coffee consumption by age

Insidermedicine Daily News (Video)
Insidermedicine is a physician-led news organization that allows you to keep on top of the latest evidence-based medical information by watching our unique videos that are created each weekday by our team of medical experts. Our goal is to reach patients, students, doctors,and other healthcare professionals around the world to ensure that each is receiving a daily health and medical update. Our content is streamed in H.264 encoded video (suitable for iPod playback) and MP3 audio-only format. (This is the video version.) Visit us on the web at http://www.insidermedicine.com, and look for our Podcasts in the iTunes Music Store!

• Insufficient Sleep Raises Cancer Risk Despite Regular Exercise, IVF Raises Risk of Birth Defects, NSAIDs May Mask Prostate Cancer
  

  (November 18, 2008 - Insidermedicine) From Maryland - According to research presented to the American Association for Cancer Research, regular exercise and sufficient sleep can lower the risk for cancer among women. In a study of nearly 6,000 women, researchers found that, while regular exercise can reduce cancer risk, this benefit is lost if women do not get enough sleep. In fact, the women who exercised most regularly but slept less than 7 hours each day had a higher cancer risk than those who got more sleep.
  
  From Atlanta - According to research in the journal Human Reproduction, the risk for birth defects is raised by in vitro fertilization. In a study of over 14,000 babies, researchers found that those who were conceived using in vitro fertilization were twice as likely to be born with a cleft lip, and 4 times as likely to be born with gastrointestinal defects. However, these defects remained quite rare in these babies, and the cause remains unclear.
  
  And finally, back to Maryland - According to a study presented to the American Association for Cancer Research, taking aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) may mask prostate cancer. In a study of over 1,200 men, researchers found that using aspirin significantly lowered the levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a blood protein used to identify prostate cancer. More research is required to confirm whether NSAID use affects the risk of prostate cancer, or just the ability to detect it.

  For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.

• Preoperative Briefings Reduce Delays, Vitamin C and E Supplements Do Not Prevent Cancer, Blood Testing Offers New Method for Tracking Cancer
  

  (November 17, 2008 - Insidermedicine) From Baltimore - According to research in the Archives of Surgery, preoperative briefings can reduce operating room delays. In the study, 11 surgeons agreed to implement preoperative briefings which involved a 2-minute discussion designed to familiarize the surgical team with each other and the operative plan. These briefings were found to reduce unexpected delays by 31% and decrease the frequency of communication breakdowns.
  
  From Washington - According to research presented to the American Association for Cancer Research, vitamin C and E supplements do not have any cancer-prevention value. In a study of nearly 15,000 people, researchers found that taking either vitamin C or vitamin E did not result in a significant reduction in the risk for cancer when compared to placebo. Previous research has also failed to show that these supplements can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
  
  And finally, from Boston - According to research in the journal Nature Cell Biology, it may be possible to track cancer and decide on an ideal therapy by using blood tests. Researchers found that tiny sacs released from tumor cells, which carry genetic information about the tumor, can be found in the blood stream. In a study of 25 brain cancer patients, researchers using this new technique were able to uncover specific gene mutations that a surgical biopsy had missed.

  For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.

• Higher Alcohol Taxes Could Save Lives, Placebo Acupuncture and Pregnancy, Exercise Improves Quality of Life Among Heart Failure Patients
  

  (November 14, 2008 - Insidermedicine) From Alaska - According to research in the American Journal of Public Health, higher taxes on alcohol could save lives. Researchers examined nearly 30 years of data and found that, whenever Alaska raised its alcohol tax there was a decline in alcohol-related deaths. When the alcohol tax was raised in 1983, alcohol-related deaths dropped by 29%. When the tax was raised again in 2002, there was another 11% reduction in the death rate.
  
  From Hong Kong - According to research in the journal Human Reproduction, placebo acupuncture may be more effective than actual acupuncture for women undergoing in vitro fertilization. In a study of 370 women, researchers found that the pregnancy rate among those receiving placebo acupuncture was 55%, compared to 44% among those who received actual acupuncture. The researchers are unsure whether placebo acupuncture is similar to acupressure and improves the pregnancy rate, or if actual acupuncture reduces the pregnancy rate.
  
  And finally, from New Orleans - According to research presented to the American Heart Association, exercise can improve quality of life among heart failure patients. In a study of over 2,300 patients, researchers found that those who exercised at least 3 times a week reported a higher quality of life than those who did not exercise. This improvement was achieved in as little as 3 months, and was sustained over 3 years.

  For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.

• Waist Size May Predict Premature Death Risk, Heart Attack and Coronary Angioplasty, Highway Proximity Affects Asthma Control Among Children
  

  (November 13, 2008 - Insidermedicine) From Germany - According to research in the New England Journal of Medicine, excess weight around the waist may increase the risk of premature death, even among those who aren't overweight. In a study of over 350,000 people, researchers found that each 5 cm increase in waist circumference increased the risk of death by 17% among men, and 13% among women. Waist-to-hip measurement may be a better predictor of obesity-related death than BMI.
  
  From New Orleans - According to research presented to the American Heart Association, heart attack patients who undergo coronary angioplasty are more likely to survive if they have the procedure at a hospital that performs more than 83 such procedures each year. In a study of over 5,700 heart attack patients, researchers found that those treated at facilities which performed at least 83 angioplasty procedures a year had a lower death rate, at 2.2%, than hospitals that performed fewer than 46 procedures a year, at 4%.
  
  And finally, from Seattle - Living near a highway may worsen asthma control among children. In a study of over 750 children suffering from asthma, researchers found that those living near a freeway were more than 3 times as likely to have the poorest degree of control over their condition. While this study was not designed to determine cause, traffic related pollutants are likely to blame.

  For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.

• Childhood Obesity and Early Heart Disease, Education Protects Against Alzheimer's, Google Launches Flu Tracker
  

  (November 12, 2008 - Insidermedicine) From New Orleans - According to research presented to the American Heart Association, childhood obesity may be a warning sign for heart disease. Researchers measured the thickness of the inner lining of the carotid arteries in 70 children, most of whom were obese, and found that, while the average age of the children was 13, the state of their arteries was more typical of somebody 30 years older. This advanced 'vascular age' increases the risk for heart attack or stroke by age 30.
  
  From St. Louis - According to research in the Archives of Neurology, education can help protect against Alzheimer's. In a study of 37 people diagnosed with Alzheimer's-like dementia and 161 controls, researchers found that those with a higher level of education performed better on cognitive tests than those with similar amounts of brain plaque but less education. Education level did not have any bearing on cognitive function in those without this plaque.
  
  And finally, from California - Google has launched a new online tool that could help experts at the CDC track the annual flu epidemic. Google Flu Trends, released through the philanthropic site Google.org, tracks flu incidence across the U