Geriatrics
News, opinions and meeting coverage in geriatrics.
Feeding By Tube Is Common with Tracheotomy
CLEVELAND-Patients who require a tracheotomy to help them breathe often have trouble swallowing, which cuts their caloric intake. The solution, say experts, is to supplement regular meals with feeding by a nasogastric tube, which is what doctors treating Pope John Paul II have decided to do.
Mar 30, 2005
ACC: LDL Cholesterol of Less than 80 mg/dL Reduces Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke
ORLANDO-Cardiologists report that aggressive cholesterol-lowering to new super low target levels of LDL is associated with a 22% reduction in risk of heart attack, stroke, cardiac arrest and death from heart disease for patients with stable coronary disease. The reduction to a mean of 77 mg/dL compared with standard cholesterol-lowering therapy that aims to reduce LDL to about 100 mg/dL. In addition, stroke risk was reduced by 25% compared with risk in patients treated to the recommended target of 100 mg/dL.
Mar 08, 2005
Licorice Compound May Fight Latent Herpes Infection
A compound found in licorice, glycyrrhizic acid (GA), induces apoptosis in cells latently infected with Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpes virus and may one day form the basis of a treatment for latent herpes infection, according to a report in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Mar 01, 2005
For How Long is the Hepatitis B Vaccine Effective?
A study of native Alaskans published in the Annals of Internal Medicine determined that vaccine-conferred immunity to hepatitis B virus persists on average about fifteen years after vaccination. The study has implications for determining effectiveness and duration of vaccine protection and possible need for booster shots.
Mar 01, 2005
St. John's Wort Better than SSRI for Moderate to Severe Depression
A study published in The British Medical Journal found that a herbal extract of St. John's wort was at least as effective as Paxil(R) (paroxetine) and had fewer side effects in patients with moderate to severe depression.
Feb 11, 2005
Provigil (modafinil) Counteracts SSRI Side Effects
Provigil ® (modafinil) not only counteracted the excessive fatigue and somnolence experienced by some patients on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), but also improved mood and quality of life in this patient group, according to a preliminary study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.
Oct 23, 2004