Caring For Aging Parents

As our parents age, we take care of them more and more.  I see this often in my patient population--either the side of the coin in which seniors are brought in for treatment by their grown children, or the other in which adult patients share their experiences as they are more and more responsible for their parents.  We have many in-depth discussions, and my personal experiences of having a father in his late 80's with progressive Alzheimer's disease still living at home with  my mother, or my father-in-law, aged 90, living with us, add to the discussion.

I remember well an L.A. Times article in which the author wrote about his aging and dependent parent--acknowledging that his father had a powerful need to maintain control over his life when the difficulties that came with age made it not possible.  He understood his father still nurtured the deep desire to see and appreciate that his life had meant something, that his legacy was consolidated. This phenomenon will become more frequent as the boomer generation ages.

Robert G. Tupac, DDS, FACP, Inc., Diplomate,
American Board of Prosthodontics
(661) 325-1275 | www.drtupac.com
5060 California Ave., #170, Bakersfield, CA 93309

Bioethics: Testing for Alzheimer's Disease

A group of researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center, led by  Howard Federoff, M.D., has developed a test for a biomarker that identifies patients who have very early Alzheimer's disease.  As with most diseases, early diagnosis makes for earlier treatment.  This may be of benefit because the medications for treating the disease are now often given too late to be very effective.

Healthy Lifestyle

There is established evidence that lifestyle decisions--a heart healthy diet, physical activity, and social and cognitive stimulation--help preserve cognitive function.  If a person were to learn that they are at high risk for developing Alzheimer's, they may be more motivated to make healthy changes.  However, since the blood test is only 90% accurate, there is the possibility of false positives.  A positive test must be confirmed by other tests.  For a patient finding out they are at high risk for the disease, however, it could negatively affect their outlook on life.  This bioethical concern is exacerbated by the fact that there is still no effective treatment for the disease.

Robert G. Tupac, DDS, FACP, Inc., Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics (661) 325-1275 | www.drtupac.com 5060 California Ave., #170, Bakersfield, CA 93309

Maintaining Cognitive Function As You Age

Dementia Treatment

As the science of medicine extensively researches and improves the treatment of dementia, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's Disease, it is also becoming more aware of the factors over a lifetime that can prevent development of these conditions.

As the average lifespan increases for both males and females, the incidence of these age-related conditions rises.  Worldwide 24 million people are already affected by the cognitive impairment of dementia.  In more developed countries, 70% of these patients are 75 years or older.  Now there is growing evidence that the exposure over a lifetime to certain risk factors is evident.  Even with genetic susceptibility, actions can be taken to prevent the onset or the severity:

• active involvement in physical, mental and social activities has been previously described in this blog as being important; these activities provide brain stimulation and exercise
• blood pressure control
• treatment of diabetes

As time goes on, even more evidence-based research will pinpoint ways all people can minimize their risk of being affected.

Robert G. Tupac, DDS, FACP, Inc., Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics (661) 325-1275 | www.drtupac.com 5060 California Ave., #170, Bakersfield, CA 93309

Reverse Pre-Diabetes

Nearly 25% of Americans are thought to have pre-diabetes--a condition of slightly elevated blood sugar levels that often develops into diabetes within 10 years-- but only 4% are aware of it.  Diabetes can mean a lifetime of drugs and blood sugar monitoring, an increased risk of heart disease, periodontal disease, Alzheimer's disease, and other health threats.  Prevention.com offered the following healthy habits to reverse pre-diabetes:  

• Lose weight:  a  5% weight loss equals a 70% reduction in risk.  

• Walk:  worldwide studies show the increased activity gotten from walking daily helps the body utilize insulin to move blood sugar into cells that provide energy and nutrition whole grain cereals:  

• Indulge coffee:  the Harvard School of Public Health studied 126,210 men and women over 18 years and found four cups or more of coffee with caffeine offered protection.  

• Skip fast food:  University of Minnesota scientists followed 3,000 people, ages 18 to 30, for 15 years, and found those who ate fast food more than twice per week gained 10 more pounds and developed twice the rate of insulin resistance, the two major risk factors for type 2 diabetes.  

• Eat vegetables more often:  by eating vegetables and reducing the amount of red meat and processed meat, risk is significantly lowered, according to a 37,000 women study at Bringham and Women's Hospital.     

• Cinnamon:  German researchers studied adults with type 2 diabetes who then took a capsule containing the equivalent of 1 g. cinnamon powder 3 times a day for 4 months and reduced their blood sugar by 10%.     

• Daily relaxation:  simple relaxation exercises and other stress management techniques reduce blood sugar levels, according to a study conducted at Duke University.  Get 6 to 8 hours of sleep a night: Yale University found less than 6 hours of sleep doubled diabetes risk, and more than 8 hours tripled risk.     

• Be social:  women who live alone are 2.5 times more likely to develop diabetes.     

• Have a blood test:  a simple blood test measures sugar levels.  People with pre-diabetes--slightly elevated sugar levels, between 100 and 125 mg/dl--often develop a full blown case within 10 years. Knowing you are at risk can put you on a course of simple diet and exercise changes.    

Source:  Women's Health Magazine/Prevention.com 

Robert G. Tupac, DDS, FACP, Inc., Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics (661) 325-1275 | www.drtupac.com 5060 California Ave., #170, Bakersfield, CA 93309

The New Science of 'Breath-omics'

Chemotherapy Advisor  had an interesting article on the emerging field of Breath-omics.  It is described as analysis of exhaled breath into a device (like a breathalyzer for alcohol level testing) by measurement of the chemical waste products that are produced by certain cancers.  Just as saliva testing is being used more and more to diagnosis medical problems, these chemical "breath prints" have the same potential for non-invasive, real-time screening and diagnostic clinical testing for malignant and nonmalignant chronic diseases.  Exhaled breath tests are being studied for lung cancer and other respiratory diseases, and even Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

Source:  www.chemotherapyadivsor.com

Robert G. Tupac, DDS, FACP, Inc., Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics (661) 325-1275 | www.drtupac.com 5060 California Ave., #170, Bakersfield, CA 93309t