Frontline: Diabetes’ Effect on Finances; Arthritis & Exercise; Osteoporosis Medication
Diabetes Takes a Financial Toll
If your ongoing good health is not incentive enough to follow your doctor’s advice on how to avoid progressing from prediabetes to full-blown diabetes, your bank account might be. A study that appeared Feb. 13, 2017 in Population Health Management revealed that participation in lifestyle modifications, such as those recommended by the National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), is associated with economic benefit. The study identified adults with prediabetes, tracked whether they developed diabetes, and compared medical expenditures. People who developed diabetes had annual expenditures that were nearly one-third higher in subsequent years relative to those who did not transition from prediabetes to diabetes, with an average difference of $2,671 per year.
Exercise Eases Symptoms and Limitations of Arthritis
More than 24 million adults with arthritis have activity limitations due to their disease, according to a report (CDC Vital Signs, March 2017) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The everyday activities limited by arthritis include holding a cup, lifting a grocery bag, and walking to a car, according to the CDC. More than 54 million adults in the U.S. (about one in four) have arthritis, a condition that can result in pain, stiffness, and swelling of the joints. The CDC points to exercise as a proven strategy to ease pain and reduce symptoms of arthritis. Studies suggest that engaging in physical activity can reduce arthritis symptoms by up to 40 percent, yet many adults with arthritis are not physically active because they find exercise painful. If you are sedentary due to arthritis, speak with your doctor about ways to increase your physical activity. Swimming is a great option, since warm water can relieve the pressure on aching joints.
Evidence Supports Safety of Osteoporosis Medication
A study published March 9, 2017 in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research provides reassurance about the long-term safety of denosumab (Xgeva, Prolia), a drug used to treat postmenopausal osteoporosis. Adverse events, including back pain, musculoskeletal pain, high cholesterol, and cystitis, had been noted in a three-year clinical trial in women ages 60 to 90. Women who were treated with the drug for an additional three years showed no increase in adverse events, according to the new data. In addition, women who initially took a placebo for three years and then switched to denosumab for the next three years experienced no increase in adverse effects, compared with the women who took denosumab for the initial three years. Denosumab, which is administered by injection once every six months, is associated with a reduction in vertebral and hip fractures and increased bone mineral density.
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