In the journals: Berries might lower heart risks
Eating strawberries, blueberries, and other berries three times a week might lower a woman’s risk of a heart attack.
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Month: March 2013
In the journals: Walking lowers stroke risks in women
Walking for more than three-and-a-half hours per week is associated with a lower risk of stroke in women.
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Advice on using painkillers safely
To minimize the risk of heart attack, people with heart disease who need a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for pain relief should start with the lowest dose of the least risky NSAID (naproxen) for the shortest period of time possible.
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News briefs: New thinking on migraine triggers
Suspected triggers for migraine with aura may not be as strong as some people think. Research suggests that a person who experiences migraines with aura can cross a trigger off the list if exposure to it for three months doesn’t cause a problem.
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Heart beat: An egg a day may be A-okay
In people without diabetes, an egg a day does not increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. In all people, eating eggs lowers the risk of hemorrhagic stroke.
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News briefs: Sugary beverages raise diabetes risk; coffee and tea don’t
Sugar-sweetened beverages, whether caffeinated or decaffeinated, appear to be associated with higher risks of developing type 2 diabetes in both men and women. Coffee and tea appear to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
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Cardiac exercise stress testing: What it can and cannot tell you
Experts do not recommend routine cardiac stress testing in otherwise healthy people to check for hidden heart problems. But the procedure is useful for diagnosing chest pain, unexplained fatigue, and other possible signs of heart disease.
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Ask the doctor: What to take for shingles pain
People who have shingles can take famciclovir and valacyclovir to kill the virus and alleviate pain. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and acetaminophen may also be added. The use of glucocorticoid medicines for pain is debated.
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Learn how to sleep again
With aging, many people wake during the night and have trouble falling asleep again. It’s important to adopt good sleep habits before considering sleeping pills for persistent insomnia. Counseling called cognitive behavioral therapy can also help.
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In the journals: When a depression drug fails, add talk therapy
When a new depression medication medicine doesn’t lessen symptoms early in treatment, adding a form of psychological counseling called cognitive behavioral therapy can help.
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