Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens

Stronger Chemotherapy Does Not Help Colon Cancer Patients 70 or Older in Study

Chemo combo decreases cancer recurrence, promotes longer survival after surgery for those under 70

May 29, 2009 - The combination of chemotherapies 5FU and oxaliplatin compared to 5FU alone after surgery for colon cancer decreases colon cancer recurrence and promotes longer survival for patients under 70 - but not for those who are older, according to Mayo Clinic and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists who will present their findings at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's (ASCO) annual meeting in Orlando, Fla. Read more...

New Blood Test Significantly Increases Accuracy of PSA Screening for Prostate Cancer

Greatly reduces false-positives in prostate cancer screening that often require a biopsy of the gland to check for tumors

May 28, 2009 - Tens of thousands of male senior citizens may be able to avoid the pain and anxiety of prostate biopsies if a new blood test that is used in combination with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening lives up to its early testing that shows a sharp increase in the accuracy of prostate cancer diagnosis. Read more...

Treating Gum Disease Helps Rheumatoid Arthritis Sufferers with Pain, Swelling, Stiffness

Study should prompt rheumatologists to encourage patients to be aware of link between periodontal disease and rheumatoid arthritis

May 28, 2009 - Here's one more reason senior citizens should keep their teeth healthy. People, who suffer from gum disease and also have a severe form of rheumatoid arthritis, reduced their arthritic pain, number of swollen joints and the degree of morning stiffness when they cured their dental problems, according to an article in the Journal of Periodontology. Read more...

New Protection from Coronary Heart Disease is Avoiding Plaque Rupture with PLAC Test

FDA-approved blood test helps physicians determine hidden risk for stroke or heart attack

Link to video in story.

May 20, 2009 - Editor’s Note: Eighty-two percent of people who die of coronary heart disease are senior citizens, but many are still not aware that most heart attacks are not caused by plaque buildup, but, rather, by plaque rupture causing blood clots that block the blood flow. The following explanation of this danger and an early warning test was prepared for SeniorJournal.com. by Dr. Paul Ziajka, Lipidologist (more in sidebar). Read more...

Men Should Not Give Up on PSA Prostate Cancer Screening, Just Yet

Urologists argue that men should not be swayed from getting the test - it still saves lives

May 13, 2009 - What’s a guy to do? While prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing has been the standard screening tool for prostate cancer for several decades, results of a study recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine question the effectiveness of PSA screening in reducing death from prostate cancer. But many urologists argue that men should not be swayed from getting the test - it still saves lives. Read more...

Senior Citizens Do Not Remember Strokes or Do Not Know They Had Them, Study Indicates

Just 11.9 percent reported a history of stroke but MRI evidence shows 31.4 had one

May 11, 2009 – Senior citizens are either having strokes and don’t know it, or they are forgetting they had them. That is the conclusion one must draw from a new study that found a significant difference between why these older people report and what the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) shows.  Read more...

High Blood Pressure is Number One Reason Older Women Seek Medical Help

Hypertension number one treatment for women from age 45 up; Hyperlipidemia a distant second

May 7, 2009 - The most common medical treatment for women – especially senior citizens – is for hypertension (high blood pressure). There were approximately 25 million women treated in the U.S. for this condition in 2006, with almost 12 million – about half - of these being age 65 or older. Read more...

Statins Prevent Liver Cancer Among Diabetics, Reduce Gallbladder Removals Among Women

Studies reported in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association Institute

May 6, 2009 – As millions of Americans use statins each day to help lower their cholesterol and risks of heart disease, researchers are continuing to find evidence that these drugs may also have other beneficial effects, such as cancer prevention. A new study points specifically at the prevention of liver cancer, while a second report tells of a reduction in the need for gallbladder removal, both resulting from statins. Read more...

Non-Traditional Stroke Symptoms in Women May Contribute to Treatment Delay

In most age groups, men have highest risk of stroke, but in oldest groups women have more strokes

May 5, 2009 - The traditional stroke symptoms are well known and include a sudden onset of numbness or weakness on one side of the body, trouble talking, loss of vision, or coordination problems. But in women, doctors and bystanders should be paying attention to something else, says Lynda Lisabeth, Ph.D., MPH, researcher in the Department of Neurology at the University of Michigan Health System. Read more, link to video...

Dangerous Drug Interactions Endanger Senior Citizens Taking Multiple Medications

University of Michigan geriatrics pharmacist offers tips for seniors to protect themselves

May 5, 2009 - A recent study found that more than 80 percent of adults age 57 and older take at least one prescription drug a day and that about half of them regularly mix drugs with over-the-counter medications and supplements. The new research shows about 1 in 25 older adults may experience a major drug interaction. Read more, video link...

Older Men More Likely to Die from Pneumonia than Women; Differing Response to Infection

Results suggest immune response to infection may be important target to reduce sex disparities

April 29, 2009 - Old men are more likely do die after being hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) than are older women, according to new research that suggests the reason may be differing biological response to infection between men and women. Read more...

