Therapist Unlimited Blog

Middle-aged white women in the United States had reasons to be careful these days.
This developed after recent data has shown that death rate from unintentional poisoning already triples in the US for these people.
Based on the study made by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Center for Injury Research and Policy it was discovered that white women between 45 and 64 years old experienced a 230 percent increase in the rate of poisoning mortality over the study period.
The data they gathered also showed that white men in this age group experienced an increase of 137 percent.
The researchers also discovered that mortality rates from falls varied widely across age and gender.
The researchers revealed the death rate from falls increased 38 percent for white men and 48 percent for white women 65 and older.
The research team explained mortality rate did not increase significantly for older blacks of either sex.
The researchers said overall, 89 percent of the total increase in unintentional injury deaths in the U.S. between 1999 and 2005 was due to poisoning among those 15 to 64 years old and falls among those 45 and older, which increased by about 11,200 and 6,600, respectively.

Middle-aged women need to be careful since they are prone to unintentional poisoning.

Study co-author Susan P. Baker, MPH, a professor with the Bloomberg School’s Center for Injury Research and Policy said the large increases in the number of deaths attributable to poisoning and falls underscore the need for more research on the specific circumstances involved.
Baker added that while we don’t know the cause behind the recent increase in falls mortality, it appears that the increase in poisonings is largely due to prescription drugs.
She said national prevention efforts are needed to control the abuse of prescription drugs and limit access.
She added prescriptions for opioid analgesics to address pain have increased dramatically in the past decade, and data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that prescription drugs have replaced illegal drugs such as cocaine as the most prominent substances in fatal drug overdoses.
In addition to falls and poisonings, four other leading causes of intentional injury deaths were identified for subsequent analyses: suffocation, drowning, fire/burns and motor vehicle crashes. Suffocation rates generally decreased or had no significant change, but they greatly increased in white children less than one year old.
Drowning rates increased among white men 65 and older and among white middle-aged women, but decreased in black males 5 to 24 years old, black females 5 to14 years old, and whites females 15 to 24 years.
Mortality from fires and burns decreased the most.
The rate of dying due to a motorcycle crash more than doubled in Hispanic males 15 to 24 years and in white males ages 45 to 64 years.

Who says it is better to find medical cure in the past than today?
A recent analysis has found that adolescents and young adults who were recently diagnosed with blood-related cancers have
better long-term survival rates than those who were diagnosed in the 1980s.
Based on the study it was uncovered that significant advances have been made in the treatment of 15 to 24 year-olds with leukemias and lymphomas; however, survival rates in this age group are
still lower than those seen in younger children.
It is said that few studies have looked at trends in the long-term survival of adolescents and young adults with blood-related cancers, which include Hodgkin’s lymphoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloblastic leukemia, and chronic myelocytic leukemia.
To get the data, Dianne Pulte, MD, of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and her colleagues analyzed data from the Surveillance,
Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, which is a population-based cancer registry in the United States.
The team then compare survival rates of young patients diagnosed in recent years with those diagnosed two decades ago.

Those who are suffering from leukemia and lymphoma find better cure today than in the past.

Based on the information they gathered from SEER data from 1981-1985 with data from 2001-2005, they found that survival significantly improved in each of the five blood-related malignancies.
The researchers revealed the 10-year survival rates increased from 80.4 percent to 93.4 percent among adolescents and young adults with Hodgkin’s lymphoma; from 55.6 percent to 76.2 percent for non-Hodgkin’s
lymphoma; from 30.5 percent to 52.1 percent for acute lymphoblastic leukemia; from 15.2 percent to 45.1 percent for acute myeloblastic leukemia; and from 0 percent to 74.5 percent for chronic myelocytic leukemia.
Furthermore, the researchers also that survival improved steadily over the two decades for the lymphomas and chronic myelocytic leukemia, but survival was stable during the late 1990s and early 21st century for the
acute leukemias.
In addition, the exception of Hodgkin’s lymphoma, survival in adolescents and young adults still lags behind survival in children and, in the case of acute myeloblastic leukemia, even behind survival in older adults.
The researchers explained the persistent lower survival rates for adolescents and young adults with acute leukemias compared with children with these diseases remain a major challenge.
They said more research into how to treat these diseases and how to make sure that all patients have access to the best treatment is needed.
 

