Insidermedicine in 60 - December 10, 2007

From China - In a case that is concerning health authorities and public health officials around the world, a 52 year old man whose son died from the bird flu also has the condition. He is hospitalized with a high fever and is positive for the H5N1 strain. This may be the first instance of human-to-human transmission of the bird flu, but health officials have yet to confirm this.

From Bethesda - The Mediterranean Diet can prolong life. To better understand the effect of this diet, researchers followed nearly 400,000 healthy individuals for 5 years. Those on the diet had a 20% lower risk of heart disease and a 17% lower risk of cancer. Essential elements of the diet include eating fruits, vegetables, fish and nuts and minimizing intake of meat and dairy products.

And finally, from New York - High blood pressure can raise the risk of cognitive decline. Researchers studied over 900 patients who had no memory problems and followed them for 5 years. Those whose systolic blood pressure was above 140 mmHg or whose diastolic blood pressure was above 90 mmHg were 40% more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment.

For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Dr. Petra Joller.

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