Health | 100 Tips

Sleep Apnea Treatment May Reverse Unhealthy Brain Changes

MONDAY, Sept. 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Sleep apnea treatment may reverse changes in brain stem activity associated with increased risk of heart disease, a new study suggests.

The findings “highlight the effectiveness of CPAP treatment in reducing one of the most significant health issues [heart disease] associated with obstructive sleep apnea,” the researchers concluded. CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure.

Previous research suggests that people with obstructive sleep apnea have greater activity in nerves associated with stress response, which can lead to high blood pressure and heart problems. This increased nerve activity is due to altered brain stem function caused by sleep apnea, earlier studies have shown.

In this small study, published recently in the Journal of Neurophysiology, Australian researchers found that CPAP treatment reduced that nerve activity by restoring normal brain stem function.

The study included 13 sleep apnea patients who were assessed before and after six months of CPAP treatment.

“These data strongly suggest that functional and anatomical changes within the brain stem, which we believe underlie the elevated sympathetic activity in individuals with untreated obstructive sleep apnea, can be restored to healthy levels by CPAP treatment,” the University of Sydney researchers wrote.

In obstructive sleep apnea, muscles in the airway collapse during sleep and block breathing. A CPAP device keeps airways open by delivering a steady flow of air while patients sleep.

More information

The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more about CPAP.

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Diabetes Takes a Toll on Women’s Hearts

MONDAY, Sept. 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Diabetes may be harder on women’s hearts than it is on men’s.

Two new studies have found an increased risk of heart problems, such as heart attack and chest pain, in women with diabetes compared to men with the blood sugar disorder. In one of the studies — a review that included almost 11 million people — the risk was about 40 percent higher.

“We should avoid sexual prejudice in cardiovascular disease, take all necessary steps to diagnose it early, and control risk factors comprehensively to guarantee the most suitable treatments and best possible outcomes in female patients,” wrote study author Dr. Xue Dong, of the Affiliated ZhongDa Hospital of Southeast University in Nanjing, China and colleagues.

However, it’s important to note that both studies could only find an association between diabetes and a higher risk of heart disease in women than men. Neither study was designed to prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

Diabetes is a known risk factor for heart troubles. But, it hasn’t been clear if the heart risk is greater for women or men, the Chinese researchers said.

Dong and colleagues reviewed 19 previously conducted studies done between 1966 and 2014. Combined, the studies had nearly 11 million people from North America, Europe and Asia. Among these people, more than 106,000 fatal or non-fatal heart attacks or chest pain (angina) events occurred, the study said.

The researchers found that women with diabetes had a 38 percent greater risk of heart attack or angina than men with diabetes did.

The second study included data from hospitals across the Tuscan region of Italy. The information was collected between 2005 and 2012. The study included more than 3 million people, the researchers said. Forty-seven percent were male.

The Italian researchers, led by Dr. Giuseppe Seghieri of the Regional Health Agency in Florence, found that women with diabetes had a 34 percent greater risk of heart attack than men with diabetes. And, women with diabetes had a higher risk of heart attack than men regardless of age, the study found.

The study found a similar risk for congestive heart failure or stroke in people with diabetes of both sexes.

Neither group of researchers offered possible explanations as to why these gender differences might exist.

And neither study specified whether the participants had type 1 or type 2 diabetes, although the vast majority of cases are type 2.

Both studies were scheduled to be presented on Monday at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, in Stockholm, Sweden. Findings presented at meetings are generally viewed as preliminary until they’ve been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

More information

Learn more about preventing diabetes complications, such as heart disease, from the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

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People in Their 50s Benefit Most From Low-Dose Aspirin, Report Says

By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Sept. 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Daily low-dose aspirin is best used as a preventive measure against heart disease for people in their 50s, top U.S. experts in preventive medicine have determined.

People in their 60s also can take low-dose aspirin to reduce their risk of heart attack and stroke, but they will not benefit as much, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force stated in a set of draft recommendations issued Monday.

The new guidelines serve as a refinement of the task force’s last set of aspirin recommendations. Published in 2009, they suggested that low-dose aspirin could help men 45 to 79 and women 55 to 79 prevent heart disease.

