ThirdAge Health Headliners of the Week

As we do every week, we've culled the most important articles we brought you based on breaking stories from around the world that can help you and your family stay well. Whether you missed these items the first time they appeared or you caught them and could use a refresher, our goal is to help you stay up-to-date on medical research that can impact your life.

We hope you'll like what you find and come back every Friday for a new installment!

More "Observation Stays" Cost Patients Money In recent years, the number of observation stays – i.e. patients being held for observation in a limbo between the emergency room and full patient admission – has sharply increased, according to a new study. The phenomenon is especially important for patients, who may end up paying more for the stays if they are eventually admitted to skilled-nursing facilities. The study, conducted by researchers at Brown University, found that observation stays – often lasting more than seventy-two hours – jumped 34 percent nationwide between 2007 and 2009. At the same time, inpatient admissions dropped. The increase in the percentage of observation stays varied according to region. Click here to read the article

Should You Use Nurse Help Lines? It’s 3 a.m. and you wake up with a hard pain on the right side of your abdomen. Could it be appendicitis? Do you need to get to the ER? Or might it be gas? What to do? Many people in such a circumstance consider turning to toll-free 24/7 help lines provided by their insurance plans. Staffed by registered nurses, most are designed to offer free advice on everything from troubling symptoms to minor illnesses, injuries, chronic conditions, fitness, nutrition and other health-related topics. Insurance companies often have “specialty” lines geared to particular problems, such as diabetes, pregnancy, or other common conditions. Should You Really Use Those Help Lines?

How Safe Is Your Hospital? Thanks to an interactive online tool, you can now check out your hospital's safety report card. A non-profit quality improvement organization called the Leapfrog Group has assigned letter grades to a long list of institutions based on surveys and research. However, the American Hospital Association in a statement by Nancy Foster, vice president of quality and patient safety for AHA, disputed the validity of the ratings. "The American Hospital Association has supported several good quality measures, but many of the measures Leapfrog uses to grade hospitals are flawed and they do not accurately portray a picture of the safety efforts made by hospitals Learn More About How Safe Your Hospital Is

Arteriosclerosis: True Cause? Historically, the blame for hardening of the arteries has gone to the smooth muscle cells within blood vessel walls. These cells were believed to combine with cholesterol and fat to form plaque. Now researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have questioned that theory with their discovery of a previously unknown multipotent vascular stem cell that appears to be the true perpetrator of the clogged arteries that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Learn All About Ateriosclerosis

Guilt & Depression If you tend to beat yourself up over every little perceived mistake or failure, you're may be at risk for becoming clinically depressed. A study led by Dr. Roland Zahn at the University of Manchester and published in the journal Archives of General Psychiatryfound that habitual self-blame and misplaced guilt are associated with major depression. A news release sent out by the university quoted Dr. Zahn as saying: "For the first time, we chart the regions of the brain that interact to link detailed knowledge about socially appropriate behavior -- the anterior temporal lobe -- with feelings of guilt -- the subgenual region of the brain -- in people who are prone to depression." He went on to explain that in depressed patients, these regions have weaker connections than they do in emotionally healthy people. Read the article here

"Hospital at Home" Safe and Effective What if you needed intensive care for a chronic medical problem but instead of being admitted to a hospital, you could stay right in your own bedroom? That appealing scenario is not a far-fetched dream but a reality, at least in several areas of the country including Albuquerque, Honolulu, Boise, New Orleans, and Portland. According to a study published in the June issue of Health Affairs, patients in "Hospital at Home" programs had similar and in some cases even better outcomes than a control group who were in the hospital. Read this article

Daily Aspirin & Bleed Risk Aspirin therapy has long been promoted by the medical profession as a preventive measure against heart disease, However, a new study shows that unless you are at medium to high risk for cardiac events or you have diabetes, popping acetylsalicylic acid (the medical term for aspirin) every day may make you prone to potentially lethal bleeding episodes. Antonio Nicolucci, MD of Consorzio Mario Negri Sud in Maria Imbaro, Italy and colleagues reported in the June 6th issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association that swallowing a baby aspirin daily may increase your odds of major hemorrhages of your GI tract an your brain. Read all about the risks!

Cymbalta for Post-Chemo Pain? The antidepressant duloxetine (brand name Cymbalta) may help relieve the tingling, pain, and numbness in the hands and feet that can result from chemotherapy. The condition is called peripheral neuropathy and it can be chronic. In some patients, the condition lasts several years after the end of treatments. An estimated 30% of patients receiving taxanes (brand names Taxol and Taxotere) experience neuropathy, and MedPage Today reports that "the side effect is a contributing factor to patients dropping treatment." Taxanes are often used to treat breast cancer. Learn all about Cymbalta's Effects Here

Barking up the Right Tree: Dogs and Dementia During her 10-year “working” career as a pet therapy dog, my Springer Spaniel Isabella and I padded around countless nursing homes. Animal therapy has long been touted for its medicinal value (lower blood pressure and trigliceride levels, among other benefits.) I am here to say it works! I have seen dogs and dementia in action: Agitated and depressed residents visibly relax when they stroked Isabella’s velvety ears or silky fur. A smile from someone who was usually sullen. An unprompted conversation about a dog they used to have or that their children own. Read this article now

Smart Phone as Health Coach What if you could have a private trainer who would help you boost your intake of fruits and veggies, get you up off the couch, and generally keep you honest regarding your intention to banish bad health habits? Researchers at Northwestern University report that this might vastly increase your odds for success – and that you would only need to connect remotely with your coach. Check this article out!