http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other types of dementia are most common in the very elderly, and are associated with huge health costs. With a rapidly ageing population throughout the world, factors that affect the risk of cognitive decline and dementia are of great importance. A review paper by Kim JW et al published in Psychiatry Investigation on the association between alcohol consumption and cognition in the elderly provides an excellent summary of the potential ways in which alcohol may affect cognitive function and the risk of dementia, both adversely and favourably as alcohol may have both a neuro toxic and neuro protective effect, depending on the dose and drinking pattern. Longitudinal and brain imaging studies in the elderly show that excessive alcohol consumption may increase the risk of cognitive dysfunction and dementia, but regular low to moderate alcohol intake may protect against cognitive decline and dementia and provide cardiovascular benefits. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-alcohol-intake-elderly-affects-cognitive.html Health Tue, 22 May 2012 10:48:40 EST news256902506 (HealthDay) -- Teenage girls and young adult women who drink even moderate amounts of alcohol appear to increase their risk of developing breast changes that can lead to cancer, according to a large new study. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-teen-boost-odds-precancerous-breast.html Health Mon, 09 Apr 2012 10:50:01 EST news253186016 Many observational cohort studies have shown that moderate alcohol use is associated with better cognitive function. However, since such studies are vulnerable to residual confounding by other lifestyle and physiologic factors, the authors conducted a Mendelian randomization study, using aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) genotype (AA, GA, or GG) as an instrumental variable in 2-stage least squares analysis. Cognitive function was assessed from delayed 10-word recall score (n = 4,707) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score (n = 2,284) among men from the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study (2003-2008). The authors had previously reported an association between reported alcohol intake and cognitive function from a larger group of subjects from the same study finding that women reporting occasional alcohol intake and men reporting occasional or moderate intake had better scores related to cognitive function than did abstainers. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-association-alcohol-intake-cognitive-functioning.html Addiction Thu, 22 Mar 2012 10:44:25 EST news251631859 The European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) and the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) today publish their first joint Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) on the management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The EASL-EORTC guidelines define the use of surveillance, diagnosis and therapeutic strategies recommended for patients with HCC. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-easl-eortc-publish-joint-clinical-guidelines.html Cancer Thu, 15 Mar 2012 07:37:29 EST news251015828 (Medical Xpress) -- Fears that involuntary exposure to chemicals in food and consumer products causes cancer are not supported by evidence, and anxiety about their dangers is diverting attention from proven methods of cancer prevention, a leading Australian cancer researcher says. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-cancer.html Cancer Tue, 28 Feb 2012 06:26:55 EST news249632794 A case-control study from Newfoundland/Labrador has reported that greater alcohol intake may increase the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) among obese subjects, but not among non-obese subjects. This is not a particularly large study, and only 45-60% of subjects who were recruited by telephone ended up providing data. Further, it is a case-control comparison, rather than a cohort analysis, making bias in the results more likely. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-obesity-association-alcohol-consumption-colorectal.html Cancer Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:05:42 EST news249213931 New evidence-based guidelines from the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) address the many risk factors for developing a deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or blood clot, as the result of long-distance travel. These risk factors include the use of oral contraceptives, sitting in a window seat, advanced age, and pregnancy. The Antithrombotic Therapy and Prevention of Thrombosis, 9th ed: American College of Chest Physicians Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines, published in the February issue of the journal CHEST, also suggest there is no definitive evidence to support that traveling in economy class can lead to the development of a DVT, therefore, dispelling the myth of the so-called "economy class syndrome." http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-dvt-guidelines-evidence-economy-class.html Health Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:20:50 EST news247810831 Health care organizations from around the globe will come together on Saturday, Feb. 4 to promote cancer prevention as part of this year's World Cancer Day. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-world-cancer-day.html Cancer Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:39:47 EST news247495172 A study based on more than 87,000 women and 47,000 men in the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, looks at whether there is a link between colon cancer and alcohol, and if so at what level of consumption, and the importance of a family history of the disease. A total of 1,801 cases of colon cancer were diagnosed during follow-up from 1980 onwards. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-alcohol-consumption-colon-cancer-people.html Cancer Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:43:57 EST news247146230 A meta-analysis done by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) into the relationship between alcohol consumption and heart disease provides new insight into the long-held belief that drinking a glass of red wine a day can help protect against heart disease. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-alcohol-heart-friend-foe.html Health Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:23:43 EST news247145009 (Medical Xpress) -- Drinking alcohol leads to the release of endorphins in areas of the brain that produce feelings of pleasure and reward, according to a study led by researchers at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at the University of California, San Francisco. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-clue-alcohol-addicting-brain-endorphins.html Neuroscience Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:00:01 EST news245509528 Wine consumers, especially in comparison with spirits drinkers, have been shown to have higher levels of education and income, to consume a healthier diet, be more physically active, and have other characteristics that are associated with better health outcomes. However, epidemiologic studies have been inconsistent in showing that, after adjustment for all associated lifestyle factors, consumers of wine have lower risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality than do consumers of other beverages. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-differences-mortality-wine-consumers-alcoholic.html Health Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:10:05 EST news243605388 People who take bisphosphonates after joint replacement surgery are less likely to need a repeat operation, finds a new study published in the British Medical Journal today. