In the journals: Quit smoking and live longer
Women who quit smoking can dramatically increase their life span, according to a study of more than one million women conducted in Britain.
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Month: January 2013
Do you need to see your gynecologist every year?
New Pap test guidelines have prompted some health experts to question the value of annual gynecological exams.
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Ask the doctors: Can I stop taking antiplatelet drugs to have my hip replaced?
For people with stents who need elective surgery, it’s safest to take antiplatelet therapy for six to 12 months before stopping it in order to have an operation.
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Sex and your heart
Research finds that 60% of women are less sexually active after a heart attack, often because they’re afraid sex will trigger another attack. Cardiac rehabilitation can help women with heart disease safely have sex again.
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Heart Beat: Aspirin may prevent blood clots in the legs from recurring
Blood clots in the legs are treated with several months of warfarin (Coumadin). After this period, low-dose aspirin may be a reasonable alternative to long-term use of warfarin for preventing another blood clot.
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New approach to fighting heart disease
When lowering traditional risk factors fails to prevent a heart attack or stroke, targeting inflammation may help. Two clinical trials are beginning to test whether anti-inflammatory drugs can provide additional protection.
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Ask the doctor: Why quit smoking at an older age?
Even if you’ve smoked for many years, quitting smoking at any age will reduce your risk of the many diseases caused by smoking, and it will lengthen your life.
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Ask the doctor: Do I need to worry about high triglycerides if I have normal cholesterol?
Even when cholesterol levels are normal, high triglycerides increase the risk of developing heart disease, especially in postmenopausal women
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Reduce your stroke risk
It’s important to get obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) diagnosed and under control. A person with untreated OSA has an increased risk of having a stroke, a fatal stroke, and a second stroke compared to those without sleep apnea.
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Bad backs: Are you happy with your treatment?
A new tool called a decision aid can help make sure people with a herniated disc understand all aspects of treatment. The tool is a questionnaire with multiple-choice questions. A doctor can then take the results and address any knowledge gaps.
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