Cholesterol

Reporting on health risks is rarely simple and straightforward. Scientific findings are often complex and ambiguous. Even researchers may disagree on their import. Relatively few journalists have special training in science or medicine. Sources of information are often biased, and there is constant pressure to convert dry, technical material into compelling, readable stories. No wonder reporters sometimes exaggerate or otherwise misinterpret the risks, or overemphasize the emotional side of scientific stories, or unwittingly introduce inaccuracies or make important omissions. All this leaves us--the newspaper reader or TV viewer--with many unanswered questions: Is borderline cholesterol a significant health risk? Has global warming already started? Is Alar a serious threat? Is it really dangerous to live near a nuclear reactor? In Health in the Headlines, Stephen Klaidman illuminates the tangle of science, politics, and economics that often obscures health reporting, focusing on seven major stories: EDB, radon, nuclear power, the greenhouse effect, AIDS, cholesterol, and smoking. In each section, Klaidman vividly recounts how the story developed and evaluates how the press performed. In the chapter on AIDS, for instance, he traces the story from the first reports by the CDC and the early articles by The Los Angeles Times and The New York Times, to the dramatic increase in coverage following Rock Hudson's death. Klaidman finds that the science coverage of the AIDS crisis was highly competent, but the coverage of the human story and especially the political story (the Reagan Administration's inadequate funding of AIDS research, despite calling it their "number one health priority") was generally poor--on the rare occasion when they covered the story at all, most reporters uncritically accepted the Administration's side over that of AIDS activists (who were predominantly gay). Throughout the book, Klaidman provides illuminating insights into health-care reporting and he issues numerous caveats. He points out, for instance, that while reporters sometimes exaggerate health risks (such as at Love Canal), the very real threat posed by radon has been underplayed by the press, partly because there is no industry or government agency to cast as villain. And he warns that visual images used to dramatize a story may also skew it: an extremely rare side-effect of a drug, when featured on TV, leads to distorted gut-level conclusions about risk. Every day we hear news on cholesterol, asbestos, global warming--stories that are not only upsetting, but frequently confusing. Health in the Headlines gives us the insight to make more sense of these daily reports, so that we can better assess our risks and make more informed judgments.

A dramatic shift in the average age of the U.S. population and the increasing number of elderly Americans has introduced new and challenging healthcare dilemmas. This book addresses these issues with contributed chapters by the leading authorities in the field of behavioral medicine. It deals with health and healthcare needs of the elderly by considering basic changes that result from aging and some of the more specific problems that accompany it. Content highlights include a review of the basic tenets of genetics and molecular biology including some of the methods of looking at heritable differences in health and well-being. Quality of life concerns are addressed, including the differences between men and women, as well as other gender issues. Several chapters deal with the effects of aging on immunity. The latter part of the book emphasizes the psychosocial implications of aging on cardiovascular disease. Chronic illness among the elderly is also addressed.

Cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and many other countries, confers substantial risk for cerebrovascular events, such as stroke and vascular dementia. The neuropsychological sequelae of such conditions are well documented and can have a devastating impact on individuals' quality of life. However, prior to the development of overt cerebrovascular complications, persons with cardiovascular disease or its risk factors may display mild to severe neuropsychological difficulties. Medical and surgical treatments for cardiovascular disease have also been found to affect neuropsychological function. This landmark volume offers the first comprehensive overview of the neuropsychological consequences of cardiovascular disease, tracking its natural history, epidemiology, and treatments. It encourages researchers and clinicians to consider all relevant facets of vascular disease processes in their evaluation, study, and treatment of affected patients and indicates a need for primary and secondary prevention efforts. Neuropsychology of Cardiovascular Disease will be welcomed as an invaluable resource by neuropsychologists, specialists in behavioral medicine, neurologists, cardiologists, epidemiologists, gerontologists, and many other health professionals whose work brings them into contact with these challenging patients.