Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Geriatrics for July 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.
U-Shaped Association Found for Hemoglobin Level, Dementia Risk
WEDNESDAY, July 31, 2019 (HealthDay News) — There is a U-shaped association for hemoglobin levels with risk for dementia, including Alzheimer disease, according to a study published online July 31 in Neurology.
10.6 Percent of Seniors Estimated as Current Binge Drinkers
WEDNESDAY, July 31, 2019 (HealthDay News) — More than 10 percent of U.S. adults aged 65 years and older are estimated to be current binge drinkers, according to a report published online July 31 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Burnout Symptoms May Up Racial Bias Among Resident Physicians
WEDNESDAY, July 31, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Symptoms of burnout seem to be associated with greater explicit and implicit racial bias among resident physicians, according to a study published online July 26 in JAMA Network Open.
$70 Million Settlement Reached in Generic Drug Delay Case
TUESDAY, July 30, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Three drug companies will pay a total of nearly $70 million to California to settle charges of delaying the sale of generic drugs to keep brand-name drug prices high, the state’s attorney general said Monday.
AP News Article
National Norms Developed for Assessing Medical School Empathy
TUESDAY, July 30, 2019 (HealthDay News) — National norms have been developed for assessing empathy among men and women at different levels of medical school education, according to a study published in the August issue of the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.
Hearing Loss Takes Mental, Social, Physical Toll on Older People
TUESDAY, July 30, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Older people with hearing loss are more likely to experience outdoor activity limitations, psychological distress, and memory loss, according to a study recently published online in Geriatrics & Gerontology International.
Random Plasma Glucose Levels Can Predict Diabetes Diagnosis
MONDAY, July 29, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Random plasma glucose (RPG) levels can predict development of diabetes, according to a study published online July 19 in PLOS ONE.
Testosterone Replacement Therapy May Increase Cardiovascular Risk
FRIDAY, July 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For aging men with low testosterone levels, testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) may increase the risk of cardiovascular events, especially in the first two years of use, according to a study published in the September issue of The American Journal of Medicine.
Sling, PT May Be OK for Two-Part Proximal Humerus Fractures
FRIDAY, July 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Functional results may be the same for operative and nonoperative treatment of displaced two-part proximal humerus fractures in patients over 60 years of age, according to a study published online July 18 in PLOS Medicine.
Review Supports Testosterone for Low Sexual Desire in Women
FRIDAY, July 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For postmenopausal women with low sexual desire causing distress, testosterone is an effective treatment, with a preference for nonoral administration, according to a review published online July 25 in the The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.
Adiposity in Early Old Age Tied to MRI Signs of Brain Aging Later
WEDNESDAY, July 24, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Adiposity in early old age is associated with reduced gray matter later in life, according to a study published online July 24 in Neurology.
CDC: Mortality Rates Continue to Decrease for Hispanic Adults
WEDNESDAY, July 24, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Age-adjusted death rates decreased for Hispanic adults from 2000 through 2017, while for non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic black adults, the rates have remained stable since 2011-2012, according to a July data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics.
Metformin May Lower Dementia Risk in Black Patients With T2DM
WEDNESDAY, July 24, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Metformin use is associated with a substantially lower risk for dementia among younger African-American patients with diabetes compared with sulfonylurea initiation, according to a study published in the July/August issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
Senate Bill Would Reduce Drug Costs for Seniors
TUESDAY, July 23, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A bill to reduce prescription drug costs for millions of Medicare recipients and lower federal and state health costs has been introduced by two U.S. senators.
AP News Article
T2DM Increases Gastric Cancer Risk After H. Pylori Eradication
TUESDAY, July 23, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Type 2 diabetes mellitus increases the risk for gastric cancer after treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection, according to a study published online July 11 in Diabetes Care.
Plant-Based Diets Inversely Linked to Risk for Type 2 Diabetes
MONDAY, July 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Plant-based dietary patterns seem to be beneficial for the primary prevention of type 2 diabetes, especially when the diets are enriched with healthful plant-based foods, according to a review published online July 22 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Almost One in Four Adults ≥40 Takes Aspirin for CVD Prevention
MONDAY, July 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Nearly 30 million U.S. adults aged 40 years or older use aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD), including 6.6 million without a physician’s recommendation, according to a research letter published online July 23 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Nonprescription Antibiotic Use Seems Prevalent in the United States
MONDAY, July 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Nonprescription antibiotic use appears to be prevalent in the United States, according to a review published online July 23 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
About One in 20 Patients Exposed to Preventable Harm
THURSDAY, July 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The pooled prevalence of preventable patient harm is 6 percent across a range of medical settings globally, according to a review published online July 17 in The BMJ.
CDC Assesses Burden of Eye Disorders in Adults With Diabetes
THURSDAY, July 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Eye disorders frequently affect adults aged 45 years and older with diagnosed diabetes, and disorders are more common for those with diagnosed diabetes for 10 years or more, according to a July data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics.
Air Pollution Found to Accelerate Aging of the Lungs
THURSDAY, July 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Ambient air pollution is associated with lower lung function and increased chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) prevalence, according to a study published online July 8 in the European Respiratory Journal.
Subclinical Cardiovascular Dz May Up Fall Risk in Older Adults
WEDNESDAY, July 17, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) appears to be an independent risk factor for falls in older adults, according to a study published online July 10 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
1999 to 2017 Saw Increase in Unintentional Injury Death Rates
TUESDAY, July 16, 2019 (HealthDay News) — From 1999 to 2017, there was an increase in unintentional injury death rates, with variation in trends by leading causes of unintentional injury death, according to a July data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics.
