Neck Scan
Could Diagnose
Alzheimer’sIn a study of almost
3,200 people ages 58 to
74, those who had the
most intense pulses in
the blood vessels in the
neck (as measured by a
five-minute ultrasound)
were up to 50 percent
more likely to suffer
symptoms of dementia
over the next 14 years.
More intense pulses
might damage blood
vessels in the brain,
leading to Alzheimer’s.When REM
Sleep HurtsAccording to a recent
experiment, people
become even more dis-
tressed about upsetting
experiences if their REM
sleep is fragmented. Re-
searchers believe that’s
because REM sleep is
the only time the brain
stops producing nor-
adrenaline, allowing it
to convert the events of
the day into memories.
Without REM sleep,
bad feelings stay fresh
in your mind. RDMANY HEART
PROCEDURES ARE
UNNECESSARY
G
ot coronary artery disease? Think twice
before opting for a stent or bypass surgery to
improve your blood flow. Confirming the re-
sults of a smaller study in 2007, a recent one found
that for people with stable heart conditions, these
procedures are no better than medication
at reducing the risk of having a heart
attack or dying from heart disease.
Researchers followed 5,179 men
and women in 37 countries, all
of whom had stress-test results
indicating they had clogged ar-
teries. Participants were given
lifestyle advice and prescribed
medication such as aspirin,
cholesterol-lowering drugs, or
blood pressure–lowering drugs to
improve heart health.
Once dangerous blockages were
ruled out, half the participants were
asked to continue with their lifestyle changes
and medication alone. The other half were assigned
to undergo either bypass surgery (in which doc-
tors reroute blood flow around blockages) or an
angioplasty (in which doctors inflate a tiny balloon
and/or place a stent in the artery to help widen it).
Contrary to what many in the medical commu-
nity expected, rates of heart attacks, heart-related
death, cardiac arrests, and hospitalizations for
worsening chest pain or heart failure were similar
regardless of treatment over the next four years. The
invasive procedures did provide one benefit: Those
who had them felt chest pain less often.Reader’s Digest News from the World of Medicine
54 april 2020 | rd.com
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