Middle-aged white women in the United States had reasons to be careful these days.
This developed after recent data has shown that death rate from unintentional poisoning already triples in the US for these people.
Based on the study made by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Center for Injury Research and Policy it was discovered that white women between 45 and 64 years old experienced a 230 percent increase in the rate of poisoning mortality over the study period.
The data they gathered also showed that white men in this age group experienced an increase of 137 percent.
The researchers also discovered that mortality rates from falls varied widely across age and gender.
The researchers revealed the death rate from falls increased 38 percent for white men and 48 percent for white women 65 and older.
The research team explained mortality rate did not increase significantly for older blacks of either sex.
The researchers said overall, 89 percent of the total increase in unintentional injury deaths in the U.S. between 1999 and 2005 was due to poisoning among those 15 to 64 years old and falls among those 45 and older, which increased by about 11,200 and 6,600, respectively.

Middle-aged white women need to be careful since they are prone to unintentional poisoning.

Study co-author Susan P. Baker, MPH, a professor with the Bloomberg School’s Center for Injury Research and Policy said the large increases in the number of deaths attributable to poisoning and falls underscore the need for more research on the specific circumstances involved.
Baker added that while we don’t know the cause behind the recent increase in falls mortality, it appears that the increase in poisonings is largely due to prescription drugs.
She said national prevention efforts are needed to control the abuse of prescription drugs and limit access.
She added prescriptions for opioid analgesics to address pain have increased dramatically in the past decade, and data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that prescription drugs have replaced illegal drugs such as cocaine as the most prominent substances in fatal drug overdoses.
In addition to falls and poisonings, four other leading causes of intentional injury deaths were identified for subsequent analyses: suffocation, drowning, fire/burns and motor vehicle crashes. Suffocation rates generally decreased or had no significant change, but they greatly increased in white children less than one year old.
Drowning rates increased among white men 65 and older and among white middle-aged women, but decreased in black males 5 to 24 years old, black females 5 to14 years old, and whites females 15 to 24 years.
Mortality from fires and burns decreased the most.
The rate of dying due to a motorcycle crash more than doubled in Hispanic males 15 to 24 years and in white males ages 45 to 64 years.

Pregnant women should eat nutritious foods during their pregnancy to ensure their baby will be healthy and have the right weight upon birth.
A recent study has shown that those babies who are born with low birth weight are at higher risk of suffering from kidney disease in the future.
According to the study, parents of newborns who tip the scales at less than 5 ½ pounds should put some heavy thought to a possible future consequence: kidney disease.
Based on the same study it was also discovered that low birth weight babies have a 70% greater risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD) in later life.
The latest statistics taken from the National Kidney Foundation have shown that 26 six million American adults have CKD and millions of others are at increased risk.
Dr. Kerry Willis, National Kidney Foundation Senior VP for Scientific Activities said High risk groups include those with diabetes, hypertension or a family history of kidney disease.
Lead researcher, Sarah L. White, MPH of the George Institute and the University of Sydney in Sydney, Australia for her part revealed experimental studies suggest that restricted growth of a fetus in the womb can interfere with normal kidney development
and result in fewer and smaller filtering units, or nephrons, at birth.
White added those with low birth weight may therefore be vulnerable to accelerated loss of kidney function later on as a result of any additional injuries to the kidney caused, for example, by accidents, infections or the presence of other risk factors such as diabetes.

Pregnant women should strive hard to keep their babies healthy upon birth to protect them from possible kidney disease in the future.

 

In their study, researchers also found a connection between low birth weight and subsequent development of end-stage kidney disease, or kidney failure.
Additionally, in comparing data from two large twin studies, investigators found significant differences in kidney function between members of the same set of twins where one twin was smaller, but not among different sets of twins.
The researchers said this suggests that the association between birth weight and kidney function is more closely connected with fetoplacental factors affecting intrauterine growth than with maternal or genetic factors.
White explained despite the association between low birth weight and risk of chronic kidney disease in later life, early detection and management of chronic kidney disease and its risk factors are highly effective in preventing adverse outcomes.
She added people who were very small at birth should avoid obesity that could lead to diabetes, maintain regular physical activity, avoid medications that could be toxic for the kidneys and see their doctors for simple assessment of chronic kidney disease including blood pressure measurement, a dipstick test for urinary protein and a blood test of serum creatinine level.

Those individuals who love to regularly check their body weight better consult a doctor now since such actions are strong signs they could be suffering from eating disorders.
A noted psychologist revealed those persons who weigh themselves at frequent intervals, sometimes many times a day could be suffering from a form of eating disorder.
Dena Cabrera, PsyD, a noted psychologist at the Remuda Programs for Eating and Anxiety Disorders revealed those people who regularly check their fatness, bones and any physical change in their body to subconsciously or consciously motivate their eating disorder behavior.
Cabrera explained those persons who frequently examined their weight and body become obsessed with the daily weight fluctuations that are a normal part of the body and would otherwise pass unnoticed.
Cabrera added the movements on the scale then determines their mood and eating patterns.

