Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Geriatrics for October 2018. 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.
Link Between Statins, Non-CVD Outcomes Lacks Evidence
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 31, 2018 (HealthDay News) — There is a lack of convincing evidence for an association between statin use and non-cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes, according to a review published in the Oct. 16 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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AMA Announces Initiative to Reinvent Physician Training
TUESDAY, Oct. 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The American Medical Association (AMA) today announced a new $15 million competitive grant initiative, the “Reimagining Residency” initiative, aimed at improving residency training.
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors May Up Lung CA Risk
TUESDAY, Oct. 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) is associated with an increased risk for lung cancer compared with angiotensin receptor blockers, according to a study published online Oct. 24 in the BMJ.
Therapeutic Lifestyle Intervention in Church Helpful for BP Control
TUESDAY, Oct. 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A therapeutic lifestyle change (TLC) intervention plus motivational interviewing (MINT) sessions delivered in churches can reduce systolic blood pressure (BP) among blacks compared with health education (HE) alone, according to a study published online Oct. 9 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
Community Health Worker Intervention Beneficial
TUESDAY, Oct. 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A standardized community health worker (CHW)-delivered intervention, Individual Management for Patient-Centered Targets, improves patient-perceived quality of care and reduces hospitalizations for low-income patients with chronic diseases, according to a study published online Oct. 22 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Low Levels of Flu Reported in U.S. From May to October
MONDAY, Oct. 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From May 20 to Oct. 13, 2018, low levels of influenza activity were reported in the United States, according to a study published online Oct. 25 in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Many Hospitals Noncompliant With Record Request Regulations
MONDAY, Oct. 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Among top-ranked U.S. hospitals, data reveal discrepancies in information provided to patients regarding medical records release processes as well as noncompliance with state and federal regulations, according to a study published online Oct. 5 in JAMA Network Open.
Nurse-Led Care Efficacious, Cost-Effective for Gout
MONDAY, Oct. 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For patients with gout, nurse-led care is efficacious and cost-effective compared with usual care led by general practitioners (GPs), according to a study published Oct. 20 in The Lancet.
Trump Administration Announces Plan to Cut Drug Prices
FRIDAY, Oct. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In an effort to cut high drug costs, the prices paid by Medicare for certain prescription drugs would be based on those in other advanced industrial nations, according to a proposal announced Oct. 25 by the Trump administration.
HHS Study
New York Times Article
Independent Links for Genetics, Lifestyle With Incident Stroke
THURSDAY, Oct. 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Genetic and lifestyle factors are independently associated with incident stroke among men and women aged 40 to 73 years, according to a study published online Oct. 24 in the BMJ.
Pneumococcal Vaccine Recs Cause Confusion Among Docs
THURSDAY, Oct. 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) — While primary care physicians overwhelmingly recommend pneumococcal vaccines, there is a gap in their knowledge of how to implement related vaccine recommendations, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine.
Pace of Change Has Accelerated in Alternative Payment Models
THURSDAY, Oct. 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The impact of alternative payment models (APMs) on physician practices has been described in a study published by the RAND Corp. and the American Medical Association.
Half of Women to Develop Stroke, Dementia, or Parkinsonism
THURSDAY, Oct. 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) — One in two women and one in three men will develop dementia, stroke, or parkinsonism during their lifetime, according to a study published online Oct. 1 in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.
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Tibia Lead Levels Linked to Risk of Resistant-Hypertension
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Tibia lead levels are associated with resistant-hypertension (HTN), according to a study published online Oct. 24 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
7 Children Dead From Adenovirus Outbreak in New Jersey
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) — New Jersey health officials on Wednesday confirmed the deaths of seven children after infection with an adenovirus.
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Article from The Record (Bergen County)
Most Supplements Contain Prohibited Stimulants
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Many supplements contain one or more stimulants that have been the subject of U.S. Food and Drug Administration-issued public notices, according to a research letter published online Oct. 22 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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White House Unveils New Insurance Option for Small Firms
TUESDAY, Oct. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A plan to allow small businesses to use tax-free accounts to provide health coverage for employees was announced today by the Trump administration.
AP News Article
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Inadequate Reimbursement May Mar Diabetes Prevention Program
TUESDAY, Oct. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The costs of delivering a new Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) may be higher than the expected reimbursement, according to a study published in the November issue of Medical Care.
