Wegovy (semaglutide), the weight-loss version of blockbuster diabetes drug Ozempic, was approved on Friday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help prevent heart attack, stroke and heart death. “Wegovy is now the first weight-loss medication to also be approved to help prevent life-threatening cardiovascular events in adults with cardiovascular disease and either obesity… read on > read on >
Instead of approving the new Alzheimer’s drug donanemab this month, as was expected, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will now require the experimental medication be scrutinized more closely by an expert panel, the drug’s maker said Friday. “The FDA has informed Lilly it wants to further understand topics related to evaluating the safety and… read on > read on >
More Americans exposed to radiation caused by the government would be compensated under a bill that passed the U.S. Senate Thursday. The bipartisan legislation, which would cost an estimated $50 billion, would expand the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) to include more people who believe that radiation exposure caused illnesses such as cancer. The bill… read on > read on >
Lots of seniors are regularly taking low-dose aspirin in hopes of preventing heart attacks and strokes, even though updated guidelines often advise against it. About one in four older adults take aspirin at least three times a week, according to results from the University of Michigan’s National Poll on Health Aging. However, many seniors who… read on > read on >
Folks worried about becoming flabby in middle age should check out what their parents looked like when they were that age, a new study says. People are six times more likely to become obese in middle age if both their parents were chubby during that time of their lives, according to research to be presented… read on > read on >
Children with “lazy eye” are more likely to become adults facing an array of serious health problems, a new study warns. Kids diagnosed with amblyopia are more likely to develop high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes as adults, researchers found. They also face an increased risk of heart attack, according to findings published March 7… read on > read on >
Dementia could three times more common among people suffering from essential tremor, a movement disorder that causes involuntary shaking, a new study suggests. “Not only do tremors affect a person’s ability to complete daily tasks such writing and eating, our study suggests that people with essential tremor also have an increased risk of developing dementia,”… read on > read on >
It’s well known that long-acting opioid meds raise the odds for addiction in users — including folks dealing with pain after an orthopedic surgery. Now, new research suggests that patients fare just as well if doctors prescribe less risky immediate-release opioids following a knee replacement surgery. Pain management was equal to that seen in patients… read on > read on >
During the past half-century, the United States’ annual number of school shootings has increased more than twelvefold, a new study finds. What’s more, children are now four times more likely to be a school shooting victim, and the death rate from school shootings has risen more than sixfold. “Firearm violence is a public health crisis,… read on > read on >
Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata: Millions of bleary-eyed Americans turn to this class of so-called “Z-drugs” to get restful sleep. But how do these drugs work, and do they come with risks? Experts at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have issued an advisory to boost awareness about the meds. All of these medications — generically known… read on > read on >