Frequent Fried Food Intake Increases Risk for Coronary Artery Disease
MONDAY, July 15, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The frequency of fried food consumption shows a positive linear relationship with the risk for coronary artery disease (CAD), according to a study recently published in Clinical Nutrition.
CRP-Guided Testing Cuts Antibiotic Use in COPD Exacerbations
FRIDAY, July 12, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For patients with an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), point-of-care testing of C-reactive protein (CRP) to guide antibiotic prescribing can reduce antibiotic use, according to a study published in the July 11 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Serious Misdiagnosis-Related Harms Mostly Due to ‘Big Three’
FRIDAY, July 12, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Vascular events, infections, and cancers account for about three-quarters of serious misdiagnosis-related harms, according to a study published online July 11 in Diagnosis.
Erectile Dysfunction Presents Large Global Health Burden
FRIDAY, July 12, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a large global burden and is associated with increased risks for cardiovascular disease, dementia, and early death, according to a review published online July 2 in BJU International.
Capping Work Hours in Residency Does Not Impact Outcomes Later
THURSDAY, July 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Exposure of U.S. physicians to work-hour reforms during residency training is not associated with post-training differences in patient mortality, readmissions, or costs of care, according to a study published online July 11 in The BMJ.
Medicare Drug Rebate Plan Withdrawn by Trump Administration
THURSDAY, July 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A plan to let Medicare patients receive rebates that drug companies currently pay to insurers and middlemen has been withdrawn by the Trump administration.
AP News Article
Elderly-Onset Rheumatoid Arthritis Ups Bone Erosion Risk
THURSDAY, July 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis (EORA) is a risk factor for bone erosions, even with clinical disease remission, according to a study published in the June issue of the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.
Health Care Professionals Exhibit Gender Bias
THURSDAY, July 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Survey results show that health care professionals have implicit and explicit gender bias, according to a study published online July 5 in JAMA Network Open.
Mentally Stimulating Activities Lower Risk for Cognitive Decline
WEDNESDAY, July 10, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Among community-dwelling older persons, engaging in a higher number of mentally stimulating activities, particularly in late life, is associated with a lower risk for developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), according to a study published online July 10 in Neurology.
EHR System-Generated In-Basket Messages Linked to Burnout
TUESDAY, July 9, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Receipt of more than the average number of electronic health record (EHR) system-generated in-basket messages is associated with an increased probability of physician burnout, according to a study published in the July 1 issue of Health Affairs.
Rule Requiring Drug Prices in TV Ads Blocked by Judge
TUESDAY, July 9, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A Trump administration rule to force pharmaceutical companies to disclose the list prices of their drugs in television ads was blocked Monday by a federal judge.
The New York Times Article
Androgen Deprivation Therapy May Up Risk of Alzheimer Disease
TUESDAY, July 9, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Among elderly patients with prostate cancer, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) exposure is associated with subsequent diagnosis of Alzheimer disease or dementia, according to a study published online July 3 in JAMA Network Open.
Simple Fixed Threshold IDs Those at Risk for COPD-Related Events
TUESDAY, July 9, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Use of a threshold of airflow obstruction of forced expiratory volume in one second:forced vital capacity (FEV1:FVC) of 0.70 discriminates chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-related hospitalization and mortality, according to a study published in the June 25 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Most Supplements Offer Little Protection Against Heart Disease
MONDAY, July 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Certain nutritional supplements and dietary interventions may reduce the risk for some cardiovascular outcomes in adults; however, the overall effect of nutritional supplements on cardiovascular disease outcomes remains unclear, according to a review published online July 9 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
New Staffing Data Source Can Improve Nursing Home Monitoring
MONDAY, July 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Publicly available Long-term Care Facility Staffing Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) staffing data have the potential to revolutionize efforts to monitor and study the key role of nursing home staffing, according to a report published in the July issue of Health Affairs.
Treating Depression May Reduce Mortality in Diabetes Patients
MONDAY, July 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The use of most types of antidepressants (ATDs) is associated with significantly reduced mortality among patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and comorbid depression, according to a study published online July 2 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Flesh-Eating Bacteria Claims Life of Florida Woman
TUESDAY, July 2, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A Florida woman died late last week from flesh-eating bacteria two weeks after cutting her leg while walking along the coast.
Considerable Number of Patients Receive Surprise Hospital Charges
TUESDAY, July 2, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Eighteen percent of all emergency department visits and 16 percent of in-network hospital stays have at least one out-of-network charge, according to a report published June 20 by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Nutrition-Focused Program at Home Health Agency Beneficial
MONDAY, July 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A nutrition-focused quality-improvement program (QIP) conducted in a home health agency (HHA) can reduce rates of hospitalization and health care resource utilization, according to a study published online June 24 in the Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.
Longevity Benefits for Adults Becoming More Physically Active
MONDAY, July 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Middle-aged and older adults, including those with cancer and cardiovascular disease, can gain longevity benefits by becoming more physically active, according to a study published online June 26 in The BMJ.
Most Grandparents Store Meds in Containers That Are Easy to Open
MONDAY, July 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — More than one in four grandparents report storing prescription medications in containers, primarily easy-to-open containers, according to a report published online July 1 by the National Poll on Healthy Aging.
Leisure-Time Physical Activity Linked to Lower SAH Risk
MONDAY, July 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) is associated with reduced risk of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), according to a study published online June 25 in Scientific Reports.
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