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A critical link between menopause and Alzheimer’s disease
Dorothy L. Tengler Mental HealthcareAlzheimer's disease, a devastating and irreversible brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, is currently ranked as the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. For most people with Alzheimer's, symptoms first appear in their mid-60s.
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Study: Vaccination rates hold steady after ACIP change
Lynn Hetzler Medical & Allied HealthcareMedical professionals worried that vaccination rates would plummet after the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices dropped its recommendation promoting the use of live attenuated influenza vaccines before the start of the 2016-2017 influenza season. However, new research shows vaccination rates remained relatively stable.
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Parkinson’s research: Wake up and smell the coffee
Dr. Denise A. Valenti Medical & Allied HealthcareGrab a cup of coffee and check out these two recent reports about Parkinson's disease. The good news is that if you can smell the coffee, you are probably doing fine at the moment. The bad news is drinking the coffee is not going to relieve symptoms of existing Parkinson's disease.
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Are primary care physicians recognizing prediabetes patients?
Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied HealthcareApproximately 84 million American adults — more than 1 out of 3 — have prediabetes, with an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, and 90 percent don't realize they are at risk. Prediabetes, which is not a disease itself, is characterized by high blood sugar, almost to the point of being diagnosed as diabetes. It is unclear, however, whether primary care physicians (PCPs) diagnose prediabetes and adjust the treatment plan in light of hemoglobin test results.
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Madagascar plague outbreak catches health officials off guard
Joan Spitrey Healthcare AdministrationWhen most people hear "the plague," they immediately think of the "Black Death" that killed more than 50 million Europeans in the 14th century. However, despite modern medicine, the plague continues to be endemic to many areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar and Peru. Currently, Madagascar is experiencing an unusually early plague that has affected 684 people with at least 54 deaths.
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Should dentists continue to use fluoride?
Heather Linderfelt Oral & Dental HealthcareIn the 1930s, dental research showed that children who lived in areas with high concentrations of naturally occurring fluoride in the water had less tooth decay. This research led to the addition of fluoride to the municipal water supply in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1945. Other municipalities followed, and the Community Water Fluoridation program began. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral. It is in our soils, water, and food in various amounts, depending on where you live, but our bodies don’t need it to survive.
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What to know about the SI joint
Heather Linderfelt Sports & FitnessThe sacroiliac (SI) joint is a strong, powerful joint that connects the upper body to the lower half of the body via the sacrum, which is the bottom bone of the spine, and the ilium, which is part of the pelvis. The joint is not responsible for a great deal of movement, but its main job is to transfer the weight and movements of the upper body to the legs. Since these joints carry and transfer all the weight of the upper body, the cartilage that cushions the joint can wear away and cause SI joint problems.
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The dangers of organ damage in hypertensive young men and teens
Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied HealthcareAbout 75 million American adults have high blood pressure — roughly 1 of every 3 adults. High blood pressure may not manifest with any symptoms, but it's important to get under control because it can lead to heart attack and stroke.
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Health system interoperability shows meager advances
Scott E. Rupp Healthcare AdministrationGiven the tremendous amount of push toward interoperability in the healthcare setting — especially systems that are trying to communicate with others — there has been a lot of conversation about effort, but the results seem a bit harder to find.
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California wildfires are a public health risk
Michelle R. Matisons Medical & Allied HealthcareBeijing, China, is the greatest greenhouse gas emitter in the world, exacerbated by its growing power and steel industries. The resulting air pollution is so intense that it is routine for residents to check the air quality index when they awake in the morning, and plan whether they will don masks that day.
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