Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Geriatrics for June 2018. 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.
Practice Management Can Improve Efficiency
FRIDAY, June 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Providers can take practical steps to improve practice efficiency and increase insurance reimbursement, according to an article published in Dermatology Times.
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AMA Calls for Electronic Health Record Training
FRIDAY, June 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The American Medical Association (AMA) is calling on medical schools and residency programs to incorporate electronic health record (EHR) training into their curricula.
Decision Tree Model Can ID Behaviors Linked to Sunburn Risk
FRIDAY, June 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A decision tree analytic technique shows the interactive effects of sun protective behaviors on the likelihood of sunburn, according to a study published online June 27 in JAMA Dermatology.
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Prolonged Leisure-Time Sitting Tied to Increased Mortality Risk
FRIDAY, June 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Prolonged leisure-time sitting is associated with increased risk of mortality, according to a study published online in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
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New Rules May Constrain Docs’ Ability to Treat Chronic Pain
THURSDAY, June 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — New laws and regulations designed to limit the use of prescription narcotics may further constrain doctors’ ability to treat patients, according to an article published online May 30 in Medical Economics.
Genetic Risk, Lifestyle Predict CVD, Diabetes Independently
THURSDAY, June 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Genetic risk and lifestyle are independent predictors of incident cardiovascular disease and diabetes, according to a study published online June 27 in JAMA Cardiology.
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Midlife Fitness Linked to Lower Risk of Depression, CVD Death
THURSDAY, June 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Midlife fitness is associated with reduced risk of depression in later life and with reductions in the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality and CVD mortality after later-life depression, according to a study published online June 27 in JAMA Psychiatry.
Combination of LABA + Inhaled Glucocorticoid Safe in Asthma
THURSDAY, June 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Compared to treatment with an inhaled glucocorticoid alone, combination therapy with a long-acting β2-agonist (LABA) and an inhaled glucocorticoid is not associated with a significantly higher risk of serious asthma-related events, according to a study published online June 27 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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USPSTF Favors Osteoporosis Screening to Prevent Fracture
THURSDAY, June 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening for osteoporosis to prevent fractures for women aged ≥65 years and for postmenopausal women aged <65 years at increased risk of osteoporosis. These findings form the basis of a final recommendation statement published online June 26 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Health Care Technology Impacts Younger Patient Satisfaction
THURSDAY, June 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Health care communication technology is a determinant of patient satisfaction in younger patients, according to a report published by Black Book Market Research LLC.
Few Hemodialysis Patients on Medicare Enroll in Hospice
WEDNESDAY, June 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Among Medicare beneficiaries on hemodialysis, few patients are enrolled in hospice at the end of life, regardless of the spending trajectory during the last year of life, according to a study published in the June issue of Health Affairs.
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Half of CV Events Occur from Two to Five Years Post-TIA, -Stroke
WEDNESDAY, June 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For patients who experienced a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or minor stroke, the rate of a composite of stroke, acute coronary syndrome, or death from cardiovascular causes is 12.9 percent at five years, with half of these events occurring in the second through fifth years, according to a study published June 7 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Decline in Medicare Patients Who Die in Acute Care Hospitals
WEDNESDAY, June 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries were less likely to die in acute care hospitals in 2015 than in 2000, according to a study published online June 25 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
National HIV Testing Day Is on June 27
WEDNESDAY, June 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In honor of National HIV Testing Day, health care providers should encourage people to get an HIV test.
AMA Adopts Ethical Guidance on Medical Tourism
TUESDAY, June 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The American Medical Association (AMA) recently adopted new ethical guidelines on medical tourism to help physicians understand their responsibilities when interacting with patients who seek or have received medical care outside the United States.
Authors Explore Overdiagnosis in Cancer Screening
TUESDAY, June 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Recommendations for defining, estimating, and communicating overdiagnosis in cancer screening are discussed in a special article published online June 25 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Higher Cancer Rates Confirmed in Women With Dense Breasts
TUESDAY, June 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Women with dense breasts have a higher rate of recall, higher rates of screen-detected and interval breast cancers, and more lymph node-positive disease, according to a study published online June 26 in Radiology.
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CDC, APhA Create Guide for Community-Clinical Linkages
TUESDAY, June 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Pharmacists Association have created a guide that describes community-clinical linkages, which are connections among the community, clinics, and other settings where primary care is provided, according to an article published in Drug Topics.
