April 18th, 2012
Podcast 152: Gum disease and atherosclerosis — evidence for an association, but not for a cause-and-effect
The American Heart Association’s scientific statement on “Periodontal Disease and Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease” is likely to raise hackles among those offering treatments for gum disease as a way to lower risk for heart disease — or even to ameliorate it. The association’s writing committee, after a 4-year review of the evidence, finds no support for […]
March 29th, 2012
Podcast 150: Depression (and antidepressant use) after stroke or TIA
After stroke or transient ischemic attack, depression is more common than among the general population, and the risk for depression extends beyond the early time period after the event. More alarmingly, less than a third of those with persistent depression — defined as depression detected both at 3 and 12 months after the cerebrovascular event — […]
March 15th, 2012
Podcast 149: High levels of white rice consumption seem linked to higher risks for type 2 diabetes
A BMJ meta-analysis suggests that people with the highest levels of white rice consumption are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes. The authors examined four studies, together comprising some 350,000 subjects. Two were done in Asian populations and two among Westerners. They found a much higher intake of white rice among Asians, and a strong […]
February 29th, 2012
Podcast 148: Smoking cessation during pregnancy is probably more effective with behavioral approaches than with relying on nicotine replacement
In the largest study of its kind, UK researchers find that helping pregnant women to quit smoking until at least delivery isn’t helped much by nicotine replacement therapy. The primary outcome, self-reported cessation lasting between the start of therapy and delivery, differed little between the active treatment group and those randomized to placebo (9% versus 8%). In […]
February 24th, 2012
Podcast 147: Proof that colonoscopy with polypectomy saves lives
Everyone “knows” that colonoscopy reduces risks of death from colorectal cancer, but it’s good to have your knowledge actually verified, and a new bit of research seems to do that in this case. Long-term follow-up of a group of patients who underwent colonoscopy and polypectomy in the 1980s shows that removal of adenomatous polyps brought with […]
February 17th, 2012
Podcast 146: Cognitive impairment in primary care — screen or not?
Current guidelines find no compelling therapeutic benefit to screening for cognitive impairment and dementia in primary care. The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society has published some research that, if not compelling, certainly suggests that clinical approaches should change. In actively screening some 8000 veterans over age 70 during routine primary care visits for cognitive impairment, […]
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