Better Communications, Computerized Records Reduce Adverse Drug Events

Up to 67% of inpatients have at least one unexplained discrepancy in their prescription medication history

April 28, 2009 - Interventions that included enhanced communication between a pharmacist and patients and physicians and computerized organization of a patient's medications appear to be associated with a decreased risk of adverse drug events, according to two articles appearing in the April 27 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Senior citizens are the most frequent victims of these drug mistakes. Read more...

Diabetes Risk for Senior Citizens Determined by Same Lifestyle Factors as Younger People

Study of seniors finds physical activity, good dietary habits, not smoking and light alcohol use lowers diabetes risk by 82%; four in five new cases attributable to not having these low-risk factors.

April 27, 2009 – An abundance of research has well established how poor life style choices can pave the way to diabetes for younger people. A new study – one of the first to look at how these same risk factors may apply to senior citizens – has found that they do. Even for older adults, lifestyle factors such as physical activity, dietary habits, smoking, alcohol use and of body fat are associated with risk of new-onset diabetes. Read more...

Urological Group Breaks with Major Medical Groups to Recommend Regular Prostate Testing

AUA wants individualized PSA testing starting at age 40; American Cancer Society and others oppose routine prostate cancer testing

April 27, 2009 - Frequency of testing for several conditions have been hot debate topics in medical circles recently, and fuel was added to one of the hottest today by the American Urological Association, which wants prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test offered to “well-informed, men aged 40 years or older who have a life expectancy of at least 10 years.” The AUA’s new clinical guidance directly contrasts with other major groups. Read more...

Statins Protect Against Prostate Cancer, Erectile Dysfunction and Prostate Enlargement, Mayo Study Finds

Study followed older men 40 to 79 from 1990 to assess urologic outcomes among aging men

April 27, 2009 – For male senior citizens - the predominate consumers of statins to lower cholesterol - there is an abundance of good news about these drugs that is being released from a large Mayo Clinic study. The researchers find in preliminary results that statins not only lower cholesterol but protect against prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction and prostate enlargement. Read more...

Older Women Who Breastfed Their Babies Have Lower Risk of Heart Attack, Stroke

An average of 35 years had passed since women enrolled in this study had last breastfed an infant

April 21, 2009 – A new study has found that older women who breastfed their babies have a lower risk of heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular disease. And, the longer the women breastfed, the lower the risk, according to University of Pittsburgh researchers in a study published in the May issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology. Read more...

Most Melanoma Skin Cancers Found by Physicians are on Male Senior Citizens

These doc-detected cancers tend to be thinner, found on back, more treatable

Melanoma is one of the rarer types of skin cancer but causes the majority of skin cancer related deaths.

April 20, 2009 – When a physician finds a melanoma skin cancer on an older man, it is more likely to be thinner and, therefore, more treatable. And, too, it is more common for doctors to find these thin melanomas on men who are at least 65 years old, have them on their backs or have a history of atypical moles. These conclusions come from two studies in the April issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Read more...

Pancreatic Cancer Cells Killed by Drug Combination in Mayo Clinic Laboratory Test

	Mamta Gupta, Ph.D.

One of the most feared cancers, due to the difficulty of effective treatment, may have met its match

April 20, 2009 – There is new hope in the battle against pancreatic cancer, one of the most feared tumors. Mayo Clinic researchers say a combination of two drugs already on the market packed a powerful punch in laboratory tests to kill pancreatic cancer cells. Read more...video link in story.

Stem Cells from Stroke Victim Being Used for First Time to Repair Patients Own Damage

Texan has fed the cows by himself. Stem cells have some kind of guidance system and migrate to the area of injury and, although they're not making new brain cells, they may be enhancing the repair processes. UT Houston to enroll 9 more in clinical trial.

April 16, 2009 - For the first time in the United States, a stroke patient – 61-year-old Roland “Bud” Henrich - has been intravenously injected with his own bone marrow stem cells as part of a research trial at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. It is an event of high interest to senior citizens, since three of every four strokes in the US strikes those age 65 or older. Read more...

Screening Diabetics for Coronary Artery Disease Shows No Significant Lowering of Risk

Researchers say it is unnecessary and may lead initially to more invasive and costly heart procedures

April 15, 2009 - Screening for coronary artery disease in patients with type 2 diabetes did not result in a significant reduction in the rate of heart attacks or cardiac death compared to patients who were not screened, according to a study in the April 15 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), a theme issue on diabetes. This is important news for senior citizens – the age group most threatened by diabetes and cardiovascular problems. Read more...

