What Botox may hide besides wrinkles

July 1, 2008

Brain changes make persistent pain entirely different in older people

Pain is biologically different in older patients, and persistent pain requires entirely different management in the elderly than you’d user for younger people, according to a report in the British Journal of Anaesthesia.

(Do you want the full text of this article? We can’t provide it for you, but you can purchase a copy for $28 by clicking the link “Full text” at the upper right of the abstract.)

Data in the study show brain changes in perception and response to pain that have implications for treatment. In many cases, social isolation also contributes to the problem.

The researchers found that mindfulness meditation may be especially useful for persistent pain in this population.

Related searches:

descending inhibition pain

oral cannabis pain

Research/ Reviews

Find other new information about research into chronic pain in this category.

Practice Guidelines

It’s easy to look up the latest guidelines for management of chronic pain.

Practical Articles/News

How do you manage the risk of addiction while treating pain?

No Comments » | Family Medicine, Geriatrics, Internal Medicine, Nervous System, Uncategorized | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by smnewsletters

What Botox may hide besides wrinkles

July 1, 2008

Brain changes make persistent pain entirely different in older people

Pain is biologically different in older patients, and persistent pain requires entirely different management in the elderly than you’d user for younger people, according to a report in the British Journal of Anaesthesia.

Do you want the full text of this article? We can’t provide it for you, but you can purchase a copy for $28 by clicking the link “Full text” at the upper right of the abstract.

Data in the study show brain changes in perception and response to pain that have implications for treatment. In many cases, social isolation also contributes to the problem.

The researchers found that mindfulness meditation may be especially useful for persistent pain in this population.

Related searches:

descending inhibition pain

oral cannabis pain

Research/ Reviews

Find other new information about research into chronic pain in this category.

Practice Guidelines

It’s easy to look up the latest guidelines for management of chronic pain.

Practical Articles/News

How can you manage the risk of addiction while treating pain?

No Comments » | Geriatrics, Nervous System | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by smnewsletters

Antipsychotics for dementia in elderly–just say no?

June 10, 2008

Any antipsychotic triples risk of serious events for elderly with dementia

Giving antipsychotics of any kind to an elderly person with dementia, even briefly, increases the risk of death or hospitalization by three or four times, according to a new longitudinal study in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

The study of over 40,000 elderly Canadians, equally divided between those living in nursing homes and those in the community, compared people who took antipsychotics with those who did not. The authors felt they have identified only the “tip of the iceberg” in terms of adverse events.

Research/Reviews
The risk of serious consequences in this study is considerably larger than in earlier studies that compared typical and atypical antipsychotics among the elderly.

Another recent study has found non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) of no value in preventing cognitive decline in Alzheimer dementia.

Clinical Trials
What’s happening in research using statins to treat Alzheimer disease?

No Comments » | Dementia, Geriatrics, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by smnewsletters

More zinc equals less pneumonia

November 8, 2007

In nursing home (at least), boosting zinc lowers pneumonia risks.

In a study of nursing home residents enrolled in a nutrition trial, those with serum zinc at or above normal levels (70 microg/dL) had less severe pneumonia and were less likely to die of it. The study was published in Oct. 2007 by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Does this justify recommending zinc supplements for your older patients living at home? Probably not. Another recent study showed that multivitamin and mineral supplements had no effect on the course of infections among elderly individuals in the community.

Clinical Trials for Patients
Clinical researchers are currently paying more attention to zinc and pneumonia in malnourished children.

Evidence Based Articles and Meta-analyses
What is the evidence that zinc lozenges shorten the course of a common cold?

No Comments » | Alternative Medicine, Geriatrics | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Cranky Aged Mama

Functional Decline Is Biggest Medical Problem for Elderly

August 23, 2007

A survey of more than 11,000 patients over age 65 shows that problems such as falls, incontinence, and failing vision are just as common as chronic conditions - but not what their doctors usually ask or think about.

Even if you can’t solve these problems, the authors contend, it’s important to inquire about and identify them. They can often be delayed or managed.

Refine your results with clinically useful categories:

Patient Education Materials
It’s easy enough to give your patient a printout about how to prevent falls.

Practical Articles and News
Do you know enough about determining the cause of syncope in the elderly?

No Comments » | Family Medicine | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by Cranky Aged Mama

For Aging Women Sleep Disturbance Accompanies Mental Decline

July 26, 2007

As part of an osteoporosis study, Columbia University researchers tracked sleep patterns and cognitive function in women over the age of 65. Cognitive decline tended to coincide with sleep disturbance. But which causes which? Too soon to say.

These were healthy women living in the community. Most similar research on sleep disorders and dementia has focused on nursing-home populations

Refine results into clinically useful categories:

Patient Education Materials
Only future research will tell whether sleep loss causes cognitive loss, or vice versa. Meanwhile, what information can you offer patients about strategies to avoid cognitive decline?

Alternative-Complementary Medicine
Patients concerned about their mental function may want to know about herbal remedies for insomnia.

No Comments » | Dementia | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Cranky Aged Mama