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New Hospital-at-Home Care Model Tied to Better Outcomes
TUESDAY, June 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Hospital-at-home (HaH) care, along with 30-day post-acute transitional care, is associated with better patient outcomes and satisfaction with care than inpatient hospitalization, according to a study published online June 25 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Insulin Glargine 300 Safe, Effective in Seniors With T2DM
TUESDAY, June 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For older adults, insulin glargine 300 units/mL (Gla-300) is safe and as effective as Gla-100, with a similarly low or lower risk of symptomatic hypoglycemia, according to a study published online June 12 in Diabetes Care.
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Direct-Acting Antivirals Effective for Hepatitis C in Seniors
MONDAY, June 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For older patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV), direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy is effective, according to a study published online May 25 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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AMA: Docs Declare Drug Shortages Public Health Emergency
MONDAY, June 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) — At the annual meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA), physicians adopted policy declaring drug shortages an urgent public health crisis.
Aspirin Use Doesn’t Cut Cancer Incidence in Older T2DM Patients
MONDAY, June 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes, low-dose aspirin is not associated with reduced cancer incidence, except in those younger than 65 years, according to a study published online June 16 in Diabetes Care.
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Risk of OD Highest for First Days of Opioid + Benzodiazepine Use
FRIDAY, June 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Concurrent benzodiazepine use is associated with increased risk of opioid-related overdose, with the risk highest on the first days of concurrent use, according to a study published online June 22 in JAMA Network Open.
More Cash-Pay Patients Means Docs Need Billing Strategies
THURSDAY, June 21, 2018 (HealthDay News) — More patients are paying for health care services with cash, and this means physician practices need a comprehensive billing policy, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
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Many Physicians Not Prepared for End-of-Life Talks With Patients
THURSDAY, June 21, 2018 (HealthDay News) — While nearly all physicians say end-of-life conversations are important, many report lacking the training to have such conversations, according to a brief report published online May 23 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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NIH Initiative Aims to Address Opioid Misuse Over Long Term
WEDNESDAY, June 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A novel, innovative initiative is being developed to help end addiction over the long term, according to a viewpoint article published online June 12 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
AMA Seeks to Make Long-Term Care Services More Affordable
WEDNESDAY, June 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates has adopted a policy to make long-term care insurance simpler, more affordable, more innovative, and part of automatic enrollment for current employees and retirees.
Cardiovascular Comorbidity Tied to Hearing Loss in Older Old
WEDNESDAY, June 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and related risk factors are associated with hearing loss among the older old, according to a study published online June 14 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
HbA1c Targets Should Be Personalized in Type 2 Diabetes
WEDNESDAY, June 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For non-pregnant adults with type 2 diabetes, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) targets should be personalized, according to a Clinical Guidelines Synopsis published in the June 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Considerable Costs Associated With Switching EHR
TUESDAY, June 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Switching electronic health record (EHR) systems can result in increased efficiency and productivity gains, but there are significant costs associated with the switch, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
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Increased Levels of Distress for Firearm Victimization
TUESDAY, June 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Firearm victimization is associated with increased levels of distress, according to a research letter published online June 19 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Recent-Onset Diabetes Tied to Increased Pancreatic Cancer Risk
TUESDAY, June 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Recent-onset diabetes is associated with more than a two-fold greater increase in risk of pancreatic cancer (PC) than long-standing diabetes in African-Americans and Latinos, according to a study published online June 18 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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Rates of Cardiac Stress Testing Down but Still Higher in CKD
TUESDAY, June 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2008 to 2012 there was a decrease in overall rates of cardiac stress testing in Medicare beneficiaries, though rates were consistently higher for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) than those without CKD, according to a study published online June 13 in JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging.
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AMA Vows to Improve Access for Docs Seeking Mental Health Care
MONDAY, June 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The American Medical Association (AMA) recently adopted a policy aimed at improving physician access to mental health care in response to physician depression, burnout, and suicide.
Single Blood Sample Test May Help ID Undiagnosed Diabetes
MONDAY, June 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Single-sample confirmatory testing for diabetes has a high positive predictive value for subsequent diagnosis, according to a study published online June 19 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Pharmacists Are Well Placed to Improve Adult Vaccination Rates
MONDAY, June 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Pharmacists can help increase adult vaccination rates by offering vaccination at lower cost and greater convenience, according to a study published by the Pacific Research Institute.
Greater Weight Loss Linked to Superior Outcomes in Knee OA
MONDAY, June 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For overweight and obese older adults with knee osteoarthritis (OA), greater weight loss is associated with superior clinical and mechanistic outcomes, according to a study published online June 18 in Arthritis Care & Research.
