Beetroot juice improves endurance and blood pressure in elderly
Scientists found that a daily dose of beetroot juice significantly improved exercise endurance and blood pressure in elderly patients with heart failure with preserved ejection
Quality of life
Dietary cocoa flavanols reverse age related memory decline
Dietary flavanols reverse age-related memory decline — Findings strengthen link between specific brain region and normal memory decline – Dietary cocoa flavanols—naturally occurring bioactives found in cocoa—reversed age-related memory decline in healthy older adults, revealed by researchers in Nature Neuroscience.
Yoga improves quality of life in breast cancer women
Yoga regulates stress hormones and improves quality of life for women with breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy – For women with breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy, yoga offers unique benefits beyond fighting fatigue. Researchers found that yoga exercises counteracted fatigue and improved ability to engage in their daily activities, better general health and better regulation of cortisol (stress hormone).
Bevacizumab offers no benefit for glioblastoma
Bevacizumab offers no benefit for newly diagnosed glioblastoma, MD Anderson-led study finds – Avastin – bevacizumab failed to increase overall survival (OS) or statistically significant progression-free survival (PFS) for glioblastoma patients in the frontline setting.
Mitral valve replacement may be more effective than mitral valve repair
Study may impact guidelines for mitral valve surgery for severe ischemic mitral regurgitation — New findings showing mitral valve replacement may be more effective than mitral valve repair reported at AHA Scientific Sessions 2013 and in New England Journal of Medicine – The Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network (CTSN), whose Data and Clinical Coordinating Center is at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, is reporting for the first time evidence on whether or not there is any significant difference between the two current surgical approaches to treat patients with severe ischemic mitral regurgitation — mitral valve repair and mitral valve replacement.
Pazopanib better than sunitinib in advanced kidney cancer
Pazopanib shows better quality-of-life in advanced kidney cancer – Two oral targeted drugs — Pazopanib (Votrient) and sunitinib (Sutent) — approved for metastatic kidney cancer worked equally well, but one proved superior in tolerability, the safety profile and many measures of quality of life favored pazopanib.
Prostate cancer – active surveillance and watchful waiting better
Observation is safe, cost-saving in low-risk prostate cancer — Study suggests low-risk patients can forego immediate treatment – Many men with low-risk, localized prostate cancers can safely choose active surveillance or “watchful waiting” instead of undergoing immediate treatment and have better quality of life while reducing health care costs, according to a study by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital.
Tonsil surgery improves behaviors in children with sleep apnea
Tonsil surgery improves some behaviors in children with sleep apnea syndrome — NIH-funded clinical study may help inform decisions about this common surgical procedure – Children with sleep apnea syndrome who have their tonsils and adenoids removed sleep better, are less restless and impulsive, and report a generally better quality of life.
Fun friends social relationships influence quality of life in breast cancer patients
Fun and friends help ease the pain of breast cancer — Kaiser Permanente study among the first to examine how social relationships influence quality of life in breast cancer patients – Breast cancer patients who say they have people with whom they have a good time, or have “positive social interactions” with, are better able to deal with pain and other physical symptoms. This study provides research-based evidence that social support helps with physical symptoms.
Affordable Care Act highlighted by Kathleen Sebelius on National Public Health Week
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Statement on National Public Health Week – As US celebrate the start of National Public Health Week, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius emphasised the benefits of the Affordable Care Act to advance the public’s health, which started 3 years ago in America under the leadership of US president Barack Obama.