Do you love to regularly check your body weight? If your answer is yes, better seek medical help since you could be suffering from eating disorders.

She said body checking is influential in maintaining dissatisfaction with shape and appearance.
The noted psychologist identified other common behaviors associated with body checking such as looking in the mirror (or at reflective surfaces); measuring body parts with tape measures or hands; pinching or touching body parts; assessing the tightness of
particular items of clothing or accessories; looking down at one’s body and touching collar bones to check for boniness.
Furthermore, Cabrera said there is a need to assess the time spent on body/weight checking behavior as well as the consequences to determine if there needs to be a change in behavior.
Cabrera said most of the time body/weight checking needs to be stopped in an effort to uncover other influential factors that may trigger eating disorder behaviors, such as emotional regulation issues, trauma and maturity fears.
She hoped her study would serve as driving force to those persons who love to regularly check their weight to be more vigilant so that they would not suffer from eating disorders.

Those people who drink an average four glassess of wine and beer a week are prone to suffer from binge drinking.
This was the result of a study made by the the University of Montreal and University of Western Ontario both in Canada where researchers discovered that that Canadians from all ages regardless of gender, who regularly drink liquor end up suffering from binge drinking.
Binge drinking is defined as the drinking of alcoholic beverages with the primary intention of becoming intoxicated by heavy consumption of alcohol over a short period of time.
Researchers also found our in their study that purposeful drinking style that is popular in several countries worldwide, and overlaps somewhat with social drinking since it is often done in groups.

Those who drink an average four glasses of beer and wine a week are most likely to suffer from binge drinking.

The researchers from both universities also found out that infrequent drinkers rarely exceed two servings when they do consume alcoholic beverages
The co-author of the study Andrée Demers, a Université de Montréal sociology professor and director of the Research Group on the Social Aspects of Health and Prevention explained the relationship between drinking frequency and consumption per occasion might be both cultural and biological.
Demers revealed the Canadian drinking culture has a ‘time-out’ depiction of drinking wherein alcohol is a boundary mark between week and weekend, work and leisure, and therefore between routine and time off.
He said regardless of drinking preferences, the study found that many Canadians consume alcoholic beverages on a daily basis to experience its mood-altering affects.
To get the data, the researchers revealed close to 11,000 respondents consisting of 5,743 women and 4,723 men were asked to report on their alcohol consumption within the last 12 months.

Old men who have breathing problems in sleep more likely to suffer from irregular heartbeats.
This was the findings of a latest research conducted by medical experts who discovered that increasingly severe sleep-related breathing disorders in older men appear to be associated with a greater risk of abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias).
It is said that sleep-disordered breathing is a common condition that causes a number of physiologic events that could be stressful to the cardiovascular system, including inadequate blood oxygen levels at night and activation of the sympathetic nervous system (associated with the body’s fight-or-flight response).
Reena Mehra, M.D., M.S., of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, and colleagues studied 2,911 men who underwent sleep testing by polysomnography between 2003 and 2005.
The number of times they experienced apnea (brief pauses in breathing) or hypopnea (shallow breathing) during sleep was recorded, as were any periods of time in which the oxygen level of blood in their arteries dipped below 90 percent (hypoxia).
The researchers said having more episodes of paused or shallow breathing was associated with increased odds of two types of arrhythmias-one involving the heart’s upper chambers (atria) and one involving the heart’s lower chambers (ventricles).
The team revealed obstructive sleep apnea-the most common type, involving a partial or complete blockage of the airways-was associated with irregular heartbeats caused by a problem with the lower chambers or ventricles.

Old men who have breathing problems in sleep need to go to the doctor fast to determine if they are also suffering from irregular heartbeats.

The researchers also discovered that lower blood oxygen levels also appeared to be associated with this type of arrhythmia.
However, central sleep apnea, involving a malfunction in brain signals controlling breathing muscles, was more strongly associated with arrhythmias in the atria or upper chambers.
Furthermore, the researchers explained more severe cases of sleep-disordered breathing were associated with higher odds of arrhythmia.
The researchers added there also seems to be a threshold effect such that moderate-to-severe sleep-disordered breathing confers the greatest increased odds of clinically significant arrhythmias independent of self-reported heart failure and cardiovascular disease.
The team concluded that the line of investigation also identified hypoxia as the possible culprit pathophysiologic characteristic of sleep-disordered breathing that may serve as the trigger of ventricular cardiac arrhythmia development in older men.
With this, they said the strong associations between central sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation [arrhythmia originating in the heart's upper chambers] suggest that central sleep apnea may be a sensitive marker of underlying abnormalities in autonomic or cardiac dysfunction associated with atrial fibrillation.
 

