PAIN
A New Psychotherapeutic 'Gold Standard' for Chronic Pain? A single course of treatment with emotional awareness and expression therapy (EAET) was associated with a significantly greater reduction in chronic pain severity than cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), the current psychotherapeutic gold standard, a new study suggested. Two thirds of the patients who received EAET reported at least a 30% reduction in pain compared with 17% of those who received CBT. The randomized clinical trial also showed that individuals with depression and anxiety responded more favorably to EAET, a novel finding. The findings were published online on June 13 in JAMA Network Open.
Walking Helps Guard Against Recurrent Low Back Pain: Regular walking can help prevent recurrent episodes of low back pain, a new study suggests. Among adults who recently recovered from an episode of low back pain, those who participated in an individualized walking program had fewer repeat episodes of low back pain and went longer before a recurrence than peers in a control group, the authors found. The study was published online on June 19 in The Lancet.
Early Knee Osteoarthritis: Exercise Therapy's Golden Window: People with knee osteoarthritis and symptoms for less than 1 year benefit more from exercise therapy than those with longer symptom duration, especially when long-term outcomes are considered. published online on July 18, 2024, in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage.
CDC Updates Recommendations for IUD Pain Management: In its U.S. Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use, 2024Trusted Source, the government agency advised that before placing an IUD, doctors should inform women about the potential pain and counsel them about their pain management options.
Sex bias in pain management at emergency departments new study reveals: New study reveals a significant sex bias in pain management at emergency departments, showing that female patients are consistently less likely to receive pain medication prescriptions compared to male patients with similar complaints. This bias persists across different ages, pain levels, and physician sex, indicating a systemic issue. Female patients' pain scores are less frequently recorded, and they spend more time in the emergency department than male patients. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Are cardiovascular risk factors linked to migraine? Having high blood pressure, specifically high diastolic blood pressure, was linked to a slightly higher odds of ever having migraine in female participants, according to a new study published in Neurology®
Study finds gaps in mental health care for people with chronic pain Millions of people with chronic pain fall into gaps in the mental health care system when it comes to treating symptoms of anxiety and depression, according to new research from the Comprehensive Center for Pain & Addiction. The paper, “The unmet mental health needs of U.S. adults living with chronic pain,” was recently published in the journal PAIN.
Physical exercise is associated with fewer depression symptoms in people with osteoarthritis, even - and especially - in those who experience the most pain, per Australian study: PLOS Global Public Health
COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
Yoga May Augment Medical Therapy in Heart Failure: The addition of a year-long customized yoga therapy intervention to guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) appears to significantly improve heart failure measures associated with long-term prognosis, findings from an Indian study suggested. The research, presented at the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology (HFA-ESC) 2024 congress on May 12
Phototherapy: How Light Is Helping Patients Heal in New Ways: Today, light therapy is widely used in medicine for newborn jaundice, psoriasis, and seasonal affective disorder and in light-activated treatments for cancers of the esophagus and lungs, as well as for actinic keratosis, a skin condition that can lead to cancer. But researchers are finding that light may be capable of far more, particularly in conditions with few treatment options or where available drugs have unwanted side effects. Medscape
Heavy Cannabis Use Linked to High Risk of Head, Neck Cancers: A new study published August 8 in the journal JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck SurgeryTrusted Sourcefound that cannabis users who met the criteria for cannabis use disorder (CUD)Trusted Source were between 3.5 and 5 times more likely to develop any form of head and neck cancer than those without CUD.
Kratom Use Rising Despite Warnings of Cardiac Arrest, Seizures: What to Know Kratom is an herbal leaf from a tropical evergreen tree that is used as a stimulant, mood enhancer, or sedative. As kratom use increases in young people, physicians should routinely ask patients about their kratom use, researchers say. Up to one-third of kratom users experience an adverse side effect, which may involvecardiac arrest, liver damage, brain bleeding, or seizures. In some cases, kratom use has resulted in overdose deaths. Annals of Internal Medicine.
Can meditation and stretching relieve cramping caused by cirrhosis? People suffering from cirrhosis may find some symptom relief from two accessible activities: stretching and meditation. A study from the University of Michigan compared the two therapies as a means to relieve nocturnal muscle cramps and found both effective. The resulting paper, “The RELAX randomized controlled trial: Stretching versus meditation for nocturnal muscle cramps,” appeared in Liver International. The unexpected result was the effect of meditation. In this study, the participants in the meditation group and the participants in the stretching group both reported reduced cramp severity and better sleep.
