Earlier signal of noncardiovascular mortality refuted by large meta-analysis

Cardiologists were reassured that coronary revascularization does not increase noncardiac mortality in people with chronic coronary syndrome, based on a meta-analysis reported here at EuroPCRopens in a new tab or window.

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Remote monitoring of implanted devices with a universal platform improves outcomes

Use of a third-party universal remote monitoring platform was linked to better survival and hospitalization outcomes than conventional remote monitoring or no monitoring in patients with implanted cardiac devices, researchers reported.

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Healthy low-fat diet reduces risks for all-cause, cardiovascular mortalit

Healthy low-fat diets were associated with lower risks for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, whereas overall and unhealthy low-carbohydrate diets were linked to increased risks, according to researchers.

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Marijuana linked to higher PAD risk

 Marijuana users have an almost four times greater risk of developing peripheral artery disease, compared with nonusers, results of a study of more than 600,000 marijuana users suggest, although there was no greater risk of death from myocardial infarction or other cardiac causes or need for revascularization.

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Catheter Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation: What is the Risk of Procedural Complications?

Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a common procedure associated with potentially significant procedure-related complications, but the rate of these complications as well as mortality are low and decreased over the past decade, according to a systematic review and pooled analysis published May 22 in JACC.

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Young Women More Likely to Return to the Hospital in Year Following MI

Young women who experience a myocardial infarction (MI) have more adverse outcomes and are more likely to end up back in the hospital compared to men of a similar age in the year following discharge, according to a study published May 1 in JACC.

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Novel drug offers hope for people with heart failure

Researchers from the University of Auckland in New Zealand report that in male rats with heart failure, the carotid body (an oxygen-sensing organ) produced sudden bursts of nerve activity that were linked to breathing problems.They also found that the P2X3 receptor played a role in producing these bursts of nerve activity. When researchers blocked the receptor using a drug, the bursts of nerve activity stopped and breathing and heart function improved.

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Behavior patterns of people who achieve clinically significant weight loss

A new study analyzing data on over 20,000 U.S. adults links a healthier diet and increased exercise to weight loss that reduces heart disease risk -- while associating skipping meals and taking prescription diet pills with minimal weight loss, weight maintenance or weight gain.

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Hysterectomies and tubal ligation may increase cardiovascular disease risk

Any surgical procedure comes with certain risks and benefits. People and their doctors must weigh the benefits against the risks to decide how to proceed.

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PTSD, Anxiety Linked to Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Stress-related disorders and anxiety are associated with a higher risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), a new case-control study suggests.

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CRISPR Editing Takes Aim at Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury

Despite important advances in interventional coronary artery reperfusion, ischemia/reperfusion injury is a formidable precursor of cardiac dysfunction and subsequent heart failure. Thus, there is great impetus to develop medical interventions to preserve and recover cardiac function after ischemia.

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'Cutting edge' AI could help diagnose heart attacks

An AI-developed algorithm can help physicians quickly and accurately diagnose myocardial infarction.

The technology has potential to benefit both patients and physicians and reduce hospitalizations.

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Early, rapid uptitration of HF therapies after discharge reduces death, readmission risk

Initiating and uptitrating HF medications within a few weeks of hospital discharge reduces risk for death or HF readmission at 180 days. Improvements were seen across the spectrum of ejection fraction.

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Physical activity is linked to smaller brain bleeds, new CT data reveal

New data derived from computed tomography scans of individuals suffering from intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) offer further evidence into the benefits of maintaining some form of consistent physical activity.

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Experts cite 'urgent need' for changes to USPSTF breast cancer screening recommendations

Additional organizations in the women’s health space are joining others to voice their disappointment with the United States Preventive Services Task Force’s (USPSTF) draft recommendations pertaining to changes in breast cancer screening. 

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Inflammatory bowel disease: High-sugar diet worsens IBD symptoms

More than 6 million people globally have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Diet plays a role in both possibly increasing a person’s risk for developing IBD, as well as helping to alleviate symptoms. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh found that a high-sugar diet worsened IBD symptoms in a mouse model.

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The earlier someone develops type 2 diabetes, the higher their dementia risk

A new study from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health researchers in Baltimore analyzed the association between prediabetes and dementia. Their findings did not show an overall association between prediabetes and dementia risk, but they did find that developing type 2 diabetes was associated with dementia. Additionally, the scientists learned that the earlier someone develops type 2 diabetes can increase dementia risk.

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Ultra-processed foods may increase depression risk, long-term study shows

Ultra-processed foods are a common component of many people’s diets. Although the definition varies, they are generally industrially produced foods that contain ingredients not found in the typical home kitchen. Recently, research has raised concerns about the health effects of a diet high in ultra-processed foods. Now, a large Australian study has found that high consumption of ultra-processed foods is linked to depressive symptoms.

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Vitamin D deficiency linked to increased risk of developing long COVID

People with low vitamin D after being hospitalized for COVID-19 are more likely to develop long COVID compared to people without a vitamin D deficiency, a new study finds. The controlled study was designed to remove as many unknown variables as possible, producing what the authors consider a robust finding. Researchers assessed vitamin D levels in participants upon release from the hospital and again six months later, at which time they were also screened for symptoms of long COVID. The symptoms associated with long COVID that were most likely to occur with a vitamin D deficiency included negative cognitive effects.

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Scientists achieve promising results towards restoring vision in blindness caused by cellular degeneration in the eye

Research reveals a promising stem cell approach to correct photoreceptor cell degeneration, which underlies several forms of visual decline and blindness.

