Word: fall
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...study also found that vestibular dysfunction increased the risk of falling by a factor of 12. Although that link now seems obvious, doctors previously thought bone weakness, vision impairment and gait problems were the main culprits of falls among the elderly. And while physicians had always considered balance issues, they were concerned with those due to deteriorating vision or mental status, not the inner ear. "People with inner-ear balance problems regularly suffer dizziness or vertigo," says Dr. Yuri Agrawal, an otolaryngologist at Johns Hopkins Hospital and the study's lead author, "so it makes a lot of sense that...
...issue of the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, is among the first to highlight the prevalence of vestibular dysfunction. It also showed that patients who have the condition but are asymptomatic - that is, with no self-reports of dizziness - are still three times more likely to fall than healthy adults. The findings suggest that screening for such conditions during regular preventive care of patients over age 50 may lead to fewer falls and, ultimately, save lives. "Patients who are aware they're at a greater risk can take steps to minimize the chance of falling, such as physical therapy...
...inner-ear balance problems. Fortunately, the condition is easily diagnosable in the doctor's office: patients are asked to stand on a firm padded surface and close their eyes. Without the ability to use touch and vision to stay balanced, patients who suffer from an inner-ear problem promptly fall down. The addition of that simple test to annual physicals, Agrawal says, "would likely save millions of dollars and lives...
Indeed, according to the study, preventing tumbles could save the U.S. health-care system billions of dollars. More than 15,000 Americans die each year as a result of a fall, but far more - approximately 3 million - are injured. Falls not only cause physical injuries, such as hip fractures and organ damage, but also often lead to patients' loss of independence. And the costs to treat such outcomes add up quickly. Direct costs for medical care related to falls exceed $20 billion annually, according to data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2006. "By employing effective...
...marriage supporters who want to restore California's place at the head of a growing number of states welcoming same-sex marriages are going to have to do it the hard way: by persuading the same neighbors who voted to ban such marriages last fall to change their minds. They aren't going to get any help from the state's supreme court, never mind that Chief Justice Ronald George's historic opinion last May ruled that any discrimination against gays is no less outrageous - and illegal - than discrimination based on race or religion. Despite the sweep of that ruling...