What level of Alcohol consumption is hazardous in elderly

Lang et. al reports in Journal of American Geriatric Society.
Moderate elderly alcohol drinkers ( more than 1-2 drinks a day ) report better ability to perform activities of daily living .
Non drinkers had significantly higher relative risks of negative outcomes than moderate drinkers in all measures except cognitive function. Various sensitivity analyses did not change any of these findings.
The benefits of moderate alcohol consumption on disability and mortality probably occur through cardio-vascular risk reduction.
Although these findings should not lead to recommendations of increased alcohol intake, they do suggest that guidelinesfor older adults need not to be overly restrictive relative to recommendations for younger adults

Biphosponates such as Boniva, Fosamax, Actonel, etc, as a class has new alert issued by FDA.
This class of drugs have possibility of causing severe musculo-skeletal pain starting within days, month or even years after initiation of treatment.
It is different from acute state response.
Symptoms are fever, chills, bone pain, muscle pain, joint pain.
In some cases patients reported complete relief of symptoms, in others slow and incomplete resolution.


Vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease especially in people with high blood pressure ( Framingham offspring study). Forthermore the higher risk appear to increase as VItamin D levels decline.

Alcohol dependent persons with cirrhosis of the liver, who were treated with Baclophen , a GABA receptor agonist, were more than 6 times likely to stop alcohol use then placebo group.
This is particularly important finding, because patients with cirrhosis are usually excluded from studies of anticraving drugs because of concern of further liver damage.