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Antidepressants Might Raise Fall Risk in Nursing Homes
Posted 18 Jan 2012 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 18 – Antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are associated with an increased risk of falls in nursing home residents with dementia, a new study finds. Researchers in the Netherlands analyzed data about daily prescription medicine use and falls among 248 nursing home residents with dementia. The dataset collected between Jan. 1, 2006 and Jan. 1, 2008 included 85,074 person-days. Antidepressants were used on 13,729 days (16 percent), with SSRIs used on 11,105 of these days, the investigators found. A total of 683 falls were experienced by 152 (61.5 percent) of the 248 nursing home residents, which works out to fall incidence of 2.9 falls per person-year. Thirty-eight residents had one fall but 114 had frequent falls. Injury or death resulted from 220 of the falls: 10 were hip fractures, 11 were other types of fractures, and 198 were ... Read more
Related support groups: Depression, Lexapro, Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa, Paxil, Citalopram, Fluoxetine, Sertraline, Dementia, Paroxetine, Luvox, Escitalopram, Paxil CR, Fluvoxamine
Race, Gender, Dementia May Affect Parkinson's Survival
Posted 4 Jan 2012 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 4 – Men appear more likely to die from Parkinson's disease than women, Hispanics and Asians with the neurologic disorder, a large U.S. study reveals. The researchers also found that those patients who suffered from dementia had a higher death rate from Parkinson's disease. The findings stem from an analysis of 138,000 Parkinson's patients across the United States who were Medicare beneficiaries between 2002 and 2008. Led by Dr. Allison Willis from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, the study appears in the January issue of the Archives of Neurology. During the six-year study period, overall, 64 percent of the patients died. Nearly 70 percent had developed dementia in that time. Black patients had the highest death rate, at more than 66 percent, while white patients had a slightly lower rate of almost 65 percent. By contrast, Hispanic and Asian ... Read more
Related support groups: Parkinson's Disease, Dementia
'Body Clock' Might Affect Women's Dementia Risk
Posted 13 Dec 2011 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, Dec. 13 – An older woman's sleep/wake cycle and levels of physical activity may affect her risk of developing dementia, a new study suggests. It found that the risk of dementia or "mild cognitive impairment" (a state that sometimes precedes dementia) was higher in older women with weaker circadian rhythms who are either less physically active or more active later in the day, compared to those who have a stronger circadian rhythm and are more active earlier in the day. "We've known for some time that circadian rhythms, what people often refer to as the 'body clock,' can have an impact on our brain and our ability to function normally," lead author Greg Tranah, a scientist at the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, said in an institute news release. "What our findings suggest is that future interventions such as increased physical activity or using light ... Read more
Related support groups: Dementia, Mild Cognitive Impairment
Risk for Dementia Rises When Diabetes, Depression Meet: Study
Posted 5 Dec 2011 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, Dec. 5 – When people with type 2 diabetes also struggle with depression, their odds for a third worrisome condition – dementia – goes up markedly, a new study suggests. Specifically, patients with type 2 diabetes are twice as likely to develop dementia three to five years after being diagnosed with depression compared to nondepressed people with diabetes, researchers found. "We've known for years that diabetes is a risk factor for dementia," explained study lead author Dr. Wayne Katon, a professor and vice chair of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington's School of Public Health in Seattle. "In fact, having diabetes itself probably doubles the risk for dementia," Katon added. "We've also known that a very common accompanying condition with diabetes is depression," Katon said. "Some 20 percent of diabetics have depression. And now ... Read more
Related support groups: Depression, Diabetes, Type 2, Dementia
Scans May Discern Between Two Types of Dementia
Posted 30 Nov 2011 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 30 – In the vast majority of cases, researchers can distinguish between Alzheimer's and another form of dementia with shared symptoms by using a specific type of PET scan that looks for evidence of plaque in the brain, new research suggests. Known as the "PIB PET" scan, this type of scan appears to be more accurate in telling apart the two types of dementia than the more commonly used "FDG PET" scan. "These two types of dementia share similar symptoms, so telling the two apart while a person is living is a real challenge, but important so doctors can determine the best form of treatment," study author Dr. Gil Rabinovici of the University of California San Francisco Memory and Aging Center explained in a university news release. The study is in the Nov. 30 online issue of Neurology. The PIB PET scan harnesses a "PIB marker" to uncover signs of brain plaque (known as ... Read more
Related support groups: Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease
Dementia May Impede Stroke Recovery
