Cardiac Arrests Affect Survivors’ Mental Health

Cardiac Arrests Affect Survivors’ Mental Health

Every year, about 350,000 people in Europe have a cardiac arrest. This is when the heart suddenly stops working. Less than 20% of people who have a cardiac arrest outside the hospital survive. A study from Amsterdam UMC found that women who survive are more likely to have anxiety and depression. Both men and women also face more economic problems as they get older. This means we need to give more help to people who have had a cardiac arrest. The results were published today in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality & Outcomes.

Nytol, Benadryl, Ditropan and Piriton raising dementia risk

Dementia ‘linked’ to common over-the-counter drugs — Hayfever drugs raise risk of Alzheimer’s disease, say scientists – Over-the counter hayfever tables, sleeping pills or asthma drugs significantly raise the risk of developing dementia, a study has shown.

Paradoxical effect of certain antidepressants discovered

Why some antidepressants may initially worsen symptoms – New research helps explain a paradoxical effect of certain antidepressants–that they may actually worsen symptoms before helping patients feel better. These findings may help investigators fix the problem as well as create new classes of drugs to treat depression.

CBT helps depressive patients on antidepressants

Talking therapy cuts depression — Cognitive behavioral therapy may help when antidepressants don’t – Depression is predicted to become the leading cause of disability in high income countries by 2030, and currently only a third of patients with depression respond fully to antidepressant medication.

Illegal Internet pharmacies – FDA acts

FDA takes action against thousands of illegal Internet pharmacies — Agency participates in international Operation Pangea V to protect consumers from potentially dangerous, unapproved drugs – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in partnership with international regulatory and law enforcement agencies, took action this week against more than 4,100 Internet pharmacies that illegally sell potentially dangerous, unapproved drugs to consumers. Actions taken include civil and criminal charges, seizure of illegal products, and removal of offending websites.

Antidepressant may prevent heart failure

Popular antidepressant might prevent heart failure – A medication usually used to help treat depression and anxiety disorders has the potential to help prevent heart failure. John Tesmer, research professor at the U-M Life Sciences Institute and professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the U-M Medical School, and his research team at the Tesmer lab found that paroxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) sold under the name Paxil, inhibits G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2), a protein kinase that becomes over-expressed when people have heart failure.

Two genes TPH1 and TPH2 more likely to develop PTSD symptoms

PTSD genes identified by UCLA study — Findings could lead to new screenings, targeted therapies — Two genes TPH1 and TPH2 more likely to develop PTSD symptoms – Why do some persons succumb to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) while others who suffered the same ordeal do not? UCLA scientists have linked two genes involved in serotonin production to a higher risk of developing PTSD.

Depression linked to eating fast food

The link between fast food and depression has been confirmed – Eating commercial baked goods (fairy cakes, croissants, doughnuts, etc.) and fast food (hamburgers, hotdogs and pizza) is linked to depression. This is confirmed by by scientists from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the University of Granada.

Coffee decreases depression in women

Increased caffeinated coffee consumption associated with decreased risk of depression in women – The risk of depression appears to decrease for women with increasing consumption of caffeinated coffee. Caffeine is the most frequently used central nervous system stimulant in the world, and approximately 80 percent of consumption is in the form of coffee.