Tuesday, January 31, 2023

CDC says an eye drop brand may be connected to drug-resistant bacterial infections

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A brand of over-the-counter eye drops may be linked to a bacterial infection that left one person dead and three others with permanent vision loss, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC has identified at least 50 people in 11 states with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is a type of bacterium resistant to most antibiotics. So far, there have been cases in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Texas, Utah and Washington.

The agency said it is investigating, and that a majority of people affected reported using preservative-free EzriCare Artificial Tears before they became infected, according to a Jan. 20 statement.

Among the reported cases, 11 people developed eye infections, including at least three who were blinded in one eye. Others who became ill had respiratory infections or urinary tract infections, and one person died after the bacterium entered their bloodstream.

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It remains unclear at this time if those affected had underlying eye conditions, such as glaucoma or cataracts, that would have made them more susceptible. Eye infection symptoms include pain, swelling, discharge, redness, blurry vision, sensitivity to light and the feeling that an object is stuck in the eye.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria are commonly found in water, soil and on the hands of otherwise healthy people. These infections typically take place in hospitals among people with weakened immune systems. This type of bacterium is often resistant to standard antibiotics.

The eye drops in question are labeled as preservative-free, meaning the product does not contain anything that could prevent microbiological growth. 

It is possible that the drops were contaminated during the manufacturing process or when a person with the bacteria on their skin opened the container.

The CDC discovered the bacteria in the eye drop bottles and is conducting tests to determine whether that bacteria matches the strain found in patients.

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EzriCare Artificial Tears had not been recalled as of Tuesday evening. 

The CDC is recommending that clinicians and patients stop using the product until the investigation and laboratory analysis are complete.



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Italy plans to loosen its anti-COVID regulations for travelers coming from China

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Italy will loosen its anti-COVID controls for travellers arriving from China, making swabs random rather than mandatory at its airports, a document seen by Reuters on Tuesday showed.

Under a new order signed by Health Minister Orazio Schillaci, Italy will require those flying from China to test negative within 48 hours of departure and may carry out additional swabs "on a random basis" upon arrival at the airport.

On Dec. 28, Italy imposed mandatory COVID tests and virus sequencing for passengers coming from China.

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Tuesday's order will come into force on Wednesday and will be valid until the end of February.

Italy's stance contrasts with that of France which on Saturday extended mandatory COVID tests for travellers from China until Feb. 15.

The scale of the outbreak in China and doubts over official data prompted many countries, including the United States and Japan, to impose travel rules on Chinese visitors.

The re-opening of China's borders from Jan. 8 raises the prospect of Chinese tourists returning to shopping streets worldwide, once a market worth $255 billion a year globally.



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Monday, January 30, 2023

Indonesia local trader forged ingredient label that may have led to cough syrup deaths of 200 kids

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Indonesian police said on Monday a local trader of industrial-grade chemicals sold them as pharmaceutical-grade, leading to their use in medicated syrups that authorities suspect may have caused deaths of more than 200 children across the country.

Authorities have said two ingredients, ethylene glycol (EG) and diethyelene glycol (DEG), found in some syrup-based paracetamol medications are linked to acute kidney injury, which many of the children suffered.

The two ingredients are used in antifreeze, brake fluids and other industrial applications, but also as a cheaper alternative in some pharmaceutical products to glycerine, which is a solvent or thickening agent in many cough syrups. They can be toxic and can lead to acute kidney injury.

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Pipit Rismanto, a senior police official, told reporters authorities have found that CV Samudera Chemical sold "industrial-grade" EG and DEG as pharmaceutical-grade propylene glycol manufactured by Dow Chemical Thailand and supplied them to distributors of local drug-makers.

Police have arrested and charged officials at Samudera and its distributor CV Anugrah Perdana Gemilang. More suspects may be named as the investigation continues, Pipit said.

Reuters could not immediately reach CV Samudera Chemical or its distributor for comment.

Riswan Sipayung, the president director of Dow Indonesia, said the company was "committed to working with the government, distributors and industry partners to do our part in mitigating the pervasive and urgent issue of counterfeiting and tackling this industry-wide problem with all stakeholders".

Last week, The World Health Organization called for "immediate and concerted action" to protect children from contaminated medicines after about 300 deaths in Gambia, Uzbekistan, and Indonesia linked to cough syrups last year.

Twenty-five Indonesian families of some of the children demanded restitution as a court this month started hearing their class-action lawsuit against government agencies and pharmaceutical firms.

Indonesia's drugs regulator (BPOM) has said the spike in the cases occurred as several parties "exploited a gap in the safety guarantee system" and pharmaceutical companies did not sufficiently check the raw ingredients they used.



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Sunday, January 29, 2023

WHO updates list of medicines governments should stockpile in case of a nuclear emergency

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The World Health Organization released an updated report on Friday detailing medications that governments should have on hand in the event of a radiological or nuclear emergency. 

Governments should have a national stockpile of personal protective equipment, but also a range of pharmaceuticals, including potassium iodide tablets, antiemetics, anti-diarrhoeal agents, decorporating agents, alkylating agents, and other medications, WHO said. 