Processing traumatic memories during sleep leads to changes in the brain associated with improvement in PTSD symptoms: Currently, the first-choice treatment for PTSD is exposure-based psychotherapy, where therapists help rewire the emotions associated with the traumatic memory in the patient’s brain, shifting from fear and arousal to a more neutral response. However, up to 50% of patients fail to respond well to this treatment. In a new study published on August 7 in the Cell Press journal Current Biology, scientists showed for the first time that reactivating therapeutically-altered memories during sleep leads to more brain activity related to memory processing, which is associated with a reduction in PTSD symptoms.
FDA ACTION
• Approved vonoprazan (Voquezna) as a daily treatment for heartburn associated with non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in adults.
• Approved Shield which can accurately detect tumors in the colon or rectum about 87% of the time when the cancer is in treatable early stages.
• Approved Imfinzi (durvalumab, AstraZeneca) with platinum-containing chemotherapy as neoadjuvant treatment, followed by single-agent durvalumab as adjuvant treatment after surgery for adults with resectable (tumors ≥ 4 cm and/or node positive) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and no known epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements.
• Approved Niktimvo (axatilimab-csfr, Incyte Corporation), a colony stimulating factor-1 receptor-blocking antibody, for the treatment of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) after failure of at least two prior lines of systemic therapy in adult and pediatric patients weighing at least 40 kg.
• Approved Yorvipath (palopegteriparatide) injection for subcutaneous use in adults with hypoparathyroidism.
• Approved neffy (epinephrine nasal spray) for the emergency treatment of allergic reactions (Type I), including those that are life-threatening (anaphylaxis), in adult and pediatric patients who weigh at least 30 kilograms (about 66 pounds).
• Granted an emergency use authorization to Octapharma Pharmazeutika Produktionsges.m.b.H. for emergency use of octaplasLG Powder (blood group types A and AB) for U.S. military forces for the treatment of hemorrhage or coagulopathy during an emergency involving agents of military combat (e.g., firearms, projectiles, and explosive devices) when plasma is not available for use or when the use of plasma is not practical
• Approved Zurnai the first nalmefene hydrochloride auto-injector for the emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older.
• Approved Tecelra (afamitresgene autoleucel), a gene therapy indicated for the treatment of adults with unresectable or metastatic synovial sarcoma who have received prior chemotherapy, are HLA antigen(s) A*02:01P, -A*02:02P, -A*02:03P, or -A*02:06P positive, and whose tumor expresses the MAGE-A4 antigen as determined by FDA authorized companion diagnostic devices.
• Approved Jemperli (dostarlimab-gxly) with carboplatin and paclitaxel, followed by single-agent dostarlimab-gxly, for adult patients with primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer (EC).
• Approved Darzalex Faspro (daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj, Janssen Research & Development, LLC) in combination with bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone for induction and consolidation in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are eligible for autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT).
• Approved Palforzia [Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) Allergen Powder-dnfp] to include initiation of treatment, up-dosing and maintenance in individuals ages 1 through 3 years with a confirmed diagnosis of peanut allergy to mitigate allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, that may occur with accidental exposure to peanuts.
• Approved Femlyv (norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol), the first orally disintegrating tablet approved for the prevention of pregnancy.
PREVENTION
Exercise
Is Your Sedentary Lifestyle Killing You? New Study Says Yes: A less favorable balance between physical activity (PA) and sitting time (ST) is associated with a higher risk for all-cause mortality. published online on July 23, 2024, in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Short, Intense Bursts of Exercise May Improve Stroke Recovery: New research shows that high intensity interval training (HIIT) may improve cardiovascular fitness in stroke survivors. Compared to moderate-intensity exercise, participants who performed HIIT doubled their cardiorespiratory fitness, as measured by VO2 peak. Both exercise groups still showed benefits, further underscoring the importance of exercise during stroke rehabilitation. StrokeTrusted Source
Diet/Nutrition
An 8-week short-term vegan diet may help reduce biological age: The diet intervention trial, which involved 21 pairs of identical twins, suggests that adopting a vegan diet may significantly lower biological age estimates in a relatively short timeframe. These results are consistent with previous evidence indicating that plant-based diets could offer anti-aging benefitsTrusted Source. However, the study’s lead authors, along with external experts, urge caution in interpreting these findings due to the small sample size and limited duration. Published in BMC MedicineTrusted Sourceand featured in Netflix’s docuseries “You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment” (2024), the findings encourage a deeper exploration of how diet and lifestyle choices impact health at a genetic level.
