December 6th, 2010 by Toni Brayer, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Policy, News, Research
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I’ve heard people say that healthcare is recession proof. Even when the economy is suffering, people still get sick and need service.
The current recession is entering the third year and it’s finally caught up to the healthcare industry. The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there were 16 mass hospital layoffs in October, up from 10 in September. Mass layoffs involve 50 or more employees and in the first 10 months of 2010, and 128 mass layoffs occurred. The Bureau projects 12,349 initial claims for unemployment benefits, which surpasses the number in 2009.
What causes mass layoffs? The recession and unemployment has reduced demand for elective procedures and reduced reimbursement from government programs (Medicare and Medicaid). Charity care has also increased and hospitals are adjusting to a lower bottom line by eliminating their most costly item: Employees. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at EverythingHealth*
December 1st, 2010 by Toni Brayer, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Tips
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You can’t do anything about your genes, but here’s a formula for good health — simplified:
0 Cigarettes
5 Servings of fruits and vegetables a day
10 Minutes of silence or relaxation a day
30 Body mass index (BMI) below
150 Minutes of exercise a week
You knew this already, but are you really doing it?
*This blog post was originally published at EverythingHealth*
November 24th, 2010 by Toni Brayer, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Tips, News, Research
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New clinical trials and published research are giving us information on how to improve health in elderly patients. Here are some brief points from the Cleveland Journal of Medicine that were surprising to me:
— Each year 30 percent of people age 65 or older fall and sustain serious injuries so preventing falls and fractures is important. Vitamin D prevents both falls and fractures, but mega doses of Vitamin D (50,000 mg) might cause more falls. A better dose is 1,000mg a day in people who consume a low-calcium diet.
— Exercise boosts the effect of influenza vaccine.
— The benefits of dialysis in older patients is uncertain, as it does not improve function in people over age 80. We don’t even know if it improves survival. Older patients who receive dialysis for kidney failure had a decline in function (eating, bed mobility, ambulation, toileting, hygiene, and dressing) after starting treatment.
— Colinesterase inhibitors (Aricept, Razadyne and Exelon) are commonly used to treat Alzheimer disease, but they all can have serious side effects. Syncope (fainting), hip fractures, slow heart rate, and the need for permanent pacemaker insertion were more frequent in people taking these drugs. The benefits of these drugs on cognition is modest.
— A new drug called Pradaxa (dabigatran) will likely prove to be safer than Coumadin (warfarin). Over two million adults have atrial fibrillation and the median age is 75. The blood thinner warfarin is critical for prevention of strokes but it caries a high risk of bleeding and drug levels have to be monitored frequently. Dabigatran will probably replace warfarin, but it will probably also be a lot more expensive.
As I often say, medicine and science are constantly changing and evolving. As new evidence comes forth, physicians and patients need to re-evaluate they way we do things.
*This blog post was originally published at EverythingHealth*
November 17th, 2010 by Toni Brayer, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Tips, True Stories
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Research has shown that giving to others can lead to a healthier, happier, and longer life. Generous behavior reduces depression and risk of suicide in adolescents. Volunteerism on the part of older adults significantly reduces mortality. Giving to others enables people to forgive themselves for mistakes — a key element in well-being.
One way to have a lot of fun on the Internet and get a health boost while doing so is to log on to a cool site called Kiva. For as little as $25.00, ordinary people like you and me can be part of the worldwide microloan (or microcredit) community. Kiva’s mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at EverythingHealth*
November 5th, 2010 by Toni Brayer, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Tips, News, Research
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People are always on the search for “natural” ways to stay healthy and reduce cholesterol. Chinese red yeast rice supplements have been touted as a natural, safer way to lower cholesterol compared to statin medications. The yeast that grows on a particular type of rice contains a family of substances called monocolins, which lower cholesterol by inhibiting cholesterol production in the liver in the same manner as prescription statin drugs. Some studies have shown as much as a 15 percent drop in cholesterol.
All of this sounds good until you dig a little deeper. Supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and a new study in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that different brands of red yeast rice supplements have dramatic variation in levels of active ingredients. Furthermore, some contained toxic manufacturing by-products. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at EverythingHealth*
