University of Florida News

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — For patients who have severe narrowing of the aortic valve, a condition known as aortic stenosis, standard treatment is surgical replacement of the damaged valve. But advanced age or medical problems such as lung disease prevent many of those patients from having open chest surgery. In the past, the best such patients could hope for was to control their symptoms with medications.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Heart patients who have stents that prop open blocked arteries often face a dilemma when they need open heart surgery: Continue taking life-saving blood thinners but risk severe bleeding during surgery, or stop taking the medicines and risk a heart attack.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Researchers from the University of Florida and 14 additional medical centers reported results today in the online version of The Lancet Neurology journal indicating that deep brain stimulation — also known as DBS — is effective at improving motor symptoms and quality of life in patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A large clinical study of painful jaw problems commonly known as TMD disorders has revealed a wide range of findings, including how women apparently grow more vulnerable to the condition as they age.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — To prevent a common type of stroke, intensive medical therapy could be better by itself than in combination with surgery that props open affected arteries. But it remains to be seen whether the apparent advantage will prove true over the long term.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Reaching over to make the bed or bending to get a grocery bag might not be the typical idea of being physically active. But all those everyday movements add up and could contribute to health benefits, especially among older adults — even if it’s not clear just how much energy seniors are exerting.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A University of Florida review of research finds the polyphenol compound known as resveratrol found in red wine, grapes and other fruits may not prevent old age, but it might make it more tolerable.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Stroke patients regain walking ability through at-home strength and balance exercise provided by a physical therapist just as well as when they participate in programs that practice the actual task of walking using a treadmill and partial body weight support, according to a study published in Thursday’s New England Journal of Medicine.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — If you’re an older person living on your own or if an older adult relies on you for help, the next few weeks are a perfect time to spend creating a disaster plan, a University of Florida researcher says.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Structured exercise and physical activity programs should be covered by insurance as a way to promote health and reduce health care costs, especially among high health-risk populations such as those who have diabetes.