Latest news with #DukeUniversity
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
A Single Brain Scan Halfway Through Your Life Can Reveal How Fast You're Aging
The rate at which our bodies age and wear down doesn't necessarily match our actual age, and the differences can help predict lifespan and disease risk. Now, researchers have developed a new tool for assessing biological age from a single brain scan taken halfway through our lives. The tool, put together by an international team of scientists, is based on a dataset of 1,037 people born in Dunedin in New Zealand in 1972 and 1973. The health of these individuals has been carefully tracked over time, giving scientists a useful long-term database of stats that reflect the body's actual age – not how many birthdays have passed. Here, the researchers used those stats to assess biological aging, and train a tool they've called DunedinPACNI – Pace of Aging Calculated from NeuroImaging. That sums up its function, which is to match aging to markers in the brain. Related: Dementia Breakthrough: Brain Scans Predict Disease Up to 9 Years Early The system has the potential to quickly assess the body's age to a good degree of accuracy, and from there health and disease risks, including the chances of dementia. Rather than needing multiple tests over time, just a single brain scan is required. "What's really cool about this is that we've captured how fast people are aging using data collected in midlife," says neuroscientist Ahmad Hariri from Duke University in North Carolina. "And it's helping us predict diagnosis of dementia among people who are much older." DunedinPACNI takes in 99 key brain measurements to make its assessment, including the thickness of the cerebral cortex – which affects language and thinking – and the volume of gray matter in the brain. Once the researchers had developed DunedinPACNI, they tested it on a variety of data from other health research projects, covering more than 50,000 people in total. It was shown to work well at estimating biological age, and at predicting future health problems such as cognitive impairment and heart attacks. It's not a tool that offers perfect accuracy each time, but it scores as well as or better than current biological age assessment methods, the researchers say. What's more, it was shown to be useful across different demographic and socioeconomic groups. "The link between aging of the brain and body is pretty compelling," says Hariri. "It seems to be capturing something that is reflected in all brains." If we know that someone's body is aging faster than their chronological age, it means measures can be taken to reduce the risk of health problems – years or even decades before those health problems might otherwise become evident. Changes in diet or exercise at that point could make a major difference. The researchers are particularly interested in predicting the risk of the various types of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. As people live longer across the world, rates of dementia are increasing, and the best way to tackle the condition could be to stop it developing in the first place. "We really think of it as hopefully being a key new tool in forecasting and predicting risk for diseases, especially Alzheimer's and related dementias, and also perhaps gaining a better foothold on progression of disease," says Hariri. The research has been published in Nature Aging. Related News Surgeons Resuscitate 'Dead' Heart in Life-Saving Organ Transplant to Baby Huge Study Reveals 2 Vaccines That Appear to Reduce Dementia Risk One Dietary Supplement Shown to Reduce Aggression by Up to 28% Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Doctors Say This Is the Right Way to Take Low-Dose Aspirin
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." You may have heard that taking a low dose of aspirin every day can boost your heart health. Last year, the American Heart Association reported that more than 48% of U.S. adults age 20 and up have some form of cardiovascular disease, so it makes sense that you should take a daily aspirin, right? Not so fast. If you don't have heart problems, taking a low dose of aspirin might not be right for you. Why do some people take low-dose aspirin? 'Typically, low-dose aspirin is for patients who have established atherosclerotic disease,' says Nishant Shah, M.D., an associate professor of medicine in cardiology at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, NC. 'Atherosclerotic disease means there's evidence of cholesterol plaque in your arteries. Many patients with atherosclerotic disease have had prior heart attacks or strokes. Other patients can have atherosclerotic disease without having had a heart attack or stroke, but are still at risk of having either. Low dose aspirin can help in the prevention of cardiovascular events like heart attack or stroke in patients with atherosclerotic disease.' According to Mayo Clinic, aspirin acts as a blood thinner. Any clots that build up inside a heart artery could block blood flow, leading to a heart attack or stroke, and aspirin can help stop a clot from forming. If you've had a procedure, like a heart valve replacement, you may also be prescribed a low-dose regimen for a period of time. Beyond the cardiovascular system, though, a new study from the University of Hong Kong found that using low-dose aspirin for 10 years could cut a person's risk of lung, breast and colorectal cancer. If you're curious, take a deeper dive into the specifics of taking low-dose aspirin below, including the best time to take it if your doctor does recommend it for you. Just don't start an aspirin regimen on your own. 