SPRINT BP Control Ups cTn; FH & Eating Disorders; Cardiac Death During ‘Avatar 2’
In SPRINT, intensive systolic blood pressure lowering decreased natriuretic peptide levels but increased high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (cTn). (Circulation) The medical community braces for harmful messaging about COVID-19 vaccines after Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, MD, PhD, announced plans for another study on their links to myocarditis. (Orlando Sentinel) As an alternative to high-intensity statin […]
Opinion | Keep Eye Surgery in the Hands of Ophthalmologists
The strength of our armed forces depends on the different levels of training, skill, and experience of the ranks. There’s good reason why an artillery mechanic has a different skill set than a cyber operations officer or why a fighter pilot has unique training from a counterintelligence officer. Our healthcare system is no different: it […]
Lingering Effects Seen With Non-COVID Respiratory Illness Too
People with acute respiratory illness during the pandemic suffered similar levels of poor well-being in the months afterward whether they tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 or not, a registry study showed. In a cohort of people who all had initial symptoms suggestive of COVID-19, those who had moderate to severe scores at 3 months on the […]
Vitamin D fails to reduce statin-associated muscle pain: Study is the first placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial to study this
Patients who take statins to lower high cholesterol levels often complain of muscle pains, which can lead them to stop taking the highly effective medication and put them at greater risk of heart attack or stroke. Some clinicians have recommended vitamin D supplements to ease the muscle aches of patients taking a statin, but a […]
An excess of salty food seasons the body with stress, study says
A diet containing lots of salt can contribute to increased levels of stress, a new study shows. Scientists found in studies of mice that a high-salt diet increased the levels of a stress hormone by 75 per cent. Experts hope the findings will encourage a review of public health policy around salt consumption, with a […]
CDC Warns on Early Wave of Respiratory Illnesses
The CDC is warning of elevated levels of non-COVID respiratory illnesses in recent weeks — including rising cases of influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and rhinovirus. The surge stands in contrast to the lower activity of these viruses seen during the past couple of pandemic years, as a result of the various mitigation measures for […]
Traumatic Experiences Tied to Lower Estrogen Levels in Menopause
ATLANTA — Traumatic life experiences were linked with lower levels of estrogens in menopause, especially for women who got fewer hours of sleep. The finding “underscores the importance of considering trauma in relation to endogenous estrogens, which have implications for women’s midlife health,” researchers noted. In the MsBrain study, postmenopausal women who experienced a traumatic […]
Higher CRP Levels Tied to Cognitive Problems in Older Breast Cancer Survivors
Higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) were associated with cognitive problems in older breast cancer survivors, a longitudinal analysis showed. Among participants of the Thinking and Living With Cancer study, breast cancer survivors with higher CRP levels than others reported statistically worse cognition (P=0.040) — a relationship that was not seen in women with no […]
Low Testosterone Linked to Hospitalization for COVID
Normal testosterone levels in men might be protective against severe COVID-19, a retrospective cohort study suggested. Among 723 men with a mean age of 55, those who had hypogonadism had a higher risk of hospitalization for COVID-19 versus men with eugonadism (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.4-4.4, P<0.003), reported Sandeep Dhindsa, MD, of St. Louis University […]
Aldosterone Linked to Kidney Failure Risk, Irrespective of Diabetes
Higher serum aldosterone levels were linked to a greater risk of kidney failure in chronic kidney disease (CKD), both for those with and without diabetes, a study showed. Every doubling in aldosterone level was associated with 11% (95% CI 1.04-1.18) greater risk of progression of CKD to end-stage kidney disease or halving of estimated glomerular […]