HEALTH NOTES

DRUG REDUCES RISK OF STROKE

STATINS could help prolong the lives of elderly people, a study has suggested.

The drugs, commonly used to lower people’s cholesterol, reduced the risk of over 75s having a stroke or heart attack by a fifth, researchers said.

The team at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, looked at data on more than 300,000 Americans between 2002 and 2012 who were older than 75 and had not previously had a heart attack or stroke.

They identified more than 57,000 who began taking statins during this time and found their use was “significantly associated” with lower risk of death from a cardiovascular event or death from any cause.

Researchers said the risk of dying from a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke, was lower by 20% while the risk of dying from any cause was lower by 25% for those taking statins.

BOOZE BRINGS ‘BRAIN BOOST’

A DAILY tipple could help stave off dementia and maintain brain power in later life.

Scientists say drinking 10-14 units a week can reduce the rate of cognitive decline, and lead to better mental health, word recall and vocabulary in the middle-aged and elderly.

The brain benefits of booze were discovered from studying nearly 20,000 Americans over a decade, with low-to-moderate drinkers significantly less likely to be suffering declines than teetotallers.

However, heavier drinkers did not reap rewards from their alcohol consumption.

BUST THAT MYTH...

THE World Health Organisation says the prolonged use of medical masks can be uncomfortable. However, it doesn’t lead to CO2 intoxication nor oxygen deficiency, as some critics claim.

While wearing a medical mask, make sure it fits properly and that it’s tight enough to allow you to breathe normally.