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This Week in Health |
Our weekly roundup of the latest developments in the world of health. The effectiveness of hormone replacement in older women and the link between smoking and diabetes risk were in the news this week. So was information on a common antidepressant's link to birth defects and a possible early symptom of Alzheimer's disease. This Issue: Estrogen After Menopause Smoking and Diabetes Paxil and Birth Defects Weight Loss an Early Alzheimer's Sign In the News: Estrogen After Menopause Taking estrogen doesn't improve quality of life for older postmenopausal women. A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found no difference in overall quality of life scores between women who took estrogen supplements and those who did not. The study involved more than 10,000 women, age 63 on average, who were participating in the Women's Health Initiative. The women, all of whom had had hysterectomies, were given either estrogen or a placebo. The women answered questions about their physical, mental and emotional well-being and social functioning before and then a year after starting their estrogen or dummy pill. Most women reported good quality of life, with little difference seen between the two groups, the researchers find. They say their findings refute the belief that older women need to take hormones to feel good or function after menopause. The Associates Press quotes other experts who point out that the study's conclusions may not apply to younger women still experiencing menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats. Most of the women in the study were beyond the age when menopause symptoms would be most bothersome, the AP says. On top of all the other health problems it causes, smoking may also increase the risk of developing diabetes. A study published in the journal Diabetes Care found that smokers were almost twice as likely as non-smokers to develop type 2 diabetes. The finding was based on data from the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study, which involved more than 1,600 black, white and Hispanic men and women at four locations in California. The researchers found that about one quarter of the smokers who did not have type 2 diabetes at the beginning of the study developed the disease within five years. Only 14% of nonsmokers developed diabetes during that time, The New York Times News Service reports. The discrepancy in diabetes rates held up even after other risk factors were taken into consideration, the researchers said. However, they point out that previous studies on smoking and diabetes have had inconsistent results. A popular antidepressant may increase the risk of birth defects. A study has found higher rates of birth defects in babies whose mothers took the drug Paxil during pregnancy, compared to mothers who took a different antidepressant, The Food and Drug Administration said this week. Paxil's manufacturer has sent a letter to health care professionals warning them of the newfound risk, and will include new warnings on the drug's packaging, The Associated Press reports. The manufacturer says studies have not shown a definite, causal link between Paxil and increased risk of birth defects, the AP says. Weight Loss an Early Alzheimer's Sign Unexplained weight loss could be an early symptom of Alzheimer's disease. A study published in the journal Neurology looked at more than 800 men and women age 75 on average, and found that those whose body mass index fell most were also more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. The researchers say their findings may suggest that Alzheimer's attacks parts of the brain associated with food intake and metabolism before effects such as memory lapses start to occur, The Associated Press reports. However, the AP quotes other experts who say that more study should be done before drawing that conclusion. They say the weight loss observed in future Alzheimer's patients could be due to other factors, such as behavior changes or depression, that also are seen in people in early stages of the disease, the AP says. Used with the permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved. The above summaries are not intended to provide advice on personal medical matters, nor are they intended to be a substitute for consultation with a physician. |
