How Much Do You Know About Alzheimer’s Disease?

More than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, and that number could climb to 16 million by 2050. Women face a higher risk of developing it than men, and are also more likely to become caregivers. Take this quiz to see how much you know about Alzheimer’s.

Cancer Vaccine Could See Light In 2017

Vaxil BioTherapeutics, a biotechnical company based in Ness Ziona, near Tel Aviv, Israel has produced a ground-breaking therapeutic vaccine for cancer patients which could prevent about 90 percent of cancers from coming back.

Vaxil was founded in 2006 by Dr. Lior Carmon and the vaccine is now in clinical trials at the Hadassah University Medical Centre in Jerusalem. The vaccine could be available as early as 2017 to administer on a regular basis, not only to help treat cancer but in order to keep the disease from recurring.

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What are "liver spots?"

Liver spots (also known as "Solar lentigo", "Lentigo senilis", "Old age spot," "Senile freckle" are blemishes on the skin associated with aging and exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. They range in color from light brown to red or black and are located in areas most often exposed to the sun, particularly the hands, face, shoulders, arms and forehead, and the scalp if bald.

The spots derive their name from the fact that they were once incorrectly believed to be caused by liver problems, they are physiologically unrelated to the liver, save for a similar color. From the age of 40 onward the skin is less able to regenerate from sun exposure, and liver spots are very common in this age group, particularly in those who spend time in the sun.

In the vast majority of cases, liver spots pose no threat and require no treatment, though they occasionally have been known to obscure the detection of skin cancer. However, despite being a benign condition, liver spots are sometimes considered unsightly and some people choose to have them removed. This can be done by electrosurgery, laser treatment, cryotherapy and alternatively, many people claim to have success with simple remedies made with apple cider vinegar.

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Broken heart syndrome

On Valentine's Day, people who have been unlucky in love will be said to suffer from a "broken heart." It turns out that a broken heart is an actual medical condition. Broken heart syndrome occurs during highly stressful or emotional times, such as a painful breakup, the death of a spouse, the loss of a job or extreme anger, said Loyola University Health System cardiologist Dr. Binh An P. Phan.

Broken heart syndrome also is called stress cardiomyopathy.Symptoms are similar to those of a heart attack, including chest pain and difficulty breathing. The good news is that, over time, the symptoms go away. And unlike heart attackpatients, people with broken heart syndrome do not suffer lasting damage to their hearts, Phan said.

"Most people will get better in a few weeks without medical treatment," Phan said.

During an extremely stressful event, the heart can be overwhelmed with a surge of adrenalin and other stress hormones. This can cause a narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the heart. It's similar to what happens during aheart attack, when a blood clot in a coronary artery restricts blood supply to heart muscle. But unlike a heart attack,broken heart syndrome is reversible, Phan said.

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At Least 12 Infected With New Swine Flu Strain

H3N2v virus confirmed in at least five states

At least 12 people in five states have come down with a new strain of swine flu that isn't covered in this year's flu vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

The new strain is not the more common H1N1, that killed more than 17,000 people around the world over a two-year period. The new strain has been identified as H3N2v.

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Free Medicare preventive services

Jan. 22, 2012 - Senior citizens have a better chance at a longer, healthier life this year, thanks to the many new preventive services now offered by Medicare. Many have been added by the health care reform law, called “Obamacare” by its critics, but officially named the Affordable Care Act. SeniorJournal.com is offering a free checklist to help you keep up with all the preventive services you are due.


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