Low-fat vegan diet better than Mediterranean diet for weight loss, metabolic health: A recent study published inFrontiers in Nutrition suggests a 16-week low-fat vegan diet may significantly outperform a Mediterranean diet in reducing dietary advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) and promoting weight loss. AGEs are harmful compounds generally present in foods cooked at high temperatures, particularly in animal-derived rather than plant-based products. They have been linked to insulin resistance, inflammation, and oxidative stress, potentially contributing to a variety of chronic diseasesTrusted Source, including diabetes and heart disease. The new research is a secondary analysis of a 36-week crossover trial conducted by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in 2019, comparing the weight loss and cardiometabolic health outcomes of a low-fat vegan diet to a Mediterranean diet.
How the Nutrition Label 5/20 Rule Can Help You Lose Weight and Lower Blood Pressure: Most food products have a Nutrition Facts label. A good rule of thumb for utilizing this label is the 5/20 rule. Under this rule, less healthy nutrients should be kept at 5% DV or less. Healthier nutrients, however, should be 20% DV or greater.
Cranberries for UTI Prevention: A total of 18 studies showed a 27% lower rate of UTIs with the consumption of cranberry juice than with placebo liquid (moderate certainty evidence) and a 54% lower rate of UTIs with the consumption of cranberry juice than with no treatment (very low certainty evidence). Based on a meta-analysis of six studies, antibiotic use was 49% lower with the consumption of cranberry juice than with placebo liquid and 59% lower than with no treatment. Cranberry compounds also were associated with a decrease in prevalence of UTI symptoms. published online in European Urology Focus on July 18, 2024.
Too Much Coffee Linked to Accelerated Cognitive Decline: Drinking more than three cups of coffee a day is linked to more rapid cognitive decline over time, results from a large study suggest. Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) 2024.
No Benefit of Severe Salt Restriction in Heart Failure: Strict sodium intake — with or without restrictions on fluid intake — is unlikely to confer clinical benefits on patients with heart failure, reported investigators. Their review of studies showed sodium should only be moderately restricted because "patients are more likely to follow instructions that are not too draconian, and there is no evidence that severe sodium restriction saves lives or delays hospital admissions."
High Sodium Intake Linked to Greater Risk for Eczema
Keto Diet May Raise 'Bad' LDL Cholesterol, Reduce ‘Good’ Gut Bacteria: A new study published in the journal Cell Reports MedicineTrusted Source investigates how the low carb, high fat keto diet compared to a diet low in free sugars (sugar added to foods or drinks) and a control diet. The researchers wanted to find out how these eating patterns influenced weight loss and metabolism. The study involved 53 participants and ran for 12 weeks. According to a news release, the scientists also found that compared with the control diet, the low-free sugar diet and keto diet reduced fat mass by 2.1 and 2.9 kilograms, respectively. They determined this weight loss was unrelated to changes in physical activity — all groups maintained similar activity levels. However, the scientists found the keto diet increased levels of “bad” cholesterol and other markers associated with cardiovascular disease risk compared to the low-free sugar diet and the control diet. The keto diet was also linked to reduced “good” gut bacteria.
Red Meat Raises Dementia Risk, but Nuts and Beans May Have a Protective Effect: Eating at least one-quarter serving per day of processed red meats — such as hot dogs, lunch meat, and bacon — is linked to a greater risk of developing dementia. This finding, presented on July 31 at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Philadelphia, is based on a comparison with those eating less than one-tenth of a serving per day (equivalent to about three servings per month). Additionally, the findings of the study suggested that a serving-for-serving replacement of processed red meats with plant foods like nuts, beans and legumes, and peas could help ameliorate dementia risk.
Eating a Healthy Diet with Less Sugar May Slow Signs of Biological Aging: Excess sugar consumption is already known to increase the risk of chronic disease; now, it also appears to speed up signs of aging at a cellular level. The findings were published in the journal JAMA Network OpenTrusted Source.
Mediterranean Diet May Help You Feel Less Stressed and Improve Your Mood: The Mediterranean diet is associated with decreased feelings of stress and mental distress, according to new research. Conversely, components of the Western diet, which include fast food and sugary (high-glycemic index) foods, were positively associated with negative feelings. The Mediterranean diet is widely considered one of the best on the planet and has been linked to numerous benefits, including improved heart and brain health. The findings were published in the journal Nutrition and Health.
