Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Geriatrics for August 2020. 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.
Cannabis Use Increased Among Older Adults From 2016 to 2018
MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- From 2016 to 2018, there was an increase in cannabis use among men and women aged 55 years and older, according to a research letter published online Sept. 1 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Use of Fitness Trackers May Spur Exercise in Older Adults With MS
MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Older adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) who say they use fitness trackers report greater amounts of physical activity, according to a study published online July 31 in the Disability & Health Journal.
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Lung-Specific Risk Factors Linked to Hip Fracture in Smokers
MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The addition of lung-specific risk factors into fracture risk assessment tools may more accurately predict hip fracture risk in smokers, according to a study published online Aug. 4 in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.
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Vitamin C Positively Linked to Skeletal Muscle Mass Measures
FRIDAY, Aug. 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Dietary and circulating vitamin C are positively associated with measures of skeletal muscle mass in middle- and older-aged men and women, according to a study published online Aug. 27 in The Journal of Nutrition.
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Most Shoulder Replacements Last More Than 10 Years
FRIDAY, Aug. 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- About 90 percent of shoulder replacements last for longer than 10 years, and patient-reported outcome measures show sustained benefits, according to a review published online Aug. 26 in The Lancet Rheumatology.
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Admissions for Stroke, TIA Down Early in COVID-19 Pandemic
THURSDAY, Aug. 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Admissions for stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) have decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study published online Aug. 26 in Stroke and Vascular Neurology.
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Guideline Updated for Nutrition in Chronic Kidney Disease
THURSDAY, Aug. 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The National Kidney Foundation and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics have updated the clinical practice guideline for nutrition in chronic kidney disease (CKD); the 2020 update was published as a supplement to the September issue of the American Journal of Kidney Diseases.
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Blacks Have Higher Incidence of Cerebral Venous Thrombosis
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Black Americans have a higher incidence of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) compared with other races, according to a study published online Aug. 26 in Neurology.
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Deaths Up for U.S. Veterans Who Have PCI at Community Facilities
TUESDAY, Aug. 25, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- For U.S. veterans with stable angina, the use of community facilities for percutaneous revascularization is associated with increased mortality, according to a study published in the Sept. 1 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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CPR Preferences Explored for Patients Receiving Dialysis
TUESDAY, Aug. 25, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Among patients receiving dialysis, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) preferences are associated with some aspects of end-of-life care, according to a study published online Aug. 24 in JAMA Network Open.
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Heart Events Observed for ~12 Percent of Adults Hospitalized With Flu
TUESDAY, Aug. 25, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Among adults hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza, 11.7 percent have an acute cardiovascular event, according to a study published online Aug. 25 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Staffing, PPE Shortages Continue in U.S. Nursing Homes
MONDAY, Aug. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- One in five U.S. nursing homes reports a severe shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) and any shortage of staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report published online Aug. 20 in Health Affairs.
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RAAS Inhibitors May Benefit HTN Patients With COVID-19
MONDAY, Aug. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors are beneficial for hypertensive patients with COVID-19, according to a study published online Aug. 24 in Current Atherosclerosis Reports.
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Antihypertensive Agents Not Tied to Higher Risk for Depression
MONDAY, Aug. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Nine individual antihypertensive agents from the classes of angiotensin agents, calcium antagonists, and β-blockers are associated with reduced rates of depression, according to a study published online Aug. 24 in Hypertension.
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ACIP Issues Recommendations for 2020 to 2021 Flu Vaccination
FRIDAY, Aug. 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations have been updated to include the influenza vaccination for the 2020 to 2021 season; the recommendations were published in the Aug. 21 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Older Adults With Depression Showing Resilience in Pandemic
FRIDAY, Aug. 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Most older adults with preexisting major depressive disorder (MDD) showed resilience in the first two months of the COVID-19 pandemic, but they express concerns about the future as the pandemic continues, according to a study published in the September issue of The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.
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Longer Bisphosphonate Use May Up Atypical Femur Fracture Risk
THURSDAY, Aug. 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Longer duration of bisphosphonate use is associated with an increased risk for atypical femur fracture, according to a study published in the Aug. 20 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Healthy Diet Inversely Linked to Prodromal Parkinson Disease Features
THURSDAY, Aug. 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Increased adherence to alternate Mediterranean (aMED) and Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) dietary patterns is inversely associated with prodromal features of Parkinson disease (PD), according to a study published online Aug. 19 in Neurology.
