Sleep Problems Tied to Increased Stroke Risk
Many symptoms of poor sleep may be linked to an increased risk of acute stroke, according to the case-control INTERSTROKE study. Stroke patients were more than twice as likely to report shorter sleep (less than 5 hours; OR 3.15, 95% CI 2.09-4.76) and longer sleep (more than 9 hours; OR 2.67, 95% CI 1.89-3.78) in […]
Study shows how to prevent a high-fat diet from throwing metabolism out of whack: Biologists discover removing a protein inhibitor restores metabolic balance
Eating lots of fats increases the risk of metabolic disorders, but the mechanisms behind the problem have not been well understood. Now, University of California, Irvine biologists have made a key finding about how to ward off harmful effects caused by a high-fat diet. Their study appears in Nature Communications. The UC Irvine research centered […]
Lousy Sleep Compounds Genetic Risk for Asthma in Adults
Poor sleep patterns and high genetic susceptibility together doubled the risk of asthma development in adults, a prospective study using U.K. Biobank data found. Individuals in the study who had the highest polygenic risk score (PRS) or were poor sleepers had a 47-55% higher risk for asthma over a median 8 years of follow-up compared […]
Isotretinoin REMS Still Needed, But Its Burden Could Be Reduced, FDA Staff Says
A risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) for the use of isotretinoin to treat severe acne is still very much needed, but there are ways to lighten its burden on patients and providers, according to FDA staff. For example, because of the drug’s risk of causing birth defects if taken while patients are pregnant, prescribing […]
Paxlovid May Lower Long COVID Risk, VA Study Suggests
Use of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (Paxlovid) in older adults with risk factors for severe disease was associated with a roughly 25% lower risk of a post-COVID condition (PCC), a retrospective study of Veterans Affairs data showed. In the cohort of over 280,000 patients with a confirmed COVID case, 13% of those prescribed nirmatrelvir-ritonavir went on to develop […]
Progestin-Only Birth Control Linked to Small Increase in Breast Cancer Risk
Current or recent use of progestin-only contraceptives was associated with a small increase in risk of breast cancer, similar to the risk associated with combined hormonal contraceptives, according to a nested case-control study and meta-analysis from the U.K. In the nested case-control study of data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, women had a comparable […]
Obesity risk may pass from mothers to daughters
Women with obesity may share risk for the disease with their daughters, but not their sons, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Obesity is a common, serious and costly disease affecting nearly half of the adults and 20 percent of children in the United States. […]
The 4 Biggest Early Warning Signs Before A Heart Attack
The Good Brigade via Getty Images While knowing the risk factors for heart disease is important, it’s also crucial that you’re aware of the early warning signs of a heart attack. While it’s well-known that issues like high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and not enough exercise are risk factors for a heart attack, many people […]
Depressive Symptoms Linked to Higher Risk of Acute Stroke
Symptoms of depression were associated with an increased risk of acute stroke, according to an international case-control study. Among more than 26,000 participants in the INTERSTROKE study, self-reported depressive symptoms were associated with significantly greater odds of acute stroke (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.34-1.58), including ischemic stroke (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.32-1.58) and intracerebral hemorrhage […]
Early LRTIs Tied to Risk of Premature Adult Death From Respiratory Diseases
A lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in early childhood nearly doubles the risk of premature death from respiratory diseases in adulthood, according to a prospective cohort study that spanned eight decades. The study of over 3,500 individuals born in the U.K. found that participants diagnosed with an LRTI by age 2 years were 93% more […]