“In this recommendation, we try to provide additional guidance about who is most likely to achieve benefits from aspirin,” said Dr. Doug Owens, a member of the task force and a professor of medicine at Stanford University.

Based on new evidence, the task force concluded there’s insufficient evidence to recommend low-dose aspirin to prevent heart disease in people younger than 50, or 70 and older.

The draft recommendations also noted for the first time that aspirin taken to prevent heart disease also appears to decrease risk of colon cancer.

However, the task force is not recommending that aspirin be used solely to prevent colon cancer, Owens added.

“We think for people taking aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease, there is an additional benefit for colorectal cancer protection,” Owens said. “We’re not recommending you take aspirin for colorectal cancer if you’re not at high risk for cardiovascular disease.”

The task force recommendations only apply to people at increased risk for heart disease, not people who have had a heart attack or stroke and are trying to prevent a second episode, said Dr. Elliott Antman, immediate past president of the American Heart Association. Antman is a professor and associate dean for clinical/translational research at Harvard Medical School in Boston.

The American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology in 2013 unveiled a new risk calculator for heart disease, which the task force used in making its recommendations, Antman said.

People in their 50s who have a 10 percent or greater risk of developing heart disease over the next 10 years and are not at increased risk for bleeding have the best chance of benefitting from 81 milligrams (mg) of aspirin taken every day, the task force concluded.

“If your cardiovascular risk calculation turns out to be 10 percent or greater, that’s a signal you should have a conversation with your physician about the risks and benefits of low-dose aspirin and whether it’s right for you,” Antman said.

People in their 60s might also benefit if they have a 10 percent or greater risk of heart disease during the next decade, but the task force said that’s an “individual” decision, and the net benefit “is at least small.”

People in that age range “who place a higher value on the potential benefits than the potential harms may choose to use low-dose aspirin,” the task force said in a summary of its recommendations.

Owens said that no matter your age, you should talk with your doctor before starting to take aspirin. Even at low doses, aspirin can cause gastrointestinal bleeding and other potential health problems.

“We believe that everyone should make this decision after a discussion with a clinician, because there are many factors to consider,” he said.

Antman added that people should not consider aspirin a “get out of jail free” card for heart disease, which will allow them to smoke, eat unhealthy food and avoid exercise.

“All of this is recommended in the context of living a healthy lifestyle,” he said.

And Dr. Kim Williams, president of the American College of Cardiology, reiterated that these guidelines only refer to taking a low (81 mg) dose of aspirin once daily.

“Aspirin definitely causes GI bleeding, related to the dose rather than the duration,” Williams said. “If you’ve taken low-dose aspirin safely for five years, your bleeding risk is the same as if you’ve just started taking it.”

The task force is an independent, volunteer panel of national experts in prevention and evidence-based medicine.

More information

To learn more about your heart disease risk, visit the American Heart Association.

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Here’s Proof That You Are Wired To Be Lazy

Photo: Getty Images

When you have one free evening and two competing impulses—to work out and to binge watch—which do you usually follow?

You’ll be relieved to hear that choosing the couch is only human. Humans are inherently lazy, which may be a trait left over from our ancestors’ days of conserving energy for the next hunt. Unfortunately, a small new study published in the journal Current Biology finds that even when we do choose to move, our bodies naturally do it in the most economical way possible—which is bad news for anyone trying to lose weight.

Science has already proven that our bodies naturally choose the most efficient way to walk, at a speed and step length that limits the number of calories we expend. What’s not known is whether the nervous system—responsible for movements like walking—continuously optimizes movement, in real time, to use the least amount of energy possible. “If your nervous system is working against you you’re trying to keep your calories burned as low as possible,” says study co-author Max Donelan, professor of biomedical physiology and kinesiology at Simon Fraser University in Canada. “And that’s indeed what we found.”

In the new research, the researchers outfitted nine people in a sort of motorized leg brace designed to disrupt the normal way people walk by adding resistance to their knee joints. The people in the study then walked on a treadmill while the researchers measured how their gait adapted to the device.

In just minutes, they found that people changed the way that they walked in a way that conserved the most calories—even very small amounts. “The nervous system is capable of doing this energy optimization and does it below the level of your conscious awareness to such a fine degree,” says Donelan. “This is the first real strong evidence that the nervous system even has the ability to do that.”

