The cost of managing diabetes has more than doubled since the 1980s, according to a new analysis. Investigators who compared National Medical Expenditure Survey data from 1987, 2000–2001, and 2010–2011 found that diabetics in 1987 spent $2588 per person more on health care than people without diabetes. In 2000 and 2010, the extra spending by diabetics rose to $4205 and $5378, respectively. Factors contributing to the increase between 1987 and 2011 included prescription medications (55%), inpatient visits (24%), outpatient visits (15%), and ER visits and other medical spending (6%). The findings are published in Diabetes Care.
0 Comments
n patients undergoing coronary angiography or percutaneous coronary intervention (which use dyes to help surgeons visualize the arteries), a high dose of atorvastatin was linked with a reduction in serum creatinine and a lower incidence of AKI compared with a low dose of the statin. The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology meta-analysis of 14 randomized controlled clinical trials (consisting of 1689 patients) suggests that short-term high-dose atorvastatin therapy may be superior to low-dose atorvastatin for protecting heart surgery patients’ kidney health.
The New York Times (1/20, Frakt, Subscription Publication) “The Upshot” reports on accountable care organizations (ACOs) and how they differ from health maintenance organizations. According to the article, ACOs “vary in form but generally contract with Medicare, Medicaid or private insurers to provide integrated care for a large population of patients and can earn bonuses for meeting cost and quality targets or, in some cases, be penalized if they don’t.” While both ACOs and HMOs “encourage providers to integrate,” ACO-like contracts “typically do not rely on full capitation.” Additionally, ACOs do not “dictate to doctors and patients what they are allowed to do and what they cannot,” according to Harvard health economist David Cutler. The piece adds that in a recent commentary in The Journal of the American Medical Association, “Zirui Song and David Chokshi described other initiatives by private insurers intended to control health spending by changing how they pay doctors and hospitals.
New research reveals many older diabetics with compromised health who maintain intensive treatment regimens with tight glycemic control and diabetes medications may have a higher risk of hypoglycemia and other adverse effects. The JAMA Internal Medicine studyanalyzed NHANES data (2001 through 2010) from 1288 patients ≥65 years who were divided into 3 categories: relatively healthy, those with complex medical histories, and those with significant additional illnesses. The authors note it is important for patients and health care professionals to recognize both the harms and benefits of glycemic control to make informed decisions on glucose-lowering treatment.
A meta-analysis of 14 studies confirms that supplementation with alkaline potassium salts (bicarbonate and citrate) leads to significant reductions in urinary calcium and acid excretion, as well as decreased bone resorption. This means that excess acid is neutralized and bone mineral is preserved. The Osteoporosis International findings suggest that eating more fruits and vegetables, which are rich in potassium salts, could be a way to improve bone strength and prevent osteoporosis.
USA Today (1/14, Toppo) reports that according to a study published in the February issue of the journal Preventive Medicine, “waiting until after recess to feed kids increases per-child fruit and veggie consumption by 54% and prompts 45% more students to eat any fruits or vegetables at all.” The authors of the study of “first- through six-graders at seven” Orem, UT schools “theorize that not only are students hungrier after recess, they’re also not as rushed to be ‘done’ with lunch so they can maximize playtime.”
The New York Times (1/15, Bakalar) “Well” blog reports that research published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests that blueberries may help reduce blood pressure. The study included “40 postmenopausal women ages 45 to 65 with” hypertension, half of whom “ate 22 grams of freeze-dried blueberry powder...daily for eight weeks,” while the remaining participants were given a placebo. Participants “who ate the blueberry preparation saw an average 5.1 percent decrease in systolic blood pressure...and a 6.3 percent decrease in diastolic pressure.” Meanwhile, “levels of nitric oxide, known to be involved in relaxing and widening blood vessels, increased significantly in” those who consumed the blueberries.
A meta-analysis of 14 studies confirms that supplementation with alkaline potassium salts (bicarbonate and citrate) leads to significant reductions in urinary calcium and acid excretion, as well as decreased bone resorption. This means that excess acid is neutralized and bone mineral is preserved. The Osteoporosis International findings suggest that eating more fruits and vegetables, which are rich in potassium salts, could be a way to improve bone strength and prevent osteoporosis.
MedPage Today reported that research published online in Diabetes Care suggests that “the DPP-4 inhibitor saxagliptin (Onglyza) appears to be safe in renal patients.” Researchers found, “in an analysis of data from the SAVOR-TIMI 53 study,” that “the drug didn’t affect the risk of a composite of cardiovascular outcomes regardless of renal function.” Additionally, “it...appeared to halt progression of diabetic nephropathy in most renal patients – but there was an increased risk of hospitalization for heart failure in those with moderate renal impairment, the researchers said.”
Healthy Diet May Help Reduce Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in WomenHealthDay reported that research published online in Diabetes Care suggests that a healthy diet may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in women. Investigators looked at data on “thousands” of US women, some of whom were followed for nearly three decades. The researchers found that “healthy eating reduced the risk of diabetes by 55 percent in Hispanic women, 48 percent in white women, 42 percent in Asian women and 32 percent in black women.” HealthDay points out that “a healthy diet featured lower intake of saturated and trans fats, sugar-sweetened drinks, and red and processed meats,” and also featured a “higher intake of cereal fiber, polyunsaturated fats, coffee and nuts.”
|
Archives
August 2017
Categories |