Study briefs/2-14: sleep apnea, dementia, back pain
For those with heart failure drug may improve breathing during sleep
THE QUESTION Experts disagree on whether sleep apnea — characterized by breathing that is interrupted briefly but frequently during sleep — is a consequence of or a cause of heart failure. Either way, it’s fairly common in people whose hearts do not pump blood adequately. Might this condition be eased by a drug for people suffering shortness of breath from altitude sickness?
THIS STUDY assigned 12 men diagnosed with heart failure and sleep apnea to take acetazolamide or a placebo for six nights. Two weeks later, those who had taken the drug took the placebo for six nights, and vice versa. Based on results from monitors in a sleep laboratory, the men’s breathing was interrupted less frequently (23 vs. 49 times an hour) when they took acetazolamide than when they took the placebo. The participants also indicated they slept better, woke up more rested and felt less tired during the day when they took the drug.
WHO MAY BE AFFECTED BY THESE FINDINGS? People with heart failure who also have sleep apnea. One type of this disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, results from a blocked airway and usually can be remedied with a breathing device or lifestyle changes. The other type, central sleep apnea, is the most common type in people with the heart disorder; it occurs when the brain stops triggering breathing reflexes for brief periods of time. All the participants in this study had central sleep apnea.
CAVEATS Long-term use of the drug in people with heart failure was not evaluated. In larger doses, the drug has been associated with numbness and tingling of the skin and with a high level of acidity in body fluids and tissues.
FIND THIS STUDY Jan. 15 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine; abstract available online at www.atsjournals.org.
LEARN MORE ABOUT sleep apnea at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health; learn about heart failure at www.americanheart.org.
Regular exercise may help stave off dementia
THE QUESTION With the number of Americans diagnosed with Alzheimer’s expected to more than quadruple to 16 million in the next four decades, people are searching for ways to prevent the disease. Might exercise help?
THIS STUDY followed 1,740 people who were older than 65 and had normal mental functioning. During a six-year period, 158 of them developed dementia, including 107 cases of Alzheimer’s. Based on cognitive tests and records of physical activity (such as walking, bicycling, aerobics and swimming), those who exercised for at least 15 minutes three or more times a week at the beginning of the study were 32 percent less likely to have any type of dementia, and 31 percent less likely to have Alzheimer’s, than were those who exercised less often. People who were in the worst physical condition at the beginning of the study benefited the most.
WHO MAY BE AFFECTED BY THESE FINDINGS? Older people. One in 10 people over age 65 and about half of those over 85 have Alzheimer’s.
CAVEATS Exercise data, which considered the frequency of exercise but not its intensity, came from records kept by the participants and was gathered only at the start of the study. The authors wrote that the findings suggest that exercise does not prevent but may delay the onset of dementia.
FIND THIS STUDY Jan. 17 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine; abstract available online at www.annals.org.
LEARN MORE ABOUT Alzheimer’s disease at www.alzheimers.org and www.caregiver.org.
Wearing a heat wrap appears to ease newly diagnosed back pain
THE QUESTION Many medications can help people cope with low-back pain, but some people seek a treatment with fewer potential side effects. Might a heat wrap that applies constant warmth to the area of muscle tension and stiffness offer such an alternative?
THIS STUDY randomly assigned 43 people with newly diagnosed, work-related low back pain to wear a heat wrap under their clothing for three consecutive days, eight hours a day, or to receive information on symptoms and treatment of back pain. (Those in the heat wrap group also were given the information.) In the first three days, people who wore the heat wrap reported a drop in pain intensity of 3.5 points on a 10-point scale, compared to a 1.5-point decline for the others. After two weeks, pain intensity had dropped about one more point in both groups. People in the heat wrap group also reported more improvement in pain-related physical disability.
WHO MAY BE AFFECTED BY THESE FINDINGS? People with low back pain, which nearly all adults experience at some point.
CAVEATS Findings were based on participants’ assessments of their pain. The study was funded by Procter & Gamble, which makes the ThermaCare heat wrap used in the study.
FIND THIS STUDY December issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
LEARN MORE ABOUT low back pain at www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/backpain and www.mayoclinic.com.