Researchers See Reduction of Pancreatic Cancer Cells in Early Antibody Testing

Nothing now available to stop the rapid advance of this deadly cancer

April 14, 2009 – Researchers report testing that appears to reduce pancreatic cancer cells. There is no life-saving treatment for this cancer that is one of the deadliest and most rapidly advancing. The scientists caution these are preliminary results in early testing. Read more...

Brain Microbleeds in Senior Citizens May Be Associated with Aspirin, Similar Drugs

This dangerous bleeding occurs when the walls of blood vessels in the brain become weakened

April 13, 2009 – Senior citizens taking aspiring, or other medications that prevent blood clotting by inhibiting the accumulation of platelets, appear more likely to have tiny, unexplained areas of bleeding in the brain, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the June print issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. A report from this study lst year found these cerebral microbleeds are more common in people age 60 and older than had been previously thought. Read more...

Cancers Not Alike: Survival Improves with Aggressive Treatment of Lung Cancer, Not Bladder Cancer

Both studies from U of Michigan illustrate the vast differences in cancers and their treatment

April 13, 2009 – For many senior citizens the word “cancer” creates a vision of a life-threatening uncontrolled growth that requires immediate and aggressive treatment by radiation and chemotherapy – they are all pretty much alike. But, two studies from the University of Michigan last week illustrate that all cancers are not alike. The first found more aggressive treatment did not help bladder cancer victims survive. The second says higher doses of radiation combined with chemotherapy improves survival in patients with stage III lung cancer. Read more...

Seniors May Find Safe Relief from Declining Gum Tissue Through Gene Therapy

Gene therapy is an accepted, viable therapeutic concept, but safety has been a major hurdle

April 9, 2009 - Scientists at the University of Michigan have developed a method of gene delivery that appears safe for regenerating tooth-supporting gum tissue - a discovery that promises safer relief from a painful condition for millions of aging Americans and from one of the biggest safety concerns surrounding gene therapy research and tissue engineering. Read more...

Millions of Senior Citizens May Some Day Benefit from Biological Pacemaker

Researchers create new computer and cellular models for testing potential new drugs to influence heart rate

April 9, 2009 - Artificial heart pacemakers have saved and extended the lives of thousands of people, but they have their shortcomings – such as a fixed pulse rate and a limited life. It now seems in the realm of possibility that millions of senior citizens may benefit from work to develop a permanent biological solution. Read more...

Back Pain Moves Most to Choose Hands-On-Therapy: Chiropractor, Massage, Acupuncture

Over fifty-percent of those given a prescription drug received an opioid pain reliever, despite the fact that there is very little research to support their use, finds Consumer Reports study

April 6, 2009 – When people have a back ache they want hands-on treatment, like from a chiropractor, physical therapist or even acupuncture. Yet, forty-five percent of those who took prescription drugs said they helped a lot, according to a new survey by the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center. Read more...

Ten Commandments of Cancer Prevention Offered by Harvard Men’s Health Watch

Up to 75 percent of cancer deaths in the U.S. can be prevented the magazine says

April 3, 2009 - About one of every three Americans will face some form of cancer during his or her lifetime. You can help beat these grim statistics by taking steps to protect yourself right now, according to Harvard Men’s Health Watch, which also offers these ten ways to get started. Read more...

COPD Symptoms, Quality of Life Improved by Supervised Exercise Therapy 

Article by LA BioMed researcher confirms the benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation

April 2, 2009 – Those suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), primarily older people, often complain that exercise is too exhausting and leaves them breathless. An article in the current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine reports that supervised exercise through pulmonary rehabilitation can actually reduce their feelings of breathlessness, increase their tolerance for exercise and improve their quality of life. Read more...

New Smaller, Lighter Implantable Heart Pump Passes Test, Needs Trial Participants

VentrAssist is third-generation heart assist device to support patients until they receive heart transplant

April 2, 2009 - Patients with severe heart failure can be bridged to eventual transplant by a new, smaller and lighter implantable heart pump, according to a just-completed study of the device, which is now looking for clinical trial participants. Results of this third-generation heart assist device were reported at the 58th annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology on March 30. Read more...

Nutrition, Vitamins & Supplements for Seniors

Lipoic Acid Found to Reduce Triglycerides by 60 Percent in Lab Rats

Follows study finding this cardiovascular risk is common among U.S. adults

April 1, 2009 – Following only days after a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine finds high concentrations of triglyceride blood fats are common in the U.S., a new study finds that supplementing the diets of lab rats with lipoic acid significantly lowered their triglycerides. Researchers suggest it may be an easy way to lower this risk of cardiovascular disease. Read more...

Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens

Coronary Angiography Doubles Chance of Cardiac Arrest Survival with Less Brain Damage

‘Suggests that clinicians should consider the procedure for all post-cardiac arrest patients’

Learn more about what happens during a coronary angiography. Link to video in story.

March 31, 2009 – People who suffer cardiac arrests and then receive coronary angiography are twice as likely to survive without significant brain damage compared with those who don't have the procedure, according to a study by University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers. Age was not a factor in the study. Read more...

