Metade dos homens e 31% das mulheres com mais de 70 anos são sexualmente ativos, diz estudo

Pesquisa da University of Manchester investiga os hábitos sexuais dos idosos

POR O GLOBO

03/02/2015 14:15 / ATUALIZADO 03/02/2015 14:38

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Parte significativa dos idosos continua a desfrutar de uma vida sexual ativa, ainda que estejam na casa dos 70 e 80 anos - Freeimages

RIO - Pensar que o apetite sexual perde a força com a chegada da terceira idade pode ser um equívoco e tanto. Uma pesquisa da Universidade da University of Manchester e do NatCen Social Research mostrou que uma parte significativa dos idosos continua a desfrutar de uma vida sexual ativa, ainda que estejam na casa dos 70 e 80 anos.

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Baseado num levantamento que ouviu 7 mil pessoas com mais de 50 anos, o estudo revela que mais da metade (54%) dos homens e quase um terço (31%) das mulheres com mais de 70 anos relataram que ainda eram sexualmente ativos. Dentro desse universo, um terço desses homens e mulheres afirmam manter relações sexuais, pelo menos, duas vezes por mês.

A pesquisa indica ainda que cerca de dois terços dos homens e mais da metade das mulheres consideram "boas relações sexuais como essenciais para a manutenção de um relacionamento de longo prazo" ou que "ser sexualmente ativo é fisicamente e psicologicamente benéfico para as pessoas mais velhas".

Publicada na revista acadêmica americana "Archives of Sexual Behavior", a pesquisa é a primeira do gênero a incluir pessoas com mais de 80 anos, segundo o autor David Lee, da Faculdade de Ciências Sociais University of Manchester. As descobertas acerca deste público trazem à tona a necessidade de criação de políticas de saúde especpificas para este público.

- Também estamos investigando a diversidade do comportamento sexual nas idades mais avançadas, já que impor normas juvenis de saúde sexual das pessoas mais velhas seria demasiado simplista e até mesmo inútil - disse. - É importante que os profissionais de saúde saibam como agir sobre isso e estejam mais abertos a discutir temas de saúde sexual com pessoas mais velhas.

Segundo a pesquisa, os problemas relatados mais frequentemente pelas mulheres sexualmente ativas dizem respeito a como se excitar (32%) e atingir o orgasmo (27%), enquanto para os homens foi dificuldades de ereção (39%). Problemas crônicos de saúde e uma autoavaliação negativa da saúde parecia ter impactos negativos mais evidentes sobre a saúde sexual dos homens em relação às mulheres.

Os homens também se mostraram mais preocupados com suas atividades sexuais e funções do que as mulheres e, com o aumento da idade, essas preocupações tendem a tornar-se mais comuns. As mulheres sexualmente ativas eram menos insatisfeitas com suas vidas sexuais do que os homens em geral, e também relataram diminuição dos níveis de insatisfação com o aumento da idade.

O estudo também descobriu que muitos septuagenários e octogenários ainda eram afetuosos com os seus parceiros: 31% dos homens e 20% das mulheres relataram beijar ou acariciar seus peraceiros frequentemente. Entre aqueles que relataram qualquer atividade sexual nos últimos três meses, 1% dos homens e 10% das mulheres relataram que se sentiram obrigados a ter relações sexuais.

Leia mais sobre esse assunto em http://oglobo.globo.com/sociedade/saude/metade-dos-homens-31-das-mulheres-com-mais-de-70-anos-sao-sexualmente-ativos-diz-estudo-15228850#ixzz3QpNiOThm 
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Artificial sweeteners may increase blood sugar

A recent scientific study says people should reconsider their heavy use of artificial sweeteners, which may actually increase blood sugar by altering natural gut bacteria.

