(UPI) Despite the health and relationship benefits linked to a vacation, 459 million U.S. vacation days went unused last year, a non-profit group says. "Vacations are not a luxury, they're a necessity," John de Graaf, executive director of Take Back Your Time, a non-profit organization that studies issues related to work.

"Men who take them are 32 percent less likely to suffer from heart disease than those who don't," he said. "For women, it's 50 percent. And women who don't take vacations are more than twice as likely to suffer from depression. Pass them by at your peril."

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(HealthDay News) Money can help buy happiness -- at least if you're bringing in about $75,000 a year, new research shows.

While happiness increases along with annual household incomes up to about $75,000, beyond that, earning more money has no effect on day-to-day contentment, according to the study.

But that doesn't mean you should give up trying to get that promotion. While making more won't help your emotional state on any given day, people who had household incomes above $75,000 were more apt to say they were satisfied overall with their life.

Those who made, say, $120,000 reported more satisfaction with their lives and had a higher assessment of their life overall than those who made less, while those who made $160,000 evaluated their lives even better still.

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(Health.com) With the economy stuck in neutral, people have more reasons to be depressed—and less money to treat their depression—than in the past… [But] there are many things you can do to help yourself feel better.

Don't blame yourself…
“You need to be able to own the reality that depression is a physical illness like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer,” says Richard Raskin, PhD, a clinical psychologist…“You can’t get over it by ‘trying harder’ or adjusting your attitude. It requires acceptance that you have a physical illness that requires attention, and that it makes no sense to blame yourself for it.”

Talk about it
It’s not easy, but telling people about your depression is better than keeping it a secret…

Get regular exercise
It may be the last thing you feel like doing when you’re depressed, but going for a run or hitting the gym can actually make you feel better… [R]esearch has found that workouts can boost your mood for up to 12 hours.

Postpone major decisions
Depression can affect your perceptions and judgment, so it’s wise to put off big decisions about your relationships or career until you’re feeling better…

Take care of your health
If you’re feeling depressed, it's tempting to let your health slide. But failing to take care of your overall health can make depression symptoms worse…

Maintain a daily routine
Sticking to a regular routine as much as possible is important for people who are battling depression, according to Raskin.

Eat a healthy diet
What you eat affects your brain, not just your body, so if you’re feeling depressed it’s important to eat a healthy, balanced diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and protein… And some research suggests that omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish and fish-oil supplements, can help fight depression.

Avoid drugs and alcohol…
Drinking and drug use affect brain chemistry, and they can cause problems in relationships, work, and other aspects of life. (They can also be dangerous when combined with some antidepressants.) Although the occasional glass of wine probably won’t hurt you, people with depression should limit their alcohol consumption, and, of course, say no to drugs.

Try to sleep well…
Much remains unknown about the connection between depression and sleep, and everyone has different sleep needs, but experts recommend that depressed people get enough sleep and maintain a regular sleep-wake schedule.

Don't overschedule
Feeling stressed and overwhelmed is a common trigger for depression symptoms. If you’re struggling with depression, it’s important not to overschedule your time and take on more than you can manage. If you have complicated tasks to perform at work or at home, break them up into manageable pieces.

Read more.

Community: There are other things we can do to prevent or reduce depression.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(Science Daily) Major depression is a common and disabling brain condition marked not only by the presence of depressed mood but also by its effects on sleep, energy, decision-making, memory and thoughts of death or of suicide…

While antidepressants have helped many to recover and resume their lives, only 30 percent of patients will experience full remission with the first medication they use. Patients typically move on to try a series of other antidepressants. A persistent problem with such drugs has been major side effects, including obesity, sexual dysfunction, fatigue, drowsiness and nausea.

Now, a unique new therapy that applies electrical stimulation to a major nerve emanating from the brain is showing promise.

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(HealthDay News) A low-carbohydrate diet that derives fats and proteins from vegetable sources rather than meats is probably healthier, new research finds.

Comparing the two types of diets over two decades, researchers found that the low-carb, vegetable-based plan resulted in reduced rates of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer, and a lower rate of all-cause death overall.

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(RealAge.com) Sure, no one needs the fat and calories in a double cheeseburger with fries. But research suggests it's not the fat and calories you should fear…

Animal research suggests that fatty, sugary, high-calorie foods cause weight gain because they stimulate fat-storage genes, which then turns up the inner pound-packing dial. Salad bar, anyone?...

