Diagnostic tests

You may remember past agebuzz posts describing the emergence of blood tests that, in conjunction with clinical assessments, can be used to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. Last spring, the FDA approved the Lumipulse blood test for adults aged 55 and older, who, when attending specialty clinics, could use the blood test…

Virtually anyone who’s had interaction these days with the health care system finds plenty to complain about. Whether it’s affordability, insurance, access to care, or even the old-fashioned and often missing human interaction of the doctor-patient relationship, nothing feels easy or adequate anymore. It’s enough to throw up your hands…

About a year ago, we highlighted some new options and advances that were likely to make screening for colon cancer, beyond colonoscopies, easier and more accepted. As you may know, when caught early, colon cancer can be highly treatable and even preventable if pre-cancerous polyps are found and removed. But…

As we recently reported, there has been progress in tackling heart disease mortality in the US, though it remains one of the main causes of death around the country and the world, and some aspects of heart disease, including high blood pressure, appear to be on the rise. Your risk…

While the news about advances in Alzheimer’s research has been steady over the past several years, including new treatment options that can potentially slow down cognitive decline, along with better ways of diagnosing Alzheimer’s at an earlier stage, there have not been gob smacking advances that have left researchers excited…

The data has been concerning even before the release of the most recent report. With more than 6 million Americans currently diagnosed with dementia (that’s nearly 10% of people 65 and older), more than 100,000 deaths a year attributable to dementia, and more than $600 billion in annual dementia caregiving…