Lack of physical activity is an increasing public-health problem. Physicians should counsel elderly patients to maintain regular physical activity in order to retain functionality and quality of life. This study examined the patterns of physician advice about physical activity in an elderly population. A homogeneous group of older adults living in public housing (N= 146) was surveyed to determine the extent to which they received such advice. Their mean age was 77.9 ± 7 years, 74% were women, 70.5% were White, and 53.4% had high school education or less. We assessed the association between physician counseling practices and the participants’ demographic characteristics, overweight status, and type of physical activity performed. The prevalence rate of physician counseling was 61.6%. Elderly men who were married and those who were overweight were most likely to receive advice. Routine physician counseling of elderly patients regardless of overweight status could contribute to improving their quality of life.

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Following onset of acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema in 21 patients, increases in hematocrit, plasma protein concentration, and colloid osmotic pressure were associated with decreases in plasma volume. Accordingly, there was a loss of hypo-oncotic fluid into the extravascular spaces. Following treatment with oxygen, furosemide, and morphine sulfate and reversal of clinical and radiographic signs of pulmonary edema, declines in hematocrit, plasma protein concentration, and colloid osmotic pressure were associated with increases in plasma volume. Hypo-oncotic edema fluid was therefore reabsorbed into the vascular compartment. The concept that acute heeart failure with pulmonary edema is associated with an increase in intravascular volume is therefore not supported. To the contrary, there is a reduction of blood volume during acute pulmonary edema. During reversal of acute pulmonary edema with diuresis, there was re-expansion rather than contraction of blood volume.

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