"It is essential that governments are prepared to protect the health of populations and respond immediately to emergencies," Dr. Maria Neira, the Acting Assistant Director-General at WHO, said in a statement on Friday. "This includes having ready supplies of lifesaving medicines that will reduce risks and treat injuries from radiation." 

Radiological disasters can result from an accident at a nuclear power plant or the intentional detonation of a nuclear bomb in armed conflict. 

WHO did not name any specific conflict, but the threat of a radiological disaster has become clear worldwide over the past year amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 

RUSSIA'S NUCLEAR AGENCY HELPS MILITARY SIDESTEP SANCTIONS: REPORT

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said this month said his agency is setting up a "continuous presence of nuclear safety and security experts" at Ukraine's nuclear facilities to "help prevent a nuclear accident during the current military conflict." 

Russian officials have also repeatedly reminded the world that it has weapons of mass destruction, with Putin ally Dmitry Medvedev, the Deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, saying last week that the "loss of a nuclear power in a conventional war can provoke the beginning of a nuclear war."

WHO's report on Friday updates a list from 2007, and the organization said more novel treatments could be on the way. 

"Research is making progress in developing novel treatments and achieving technical advances that may result in new products for use during a radiation emergency," the report reads. 



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Friday, January 27, 2023

Is there a chicken coop in your future as egg costs rise? Know the health risks first

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The soaring cost of eggs may be inspiring some people to add a chicken coop or two to their backyard or property. 

The feathery pets, however, come with serious health risks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — so people should go into such an endeavor with eyes wide open.

"Raising any type of animal or bird is always potentially fraught with communicable disease transmission," Dr. Aaron Glatt, chief of infectious diseases at Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital on Long Island, New York, told Fox News Digital this week.

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"Proper attention has to be given toward maintaining the good health of these creatures, as well as preventing the spread of microbes they may harbor," added Glatt. He is also a spokesperson for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. 

Last year, there were 1,230 illnesses, 225 hospitalizations and two deaths in 49 states and Puerto Rico as part of a CDC investigation into outbreaks linked to backyard poultry, according to its website.

"In 2022, CDC investigated 13 multi-state outbreaks of salmonella infections linked to backyard poultry," Dr. Kathy Benedict, a veterinarian epidemiologist with the CDC, told Fox News Digital. 

"Backyard poultry can be a reservoir for many diseases, which can spread diseases to poultry and/or humans," added Maurice Pitesky, a cooperative extension specialist with University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in Davis, California.

"It is our responsibility to raise the birds in such a manner as to reduce the potential for disease transmission," he added.

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The CDC gives tips on how to stay safe from the harmful germs that chickens can spread.

"Chickens can carry germs like campylobacter, E. coli and salmonella," Benedict of the CDC told Fox News Digital.

These are all bacterial infections. 

Chickens don’t usually get sick from these germs, she said — so "they can look clean and healthy but still spread the germs to people."

People using a chicken coop can also get an infection known as histoplasmosis, said Benedict. 

It's caused by a fungus found in soil that's contaminated with bird poop. 

Experts emphasize the importance of knowing the health risks of one bacterial infection in particular — salmonella — associated with having a chicken coop.

"You can get sick from touching your backyard poultry or anything in their environment and then touching your mouth or food and swallowing salmonella germs," the CDC notes on its website.

Patients who are sick with salmonella often have a fever and diarrheal symptoms with stomach cramps, the CDC says.

The symptoms often begin as early as six hours up to six days after swallowing the bacteria, but most people get better on their own in one week.

Children younger than five, adults who are 65 and older, and people who are immunocompromised are more likely to be at risk for severe disease from salmonella and may require treatment, including hospitalization.

The agency emphasizes that people should always wash their hands with soap and water after the following: handling any chickens; touching their eggs; and touching anything where chickens live and roam. 

But hand sanitizer is a good second-line option if soap and water are not readily available.

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The agency suggests people have a ready supply of hand sanitizer near the chicken coop.

Kissing or snuggling chickens can spread germs to the mouth — which is why the CDC recommends against doing this.

Also, don't eat or drink when around chickens, the CDC says.

Keep chickens, their care supplies such as feed containers, and the specific shoes you wear to care for chickens outside the home. 

"You should also clean the supplies outside the house," the CDC adds on its website.

Kids should also be supervised any time they're around backyard poultry. 

Parents and caregivers should remind them to also wash their hands after handling chickens. 

Children under five years old should not touch chickens. That's because they're at higher risk of getting sick from germs like salmonella.

While "eggs are one of nature’s most nutritious and economical foods," the CDC points out, "eggs can make you sick if you do not handle and cook them properly."

Eggs that stay in the nest for a long time can break or become dirty — so collect eggs as often as you can.

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Broken eggs allow germs to enter the egg more easily through the cracked shell. Any eggs with broken shells should be thrown away. 

For unbroken eggs, "rub off dirt on [these] eggs with fine sandpaper, a brush or a cloth," the CDC notes on its website.

For warm, fresh eggs, avoid washing them with water, "because colder water can pull germs into the egg."

