A 20-year study of people with type 1 diabetes shows that tight control of blood sugar levels cuts their risk of heart disease by more than half. The new research, published in the Dec. 22 New England Journal of Medicine, is “a landmark study,” according to Dr. William T.
The results of a study of older adults suggest that people who have an under active thyroid, or hypothyroidism, but with no symptoms, have an increased the risk of congestive heart failure, but not other cardiovascular disease or death.
Following are the best health articles in August 2005, arranged as per viewed frequency:
Scientists at the University of Washington, Seattle, raised blood insulin in 16 healthy seniors and then examined the volunteers’ cerebrospinal fluid and plasma.
Deciding whether to use hormone therapy (HT) after menopause is a difficult decision many women face as they age. Research has shown that HT is very effective for relieving menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness. It can also reduce the risk of osteoporosis. However, there are also known health risks and uncertainties about long-term use. Recent research has demonstrated that long-term use of estrogen–either alone or in combination with progestin–results in more risks than benefits.
Eating soy-based foods lessens the progress of osteoporosis in women after menopause, when hormonal changes can rapidly thin bones and increase the risk of fractures, researchers say.
Waist circumference is associated with insulin resistance in children and may offer a simple way to identify children with risk factors for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, according to a study in the August issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
The use of statins and other lipid-lowering agents by older adults was not associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia, according to a study in the July issue of the Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
In conditions with elevated concentrations of LDL particles, especially small LDL particles, cholesterol promotes atheroma plaque deposits in the walls of arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis, which is a major contributor to coronary heart disease and other forms of cardiovascular disease.
White adolescent and African-American girls assimilate salt and calcium differently, say researchers, claiming this may explain why races have different rates of high blood pressure and osteoporosis.