Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Geriatrics for March 2020. 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.
CVD May Play Role in Link Between Air Pollution, Dementia
TUESDAY, March 31, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with a higher risk for dementia, with the association enhanced by heart failure and ischemic heart disease, according to a study published online March 30 in JAMA Neurology.
WHO Issues Guidance on Prevention of COVID-19 at LTCFs
TUESDAY, March 31, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In a technical guidance document issued by the World Health Organization, recommendations are presented for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) entry and spread in long-term care facilities (LTCFs).
Doctors, Hospitals, Pharmacies Warned Not to Stockpile Meds
TUESDAY, March 31, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In a joint statement released by the American Medical Association, American Pharmacists Association, and American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, the professional groups “strongly oppose” physicians, pharmacies, and hospitals prophylactically prescribing medications or purchasing excessive amounts or stockpiles of potential treatments for COVID-19.
Extreme High Temps More Than Double Cardiovascular Deaths
MONDAY, March 30, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The risk for cardiovascular death is more than doubled during extreme high temperatures, according to a research letter published online March 30 in Circulation.
U.S. Army Opens Field Hospital in New York City
MONDAY, March 30, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The first U.S. Army field hospital for civilian patients opened in New York City Monday and could be the first of many across the nation as it struggles with the coronavirus pandemic.
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Chronic Kidney Disease Linked to Uncontrolled Blood Pressure
MONDAY, March 30, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with uncontrolled blood pressure (BP), while ambulatory BP patterns are not associated with cognitive impairment or frailty in non-dialysis-dependent CKD patients, according to two studies published online March 26 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
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Patients Viral Positive for Days After COVID-19 Resolution
MONDAY, March 30, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Some patients who have recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continue to be viral positive up to eight days after resolution of symptoms, according to a study published online March 23 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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PPE Negative for SARS-CoV-2 After Patient Contact
FRIDAY, March 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Samples collected from personal protective equipment (PPE) from health care workers (HCWs) caring for patients positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) were negative for SARS-CoV-2, according to research published online March 26 in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.
Late-Life Depression Severity Varies by Race, Ethnicity
FRIDAY, March 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Significant racial and ethnic differences have been identified in late-life depression (LLD) severity, symptom burden, and depression care, according to a study published online March 26 in JAMA Network Open.
Workers at Risk for COVID-19 Exposure Can Access Online Training
THURSDAY, March 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The National Institutes of Health has launched a new website with educational resources for hospital employees, emergency first responders, and other workers at risk for exposure to COVID-19.
Daily Low-Dose Aspirin Does Not Cut Dementia Risk in Seniors
WEDNESDAY, March 25, 2020 (HealthDay News) — For relatively healthy older individuals, low-dose aspirin compared with placebo did not reduce the risk for dementia, probable Alzheimer disease, or mild cognitive impairment during a median follow-up of 4.7 years, according to a study published online March 25 in Neurology.
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Many Older Adults Receive Inpatient Diabetes Rx Intensification
WEDNESDAY, March 25, 2020 (HealthDay News) — One in 10 older adults hospitalized for common medical conditions are discharged with intensified diabetes medications, despite the fact that nearly half are unlikely to benefit from the intensification, according to a study published online March 24 in JAMA Network Open.
National Health Spending Expected to Increase Through 2028
WEDNESDAY, March 25, 2020 (HealthDay News) — National health expenditures are projected to increase at an average annual rate of 5.4 percent for 2019 to 2028, representing almost 20 percent of U.S. gross domestic product by 2028, according to a study published online March 24 in Health Affairs.
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More Steps in a Day Tied to Lower Risk for Death
TUESDAY, March 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) — A greater number of daily steps — 8,000 or more — is associated with a significantly lower risk for all-cause mortality, according to a study conducted in U.S. adults published in the March 24/31 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Sleep-Disordered Breathing Tied to Brain Changes
TUESDAY, March 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is associated with changes in the brain, including amyloid deposition in brain regions typically involved in Alzheimer disease, according to a study published online March 23 in JAMA Neurology.
Frailty Predicts Adverse Outcomes After Mitral Valve Replacement
MONDAY, March 23, 2020 (HealthDay News) — For patients undergoing mitral valve replacement (MVR), frailty is an independent predictor of morbidity, death, and increased hospitalization costs, according to a study published online March 18 in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
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Statement Addresses Concerns About Heart Meds and COVID-19
FRIDAY, March 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Patients already prescribed angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) should continue taking their medications, according to a joint statement from the American Heart Association (AHA), the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA), and the American College of Cardiology (ACC), issued in response to a research letter published online March 11 in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
Serial Interval of COVID-19 Estimated at 3.96 Days
FRIDAY, March 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The serial interval of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), defined as the time between a primary case and secondary case developing symptoms, is 3.96 days, according to a study published online March 19 in Emerging Infectious Diseases, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
U.S. Seniors at Higher Risk for Severe Illness, Death With COVID-19
THURSDAY, March 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In the United States, the risk for serious illness and death from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is higher among older adults, according to research published in the March 18 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Drop in Episodic Memory Steeper With High Goal Disengagement
THURSDAY, March 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Retired female individuals who are high in goal disengagement have steeper nine-year declines in episodic memory, according to a study published online March 16 in Psychology and Aging.
