When a medication receives negative press, asking whether the drug caused the side effect, how many people it affected, and whether the side effect was worse than the disease the drug treats can help you weigh the drug’s benefits against its risks.
Almost half of older U.S. teens text while driving, a new survey shows. And those who text while driving are also more likely to do other dangerous things. Researchers used results from a national survey on youth behavior. They focused on answers given by 8,500 teens who were age 16 or older. Nearly 45% said they had texted or e-mailed while driving during the last 30 days. They were 5 times as likely to drive after drinking alcohol as teens who didn’t text while driving. About 25% of the teens texted while driving every day. Teens in this group were 40% less likely to wear seat belts than teens who just texted while driving once or twice in the last month. Older students and males were the most likely to text while driving. The journal Pediatrics published the study online. USA Today and HealthDay News wrote about it April 13.
About 13% of Americans age 60 and older say they are confused more often and having more problems with thinking and memory, a survey finds. One-third of this group said their confusion or memory issues have caused problems for them. They may have had problems with their social life, work, chores or other activities. Only one-third had talked to their doctors about these problems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did the survey in 2011. It was the first survey of its type among older U.S. adults. Nearly 60,000 people in 21 states answered the questions. The results show that it’s important to look for early signs of dementia, experts told HealthDay News. Signs may include asking the same questions over and over, getting lost in familiar places or not being able to follow directions. People also may become more confused about time, people and places.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who has endured both jokes and doubts about his political future because of obesity, says that he has had weight-loss surgery. Christie told the New York Post that he had a gastric banding procedure February 16. This surgery involves placing an adjustable band around the stomach to make it smaller. It makes people feel full faster. This and related procedures are the favored option for very obese people who have not lost weight in other ways. Christie, 50, did not announce that he had the procedure. He answered questions raised by the newspaper. Some commentators have said that health concerns could limit Christie’s political future. He has been mentioned often as a potential Republican candidate for president. But Christie told the Post that he got the procedure for the sake of his family, not politics. Christie has never revealed his weight.
Fish oil pills don’t reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in people at high risk of heart disease, a new study suggests. Earlier studies concluded that eating fatty fish, such as salmon and tuna, could lower risk in people with heart failure or a previous heart attack. The new study focused on about 12,500 people who never had a heart attack or stroke. But they had high blood pressure, a family history of heart disease or several other factors that increased their risk. They already were taking medicines to address those risks. People were randomly divided into 2 groups. One group took a daily capsule containing omega-3 fatty acids found in fish. The other group took placebo pills that contained olive oil. In the next 5 years, about 12% of each group died or spent time in a hospital because of a heart attack, stroke or other heart-related problem.