'You should consult with your doctor about whether or not low-dose aspirin is right for you,' stresses Dr. Lindley. What is a low-dose aspirin regimen? Technically, any dose of aspirin that is 100 mg or less is considered to be a low dose. However, in the U.S., 81 mg is the most commonly prescribed low dose. The United States Preventative Task Force has made the following recommendations regarding aspirin use to prevent cardiovascular disease: Adults 40-59: A daily low-dose aspirin regimen may be recommended if a patient has 10% odds or higher of developing heart disease in the next decade. Adults aged 60 or older: A daily low-dose aspirin regimen isn't recommended to prevent heart disease. All decisions regarding an aspirin regimen should be tailored to the individual patient. How do you know if you should take low-dose aspirin? It's all about your medical history. 'People who have previously experienced a heart attack, a stroke, or an intervention for coronary artery disease, such as a or , may have an indication for aspirin therapy for secondary prevention,' says Matthew I. Tomey, MD, FACC, FAHA, FSCAI, an interventional and critical care cardiologist at the Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital in New York City. 'Your doctor will determine whether you would likely benefit from aspirin based on your risk factors such as age, blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes history, as well as other factors like your family history,' says Dr, Lindley. 'Sometimes additional testing such as a coronary calcium score may be performed to help understand your risk for a heart attack.' A new study points out that genetic testing may also play a helpful role in determining whether certain patients can benefit the most from an aspirin regimen. Who should NOT take low-dose aspirin? Because aspirin is a blood thinner, anyone at higher risk for bleeding should not take it. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, you should refrain if: You already take blood thinners, or you take corticosteroids. (Check with your doctor regarding ALL medications you take to avoid any interactions!) You have or have had ulcers, GI bleeding or gastritis. You have kidney failure. You have serious liver disease. You have any bleeding disorder. You have any clotting disorder. 'If you have a history or increased risk of bleeding or frequent falls, it's crucial to discuss this with your physician to weigh the benefits against the bleeding risks,' says Bhavna Suri, M.D., a cardiologist at Manhattan Cardiology in New York City. A recent Italian study found that NSAIDs like aspirin can irritate the GI tract, and that serious GI complications like bleeding, perforation and obstruction happens in 1 to 2% of users. Additional research has shown that low-dose aspirin may also increase the risk of bleeding in the brain. Do doctors prescribe low-dose aspirin to prevent a heart attack or stroke? As a rule, not for most people. 'It's important to know that routine use of aspirin for primary prevention of heart disease is no longer recommended,' says Dr. Tomey. 'By primary prevention, we mean preventing events like heart attack and stroke in individuals with no history of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Selectively, physicians may recommend use of low-dose aspirin for prevention in some people at higher than average risk, such as those who are found to have evidence of plaque in their arteries on a diagnostic test, but who have not yet experienced a clinical event.' Age is also a key factor. 'Currently, aspirin for primary prevention — meaning that you don't have known cardiovascular disease — is not recommended for patients over age 70, due to the increased risk of bleeding in older patients,' says Dr. Lindley. 'Also, it's not recommended for patients aged 40 to 69 who are considered low risk of heart attack, stroke and colorectal cancer, and patients under age 40 without known cardiovascular disease.' Should you take low-dose aspirin with food or drink? You don't have to, but it could make it easier for your body to digest the medication. 'Taking aspirin with food or drink helps protect your stomach lining by reducing irritation, acid reflux, ulceration and a higher risk of bleeding,' says Dr. Suri. 'A full glass of water also helps the tablet dissolve and be absorbed properly.' When's the best time to take low-dose aspirin? 'Through the years, there's been no clear evidence to date that a particular time of administration is superior for prevention of heart attack and stroke,' says Dr. Tomey. However, if your doctor gives you the green light for a daily low-dose aspirin, it's important to stick to a schedule. 'Try to be consistent and take it at the same time every day,' says Dr. Suri. Pair your aspirin with an 'automatic' daily activity, like brushing your teeth or sitting down to breakfast with the family, and the less likely you'll be to forget to take it. The bottom line If a low-dose aspirin regimen is right for you, follow your doctor's instructions to the letter and don't be afraid to ask questions. 'I encourage any patient who has been prescribed aspirin by a doctor to take a moment to learn about the reason for their aspirin prescription, and always to ask their doctor before starting or stopping aspirin therapy,' Dr. Tomey sums up. 'It can also be quite helpful to consult with a preventive cardiologist to take a broader, personalized look at options beyond aspirin.' The more you learn about other potential treatment strategies, the better you'll feel in every way. You Might Also Like 67 Best Gifts for Women That'll Make Her Smile The Best Pillows for Every Type of Sleeper

Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Columbus basketball star Cameron Boozer named Gatorade Best Male Player of the Year
Recently graduated Columbus basketball superstar Cameron Boozer was named the Gatorade Best Male Player of the Year. Boozer, a two-time Gatorade National Basketball Player of the Year, is headed to Duke University this fall after a stellar prep career during which he became a McDonald's All-American and led the Explorers to four consecutive state championships and a national title his senior season. Boozer was honored, along with Best Female Player of the Year award winner Jane Hedengren, a BYU track and field commit from Utah, at this week's ESPY Awards. The pair were presented their awards for the nation's top high school sports honor by former two-time Gatorade National Girls Track and Field Player of the Year Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and 2005-06 Gatorade Texas Football Player of the Year and Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. Boozer joins an elite group of athletes to have one this award, which includes Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, former WNBA star Candace Parker and recent No. 1 overall NBA Draft pick Cooper Flagg. Boozer, along with his brother, Cayden, who is also headed to Duke, helped turn Columbus into a national basketball powerhouse over the past four years. Boozer, a 6-10 senior power forward led the Explorers to a 30-3 record this past season and to Miami-Dade County's first national title in boys' basketball. He averaged 22.1 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.5 blocks. Boozer also was a Naismith Trophy Award semifinalist, the Florida Dairy Farmers' Mr. Basketball Award winner, and a member of Team USA's Nike Hoop Summit squad. Boozer, who also maintains a 4.82 weighted GPA, is ranked as the nation's No. 2 recruit in this year's class by 247Sports, and
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Researchers try new ways of preserving more hearts for transplants
WASHINGTON (AP) — Two university hospitals are pioneering new ways to expand lifesaving heart transplants for adults and babies — advances that could help recover would-be heart donations that too often go unused. The new research aims to overcome barriers for using organs from someone who dies when their heart stops. Called DCD, or donation after circulatory death, it involves a controversial recovery technique or the use of expensive machines. Surgeons at Duke and Vanderbilt universities reported Wednesday that they've separately devised simpler approaches to retrieve those hearts. In the New England Journal of Medicine, they described successfully transplanting hearts to a 3-month-old infant at Duke and three men at Vanderbilt. 'These DCD hearts work just as well as hearts from brain-dead donors,' said Vanderbilt lead author Dr. Aaron M. Williams. How hearts are saved for donation Most transplanted hearts come from donors who are brain dead. In those situations, the body is left on a ventilator that keeps the heart beating until the organs are removed. Circulatory death occurs when someone has a nonsurvivable brain injury but because all brain function hasn't ceased, the family decides to withdraw life support and the heart stops. That means organs can spend a while without oxygen before being recovered, a time lag usually doable for kidneys and other organs but that can raise questions about the quality of hearts. To counter damage and determine whether DCD organs are usable, surgeons can pump blood and oxygen to the deceased donor's abdominal and chest organs — after clamping off access to the brain. But it's ethically controversial to artificially restore circulation even temporarily and some hospitals prohibit that technique, called normothermic regional perfusion, or NRP. Another option is to 'reanimate' DCD organs in a machine that pumps blood and nutrients on the way to the transplant hospital. The machines are expensive and complex, and Duke's Dr. Joseph Turek said the devices can't be used for young children's small hearts — the age group with the most dire need. New ways of preserving hearts Turek's team found a middle ground: Remove the heart and attach some tubes of oxygen and blood to briefly assess its ability to function — not in a machine but on a sterile table in the operating room. They practiced with piglets. Then came the real test. At another hospital, life support was about to be withdrawn from a 1-month-old whose family wanted to donate — and who would be a good match for a 3-month-old Duke patient in desperate need of a new heart. The other hospital didn't allow the controversial NRP recovery technique but let Turek's team test the experimental alternative. It took just five minutes to tell 'the coronary arteries are filling well, it's pink, it's beating,' Turek said. The team promptly put the little heart on ice and raced it back to Duke. Vanderbilt's system is even simpler: Infuse the heart with a nutrient-rich, cold preservative solution before removing it from the donor's body, similar to how hearts from brain-dead donors are handled. That 'replenishes the nutrients that are depleted during the dying process and helps protect it for transport,' Williams explained, adding that Vanderbilt has performed about 25 such transplants so far. 