Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Geriatrics for December 2016. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Burden of Anticholinergic Meds in Older Adults Must Be Considered
FRIDAY, Dec. 30, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Anticholinergic medications are frequently prescribed to older adults, but their negative impact should be considered, according to a review published online Dec. 23 in the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research.
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Low Vitamin D Linked to Incident Frailty in Older Women
FRIDAY, Dec. 30, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For older women, low vitamin D is associated with incident frailty, according to a study published online Dec. 23 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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Iron Deficiency Anemia Ups Risk of Hearing Loss in U.S. Adults
THURSDAY, Dec. 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Among U.S. adults, hearing loss is associated with iron deficiency anemia (IDA), according to a study published online Dec. 29 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
Chair Yoga Helps Older Adults Manage Osteoarthritis Pain
THURSDAY, Dec. 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Chair yoga may produce sustained improvements in pain interference among older adults with lower extremity osteoarthritis (OA), according to a study published online Dec. 23 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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Post-Lunch Napping Tied to Better Cognition in Elderly
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 28, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Moderate post-lunch napping is tied to better cognition in older adults, according to a study published online Dec. 20 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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Penalties Under ACA Tied to Drop in Medicare Readmission Rates
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 28, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Passage of the Medicare Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) under the Affordable Care Act is associated with a more rapid decrease in 30-day risk-standardized readmission rates (RSRRs), according to a study published online Dec. 27 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Personal Health Care Spending Continues to Soar in the U.S.
TUESDAY, Dec. 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — From 1996 to 2013 there were considerable increases in personal health care spending in the United States, with the highest amounts for diabetes, ischemic heart disease, and low back and neck pain, according to a study published in the Dec. 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Is Dementia in Older Women Tied to 20-Year Rate of Weight Loss?
TUESDAY, Dec. 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For women surviving into late life, the rate of weight loss over 20 years is associated with development of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia, according to a study published online Dec. 19 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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More Years Lost for Whites Versus South Asians, Blacks With T2DM
TUESDAY, Dec. 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Whites with type 2 diabetes have more life years lost than South Asians or blacks, according to a study published online Dec. 20 in Diabetes Care.
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Laughter Is Good Medicine for Nursing Home Residents
FRIDAY, Dec. 23, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Laughter therapy improves the quality of life of nursing home residents, according to a study published online Dec. 16 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
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Impact of Complex Medication Regimen in Elderly Unclear
FRIDAY, Dec. 23, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The association between medication regimen complexity and either treatment nonadherence or hospitalization in elderly patients remains unclear, according to a review published online Dec. 19 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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Six Things PCPs Need to Know About Glaucoma
FRIDAY, Dec. 23, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Primary care physicians are in a position to help with glaucoma diagnosis and management, according to an article published in the Ophthalmology Times.
Surcharge May Accompany After-Hours Care in Emergency Room
THURSDAY, Dec. 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Patients often find an additional charge added to their bill for overnight visits to the emergency department, and use of these charges may be increasing, according to a report published by Kaiser Health News.
Readmission From Skilled Nursing Facility Often Avoidable
THURSDAY, Dec. 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A considerable proportion of hospital readmissions from skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) are considered potentially avoidable, according to a study published online Dec. 16 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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CDC: Fatal Drug Overdoses Up Significantly in the United States
TUESDAY, Dec. 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Drug overdose deaths increased 23 percent between 2010 and 2014, with 47,055 Americans dying in 2014, according to findings published in the Dec. 20 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Vital Statistics Reports.
