Preventive care Archive

Clostridioides difficile, a bacterium that causes severe diarrhea and colon inflammation, is common in hospitalized people. New research suggests that even patients who are not diagnosed with the infection in the hospital can bring it home and expose family members.

Recent guidelines suggest a blood pressure reading of less than 120/80 mm Hg as normal. But the ideal number for individuals depends on their individual goals and whether they also have a chronic condition, such as heart disease or kidney disease.

A research letter published online April 25, 2022, by JAMA Internal Medicine suggests that existing advance care directives often don't reflect people's actual wishes (based on values and beliefs) and care goals.

A randomized trial published May 14, 2022, in The Lancet found that people with heart disease who ate a Mediterranean diet for seven years had a 26% lower risk of having a heart attack or stroke, compared with people who ate a low-fat diet.

There are many choices for lenses to replace a cataract. Examples include lenses that allow a person to see clearly at a single distance, or at several distances. Some types can correct astigmatism. When deciding which lens to choose for cataract surgery, people should consider costs, daily vision needs, existing vision problems, and pros and cons; for example, some lenses have more vision range than others, but also have risks of glare at night; some lenses still require a person to use glasses for up-close or distance vision.

There's no one sound unique to a particular shoulder problem. That makes it hard to know what various shoulder noises are telling you. Possibilities include arthritis; bone breaks; rotator cuff tears; gas bubbles, loose parts, or bone spurs in the shoulder joint; neck problems; and bursitis. It's advisable to investigate shoulder noises if they happen, along with shoulder pain, weakness, or limited movement, or if the sound followed a shoulder injury. It's also smart (though not urgent) to ask a doctor about shoulder sounds that aren't accompanied by other symptoms.

For people with heart disease, a Mediterranean diet prevents future heart problems better than a low-fat diet.

A backyard barbeque can be a good way for people to include more vegetables in their evening meal. Good choices include whole portabella mushroom caps, asparagus, sweet peppers, onions, and zucchini.

Fiber-rich diets may lower the risk of heart attack and stroke, in part by decreasing inflammation. This benefit appears to be facilitated by the breakdown of prebiotic fiber in the gut microbiome to create short-chain fatty acids. These compounds circulate through the bloodstream and interact with specific receptors on cells that quell inflammation. Short-chain fatty acids may also play a role in keeping blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels in check, as well as helping to prevent harmful blood clotting.

Joints do not wear out from overuse. Osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis, occurs when the smooth cartilage that lines the joint deteriorates. This might occur because of an injury, age, family history, obesity, or a disease that causes joint inflammation.