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According to researchers at New Jersey’s Rutgers University, new risk factors are driving an increase in heart valve infections. The study, published in The American Journal of Cardiology, notes that infective endocarditis has typically been caused by oral bacteria. But new risk factors, according to the study’s lead author, Abel Moreyra, MD, a professor of medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, include compromised immune systems, intravenous opiate abuse, hemodialysis, and implanted heart devices.
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— Kate Jackson, editor |
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Rising Rates of Heart Valve Infections Point to Need for Prevention
People with heart disease or defective or artificial heart valves are at increased risk of developing a potentially deadly valve infection. Rutgers University researchers report that new risk factors for this condition have emerged and that an increasing number of patients admitted to hospitals for other diseases are at risk of contracting this potentially lethal cardiac infection.
The study, published in The American Journal of Cardiology, highlights the need for hospitals to develop ways to prevent this serious infection in the heart.
The American Heart Association had recommends that all people at risk for heart valve infections (infective endocarditis)—typically caused by bacteria entering the bloodstream through the mouth or via the gastrointestinal or genitourinary tract—take antibiotics. In 2007, the guidelines were revised to recommend antibiotics only for those determined to be at high risk for infection.
“In the past, infective endocarditis was associated with rheumatic heart disease and most often caused by bacteria in the mouth,” says lead author Abel Moreyra, MD, a professor of medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. “However, new risk factors, such as intravenous opiate abuse, compromised immune systems, hemodialysis, and implanted heart devices have emerged.”
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Hoarding: A Hazard for Older Adults
Hoarding—estimated to affect between 2% and 5% of the population—can pose a particularly serious threat to the health and well-being of older adults. Read more »
The Impact of Protein Quality on Muscle Recovery
Protein is essential for muscle health in older adults, but the type of protein may be key. Read more »
Sharper Contrast
Contrast-enhanced mammography has the potential to reduce breast biopsies. Read more » |
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Remote Patient Monitoring
Described as a personal health assistant for older adults, BUDDY, from LiveFreely, Inc, is an application that offers security and peace of mind for patients and caretakers. The app monitors patients’ heart rate and pressure and blood glucose, looking for irregularities. It also analyzes patients’ gaits to help prevent and predict falls, and provides alerts for caregivers and health professionals. BUDDY also helps older adults manage medication regimens and offers schedule reminders. Learn more »
Improving Bladder Control
The BTL Emsella chair is a painless, nonsurgical treatment for all forms of urinary incontinence and bladder leakage. It relies on high-intensity focused electromagnetic technology to rapidly stimulate pelvic floor muscles in six 28-minute sessions over three weeks. Far stronger than Kegel exercises, one session provides 11,000 supramaximal pelvic floor muscle contractions. Learn more » |
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A resource for professionals looking for new opportunities, as well as those physicians just curious to see what's out there, our Physician Recruitment Center gives physician recruiters a powerful tool to fill partnership opportunities, academic appointments, and hospital staff positions. To support your product marketing or recruiting needs, e-mail our experienced account executives today at sales@gvpub.com for more information or call 800-278-4400! |
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Arguing for a New Standard of Care
Ezekiel J. Emanuel, an oncologist, bioethicist, and vocal critic of aspects of the health care system, offers a highly personal take on end-of-life care in an article in The Atlantic. After a fall, his 92-year-old father was taken to the hospital, where doctors discovered the presence of a large tumor in his brain. Emmanuel traces the pitfalls in end-of-life care and the systemic failures that result in unnecessary and ineffective interventions and needless suffering.
Tech Improves Daily Life for People With Alzheimer’s Disease
As numerous treatments for Alzheimer’s disease have failed to live up to their promise and the number of emerging options has dwindled, technology has offered a bright spot for many patients. The Washington Post reports on interventions that are helping patients and their caregivers make the completion of tasks easier, reduce loneliness, and boost their quality of life.
Inflammation Contributes to Many of the Ills of Aging
In recent years, research has attributed the development of a host of chronic diseases to inflammation. New York Times columnist Jane E. Brody looks at the implications for older adults and the urgent need to tame the flame in order to prevent many of the diseases so prevalent with aging.
Eating a Diet Featuring Ketones Could Protect Brain Cells Against Alzheimer’s Disease, Study on Mice Suggests
Can eating a diet featuring ketones make difference for people with Alzheimer’s disease? According to a study of mice, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, raising levels of ketones may increase the production of a neuroprotective protein. Newsweek reports on the ways in which intermittent fasting and exercise may improve neurological health. |
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