Medical News

Six Minute Walk Test May Help Predict Cardio Risk

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The 6-minute walk test may improve cardiovascular risk prediction in patients with stable coronary heart disease, researchers found.

Even after adjustment for traditional cardiovascular risk factors and measures of cardiac disease severity, each standard deviation decrease in walk distance was associated with a 30% greater risk of MI, heart failure, or death (HR 1.30, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.53), according to Alexis Beatty, MD, of the University of California San Francisco, and colleagues.

via Medical News: Walk Test May Help Predict Cardio Risk – in Cardiovascular, Atherosclerosis from MedPage Today.

New underwriting requirement for applicants with known heart disease.  Take a walk.

Kidney Disease = Possible Risk for MI

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In a large cohort study, patients with only CKD had a significantly higher rate of myocardial infarction (MI) than those who only had diabetes (5.4 versus 6.9 per 1,000 person-years, P

Those who’d already had an MI had the highest overall rate of MI (18.5 per 1,000 person-years), they reported online in The Lancet.

via Medical News: Kidney Disease May Point to Risk for MI – in Cardiovascular, Myocardial Infarction from MedPage Today.

Drawing Test Predicts Stroke Mortality Risk

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Poorer performance on Trail Making Test-A (TMT-A) almost doubled the risk of death during a median poststroke follow-up of 2.5 years (HR 1.88 per SD, 95% CI 1.31 to 2.71, P=0.001). Patients who performed the worst on the TMT-A had almost a three times greater mortality risk compared with patients who had the best scores on the test prior to stroke (HR 2.90 per SD, 95% CI 1.24 to 6.77, P=0.014).

via Medical News: Drawing Test Predicts Stroke Mortality Risk – in Cardiovascular, Strokes from MedPage Today.

Any life insurance companies out there using this test?

Medical News: Diabetes May Speed Cognitive Decline – in Neurology, General Neurology from MedPage Today

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Over 9 years, those who had diabetes had significantly worse cognitive decline on two separate tests compared with those who didn’t have the disease (P=0.008 and P=0.001), Kristine Yaffe, MD, of the University of California San Francisco, and colleagues reported online in the Archives of Neurology.

via Medical News: Diabetes May Speed Cognitive Decline – in Neurology, General Neurology from MedPage Today.

East ‘Meats’ West: Diabetes on Rise in China

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The Chinese people are eating more food per serving, have more money to buy and eat food — particularly junk food — when they’re not hungry, and engage in less physical activity, Xiaohui said.

He said that many people still eat a traditional Chinese meal, but along with rice and veggies will be more meat, and portions will be bigger as well. In addition, fast-food restaurants such as Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonald’s are enjoying success at the price of a growing obesity epidemic among children and teens, he said.

via Medical News: East ‘Meats’ West: Diabetes on Rise in China – in Meeting Coverage, AACE from MedPage Today.

Traditional ethnic diets are preferable for your particular ethnicity.  You want fries with that?