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Older patients who ate at least three servings of fish a week had a 26% reduced risk of silent stroke, according to researchers from the University of Kuopio, Finland. In addition, those who ate the most fish had 10.6% better white matter grade scores compared with those who ate the least.
via MedPage Today, Aug 5, 2008
Being married to a smoker increased stroke risk by 42% in nonsmokers and by 72% in former smokers according to a recent study from Harvard and Columbia.
via American Journal of Preventive Medicine, July 2008
Learn more about:
-Smoking and how to stop
-Stroke
Blood pressure drugs, called angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), appear to be helpful in the incidence and progression of dementia, according to researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine. In a recent study, patients taking ARBs were 35 percent to 40 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia than people who didn’t take the drugs.
Also, for those who already have dementia, use of ARBs might delay further deterioration of brain function and help keep patients out of nursing homes. In the study, people with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia who took ARBs were up to 45 percent less likely to develop delirium, to be admitted to nursing homes, or to die.
The researchers speculated that ARBs may be beneficial because they may actually help prevent nerve cell injury from blood vessel damage or help promote nerve recovery after blood vessel damage.
ARBs are available only by prescription and include Atacand, Avapro, Benicar, Cozaar, Diovan, Micardis, and Teveten. ARBs are also included in combination drugs with a diuretic, such as Atacand HCT, Avalide, Benicar HCT, Diovan HCT, Hyzaar, Micardis HCT, and Teveten HCT.
via Boston University School of Medicine, news release, July 27, 2008
Vitamin D is gaining increasing attention for its role in maintaining good health and preventing disease. But despite its benefits, many adults and children still do not receive adequate vitamin D.
New research has shed increasing light on the many benefits of Vitamin D and also revealed widespread deficiencies in both adults and children across the country. This has prompted a surge in the number of general practitioners and pediatricians who are now routinely screening for adequate blood levels of Vitamin D and recommending Vitamin D supplementation.
Vitamin D has many important roles in promoting good health in that it helps calcium build strong bones, helps regulate the immune system and the neuromuscular system, and also plays a major role in the life cycle of human cells. Many recent studies have found that low Vitamin D levels are linked with many serious, chronic diseases, such as diabetes, gum disease, multiple sclerosis, peripheral neuropathy, osteoporosis, and possibly cancer, stroke, and heart disease.
The new National Osteoporosis Foundation guidelines for adults 50 years and older is 800–1,000 IU of vitamin D3/day (along with 1,200 mg of calcium/day). Currently, the recommended daily intake of Vitamin D in adults ages 51-70 is only 400 IUs (with 200 IUs or less for younger ages)*, which, according to the researchers, leaves circulating blood levels of the the vitamin too low to have a positive effect on certain disease prevention. *The National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine (IOM) has set the Upper Limits (UL) for vitamin D at 1,000 IU for infants up to 12 months of age and 2,000 IU for children, adults, pregnant, and lactating women.
Talk to your health care provider about about checking a blood test for Vitamin D levels.
via Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, June 2008
via Vitamin D Deficiency Common in Infants and Toddlers from MedPage Today,
Vitamin D, from Bay Area Medical Information, www.bami.us
In a recent large study of people whose average age was 62, routine brain scans detected that one in ten had previously suffered a stroke without ever knowing it.
Silent strokes are caused by a blood clot that interrupts blood flow to the brain and have been associated with an increased risk of further stroke as well as memory loss and cognitive impairment.
Protect your brain and minimize your risk factors for stroke. Learn what you need to know about Stroke from Bay Area Medical Information.via Stroke, Dr. Sudha Seshadri of Boston University School of Medicine, June 2008
The FDA has identified an increased risk of suicidal thoughts in those taking drugs for the treatment of epilepsy. In their recent analysis of eleven different drugs used to treat epilepsy and other conditions such as nerve pain, migraine headaches, bipolar disorder, and other conditions, patients receiving antiepileptic drugs had approximately twice the risk of suicidal behavior or ideation compared to patients receiving placebo. The results were generally consistent among the following eleven drugs:
The FDA issued the following alert for patients, family members, and caregivers of patients on drugs in this list or any other drug in this category:
via FDA, Feb 5, 2008
In a news alert by Reuters today, “Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy, the brother of assassinated President John F. Kennedy and the elder statesman of American liberal politics, has a malignant brain tumor, his doctors said on Tuesday.
Kennedy, 76, who has been hospitalized in Boston since he had a seizure on Saturday, will likely need chemotherapy and radiation therapy to treat the glioma, a type of tumor that usually kills within three years.”
via Reuters May 20, 2008
In a recent study by Mayo Clinic researchers, a majority of highly educated and medically sophisticated patients were largely unaware they were having an acute ischemic stroke and urgently needed immediate medical care. The Mayo researchers wanted to understand why stroke patients were showing up in the emergency room too late to receive treatment that could lessen the consequences of an acute ischemic stroke.
If you have symptoms of a stroke, it is a medical emergency. Brain tissue dies quickly when deprived of oxygen. Early treatment can minimize brain damage and potential disability or even mean the difference between life and death. “Every minute you wait, hoping your symptoms will go away, you lose almost 2 million brain cells. Don’t try to tough it out, and don’t waste time trying to get in touch with your primary physician or neurologist. You need emergency help,” said Jeffrey L. Saver, M.D., professor of neurology at the University of California, in an article by MedPage Today.
Everyone should know the warning signs of stroke: sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body; sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding; sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes; sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination; and sudden, severe headache with no known cause.
via MedPage Today, October 2006
Folklore has long described changes in human behavior such as increased seizure activity, increased incidence of childbirth, and exacerbated psychiatric disturbances associated with the lunar phase of the month. Although previous studies investigating this potential association have yielded conflicting results, a study of 859 people with epilepsy did in fact show a significant relationship between increased seizure activity during full-moon days. In this study, 34.2 percent of seizures occurred on full-moon days versus 21.4 percent of seizures occurred on days in which there was a new moon.
via Neurology, 2006
Stroke may impair memory without necessarily causing dementia or any other cognitive impairment, according to a report from Columbia University researchers. Findings from a study of 1300 people, just over 76 years of age, suggest that stroke increases the risk of cognitive decline. The researchers speculated that stroke may cause memory problems by damaging or destroying certain areas of the brain or by triggering the deposit of materials that form brain plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
If you have symptoms of a stroke, it is a medical emergency. Brain tissue dies quickly when deprived of oxygen. Early treatment can minimize brain damage and potential disability or even mean the difference between life and death. Learn the symptoms of stroke from Bay Area Medical Information
via Archives of Neurology, April 2006
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