848 Health News Update

Tune in to our radio show on your local public radio station, or sign up for the podcast and listen at your leisure. Here’s what it’s about:
Popular sleeping pills could be doing more harm than good. A research team at the Geisinger Health System found that patients who took prescription sleep aids were four times more likely to die during the follow up of 2.5 years than those who did not. In addition, sleeping pill prescriptions were associated with a higher risk of a cancer diagnosis. How can you get to sleep without pills?
Using cell phones to call or text when driving is associated with more accidents. What about doctors and nurses using devices in the hospital?
A video has gone viral showing a doctor treating her husband with coconut oil to reverse his Alzheimer’s disease. Can this simple food remedy really make a difference for dementia?
We also explore the stories behind the health headlines.
Guests: Robert D. Langer, MD, MPH, is a physician epidemiologist and director of the Jackson Hole Center for Preventive Medicine in Jackson, WY. His article was published in BMJ Open.
Peter J. Papadakos, MD, is Professor of Anesthesiology and Director of Critical Care Medicine and the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, NY. The photo is of Dr. Papadakos.
P. Murali Doraiswamy, MD, is a professor of psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center and a member of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences. He has received research grants and/or served as a paid advisor to several government agencies, pharmaceutical and medical food companies, and advocacy groups. He owns stock in Sonexa and Clarimedix, whose products are not discussed on the show. He is coauthor of The Alzheimer’s Action Plan and Living Well After a Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.
The podcast of this program will be available the Monday after the broadcast date. The show can be streamed online from this site and podcasts can be downloaded for free for six weeks after the date of broadcast. After that time has passed, digital downloads are available for $2.99. CDs may be purchased at any time after broadcast for $9.99.