A Common Low-Calorie Sweetener May Raise Blood Clotting Risk: A new study from Cleveland Clinic researchers suggests that consuming a 30-gram serving of erythritol, a popular artificial sweetener, could rapidly raise the risk of blood clots. While the findings align with previous research, further studies are needed to fully understand the potential health risks of erythritol. As a precaution, experts advise avoiding erythritol and opting for small amounts of natural sweeteners like 100% stevia or pure maple syrup. The findings were published August 8 in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular BiologyTrusted Source.
Significant link found between heme iron, found in red meat and other animal products, and type 2 diabetes risk: Higher intake of heme iron, the type found in red meat and other animal products -- as opposed to non-heme iron, found mostly in plant-based foods -- was associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) in a new study. While the link between heme iron and T2D has been reported previously, the study's findings more clearly establish and explain the link. Nature Metabolism
Low Alcohol Use Offers No Clear Health Benefits: For years, a drink or two a day appeared to be linked to health benefits. But recently, scientists pointed out flaws in some of the studies that led to those conclusions, and public health warnings have escalated recently that there may be no safe level of alcohol consumption. Now, yet another research analysis points toward that newer conclusion – that people who drink moderately do not necessarily live longer than people who abstain. The latest results are important because the researchers delved deep into data about people who previously drank but later quit, possibly due to health problems. "That makes people who continue to drink look much healthier by comparison.” The findings were published this month in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
Risk of Cancer Higher for People Who Drink Alcohol, Even Moderately: A large new study published August 12 in JAMA Network OpenTrusted Sourcefound that moderate-level alcohol consumption had no benefit for older adults but raised disease-related mortality risk instead. The findings are based on health records of more than 135,000 adults ages 60 and older in the United Kingdom with health-related or socioeconomic risk factors.
Can DASH Diet Reduce Liver Fat in Type 2 Diabetes? Shifting to a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products and low in sodium, sugar-sweetened beverages, and red and processed meat may reduce liver fat, subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) in patients with diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes (T2D). published online in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
Does Too Much Caffeine Cause High Blood Pressure? In a new study, researchers say people who consume 400 milligrams (mg) or more of caffeine per day over a long period have a higher risk of heart disease. The research was presented on August 15 at the ACC Asia 2024 conference in New Delhi, India, organized by the American College of Cardiology.
Could eating baked potatoes over other carbs improve heart health?: Compared to a control group consuming an equivalent amount of white rice, people eating baked potatoes experienced a modest decrease in fasting blood glucose levels, waist circumference, resting heart rate, and improvements in body composition. The healthiest ways to prepare potatoes are by baking or roasting them. “Baked potatoes are rich in nutrients such as potassium, vitamin B6, folate, and dietary fiber, which help to support heart health, digestive function, and can assist in weight management.”
Vitamins
Daily Supplements May Slow ‘Dry’ Form of Age-Related Macular Degeneration: There is no treatment to reverse damage from dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, new evidence suggests that a cocktail of over-the-counter antioxidant supplements can slow progression of the disease significantly, even in individuals with geographic atrophy. In an article published in the journal Ophthalmology, researchers from the National Eye Institute found that antioxidant supplementation slowed progression by as much as 55% over three years compared to a placebo. Six supplements are believed to support eye health and slow disease progression: Vitamin C; vitamin E; copper; zinc; lutein and zeaxanthin.
Could fish oil benefit people at high risk of Alzheimer's disease?: A small study has found that fish oil supplements could be beneficial for older people with the APOEε4 geneTrusted Source that increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The study, which is published in JAMA Network OpenTrusted Source, found reduced nerve cell breakdown in those with the gene who were given fish oil, but no significant benefit for people without the gene.
Low magnesium levels increase disease risk, new study shows: A new Australian study has identified why a diet rich in magnesium is so important for our health, reducing the risk of DNA damage and chronic degenerative disorders. Scientists from the University of South Australia measured blood samples from 172 middle aged adults, finding a strong link between low magnesium levels and high amounts of a genotoxic amino acid called homocysteine. This toxic combination damages the body’s genes, making people more susceptible to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, gastrointestinal diseases, a range of cancers, and diabetes. Wholegrains, dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, beans and dark chocolate are all magnesium-rich foods, which help the body produce energy, build teeth and bones, regulate blood sugar and blood pressure, and ensure that the heart, muscles and kidneys all work properly.
Other
• Chronic and new onset anxiety may increase dementia risk in older adults: A new study reports that both chronic and new-onset anxiety in older age are correlated with an increased risk of dementia. However, when anxiety was resolved, the increased dementia risk association disappeared. The study was recently published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics SocietyTrusted Source.