Health Care Provider Burnout Negatively Affects Quality, Safety
TUESDAY, Dec. 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Health care provider burnout is negatively associated with quality and safety of health care, according to a meta-analysis published recently in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
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Hospitalized Seniors Do Slightly Better Treated by Female Doctors
MONDAY, Dec. 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Older hospital patients treated by female internists have a slightly lower mortality rate than those treated by male internists, according to a study published online Dec. 19 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
DEA Announces Critical Changes in Registration Renewal Process
MONDAY, Dec. 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has announced critical changes in its registration renewal process, according to a report published by the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Noncardiovascular Cause of Death More Common in CHD Patients
MONDAY, Dec. 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), mortality is more often due to noncardiovascular causes, according to a study published in the Jan. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
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Long-Term DPP4-Inhibitor Use Not Tied to Fracture Risk in T2DM
MONDAY, Dec. 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), long-term use of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4-Is) is not associated with fracture risk, according to a study published online Dec. 10 in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
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Dysglycemia Affects Brain Structure, Cognition in Seniors
MONDAY, Dec. 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — In older adults, dysglycemia is associated with brain structure and cognition, according to a study published online Dec. 5 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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Preoperative Foley Cath Predicts TURP, TULIP Failure in Older Men
MONDAY, Dec. 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Poor functional status and having a Foley catheter preoperatively are associated with the risk of failure of transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) or transurethral laser incision of the prostate (TULIP) for treatment of bladder outlet obstruction, according to a study published online Dec. 5 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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Old Age Should Not Exclude Deceased Organ Donation
FRIDAY, Dec. 16, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Healthy kidneys from elderly donors are often rejected, but even kidneys from donors 80 and older can function for years after transplantation, according to a study published online Dec. 15 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
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Opioid-Related Hospitalizations Up Sharply in the United States
FRIDAY, Dec. 16, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Hospital admissions related to overdoses from heroin and other opioids rose 64 percent in the United States between 2005 and 2014, according to a report from the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
Ischemic Stroke Risk Up for Eight Weeks After PCI
FRIDAY, Dec. 16, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The risk of ischemic stroke is highest during the first two days after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and decreases gradually, but stays elevated for eight weeks, according to a study published in the Jan. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
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Hearing Impairment on the Decline in Americans Under 70
FRIDAY, Dec. 16, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Hearing loss appears to be on the decline among Americans in their 40s, 50s and 60s — which may be partly related to reductions in on-the-job noise and smoking rates, according to a study published online Dec. 15 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
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Integrated Neurology in Medical Home Cuts Health Care Use
FRIDAY, Dec. 16, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A model of a neurologist integrated and co-located in primary care, leveraging curbside, electronic, and traditional consultations, can reduce unnecessary health care use, according to a study published online Dec. 12 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
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AARP: Medication Costs for Seniors Continue to Soar
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The prices of brand-name drugs used by many older Americans rose nearly 130 times faster than inflation last year, according to a new report from the AARP Public Policy Institute.
Stroke, A-Fib Recurrence Low at One Year After AF Ablation
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Stroke and atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence are low one year after AF ablation, according to a study published online Dec. 9 in the Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology.
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Self-Care Tools Cut Depression in AMD, Diabetic Retinopathy
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Self-care tools can reduce depressive symptoms in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or diabetic retinopathy (DR), according to a study published online Dec. 7 in Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology.
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Outcomes-Based Pricing Suggested for New, Costly Drugs
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Outcomes-based pricing for novel and expensive biopharmaceuticals is supported in an Ideas and Opinions piece published online Dec. 13 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Catheter Ablation of A-Fib Linked to More Strokes in Elderly
TUESDAY, Dec. 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Catheter ablation (CA) of atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with more strokes in patients who are at least 75 years old but is not associated with other complications, according to a study published online Dec. 7 in the Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology.
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Primary Care Physician Volume Linked to Quality of Diabetes Care
TUESDAY, Dec. 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Primary care physician volume is associated with quality of diabetes care, with lower quality for higher overall volume and higher quality for higher diabetes-specific volume, according to a study published online Dec. 13 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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β-Blockers May Not Be Appropriate for Dementia Patients
TUESDAY, Dec. 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — β-blockers may not be the medicine of choice for nursing home residents with dementia, according to a study published online Dec. 12 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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OSA Is Risk Factor for Recurrent Pulmonary Embolism
TUESDAY, Dec. 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients who stop oral anticoagulation (OAC) for a first episode of pulmonary embolism (PE), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a risk factor for PE recurrence and restarting OAC for a new thromboembolic event, according to a study published in the December issue of CHEST.
