Healio (8/27, Gramigna) reports, “Dementia may be linked to nearly three times more deaths in the United States than official records show,” investigators concluded after analyzing “data of 7,342 noninstitutionalized individuals aged 70 to 99 years with baseline exposure assessment in 2000 and follow-up through 2009.”

Medscape (8/27, Harrison, Subscription Publication) reports the study revealed that “from 2000 through 2009, an estimated 13.6% of deaths were attributable to dementia – 2.7 times more than the 5.0% of death certificates that state that dementia was an underlying cause of death.” The findings were published online in JAMA Neurology.

Related Links:

— “Dementia deaths may be nearly three times higher than current estimates, “Joe Gramigna, Healio, August 27, 2020

Healio (8/26, Gramigna) reports, “A combination of yoga, tai chi and meditation was linked to significant mental and physical health improvements among veterans,” investigators concluded in a 119-veteran “longitudinal cohort survey study” that “sought to examine the link between CIH participation and veterans’ patient-reported outcomes over time.” The findings were published online ahead of print in the September issue of the journal Medical Care.

Related Links:

— “Yoga, tai chi, meditation improve veterans’ mental, physical health, “Joe Gramigna, Healio, August 26, 2020

HealthDay (8/26) reports, “Middle-aged men who were anxious or depressed teens are at increased risk for heart attack,” investigators concluded in “a large, long-term study” that “included more than 238,000 men born between 1952 and 1956 who underwent extensive exams when they were 18 or 19 years old and were followed to age 58.” The study revealed that “men diagnosed with anxiety or depression in their late teens had a 20% higher risk of heart attack than those who didn’t.” The findings were set for presentation “at a virtual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology.”Related Links:

— “Anxious Teens May Face Higher Odds for Future Heart Attack: Study, “Robert Preidt, HealthDay, August 26, 2020

MD Edge ObGyn (8/26, Craven) reports, “Pregnancy and the postpartum period are a ‘very vulnerable time for mental disorders,’ according to” a presentation given by Henry A. Nasrallah, MD, of the University of Cincinnati, at “a virtual meeting presented by Current Psychiatry and the American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists.” During the perinatal period, women are at particular “risk for depression and anxiety. Women are also at risk for postpartum depression, particularly women with bipolar disorder, Dr. Nasrallah said.”

Related Links:

— “Pregnancy can be ‘a vulnerable time’ for developing mental disorders, “Jeff Craven, MD Edge ObGyn, August 26, 2020

Healio (8/26, VanDewater) reports that approximately “40% of postmenopausal women may have depressive symptoms,” investigators concluded in a “cross-sectional study” that “included 485 postmenopausal women.” The study revealed that “risk factors for postmenopausal depressive symptoms included being unpartnered, consuming alcohol, requiring chronic medication and having many children.” The findings were published online June 29 in the journal Menopause.

Related Links:

— “Nearly 40% of postmenopausal women may have depressive symptoms, “Kalie VanDewater, Healio, August 26, 2020

Healio (8/25, Gramigna) reports, “A brief mindfulness intervention appeared to reduce stress among health care professionals,” investigators concluded in a small randomized study that “sought to assess the feasibility and efficacy of an abbreviated mindfulness-based self-care program (MBSC) for stress reduction during work hours among health care professionals at a single research hospital.” The study revealed that participants in “the MBSC group exhibited reduced stress levels and anxiety, as well as improved positive affect, state mindfulness and mindful self-care at the end of the intervention.” What’s more, “through follow-up, the MBSC group exhibited sustained reductions in stress, anxiety, trait mindfulness and state mindfulness.” The findings were published online in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Brief mindfulness intervention reduces stress among health care professionals, “Joe Gramigna, Healio, August 25, 2020

Healio (8/25, Gramigna) reports, “Lithium use among older adults was associated with increased risk for renal decline,” investigators concluded after using “linked health care databases from Ontario, Canada, to analyze 2007 to 2015 data of older adults with a mean age of 71 years.” The study team then “propensity-score matched 3,113 lithium users 1:1 to 3,113 valproate users and further examined those with higher or lower concentrations of serum lithium.” The findings of the “population-based cohort study” were published online Aug. 24 in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Lithium may increase risk for renal decline among older adults, ”
Joe Gramigna, Healio, August 25, 2020

HealthDay (8/25, Gordon) reports that despite hints from previous research, investigators found no link “between high blood pressure medications and depression,” even after studying “dozens of commonly used” antihypertensives. In fact, after studying data on some 5.4 million Danes, investigators found that “nine blood pressure” medications “were associated with a lower risk of depression.” Medications that lowered the risk for depression “included: enalapril (Vasotec), ramipril (Altace), amlopidine (Norvasc), verapamil (Verelan), verapamil combination drugs, propranolol (Inderal), atenolol (Tenormin), bisoprolol (Zebeta) and carvedilol (Coreg).” The findings were published online Aug. 24 in the journal Hypertension.

Related Links:

— “Blood Pressure Meds Don’t Raise Risk of Depression, “Serena Gordon, HealthDay, August 25, 2020

CNN (8/24, Prior) reports that a study indicated “as the coronavirus pandemic gained traction in the United States, internet searches for key words related to panic attacks and acute anxiety spiked.” The findings were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

CNBC (8/24, Higgins-Dunn) reports that the study found “anxiety-related searches were roughly 11% higher than usual over the 58 days after” the president “declared a national emergency on March 13.” Meanwhile, “there were 3.4 million total searches for anxiety, about 375,000 more than usual.” Also covering the story are HealthDay (8/24, Gordon) and Healio (8/24, Miller).

Related Links:

— “Acute anxiety: Internet searches for key words spiked to all-time high early in pandemic, “Ryan Prior, CNN, August 24, 2020

Healio (8/24, Buzby) reports that research indicated “continued use of certain angiotensin agents, calcium antagonists and beta-blockers was linked to decreased rates of depression.” The “analysis included 3,747,190 patients who were on an antihypertensive drug between 2005 and 2015.” The study found that “of the 41 antihypertensive therapies analyzed, nine were associated with a reduced risk for depression: two angiotensin agents (enalapril and ramipril); three calcium antagonists (amlodipine, verapamil and verapamil combinations); and four beta-blockers (propranolol, atenolol, bisoprolol and carvedilol).”

Related Links:

— “Use of certain antihypertensives correlates with reduced incidence of depression, “Scott Buzby, Healio, August 24, 2020