Research: Eye Health Should Focus on Early Diagnosis

It’s true that glaucoma can be a serious disease. A leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, glaucoma affects more than 2.7 million individuals aged 40 and older in the United States and 60.5 million people globally.

Here’s some good news coming out of recent research: The probability of blindness due to glaucoma has decreased by nearly half since 1980. Researchers speculate that advances in diagnosis and therapy are likely causes for the decrease, but caution that a significant proportion of patients still progress to blindness.

This study, published in Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, was conducted by a team based at the Mayo Clinic. It is the first to assess long-term changes in the risk of progression to blindness and the population incidence of glaucoma-related blindness.

Researchers from Mayo Clinic College of Medicine found the 20-year probability and the incidence of blindness from glaucoma in at least one eye had decreased from 25.8 percent for subjects diagnosed between 1965 and 1980 to 13.5 percent for those diagnosed between 1981 and 2000. The incidence of blindness within 10 years of diagnosis also decreased from 8.7 per 100,000 to 5.5 per 100,000 for those groups, respectively. Fifteen percent of the patients diagnosed in the more recent timeframe still progressed to blindness.

By identifying trends in glaucoma, researchers hope to gain insight into managing this disease and providing people the resources they need.The National Eye Institute recommends that individuals age 60 and older have an eye exam at least every two years. 

To learn more about this report, visit http://www.aao.org/newsroom/release/probability-blindness-from-glaucoma-reduced.cfm.

Take Heart! Advances in Heart Health Bringing New Hope

The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association recently released important prevention guidelines and advances in heart disease and stroke research in the past year.

These new prevention guidelines, programs to control blood pressure, getting more people to access cardiac rehab services and a possible link between digestive bacteria and heart disease risk are included in a recap of cardiovascular and stroke advances identified. Here are a few:

Lower overall heart attack and stroke risk, not just cholesterol – After lifestyle changes, cholesterol-lowering statin drugs could benefit about 33 million Americans who have a greater than 7.5 percent 10-year risk for heart attack and stroke.

How intestinal microbes raise the cardiovascular disease risk from red meat – An emerging area of nutrition science is the study of bacteria, or microbes, in the digestive system and how they affect heart disease risk. A 2013 study discovered that microbes in the digestive system may be responsible for red meat elevating two chemicals associated with cardiovascular disease.

Lifestyle guidelines including dietary patterns and exercise – Lifestyle recommendations target the many people who need to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. They recommend an overall heart-healthy dietary pattern and 40 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise three to four times a week. Dietary patterns should emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, poultry, fish and nuts, and limit red meat and sugary foods and beverages.

Controlling high blood pressure – Although researchers understand the best ways to treat hypertension, many patients do not know they have it, and only half of the 75 percent of patients being treated control it to a healthy level.

For more information about the findings and links to detailed resources, go to http://newsroom.heart.org/news/2013-top-10-advances-in-heart-disease-and-stroke-science.

Could New Research Findings Help Turn Back the Clock?

Restricting calorie consumption is one of the few proven ways to combat aging. Though the underlying mechanism is unknown, calorie restriction has been shown to prolong lifespan in yeast, worms, flies, monkeys and, in some studies, humans.

Now researchers have developed a computer problem-solving program that predicts which genes can be “turned off” to create the same anti-aging effect as calorie restriction, which could lead to new drugs to treat aging.

Most of these computer problem-solving programs try to find drug targets that kill cells to treat cancer or bacterial infections. But this program is the first in the field to look at drug targets that could transform cells from a diseased to a healthy state, according to researchers at Tel Aviv University’s Blavatnik School of Computer Science.

For more about the study, visit http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-01/afot-tot010214.php.

Java Jogs Memory, Research Reveals

Researchers conducted a study with individuals who did not regularly eat or drink caffeinated products. Each received either a placebo or a 200-milligram caffeine tablet five minutes after studying a series of images. The next day, both groups were tested on their ability to recognize images from the previous day’s study session.

On the test, some of the visuals were the same as from the day before, some were new additions and some were similar but not the same as the items previously viewed. More members of the caffeine group were able to correctly identify the new images as “similar” to previously viewed images versus erroneously citing them as the same.

 The brain's ability to recognize the difference between two similar but not identical items, called pattern separation, reflects a deeper level of memory retention, the researchers said. Until now, caffeine’s effects on long-term memory had not been examined in detail.

Of the few studies done, the general consensus was that caffeine has little or no effect on long-term memory retention. The research is different from prior experiments because the subjects took the caffeine tablets only after they had viewed and attempted to memorize the images.

 For more information about the study, visit http://hub.jhu.edu/2014/01/12/caffeine-enhances-memory.

5 Ways to Maintain a Healthy Heart

Did you know heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women? In honor of American Heart Month this February, we want to ensure that all of our citizens stay as healthy as possible.  Here are four small and steady changes you can make in your life that will help you build a stronger heart and prepare for and prevent against any heart related emergencies. 

         Sustain a healthy diet

     Maintaining a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fiber and low-fat dairy products can give you the jumpstart you need towards a heart-healthy routine.  While eating at least 5 servings of these healthy nutrients a day, be sure to cut out foods high in sodium, saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol. Foods said to decrease your risk of heart attack and protect against irregular heartbeats are those rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Certain types of fish, walnuts and soybeans are all good natural sources of Omega-3 fatty acids.

2    Exercise regularly

     Physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight and reduce potentially dangerous conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. Discuss your health range with your doctor and dedicate just 25-30 minutes a day to a workout of your choice. 

        Do not smoke or use tobacco

     Because chemicals in tobacco can damage your heart and blood vessels, smoking cigarettes or using tobacco is viewed today as one of the most significant risk factors for developing heart disease. If you currently smoke or use tobacco, consult with you doctor about selecting a method to quit as soon as possible.

4     Seek regular health checks 

     High blood pressure and cholesterol can damage your heart and blood vessels, but you can take action against these conditions by monitoring your health on a regular basis. Because high blood pressure often has no symptoms, be sure to have it checked by your doctor or pharmacy technician once a year. Schedule an appointment with your doctor once every 3-5 years to have your cholesterol checked with a simple blood test.