Author: SupremeCmdr
How to get an MBA education for less than $1,000
The Far-Reaching Effects of a Fall – NYTimes.com
Statistics among older people are indeed daunting. Dr. Laurence Z. Rubenstein, chairman of geriatrics at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, reports that those 65 and older constitute about 13 percent of the population but account for three-fourths of all deaths caused by falls. About 40 percent in this age group fall at least once a year; one in 40 of them ends up in the hospital, after which only half are still alive a year later.
Drug Interactions with Warfarin: Don’t bleed Me Out!
More Bad News for Niacin
More Bad News for Niacin: Health After 50.
Health After 50
More Bad News for Niacin
Are you currently taking niacin to improve your cholesterol levels? If so, a conversation with your doctor may be warranted to determine whether you should continue taking niacin.
The reason for reconsidering niacin is twofold: First, a new study claims that the drug doesn’t help lower heart attack or stroke risk and may instead cause serious side effects. Second, studies haven’t been able to show that raising “good” HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol — one of the effects of niacin — has a benefit for people who already have heart disease.
For years, doctors have speculated on whether taking niacin to raise levels of HDL cholesterol could lower the risk of a heart attack, stroke or other cardiac events. The latest results from the recent HPS2-THRIVE trial, published by the New England Journal of Medicine, have answered with a resounding “no.”
This isn’t the first time niacin has been given the thumbs-down — past trials have reached similar conclusions, most notably the AIM-HIGH study of more than 3,400 patients on statin therapy. Researchers stopped that trial early in 2011 because of the apparent lack of benefit from niacin, along with reports of adverse events.
Dr. James L. Weiss, professor of cardiology at Johns Hopkins weighs in: “Higher HDL levels are associated with better heart outcomes, but that doesn’t mean they directly cause these better outcomes — an important distinction.
“Another way to look at it: Low HDL levels may be linked to an increased heart disease risk, but raising them with niacin doesn’t seem to reduce that risk. Still, it makes sense that you’d want more HDL cholesterol in your body.
“You can naturally increase levels by eating healthier foods, exercising regularly and quitting smoking. In the end, good health outcomes stem from making good lifestyle choices. For patients who stand to benefit from drug therapy, current guidelines recommend statins alone as the most effective therapy for reducing cardiovascular risk and suggest niacin for only selected high-risk patients for whom benefits outweigh risks.”
Posted in Heart Health on March 6, 2015
Medical Disclaimer: This information is not intended to substitute for the advice of a physician. Click here for additional information: Health After 50 Disclaimer
Physician Locum Tenens Rates Near Double Digits
Physician Locum Tenens Rates Near Double Digits.
About 44,000 physicians nationwide practice as locum tenens, up from 26,000 12 years ago.
BW Photo: Rest And Relax
Perfect solution to constant connectedness.
How to Choose Best Opoid Addiction Treatment – Medpage Today
How to Choose Best Opoid Addiction Treatment | Medpage Today.
The pros and cons of methadone and buprenorphine.
Genworth Finds Material Weakness – WSJ
Insurer Genworth Financial Inc. said it didn’t have adequate controls in place and failed to identify a $44 million calculation error as it implemented changes to its methodologies as part of a review of its long-term-care claim reserves.
via Genworth Finds Material Weakness – WSJ.
oops.
Update 03.04.15
Miscalculated Risk: The Old-Age Bill That s Crushing Genworth – Insurance Networking News.
This link provides more in depth analysis.
Austerity Kills: Economic Distress Seen as Culprit in Sharp Rise in Suicide Rate Among Middle Aged – naked capitalism
Suicide rates for adults between 40 and 64 years of age in the U.S. have risen about 40% since 1999, with a sharp rise since 2007. One possible explanation could be the detrimental effects of the economic downturn of 2007-2009, leading to disproportionate effects on house values, household finances, and retirement savings for that age group. In a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers found that external economic factors were present in 37.5% of all completed suicides in 2010, rising from 32.9% in 2005.
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