The study, published in the science journal Nature, was conducted largely on mice and included an experiment on seven people who did not normally consume artificial sweeteners. The researchers primarily used saccharin in the experiments, however some of the experiments also included aspartame and sucralose. They found that some mice and people had a two- to four-times increase in blood sugars and changes in the types of microbes in their intestines. The findings counter the perception that artificial sweeteners, which are not meant to be absorbed by the digestive tract, don’t affect blood sugar or glucose tolerance – which can be a harbinger of diabetes.

The American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association reviewed the safety of artificial sweeteners in a 2012 statement and concluded they should be used “judiciously” as a way to reduce sugar intake.

The new study, said Dr. Rachel Johnson, an American Heart Association volunteer and one of the AHA statement’s authors, is intriguing because it went beyond animal study to humans. But she points to its small sample size. About half of the people in the study did not have a blood sugar response. In addition to the seven-person experiment it included an analysis of an ongoing nutritional study on 381 people.

“As with all science, we need to validate this with other samples and larger samples,” said Johnson, who is a professor of nutrition and medicine at the University of Vermont. “It’s something we have to pay attention to, but I don’t think at this point it contradicts our current statement. … We had caveats and our conclusion was fairly guarded. They [non-nutritive sweeteners] were certainly not a magic bullet.”

The study’s authors, Eran Elinav and Eran Segal of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, said more information and confirmation of their results are needed.

As a result of these new findings, though, Johnson said she might reconsider her use of artificial sweeteners beyond her usual morning latte. But she says no one should use this one study to switch back to drinking fully sweetened beverages.

“Be moderate,” she said. “This is not an excuse to say that non-nutritive sweeteners are not good for you, so go back to more sugar. That’s not a good decision. We have a compelling body of evidence on what sugar-sweetened beverages do.”

The AHA recommends that added processed sugars should be limited to about 6 teaspoons a day for women and 9 teaspoons a day for men. Today, the average daily American intake of processed sugar is 22 teaspoons and about 45 gallons of sugary drinks a year. For adults, the AHA recommends no more than 36 ounces, or 450 calories, a week in sugar-added beverages.

Consumers are faced with balancing all of this in light of another recent announcement. The leading producers of sugar-added beverages pledged recently to reduce the number of calories by 20 percent in the next 20 years. Under the agreement with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, which was founded by the AHA and the Clinton Foundation, the beverage companies said they would market and distribute drinks in a way to help guide consumers to smaller portions and low- or zero-calorie drinks.

The companies also committed to providing calorie counts on vending machines, self-serve dispensers and retail coolers in stores and restaurants. The companies’ progress will be monitored by an independent, third-party evaluator at multiple intervals until the conclusion of the agreement in 2025.

“I think the most compelling thing about it is they are admitting there is a problem with the number of calories in the American diet that is coming from sugary beverages,” Johnson said. “This is the first time they’ve come out and said there’s a problem. I was taken by that.”

Good vs. Bad Cholesterol

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Updated:Jan 12,2015

Cholesterol can't dissolve in the blood. It must be transported through your bloodstream by carriers called lipoproteins, which got their name because they’re made of fat (lipid) and proteins.

The two types of lipoproteins that carry cholesterol to and from cells are low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, and high-density lipoprotein, or HDL. LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol, along with one fifth of your triglyceride level, make up your total cholesterol count, which can be determined through a blood test.
View an animation of cholesterol.

LDL (Bad) Cholesterol

LDL cholesterol is considered the “bad” cholesterol because it contributes to plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can clog arteries and make them less flexible. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. If a clot forms and blocks a narrowed artery, heart attack or stroke can result. Another condition called peripheral artery disease can develop when plaque buildup narrows an artery supplying blood to the legs.

HDL (Good) Cholesterol

HDL cholesterol is considered “good” cholesterol because it helps remove LDL cholesterol from the arteries. Experts believe HDL acts as a scavenger, carrying LDL cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it is broken down and passed from the body. One-fourth to one-third of blood cholesterol is carried by HDL. A healthy level of HDL cholesterol may also protect against heart attack and stroke, while low levels of HDL cholesterol  have been shown to increase the risk of heart disease.

