Month: February 2008

It’s not clear whether gingko biloba can protect against memory loss, a study has concluded. The study included 118 men and women age 85 or older. All had normal memory function. They were randomly assigned to take either gingko biloba or a placebo (fake pill) daily. Within three years, 21 people developed mild memory problems. Of these, 14 took the placebo and 7 took gingko. Researchers said this trend could have been the result of chance. Then they looked at people who actually took their pills regularly. Those who took gingko had a 70% lower risk of memory problems. HealthDay News wrote about the study February 28. It was in the journal Neurology.

People don’t get much better with popular drugs for depression than they do with a placebo, says a new study. The drugs are only effective for those with the most severe depression, the researchers found. The study looked at data from 35 studies. Some had never been published. The drugs included Prozac, Effexor, Serzone and Paxil. Serzone is not sold in the United States. The authors said these drugs should be prescribed only for severe depression. Reuters Health news service wrote about the study February 26. It was published in the journal Public Library of Science Medicine.

People often get other drugs to fight the side effects of cancer drugs. But the other drugs can increase the risk of blood clots and death, a study finds. The study combined results of 51 earlier studies. They included more than 13,000 people with cancer. Some took erythropoiesis-stimulating agents to fight anemia. They had a 57% greater risk of venous thromboembolism. This is a type of blood clot. They had a 10% higher risk of death. HealthDay News wrote about the study February 26. It was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Doctors believe that gene information may someday improve treatments. But some people are afraid to get genetic tests, the New York Times reported February 24. They are afraid that the results might be used against them by insurance companies. There is little evidence that this has occurred, the Times said. A bill in Congress would forbid companies to deny coverage or raise rates based on a person’s genes. The House passed the bill last year. It is awaiting action in the Senate.

Kids could drink fewer sugary sodas if they cut back on salt, a study suggests. The study used diet survey data for 1,688 children, ages 4 to 18. Kids who ate more salt also drank more fluids. Researchers estimated that if kids used half as much salt, they would drink 18 ounces less of sweetened soda every day. The Associated Press wrote about the study February 21. It was published in the journal Hypertension.

The stroke rate among middle-aged U.S. women tripled in 10 years, surveys show. Researchers blame the increase on obesity. The first survey occurred from 1988 to 1994. Just over one-half of 1% of women ages 35 to 54 reported strokes in that time. The most recent survey was from 1999 to 2004. Nearly 2% of women in that age group reported strokes. The average waist size was about two inches larger in the second survey. Their average body mass index rose from 27 to 29. Both measures show a rise in obesity. The Associated Press reported on the study February 21. It was presented at a medical conference.

If your heart stops in the hospital, you’re more likely to die if it happens late at night, a study has found. The study looked at more than 86,000 cardiac arrests in U.S. hospitals. About 20% of those who had a cardiac arrest on the day or evening shift survived and left the hospital. For the night shift, 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., survival was only 15%. Hospitals have lower staffing at night. On the night shift, patients were more likely to be found too late to restart the heart with an electric shock. The Associated Press wrote about the study February 20. It was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Cancers often are found at later stages in people with no health insurance, researchers report. The study was based on data from 3.7 million U.S. cancer cases. All were diagnosed between 1998 and 2004. Cancers were two to three times as likely to be found late in people with no insurance. The same was true for people on Medicaid. Overall, people with private insurance were diagnosed earlier. Cancer usually is easier to cure in early stages. The Associated Press wrote about the study February 18. It was published in the journal Lancet Oncology.

Older men may safely delay or avoid treatment for early-stage prostate cancer, a study concludes. Researchers looked at data on 9,018 U.S. men who decided not to get treatment. Half of the men were over 75. About 1 out of 10 died of prostate cancer within 10 years. Most prostate tumors grow slowly. The treatments often can cause bladder and sexual problems. In the study, about 3 out of 10 men eventually got treatment. But they delayed for an average of 11 years. The Associated Press wrote about the study February 15.