According to a recent study, babies born to women suffering from depression are more likely to suffer sleeping problems.
Based on the research conducted by medical experts it was discovered that babies are more likely to have night walking at both 6 months and 12 months of age if they are born to women who suffered from anxiety or depression prior to the pregnancy.
The researchers said the result of the study indicate that preconceptional psychological distress - anxiety or depression - was a strong predictor of infant night waking, independent of the effects of postnatal depression, bedroom sharing and other confounding factors.
The team also found out that significant psychological distress prior to conception was associated with a 23-percent increased risk of infant night walking at 6 months of age and a  22-percent increased risk at 12 months of age.
The researchers revealed, frequent, disruptive night walking in the latter period of the first year of life are clinically relevant because they predict sleep problems at three years of age, which in turn are associated with behavioral problems.
They said during early childhood development, poor sleep quality also may affect learning abilities.
It was also discovered that infant night walking also disrupt a mother’s sleep, which predicts maternal mood, stress and fatigue.
The researchers gathered the data from 874 women between 20 and 34 years of age in the city of Southampton, U.K wherein before becoming pregnant the women completed the General Health Questionnaire, a 12-question screening instrument that detects depression and anxiety disorders.

Pregnant women need to avoid depression to avoid chances that their babies would suffer from sleeping problems.
 

Twenty-nine percent of the women were classified as having significant psychological distress.
When their baby was 6 months and 12 months of age, the women reported how often, their child had awakened on average between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. each night during the last two weeks. The percentage of children who woke at least once each night was higher among women with psychological distress prior to the pregnancy, both at 6 months of age (52 percent vs. 43 percent) and 12 months of age (46 percent vs. 36 percent).
Furthermore, the researchers said untreated infant sleep problems could become chronic, with implications for the mental health and well-being of both the child and the mother.
The researchers added the difficulties of mothers who are already vulnerable to anxiety and depression will be exacerbated if they also are deprived of sleep.
The team believe recognizing and treating psychological distress before, during and after pregnancy may promote improved infant sleep.

To those people who are easily get depressed it is time to cheer up and avoid sadness and sorrow.
This developed after a recent study by researchers revealed that those people suffering from depression have strong tendencies to also be inflicted with the deadly Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s disease, which is named after the German physician Alois Alzheimer who first described it in 1906, is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 50 to 70 per cent of cases.
It is a progressive and fatal brain disease with no cure and the 7th leading cause of death in the US.
Alzheimer’s destroys brain cells, causing problems with memory, thinking and behavior that impair ability to work, relate to others, enjoy hobbies and get on with every day life.
The National Institute on Aging reports that according to recent estimates, as many as 2.4 to 4.5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s.
The astounding medical discovery was made possible through the study conducted by Dr. Po H Lu, assistant professor of neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), and colleagues.

It is time to cheer up for depressed persons to avoid strong chances of suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

In order to gather the data, Lu and his team closely monitored 756 people between 55 and 91 years of age who had Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), a form of depression for three years.
According to the information gathered by the researchers it was discovered that participant’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s went up by 3 per cent for each point increase on the depression test.
With the result of their research, Lu and his team came to the conclusion that the results suggest that depression is predictive of progression from amnesic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) to Alzheimer disease (AD).


 

According to a recent study, those people who are depressed have higher tendencies of suffering from chronic pain.
Based on the study conducted by the Wayne State University they found out that the incidence of chronic pain, defined as pain persisting for six months, was 22 percent.
The researchers revealed approximately 35 percent of those with chronic pain had depression, but mood problems were not associated with a particular pain condition or pain site.
The researchers gathered their data on 1,100 Michican residents who volunteered to take part of the study.
The team studied several demographic factors and found that older age was generally related to chronic pain but with comorbid depression.
They noted that depression tends to decrease with age while pain tends to increase.
Evaluating the data they gathered, the researchers concluded that in middle-age women chronic pain might not be the cause of depression but pre-existing mood problems could be associated with development of chronic pain. They further concluded that depression could increase vulnerability to experiencing persistent pain.

People should avoid depression since such a condition could lead to chronic pain.

Moreover, the researchers believe the study also showed that African Americans were more likely to have chronic pain with depression than Caucasians.
The group revealed further analysis showed that racial differences were not attributable to possible socioeconomic factors but might be associated with differences in the use of pain coping strategies.
They believe though income was not a significant risk factor for the study, the authors indicated that occupational factors, such as physically demanding work and poor or no health insurance coverage, may account for the link between lower socioeconomic status and pain, and that financial strain and stress are closely linked with depression.
From the data they discovered, the authors recommend that clinicians screen pain patients for depression and pay close attention to middle-age women and African Americans for whom risk for comorbid depression is the highest.