Opioid painkillers: Take the strong stuff only when you need it
Opioid painkillers like hydrocodone and oxycodone offer relief from pain, but the body gets used to them, requiring ever-higher doses.
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Month: March 2015
When are opioids safe to take?
Opioids can be safe for severe, acute pain following surgery or injury. They should be used carefully in the treatment of chronic pain.
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Ask the doctor: Which bone density test should I have?
My doctor has recommended a bone density screening, but the medical center with the full-body scanner is a 45-minute drive from my house. A health fair at a neighborhood church offers a bone density test using a foot scanner. Would that be as accurate?
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Heart attack risk rises after a bout of pneumonia
Older people hospitalized for pneumonia face four times their usual risk of a heart attack or stroke or dying of heart disease in the month following the illness. The elevated risk declines over time.
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One in 10 men may be taking aspirin unnecessarily
A study found that one in 10 people who take protective aspirin may not really qualify, because the risk of heart attacks and strokes wasn’t great enough to justify the risk of unwanted bleeding associated with aspirin.
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New concerns about anticholinergic medications
Anticholinergic use among older adults for three or more years is linked to an increased risk for developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
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Ask the doctor: Which supplements do I need?
There seems to be agreement that supplements are worthless in supporting good health. I?ve been taking a multivitamin for older women for many years. I also take a calcium supplement since I am lactose intolerant. Should I discontinue the multivitamin, the calcium, or both?
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Smartphone apps for blood pressure: A clever choice?
Smartphone applications (apps) that track and create charts of blood pressure readings over time may help people to better control their condition. But apps that use the phone itself as a blood pressure-measuring device may not be accurate.
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Whole grains associated with longevity, say Harvard researchers
It appears that people who regularly eat whole grains have a lower overall death rate and a lower death rate from heart disease than people who don’t eat whole grains regularly.
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How to be a savvy hospital shopper
To find the best hospital, ask a doctor for a recommendation. Other ways to identify a quality hospital include checking national hospital rankings and browsing hospital websites.
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