Long-Term Exposure to Wildfire Smoke May Raise Your Risk of Dementia: In a preliminary study reported on July 29 at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Philadelphia, scientists found that long-term exposure to wildfire smoke increases the risk of being diagnosed with dementia. The risk was higher for exposure to wildfire smoke than for other types of air pollution, such as pollution emitted by motor vehicles and factories.
Twice-Yearly Shot 100% Successful at Preventing HIV in Women: Two shots a year of lenacapavir, a drug manufactured as Sunleca by the U.S. company Gilead, was shown to be 100% effective in preventing the transmission of HIV in females, according to a new study funded by Gilead and administered by some of its employees.
Pesticides May Raise Your Risk of Cancer as Much as Smoking: The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Cancer Control and Society, found a strong association between the presence of environmental pesticides and several cancers, including leukemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, bladder, lung, and pancreatic cancer.
Almost 50% of Global Dementia Cases May Be Preventable: Nearly half of dementia cases worldwide could theoretically be prevented or delayed by eliminating 14 modifiable risk factors during an individual's lifetime, a report from the Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, intervention, and care. The 57-page report was published online July 31 in The Lancet Neurology to coincide with its presentation at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2024. The 12 risk factors cited in the 2020 report are lower levels of education, hearing loss, hypertension, smoking, obesity, depression, physical inactivity, diabetes, excessive alcohol consumption, traumatic brain injury (TBI), air pollution, and social isolation.
Aspirin Use May Help Lower Colorectal Cancer Risk, Study Finds: People who use aspirin regularly have a lower risk of colorectal cancer compared to those who don’t use aspirin regularly, a new study shows. The benefits were greatest for people with an unhealthy lifestyle, such as moderate or heavy smokers, and those with overweight or obesity. People with the healthiest lifestyle — whether or not they used aspirin regularly — had a lower risk of colorectal cancer compared to people with the unhealthiest lifestyle who used aspirin. JAMA OncologyTrusted Source.
Work-related stress may increase the risk of an irregular heart rhythm: Work-related stress caused by job strain and an imbalance between efforts applied vs. rewards received may increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association
Newer Shingles Vaccine Tied to Lower Dementia Risk: Receipt of a newer recombinant version of a shingles vaccine is associated with a significant delay in dementia diagnosis in older adults, a new study suggests. The study builds on previous observations of a reduction in dementia risk with the older live shingles vaccine and reports a delay in dementia diagnosis of 164 days with the newer recombinant version compared to the live vaccine. The study had not proven that the shingles vaccine reduced dementia risk. The study was published online on July 25 in Nature Medicine.
TREATMENT
Statin Use May Extend Life for Breast Cancer Patients: Breast cancer mortality was significantly lower among patients who used statins than in those who did not use these cholesterol-lowering drugs, a new study finds. Data from a randomized trial published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2017 showed significantly improved disease-free survival, breast cancer–free interval, and distant recurrence–free interval in early stage breast cancer patients randomized to cholesterol-lowering medication vs. those who did not receive cholesterol-lowering medication.
Paxlovid, Vitamin Supplements Show Promise With Long COVID: Paxlovid, an antiviral approved last year to treat acute infections of COVID-19, is showing great potential as a new treatment for long COVID and may be the most promising experimental therapy now being studied for treating the condition. New research offers strong evidence that Paxlovid provides significant benefits for COVID-19 patients who are at high risk for severe or prolonged disease, particularly older adults and those who are immunocompromised. Some patients have also benefitted from supplements such as N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), as well as vitamins B, C, D and alpha lipoic acid, in which the risks are low and there are potential benefits. JAMA Internal Medicine
Study finds that dopaminergic medication improves sleep quality in Parkinson’s disease patients: A study involving 22 Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients has shown that use of the dopaminergic drug levodopa improves sleep quality. When the patients took the drug, the number of times they woke up during the night fell 25% and the amount of time they remained awake fell 30% on average. An article reporting the results is published in the Journal of Sleep Research.
Study Pinpoints Oral Antibiotics Associated With Serious Skin Reactions:
Potentially life-threatening cutaneous adverse drug reactions (cADRs) are associated with commonly prescribed oral antibiotics, according to a large, population-based, nested case-control study of older adults, spanning two decades. The findings, published online in JAMA on August 8, "underscore the importance of judicious prescribing, with preferential use of antibiotics associated with a lower risk when clinically appropriate."