Though they only studied walking, the researchers think that the nervous system’s tendency to hoard calories applies to many movements. “This is good news if you’re an athlete,” Donelan says. “You’d like your body to be helping you move as cheaply as possible if you’re trying to win a race so you have as many energy reserves as you possibly can.” But if you’re exercising to sweat off calories, it’s not great news, he says.

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

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Mom Duty: Soldiers Pose for Portrait to Promote Breastfeeding

How Not Making Your Bed Can Help Your Allergies

Photo: Getty Images

Those perfectly brisk days (and pumpkin spice everything) of fall are just around the corner. But with those goodies come the many enemies of every fall allergy sufferer.

“Ragweed pollen and mold spore allergies are the most common,” says Manish Ramesh, MD, an allergy and immunology specialist at Montefiore Medical Center. Ragweed typically pops up outside during the second week of August, peaks in early September, and continues into October. Indoors, dust mites and mold breed thanks to the chilly dampness fall weather brings.

To help keep your symptoms in check, try these surprising expert tricks for keeping the bad guys at bay.

Don’t make your bed

Yes, there is a case for kicking off the sheets and skipping the a.m. tidying. Moist environments like your bed are breeding grounds for dust mites, microscopic critters that excrete a protein in their feces that causes allergy symptoms, Dr. Ramesh explains.

In addition to using hypoallergenic encasements for your pillows and mattress, leaving your linens exposed to sunlight during the day may help dry your bed out, making it more difficult for mites to scavenge on the moisture (aka sweat) and skin particles all cozied up in your sheets.

“Dust mites depend on moisture from us,” Dr. Ramesh says. “Any method that makes it harder for dust mites to obtain food or water will make it harder for them to survive.” Wash your bedding every week in hot water (130° F) can also help.

Turn on your air conditioner

We know, we know: nothing feels better than dozing off with a fall breeze coming through the window. But with that fresh air comes fresh pollen, leaves, and mold that may stir up your symptoms. Dr. Ramesh advises keeping windows shut. Many AC units have a setting to recirculate air in order to keep the pollutants out.

Air conditioning also helps lower the humidity in the air, which helps keep dust mites and mold growth in your house check. But rooms with a likelihood of extra dampness (like the basement) may benefit from a dehumidifier as well.

The humidity sweet spot for your house: anything below 50%. You can measure it with an instrument called a hygrometer, which most hardware stores carry.

Clean your floors with the right tools

Ordinary vacuum filters can’t keep the smallest allergenic particles in the bag; they end up getting blown out through the vacuum again with the exiting air. “Wet mopping—or using wet wipes—can be a cheaper way to clean hard surfaces without blowing dust [or other] particles in the air,” Dr. Ramesh says.

If your indoor allergies are through the roof, it might be time to invest in a vacuum with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter, which traps more of those teensy particles. “True HEPA-filtered vacuum cleaners are expensive,” he adds. But if you’re in the market, we recommend the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser ($170, amazon.com), which is HEPA-equipped and conveniently alerts you when you need to replace the filter.

Put plenty of space between your home and your leaf piles

Falling leaves are a surprising contributor to allergens both outdoors and inside your house.

“Mold spore counts increase in the fall because mold grows on decaying leaves,” explains Dr. Ramesh. It’s best to rake the piles from your yard as far from your house as you can, bag them up, and get rid of them, stat. (If your main allergen is mold, you may want to swap duties with your spouse or roommate and skip the yardwork all together.)

Even with that, it’s hard to avoid tracking mold into the house this time of year, so it’s a good idea to take shoes off at the door, and regularly bathe pets that go outside.

If you’re still sneezing after all this, see your doctor. Says Dr. Ramesh, “If allergies are interfering with your daily activities, you should certainly consider medications, and in the long term, allergen immunotherapy, known as allergy shots.”

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Removing All Visible Cancer Is Key to Treating Aggressive Brain Tumors

MONDAY, Sept. 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Surgery that removes all visible cancer significantly improves the chances of survival for children with aggressive brain tumors, especially girls.

That’s the finding of a study that included almost 100 children treated for high-grade glioma brain cancer between 1988 and 2010. These rare brain tumors occur in fewer than one in 100,000 children and teens.