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Poor Sleep Quality Linked to Greater Food Intake, Worse Diet
THURSDAY, March 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Poor sleep quality is associated with increased food intake and a lower-quality diet among women, according to a study published in the Feb. 18 issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Per-Capita Medical Radiation Exposure Down in United States
TUESDAY, March 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — From 2006 to 2016, there was a decrease in per-capita exposure to medical radiation in the United States, according to a study published online March 17 in Radiology.
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Medicare Expands Telemedicine Coverage During COVID-19 Pandemic
TUESDAY, March 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Medicare is expanding coverage for telemedicine nationwide so that millions of American seniors can get health care at home and avoid the coronavirus, officials said Tuesday.
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Few Anesthesiologists Screen Elderly for Frailty, Dementia
TUESDAY, March 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Few U.S. anesthesiologists report preoperative screening for frailty or dementia or postoperative screening for delirium among older adults, according to a study published online Feb. 25 in Perioperative Medicine.
Climate Similar in Cities With Biggest Outbreaks of COVID-19
TUESDAY, March 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Cities that have experienced significant outbreaks of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) have similar winter climates, according to a study published online March 9 on the open-data site SSRN.
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Phone App Helps Cut Pain, Aid Functioning With Osteoarthritis
MONDAY, March 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — A physical therapy app that offers a self-managed exercise and education program helps to improve pain and physical function for patients with osteoarthritis, according to a study published online March 4 in PLOS ONE.
Function, Cognition, Psych Well-Being Linked to Postop Death
FRIDAY, March 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Poor function, cognition, and psychological well-being are associated with mortality among older adults undergoing major surgery, according to a study published online March 11 in JAMA Surgery.
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Decreases Seen in Cancer Incidence, Death Rates
THURSDAY, March 12, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Cancer incidence and death rates have decreased in recent years, according to two studies published online March 12 in Cancer.
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Risk Factors Linked to In-Hospital Death in COVID-19 Identified
THURSDAY, March 12, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Older age, higher Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, and d-dimer are associated with increased odds of in-hospital death among patients with novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), according to a study published online March 11 in The Lancet.
CRC Risks Similar to General Population After Bariatric Surgery
THURSDAY, March 12, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Patients with obesity undergoing bariatric surgery have the same risk for colorectal cancer (CRC) as the general population, according to a study published online March 11 in JAMA Surgery.
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Safety, Effectiveness of VKAs, DOACs Similar in General Practice
THURSDAY, March 12, 2020 (HealthDay News) — For patients receiving anticoagulants, arteriovenous events and major bleeding events do not differ for those receiving vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) or direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), according to a study published in the March/April issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
National Dietary Guideline Adherence Lowers Cardiovascular Risk
THURSDAY, March 12, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Higher adherence to the 2015 to 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (measured by the Healthy Eating Index-2015 [HEI-2015]) is associated with lower risks for incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality, according to a study published in the February issue of The Journal of Nutrition.
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Ophthalmologic Symptoms Common in Parkinson Disease
WEDNESDAY, March 11, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Patients with Parkinson disease (PD) have a higher prevalence of ophthalmologic symptoms than controls, according to a study published online March 11 in Neurology.
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Anticholinergic Burden Tied to Adverse Effects in Middle Age
TUESDAY, March 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Anticholinergic burden (ACB) is associated with adverse outcomes in a middle- to older-aged population, according to a study published in the March/April issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
Romosozumab Added to Guideline for Management of Osteoporosis
TUESDAY, March 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In an Endocrine Society guideline update, published online in the March issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, recommendations are presented for the use of romosozumab in the pharmacological management of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
Diabetes-Related Lower-Extremity Complications Increasing
TUESDAY, March 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Diabetes-related lower-extremity complications (DRLECs) are a large and increasing contributor to the global burden of disability, according to a study published online March 5 in Diabetes Care.
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Excess Mortality Observed for Older Adults With BP Below 130/80 mm Hg
TUESDAY, March 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) — For older adults, blood pressure (BP) <130/80 mm Hg is associated with excess mortality, according to a study published online March 5 in Age and Ageing.
2018 Health Care Spending Up Due to Higher Prices
MONDAY, March 9, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Average employer-sponsored insurance spending rose to $5,892 per person in 2018, according to the Health Care Cost Institute annual Health Care Cost and Utilization Report.
Health Care Cost and Utilization Report
Preventive Care Service May Cut Risk for Recurrent Fractures
MONDAY, March 9, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Hospitals’ implementation of fracture liaison services (FLS) is associated with a reduced risk for recurrent fracture among older patients, according to a study published online Feb. 25 in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.
