When I donated blood recently, I had to state whether I had had an endoscopic exam in the last 6 months. Is a colonoscopy an endoscopic exam? If so, how should I take that into consideration when scheduling future blood donations?
The higher risk of strokes and blood clots for women who take estrogen after menopause appears to fade after they quit taking it, a study finds. The new study is a follow-up to the landmark Women’s Health Initiative study. Part of that study compared women taking estrogen to those taking a placebo. It was halted in 2004 after stroke risks were seen in the estrogen group. The new study looked at long-term results for 10,739 women. On average, they took estrogen for about 6 years. About 4 years after they stopped, their higher risk of strokes and blood clots had disappeared. Results were best for women who started taking estrogen in their 50s. The study strengthens doctors’ current advice to women with menopause symptoms. Most recommend taking hormones in the smallest effective dose for the shortest possible time.
A non-surgical procedure repairs a serious heart valve problem as well as surgery does for high-risk patients, a study has found. Both procedures are done for aortic stenosis. This is a stiffening of the heart’s aortic valve, which strains the heart. It can lead to severe symptoms and disability. The new procedure uses a thin tube called a catheter to push a new artificial valve through an artery to the heart. A balloon props open the old valve while the new one is inserted. The study included nearly 700 people. They were well enough for surgery but had a high risk of problems with it. They were randomly divided into two groups. One group got surgery. The other got the new procedure. After one year, about 27% of the surgery patients and 24% of those who got the new procedure had died. About 8% of those in the non-surgery group had strokes and other neurological problems.
Arizona’s Medicaid program may start charging fees to smokers and to diabetics who don’t lose weight. The proposal comes from the state’s Health Care Cost Containment system. Smokers on Medicaid would be charged $50 a year. The same fee would apply to people with diabetes who don’t follow their doctors’ orders to lose weight. There’s a dual purpose, officials said. It would bring revenue into the state’s cash-strapped Medicaid program. And it could encourage people to take better care of themselves. The state will ask the federal government to approve these two proposals and others that are aimed at cutting costs. The New York Times and the Associated Press wrote about the proposals April 1.
I was diagnosed with osteopenia and osteoporosis four years ago. I started taking Actonel. In the spring of 2010, I saw a news report that said these drugs are suspected of increasing the risk of fractures in the femur. My doctor recommends going to an annual infusion of Reclast. What is your opinion of the safety of all these drugs?
Diet plus exercise help obese older adults more than either one alone, a new study finds. Though that may seem like conventional wisdom, some doctors would disagree, the author told HealthDay News. Some worry that diet changes and exercise may reduce bone and muscle and make older adults more frail. But the study found the opposite was true. The study included 93 obese adults. All were older than age 65. They were randomly divided into four groups. One group did supervised exercise 3 times a week. It included aerobic exercise, weight training and stretching. Another group was given a reduced-calorie diet and support from a dietician. The third group did both things â exercise and diet changes. The fourth group received general advice on diet. The study lasted a year. People who dieted and exercised had the best results. They lost 9% of their weight on average.