In the animal study, an unhealthful diet didn't just increase body fat. It encouraged fat storage in the liver, too. And it zapped energy levels. Bottom line: Garbage in means garbage stays -- and makes you tired, too!

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

Health.com:

Foods to Boost Your Mood
Though their findings are debated, several studies show that a lack of certain vitamins and minerals may put you at risk for depression. Try these 10 nutrient-rich meals that taste as good as they make you feel.

Salmon Salad With Vinaigrette

Spanish Shrimp and Farfalle

Grilled Scallops With Lemon-Chickpea Salad

Triple Bean Salad

Yogurt and Spice Grilled Chicken Skewers

More

MyRecipes.com:

Crab and Grilled Corn Salad
Serve this end-of-summer salad over crisp lettuce leaves for a light yet hearty dinner that's less than 250 calories.

Unique Burger Recipes

Easy Greek Chicken Recipes

Fruity Pies and Cobblers Under 300 Calories
Fruit is the star in these low-calorie pies and cobblers that are sweet, tangy and the perfect finale for any meal.

EatingWell:

Pan-Fried Trout with Red Chile Sauce
This chile pan sauce is much lighter than one you’d pair with enchiladas or burritos, to keep from overwhelming the delicate trout.

Tex-Mex Summer Squash Casserole
Chiles and cheese turn mild summer squash into a zesty, satisfying casserole.

Our Top 10 Most Popular Fall Recipes
This time of year, we're craving comfort foods, hearty soups and easy, filling weeknight meals. You'll find mac and cheese, apple crisp and other classic recipes to try—plus some surprises that we think might just become your new favorite fall recipes.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(UPI) About 17 million Americans, including 1.1 million children, experienced very low food security, and about 49 million have some food insecurity, researchers say.

Food insecurity was defined by the researchers as limited or intermittent access to nutritionally adequate, safe and acceptable foods accessed in socially acceptable ways.

David H. Holben, professor of nutrition and director of the didactic program in dietetics at Ohio University, wrote the position paper for the American Dietetic Association on U.S. food insecurity calling for funding for food and nutrition assistance programs, increased nutrition education, and efforts to promote economic self-sufficiency for all households and individuals.

The paper calls access to food "a basic human need and fundamental right."

Read more.

Community: Food, a fundamental right? Huh! Next thing you know, they’ll be saying that access to adequate housing, health care, and even education are fundamental rights, too!

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(RealAge.com) Reconsider that chicken on top of your pasta. This protein choice is music to your mouth and your ears: salmon.

[I]n a large study, people who ate finned food at least twice a week were significantly less likely to develop age-related hearing loss over the 5-year study period…

Researchers speculate that the protection may come from the omega-3 fats that our friends from the sea contain. Higher intakes of omega-3s, including DHA, EPA, and DPA, were associated with not only less risk of hearing loss but also less hearing loss in those who did develop it. Interestingly, taking fish oil supplements didn't offer the same advantage to ears.

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(RealAge.com) Walking really does your body good from head to toe. Not only will it help keep your legs strong and your waist trim, but it may protect your pearly whites, too.

It all has to do with the aerobic fitness benefits that walking confers. In a recent Japanese study, the folks who were the fittest were also the least likely to have severe periodontitis, a form of gum disease…

[R]esearchers believe that exercise helps quiet inflammation throughout the body, and that's a good thing because inflammation is one of those potential triggers for disease, including gum disease. Physical activity may also help keep blood levels of C-reactive protein in check -- another happy outcome because this compound may play a role in the origins of gum disease. (Here's a juicy fruit that may help lower C-reactive protein levels.)

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(UPI) Smoking shuts off a key enzyme in airways that regulates the body's response to inflammation, U.S. researchers say.

The study … finds smoke inhibits the enzyme Leukotriene A4 Hydrolase. The shutdown means white blood cells are not stopped after successfully responding to inflammation.

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(Booster Shots, Los Angeles Times) Many people who try to quit smoking use a smoking cessation treatment, such as a medication or counseling. Those treatments may take time and some failure before successful quitting is achieved, say the authors of a new study. But doctors may discontinue the cessation treatment too soon…

Patients, and the doctors assisting them, may lose confidence in a treatment cessation strategy if a smoker has not quit by the recommended target date, or "quit date," or if the patient is unable to remain completely abstinent in the early weeks of treatment, the authors said. However, the study showed that about 45% of the smokers who ultimately quit by the end of a 12-week treatment program had smoked in the early weeks of treatment or had had relapses…

"Our data support continuing cessation treatments without interruption for smokers motivated to remain in the quitting process despite lack of success early in the treatment," the authors wrote.