THE QUESTION Experts disagree on whether sleep apnea — characterized by breathing that is interrupted briefly but frequently during sleep — is a consequence of or a cause of heart failure. Either way, it’s fairly common in people whose hearts do not pump blood adequately. Might this condition be eased by a drug for people suffering shortness of breath from altitude sickness?
THIS STUDY assigned 12 men diagnosed with heart failure and sleep apnea to take acetazolamide or a placebo for six nights. Two weeks later, those who had taken the drug took the placebo for six nights, and vice versa. Based on results from monitors in a sleep laboratory, the men’s breathing was interrupted less frequently (23 vs. 49 times an hour) when they took acetazolamide than when they took the placebo. The participants also indicated they slept better, woke up more rested and felt less tired during the day when they took the drug.
WHO MAY BE AFFECTED BY THESE FINDINGS? People with heart failure who also have sleep apnea. One type of this disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, results from a blocked airway and usually can be remedied with a breathing device or lifestyle changes. The other type, central sleep apnea, is the most common type in people with the heart disorder; it occurs when the brain stops triggering breathing reflexes for brief periods of time. All the participants in this study had central sleep apnea.
CAVEATS Long-term use of the drug in people with heart failure was not evaluated. In larger doses, the drug has been associated with numbness and tingling of the skin and with a high level of acidity in body fluids and tissues.
FIND THIS STUDY Jan. 15 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine; abstract available online at www.atsjournals.org.
LEARN MORE ABOUT sleep apnea at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health; learn about heart failure at www.americanheart.org.
Regular exercise may help stave off dementia
THE QUESTION With the number of Americans diagnosed with Alzheimer’s expected to more than quadruple to 16 million in the next four decades, people are searching for ways to prevent the disease. Might exercise help?
THIS STUDY followed 1,740 people who were older than 65 and had normal mental functioning. During a six-year period, 158 of them developed dementia, including 107 cases of Alzheimer’s. Based on cognitive tests and records of physical activity (such as walking, bicycling, aerobics and swimming), those who exercised for at least 15 minutes three or more times a week at the beginning of the study were 32 percent less likely to have any type of dementia, and 31 percent less likely to have Alzheimer’s, than were those who exercised less often. People who were in the worst physical condition at the beginning of the study benefited the most.
WHO MAY BE AFFECTED BY THESE FINDINGS? Older people. One in 10 people over age 65 and about half of those over 85 have Alzheimer’s.
CAVEATS Exercise data, which considered the frequency of exercise but not its intensity, came from records kept by the participants and was gathered only at the start of the study. The authors wrote that the findings suggest that exercise does not prevent but may delay the onset of dementia.
FIND THIS STUDY Jan. 17 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine; abstract available online at www.annals.org.
LEARN MORE ABOUT Alzheimer’s disease at www.alzheimers.org and www.caregiver.org.
Wearing a heat wrap appears to ease newly diagnosed back pain
THE QUESTION Many medications can help people cope with low-back pain, but some people seek a treatment with fewer potential side effects. Might a heat wrap that applies constant warmth to the area of muscle tension and stiffness offer such an alternative?
THIS STUDY randomly assigned 43 people with newly diagnosed, work-related low back pain to wear a heat wrap under their clothing for three consecutive days, eight hours a day, or to receive information on symptoms and treatment of back pain. (Those in the heat wrap group also were given the information.) In the first three days, people who wore the heat wrap reported a drop in pain intensity of 3.5 points on a 10-point scale, compared to a 1.5-point decline for the others. After two weeks, pain intensity had dropped about one more point in both groups. People in the heat wrap group also reported more improvement in pain-related physical disability.
WHO MAY BE AFFECTED BY THESE FINDINGS? People with low back pain, which nearly all adults experience at some point.
CAVEATS Findings were based on participants’ assessments of their pain. The study was funded by Procter & Gamble, which makes the ThermaCare heat wrap used in the study.
FIND THIS STUDY December issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
LEARN MORE ABOUT low back pain at www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/backpain and www.mayoclinic.com.
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