Increasing aerobic activity and reducing stress improves the health of patients with heart disease better than drugs alone. Researchers at Duke University Medical Center evaluated the mental and physical health of 134 men and women aged 40 to 84 who suffered from one of two forms of heart conditions. Those patients in the groups in which exercise and stress management supplemented standard care were found to have lower average depression scores and favorable improvements in certain cardiovascular risk factors. Behavioral treatments "provide added benefits" to patients compared to patients receiving standard medical care.

Daily intake of fish or soy oil is good for the aging heart, according to this study. An older person who takes daily supplements of omega-3 fatty acids from soy or fish is less at risk for sudden heart attack. Researchers found that heart rate variability (HRV),¬ a key measure of healthy heartbeat function,¬ improved quickly among those aged 60 and older who have being taking these supplements. Researchers studied the HRV levels of 52 nursing home residents, aged 60 and older, whose regular dietary intake of fish was assessed as "poor." Fish oil capsules offered the greatest overall cardiac benefit. Those taking fish oil capsules were quicker to improve their HRV levels than those taking soy oil capsules. Those ingesting fish oil experienced HRV increases within just three weeks, compared to eight weeks in those taking soy oil.

The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) has replaced the 1992 Food Guide Pyramid with the new, interactive My Pyramid Plan, intended to make recommendations on a more personal level. What is unique about this version is that it is more customized and it incorporates advice on physical activity. It also offers printable results and meal tracking worksheets, as well as an online personal pyramid tracker. To check it out, go to http://www.mypyramid.gov/, and then type in your specifics (age, gender, activity level, etc.).

A large-scale study adds statistical evidence to the perceived benefits of the Mediterranean diet, a regimen rich in fish, olive oil, fruits, vegetables, cereals, and supplemented by a modest intake of red wine. In an assessment of nearly 75,000 people aged over 60 in nine European countries, individuals who followed the Mediterranean diet enjoyed a seven percent reduction in the risk of mortality. Exactly how much the diet can extend lifespan depends on a person's age. A healthy man aged 60 who adhered closely to the diet could expect to live about a year longer than a man of the same age who did not follow the diet. The benefits of the diet in warding off heart disease, some cancers, and other illnesses are well documented, but these findings are among the first to show it may prolong life.

At least half of all cancer deaths in the U.S. could be prevented if Americans adopted a healthier lifestyle and made better use of available screening tests for the disease. The information is comprised in Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Facts & Figures 2005, an annual report that explores some of the risk factors for cancer that people can control and change. More than 168,140 cancer deaths will be caused by tobacco use alone in 2005. The report highlights trends in tobacco use, eating habits, exercise patterns, and weight gain among adults and children. This year, 1.368 million Americans will learn they have cancer and 563,700 will die of it. See: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/STT/content/STT_1x_Cancer_Prevention_and_Early_Detection_Facts_and_Figures_2005.asp

The Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER) now offers "Financial Steps for Caregivers: What You Need to Know About Money and Retirement." The booklet is designed to help caregivers identify financial decisions they may face in their caregiving role. Information includes the basics about budgeting, retirement planning, and employment decisions. Download: http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aoaprog/caregiver/WISER.pdf

This study attempted to determine whether utilizing community-based long-term care services early in the dementia caregiving career delays time to nursing home placement (adjusting for severity of dementia). With data from 4,761 caregivers followed over a three-year period, it was found that those individuals who utilized in-home help services earlier in their dementia caregiving careers were more likely to delay institutionalization. The findings suggest the practical importance and cost-effectiveness implications of early community-based service use. To see the abstract: gerontologist.gerontologyjournals.org

The American Geriatrics Society Foundation for Health in Aging has launched a new website, Aging in the Know. This resource provides state-of-the-art information on the diseases and disorders of older adults. The "What to Ask" series helps older adults and their caregivers initiate conversations with clinicians by providing them with disease and condition-specific questions they can use to guide their discussions. See: http://www.healthinaging.org/agingintheknow

A new three-year study points to a drug's potential to delay the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The study found that those with MCI who took the drug donepezil were at reduced risk of progressing to a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease during the first year of the trial. However, by the end of the three-year study there was no benefit of the drug shown. The findings are the first to suggest that any agent can delay the diagnosis of Alzheimer's among those with MCI. When compared with placebo, Vitamin E was also tested in the study and was found to have no effect at any time point. The report will appear in the June 9, 2005 print version of The New England Journal of Medicine.