Polypill Cuts Cardiovascular Risk in Half with No Additional Side Affects

Magic pill contains three blood pressure lowering drugs, a statin and aspirin

March 30, 2009 – Senior citizens and other healthy individuals may be able to cut their risk of cardiovascular disease by 50 to 60 percent by taking a single pill, called the “polypill,” that combines three blood pressure (BP) lowering drugs at low doses, a statin, and aspirin, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology’s 58th annual scientific session. Read more...

Statins Effective in Two Studies: Dramatically Lowering Risk of Heart Attack, Blood Clots

Both studies important to senior citizens are from JUPITER data presented at American College of Cardiology’s Scientific Session

March 30, 2009 - Healthy men and women who achieved low levels of both low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) after starting statin therapy dramatically lowered their risk of a future heart attack, stroke, need for bypass surgery, or cardiovascular death, according to new data presented at the American College of Cardiology‟s 58th Annual Scientific Session in Orlando. Read more...

More Than Half of U.S. Adults May Have High Triglycerides, Few Follow Treatment

This blood fat, like cholesterol, can lead to heart disease; ingested calories not used immediately by tissues are converted to triglycerides

March 23, 2009 – Most senior citizens know to watch their cholesterol, but much less attention is paid to triglycerides, a fat in the blood stream that can also lead to heart disease. A new study has found high concentrations of theses blood fats are common among U.S. citizens. Read more...

Senior Citizens Dominate Colorectal Cancer Hospitalizations:  Near 70 Percent, Mostly Men

Males hospitalized in 2006 less frequently than females, however, men in older age groups had a much higher rate of hospitalization than women

March 23, 2009 - Two-thirds of hospital stays for colorectal cancer involve Americans age 65 and older, and most in 2006 were men, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. In the United States, colorectal cancer (cancer of the large intestine or rectum) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in both men and women, and is also the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Read more...

Elderly Men with Short Life Expectancy Do Not Need Prostate Cancer Screening, Study Shows

U.S. trial shows no early mortality benefit from current annual screening for prostate cancer - watch video, link below

See link to video  in news report

March 19, 2009 - The prostate cancer screening tests that have become an annual ritual for many older men don't appear to reduce deaths from the disease among those with a limited life-expectancy, according to early results of a major U.S. study involving 75,000 men. Read more...link to video...

Millions More Seniors Could Benefit from Taking Statins to Prevent Heart Attacks, Strokes

About 33 million older people - men 50 or older and women 60 or older - are currently eligible to take statins

March 19, 2009 – As many as 6.5 million more older patients could benefit from taking statins, drugs typically used to prevent heart attacks and strokes, than current prescribing guidelines suggest, Johns Hopkins doctors report in a new study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Read more...

New Task Force Recommendations Call for Aspirin Use by Older People Up to Age 80

Aspirin protects senior men from heart attack, senior women from stroke

March 17, 2009 – Updated recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force say aspirin should be used by older men to prevent heart attacks and older women to prevent strokes but once senior citizens reach age 80 it may become too risky to continue aspirin therapy due to the increased threat of a gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Read more...

New Lung Cancer Treatment Produces High Cure Rate; Hope in Place of Surgery

Stereotactic body radiotherapy, or SBRT, two-year disease free survival or cure rate can reach up to 98%

March 9, 2009 – Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer for men and women but these statistics may improve considerably, according to doctors at Temple University, who report a new treatment can double the chances of surviving the deadly disease – and without conventional radiation or surgery. Read more...

New Medical Specialty to Focus on Advanced Heart Failure, Heart Transplantation

Heart problems and associated medical advances are frequent topics when senior citizens get together

March 6, 2009 – Most senior citizens have heart failure high on their radar screen – it impacts so many of us and our friends that most want to learn everything they can about it. As technology advances, however, the treatment of heart failure has become increasingly complicated. But, help is on the way - a new medical subspecialty of Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology. Read more...

Increased Death Risk Linked to Combined Use of Antiplatelet, Gastric Acid Meds After Heart Attack or Angina

Use of Plavix (clopidogrel) plus PPI at any point in time was associated with a 25% increased odds of death or rehospitalization

March 3, 2009 - Following a heart attack, unstable angina or other acute coronary syndrome, patients who receive a medication to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding that may be associated with the use of the antiplatelet drug Plavix and aspirin have an increased risk of subsequent hospitalization for acute coronary syndrome or death, according to a study in the March 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Read more...link to video

Enough is Enough of Prostate-Specific-Antigen Testing Once Men Reach Age 75

PSA test has decreased prostate cancer deaths but other problems more likely to kill elderly

Feb. 23, 2009 - Although widespread Prostate-Specific-Antigen (PSA) testing has undoubtedly decreased prostate cancer mortality, there appears to be a point of diminishing returns? In a study published in the April 2009 issue of The Journal of Urology, researchers found that in a subgroup of elderly men, among those who were 75 years old or older and had a PSA below 3 ng/ml (nanograms per milliliter), none subsequently died of prostate cancer. Read more...