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Rate of Psychiatric Drug Use About 16 Percent in U.S. Adults
MONDAY, Dec. 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — One in six U.S. adults take a psychiatric medication to treat conditions such as depression, anxiety, and insomnia, according to a study published online Dec. 12 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
CDC: U.S. Flu Vaccination Rates Low So Far This Season
MONDAY, Dec. 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Only about two out of five Americans had gotten this season’s flu vaccination as of early November, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.
Effect of Statins on Alzheimer’s May Depend on Gender, Race
MONDAY, Dec. 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Effectiveness of statin use in Alzheimer’s prevention may depend on the specific statin, and the gender and race or ethnicity of the patient, according to a study published online Dec. 12 in JAMA Neurology.
Social Isolation Can Adversely Affect Breast Cancer Survival
MONDAY, Dec. 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Social isolation may impede long-term breast cancer survival, according to a study published online Dec. 12 in Cancer.
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Fecal Microbiota Transplant Cost-Effective for Preventing CDI
MONDAY, Dec. 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Use of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is cost-effective for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), according to a study published in the December issue of the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
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CDC Finds Vaccination Coverage Varies for Adults With Diabetes
MONDAY, Dec. 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Among adults with diagnosed diabetes, vaccination coverage varies, with influenza vaccination more prevalent than pneumococcal or hepatitis B vaccination, according to a December data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
Age-Related Cataract Linked to Depressive Symptoms
FRIDAY, Dec. 9, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Age-related cataract is associated with increased odds of depressive symptoms, according to a study published in the December issue of Optometry and Vision Science.
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Age-Adjusted Mortality Rate Up From 2014 to 2015 in U.S.
FRIDAY, Dec. 9, 2016 (HealthDay News) — There was an increase in the age-adjusted death rate from 2014 to 2015, and a decrease in life expectancy, according to a December data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
Healthy Diet May Help Lengthen the Lives of CKD Patients
FRIDAY, Dec. 9, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Available evidence supports clinical decision-making by patients and doctors on whole dietary approaches in chronic kidney disease, according to a review published online Dec. 8 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
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Tai Chi Found to Be Beneficial for Veterans With PTSD
FRIDAY, Dec. 9, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The practice of Tai Chi shows promise in treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in veterans, according to a study published online Nov. 29 in BMJ Open.
Prefrontal Brain Activity May Predict Risk of Falls in Elderly
THURSDAY, Dec. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Measurements of healthy older adults’ brain activity may help determine their future risk of falls, according to a study published online Dec. 7 in Neurology.
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Even Moderate, Regular Alcohol Consumption Could Cause A-Fib
THURSDAY, Dec. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Regularly drinking even small amounts of alcohol may increase the risk of atrial fibrillation, according to a study published in the Dec. 13 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Suicide Risk Up for Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome
THURSDAY, Dec. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) may face a higher-than-normal risk of suicide, according to a study published online Dec. 7 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Heart Rate Recovery Could Predict Mortality in Older Adults
THURSDAY, Dec. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Orthostatic heart rate recovery (HRR) predicts mortality in adults aged 50 and older, according to findings published online recently in Circulation Research.
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Higher NT-proBNP Tied to Lower Brain Volume in Older Adults
THURSDAY, Dec. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For older adults without dementia, higher N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is associated with lower total brain volume, according to a study published online Dec. 7 in Radiology.
Cannabis Use Up in Americans Aged 50 and Up
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) — More older Americans are using cannabis, according to a study published online Dec. 5 in Addiction.
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Readings Taken in Clinic May Underestimate Ambulatory BP
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Ambulatory blood pressure may be a better indicator of health risks than clinic blood pressure, according to a new report published online Dec. 6 in Circulation.
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Number of Cancer Cases, Deaths Up Globally
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Cancer cases rose 33 percent worldwide in the past 10 years, according to a report published online Dec. 3 in JAMA Oncology.
