CONCLUSIONS: Patients categorized as normal weight or obese with T2DM within a year of diagnosis of T2DM exhibit variably higher mortality outcomes compared with the overweight group, confirming a U-shaped association of BMI with mortality. Whether weight loss interventions reduce mortality in all T2DM patients requires study.
via Association Between BMI Measured Within a Year After Diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes and Mortality.
Could we have another U shaped mortality curve? Watch that BMI.
Red Meat’s Heart Risk Goes Beyond The Fat : NPR.
Everything you need to know about L-carnitine and TMAO (Trimethylamine N-oxide).
One in three older adults has Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia at the time of death. As the nation’s population ages, the number of people with the progressive neurological disorder could triple in the next 40 years, said a study published online Feb. 6 in Neurology.
via 1 in 3 Americans has dementia at time of death – amednews.com.
There are cheap dongles that can do sonograms good enough for office use, sensors and apps that can do blood tests, sweat tests and other chemical diagnostics. One type of pill has been developed that reports when the patient has swallowed it. When the pill encounters stomach acids, it sends out a tiny electronic pulse. The pulse is picked up by a small adhesive patch the patient wears on his or her abdomen. The patch, in turn, detects when the patient’s smart phone is on and close by, and sends out a Bluetooth signal. An app on the phone picks up the Bluetooth signal and sends an instant message to the clinician who is tracking the use of the drug.
via Medical apps: We are approaching the tipping point.
Interesting article.
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have an increased incidence of diastolic dysfunction, which may further raise their already high risk for congestive heart failure, a meta-analysis suggested.
Patients with RA have double the incidence of heart failure compared with the larger population, and this finding has prompted interest in determining the origins of heart failure in these patients.
Energy drinks may raise blood pressure and interfere with the heart’s electrical system, increasing the risk of sudden cardiac death, a meta-analysis found.
Conclusions: In this large cohort study, serum 25(OH)D concentrations were inversely associated with all-cause and cause-specific mortality. In particular, vitamin D deficiency [25(OH)D concentration
ISSUE: FDA is warning the public that azithromycin (Zithromax or Zmax) can cause abnormal changes in the electrical activity of the heart that may lead to a potentially fatal irregular heart rhythm. Patients at particular risk for developing this condition include those with known risk factors such as existing QT interval prolongation, low blood levels of potassium or magnesium, a slower than normal heart rate, or use of certain drugs used to treat abnormal heart rhythms, or arrhythmias. FDA has issued a Drug Safety Communication today as a result of our review of a study by medical researchers as well as another study by a manufacturer of the drug that assessed the potential for azithromycin to cause abnormal changes in the electrical activity of the heart.
It’s a common problem. According to an April 2011 Mayo Clinic Proceedings article, only about half of those who are prescribed medication take it exactly as prescribed.
via Diabetes: Drugs only work if you take them – MayoClinic.com.
Read in between the lines when reviewing medical records. Adjust your risk assessments accordingly. Decline if warranted.
Energy drinks can lead to serious health consequences, including palpitations, rapid heart rates, dehydration, elevated blood pressures, or even heart attacks. Their high caffeine content, along with “natural” additives, can interact with prescription drugs. Worse, 56% of college students report mixing energy drinks with alcohol, which studies show increase the risk of committing or experiencing a sexual assault, riding with a drunk driver, or becoming involved in an alcohol-related car accident. According to a recent report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, there were over 20,000 emergency room visits involving energy drinks in 2011, double the number from 2007. Last year, the Food and Drug Administration received reports of 18 deaths and over 150 injuries that may have been associated with the drinks.
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