People who care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease may get sick from the stress, a study suggests. The study included 153 people with Alzheimer’s and their family caregivers. The caregivers’ average age was 61. In the 6 months before the study, 1 out of 4 caregivers ended up in a hospital. Some just went to an emergency room. Others were admitted. Depressed people were more likely to go to a hospital. So were those who took care of someone with behavior problems or poor function. The study was in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. HealthDay News wrote about it November 20.
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Parents’ rules can help protect teen drivers, two new studies find. Both were based on a survey of more than 2,000 teen drivers. The first study looked at parenting style and rules. Teens who said their parents set clear rules and kept track of where they were going had half as many crashes as other teens. They also had better driving habits. The second study found that 70% of teen drivers had “primary access” to a car. The car was theirs or they did not have to ask for the keys. About 25% of these teens had been in crashes. This compares with 10% of teens who had to ask for the car keys. Numbers were adjusted to account for the amount of time spent driving. The journal Pediatrics published both studies. The Associated Press and USA Today wrote about them September 25.
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Researchers and automakers are working to improve safety measures for pregnant women. Every year, hundreds of fetuses die in auto accidents. And more pregnant women die in accidents than from complications of childbirth. Not all are wearing seatbelts, and some don’t wear them properly. The Associated Press wrote about the topic December 25.
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My cholesterol is too high. My doctor wants me to take a statin, but I’d rather use a natural remedy. I saw an ad for red yeast rice that says that it’s as effective as the statins, and I can get it without a prescription- -but should I?
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Some men use growth hormone as an anti-aging treatment, even though it is illegal to market it for this purpose. Studies of test subjects who took growth hormone found a high incidence of side effects such as joint pain and carpal tunnel syndrome.
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Mammography has been an essential tool in the early detection and treatment of breast cancer for decades. New imaging technologies such as MRI and ultrasound are augmenting diagnosis.
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I’ve been trying to lose weight for a long time and nothing seems to work. What do you know about the HCG diet?
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After decades of steady progress, the decline in the rate of death from coronary artery disease and stroke has slowed.
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Patellofemoral (kneecap) pain can be caused by stress from overuse, tendinitis, misalignment, arthritis, or injury. Strengthening the surrounding muscles, especially the quadriceps, is the best way to ease or prevent kneecap pain.
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