrees of Neutropenia Explored
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Neutropenia is associated with viral infections and hematological malignancies in a dose-dependent manner, according to a study published online Jan. 21 in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
Low-Dose Chlorthalidone Beats HCTZ for Ambulatory BP Control
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with stage 1 hypertension, low-dose chlorthalidone is associated with reduction in ambulatory blood pressure (ABP), while low-dose hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) may result in masked hypertension, according to a study published in the Feb. 2 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Possibility for Health Care Legislation Changes in 2016
TUESDAY, Jan. 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Given the current political climate and issues of bipartisan concern, 2016 could see certain changes to health care legislation, according to a report published in Medical Economics.
USPSTF Recommends Depression Screening for All Adults
TUESDAY, Jan. 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends depression screening in the general adult population, including pregnant and postpartum women. These findings form the basis of a final recommendation statement published in the Jan. 26 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Varicella Zoster Vaccine Linked to Corneal Inflammation
TUESDAY, Jan. 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Varicella zoster virus vaccination has been linked to corneal inflammation, but the number of such cases is small, according to research presented recently at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology in Las Vegas.
Pulse Pressure Linked to Multiple Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes
TUESDAY, Jan. 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Pulse pressure (PP) is associated with multiple adverse cardiovascular outcomes, according to a study published in the Feb. 2 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Prednisolone Therapy Induces Procoagulant State
TUESDAY, Jan. 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For healthy subjects, 10 days of prednisolone therapy induces a procoagulant state, according to a study published online Jan. 21 in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
ACP Presents High-Value Care Advice for Hematuria
TUESDAY, Jan. 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — In a clinical guideline published online Jan. 26 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, recommendations relating to evaluation of hematuria are presented for clinicians.
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Better Value Care at Hospitals With Best Nursing Environments
MONDAY, Jan. 25, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Hospitals with better nursing environments provide better value care, according to a study published online Jan. 20 in JAMA Surgery.
Validity of Automated Falls Detection Device Unclear
MONDAY, Jan. 25, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For nursing home residents there is poor concordance between the falls recorded by an investigational fall detection device and falls reported by nursing staff, according to a study published online Jan. 19 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Patient Satisfaction With Doctors May Be on the Rise
FRIDAY, Jan. 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — More Americans than ever are satisfied with their visits to the doctor, according to a new survey conducted by The Harris Poll in September.
Algorithm Using Routine Data Aims to Predict Dementia Risk
FRIDAY, Jan. 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Researchers from University College London have developed an algorithm that uses medical data to predict a five-year risk of dementia, according to a report published online Jan. 21 in BMC Medical.
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IV Thrombolysis Aids Patients Dependent Before Their Stroke
FRIDAY, Jan. 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) treatment might benefit stroke patients who needed help with daily living before their stroke, according to research published online Jan. 21 in Stroke.
Many Seniors Getting Unneeded Mammography, PSA Screens
FRIDAY, Jan. 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Many older Americans are unnecessarily screened for breast and prostate cancer, according to a research letter published online Jan. 21 in JAMA Oncology.
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Frailty Ups Mortality Risk After Surgery in Seniors
THURSDAY, Jan. 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Physical frailty among older patients who have elective surgery is linked to a greater risk of death one year later, according to a study published online Jan. 20 in JAMA Surgery.
Depressive Symptoms Linked to Coronary Artery Calcium
THURSDAY, Jan. 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Depressive symptoms seem to be associated with coronary artery calcium (CAC) in older men and women, according to a study published in the Feb. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
Anesthesia After 40 Not Linked to Mild Cognitive Impairment
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Receiving general anesthesia for surgery after age 40 doesn’t appear to raise the risk for mild cognitive impairment later in life, according to a study published online Jan. 20 in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
A-Fib May Pose Bigger Threat to Women
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Atrial fibrillation is a stronger risk factor for stroke, cardiac events, heart failure, and death in women than it is in men, according to an analysis published online Jan. 19 in The BMJ.
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Families Prefer Hospice Over Hospital for Dying Relatives
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Earlier hospice enrollment, avoidance of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions within 30 days of death, and death occurring outside the hospital are associated with perceptions of better end-of-life care among family members of older patients who are dying of lung or colorectal cancer, according to research published in the Jan. 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on death, dying, and end of life.