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FDA: Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities May Affect Medical Devices
FRIDAY, March 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) — SweynTooth cybersecurity vulnerabilities may affect medical devices, according to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration safety communication.
Widowhood Tied to More Rapid Cognitive Decline Among Seniors
FRIDAY, March 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Widowhood accelerates cognitive decline among those at risk for Alzheimer disease, according to a study published online Feb. 26 in JAMA Network Open.
Long-Term Endurance Exercise Tied to Aortic Enlargement
FRIDAY, March 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Clinically relevant aortic dilatation is common among aging endurance athletes, according to a study published online Feb. 26 in JAMA Cardiology.
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CRC Incidence, Mortality Declining for Adults Aged ≥65
FRIDAY, March 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality are continuing to decline among adults aged 65 years and older but are increasing among younger adults, according to a study published online March 5 in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
Period of 2015 to 2018 Saw Increase in Cannabis Use in Seniors
FRIDAY, March 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) — From 2015 to 2018, there was an increase in the prevalence of cannabis use among older adults, according to a research letter published online Feb. 24 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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CDC: Fall-Related TBI Deaths Increasing Among U.S. Residents
THURSDAY, March 5, 2020 (HealthDay News) — From 2008 to 2017, there was an increase in the national age-adjusted rate of unintentional fall-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) deaths among U.S. adults, according to research published in the March 6 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Secondary Prevention Guideline Adherence Cuts Death Post-AMI
THURSDAY, March 5, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Adherence to secondary prevention guidelines for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is associated with reduced mortality, according to a study published online March 5 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Female Clinical Chairs Paid Significantly Less Than Men
THURSDAY, March 5, 2020 (HealthDay News) — There are significant sex differences in salaries of clinical department chairs in public medical schools in the United States, according to a research letter published online March 2 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Moderate Egg Consumption Not Linked to CVD Risk Overall
THURSDAY, March 5, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Moderate egg consumption is not associated with the risk for cardiovascular disease overall, according to a study published online March 4 in The BMJ.
Habitual Fish Oil Supplements Linked to Lower CVD Risk
THURSDAY, March 5, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Habitual supplementation with fish oil is associated with a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes and all-cause mortality, according to a study published online March 4 in The BMJ.
EHR Use Up in Residential Care Communities 2012 to 2016
WEDNESDAY, March 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) — From 2012 to 2016, there was an increase in electronic health record (EHR) use among residential care communities, according to a study published online March 3 in the National Health Statistics Reports, a publication from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Molecularly Matched Therapy Promising in Pancreatic Cancer
WEDNESDAY, March 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Receipt of molecularly matched therapy is associated with improved outcomes in patients with pancreatic cancer, according to a study published online March 2 in The Lancet Oncology.
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Racial/Ethnic Insurance Coverage Disparity Down Since ACA
WEDNESDAY, March 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Since the implementation of coverage expansions associated with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the disparities in insurance coverage related to race and ethnicity have decreased, according to a study published in the March issue of Health Affairs.
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Considerable Increase Seen in List, Net Prices of Branded Drugs
WEDNESDAY, March 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) — From 2007 to 2018, there were substantial increases in list and net prices of branded drugs in the United States, according to a study published in the March 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Short-Term Medications May Cut Risk for ‘Broken Heart’ Syndrome
WEDNESDAY, March 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In early bereavement, low-dose metoprolol and aspirin reduce physiological and psychological surrogate measures of cardiovascular risk, according to a study published in the February issue of the American Heart Journal.
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1996 to 2016 Saw Increases in U.S. Spending on Health Care
TUESDAY, March 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) — From 1996 to 2016, there were considerable increases in U.S. spending on health care, according to a study published in the March 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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NICE Guidelines Presented for Management of Thyroid Disease
TUESDAY, March 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In a summary of a recent guideline from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), published online Jan. 29 in The BMJ, recommendations are presented for the assessment and management of thyroid disease.
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Ambient Air Pollution Causes Decreased Life Expectancy
TUESDAY, March 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Ambient air pollution is a leading cause of excess mortality and loss of life expectancy (LLE), according to a study published online March 3 in Cardiovascular Research.
Focus on Vaccinating Elderly May Not Be Enough for Flu Protection
MONDAY, March 2, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Current vaccination strategies focusing on the elderly may be less effective than thought for reducing hospitalization or mortality among this population, according to a study published online March 3 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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USPSTF Recommends Screening All Adults for Hepatitis C Virus
MONDAY, March 2, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening for hepatitis C virus infection in all adults. This recommendation forms the basis of a final recommendation statement published online March 2 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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2003 to 2016 Saw Changes in Characteristics of PCI, CABG Patients
MONDAY, March 2, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Between 2003 and 2016, there were decreases in in-hospital mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) but not after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), according to a study published online Feb. 14 in JAMA Network Open.
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