Harvard Health Letter articles from December 2004

Harvard Health Letter archives from December 2004

Top 10 health stories of 2004.
December 1, 2004... The promise and problems of tests and medications dominate the top 10 list. Merck's withdrawal of Vioxx, a pain reliever, from the market and the 2004 flu vaccine shortage are cautionary tales. The systems for ensuring medication safety are...

The emotional side of Alzheimer's disease.
December 1, 2004... Instead of trying to bring people back to reality, caregivers are advised to empathize and establish an emotional connection. Alzheimer's disease is usually depicted as mainly a disease that affects memory and thinking, partly because...

Five ways to prevent nighttime leg cramps.
December 1, 2004... Leg cramps can ruin a good night's sleep, but there are ways to prevent them. While it lasts, the pain from a leg cramp can be excruciating. Usually it goes away within a few minutes, though bad ones can cause lingering soreness....

In brief; Hawaiian women rank no. 1.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Women in Minnesota have the healthiest hearts, but women in Washington State get the most exercise. Wisconsin's women lead the nation in binge drinking, while Kentucky's are the most likely to smoke. These state-by-state health facts and...

In brief; 'Weekend warriors' live longer to play another day.
December 1, 2004... Physical activity guidelines emphasize the rewards of regular, almost daily exercise. But many people try to cram a week's worth of heavy breathing and sweating into one or two sessions. These "weekend warriors" pay a price. There may be an...

By the way, doctor; Why must my husband wait for surgery to fix his aortic aneurysm?
December 1, 2004... Q My 81-year-old husband has been diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm that's 5.3 centimeters wide. His doctors say there's a magic number at which surgery is done, but I'm questioning why they can't do something sooner. My husband is...