Obese folks are less likely to benefit from a nerve-stimulation treatment for sleep apnea that’s recently been made available to them, a new study reports. The treatment is likely to be 75% less effective among obese people with BMIs of 32 to 35, compared to patients with lower BMIs, researchers found. “Our study shows that… read on > read on >
A test to gauge if it’s safe to prescribe a patient an addictive opioid may have been approved too soon by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, claims a letter sent to the agency by a group of experts. The test, called AvertD, is meant to screen for genetic markers suggesting that a person has… read on > read on >
THURSDAY, April 4, 2024 (HealthDayNews) — Following disappointing trial results, the maker of a controversial ALS drug said it is pulling the medication off the market. In a statement issued Thursday, Amylyx Pharmaceuticals said that Relyvrio failed to help patients in a large follow-up study, and the drug “will no longer be available for new… read on > read on >
Two newly discovered genetic variations can have a powerful effect on a person’s risk for obesity, a new report says. Variants in the gene BSN, also known as Bassoon, can increase risk of obesity as much as sixfold, researchers report April 4 in the journal Nature Genetics. These variants affect about 1 in every 6,500… read on > read on >
Three anti-smoking groups announced Tuesday that they have sued the U.S. government yet again after it missed its latest deadline for enacting a ban on menthol cigarettes. This is the second lawsuit that the plaintiffs — the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council, Action on Smoking and Health and the National Medical Association — have… read on > read on >
Research into germs that travel through the human digestive tract shows that some may promote obesity while others might help prevent it. Not only that, but those microbes may act differently in men versus women, the same study found. “Our findings reveal how an imbalance in distinct bacterial groups are likely to play an important… read on > read on >
Cutting back on sodium is crucial to treating heart disease, but most heart patients aren’t able to limit their salt intake, a new study finds. On average, people with heart disease consume more than double the daily recommended amount of salt, researchers report. Sodium is essential for human health, but taking in too much can… read on > read on >
Patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder tend to see their conditions ease after four months on the ketogenic (“keto”) diet, a small pilot study finds. While no one is saying the diet should replace standard medications, the researchers believe it could provide additional help for some. “It’s very promising and very encouraging that you can… read on > read on >
The seeds of high blood pressure in adulthood might be sown in youth, a new study suggests. Children and teenagers with excess weight were more likely to have high blood pressure in middle age, researchers report. In fact, there’s a linear relationship between adult high blood pressure and childhood overweight and obesity, researchers found. The… read on > read on >
A new warning is being issued over a heart pump whose use could perforate the heart. The device has already been linked to over 100 injuries and 49 deaths. These left-sided Impella heart pumps are made by Abiomed, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson MedTech. Abiomed posted the new warning on the devices on the… read on > read on >