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Relationship Between Alzheimer Disease, Sleep Patterns Explored
THURSDAY, Aug. 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Alzheimer disease (AD) may causally influence sleep patterns, but these patterns do not have a causal role in AD, according to a study published online Aug. 19 in Neurology.
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Health Worse for Baby Boomer Caregivers Versus Noncaregivers
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Baby boomer caregivers more often have chronic health conditions and frequent mental distress (FMD) than noncaregivers, according to a study published online Aug. 13 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Preventing Chronic Disease.
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Poll: More Older Adults Using Telehealth During Pandemic
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- More older adults have used telehealth to consult with a health care provider during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with that seen in the previous year, according to a report published online Aug. 17 based on the results of the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging.
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CNS-Active Meds Often Prescribed for Older Adults With Dementia
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with dementia are frequently prescribed central nervous system (CNS)-active medications, according to a research letter published online Aug. 18 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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COVID-19 Cases Rebound Sharply in U.S. Nursing Homes
TUESDAY, Aug. 18, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- COVID-19 cases in U.S. nursing homes rose nearly 80 percent earlier this summer, and the vast majority of them occurred in Sunbelt states, a new study shows.
Press Release
AHCA/NCAL Report
Bariatric Surgery Linked to Reduction in Mortality Rate
TUESDAY, Aug. 18, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Bariatric surgery is associated with a reduction in mortality, and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is effective for blood pressure (BP) control in patients with hypertension and obesity, according to two studies published online Aug. 18 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Yoga Superior to Stress Education for Generalized Anxiety Disorder
TUESDAY, Aug. 18, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Yoga is effective for treating generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), but cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) remains more effective, according to a study published online Aug. 12 in JAMA Psychiatry.
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Baby Boomers Showing Higher Rates of Cognitive Decline
MONDAY, Aug. 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Reversing recent trends, baby boomers are showing lower cognitive functioning as they age than previous generations, according to a study published online July 29 in The Journals of Gerontology: Series B.
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Some Doctors Endorse Thyroid Ultrasonography Unnecessarily
MONDAY, Aug. 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- A considerable proportion of physicians endorse use of thyroid ultrasonography for clinically unsupported reasons, according to a research letter published online Aug. 12 in JAMA Surgery.
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CV Risk Factors, Comorbidity Tied to COVID-19 CV Complications
MONDAY, Aug. 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- For patients hospitalized with COVID-19, preexisting cardiovascular comorbidities or risk factors (RFs) are associated with cardiovascular complications, which contribute to mortality, according to a meta-analysis published online Aug. 14 in PLOS ONE.
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COVID-19 Deaths in Nursing Homes Climbing Again
FRIDAY, Aug. 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The novel coronavirus is surging once more in U.S. nursing homes, where it killed tens of thousands at the start of the pandemic.
Washington Post Article
Bisphosphonates Safe but May Not Improve Bone Marrow Lesion Volume
FRIDAY, Aug. 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- There is no clear benefit of bisphosphonates on bone marrow lesions (BMLs), according to a study published online Aug. 4 in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage.
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In-Person Clinic Visits at VA Down by Half Early in Pandemic
THURSDAY, Aug. 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a 56 percent decline in in-person visits across Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) outpatient facilities, which is only partly offset by more than a twofold increase in the number of telephone and video visits, according to a research letter published online Aug. 10 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Women Have More Depression With Peripheral Artery Disease
THURSDAY, Aug. 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Women with peripheral artery disease (PAD) have a higher burden of depressive symptoms compared with men, according to a study published online Aug. 12 in the Journal of the American Hospital Association.
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Burnout Less Likely for Doctors in Minority Race/Ethnic Groups
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 12, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Compared with non-Hispanic White physicians, physicians in minority racial/ethnic groups are less likely to report burnout, according to a study published online Aug. 7 in JAMA Network Open.
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ASH Issues Guidelines on Newly Diagnosed AML in Older Adults
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 12, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- In evidence-based guidelines issued by the American Society of Hematology and published in the Aug. 11 issue of Blood Advances, recommendations are presented for the management of newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in older adults.
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Preventable Hospitalizations Up Among Those With Dementia
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 12, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The number of potentially preventable hospitalizations among older adults with dementia is increasing, according to a study published online July 23 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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Self-Reported Biotin Use Increased From 1999 to 2016
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 12, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- From 1999 to 2016, the prevalence of self-reported biotin supplement use increased, especially among women and older adults, according to a research letter published in the Aug. 11 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Guidance Helps Doctors Optimize Telemedicine for Seniors
TUESDAY, Aug. 11, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- In an Ideas and Opinions article published online Aug. 11 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, guidance is provided for physicians to optimize telemedicine, which can be challenging for older patients.