Posted 31 Oct 2011 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, Oct. 31 – People with dementia who suffer a stroke are more likely to be disabled and less likely to return home than stroke patients who didn't have dementia, a new study finds. Researchers looked at 702 people who had dementia at the time they had a stroke and 8,602 patients without dementia who had a stroke. The stroke patients with pre-existing dementia were more likely to have moderate to severe disability when discharged from the hospital (81 percent vs. 57 percent) and were less likely to return to the place they lived before their stroke (24 percent vs. 45 percent). The researchers also found that patients with dementia were more likely to have a severe stroke and an abnormal heart rhythm and less likely to receive the drug tPA, a clot-busting medication used to treat stroke. A stroke, sometimes referred to as a "brain attack," occurs when blood stops circulating to the ... Read more
Related support groups: Ischemic Stroke, Dementia
Foundation Aims to Raise Awareness of Brain Diseases
Posted 14 Oct 2011 by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, Oct. 14 – One in six people in the United States is affected by a brain disease such as stroke, dementia, epilepsy or multiple sclerosis, and more research is required to find new treatments, says the American Academy of Neurology Foundation. To mark its 20th anniversary, the foundation has released a video public service announcement to raise awareness about the need for ongoing research. "Brain disease is in the news every day, and it is nearly impossible to find someone who has not had a family member or friend affected by one of the many forms of brain disease that attack the brain and nervous system," Dr. John Mazziotta, chair of the foundation's board of trustees and professor and chair of the Brain Mapping Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, said in an AAN news release. "People are also concerned they, or their family members, will become affected by ... Read more
Related support groups: Multiple Sclerosis, Ischemic Stroke, Epilepsy, Dementia
Scientists Spot New Clues to HIV-Linked Dementia
Posted 6 Oct 2011 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, Oct. 6 – Researchers have identified two genetically distinct types of HIV in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with HIV-associated dementia. The discovery may help explain why the risk of developing neurological difficulties increases as AIDS patients live longer, and may also help predict which patients are at greatest risk for the problem, according to the U.S. scientists. They said the two newly-identified HIV types aren't being detected in HIV that circulates in a patient's blood, and one type may be present cerebrospinal fluid years before the onset of HIV-linked dementia. The fact that the two HIV types can be detected in the CSF indicates that they grow in the central nervous system, the researchers said. The finding might also help explain while highly active antiretroviral therapy – the drug "cocktails" that HIV-positive patients take to stay healthy – can ... Read more
Related support groups: Dementia, HIV Infection
Gauging General Health as 'Poor' May Point to Dementia Risk
Posted 5 Oct 2011 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 5 – Older adults who think they're not in tip-top health may have a greater risk of developing dementia than folks who believe they're healthy, French researchers report in Oct. 5 issue of the journal Neurology. Someday, "having people rate their own health may be a simple tool for doctors to determine a person's risk of dementia, especially for people with no symptoms or memory problems," Dr. Christophe Tzourio, of the neuroepidemiology unit at the Victor Segalen Bordeaux II University, said in a journal news release. Still, not everyone was convinced by the research. "It is one of the first studies to look at this correlation and we really don't know what that means," said Heather M. Snyder, senior associate director for Medical & Scientific Relations at the Alzheimer's Association. She was not involved in the study. In their report, published online Oct. 5 in ... Read more
Related support groups: Dementia
End-Stage Alzheimer's Patients Often Hospitalized Unnecessarily
Posted 28 Sep 2011 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 28 – Almost one in every five patients with advanced Alzheimer's or other form of severe dementia will be shuttled from a nursing home to a hospital during their last few months of life, a new U.S. study shows. The study's authors believe that many of those troublesome "transitions" aren't needed. Depending on where a patient lives, as many as 37.5 percent may be hospitalized, the study found. "This study is really a sign of the current inefficiency of how we organize and pay for health care. The current incentive for patients with severe dementia is to hospitalize and get them stuck in a revolving door between acute care hospitals and nursing homes," explained study co-author Dr. Joan Teno, a professor of health services, policy and practice at the Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University in Providence, R.I. Results of the study are published in the Sept. 29 ... Read more
Related support groups: Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease
Atypical Antipsychotics Appear to Be Effective For Only Few Off-Label Uses
Posted 28 Sep 2011 by Drugs.com
