Geriatrics
Conference Coverage
Novel Alzheimer’s drug slows cognitive decline in phase 2 trial
The Alzheimer’s Association is encouraged by the promising data, according to Maria Carrillo, PhD, chief science officer for the organization.
News
Palliative care for patients with dementia: When to refer?
A systematic literature review finds few consistent criteria for referrals save for disease stage. Researchers argue that patients’ needs may be...
Feature
BMI, age, and sex affect COVID-19 vaccine antibody response
Study finds that older and heavier men have lower antibody responses to the Pfizer mRNA vaccine than do younger, leaner, and female recipients.
Evidence-Based Reviews
Sleep disorders in older adults
Early treatment of these complex disorders can greatly improve patients’ quality of life.
From the Journals
Afternoon napping associated with better cognition in elderly, study shows
An observational study of more than 2,000 Chinese older adults finds higher scores for nappers in several areas of cognition testing.
Evidence-Based Reviews
COVID-19 and the risk of homicide-suicide among older adults
Identify patients who are at risk, and implement measures to protect them.
Pearls
Suvorexant: An option for preventing delirium?
Recent evidence suggests that suvorexant, which is FDA-approved for insomnia, may be useful for preventing delirium.
From the Journals
PCPs play a small part in low-value care spending
Study indicates waste was widely distributed among specialties.
From the Journals
Study links sleep meds and dementia risk in older adults
Routine use of sleeping medications was associated with an approximate 30% increase in risk of dementia.
Evidence-Based Reviews
Helping older adults overcome the challenges of technology
Interventions need to focus on both cognitive enhancement and functional skills training.
From the Journals
Mortality burden of dementia may be greater than estimated
The mortality burden of dementia may be highest among non-Hispanic black people, compared with people of other races.