A new study shows that women taking raloxifene to prevent osteoporosis have less risk of memory loss as they age. Researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center studied 7,705 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis treated with raloxifene, also known as Evista, for a period of three years. The study showed that women who took a higher dose (120 milligrams) of raloxifene displayed a 33 percent lower risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) compared with women given a 60-milligram dose or a placebo. There was also a slight drop in the risk of Alzheimer's disease in the higher dosage group.

A variety of activities like exercise, household chores, and even dancing, can help people avoid Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, according to this study of 3,375 men and women over the age of 64 who did not have dementia when the study began. Researchers found that variety was more important for preventing dementia than total calories burned in exercise and other physical activities. According to lead author Constantine Lyketsos, M.D., "We don't yet know why this association exists or what causes it. It could well be that maintaining a variety of activities keeps more parts of the brain active, or that this variety reflects better engagement in both physical and social activities."

The U.S. government has determined that the treatment of behavioral disorders in persons with dementia with atypical antipsychotic medications is associated with increased mortality. Out of a total of 17 placebo-controlled trials performed with olanzapine (Zyprexa), aripiprazole (Abilify), risperidone (Risperdal), or quetiapine (Seroquel) in persons with behavioral disorders, 15 showed increases in mortality in the drug-treated group compared to the placebo-treated group. These studies enrolled a total of 5,106 patients and analyses demonstrated a 1.6-1.7 fold increase in mortality. All of the atypical antipsychotics are approved for the treatment of schizophrenia, but these drugs are not approved for the treatment of behavioral disorders associated with dementia. Drug manufacturers will be asked to include a warning label describing this risk. See: http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/advisory/antipsychotics.htm

The Alzheimer's Association has released initial dementia-care recommendations for nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Among the suggestions: assure proper nutrition and hydration so residents can maintain nutritional health and avoid unnecessary health complications. It is also suggested that pain be treated as a "fifth vital sign" by formally addressing it in a systematic way, much as a caregiver would treat blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and temperature. Offering social opportunities each day can also give persons with dementia a sense of dignity and self-esteem. The Association will launch a variety of education programs in July to support the new guidelines. See: http://www.alz.org/Downloads/DementiaCarePracticeRecommendations.pdf

The U.S. government has launched a new website that provides consumers with information on how well hospitals care for adult patients. Hospital Compare uses voluntary, self-reported information from hospitals on three major causes of morbidity and mortality - heart attack, heart failure, and pneumonia - to show how often participating hospitals provide the recommended care for adults with one of those three conditions. Consumers can search for hospitals by state, county, city, zip code, or by name. To learn more, visit http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov/.

Many people in their 80s benefit as much as younger patients from surgery to bypass blocked coronary arteries. However, patients with chronic renal failure and more severe heart disease may not fare as well as others. Researchers analyzed outcomes for 73 patients aged 80 years or older who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting. Two patients died in the hospital due to complications of surgery, and 10 died during the next five years. However, most patients appeared to do well, and their functional status improved significantly after surgery. According to the researchers, "eighty-three percent were totally independent in the activities of daily living after surgery; they could engage in moderate physical activity and go out shopping on their own."

Physical therapy of a higher intensity results in better patient outcomes and shorter lengths of stay for nursing home residents. Researchers studied nearly 5,000 older persons with strokes, orthopedic, and cardiovascular/pulmonary conditions in 70 different skilled-nursing facilities nationwide. For all three types of conditions studied, residents provided with 1 to 1½ hours of therapy a day had shorter lengths of stay than residents getting less than one hour per day over a seven-day period. The findings offers caregivers and skilled-nursing providers the first-ever guidelines on therapy utilization to improve functional independence and reduce lengths of stay.