CHICAGO—A review of previous studies suggests that even though atypical antipsychotic medications are commonly used for off-label conditions such as behavioral symptoms of dementia, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, these medications are effective for only a few off-label conditions, and that the benefits and harms of these medications for these uses vary, according to an article in the September 28 issue of JAMA. "Atypical antipsychotic medications are approved for marketing and labeling by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression under drug-specific circumstances. The use of atypical antipsychotic medications is rapidly increasing in the United States, with 1 study estimating an increase from 6.2 million to 14.3 million treatment visits between 1995 and 2008. The estimated use of these drugs for off-label i ... Read more
Related support groups: Anxiety, Seroquel, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Abilify, Geodon, Zyprexa, Risperdal, Seroquel XR, Risperidone, Dementia, Saphris, Quetiapine, Latuda, Clozapine, Invega
Mixed Results Seen With 'Off-Label' Use of Antipsychotics
Posted 27 Sep 2011 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, Sept. 27 – Even though off-label use of atypical antipsychotic drugs is common, a new review finds that such use is only effective in a few conditions and can be harmful in others. Also known as "second-generation" antipsychotics, these drugs are approved in the United States for treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression. But off-label use – or use not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration – of these drugs to treat a number of other conditions is growing. Researchers analyzed findings from 393 clinical studies to gauge effectiveness and uncover harmful side effects when Risperdal, Zyprexa, Seroquel, Abilify, Geodon, Saphris, Fanapt and Invega were used outside of FDA-approved indications. Off-label use included treatment for behavioral symptoms in dementia, anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorders, post-traumatic ... Read more
Related support groups: Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Insomnia, Seroquel, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Abilify, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Geodon, Zyprexa, Schizophrenia, Risperdal, Seroquel XR, Dementia, Risperidone
More Evidence Links Diabetes, Dementia
Posted 19 Sep 2011 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, Sept. 19 – People with diabetes are at significantly higher risk of developing all types of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, finds a new study that bolsters previous research connecting the two illnesses. The study of more than 1,000 people in Japan found that 27 percent of those with diabetes developed dementia, compared to 20 percent of people with normal blood sugar levels. Further, the study showed that pre-diabetes – higher than normal blood sugar levels – also raised the risk of dementia. "We have clearly demonstrated that diabetes is a significant risk factor for the development of dementia, especially of Alzheimer's disease, in (the) general public," said Dr. Yutaka Kiyohara, a professor in the graduate school of medical science at Kyushu University in Fukuoka. The study, conducted from 1988 to 2003, is published Sept. 20 in Neurology. Noting the global ... Read more
Related support groups: Obesity, Diabetes, Type 2, Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, Pre-Diabetes
Dementia Patients Seem to Benefit From Small Group Homes
Posted 16 Sep 2011 by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, Sept. 16 – People with dementia appear to be better off in small group homes rather than large nursing homes because they offer a domestic environment where patients can live as individuals, new research suggests. And small group homes offer the added benefit of allowing the relatives of dementia patients to get involved, the researchers pointed out in the study published in the September issue of the Journal of Clinical Nursing. "It's estimated that 80 million people worldwide will suffer from dementia by 2040," Ezra van Zadelhoff, from Maastricht University in the Netherlands, said in a journal news release. "Up until now, traditional care for people with dementia has mostly been provided in large nursing homes. However, a number of countries are increasingly providing care in small group homes, which offer a more domestic environment focusing on normal daily life." Small ... Read more
Related support groups: Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease
Certain 'Senior Moments' May Signal Mental Decline
Posted 15 Sep 2011 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, Sept. 15 – Those "senior moments" that plague so many aging Baby Boomers may or may not be a sign of more serious problems down the line. New research finds that losing your train of thought or forgetting where you placed your keys may be a fairly benign – albeit annoying – sign of age. But having trouble remembering what happened a few minutes ago, or getting lost in familiar places, may be more serious. The information, published in the September issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, should help primary care physicians sort out the mundane from the more troublesome when they see elderly patients. "They should be asking their patients if they have any complaints [about memory or thinking skills]," said study lead author Rebecca Amariglio, a neuropsychologist with Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston. "When you're getting old, ... Read more
Related support groups: Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment
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