Unrestricted Diet OK More Than One Day Before Colonoscopy
TUESDAY, Oct. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Unrestricted diets are acceptable more than one day before colonoscopy among patients using a split-dose bowel regimen, according to a study published in the October issue of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
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Neglect Higher in For-Profit Nursing Homes
TUESDAY, Oct. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Residents of for-profit nursing homes are more likely to suffer neglect compared with elderly residents living in the community or in not-for-profit facilities, according to a study published online Oct. 9 in Gerontology.
Changes in Nomenclature for Perioperative Cognitive Disorders
MONDAY, Oct. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Recommendations have been developed for nomenclature of cognitive changes associated with anesthesia and surgery; the recommendations were published in the November issue of Anesthesiology.
Variability in Geographic Availability of New Antibiotics
FRIDAY, Oct. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — There is considerable variability in the geographic availability of antibiotics, according to a study published online Oct. 16 in PLOS ONE.
Procurement Requirements Drive Interoperability in Health Care IT
THURSDAY, Oct. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Interoperability of health care information technology (IT) must be improved to facilitate creation of a fully integrated health care system that can improve health and health care at lower cost, according to a report published by the National Academy of Medicine.
Recreational Marijuana Now Legal in Canada
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Recreational marijuana became legal in Canada today, and while many welcome the move, others have serious concerns.
The New York Times Article
CMAJ Editorial
Lung Cancer Deaths 28% Lower in California Than Rest of U.S.
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Annual lung cancer mortality was 28 percent lower in California than in the rest of the United States in 2013, according to a study published online Oct. 10 in Cancer Prevention Research.
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Treatment Tied to Survival Benefit in Complex Bladder Cancer
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Cancer treatment is associated with a clinically meaningful survival benefit in older, medically complex patients with superficial bladder cancer (SBC), according to a study published online Oct. 5 in Cancer.
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Few Seniors Who Self-Harm Referred for Mental Health Care
TUESDAY, Oct. 16, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Most older adults who self-harm are not referred to mental health services, according to a study published online Oct. 15 in The Lancet Psychiatry.
High Risk for Readmission for Takotsubo Syndrome
TUESDAY, Oct. 16, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Patients with Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), which is characterized by transient left ventricular dysfunction with symptoms and electrocardiogram changes mimicking acute myocardial infarction (AMI), have lower mortality during the index admission than AMI patients but are frequently readmitted within 30 days, according to a study published online Sept. 28 in the European Heart Journal – Quality of Care & Clinical Outcomes.
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2006 to 2015 Saw Decrease in Medicare Beneficiary ICU Use
TUESDAY, Oct. 16, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2006 to 2015, there was a significant decrease in intensive care unit (ICU) admissions among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries, according to a research letter published online Oct. 15 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Without Medicaid Expansion, Poor Patients Forgo Medical Care
MONDAY, Oct. 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Doing without medical care is much more common among low-income residents of states that have not expanded Medicaid than among low-income people in other states, according to a Government Accountability Office report.
Cataract Surgery Tied to Drop in Cognitive Decline in Seniors
MONDAY, Oct. 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Cataract surgery is associated with a reduction in the rate of cognitive decline among older adults, according to a study published online Oct. 11 in PLOS ONE.
Hospitalization Tied to Brain Abnormalities in Older Adults
MONDAY, Oct. 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Hospitalization is associated with lower white matter integrity among older adults, according to a study published online Sept. 24 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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Active Pharmaceuticals ID’d in >700 Dietary Supplements
MONDAY, Oct. 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Dietary supplements often include active pharmaceuticals, even after warnings from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to a study published online Oct. 12 in JAMA Network Open.
Cases Show Periodic Fasting May Cut Medication Use in T2DM
MONDAY, Oct. 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Medically supervised, therapeutic fasting regimens can help reverse type 2 diabetes (T2D) and minimize the need for pharmacological interventions, according to a case series published online Oct. 9 in BMJ Case Reports.