Read more.

Community: Most people who try to quit smoking fail a few times. It’s important not to give up.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(UPI) U.S. researchers suggest arthroscopic surgery may help reduce pain from torn shoulder muscles in the elderly.

Researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago suggest age should not prevent people from having this minimally invasive surgery, which they say can bring significant improvements.

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(Los Angeles Times) The purpose of the law, which went into effect in July, is to create equal coverage between medical/surgical services and mental healthcare services. The legislation requires group insurance plans to offer the same deductibles, copayments, frequency of treatments and days of outpatient services. The act does not mandate mental health coverage, just equality if it is offered by an employer…

Individual and small business plans are exempt from the legislation, so they won't be affected. But the law does apply to group health plans sponsored by businesses with more than 50 employees, approximately 96% of which have some mental health coverage, although only a small percentage provide very robust benefits…

"I think the passage of parity helps reduce the stigma [of mental illness] because it is being treated like a medical condition," [said Pamela Greenberg, president and chief executive of an association of behavioral health and wellness insurers]. He [sic] said he's seen an uptick in attention to mental health and addiction —"making them much more accepted than they had been prior to parity passing."

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(Reuters) Medical malpractice liability costs the U.S. healthcare system more than $55 billion a year, most of it in "defensive" medical practices such as extra tests and scans, according to a report released on Tuesday.

These costs, which also include administrative costs, payments to plaintiffs and lawyer fees, account for 2.4 percent of annual U.S. healthcare spending, Michelle Mello of the Harvard School of Public Health and colleagues reported.

So-called defensive medicine costs alone totaled an estimated $45.6 billion, Mello's team reported in the journal Health Affairs…

Many groups have suggested tort reform as a solution, including caps on damages to be paid in successful malpractice suits, but Mello's team said such reforms would be unlikely to cut overall healthcare spending much.

Read more.

Community: Tort claims are the only check we have on doctors, who refuse to police themselves. We wouldn’t put up with losing almost 100,000 people a year in airline accidents. Why do we put up with it in the medical industry?

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(New York Times) In contrast to past practices of absorbing higher prices, some companies chose this year to keep their costs the same by passing the entire increase in premiums for family coverage onto their workers, according to a new survey released on Thursday by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit research group.

Workers’ share of the cost of a family policy jumped an average of 14 percent, an increase of about $500 a year. The cost of a policy rose just 3 percent, to an average of $13,770…

Since 2005, while wages have increased just 18 percent, workers’ contributions to premiums have jumped 47 percent, almost twice as fast as the rise in the policy’s overall cost…

Companies may be at a point where they are no longer willing or able to protect their workers’ health benefits, said Helen Darling, the president of the National Business Group on Health, an organization representing employers that provide coverage.

She says that companies expect that their costs will only go up more under the new health care law because it requires them to provide more benefits, like coverage for preventive care.

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(Dr John La Puma) There is a great business case for prevention. And the government is making the argument, and putting our money, towards it.

Starting 2011, small companies—those with 100 employees or fewer, and no existing wellness program in place–will be able to get grants for up to five years to establish employee wellness programs. With a 30% credit.

Companies also can establish employee rewards programs, with an up to 50% credit by the government.

But what are the criteria? How to apply? Where is the grant application? Not posted, yet.

Many studies say corporate wellness programs show a positive return on investment (ROI). A study of 56 worksite health promotion programs showed, on average, 32 percent less workers’ comp/disability claims costs.

A 2010 Harvard Study of wellness programs found

*$2.73:1 savings-to-cost ratio for absenteeism

*$3.27:1 savings-to-cost ratio for health costs

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

Nick Anderson:

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(New York Times) Why muscles wither with age is captivating a growing number of scientists, drug and food companies, let alone aging baby boomers…

Researchers involved in the effort say doctors and patients need to be more aware that muscle deterioration is a major reason the elderly lose mobility and cannot live independently…

Experts say the best approach to restoring or maintaining muscle mass and strength is exercise, particularly resistance training.