EMS Survey Finds Deficiencies in Response, Treatment, Transfer of Patients With Most Deadly Heart Attacks

American Heart Association’s Mission:Lifeline study did find more than anticipated had 12 lead ECGs that diagnose heart attacks

Feb. 18, 2009 – Senior citizens, the most likely people to have a heart attack requiring  a ride in an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) vehicle, can find hope in a new survey by the American Heart Association’s Mission:Lifeline study that found more than anticipated had 12 lead ECGs that diagnose heart attacks. But, the association urges other improvements. Read more...

Even Seniors Over Age 75 Benefit from Implantable Defibrillators; May Reduce Death Risk 30%

One of first studies to focus on senior citizens and ICDs finds older people are good candidates for ICDs to prevent death from arrhythmias; but benefit diminishes when age combined with multiple disease conditions

Feb. 18, 2009 - Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) can improve survival in patients with heart damage — even those in their 70s — according to research reported in the current issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. Implanted ICDs reduced the risk of dying by 30 percent in patients younger than 65 years old, 65 to 74, and 75 and older. Read more...

Atrial Fibrillation Death Rate Reduced by Experimental Drug Multaq (Dronedarone)

FDA has drug in priority review; approves first ablation catheters for the treatment of atrial fibrillation, which affects mainly senior citizens over age 65

Feb. 17, 2009 – Deaths and hospitalizations for patients with atrial fibrillation, which are climbing with the increasing number of seniors, can be reduced by a new, still unlicensed, anti-arrhythmic drug named dronedarone, according to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine reporting on the ATHENA trial. To be marketed as Multaq by Sanofi-aventis, the drug was granted a priority review status by the FDA in July of 2008. Read more...

Tiny ‘Smart Bombs’ Deliver Chemo Drug to Cancer Cells with Fewer Side Effects

They are a modified plant virus one thousands of times smaller than the width of a human hair

Feb. 13, 2009 – A more effective chemotherapy treatment with few or no side effects, a dream for many senior citizens battling cancer, may be on the way in the form of tiny “smart bombs” that carry their payload right to the targeted cancer cells. Read more...

Simple Urine Test May Reveal the Aggressiveness of Your Prostate Cancer

Sarcosine is better indicator of advancing disease than traditional prostate specific antigen test (PSA); it is detected in urine, researchers hopeful simple urine test can be used

Feb. 12, 2009 – Prostate cancer will be discovered in 186,320 American men this year, mostly senior citizens, and each case launches a myriad of decisions for the patient. The first question may be, “How bad is the cancer.” That has been tough to answer. But, today, scientists report they have discovered a way to determine how aggressive the cancer is. Read more, watch video...

Older Adults Face Increased Risk of Death Following Osteoporotic Fracture

‘These data suggest fracture is a signal event that heralds an increased mortality risk’

Feb. 3, 2009 - Women and men age 60 years or older who have a low-trauma osteoporotic fracture have an increased risk of death for the following 5 to 10 years, compared to the general population, and those who experience another fracture increase their risk of death further for an additional 5 years, according to a study in the February 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Those age 75 and older face increased risk of death from even a minor fracture. Read more...

Artificial Light at Night Contributes to Prostate Cancer and Breast Cancer Say Researchers

Theories for cause: suppression of melatonin production, suppression of immune system, body's biological clock confused between night and day

Feb. 3, 2009 – Countries with the highest levels of artificial light at night also have the highest rates of prostate cancer, according to researchers that earlier found a similar link with breast cancer. Read more...

Erectile Dysfunction Jokes May End with Study Finding ED, Heart Disease Have Relationship

Mayo Clinic Study Finds Younger Men With Erectile Dysfunction at Double Risk of Heart Disease

‘In older men, erectile dysfunction may be of less prognostic importance for development of future heart disease’

Feb. 2, 2009 – The jokes about erectile dysfunction may have lost their humor today as new research indicates men with ED have an 80 percent higher risk of heart disease. The study concludes that ED and coronary artery disease may be differing manifestations of a common underlying vascular problem. Read more...

Valentine's Day Gift Idea for Senior Couples: Screen the One You Love

Couples encouraged to examine each other for suspicious moles that could be skin cancer. Researchers estimate that 40 – 50% of people in the U.S. who live to age 65 will have nonmelanoma skin cancer at least once.

Feb. 2, 2009 – After 40 or 50 Valentine’s Days it gets a little tough to find something for your spouse that is unusual. Here is an idea for senior citizens from the American Academy of Dermatology that is certainly unique and could be a life-saver. “Screen the One You Love” for skin cancer they suggest, and they provide helpful tools to enhance your success. Read more...