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VTE Linked to Acute Decline in Physical Function in Women
FRIDAY, June 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For women, venous thromboembolism (VTE) is associated with acute decline in physical function, according to a study published online June 8 in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
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Walk Test IDs Risk of Cognitive Dysfunction Post Cardiac Surgery
FRIDAY, June 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The six-minute walk distance (6MWD) test is useful in identifying patients with a higher likelihood of developing postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) following cardiac surgery, according to a study published online May 9 in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
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CDC: U.S. Suicide Rate Rose 30 Percent From 2000 to 2016
THURSDAY, June 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2000 to 2016 there was a 30 percent increase in the age-adjusted suicide rate in the United States, according to a June data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics.
Higher Blood Pressure at Mid-Life Increases Dementia Risk
WEDNESDAY, June 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The risk of dementia is increased in 50-year-olds with blood pressure ≥130 mm Hg, which is below the current threshold for hypertension, according to a study published online June 13 in the European Heart Journal.
Older Adults Increasingly Have HPV+ Oropharyngeal Cancers
WEDNESDAY, June 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal cancers are increasing among older adults, according to a study published online April 30 in Cancer.
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Older Age, ICU, Poor Renal Fcn Up Risk of Opioid OD in Hospital
TUESDAY, June 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Risk factors for opioid overdose among hospitalized patients include being age 65 years or older, being in an intensive care unit (ICU), and having renal impairment, according to a study published online May 23 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.
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USPSTF: No to ECG Screening to Prevent CVD in Low-Risk Adults
TUESDAY, June 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends against screening with resting or exercise electrocardiography (ECG) to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in low-risk asymptomatic adults. This final recommendation statement has been published in the June 12 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Meds With Depression As Adverse Side Effect Commonly Used
TUESDAY, June 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The estimated prevalence of using medications with depression as an adverse effect is 37.2 percent, according to a study published in the June 12 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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How Do Business Partner Data Breaches Affect Your Practice?
TUESDAY, June 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Data breaches affecting health care systems or their partners need to be addressed quickly, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
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Older Age Tied to Poorer Course of Major Depressive Disorder
FRIDAY, June 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Older age is associated with poorer course of major depressive disorder (MDD), according to a study published online June 7 in The Lancet Psychiatry.
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Intellectual Activities in Later Life May Cut Dementia Risk
THURSDAY, June 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Active participation in intellectual activities among adults aged 65 years or older is associated with reduced risk of dementia, according to a study published online May 30 in JAMA Psychiatry.
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Online Consumer Ratings of Physicians Tend to Be Skewed
WEDNESDAY, June 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Online physician reviews tend to be skewed positively, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of Medical Internet Research.
AMA Guide Highlights Importance of Caring for Caregivers
WEDNESDAY, June 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Physicians have a role to play in caring for caregivers to help prevent burnout, according to a guide for physicians published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
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More Adults Go to Psychiatrist, Not PCP, for Mental Health Care
WEDNESDAY, June 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The rate of mental health-related physician office visits is higher to psychiatrists than primary care physicians for all adults except those aged 65 years and older, according to a June data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
CDC: Prevalence of No Insurance Varies by Occupational Groups
WEDNESDAY, June 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The prevalence of being uninsured varies by occupational groups, according to research published in the June 1 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Under New Guidelines, More Stroke Survivors With HTN Dx
WEDNESDAY, June 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Under the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) hypertension guidelines, there would be a substantial increase in the proportions of stroke survivors with hypertension and above the recommended blood pressure target, according to a study published online June 6 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
CDC: Office-Based Physician Visit Rates Vary by Patient Age, Sex
TUESDAY, June 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — There is considerable variation in office-based physician visit rates by patient age and sex, according to a June data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
Mindfulness Program May Help Increase Physical Activity Levels
TUESDAY, May 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A meditation and stress reduction program may be as effective as structured exercise programs for increasing physical activity, according to a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
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Higher HDL-C Linked to Better Cognition in Older DM Patients
FRIDAY, June 1, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Higher serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is associated with better executive function among older patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), according to a study published online May 19 in the Journal of Diabetes Investigation.
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Postmenopausal Sex Hormone Levels Associated With Later CVD
FRIDAY, June 1, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In postmenopausal women, higher testosterone/estradiol ratios are associated with increased risks for incident cardiovascular disease (CVD), coronary heart disease (CHD), and heart failure events, according to a study published in the June 5 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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