Safety/injury prevention Archive

Avoiding germs that cause respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses is especially important during the winter months, when cases are on the rise. Learn which strategies keep you safe.

Snow shoveling can be risky for people with heart disease because (1) the activity requires a lot of physical effort, and (2) cold temperatures constrict arteries. Both factors can raise the risk of a heart attack in people with narrowed heart arteries.

Because falls are a serious risk for people ages 65 and older, it's important to have an emergency plan in place. The plan should include a trusted contact who'll be able to help in the event of a fall, and an understanding of when to call 911 versus the doctor's office. It would also be beneficial to have a medical alert system that summons emergency contacts and 911 at the touch of a button. And it would help to consider which resources would be needed if a fall results in a long recuperation.

Falls among older adults are on the rise, but most are preventable. To do this, interventions must target the multiple factors that contribute to falls, taking steps to minimize them or prevent them entirely.

Air travel tips for people who have or are at risk for heart disease include bringing extra prescription medications in a carry-on bag and drinking water-but not alcohol-during the flight. When taking medications (especially blood pressure and anti-clotting drugs), people should try to schedule their doses based on their home time zone. On a long flight, walking a little every hour or so will help improve circulation in the legs; so can flexing the feet and circling the ankles. Doing so may reduce the chance of developing a blood clot, although the overall risk of such clots (known as deep-vein thrombosis) is quite low.

The way people's bodies absorb and process medications changes as they age. This, along with additional health problems, muscle loss, or frailty, can make seniors more vulnerable to drug side effects and interactions. Adults 65 and older use more over-the-counter drugs than any other age group in the United States. Nonprescription drugs to reconsider include aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, proton-pump inhibitors, and older types of antihistamines.