The National Institute on Aging is now sponsoring a controlled trial to test whether exercise can prevent disability in largely sedentary people, age 70 to 89. There is also some early evidence that nutrition, like vitamin D or high levels of protein, might help. “At this point, what we can say is that older people are at risk for eating too little protein for adequate muscle preservation,” said Dr. Elena Volpi.

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(HealthDay News) A new study confirms what seems obvious: people who live in communities where walking and cycling are common are less likely to be overweight or obese…

"It's really important to promote walking and cycling as safe, convenient and feasible modes of getting around on an everyday basis," lead author John Pucher … said in a Center for Advancing Health news release…

"As obvious as it is, it's shocking that Americans don't want to do anything about it. It's amazing how unconcerned most Americans are about this," Pucher said.

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(Science Daily) Survival rates in heart failure patients with reduced levels of vitamin D are lower than in patients with normal levels. This is the finding of a major study…

Vitamin D is produced by the skin when it is exposed to the natural Ultra Violet-B (UV-B) radiation from the sun. Low levels have long been known as the underlying mechanism of rickets however, in recent years, new studies have provided novel insight into the multiple vitamin's functions. It has been proved that most tissues and cells have a vitamin D receptor, and there is strong evidence that its presence plays a part in reducing the risk factor profiles of several chronic illnesses, such as common cancers, autoimmune diseases, kidney diseases, chronic infectious diseases, hypertension and apparently also heart failure.

Read more.

Community: Vitamin D is available as a food supplement.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(Science Daily) Iron plays a key role in human homeostasis. It is essential for growth and survival, and is a vital ingredient in numerous processes… Important though it is, iron metabolism must be precisely controlled because iron is insoluble and excess levels can be toxic.

Iron deficiency is a relatively common nutritional disorder that affects more than one third of the general population, and is often associated with chronic diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, Parkinson's disease, rheumatoid diseases and renal failure…

Several earlier reports have already shown that, in iron deficient CHF patients, iron repletion can safely improve functional capacity, exercise tolerance and quality of life. Cardiologists should become more aware of the importance of iron deficiency in CHF patients.

Read more.

Community: On the other hand, most of us who are over 50 may have too much iron in our systems.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

Recipes for Health, New York Times:

Ratatouille
Like many savory stews, this Niçoise classic tastes even better the day after you make it — and it’s great cold as well as hot.

Creamy Potato Salad With Yogurt Vinaigrette
This salad resembles a classic creamy potato salad with lots of crunchy celery, but there’s only a smidgen of mayonnaise here.

Turkish Bean and Herb Salad
Pink beans are a good choice for this light salad

Grilled Mushrooms in Foil Packets
If you like to grill foods at a picnic, here’s a great vegetarian option.

Grilled Leeks With Romesco Sauce
Steamed and grilled leeks are paired with romesco sauce, a nut-thickened pepper purée.

MyRecipes.com:

Rotini with Chicken, Asparagus, and Tomatoes
Reminiscent of a pasta salad, this recipe coats rotini and colorful vegetables with a basil-flecked balsamic vinaigrette.

10 Classic Chicken Recipes

Week Eight: 1 List, 5 Meals

Sensational Slaws

SouthBeachDiet.com:

Spinach and Artichoke Dip
The popular artichoke dip that is a cocktail-party staple typically calls for lots of high-fat mayonnaise. Our version uses part-skim ricotta and nutty Asiago cheese instead, which gives the dip a creamy, rich texture.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(Reuters Health) Older adults who have a colonoscopy performed by a family doctor, internist or general surgeon are somewhat more likely to need another one within a year compared with those who have the procedure done by a gastroenterologist, a new report finds…

Most people can wait at least several years before their next colonoscopy, however, and an early repeat procedure can be a sign of shortcomings in the quality of the first one, the researchers say…

[The research] team found that besides doctors' specialty, the setting of the colonoscopy affected the odds of an early repeat procedure. Six percent of office-based colonoscopies were followed by an early repeat procedure, compared with 5 percent of hospital-based ones, and about 4 percent of those done at an ambulatory surgery center.

When the researchers weighed other factors, the likelihood of an early repeat colonoscopy was 27 percent higher when the original procedure was done in a doctor's office rather than a hospital.

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(Booster Shots, Los Angeles Times) The next cures for bacterial infections may come from an unlikely place: cockroach brains.