Predicting Longevity of Kidneys Would be Boon for 65,000 Senior Citizens Awaiting Transplants

With a wait time over three years for transplant, even old kidneys are in demand - challenge is to determine a kidney's prospects prior to the operation

Jan. 27, 2009 – Researchers seeking a method to project the function of a kidney in the future say their work could be a boon to more than 82,000 people in the U.S. awaiting a kidney transplant. It is of particular importance to senior citizens, who make up 80 percent of the waiting list, since they are less likely than younger people to need a kidney with a long life, and may become eligible sooner for the older kidney. Read more...

Researchers Find Abundant Evidence of Statin Side Effects, Risk Higher for Senior Citizens

Statins' benefits have not been found to exceed their risks in those over 70 or 75 years old, even those with heart disease

Jan. 27, 2009 – A new review report has found 900 studies reporting on the adverse effects of taking statins – from the most common, muscle problems, to cognitive difficulties. The authors also report the risk of adverse effects goes up with age and the stronger the statin, the more likely the side effects. Read more...

GPS for the Body Sometimes Needed for a Moving Prostate During Radiation Therapy

Prostate can move during a treatment session and can make delivering radiation safely to the tumor a challenge

By Constantine A. Mantz, MD

Jan. 21, 2009 - Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for men after lung cancer. According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, prostate cancer is treatable and highly curable if the disease is detected early. Read more...

Senior Citizens with Generalized Anxiety Disorder Find Some Relief with Lexapro

Some benefits from the drug escitalopram diminished because seniors failed to take drug as prescribed

Jan. 20, 2009 – The drug escitalopram, marketed as Lexapro, appears to help senior citizens with the generalized anxiety disorder, one of the most common disorders in older people. The overall benefits were diminished, however, due to nonadherence to the drug by some of the senior patients, according to the report on the preliminary research. Read more...

New Imaging Technique Shows Bleeding in Damaged Heart Following a Heart Attack

Can help determine treatment required for those whose heart muscle bleeds following restored blood flow

Jan. 19, 2009 - Images that for the first time show bleeding inside the heart after people have suffered a heart attack have been captured by scientists, according to a new study published today in the journal Radiology. The research shows that the amount of bleeding can indicate how damaged a person's heart is after a heart attack and help determine the treatment required. Read more...

Link Between Blood Pressure and Outside Temperature for Seniors May Tie to Vitamin D

Researchers also urging close monitoring of elderly with hypertension during weather extremes; second study says thinking ability varies with blood pressure

Jan. 16, 2009 – The recent discovery that the blood pressure readings for senior citizens vary in reverse to the outside temperature – colder temperature equals higher blood pressure reading – may have something to do with the link between vitamin D and hypertension, according to a spokesman for European cardiologists. The French researchers also urge careful monitoring during extreme temperatures. Read more...

Too Many Needless Stent Implants Can Be Prevented by Better Blood Flow Studies

Researchers look at new diagnostic tool to measure blood flow in vessels to heart

Jan. 15, 2009 - Doctors may be implanting too many artery-opening stents and could avoid needless operations - and ultimately save lives - if they did more in-depth measurements of blood flow in the vessels to the heart. That’s the finding of a study, published Jan. 15 in the New England Journal of Medicine that evaluated the benefits of a new diagnostic tool to measure blood flow and determine whether stenting was the best option. Read more, video link...

When the Outside Temperature Goes Down, a Senior Citizen’s Blood Pressure Goes Up

Study finds differences over time were larger in participants age 80 and older

Jan. 12, 2009 – What seems strange, but appears to be true, is a correlation in senior citizens between the outside temperature and high blood pressure or hypertension. But, it works in reverse – when the outside temperature goes down the senior’s blood pressure goes up. Read more...

Meeting Cholesterol Level Guidelines Does Not Appear to Lower Heart Attack Risk

Three of four hospitalized with heart attack had good cholesterol levels indicating low risk; guidelines need revision?

Jan. 12, 2009 – A stunning 75 percent of patients hospitalized for a heart attack had cholesterol levels meeting national guidelines that indicated they were not at high risk for a cardiovascular event. Almost half had low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels classified as “optimal.” Read more...

Heart Attacks Appear to Decline Rapidly After Smoke-Free Policy Enacted in Colorado City

Eight other studies show making indoor workplaces and public places smoke-free results in sizable, rapid reductions in hospital admissions for heart attack

Dec. 31, 2008 - Heart attack hospitalizations in the city of Pueblo, Colorado fell sharply by more than 40 percent after the implementation of a municipal law making workplaces and public places smoke-free, and this decrease was sustained over a three-year period, according to a report in this week′s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Read more...

One Hour Additional Sleep Lowers Calcification in Coronary Arteries

New study looked at people under 50 but results will interest senior citizens

Dec. 29, 2008 – Although a new study involved only adults under 50 years of age, its finding that adding one more hour of sleep per night significantly lowers the risk of coronary artery calcification, which is thought to be a predictor of future heart disease, according to a study in the December 24/31 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Read more...