Learning Interventions Can Improve Med Student Well-Being
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Specific learning interventions may improve emotional well-being among medical students, according to a review published in the Dec. 6 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on medical education.
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Prevalence of Disability 2.7 Percent at U.S. Medical Schools
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The prevalence of disability is 2.7 percent among medical students at U.S. allopathic medical schools, according to a research letter published in the Dec. 6 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue of medical education.
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Patient Mortality Up With End-of-Rotation Team Transition
TUESDAY, Dec. 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Hospitalized patients who are handed off by their original medical team to a new set of caregivers may ultimately face a higher risk of early mortality, according to research published in the Dec. 6 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on medical education.
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Depression, Suicide Ideation Prevalent in Medical Students
TUESDAY, Dec. 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The prevalences of depression or depressive symptoms and suicide ideation are 27.2 and 11.1 percent, respectively, among medical students, according to a review published in the Dec. 6 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on medical education.
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Potentially Unsafe Med Scripts Up for Dual Users With Dementia
TUESDAY, Dec. 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For veterans with dementia, Veterans Affairs (VA)-Medicare Part D (dual-system) users have increased rates of potentially unsafe medication (PUM) prescribing, according to a study published online Dec. 6 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Erectile Dysfunction Tied to Subclinical Myocardial Injury
TUESDAY, Dec. 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Erectile dysfunction is tied to higher circulating concentrations of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI), indicating subclinical myocardial injury, according to a study published in the Dec. 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
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Colonic Diverticular Disease May Increase Dementia Risk
TUESDAY, Dec. 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Patients with colonic diverticular disease may be at an increased risk for dementia, according to a study published Nov. 23 in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
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Resistance Band Exercise Aids Nursing Home Residents
TUESDAY, Dec. 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A resistance band exercise program lessens depression and behavioral problems among older, wheelchair-bound nursing home residents with dementia, according to a study published Nov. 23 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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Post-Op Readmission Linked to Delays in Functional Recovery
TUESDAY, Dec. 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For older adults, readmission after elective surgery is associated with delays in functional recovery, according to a study published online Nov. 29 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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<900 Steps Tied to Functional Decline in Hospitalized Seniors
MONDAY, Dec. 5, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For older adults with acute hospitalization, walking fewer than 900 steps per day is associated with hospitalization-associated functional decline (HAFD), according to a research letter published online Dec. 5 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Multimodal Breast Cancer Tx May Up Cytokines, Comorbidities
MONDAY, Dec. 5, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Breast cancer survivors who undergo multimodal treatment have higher cytokines and comorbidities than controls without cancer, according to a study published online Nov. 28 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Attempted Suicide Rates, Risk Groups Mostly Unchanged
MONDAY, Dec. 5, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The number of Americans who attempted suicide and ended up in the emergency department has remained steady in the past decade, according to research published online Nov. 17 in Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences.
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Acute, Noncardiac Mortality Risk Up for CA Patients With STEMI
FRIDAY, Dec. 2, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Cancer survivors with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) have increased acute in-hospital and long-term noncardiac mortality risk but no increased acute or long-term cardiac mortality risk with guideline-recommended cardiac care, according to a study published in the December issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
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CDC: Fewer U.S. Families Struggling to Pay Medical Bills
THURSDAY, Dec. 1, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The number of people in families having problems paying medical bills fell by nearly 13 million from 2011 through the first six months of 2016, according to a report published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
Frailty Screening Initiative Cuts Mortality After Surgery
THURSDAY, Dec. 1, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients undergoing elective surgery, implementation of the Frailty Screening Initiative (FSI) is associated with a reduction in mortality, according to a study published online Nov. 30 in JAMA Surgery.
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Study Supports Smoking Cessation for Smokers of Any Age
THURSDAY, Dec. 1, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Age at smoking initiation and cessation continue to be important predictors of mortality in U.S. adults over age 70, according to a study published online Nov. 29 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Participation in Specific Sports Tied to Significant Health Benefits
THURSDAY, Dec. 1, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Participation in specific sports may have significant benefits for public health, according to a study published online Nov. 28 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
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