Triglycerides

Triglycerides are another type of fat, and they’re used to store excess energy from your diet. High levels of triglycerides in the blood are associated with atherosclerosis. Elevated triglycerides can be caused by overweight and obesity, physical inactivity, cigarette smoking, excess alcohol consumption and a diet very high in carbohydrates (more than 60 percent of total calories). Underlying diseases or genetic disorders are sometimes the cause of high triglycerides. People with high triglycerides often have a high total cholesterol level, including a high LDL cholesterol (bad) level and a low HDL cholesterol (good) level. Many people with heart disease or diabetes also have high triglyceride levels.

Lp(a) Cholesterol

Lp(a) is a genetic variation of LDL (bad) cholesterol. A high level of Lp(a) is a significant risk factor for the premature development of fatty deposits in arteries. Lp(a) isn't fully understood, but it may interact with substances found in artery walls and contribute to the buildup of fatty deposits.

Learn more:

• What your cholesterol levels mean
• Learn about hyperlipidemia

High Blood Pressure and Metabolic Syndrome

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Updated:Aug 12,2014

Metabolic syndrome is a group of metabolic risk factors that place people at greater likelihood for developingcardiovascular disease and diabetes. About one in three U.S. adults have metabolic syndrome. When a healthcare professional notes these risk factors together, the chances for future cardiovascular problems are greater than any one factor presenting alone.


How does metabolic syndrome occur?
Metabolic syndrome occurs when a person has three or more of the following measurements:

• Abdominal obesity
• Triglyceride level of 150 mg/dL or greater
• HDL cholesterol of less than 40 mg/dL in men or less than 50 mg/dL in women
• Systolic blood pressure (top number) of 130 mm Hg or greater
• Diastolic blood pressure (bottom number) of 85 mm Hg or greater
• Fasting glucose of 100 mg/dL or greater

Metabolic syndrome is closely associated with a generalized metabolic disorder called insulin resistance. For people who suffer from this condition, their bodies can't use insulin efficiently. Therefore, metabolic syndrome is also called insulin resistance syndrome.What are the risk factors for metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance?
Some people are genetically prone to develop insulin resistance. Other people develop insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome by:

• Putting on excess body fat
• Failing to get enough physical activity
• Consuming a diet high in carbohydrates (more than 60 percent of daily caloric intake from carbs) 

How is metabolic syndrome treated?Metabolic syndrome can be treated by:

• Taking prescribed drugs including:
  • Medication to improve the body's sensitivity to insulin 
  • Medication to lower cholesterol 
  • Medication to lower blood pressure
     
• Managing weight
   
• Adopting a heart-healthy diet 
• Making physical activity part of the daily routineResults of a recent study that followed participants for 15 years found that fitness is key. Unfit or moderately fit adults had twice the risk for high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome and diabetes than those who were highly fit. The risk increased directly as fitness level dropped off. The younger a person adopts a physically active lifestyle, the better chance they have to reduce their risk for the metabolic syndrome, heart disease, diabetes and stroke. 

Understanding Blood Pressure Readings

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Updated:Nov 17,2014

Blood pressure is typically recorded as two numbers, written as a ratio like this:

Read as "117 over 76 millimeters of mercury"		Systolic The top number, which is also the higher of the two numbers, measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats (when the heart muscle contracts).
		Diastolic The bottom number, which is also the lower of the two numbers, measures the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats (when the heart muscle is resting between beats and refilling with blood).

What is the AHA recommendation for healthy blood pressure?

This chart reflects blood pressure categories defined by the American Heart Association.

Blood Pressure Category	Systolic mm Hg (upper #)		Diastolic mm Hg (lower #)
Normal	less than 120	and	less than 80
Prehypertension	120 – 139	or	80 – 89
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Stage 1	140 – 159	or	90 – 99
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Stage 2	160 or higher	or	100 or higher
Hypertensive Crisis (Emergency care needed)	Higher than 180	or	Higher than 110

* Your doctor should evaluate unusually low blood pressure readings.