Tissues from cockroach and locust brains and nervous systems killed off 90% of E. coli and MRSA bacteria without harming the human cells they were attacking, according to researchers from the University of Nottingham…

The researchers suspect it’s the proteins in the insect brains that so effectively kill the bacteria.

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(Booster Shots, Los Angeles Times) The family of bone-building drugs that includes Fosamax, Actonel and Boniva can double the risk of developing throat cancer, researchers reported Thursday in the latest development in what has become a confusing discussion. Other studies have reported no increase, but even if the newest finding is correct, the risk is still quite small--about two cases per 1,000 people between age 60 and 79, compared with the normal risk of one case in the same group.

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(Reuters Health) People who use prescription antihistamines to relieve allergy symptoms may be more likely than non-users to carry excess pounds, a new study suggests, although the significance of the connection is not yet clear…

The researchers stress, however, that the findings do not prove that antihistamines are the cause of the extra pounds. This type of study, known as an observational study, can only point to an association between two variables -- in this case, antihistamine use and body weight -- and cannot prove cause-and-effect.

It's possible that some other factor explains the link, according to lead researcher Dr. Joseph Ratliff, a postdoctoral associate in Yale's department of psychiatry.

"There have been studies that show allergies and asthma themselves are associated with obesity," he told Reuters Health in an email, "so these conditions themselves may have an effect."

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(New York Times) Two weeks ago, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it would remove the drug midodrine from the market because the drug’s maker never confirmed that the medicine — approved in 1996 under an abbreviated process — actually worked against dizziness and fainting.

But 100,000 patients take midodrine for conditions many say would otherwise be disabling, and many flooded the agency with complaints…

Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the agency’s drug center [said:] “Patients are out there thinking doom is about to fall, and they can’t go about their normal business.”

Read more.

Community: The FDA is one agency that shouldn’t be run by popular opinion.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(LiveScience.com) To most human males, the thought of your mother anywhere near your sex life is probably horrifying. Not so for the bonobo, one of our closest primate relatives. A new study confirms that hanging out with mom boosts male bonobos' chances of getting intimate with a fertile female.

The study found that when their mothers are around, low- to mid-ranking bonobo males get more opportunities to mate. Mothers facilitated sons' presence in their social circle so they were able to interact with more females, and also chased away rival males who might try to break up their sons' blooming relationships.

The mothers aren't just busybodies, say the researchers. In fact, taking an active interest in their sons' love lives helps mothers pass on their own genes.

"If they support their sons, they can have more grandkids," study researcher Martin Surbeck, a biologist.

Read more.

Community: We could learn a lot from bonobos, who are our closest relatives in the animal kingdom. Their societies are matriarchal, and are consequently peaceful and loving instead of warlike. They’re sometimes called the hippie apes, because they live the philosophy “Make love, not war.”

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(Reuters) When it comes to changing health behaviors, it takes more than a far-flung network of friends on Facebook egging you on. It takes a jostling herd, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.

Social scientists have assumed that changing behavior would spread like the flu, which transmits best via individuals with lots of long-distance contacts.

But to change behavior, you need to be surrounded by the message -- with neighbors, family and members in the community all reinforcing the same idea.

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(Reuters Health) An antidepressant drug delivered through a patch on the skin is no better than placebo for helping smokers kick the habit, new research shows…

However, the behavioral therapy administered along with the patches seemed to be the most effective treatment of all, the researchers note.

"Smokers in the placebo group did better than expected, and we think that the psychological treatment provided may have contributed to this result," [Dr. Joel D. ] Killen said via e-mail. "We would emphasize that successful smoking cessation treatments require both behavioral and pharmacologic components."

Twenty-one percent of U.S. adults - about 46 million people -- smoke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Often multiple attempts are needed before a smoker quits successfully.

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(HealthDay News) A new report casts doubt on the argument that marijuana is a "gateway drug" that plays a major role in leading people to try other illegal drugs.

Researchers found that other factors, such as ethnicity and stress levels, are more likely to predict whether young adults will use other illegal drugs.

Even unemployment appears to be more closely linked to harder illicit drug use than marijuana use, the study authors noted.

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(HealthDay News) By studying fat tissue in the mice consuming fish oil, researchers found omega-3 fatty acids seem to act on a particular receptor on cells, GPR120, which, when activated, blocks inflammatory processes.

Chronic inflammation can lead to insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes.