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-common-bone-drug-life-joints.html Medications Wed, 07 Dec 2011 04:50:01 EST news242454254 Men who experience a sudden inability to pass urine because of a non-cancerous enlarged prostate are hospitalised and treated differently depending on where they live, according to an international study published online by the urology journal BJUI. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-urinary-retention-due-benign-enlarged.html Cancer Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:56:36 EST news241710989 NYU Langone Medical Center researchers have discovered the novel protective role dendritic cells play in the pancreas. The new study, published in the November issue of journal Gastroenterology, shows dendritic cells can safeguard the pancreas against acute pancreatitis, a sudden dangerous swelling and inflammation of the pancreas gland. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-dendritic-cells-acute-pancreatitis.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:29:40 EST news241198166 In a prospective, observational study of approximately 150,000 Norwegians, the investigators found that alcohol consumption was associated with a large decrease in the risk of death from coronary artery disease. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-reduction-coronary-heart-disease-alcohol.html Cardiology Thu, 10 Nov 2011 11:15:23 EST news240146110 Cigarette smoking appears to impair pancreatic duct cell function--even for those who quit--putting all smokers at risk of compromised digestive function regardless of age, gender and alcohol intake, according to the results of a study unveiled today at the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 76th Annual Scientific meeting in Washington, DC. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-cigarette-impact-lingers.html Addiction Mon, 31 Oct 2011 10:45:47 EST news239276736 Among known risk factors for hepatocellular cancer, smoking, obesity, and heavy alcohol consumption, along with chronic hepatitis B and C infection, contribute to a large share of the disease burden in Europe, according to a cohort study published online October 21 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-european-hepatocellular-carcinoma.html Cancer Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:25:57 EST news238436749 A paper from the National Institutes of Health in the United States has evaluated the separate and combined effects of the frequency of alcohol consumption and the average quantity of alcohol drunk per occasion and how that relates to mortality risk from individual cancers as well as all cancers. The analysis is based on repeated administrations of the National Health Interview Survey in the US, assessing more than 300,000 subjects who suffered over 8,000 deaths from cancer. The research reports on total cancer deaths and deaths from lung, colorectal, prostate, and breast cancers. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-association-quantity-alcohol-frequency-consumption.html Health Thu, 20 Oct 2011 11:21:26 EST news238328477 Women still have hot flushes and night sweats years after the menopause finds a new study published today in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-older-women-hot-flushes-night.html Other Wed, 19 Oct 2011 10:34:12 EST news238239239 There is much interest in the unequal health care caused by postcode lotteries. The area you live in can impact the treatment you receive for cancer treatment, surgery or GP care. Research published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Public Health shows that there are also geographic differences in the implementation of public health programs. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-postcode-lotteries-health-necessarily.html Health Wed, 28 Sep 2011 03:57:03 EST news236401016 Drinking alcohol in moderate quantities can reduce the risk of asthma, according to Danish researchers. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-alcohol-asthma.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Sun, 25 Sep 2011 04:09:05 EST news236142532 This paper provides an extensive analysis of the proportion of the risk of upper aero-digestive tract (UADT) cancers in the population (the population attributable risk) that may be due to alcohol consumption and/or smoking. The analyse provides strong evidence that smoking is the most important factor in the risk of these cancers, and the risk is enhanced among those who smoke and also consume 2 or more drinks per day. Alcohol alone (i.e., among non-smokers) has little effect on the risk (less than 1%). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-role-alcohol-intake-upper-aerodigestive.html Cancer Tue, 06 Sep 2011 14:19:08 EST news234537511 A paper from Spain provides an extensive review of the association between alcohol consumption and body weight. Based on the fact that the energy content in 1 gram of alcohol is 29 kJ or 7.1 kcal, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to weight gain. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-08-moderate-alcohol-consumption-body-weight.html Health Tue, 16 Aug 2011 10:10:54 EST news232708239 Large amounts of alcohol are known to shorten sleep latency, increase slow-wave sleep, and suppress rapid eye movement (REM) during the first half of sleep. During the second half of sleep, REM increases and sleep becomes shallower. A study of the acute effects of alcohol on the relationship between sleep and heart rate variability (HRV) during sleep has found that alcohol interferes with the restorative functions of sleep. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-08-alcohol-functions.html Health Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:00:01 EST news232642035 Adhering to a healthy lifestyle, including not smoking, exercising regularly, having a low body weight and eating a healthy diet, appears to lower the risk of sudden cardiac death in women, according to a study in the July 6 issue of JAMA. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-07-healthy-lifestyle-sudden-cardiac-death.html Health Tue, 05 Jul 2011 17:14:14 EST news229104840 The results from a very well-done meta-analysis support other data generated on the risk of alcohol consumption and gastric cancer – that is – that the risk may be real for heavy alcohol consumption but not for moderate intake. The type of gastric cancer relating to heavier alcohol intake in this study tended to be tumors involving the noncardia, but differences between the association with tumors of the gastric cardia were not significant. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-05-gastric-cancer-heavy.html Cancer Wed, 18 May 2011 10:13:51 EST news224932422 A large group of distinguished scientists published a very detailed and rather complex paper describing the association between alcohol consumption and cancer in the BMJ. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-04-role-alcohol-cancer.html Health Tue, 19 Apr 2011 11:15:05 EST news222430498 Vegetarians experience a 36 percent lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome than non-vegetarians, suggests new research from Loma Linda University published in the journal Diabetes Care. Because metabolic syndrome can be a precursor to heart disease, diabetes, and stroke, the findings indicate vegetarians may be at lower risk of developing these conditions. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-04-vegetarians-heart-disease-diabetes.html Health Wed, 13 Apr 2011 13:22:07 EST news221919716