Guidelines Provided for Correct Way to Dismiss Patients
TUESDAY, Jan. 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — As insurers place increasing emphasis on evaluating physicians based on quality measures, management of noncompliant patients is becoming more complex, and can lead to patient dismissal, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
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Physicians Choose Less Aggressive Care at End of Life
TUESDAY, Jan. 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Physicians facing death are less likely to demand aggressive care, according to two research letters published in the Jan. 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on death, dying, and end of life.
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B12 Deficiency Common in Long-Term Care Residents
TUESDAY, Jan. 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Vitamin B12 deficiency is common among seniors in long-term care, according to a study published online Jan. 19 in the Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism.
Greater Transparency Being Promoted in Research
MONDAY, Jan. 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Greater transparency is being promoted in clinical research, according to a health policy brief published online Jan. 14 in Health Affairs.
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Design of Physician Satisfaction Surveys Affects Results
MONDAY, Jan. 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Patient satisfaction scores are influenced by the design and implementation of patient surveys, according to an article published in the January-February issue of Family Practice Management.
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Stethoscope Still Valuable Despite Technological Advances
MONDAY, Jan. 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Despite advances in medical technology, the stethoscope still has important diagnostic value, according to an editorial published online Jan. 15 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Pre-Stroke Aspirin Use May Reduce Stroke Severity
MONDAY, Jan. 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with atherothrombotic stroke, pre-stroke aspirin use may reduce initial stroke severity, according to a study published online Jan. 11 in the Annals of Neurology.
Traditional Foods Can Bring Joy to Dementia Patients
MONDAY, Jan. 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with dementia, traditional dishes can create joy and boost patients’ sense of well-being, according to research published online Jan. 11 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
Nonverbal Cues May Reveal a Physician’s Racial Bias
FRIDAY, Jan. 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A physician’s body language may reveal racial bias against seriously ill black patients, according to research published in the January issue of the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management.
Flavonoid-Rich Diet Tied to Lower Erectile Dysfunction Risk
FRIDAY, Jan. 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Foods rich in flavonoids are associated with reduced risk of erectile dysfunction, according to research published online Jan. 13 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Mortality Up With Low Bicarb Levels in Healthy Seniors
FRIDAY, Jan. 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Seniors who are healthy but have low blood levels of bicarbonate are at higher risk for premature death, according to a study published online Jan. 14 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Nitrate Intake Linked to Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma Risk
FRIDAY, Jan. 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Higher dietary nitrate and green leafy vegetable intake is associated with reduced risk of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), according to a study published online Jan. 14 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
ER-Initiated Palliative Care Consult Ups QoL in Advanced CA
FRIDAY, Jan. 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with advanced cancer, emergency department-initiated palliative care consultation is associated with improved quality of life, according to a study published online Jan. 14 in JAMA Oncology.
Health Coverage Improved As Result of Affordable Care Act
THURSDAY, Jan. 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The Affordable Care Act is working as intended, extending health care coverage and ensuring that hospital care is financially compensated, according to two research letters published in the Jan. 14 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Dementia Rx May Lower Risk of Falls Among Parkinson’s Patients
THURSDAY, Jan. 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Rivastigmine shows potential in reducing the risk of falls among patients with Parkinson’s disease, according to new research published online Jan. 12 in The Lancet Neurology.
Patient Race Linked to Failure to Achieve HbA1c Target
THURSDAY, Jan. 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Factors associated with failure to achieve a glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) target in the standard therapy arm of the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) glycemia trial have been identified, according to research published in the January issue of Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
Screening Rates Down With Increasing Patient Panel Size
THURSDAY, Jan. 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The number of patients under a primary care physician’s care (panel size) correlates with cancer screening, continuity, and comprehensiveness dimensions of care, according to a study published in the January/February issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
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Yoga Positions Linked to Increase in Intraocular Pressure
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For individuals with and without open-angle glaucoma, intraocular pressure (IOP) increases shortly after starting yoga exercises with head-down positions, according to a study published online Dec. 23 in PLOS ONE.
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Online Tool Helps Predict Odds of Kidney Failure in CKD Patients
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A new online tool may help predict whether patients with chronic kidney disease will develop kidney failure in the next two to five years. The report was published in the Jan. 12 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Statins May Aid CABG Recovery
TUESDAY, Jan. 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Patients who take statins before and after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) have fewer complications and a reduced mortality risk during and soon after the operation, according to a new report published online Jan. 12 in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
Even Small Decline in Kidney Function Tied to CVD Risk
TUESDAY, Jan. 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Even a slight decline in kidney function can potentially lead to heart damage, according to research published online Jan. 11 in Hypertension.