Drug Interaction Risk Increases as Medication Use by Senior Citizens Grows

Older adults are commonly using prescription and over-the-counter medications together

Seniors Using More Medications - video

Dec. 29, 2008 – It has long been well established that senior citizens are the leading pill poppers in the U.S. A new study, however, finds the dangers for adverse drug reactions is increasing as the use of prescription and over-the-counter medications, along with dietary supplements, is increasing rapidly among the oldest age groups. Read more...

Senior Citizens Can Expect New Diabetes Drugs to Not Increase Heart Attack Risk

FDA announces new recommendations on evaluating cardiovascular risk in drugs to treat type 2 diabetes

Dec. 17, 2008 – For senior citizens – the age group most threatened by diabetes and cardiovascular problems – the announcement today by the Food and Drug Administration was good news. The FDA says manufacturers developing new drugs and biologics to treat type 2 diabetes need to provide evidence that the therapy will not increase the risk of such cardiovascular events as a heart attack. Read more...

Coronary Heart Disease, Stroke Death Rates Take Significant 30 Percent Drop from 1999

Cholesterol down for older people, progress lags in fighting obesity, diabetes, physical inactivity

Dec. 17, 2008 – Death rates for coronary disease and stroke have dropped about 30 percent since 1999, although obesity, diabetes and physical inactivity are still growing risk factors, according to Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics – 2009 Update by the American Heart Association. A major risk that has been in the spotlight in recent years - total cholesterol levels – has declined for women 60 and older and men over 39. Read more...

Cancer Deaths, Cases Showing Big Rate Declines in US Despite Surge Worldwide

Annual report by leaders in cancer war shows historic declines but trends vary in areas of US

Dec. 11, 2008 – The bad news this week that cancer is increasing so rapidly around the world that it will pass heart disease as the number one killer, drew a lot more attention that a report published this month that was good news about the battle against cancer in the U.S. It shows the rates for both cancer deaths and cancer occurrences have decreased for the first time since the annual report began in ten years ago. Read more...

Actos, Avandia Increase Risk of Fractures in Women Treated for Diabetes

If used by elderly women with type 2 diabetes for one year, one additional fracture would occur among every 21 women

Dec. 10, 2008 – The use of thiazolidinediones, a popular class of oral diabetic drugs, for more than one year by women with type 2 diabetes significantly reduces bone density, resulting in the risk of fractures being doubled. The two currently available drugs in this class are rosiglitazone, marketed as AvandiaTM by GlaxoSmithKline, and pioglitazone, marketed as ActosTM by Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Read more...

Crisis Looms in Care for Cancer Survivors as Baby Boomers Fuel Ranks of Senior Citizens

Researchers point out issues to be faced by oncologists, geriatricians, care providers that provide post-treatment care to elderly cancer survivors

Dec. 10, 2008 – On the heels of yesterday’s projection that cancer will replace heart disease as the world’s number one killer by 2010, comes a report that the U.S. faces a crisis in being able to handle the rapid growth in cancer survivors that is expected among senior citizens. More than 6 or every 10 cancers are found in an American age 65 or older. Read more...

Cancer to Replace Heart Disease as Leading Killer in World by 2010, Says International Study

US cancer organizations unite to push action plan for Obama Administration

Number U.S. deaths 2005 for leading causes of death   ● Heart disease: 652,091   ● Cancer: 559,312 More in news report...

Dec. 9, 2008 – Cancer may soon replace heart disease as the leading cause of death in the world according to a report today from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). This news that cancer is projected to become the leading cause of death in the year 2010 has moved the nation's leading cancer organizations to join an event called Conquering Cancer: A Global Effort, to focus attention on the growing global cancer burden and discuss efforts needed to address the problem. Read more...

Two Studies Say Senior Citizens Can Take Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treatments

Chemotherapy and blood stem cell transplants okay for treating elderly with common leukemia

Dec. 9, 2008 – Although acute myeloid leukemia usually strikes when people are about age 65, these senior citizens have often been offered only supportive care because they are believed to be too weak to withstand treatment. Two studies presented yesterday say these elderly AML victims are not too old for chemotherapy or blood stem cell transplants. Read more...

Researchers Continue Search for Drug to Treat Seniors for Emerging Form of Heart Failure

Blood pressure drug AvaproTM fails against common problem for older people, particularly women - diastolic heart failure

Dec. 4, 2008 – A medication used for high blood pressure – AvaproTM - does not improve a common form of heart failure, diastolic heart failure, according to new results from a large, international study. The findings are disappointing, according to the researchers, who continue to search for a successful treatment for the condition, which predominantly affects older people, particularly women. Read more...