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Zoledronate Lowers Fracture Risk in Women With Osteopenia
FRIDAY, Oct. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The risk for fragility fractures is significantly lower in women with osteopenia who receive zoledronate than in those who receive placebo, according to a study published online Oct. 1 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Eye Trauma Secondary to Falls in Older Adults Increasing
FRIDAY, Oct. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Eye trauma as a secondary admission diagnosis is increasing, largely because of an increased incidence of falls in older individuals, according to a study published online Oct. 4 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
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Skills-Based Intervention Did Not Cut Systolic BP After Stroke, TIA
FRIDAY, Oct. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A culturally tailored, skills-based educational intervention did not reduce systolic blood pressure at one year after stroke/transient ischemic attack, according to a study published online Oct. 8 in JAMA Neurology.
Spending Often Persists in High-Cost Medicare-Medicaid Eligible
THURSDAY, Oct. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — More than half of patients who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid and are designated as high-cost in one year remain persistently high-cost over three years, according to a study published online Oct. 2 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Diet Less Important Than Genes for High Serum Urate Levels
THURSDAY, Oct. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Diet explains little of the variation in serum urate levels in the general population, while genetic factors make a greater contribution, according to a meta-analysis published online Oct. 10 in The BMJ.
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Review: Vitamin D Does Not Appear to Prevent Fractures, Falls
THURSDAY, Oct. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Vitamin D supplementation does not prevent fractures or falls or have a clinically meaningful impact on bone mineral density in pooled analyses, according to a review and meta-analysis published online Oct. 4 in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.
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Atrial Fibrillation Tied to Higher Dementia Risk in Older Adults
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with a faster global cognitive decline and an increased risk for dementia in older people, though anticoagulants may reduce dementia risk in AF patients, according to a study published online Oct. 10 in Neurology.
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Aetna-CVS Merger Approved
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A $69 billion merger between health insurer Aetna and pharmacy manager CVS Health has been approved, according to the U.S. Justice Department.
ADA, EASD Issue New Recommendations for T2DM
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Recommendations for the management of type 2 diabetes have been updated, according to a consensus report by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) published online Oct. 5 in Diabetes Care.
Long-Term Aspirin Use Linked to Reduction in Liver Cancer Risk
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Regular long-term aspirin use is associated with a dose-dependent reduction in the risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), according to a study published online Oct. 4 in JAMA Oncology.
Prevalence of Anxiety, Depression Up for Adults With Arthritis
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The age-standardized prevalences of symptoms of anxiety and depression among adults with arthritis are 22.5 and 12.1 percent, which are considerably higher than those among adults without arthritis, according to research published in the Oct. 5 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
FDA Approves Marketing of First User-Fitted Hearing Aid
TUESDAY, Oct. 9, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The first hearing aid that does not require the assistance of an audiologist or other health care provider has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Minority Residents Experience Burdens Linked to Race/Ethnicity
TUESDAY, Oct. 9 2018 (HealthDay News) — Minority residents describe burdens associated with race/ethnicity, including microaggressions and bias on a daily basis, according to a study published online Sept. 28 in JAMA Network Open.
Application of Blood Pressure Guidelines Ups Treatment
TUESDAY, Oct. 9, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Implementation of the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) blood pressure guideline would direct initiation and intensification of antihypertensive medication treatment to adults at high risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) events, according to a study published in the Sept. 11 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Industry-Funded Trials Often Involve Employees in Studies
FRIDAY, Oct. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Industry employees are often involved in the design, conduct, and reporting of industry-funded trials in high-impact journals, according to a study published online Oct. 3 in The BMJ.
Digital Cognitive Therapy Eases Daytime Effects of Insomnia
FRIDAY, Oct. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Digital cognitive behavioral therapy (dCBT) is effective in improving functional health, psychological well-being, and sleep-related quality of life in people reporting insomnia, according to a study published online Sept. 25 in JAMA Psychiatry.
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No Increase in In-Hospital, Post-Discharge Death With HRRP
FRIDAY, Oct. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Announcement and implementation of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) was not associated with increases in in-hospital or post-discharge mortality after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure, or pneumonia, according to a study published online Sept. 28 in JAMA Network Open.
One-Third of Older Adults Die After Emergency Intubation
FRIDAY, Oct. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Of older adults who undergo intubation in the emergency department, 33 percent die during the index hospitalization, according to a study published recently in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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Daily Drinking Associated With Increased Mortality Risk
FRIDAY, Oct. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Daily drinking, even at low levels, may be detrimental to one’s health, according to a study published online Oct. 3 in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.