'Our view is you don't necessarily need to reanimate the heart.' More donated hearts are needed There's a huge need for more transplantable hearts. Hundreds of thousands of adults suffer from advanced heart failure, yet many are never even offered a transplant because of the organ shortage. Every year about 700 children in the U.S. are added to the transplant list for a new heart and about 20% die waiting. Turek said infants are at particular risk. Last year, people whose lives ended via circulatory death made up 43% of the nation's deceased donors — but just 793 of the 4,572 heart transplants. That's why many specialists say finding ways to use more of those hearts is crucial. The new studies are small and early-stage but promising, said Brendan Parent of NYU Langone Health, who directs transplant ethics and policy research. 'Innovation to find ways to recover organs successfully after circulatory death are essential for reducing the organ shortage,' he said. If alternatives pan out, 'I absolutely think that cardiac programs will be thrilled, especially at hospitals that have rejected NRP.' ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Solve the daily Crossword


The Independent
5 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Researchers try new ways of preserving more hearts for transplants
Two university hospitals are pioneering new ways to expand lifesaving heart transplants for adults and babies — advances that could help recover would-be heart donations that too often go unused. The new research aims to overcome barriers for using organs from someone who dies when their heart stops. Called DCD, or donation after circulatory death, it involves a controversial recovery technique or the use of expensive machines. Surgeons at Duke and Vanderbilt universities reported Wednesday that they've separately devised simpler approaches to retrieve those hearts. In the New England Journal of Medicine, they described successfully transplanting hearts to a 3-month-old infant at Duke and three men at Vanderbilt. 'These DCD hearts work just as well as hearts from brain-dead donors,' said Vanderbilt lead author Dr. Aaron M. Williams. How hearts are saved for donation Most transplanted hearts come from donors who are brain dead. In those situations, the body is left on a ventilator that keeps the heart beating until the organs are removed. Circulatory death occurs when someone has a nonsurvivable brain injury but because all brain function hasn't ceased, the family decides to withdraw life support and the heart stops. That means organs can spend a while without oxygen before being recovered, a time lag usually doable for kidneys and other organs but that can raise questions about the quality of hearts. To counter damage and determine whether DCD organs are usable, surgeons can pump blood and oxygen to the deceased donor's abdominal and chest organs — after clamping off access to the brain. But it's ethically controversial to artificially restore circulation even temporarily and some hospitals prohibit that technique, called normothermic regional perfusion, or NRP. Another option is to 'reanimate' DCD organs in a machine that pumps blood and nutrients on the way to the transplant hospital. The machines are expensive and complex, and Duke's Dr. Joseph Turek said the devices can't be used for young children's small hearts — the age group with the most dire need. New ways of preserving hearts Turek's team found a middle ground: Remove the heart and attach some tubes of oxygen and blood to briefly assess its ability to function — not in a machine but on a sterile table in the operating room. They practiced with piglets. Then came the real test. At another hospital, life support was about to be withdrawn from a 1-month-old whose family wanted to donate — and who would be a good match for a 3-month-old Duke patient in desperate need of a new heart. The other hospital didn't allow the controversial NRP recovery technique but let Turek's team test the experimental alternative. It took just five minutes to tell 'the coronary arteries are filling well, it's pink, it's beating,' Turek said. The team promptly put the little heart on ice and raced it back to Duke. Vanderbilt's system is even simpler: Infuse the heart with a nutrient-rich, cold preservative solution before removing it from the donor's body, similar to how hearts from brain-dead donors are handled. That 'replenishes the nutrients that are depleted during the dying process and helps protect it for transport,' Williams explained, adding that Vanderbilt has performed about 25 such transplants so far. 'Our view is you don't necessarily need to reanimate the heart.' More donated hearts are needed There's a huge need for more transplantable hearts. Hundreds of thousands of adults suffer from advanced heart failure, yet many are never even offered a transplant because of the organ shortage. Every year about 700 children in the U.S. are added to the transplant list for a new heart and about 20% die waiting. Turek said infants are at particular risk. Last year, people whose lives ended via circulatory death made up 43% of the nation's deceased donors — but just 793 of the 4,572 heart transplants. That's why many specialists say finding ways to use more of those hearts is crucial. The new studies are small and early-stage but promising, said Brendan Parent of NYU Langone Health, who directs transplant ethics and policy research. ' Innovation to find ways to recover organs successfully after circulatory death are essential for reducing the organ shortage,' he said. If alternatives pan out, 'I absolutely think that cardiac programs will be thrilled, especially at hospitals that have rejected NRP.' ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.