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Medical 'microrobots' could one day treat bladder disease, other human illnesses

Engineers have designed a new class of 'microrobots' several times smaller than the width of a human hair that may be able to treat human illnesses like interstitial cystitis -- a painful bladder disease that affects millions of Americans.

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Drug Overdose Deaths Topped 100,000 Again in 2022

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday released a provisional count of overdose deaths last year that indicated the toll of the fentanyl crisis leveling off after two years of surges during the Covid-19 pandemic. The CDC counted 109,680 overdose deaths in 2022 compared with 109,179 deaths from a similar 2021 projection. For overdose deaths to hover at such a high level demonstrates how fentanyl’s ubiquity and potency continue to threaten the lives of illicit drug users. 

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U.S. Covid-19 Deaths and Hospitalizations Near New Lows

U.S. Covid-19 hospitalizations and deaths are hovering near new lows, providing fresh evidence that even as the virus endures it has become less damaging in a population with strengthened immune defenses. 

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CAD software is especially beneficial for radiologists in rural settings

When used as an assistive tool, computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) software significantly improves diagnostic performances of radiologists interpreting breast ultrasound exams, even among readers with minimal experience in doing so. 

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One-fourth of practices say operating costs are up, with 93% facing clinical staffing shortages

Nearly one-fourth of practices say operating costs are up since prior to the pandemic, with professional staffing expenses the main driver, according to survey data released Tuesday.

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Face Mask Mandates Fall Away Among Many Hospitals, Doctors

Hospitals and clinics across the U.S.—some of the last bastions requiring masks and Covid-19 tests—are ending the mandates. 

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The 'potential is mind-blowing': How hospitals use ChatGPT for marketing

Health systems are using generative artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT to assist in creating marketing materials, though human staffers still review the writing for accuracy.

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Walgreens laying off 10% of corporate workforce

Walgreens Boots Alliance is cutting its corporate workforce by 10%, affecting 504 workers, as the company focuses on its healthcare business. According to Walgreens spokesman Fraser Engerman, the layoffs won’t include the company’s stores, micro-fulfillment centers or call centers. “As we continue to transform our business into a consumer-centric healthcare company, we are focused on aligning our structure and streamlining our operations to best serve our patients and customers,” Engerman wrote to Healthcare Dive.

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ChatGPT's radiology board success has experts rethinking resident education

Following ChatGPT’s strong performance on a mock radiology board exam, experts are calling for radiology training programs to rethink how they are educating residents. 

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Could sugar consumption impact the risk of Alzheimer's disease?

Scientists at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina have made a significant breakthrough, demonstrating that increased sugar consumption and elevated blood glucose levels alone can trigger the accumulation of amyloid plaque in the brain, which is a contributing factor to the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

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Psilocybin Works Just as Well for Depression With or Without Antidepressant

In an analysis of 233 participants treated with a single dose of the investigational psilocybin treatment COMP360, there was a similar improvement in depression symptoms regardless of whether or not the patients withdrew from their antidepressants or antipsychotics, reported Guy Goodwin, MD, chief medical officer of COMPASS Pathway in London, which is developing the product.

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Memory Boosting Power of Flavanols in Aging Adults

A new study establishes the critical role of flavanols, nutrients found in certain fruits and vegetables, in mitigating age-related memory loss. The research shows a correlation between flavanol intake and scores on memory tests among older adults. A remarkable improvement was observed in individuals over 60 with low-flavanol diets, after these dietary components were replenished.

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Step Up for Brain Health: Walking Boosts Brain Networks, Combats Alzheimer’s

Walking can enhance connections within and between three critical brain networks, one of which is linked to Alzheimer’s disease.The research, involving older adults with normal cognitive function and those with mild cognitive impairment, showcased an improvement in memory recollection abilities after a 12-week walking exercise regimen. The brain activity observed was stronger and more synchronized post-exercise, providing hope for combating cognitive impairment and potentially delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s dementia.

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Vitamin D's Crucial Role in Dopamine Function and Schizophrenia

Neuroscientists discovered how vitamin D deficiency impacts the development of neurons, contributing to disorders such as schizophrenia. Using innovative technology, they were able to observe that a lack of vitamin D not only changes neuron growth but also affects the brain’s dopamine release mechanism. They found dopamine release was enhanced in cells grown in the presence of vitamin D, compared to a control.

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Federal Trade Commission issues warning to health companies about the misuse of consumer data

The Federal Trade Commission recently issued a warning to healthcare companies on how it defines the appropriate use of consumers’ biometric data. 

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Florida Docs Can Soon Deny Patient Care Based on Personal, Religious Beliefs

A controversial new Florida bill will allow physicians to opt out of performing certain services because of "sincerely held" religious, moral, or ethical beliefs.

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ChatGPT's radiology board success has experts rethinking resident education

Following ChatGPT’s strong performance on a mock radiology board exam, experts are calling for radiology training programs to rethink how they are educating residents. 

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What 3 key congressional hearings last week mean for the industry

Political will seems to be rising to address drivers of growing medical costs and poor access to care, according to lawmaker comments on the Hill

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Florida stiffens penalties for assault on hospital workers

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill May 24 to enhance criminal penalties for people who knowingly commit assault or battery upon workers at a hospital. Under the new law, assailants who assault a worker at a hospital will face a misdemeanor charge of the first degree rather than a misdemeanor charge of the second degree. 

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