High-Dose Flu Vaccine Offers 24% Greater Protection for the Elderly 

With flu season fast approaching, a new study offers definitive information about how to reduce the illness in the elderly. Vanderbilt University researchers report that high-dose influenza vaccine is 24% more effective than regular-dose vaccine in protecting those 65 or older against the flu and related complications. Here are the details. 

Stroke Survivors Often Over-Estimate Ability to Follow Drug Regimens 

Pharmacists shouldn’t take stroke survivors at their word when they express no doubts about their ability to take their medications correctly. According to a new study, that certainty could be an indication of memory loss. Find out how common it is for stroke patients to over-estimate their ability to follow drug regimens and how often that may not be the case.

New Dopamine Therapy Linked to Impulse Control Disorder, Sleepiness

Parkinson’s disease patients who begin dopamine therapy are more likely to suffer some unpleasant side effects, according to a new study. Among them are excessive daytime sleepiness and increasing difficulty in controlling impulses such as gambling, sexual behavior, eating, or spending. How do those compare to the neuropsychiatric symptoms linked to the disease itself? 

Acute Kidney Injury Risk Rises With Atypical Antipsychotics for Dementia 

Millions of older adults are treated off-label with atypical antipsychotics to control behavioral issues related to dementia. That can be a dangerous practice, according to a new study, which found that drugs such as quetiapine, risperidone, and olanzapine also raise the risk of acute kidney injury. What other adverse outcomes are increased?