A pair of new studies suggest that patients older than 75 may benefit from cholesterol-lowering medications. Older persons have typically not been targeted for such medications, because the drugs can take a few years to produce beneficial results, and evidence of that benefit has been conclusive.

But a recent Danish observational study of 13,700 persons ages 70-100 found that statins prevented one heart attack per 80 people in the group treated, compared with one heart attack per 439 people ages 50-59.

A separate analysis of 29 trials found cholesterol-lowering therapies were as effective at reducing cardiovascular incidents in patients older than 75 as in those younger than that.

Alexa for the Aged

Amazon is now marketing Care Hub, a feature of its voice-activated assistant Alexa that helps check up on older friends and family.

As reported in STAT Morning Rounds, "People with an Alexa-activated device can link their account to a loved one's Alexa account, and if permission is granted, can get regular updates on basic activities. Caregivers can be alerted if their family member hasn't used their Alexa-activated device by a certain time or if lights are on in the home to indicate movement or activity."

Get Me That, Stat!

Stroke, Alzheimer's disease and related dementias and migraine are the three most common neurological disorders in the United States, according to new analyses by the Global Burden of Disease study.

Counts

25: percentage of children ages 2-19 who do not eat any fruit on a given day

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Stories for the Waiting Room

Back in 2011, a 6-year-old Croatian boy named Ivan Stoiljkovic was all the rage. Silverware, remote controls, cellphones and even a large frying pan seemed to stick to the boy's skin, as if drawn by an invisible attraction.

Stoiljkovic wasn't unique. Three months earlier, a Serbian 7-year-old was reported to have similar powers.

As it turns out, the boys just had sticky skin. Things with smooth surfaces tend to stick to hairless skin, particularly if the latter is newly cleaned and devoid of dirt and oils. Sweat also makes skin stickier. And some folks just naturally have stickier skin.

So, the next time someone does the old dinner party trick of magically dangling a spoon from their nose, you can explain that it's a matter of physics and biochemistry, not a magnetic personality.

Doc Talk

Cryptorchidism: a flowery way of saying one or both testes has failed to descend.

Mania of the week

Graphomania: obsessive compulsion to write, also known as scribomania. In specific psychiatric terms, it describes a mental condition resulting in rambling, confused statements degenerating into a succession of meaningless words and nonsense.

The mania should not be confused with typomania, which is an obsession with seeing one's name in publication. (I would like to note that my byline seems awfully small.)

Never Say 'Diet'

The Major League Eating record for holiday ham is 2 pounds, 10 ounces in five minutes, held by Bryan Miller. There is no truth to rumors that Miller, a 270-pound professional eater, then spiral-cut into a gustatory bacchanalia of side dishes.

Best Medicine

To boost her confidence, a psychiatrist told his patient that she needed to avoid using negative words, such as "can't" and "not."

"Do you think you can do that?" asked the psychiatrist.

"Well, I can't see why not."

Observation

"The best cure for hypochondria is to forget about your body and get interested in someone else's." — American humorist Goodman Ace (1899-1982)

Medical History

This week in 1933, dried human blood serum was prepared for the first time in the United States at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia. The clear, freeze-dried serum contained blood proteins and antibodies and was used for transfusions to prevent childhood diseases and, subsequently, during World War II.

Med School

Can you list all seven basic components of the respiratory system?

1. Nasal cavity

2. Pharynx

3. Larynx

4. Trachea

5. Bronchi

6. Lungs

7. Diaphragm

Last Words

"Will somebody please get this f——— cat off my chest!" — Puerto Rican novelist Filencio Salmon (1932-1996) on his deathbed

To find out more about Scott LaFee and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: hamburgfinn at Pixabay