The commonly used bone-strengthening drugs called bisphosphonates may provide the same level of benefit for men as they do for women. It appears the drug zoledronic acid (Reclast) significantly reduced spinal fractures in men with osteoporosis.
Prostate cancer screening should not be offered routinely to all men. For some men, the resulting treatment-which can produce side effects-is worse than the disease.
High-tech imaging tests that use computed tomography (CT) scans to determine heart health may play a valuable role in patients who are at intermediate risk. If the imaging test results are abnormal, that can push a person into a high-risk group.
Fiber can help reduce risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. To fit more fiber into the daily diet, experts advise eating whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and eliminating prepackaged and processed food.
Actinic keratoses look minor, but they can progress to skin cancer. Treatment involves freezing, scraping, chemical peels, medicated creams, or photodynamic therapy. Treatment is almost always successful.
Two new Alzheimer’s treatments offer hope. One is the drug PBT2, which prevents brain metals from driving production of plaques and tangles. The other is Neuro AD, a therapy combining electromagnetic brain stimulation with cognitive training.
Multivitamins may reduce the risk of cancer in men by 8%. The benefits of multivitamin supplements may mirror those found in vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables, which also have been associated with lower cancer rates in previous studies.