How is high blood pressure diagnosed?

Your healthcare providers will want to get an accurate picture of your blood pressure and chart what happens over time. Starting at age 20, the American Heart Association recommends a blood pressure screening at your regular healthcare visit or once every 2 years, if your blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg.

Your blood pressure rises with each heartbeat and falls when your heart relaxes between beats. While BP can change from minute to minute with changes in posture, exercise, stress or sleep, it should normally be less than 120/80 mm Hg (less than 120 systolic AND less than 80 diastolic) for an adult age 20 or over. About one in three U.S. adults has high blood pressure.
If your blood pressure reading is higher than normal, your doctor may take several readings over time and/or have you monitor your blood pressure at home before diagnosing you with high blood pressure.
A single high reading does not necessarily mean that you have high blood pressure. However, if readings stay at 140/90 mm Hg or above (systolic 140 or above OR diastolic 90 or above) over time, your doctor will likely want you to begin a treatment program. Such a program almost always includes lifestyle changes and often prescription medication for those with readings of 140/90 or higher.
If, while monitoring your blood pressure, you get a systolic reading of 180 mm Hg or higher OR a diastolic reading of 110 mm HG or higher, wait a couple of minutes and take it again. If the reading is still at or above that level, you should seek immediate emergency medical treatment for a hypertensive crisis. If you can't access the emergency medical services (EMS), have someone drive you to the hospital right away.
Even if your blood pressure is normal, you should consider making lifestyle modifications to prevent the development of HBP and improve your heart health.

Which number is more important, top (systolic) or bottom (diastolic)?

Typically more attention is given to the top number (the systolic blood pressure) as a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease for people over 50 years old. In most people, systolic blood pressure rises steadily with age due to increasing stiffness of large arteries, long-term build-up of plaque, and increased incidence of cardiac and vascular disease.

Watch this video to learn more about your blood pressure numbers.  

Aspirin and Heart Disease

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Updated:Jan 27,2015

Aspirin can help prevent heart attack. 

AHA Recommendation People at high risk of heart attack should take a daily low-dose of aspirin (if told to by their healthcare provider) and that heart attack survivors regularly take low-dose aspirin.

You should not start aspirin therapy without first consulting your physician.  The risks and benefits of aspirin therapy vary for each person.

Know the risks
Because aspirin thins the blood, it can cause several complications. Talk to your doctor if any of these situations apply to you. You should not take aspirin if you:

• Have an aspirin allergy or intolerance
• Are at risk for gastrointestinal bleeding or hemorrhagic stroke
• Drink alcohol regularly
• Are undergoing any simple medical or dental procedures

Preventing Heart AttackMost heart attacks and strokes occur when the blood supply to a part of your heart muscle or brain is blocked. This usually starts with atherosclerosis, a process in which deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium and other substances build up in the inner lining of an artery. This buildup is called plaque.

Plaque usually affects large and medium-sized arteries. Plaques can grow large enough to significantly reduce the blood's flow through an artery. But most of the damage occurs when a plaque becomes fragile and ruptures. Plaques that rupture cause blood clots to form that can block blood flow or break off and travel to another part of the body. This is called an embolism.

• If a blood clot blocks a blood vessel that feeds the heart, it causes a heart attack.
• If a blood clot blocks a blood vessel that feeds the brain, it causes a stroke.

Aspirin “thins” the blood and helps prevent blood clots from forming. So it helps prevent heart attack and stroke.

Frequently Asked Questions About Aspirin

What about aspirin and alcohol?
There is a risk of stomach problems, including stomach bleeding, for people who take aspirin regularly.  Alcohol use can increase these stomach risks, so ask your doctor if it is safe for you to drink alcohol in moderation.

