Deaths from heart disease are dropping, but deaths related to high blood pressure and irregular heartbeats are on the rise. From 2000 to 2010, the overall death rate from heart disease dropped almost 4 percent each year. At the same time, death rates linked to high blood pressure-related heart disease increased 1.3 percent a year. The researchers also found that deaths tied to irregular heartbeats rose 1 percent a year. Heart disease is caused by plaque build-up in the blood vessels.
Regular exercise and physical therapy may benefit people with hip and knee arthritis. The study included 206 people with hip and knee osteoarthritis. The results show that adding exercise and/or physical therapy to usual medical care benefits people with knee and hip arthritis. Osteoarthritis the most common type of joint disease among middle-aged and elderly people causes progressive damage to cartilage in the joints. It can cause pain, swelling and reduced joint movement.
Air pollution may be linked to higher rates of chronic kidney disease. A study from the University of Michigan found the prevalence of kidney disease was greater in areas of the United States that have worse air quality. To investigate whether air quality might have an effect on the prevalence of kidney disease, the study authors examined Medicare information from 2010 on 1.1 million Americans. They also analyzed data on air quality for every county in the United States. The study showed the prevalence of kidney disease was higher even when pollution levels were much lower than what's generally considered unhealthy for older people and other high-risk groups.
Even if they were willing, most people in the United States aren't qualified to be kidney donors because of health or financial reasons. More than 75 percent of the population could not donate. According to the National Kidney Foundation, about 100,000 people in the United States are now waiting for a kidney transplant. In 2013, there were almost 17,000 kidney transplants, including almost 6,000 from living donors.