Therefore, "if we can fix the inflammation part, it's possible that we could prevent insulin resistance or even ameliorate diabetes," [study co-author Saswata] Talukdar explained.

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

MyRecipes.com:

Blackened Grilled Flank Steak
Grilled steak is a favorite summer dish. Serve with grilled corn with lime butter and a simple salad of field greens and cherry tomatoes.

Brunch Recipes Under 300 Calories

20-Minute Heart-Healthy Meals

EatingWell:

Seven-Layer Salad
This makeover of a Midwestern classic tops layers of lettuce, peas, bell pepper and tomatoes with a creamy, tangy dressing. The salad stays fresh underneath until it's served and gets even better when held overnight.

Potluck Side Dishes

Southwestern Layered Bean Dip

Reader’s Digest:

Jerk Pork With Grilled Pineapple and Corn
Take a delicious foray into the spicy word of Caribbean cooking.

Balsamic Beets with Toasted Pecans
Think you don't like beets? This easy recipe will make you think again.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(Reuters) A biotechnology company's genetically engineered salmon are as safe to eat as other Atlantic salmon, U.S. regulators said as they weighed approval of the first DNA-altered animal for Americans' dinner plates.

The AquAdvantage salmon, developed by Aqua Bounty Technologies Inc, are genetically modified to grow twice as fast as conventional Atlantic salmon. Environmental and food-safety critics plan to fight against approval.

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(Science Daily) Researchers at The University of Western Ontario have provided the first direct evidence using a biological marker, to show chronic stress plays an important role in heart attacks.

Stressors such as job, marital and financial problems have been linked to the increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease including heart attack. But there hasn't been a biological marker to measure chronic stress. Drs. Gideon Koren and Stan Van Uum developed a method to measure cortisol levels in hair providing an accurate assessment of stress levels in the months prior to an acute event such as a heart attack.

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(HealthDay News) Having a rapid response team manage hospital patients whose condition is rapidly deteriorating sharply reduced the rate of cardiac arrests at a U.S. hospital, a new study found.

Researchers looked at a rapid response team, known as the eTeam, created at the VA Medical Center in Palo Alto, Calif., in 2005. The team includes physicians specializing in intensive care, anesthesiologists, nurses and other health care professionals with special training in evaluating and treating patients in potentially unstable condition -- for instance, those experiencing a sudden decrease in heart rate or breathing, a drop in blood pressure, or a change in neurological condition.

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(Science Daily) UCSF researchers have unveiled a prototype model of the first implantable artificial kidney, in a development that one day could eliminate the need for dialysis.

The device, which would include thousands of microscopic filters as well as a bioreactor to mimic the metabolic and water-balancing roles of a real kidney, is being developed in a collaborative effort by engineers, biologists and physicians.

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(HealthDay News) Military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, are more likely to develop dementia than those without the disorder, according to researchers at a Veterans Affairs medical center in Texas.

The results were significant even after accounting for other risk factors for dementia such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke…

"Although we cannot at this time determine the cause for this increased risk, it is essential to determine whether the risk of dementia can be reduced by effectively treating PTSD. This could have enormous implications for veterans now returning from Iraq and Afghanistan," senior author Dr. Mark Kunik [said].

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(HealthDay News) Pedestrians hit by a motor vehicle are much more likely to die if they're uninsured or a member of a racial minority than their counterparts who are white or insured, even if they sustain similar injuries, a new study shows.

It also found that minority pedestrians are far more likely than whites to be hit by a vehicle.

"It's a double whammy. Minorities are much more likely to get injured by this mechanism and much more likely to die by this mechanism," senior study author Dr. Adil H. Haider.

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]

(UPI) Eighty percent of people with chronic pain do not get relief and there are those want pain treatment to be a human right, an Australian pain expert says…

In the developed world, part of the problem is that some patients are not believed when they complain of chronic pain and primary care physicians need more training because veterinarians get three times more pain training than doctors, [Australian anesthesiologist Michael] Cousins says. In the undeveloped world, many just don't have access to healthcare and most have low or no access to pain medication.

"About 70 percent of children in (Australia and the United States) the terminal phase of life with cancer had severe unrelieved symptoms and severe pain," Cousins tells the Gazette. "That's a shocking statistic for a so-called civilized society. It's disgraceful. It's cruel and inhuman."

Read more.

[Click the title, above, to post a comment.]