People with sleep apnea have a high mortality risk

A study in the August 1 issue of the journal Sleep shows that people with severe sleep apnea have a much higher mortality risk than people without sleep apnea, and this risk increases when sleep apnea is untreated. – People with severe sleep apnea have a much higher mortality risk than people without sleep apnea, and this risk increases when sleep apnea is untreated.

Keeping a food diary doubles weight loss

Kaiser Permanente study suggests that the dieters who write down what they eat every day can shed twice as much weight as those who don’t. – Keeping a food diary can double a person’s weight loss according to a study from Kaiser Permanente’s Center for Health Research. The findings, from one of the largest and longest running weight loss maintenance trials ever conducted, will be published in the August issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

New drug labels better for pregnant & nursing mothers

FDA proposes new rule to provide updated information on the use of prescription drugs and biological products during pregnancy and breast-feeding. – New drug labeling system would provide better information about any prescription drug to pregnant women and nursing mothers as FDA proposes new rule to provide updated information on the use of prescription drugs and biological products during pregnancy and breast-feeding.

High blood pressure patients advised to use home monitors

High blood pressure is notoriously difficult to treat to goal ? many patients fail to reach target levels despite treatment, and studies show home monitoring can help. – People with hypertension should routinely monitor their blood pressure at home to help manage the disease, according to a new joint scientific statement from the American Heart Association, American Society of Hypertension and the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses’ Association.

Cholesterol and blood pressure control may reverse atherosclerosis

Aggressively lowering cholesterol and blood pressure levels below current targets in adults with type 2 diabetes may help to prevent ? and possibly reverse ? hardening of the arteries. – Aggressively lowering cholesterol and blood pressure levels below current targets in adults with type 2 diabetes may help to prevent ? and possibly reverse ? hardening of the arteries, according to new research supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health. Hardening of the arteries, also known as atherosclerosis, is the number one cause of heart disease and can lead to heart attack, stroke, and death.

Obesity in midlife increases dementia risk

Kaiser Permanente Study Shows That a Larger Abdomen in Midlife Increases Risk of Dementia; Overweight and obese individuals with large bellies have double or triple the risk of dementia – People in their 40s with larger stomachs have a higher risk for dementia when they reach their 70s, according to a study published in the March 26, 2008, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Weight loss counseling helps maintain weight loss

Monthly personal counseling helps people maintain weight loss. 42 percent of the study members maintained at least a 4-kilogram (9-pound) weight loss for 30 months. – People who shed weight and want to keep it off might benefit from monthly personal contact interventions, researchers reported at the American Heart Association’s Conference on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism.

March as Kidney Disease Awareness Month in US

The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) is pleased to recognize March as National Kidney Disease Awareness Month. Recent research funded by the National Institute of Health put the number of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients in the United States at 26 million. – The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) is pleased to recognize March as National Kidney Disease Awareness Month. Recent research funded by the National Institute of Health put the number of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients in the United States at 26 million. AAKP recognizes National Kidney Disease Awareness Month with several planned educational programs and events.

Psychological distress linked to increased risk of stroke

Psychological distress, but not depression, may increase the risk of stroke. Previous studies have shown that stroke often leads to depression, but the evidence was mixed as to whether depression could lead to stroke. – Psychological distress, but not depression, may increase the risk of stroke, according to a study published in the March_4, 2008, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Previous studies have shown that stroke often leads to depression, but the evidence was mixed as to whether depression could lead to stroke.

New York unveils electronic health record technology

New York City’s Electronic Health Records Set New Standard for Health Care Nationwide; Technology Will Help Transform System of Disease Care into One of Preventing Disease. – New York’s Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas R. Frieden unveiled the City’s next-generation electronic health records (EHRs), already in use at more than 200 primary-care providers across the city that care for more than 200,000 New Yorkers.