Azithromycin Prescribed Despite Risk for QTc Prolongation
TUESDAY, Jan. 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Azithromycin is frequently prescribed to hospitalized patients despite the presence of risk factors for QTc prolongation, according to a study published in the January issue of the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
Recommendations Developed for Antithrombotic Tx in VTE
TUESDAY, Jan. 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — New recommendations have been developed for antithrombotic therapy for venous thromboembolism (VTE). The Antithrombotic Therapy for VTE Disease: CHEST Guideline was published online Jan. 7 in CHEST.
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Proton Pump Inhibitors Linked to Chronic Kidney Disease
MONDAY, Jan. 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) may be linked to long-term kidney damage, according to a study published online Jan. 11 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Dosing Errors Occur Frequently in Patients With Renal Failure
MONDAY, Jan. 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Patients on hemodialysis often have drug orders that are not adherent to renal dosing recommendations, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.
Attending Physician Workload Linked to Teaching Effectiveness
MONDAY, Jan. 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Attending physician workload is associated with lower teaching effectiveness, according to a study published online Jan. 6 in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
Lower Hospital Costs Tied to Palliative Care Consult
FRIDAY, Jan. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Palliative care consultation within two days of hospitalization is associated with lower hospital costs for patients with incurable cancer, with greater savings for greater number of comorbidities, according to a study published in the January issue of Health Affairs.
FDA Approves Device for Diabetic Foot Ulcers
FRIDAY, Jan. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The Integra Omnigraft Dermal Regeneration Matrix has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat diabetic foot ulcers.
Financial Obstacles Only Partly to Blame for Low CPAP Acceptance
FRIDAY, Jan. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea under a copayment health care system, obstacles other than finances are primarily responsible for reduced purchase of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices, according to a study published in the January issue of the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
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New Guidelines Say Limit Added Sugars to <10 Percent of Calories
FRIDAY, Jan. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans offers five overarching guidelines that encourage healthy eating patterns, rather than focusing on individual dietary components such as food groups and nutrients as in previous editions.
Research Supports Annual Mammograms for Elderly Women
FRIDAY, Jan. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Regular mammograms still benefit elderly women, according to research published in the December issue of The American Journal of Medicine.
African-American Men Produce Less Prostate-Specific Antigen
THURSDAY, Jan. 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Among men with Gleason score 3+3=6 prostate cancer, African-Americans produce less prostate-specific antigen than Caucasians, according to a study published in the February issue of The Journal of Urology.
Many Patients Using E-Mail As First Method of Provider Contact
TUESDAY, Jan. 5, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with chronic conditions, the ability to communicate with their doctor via e-mail may help improve their health, according to a study published online Dec. 21 in the American Journal of Managed Care.
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Researchers Argue in Defense of the Annual Check-Up
TUESDAY, Jan. 5, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Arguments urging doctors to abandon routine physical exams are based on insufficient evidence, according to an Ideas and Opinions piece published online Jan. 5 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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High Dose of Vitamin D Tied to Higher Risk of Falls in Elderly
TUESDAY, Jan. 5, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Higher monthly doses of vitamin D have no benefit on lower extremity function and correlate with increased risk of falls compared with lower doses in elderly adults, according to a study published online Jan. 4 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
History of Asthma May Be Linked to Shingles Risk in Adults
MONDAY, Jan. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Patients with a history of asthma may be more likely to develop herpes zoster, researchers report online Dec. 28 in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Angiotensin Receptor Blockers, ACEIs Deemed Equally Effective
MONDAY, Jan. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are just as effective and safe as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), according to research published in the January issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
CDC: Heart Failure Mortality Up 2012 Through 2014
MONDAY, Jan. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The age-adjusted mortality rates from heart failure decreased from 2000 to 2012 but increased from 2012 through 2014, according to a December data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics.
Intermediate Addition Multifocals Provide Good Gait Safety
MONDAY, Jan. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For healthy long-term multifocal wearers, intermediate addition progression-addition lenses (PALs) are associated with similar gait safety as distance single-vision spectacles, with improved ability to “spot read,” according to a study published in the January issue of Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics.
Opioid Exposure Tied to Higher Odds of Low Testosterone Levels
MONDAY, Jan. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Exposure to opioids is associated with increased likelihood of low testosterone levels, with increased odds as age and number of comorbidities increase, according to a study published in the December issue of Pain Medicine.
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