Alzheimer’s Risk Could be 42% Higher if You Leave High Blood Pressure Untreated: A new study published online on August 14, 2024, in Neurology found that people ages 60 and above with untreated high blood pressure may be at greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease. This was in comparison with individuals whose high blood pressure was currently being treated or had been treated in the past. A comparison was also made with people without high blood pressure.
Palliative care beneficial to manage symptoms, improve quality of life for people with CVD:Implementing patient-centered palliative care therapies, including prescribing, adjusting or discontinuing medications as needed, may help control symptoms and improve quality of life for people with heart disease, according to "Palliative Pharmacotherapy for Cardiovascular Disease," a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association, published in the Association's journal, Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
OTHER
The Best and Worst States for Women’s Healthcare: A new report prepared by The Commonwealth Fund states that women’s health and reproductive care in the United States is in a “perilous place,” and there are growing disparities in these areas. They note that more women than ever are dying from preventable causes, and there are large differences in maternal mortality and breast and cervical cancer deaths. Additionally, women’s life expectancy is at its lowest since the year 2006. Their state-by-state analysis further draws attention to the fallout from the Supreme Court’s historic decision overturning Roe v. Wade, which made it increasingly more difficult for women to obtain needed reproductive healthcare. According to the report, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Rhode Island are some of the best-performing states in terms of healthcare access, quality, and outcomes. Other top-ten states, ranked from higher to lower, were Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, the District of Columbia, Minnesota, Hawaii, and New York. On the other end of the spectrum, Mississippi, Texas, and Oklahoma ranked the worst on these measures. Other states among the bottom ten, from lower to higher, were Nevada, Arkansas, Georgia, Alabama, Arizona, Tennessee, and Wyoming.
New study highlights scale and impact of long COVID: In a new review paper, researchers from the Universities of Arizona, Oxford and Leeds analyzed dozens of previous studies into long COVID to examine the number and range of people affected, the underlying mechanisms of disease, the many symptoms that patients develop, and current and future treatments. Long COVID, also known as Post-COVID-19 condition, is generally defined as symptoms persisting for three months or more after acute COVID-19. The condition can affect and damage many organ systems, leading to severe and long-term impaired function and a broad range of symptoms, including fatigue, cognitive impairment – often referred to as ‘brain fog’ – breathlessness and pain. It can affect almost anyone, including all age groups and children. It is more prevalent in females and those of lower socioeconomic status, and the reasons for such differences are under study. The researchers found that while some people gradually get better from long COVID, in others the condition can persist for years. Many people who developed long COVID before the advent of vaccines are still unwell. If a person has been fully vaccinated and is up to date with their boosters, their risk of long COVID is much lower. However, 3%-5% of people worldwide still develop long COVID after an acute COVID-19 infection. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, long COVID affects an estimated 4%-10% of the U.S. adult population and 1 in 10 adults who had COVID develop long COVID.
Long COVID Risk Has Dropped Since Start of Pandemic: Chances of developing long COVID have significantly decreased since the pandemic began, offering a glimmer of hope and a sign of progress in the ongoing battle against the virus. That's according to a new study published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Severe menopause symptoms may take toll on brain health: A new study suggests that severe menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and depression can negatively affect cognitive function in postmenopausal women. Menopause,
CDC Warns of Rising Parvovirus Cases. Pregnant People, Immunocompromised at High Risk: A highly transmissible virus you may have never heard of is circulating as summer draws to a close. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently received reports of human parvovirus B19 activity among people of all ages in the United States, notably children. Clusters of parvovirus-related complications among pregnant people and people with sickle cell disease were also identified.“In the first quarter of 2024, public health authorities in 14 European countries observed unusually high numbers of cases of parvovirus B19,” a CDC health adivsory reported on August 13. “In the United States, there is no routine surveillance for parvovirus B19, and it is not a notifiable condition.”
Medicare Price Cuts for 10 Common Prescription Drugs: Medicare enrollees are expected to save money on 10 prescription drugs starting in 2026, after the federal government successfully negotiated with pharmaceutical companies to lower list prices for these medications. The discounts on the list prices range from 38% for the blood cancer drug Imbruvica to 79% for the diabetes drug Januvia. About nine million Medicare enrollees use at least one of the drugs selected for price negotiation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said August 15 in a news release.
Skip Antibacterial Soap: The FDA advised consumers in Skip the Antibacterial Soap; Use Plain Soap and Water that there isn’t evidence to show that over-the-counter (OTC) antibacterial soaps are better at preventing illness than washing with plain soap and water. In fact, some data suggest that antibacterial ingredients could do more harm than good over the long-term.
