Geriatrics News

• Vigorous Exercise May Not Keep Dementia From Worsening People with dementia who exercise regularly are just as likely to experience cognitive decline as those who don't work out, a UK study suggests.
  Reuters Health Information, June 2018
• In Puerto Rico, a New Hurricane Season Threatens the Elderly At 84 years old and battling cancer, Israel Gonzalez Maldonado has lived without electricity for the nine months since Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated Puerto Rico.
  Reuters Health Information, June 2018
• Low-Dose Antipsychotic Effective in Late-Onset Psychosis Treatment of late-onset schizophrenia-like psychosis has been insufficiently researched. This study suggests a role for antipsychotics in reducing psychosis symptoms in this condition.
  Medscape Medical News, June 2018
• ASCP 2018Esketamine Nasal Spray Safe, Effective in Elderly Depression Esketamine nasal spray, added to an oral antidepressant, is safe and effective in patients aged 65 years or older who have treatment-resistant depression (TRD).
  Medscape Medical News, June 2018
• ASCO 2018Wider Concerns of Older Cancer Patients 'Need Addressing' Age-related concerns of older cancer patients are more likely to be discussed and acted on if oncologists are given results of geriatric assessments, say US scientists who call for their wider use.
  Medscape Medical News, June 2018
• ESC HF 2018Old Age and ACE Inhibitors in HF: Bridging the Guidelines Gap? A new analysis of SwedeHF registry data shows the same risk reduction from ACE inhibitors or ARBs in patients above age 80 as in those below that age; observers suggest age limits in HF trials should perhaps be done away with.
  Medscape Medical News, June 2018
• Optimal Exercise Dose for Better Cognition Determined Exercise has long been associated with better brain health, but a systematic review of nearly 100 studies helps to quantify how much might be needed to improve thinking in older adults.
  Medscape Medical News, June 2018
• Auditory, Visual Hallucinations Often Partner in DLB New research suggests that auditory hallucinations are common in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies -- and often accompany visual hallucinations as a kind of 'soundtrack.'
  Medscape Medical News, May 2018
• US Hypertension Guidelines: Cutting Through the Controversy The new blood pressure targets mean that almost half the US population now has hypertension, upsetting certain quarters of the medical profession. Where are we now?
  Medscape Medical News, May 2018
• Inappropriate, Omitted Rx Common at Discharge for Older Adults Four in five older hospitalized adults received at least one potentially inappropriate prescription at discharge, putting them at increased risk for rehospitalization and death, a study found.
  Medscape Medical News, May 2018
• Deprescribing Benzodiazepines: New Primary Care Guidelines Issued According to new evidence-based guidelines from Canada, doctors should deprescribe benzodiazepines in all adults aged 65 and older, and in those aged 18 to 64 who have used them for more than 4 weeks.
  Medscape Medical News, May 2018
• Screening Tool Improves Dementia Prediction Adding the Visual Association Test to the Mini-Mental State Examination increased its ability to predict dementia, a study has found.
  Medscape Medical News, May 2018
• Higher Bleeding Risk During Ablation in Elderly on Anticoagulants Older patients on uninterrupted oral anticoagulation are more likely than younger patients to experience bleeding during catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation, regardless of anticoagulant type, researchers in Japan say.
  Reuters Health Information, May 2018
• Hearing Aids Tied to Less Hospitalization for Older U.S. Adults Older adults with hearing loss are less likely to be hospitalized or to visit the emergency room when they wear hearing aids, compared to those who don't, a U.S. study suggests.
  Reuters Health Information, May 2018
• AGS 2018Aggressive BP Lowering Linked to Falls in Older Patients For people being treated for hypertension, easier blood pressure (BP) targets can reduce the risk for future falls, report researchers, which can be as catastrophic as a cardiovascular event.
  Medscape Medical News, May 2018
• How to Have 'the Talk' With Aging Parents About Their Guns When a loved one starts suffering from dementia, taking away the car keys isn't the only tough conversation many families need to face - they also need to talk about removing any guns from the home, doctors argue.
  Reuters Health Information, May 2018
• Frequent Saunas Linked to Reduced Stroke Risk Taking a sauna may have greater health benefits than just relaxation and pleasure, with a new study linking frequent use of saunas to a substantially reduced risk for future stroke.
  Medscape Medical News, May 2018
• AGS 2018Teamwork Gets Hip Fracture Patients to the OR Sooner A multidisciplinary approach designed to get hip fracture patients to surgery within 48 hours of presentation can shorten hospital stays and reduce in-hospital mortality, new research shows.
  Medscape Medical News, May 2018
• AGS 2018Screen All Men Age 85 and Older for Osteoporosis Clinical practice guidelines are clear on when women should be screened for osteoporosis, but not when men should be tested, so a new study assessed the timing.
  Medscape Medical News, May 2018
• ED Visits More Common for Home-care Patients After Nursing Visit Home-care patients who receive a nursing visit on a given day are more likely to seek care at the emergency department that evening, new research from Canada shows.
  Reuters Health Information, May 2018