From: hounddog23x@gmail.com   
      
   6 JAN 2015 - 11:32AM   
      
      
   Could Aspirin hold the secret to stopping dementia?   
      
      
      
      
      
   VIDEO   
      
   AUDIO   
      
   More than 16,000 Australians are preparing to take part in one of the world's   
   largest clinical trials.   
   By Luke Waters   
   5 JAN 2015 - 7:01 PM  UPDATED 6 JAN 2015 - 11:32 AM   
   0   
   The research hopes to determine whether the drug Aspirin has properties which   
   delay the onset of physical and mental illnesses in older people.   
      
   Bruce Holloway will participate in the so-called ASPREE trial with enthusiasm.   
      
   At 86 he enjoys a weekly set of tennis and hopes to do so for some time.   
      
   "The big thing about getting older is you want to stay fit if this helps older   
   people stay fitter longer everything will have been achieved," he said.   
      
   The study's chief investigator Professor John McNeil said the $50 million   
   dollar trial will answer a million dollar question.   
      
   "Why it's so important - every general practitioner - not only in Australia   
   but around the world is faced with healthy 70-year olds and going through   
   their mind is should I be putting this person on Asprin - will it do any   
   good?" he said.   
      
   Participants in Australia and the United States will be given either a daily   
   dose of Asprin or a placebo, then their health will be regularly monitored   
      
   Already known for its benefits in cardio and stroke patients,  the trial hopes   
   to determine whether the drug could delay the onset of physical and mental   
   illnesses such as alzheimers and dementia.   
      
   While there are side effects such as stomach erosions and bleeding, Associate   
   Professor Michael Woodward says the potential up-side is significant.   
      
   "If we can delay the onset of dementia by just 5 years, we'll halve the number   
   of people in Australia with dementia," he said.   
      
   If successful the trial could also help relieve a significant financial burden   
   on the tax payer.   
      
   As it stands the annual cost of caring for the estimated 350,000 Australians   
   living with dementia is $7 billion dollars; a figure tipped to triple by 2050.   
      
   "We could halve that by delaying the onset of dementia by 5-years we'd be   
   saving about 10 billion dollars by 2050 - that's a huge saving to the   
   Australian budget," said Assoc Professor Woodward.   
      
   Participants will make annual GP visits as part of the trial, with results   
   expected in 3 years' time.   
      
      
   http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/01/05/could-household-dr   
   g-hold-secret-stopping-dementia   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)