Should I take aspirin during a heart attack or stroke?
The more important thing to do if any heart attack warning signs occur is to call 9-1-1 immediately.  Don't do anything before calling 9-1-1.  In particular, don't take an aspirin, then wait for it to relieve your pain.  Don't postpone calling 9-1-1.  Aspirin won't treat your heart attack by itself.

After you call 9-1-1, the 9-1-1 operator may recommend that you take an aspirin.  He or she can make sure that you don't have an allergy to aspirin or a condition that makes using it too risky. If the 9-1-1 operator doesn't talk to you about taking an aspirin, the emergency medical technicians or the physician in the Emergency Department will give you an aspirin if it's right for you.  Research shows that getting an aspirin early in the treatment of a heart attack, along with other treatments EMTs and Emergency Department physicians provide, can significantly improve your chances of survival.

Taking aspirin isn't advised during a stroke, because not all strokes are caused by blood clots.  Most strokes are caused by clots, but some are caused by ruptured blood vessels.  Taking aspirin could potentially make these bleeding strokes more severe.
The best way to know if you’re a candidate for aspirin therapy is to ask your healthcare provider. You should not start aspirin on your own.

Daily aspirin fails to prevent heart attacks, increases bleeding risks

Editor’s note: This is the eighth in a 10-part series detailing the top scientific research of 2014, as determined by the American Heart Association’s volunteer and staff leaders.

Aspirin is known to help reduce heart attacks in people who have already had one, but a large-scale study in Japan points out the lack of benefits and the risks of daily aspirin for people without heart disease.

Aspirin thins the blood to help prevent blood clots. It’s often used to prevent recurrent heart attacks and strokes, and it’s given to those who have stents to clear blocked arteries. The American Heart Association recommends that healthcare providers prescribe daily low-dose aspirin to heart attack survivors and consider prescribing it to people who are at high risk of heart attack and low risk of side effects.

But daily aspirin didn’t reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke or death for elderly Japanese people who were at risk, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2014.

Researchers in Kyoto, Japan randomly assigned 100 mg a day of coated aspirin or no aspirin to 14,464 people, ages 60 to 85 with high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes, but without coronary or cerebral artery disease. After five years, the two groups had no significant differences in heart attacks or strokes. Events were 2.77 percent for the aspirin-treated group compared to 2.96 percent in the no-aspirin group.

The results of the trial are among the top scientific cardiovascular developments in 2014, as determined by the American Heart Association.

“The available evidence does not support the routine use of aspirin in the primary prevention of cardiovascular events,” said Richard Becker, M.D., an AHA volunteer and director and physician-in-chief at the Heart, Lung and Vascular Institute at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in Ohio.

Despite a drop in heart attacks in the aspirin group, bleeding risks increased, including fatal and nonfatal bleeding strokes.

“Physicians should know this. In contrast, aspirin should be considered in all patients with knownatherosclerotic disease, particularly with prior events such as a heart attack or stroke, stent or bypass surgery,” Becker said. “The public and also many physicians have viewed aspirin as both safe and effective for primary prevention, despite an absence of resounding proof of benefit. It is associated with a clear risk for bleeding, including serious gastrointestinal and less commonly intracranial hemorrhage.”

Deepak L. Bhatt, M.D., M.P.H., an AHA volunteer and executive director of Interventional Cardiovascular Programs at Brigham and Women’s Hospital Heart and Vascular Center in Boston, said the study results are consistent with previous studies.

“I think the decision to use aspirin for primary prevention in a patient needs to be individualized by the physician after a thoughtful discussion,” Bhatt said. “I would not routinely recommend aspirin for primary prevention unless future trials show a clear benefit.”

Heart disease and aspirin therapy

Heart disease and aspirin therapy

Aspirin is one of the oldest, best-selling and most familiar drugs around.

About one in five American adults regularly take aspirin, according to the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Many are heart attack and stroke survivors who take an aspirin a day to lower the chance of having a repeat heart attack or clot-related stroke — a strategy called secondary prevention. For this group, the evidence is clear that daily low-dose aspirin can be beneficial.