After two years, the overall survival rate was 45 percent; 25 percent had no cancer progression.

Surgery to remove all visible signs of cancer was successful in one-third of the children. Their median survival was 3.4 years, compared with 1.6 years for those who did not have all visible cancer removed. Median means half of the children lived longer, half did not.

The survival benefit after successful surgery was much greater in girls, with median survival of 8.1 years. Boys had a median survival of 2.4 years.

The study is published in the September issue of the journal Neurosurgery.

Surgical removal of all visible cancer is already the standard of care, but this study reinforces its importance in improving survival, according to Dr. Jeffrey Greenfield and colleagues. Greenfield is an associate professor of neurological surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City.

High-grade gliomas account for 8 percent to 12 percent of brain tumors in children, and about 30 percent of brain tumors in adults.

More information

The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more about childhood brain tumors.

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Breast-Feeding Tied to Better Emotion Perception in Some Infants

By Amy Norton
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Sept. 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Researchers found that among 44 babies with a particular autism “risk” gene, those who were breast-fed longer spent more time looking at images of “happy” eyes and shied away from “angry” eyes.

The findings, published online Sept. 14 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggest that breast-feeding might enhance social development in certain at-risk infants.

However, the authors and other experts stressed that the study offers no evidence that breast-feeding ultimately affects a child’s odds of developing autism, or that it lessens the severity of autism symptoms.

Long-term studies are “absolutely required” to answer those questions, said lead researcher Kathleen Krol, of the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, in Leipzig, Germany.

“It could be just as likely that the emotional biases we found in 7-month-old infants will diminish later in life and have little impact on the future behavior of the child,” Krol said.

Plus, eye recognition tests are not an established way to gauge autism risk, said Dr. Ruth Milanaik, director of the neonatal neurodevelopmental follow-up program at Cohen Children’s Medical Center, in New Hyde Park, N.Y.

Milanaik, who was not involved in the study, said it was well done. But she agreed that no conclusions can be drawn without long-term research.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in 68 U.S. children has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder — a group of developmental disabilities that affect a person’s ability to communicate and interact socially.

The severity ranges widely: Some kids speak little or not at all, and focus obsessively on only a few interests; others have relatively mild problems with socializing and subtler communication — such as “reading” other people’s facial expressions and body language.

Researchers do not fully understand the causes of autism, Milanaik pointed out. But it’s thought to involve a combination of genetic predisposition and certain environmental exposures, especially during pregnancy.

Researchers have linked many gene variations to autism risk, and the current study included infants with just one of those variants — in a gene called CD38. The gene may be important in social behavior, according to Krol’s team, because it helps release oxytocin — a hormone that promotes bonding.

Similarly, the study said breast-feeding triggers a release of oxytocin in mothers, and possibly infants as well.

So Krol’s team looked at whether breast-feeding was related to emotion perception in 98 infants, 7 months old, almost half of whom carried two copies of the “risk” variant of the CD38 gene.

The researchers had moms and babies sit in front of a computer where various image sets popped up. Each set featured a female face with a neutral expression, placed next to an “emotional” face — with either fearful, happy or angry eyes.

In general, Krol’s team found, the babies were most drawn to the fearful eyes. Things got more complicated, though, when it came to the happy and angry eyes.

At first, it appeared that all babies who’d been exclusively breast-fed for a longer period — around six months, on average — had a stronger preference for the happy eyes, versus babies who’d been breast-fed for a shorter time.

But when the researchers took a deeper look, that was true only of babies with the autism risk gene. The longer they’d been breast-fed, the more they preferred happy eyes and turned away from angry eyes.

The significance of those test results is not yet clear. But, Krol said, “emotional attention biases in infancy could translate into future social behavior.”

Babies who prefer happy eyes, she explained, might become more prone to “pro-social” behavior, like empathizing with other people and wanting to help them.

However, she emphasized, that’s speculation for now.

Milanaik also urged caution, partly because researchers are still trying to understand the complex underpinnings of autism.

One of her concerns, she said, is that some mothers of children with autism will mistakenly think they are responsible because they did not breast-feed long enough.

But this study would give no support to that, Milanaik stressed.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on autism spectrum disorders.

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