Dementia Risk Tied to Sedentary Lifestyle
People 60 and older who spent more time being sedentary — passively watching TV, for example — had a higher risk of incident all-cause dementia, prospective data suggested. The study followed about 50,000 U.K. Biobank participants living in England, Scotland, or Wales for nearly 7 years. Participants wore a wrist accelerometer for a week to […]
What Are Clinician Groups Doing About Climate Change?
With climate change being such a big story in the news this past week, it was a good time to check in with Lisa Patel, MD, MESc, who became the new executive director of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health in January. MedPage Today (MPT) Washington Editor Joyce Frieden spoke with Patel about […]
Breast Cancer Overdiagnosis Risk May Be Substantial for Older Women
Older women screened for breast cancer were at a considerable risk of being overdiagnosed, according to a large retrospective cohort study. Researchers found that an estimated 31% of breast cancers among screened women from the ages of 70 and 74 were potentially overdiagnosed, reported Ilana Richman, MD, MHS, of the Yale School of Medicine in […]
Older Men Still Overscreened for Prostate Cancer, Survey Says
Older men are being overscreened for prostate cancer, despite U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) guidelines against prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing in men ages 70 and up, a survey study showed. Among a cohort of over 30,000 men, recent PSA screening rates were 55.3% for men ages 70 to 74, 52.1% for those ages 75 […]
Bruce Willis’ Frontotemporal Dementia
Last year, actor Bruce Willis retired from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia. A recent update from his family revealed that Willis’ condition has progressed and he’s now been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD). “FTD is a cruel disease that many of us have never heard of and can strike anyone,” the statement noted. “For […]
Better Cognition Even With Small Amounts of Physical Activity
Being and remaining physically active throughout adulthood was linked with higher cognition at age 69, a longitudinal cohort study showed. Effect sizes were similar across all adult ages, suggesting that being physically active at any time in adulthood — even as little as once a month — was tied to higher cognition, reported Sarah-Naomi James, […]
Opinion | Get Your Own Doctor, Mom!
Let me tell you that being a doctor in the family can be a tricky business! On the one hand, you’re the go-to person for all things medical, so you’re never short on people to talk to at family gatherings. On the other hand, you’re also the go-to person for all things medical, so you’re […]
Opinion | Ridden With Shame as a ‘Gray Area’ Drinker
November 1 marked a year since the last time I had alcohol. Being sober for a year after an adulthood where alcohol played a major role has been an interesting journey. Alcohol was always an integral part of my adult life. Family events always revolved around alcohol. For me, it was how I unwound. I […]
High Court Considers Case Involving Medicaid Recipients’ Right to Sue the Program
WASHINGTON — A Medicaid case now being considered by the Supreme Court has the potential to erode the authority of the program, but one legal observer said that doesn’t appear to be the most likely outcome, based on oral arguments earlier this week. “It seemed like the justices understood” the implications of ruling for the […]
Mixed Results With Alerts for AKI-Related Medications in Hospital
While medication-targeted acute kidney injury (AKI) alerts led to certain kidney-affecting medications being stopped, the overall clinical impact was limited, a researcher reported. The open-label, randomized trial included over 5,000 patients hospitalized for AKI with an active order for one of the medication of interest (MOIs) classes that were selected as being possibly nephrotoxic — […]