But for another group of aspirin-takers, the evidence is less compelling.

They are people hoping to prevent a first heart attack or a first stroke, and who use aspirin as a method of primary prevention. But recent studies suggest the benefits do not always outweigh the risks of daily aspirin use, which can include bleeding and other side effects.

“Aspirin is an effective and important treatment to prevent a heart attack or stroke in someone who has a history of heart disease or stroke,” said Mark Creager, M.D., president-elect of the American Heart Association and director of the Vascular Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. “That’s not the case for the healthy person who’s at low risk for these events.”

Most heart attacks and strokes occur when blood flow to the heart or brain is blocked by a blood clot. Aspirin works by “thinning” the blood and preventing the formation of clots.

But aspirin can cause complications. When blood cannot clot easily, excessive bleeding can occur. A burst blood vessel in the brain can cause a hemorrhagic stroke. Some people have bleeding in the stomach or elsewhere in the gastrointestinal tract.

Most side effects of aspirin include upset stomach and heartburn. More serious side effects are uncommon — but they can be life-threatening.

“Many people who take aspirin will notice it’s harder to stop the bleeding when they get a cut. But these people are also at risk for potentially catastrophic bleeding,” Creager said.

How aspirin should be used

Aspirin has long been a medicine cabinet staple. It is used to relieve pain, reduce fevers and calm inflammation. Then in the 1970s, aspirin’s reputation got a boost: Studies started finding that aspirin could also help prevent heart attacks and strokes in people who had already had one.

Research shows that among heart attack survivors, regular aspirin use can reduce the risk of a second heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular-related death by about 25 percent. For stroke survivors, it lowers the risk of a second event by about 22 percent.

For heart attack survivors, the risk of having another heart attack or a stroke is 4 percent to 5 percent a year, said Creager. “If you cut that risk with aspirin by 25 percent over five years, that’s pretty substantial,” he said.

Today, more than two-thirds of heart disease and stroke survivors age 40 and older take low-dose aspirin to prevent a recurrence, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Others also benefit from clot-preventing aspirin, including patients who get stents placed into heart arteries. Doctors often prescribe daily aspirin to prevent the stents from becoming blocked.

A new study, presented last November at the AHA’s Scientific Sessions 2014 and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that long-term use of aspirin plus a second anti-clotting medication cut the risk of having a heart attack by more than half in people who had received a stent.

Daily aspirin not for everyone

Experts agree that aspirin can help thwart a second heart attack or stroke. Yet for those without such a history, research suggests the drug’s risks may offset the benefits.

That advisory came last May from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which warned that the over-the-counter drug should not be used for primary prevention of heart attacks and strokes.

The likelihood of having a heart attack or ischemic stroke is about half a percent a year among people without cardiovascular disease, noted Creager. “For them, aspirin has a very modest effect in reducing the risk of heart attack, and it may put them at increased risk for bleeding,” he said.

Indeed, a Japanese study recently found that among older people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes — three major risk factors for heart attack and stroke — taking a low-dose aspirin every day did not reduce the overall risk of heart attack, stroke or death. Yet aspirin users had an 85 percent higher risk for bleeding inside the skull and were more likely to have gastrointestinal bleeding.

The findings were presented at the AHA’s Scientific Sessions 2014 and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association last November.

Because of the bleeding risk, AHA guidelines only recommend daily low-dose aspirin for primary prevention in people with a greater than 10 percent risk of having a heart attack or stroke within the next 10 years.

Creager helped write the AHA’s 2014 guidelines for the primary prevention of stroke and urges people to talk to their doctors about whether their individual risk is high enough to warrant aspirin therapy or a similar drug.

“If you’re healthy and at low risk, you should not be prescribed aspirin,” said Creager. “But if your doctor does prescribe it, you need to understand why.”