Newsbriefs: Cardiac Rehabilitation; Prostate Cancer; Five Habits to Avoid Chronic Disease; Warfarin Timing
Few Seniors Take Part in Cardiac Rehabilitation
There is strong evidence that cardiac rehabilitation programs can help people recover after a heart attack, but a recent study (Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, Jan. 14) suggests that few older adults participate in these programs. Of more than 366,000 Medicare recipients who could have received outpatient cardiac rehabilitation in 2016, only about 25 percent took advantage of it, and only 27 percent of those who did completed the full course. Medicare part B covers cardiac rehabilitation, but participation can be impacted by whether or not people are referred for it, and the availability of such programs locally (the study did not provide information on either factor). If you have recently had a heart attack or you have heart failure and have not been referred for cardiac rehabilitation, discuss the benefits with your doctor. He or she can find out whether there is a program in your community.
Vegetable-Rich Diet May Not Benefit Prostate Cancer
National guidelines recommend that men with prostate cancer eat a vegetable-rich diet, suggesting it might decrease cancer progression and death. But a recent study found no benefit from increased vegetable consumption. The two-year study (Journal of the American Medical Association, Jan. 14) included 478 men age 50 to 80, all of whom had early-stage prostate cancer. The participants were randomized to a control group that received written information about diet and prostate cancer, or to an intervention program that encouraged them to eat plenty of vegetables. The latter group increased their intake of vegetables (and fruits) to a statistically significant degree; however, they saw no extra protection from the increased consumption. While these data indicate that eating plenty of vegetables won’t alter the course of prostate cancer, there is substantial evidence that consuming a healthy diet benefits the body and mind, so don’t be put off eating your greens.
Five Health Habits Can Help You Avoid Chronic Disease
Five lifestyle strategies—eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy body weight, not drinking too much alcohol, and not smoking—may increase the years you spend living disease-free, according to a new study (BMJ, Jan. 8). The researchers looked at 34 years of data from 73,196 women and 28 years of data from 38,366 men. Healthy diet was defined as a high score on the Alternate Healthy Eating Index, regular exercise as at least 30 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous activity, and healthy weight as a body mass index (BMI: a ratio of height to weight) of 18.5 to 24.9. Moderate alcohol intake was defined as up to one drink per day for women and up to two for men (most experts recommend one drink per day for men age 65 and older). Women who adopted four or five of the habits were likely to live an extra 10 years without cardiovascular disease, cancer, or type 2 diabetes compared with women adopting none of the healthy habits, while men were likely to live an extra seven years.
Warfarin Timing
People who take warfarin (Coumadin®) to treat the abnormal heart rhythm atrial fibrillation and/or reduce the risk of stroke and blood clots are often advised to take the medication in the evening. But a new study (Annals of Family Medicine, January/February) suggests that morning versus evening dosing has little bearing on the drug’s benefits. The study included 217 people who regularly took warfarin in the evenings, half of whom were switched to morning medication use for seven months. The data showed that the drug’s therapeutic changes did not significantly differ between the two groups. Ideally, you should take your medication at a time that is easy for you, but you also may need to consider potential drug and food interactions. If you are considering switching the time you take any medication, discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.
Related post: “From the Editor: Get a Handle on Chronic Pain“
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