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Malnutrition Common in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients
TUESDAY, Aug. 11, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) often have malnutrition, which is associated with increased risk for mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), according to a study published in the Aug. 18 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Respiratory-Related ED Visits Up in Days Before Thunderstorms
TUESDAY, Aug. 11, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Emergency department visits for acute respiratory illness among Medicare beneficiaries significantly increase in the days before major thunderstorms, according to a research letter published online Aug. 10 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Expanding Medicaid in Holdout States Could Insure 3.9 Million
MONDAY, Aug. 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Expanding Medicaid to all states could reduce the number of uninsured by 28 percent based on pre-COVID-19 data, according to a report released by the Urban Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
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Hospitalization Rates for AMI Dropped During Early COVID-19
MONDAY, Aug. 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- During the early COVID-19 period, there was a decrease in hospitalization rates for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), according to a brief report published online Aug. 7 in JAMA Cardiology.
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In Wales, One-Fifth of Adults With Hearing Aids Do Not Use Them
FRIDAY, Aug. 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- About 20 percent of adults with hearing aids in Wales, the United Kingdom, do not use them, according to a study recently published in the International Journal of Audiology.
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Life Expectancy 78.60 Years for U.S. Population for 2009-2011
FRIDAY, Aug. 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Life expectancy for 2009 to 2011 was 78.60 years for the total U.S. population, with the highest life expectancy for Hispanic women, according to the Aug. 7 National Vital Statistics Reports, a publication from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Overscreening for Cancer Common Among Older Adults
FRIDAY, Aug. 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Almost half of older U.S. adults report being screened for colorectal, cervical, or breast cancer beyond recommended upper age limits, particularly women living in metropolitan areas, according to a study published online July 27 in JAMA Network Open.
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Longer Bisphosphonate Drug Holiday May Up Fracture Risk
FRIDAY, Aug. 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- In patients who have previously suffered a vertebral fracture, a longer bisphosphonate (BP) drug holiday is associated with an increased risk for major osteoporotic fractures (MOFs), according to a study published online in the September issue of Bone.
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Skin Conditions Common in Older Adults
THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Dermatological disorders are extremely common in older individuals, according to a study published online Aug. 4 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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Diabetes-Related Lower-Limb Amputations Up in Older Adults
THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Since 2009, diabetes-related nontraumatic lower-extremity amputation (NLEA) has been increasing among older adults, according to a study published online July 28 in Diabetes Care.
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Health Plans Not Implementing Prior Authorization Reforms
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 5, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians say prior authorization (PA) continues to interfere with patient care and can lead to adverse clinical consequences, according to the results of a survey released by the American Medical Association.
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Physician Survey
President Says Medicare Should Expand Telehealth Services
TUESDAY, Aug. 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- President Donald Trump signed an order on Monday that will broaden the role of telehealth for Medicare patients, the Associated Press reported.
AP News Article
Most Studies Still Fail to Analyze Data by Sex
TUESDAY, Aug. 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The effect of gender is still largely ignored in scientific studies, according to a study published online June 9 in eLife.
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Trump's Plan Limits Free Nursing Home COVID-19 Tests
TUESDAY, Aug. 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The plan to give every nursing home a fast COVID-19 testing machine has a catch, the Associated Press reported Tuesday. The catch is that under the Trump administration plan, the government will not give kits to check staff and residents more than a couple of times.
AP News Article
USPSTF Still Advises Against Carotid Artery Stenosis Screening
TUESDAY, Aug. 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends against screening the general adult population for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis. This recommendation forms the basis of a draft recommendation statement published online Aug. 4 by the USPSTF.
Draft Evidence Review
Draft Recommendation Statement
Comment on Recommendation Statement
Long-Term Negative Thinking Tied to Alzheimer Risk
TUESDAY, Aug. 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) may be associated with increased Alzheimer disease (AD) risk, according to a study published in the July issue of Alzheimer's & Dementia.
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More Than One in Three Stroke Survivors Have Uncontrolled HTN
MONDAY, Aug. 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- More than one-third of stroke survivors have uncontrolled hypertension, and about one in five are not taking antihypertensive medications, according to a study published online July 27 in JAMA Neurology.
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38 Percent of Older Adults in U.S. Not Ready for Video Doctor Visits
MONDAY, Aug. 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- An estimated 38 percent of all older adults in the United States are not ready for video visits with physicians, according to a research letter published online Aug. 3 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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