’80 Ain’t Old’ Makes Number Two in Top Ten Health Stories of 2008 by Harvard Health Letter

Others of high importance to senior citizens – advances with adult stem cells, generic drugs now the norm, how low for blood sugar in seniors

Dec. 4, 2008 - The top 10 health stories of 2008 may not be as funny as David Letterman's nightly countdown, but they can actually make a difference for long-term health. And, there is no age group that appreciates advances in health maintenance more than senior citizens – for the obvious reasons. Read more...

Small Study Indicates Stroke Rehabilitation Possible Six Months After Stroke

Robotic technology with aid of functional MRI improves stroke rehabilitation

Dec. 3, 2008 – Although the study was very small the results could point to something big – the rehabilitation of stroke victims even months after the stroke. Scientists using a novel, hand-operated robotic device and functional MRI (fMRI) have found that chronic stroke patients can be rehabilitated, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Read more...

JAMA Study Say Generic Drugs Match Brand-Names for Treating Cardiovascular Disease

Many senior citizens perplexed: scientific analysis favors generics, commentaries lean toward brand names

Dec. 2, 2008 – The surge of generic drugs to hit the market in the last few years and the plunge in prices led by Walmart has attracted many senior citizens to these prescription drugs. Yet, for many, there has been a nagging doubt of their potency – how could a drug that costs only $4 per month do the same thing as the one that was costing $80 a month. Read more...

Senior Women Risk More Breast Cancers, Death if Radiation Therapy Delayed

One in 5 older women with early breast cancer experience delayed or incomplete radiation treatment

Dec. 2, 2008 - A new analysis of the National Cancer Institute's cancer registry has found that as many as one in five older women – senior citizens age 65 or older - experience delayed or incomplete radiation treatment following breast-conserving surgery, and that this suboptimal care can lead to additional cancer and increased risk of death. Read more...

HDL Not Always the Good Cholesterol We Think Says University of Chicago Study

Researchers urge asking your doctor if your HDL is the good or bad kind – does it reduce inflammation

Dec. 1, 2008 – Most senior citizens have learned that a cholesterol reading with high HDL is “good,” while high LDL is “bad.” HDL is the good one; LDL is the bad one. A new study from the University of Chicago is now challenging what we have learned. These researchers say the good cholesterol, HDL, has varying degrees of quality and that poor quality HDL is actually bad for you. Read more...

Women with Implants See Better Results in Breast Cancer Treatment with Brachytherapy

Better cosmetic outcomes, avoid risk of the implant hardening compared to whole-breast radiation therapy

Dec. 1, 2008 - Women with early-stage breast cancer who have undergone breast augmentation may be treated successfully with a partial-breast radiation treatment called brachytherapy, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Read more...

Extra Medical Cost for People with Diabetes Hits $4,100 a Year, Reports New Study

Most of the increase attributed to the cost of diabetes-related complications, such as heart and kidney disease

Nov. 25, 2008 - People diagnosed with diabetes – a group dominated by senior citizens - spend over $4,100 more each year on medical costs than people who don't have diabetes, a gap that increases substantially each year following the initial diagnosis, according to a study published online today in the journal Diabetes Care. Read more...

Senior Citizens at Greater Risk of Heart Failure, Death Taking Avandia Than Actos for Diabetes

Rosiglitazone (Avandia) and pioglitazone (Actos) already carry black box warnings for seniors with heart trouble

Nov. 24, 2008 – Two ever popular drugs for senior citizens to use in treating diabetes are in the news again, but this time one stands alone as the culprit. The new study finds seniors taking rosiglitazone (Avandia) appear to have a higher risk of death and heart failure than those taking the related medication pioglitazone (Actos), according to a report in the November 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Read more...

Mammograms Leading to Treatment of Breast Cancers that May Have Disappeared Later

Study find women screened most often have the most cancer detections, regardless of age

Nov. 24, 2008 – Some breast cancers just disappear. At least that is the conclusion used to explain recent discoveries that women screened by mammography every six years had lower rates of breast cancer than those screened every two years. Some of the cancers detected by mammography may have spontaneously regressed had they not been discovered and treated in the Norwegian women. Read more...

Senior Citizens Should Consider More than Just Flu Immunization Say Medical Groups

Many adults are unaware of the potential risks of vaccine-preventable diseases, the need for booster doses, and availability of newer vaccines

Nov. 19, 2008 – The American College of Physicians (ACP) and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) have released a joint statement on the importance of adult vaccination against an increasing number of vaccine-preventable diseases. The statement, which makes five recommendations, has been endorsed by 17 other medical societies representing a range of practice areas. Read more...

New Compounds Kill Ovarian, Testicular, Head and Neck Cancer Cells with Less Toxicity

Platinum-phosphate compounds may be more efficient, more targeted, have fewer side effects

Nov. 19, 2008 - A new class of compounds called phosphaplatins can effectively kill ovarian, testicular, head and neck cancer cells with potentially less toxicity than conventional drugs, according to a new study published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.