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Price Hikes Noted in Small Subset of Generic Drugs
THURSDAY, Oct. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A small but growing subset of generic drugs experienced sudden large price increases from 2007 to 2013, according to a study published in the October issue of Health Affairs.
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Tips Provided for Budgeting in Medical Residency
THURSDAY, Oct. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Medical residents should start budgeting and save for the future, according to an article published in the American Medical Association AMA Wire.
Three-Quarters of Health Care Workers Got Flu Shot Last Year
THURSDAY, Oct. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Just over three-quarters of health care personnel received a flu vaccine last season, according to research published in the Sept. 28 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Cancer Risk Varies for Hispanics, Including in Puerto Rico
THURSDAY, Oct. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Hispanics have lower incidence and mortality than non-Hispanic whites for all cancers combined, although there is considerable variability in cancer risk within the U.S. Hispanic population, according to a report published online Oct. 4 in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
3/4 of Adult Day Services Centers Keep Advance Directives on Hand
THURSDAY, Oct. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Just over three-quarters of U.S. adult day services centers (ADSCs) maintain documentation of participants’ advance directives, according to a report published Sept. 12 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics.
Fall Risk Screening Strategy Cuts Fall-Related Hospitalizations
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 3, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Implementation of a multifactorial fall risk intervention, which includes screening for fall risk assessment for modifiable risk factors, and prescribing evidence-based interventions to reduce fall risk can reduce the likelihood of fall-related hospitalization, according to a study published online Sept. 20 in The Gerontologist.
Medicare Patient Readmit Rates Higher in Proprietary Hospitals
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 3, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Among Medicare patients with six major diseases, readmission rates are higher for those receiving care in proprietary hospitals compared with government or nonprofit hospitals, according to a study published online Sept. 18 in PLOS ONE.
Uninsured Rate at 8.8 Percent in First Quarter of 2018
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 3, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In the first quarter of 2018, the uninsured rate was 8.8 percent, not significantly different from a year earlier, according to a report released Aug. 29 by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
Opioid-Related Hospital Use Up in Elderly Adults
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 3, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Rates of opioid-related prescriptions and health care utilization are rising among seniors, according to two September statistical briefs released by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The reports relied on data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project and the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.
Abstract/Full Text – Weiss
Abstract/Full Text – Moriya and Miller
Southern Dietary Pattern Mediates Racial Difference in HTN
TUESDAY, Oct. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For black men and women, the Southern dietary pattern is the largest mediating factor for differences in the incidence of hypertension, according to a study published in the Oct. 2 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Preventable Cardiovascular Events Are Big Economic Burden
TUESDAY, Oct. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Preventable cardiovascular events place a considerable health and economic burden on the United States, according to research published in the Sept. 7 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
For Employer-Based Plans, Spending Across Services Steady
TUESDAY, Oct. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Despite large health policy changes, the distribution of spending across service areas has remained fairly consistent over the past 10 years for those enrolled in employer-sponsored insurance, according to a study published in the October issue of Health Affairs.
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Interviews Can Help Ensure Physician Candidates Fit Culture
TUESDAY, Oct. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In preparing to interview to hire a new physician, practices must understand their own cultures, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
Abstract/Full Text
Number of Health-Related Data Breaches Increasing
TUESDAY, Oct. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The number of health data breaches has steadily increased since 2010, according to a research letter published in the Sept. 25 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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More Non-Elderly Americans Uninsured in 2017 Versus 2016
MONDAY, Oct. 1, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2016 to 2017, there was an increase in the number of uninsured non-elderly Americans, according to a report published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Factors Associated With Phantom Odor Identified
MONDAY, Oct. 1, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Phantom odor perception in middle-aged and older individuals is associated with poor health, persistent dry mouth, and head injury, according to a study published online Aug. 16 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
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Risk of Venous Thromboembolism Recurrence High
MONDAY, Oct. 1, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The risk of recurrence after incident venous thromboembolism is high, particularly among patients with cancer-related venous thromboembolism, according to a study published in the September issue of The American Journal of Medicine.
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