Once you've cleaned the eggs, it's wisest to refrigerate them to keep them fresh and to slow bacterial growth. 

While some people believe that fresh, unwashed eggs can be stored safely at room temperature, refrigerating them will help them last longer. 

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The CDC adds, "Cook eggs until both the yolk and white are firm, and cook egg dishes to an internal temperature of 160°F to kill all germs."

Benedict told Fox News Digital, "CDC’s website has information about how to stay healthy around backyard chickens and how to keep your chickens healthy."

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She noted that the agency also includes FAQs and "a printable infographic for people who have chicken coops."



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Thursday, January 26, 2023

European Union drug regulator determines antibiotic shortage not a ‘major event’

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Europe's drug regulator has decided not to label the antibiotic shortage on the continent a "major event", given existing measures to tackle the shortfall were working in the short term, it said in a statement on Thursday,

A "major event" label would allow the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to coordinate action at a pan-European level and increase the reporting obligations of manufacturers.

The EMA's decision, which Reuters revealed earlier on Thursday, is focused on shortages of certain widely used antibiotics, including amoxicillin - used to treat bacterial infections and often prescribed for ear and chest infections in children - that emerged back in November.

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The EMA said it had received positive feedback from major amoxicillin manufacturers that supply is expected to be increased in the coming weeks and months, and that it expects demand for antibiotics will dampen as spring approaches.

Nearly all European countries are currently reporting antibiotic shortages, according to the EMA.

The spike in demand for antibiotics is linked to the resurgence of respiratory infections after two years of COVID-19 restrictions, which has pressured global supplies and made obtaining imports unlikely.

Drugmakers had also cut output when demand dipped at the height of the pandemic.

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A meeting of the EMA's Executive Steering Group on Shortages and Safety of Medicinal Products (MSSG) took place earlier on Thursday, where the issue was discussed.

On Wednesday, a consortium of patient and consumer groups wrote to the EMA saying not enough was being done to address the shortages and that the use of alternative antibiotics was squeezing supplies of other medicines.

The groups also recommended the EMA declare the situation a "major event", acknowledging that although the declaration would not immediately resolve the crisis, it would offer the regulator visibility into the extent of amoxicillin and other antibiotic shortages across the continent.

Apart from using alternatives, European Union officials have encouraged member states to allow the use of medicines that may not be authorised domestically, among other recommendations.



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Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Malawi death toll caused by cholera outbreak passes 1,000

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The death toll from a cholera outbreak in Malawi has passed 1,000 while cases have risen to 30,621, the highest on record in the country, Health Minister Khumbize Chiponda said on Wednesday.

Most of the deaths occurred in the two main cities of Lilongwe and Blantyre where children have recently gone back to classes after schools delayed opening to try and contain the spread.

Chiponda called on people to take extra care handling the bodies of cholera victims before funerals.

WORST CHOLERA OUTBREAK IN 2 DECADES SWEEPS THROUGH MALAWI, HAS NOW CLAIMED 750 LIVES

"People who are dying from cholera may be washed by family members who then prepare funeral feasts ... Outbreaks of cholera commonly follow these feasts," she said.

The minister called for people to use proper decontamination procedures with chlorine and plastic body bags.

Cholera regularly hits the southern African country during rains from November to March, but there was an unusually high surge in contaminations during and after the festive season. The usual annual death toll is around 100.

"The cumulative confirmed cases and deaths since the onset of the outbreak is 30,621 and 1,002, respectively with case fatality rate at 3.27%," Chiponda said.

Health officials said last week that a number of clinics in the country, which received 2.7 million doses of the cholera vaccine under a WHO programme, were running low of supplies.

The health ministry refused to comment on vaccine stock situation when reached by Reuters.



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Efforts to eradicate Guinea worm disease enters ‘most difficult’ phase after 2022 reports only 13 human cases

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The Carter Center said Tuesday that only 13 human cases of Guinea worm disease were reported worldwide last year.

After decades of progress, the eradication program’s director cautioned the end phase of the global effort to eradicate the parasitic disease will be "the most difficult."

The Atlanta-based center, founded by former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Eleanor Rosalynn Carter, said the remaining infections occurred in four countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Six human cases were reported in Chad, five in South Sudan, one in Ethiopia and one in the Central African Republic, which remains under investigation.

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That’s a significant drop from when former President Carter began leading the global eradication effort in 1986, when the disease infected 3.5 million people.

The figures, which are provisional, are expected to be confirmed in the coming months.

"We are truly in the midst of that last mile and experiencing firsthand that it is going to be a very long and arduous last mile," Adam Weiss, director of The Carter Center’s Guinea Worm Eradication Program, told The Associated Press. "Not so much as it taking more than the next seven years – five to seven years – but just knowing that it’s going to be a slow roll to get to zero."

Guinea worm affects some of the world’s more vulnerable people and can be prevented by training people to filter and drink clean water.

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People who drink unclean water can ingest parasites that can grow as long as 3 feet. The worm incubates in people for up to a year before painfully emerging, often through the feet or other sensitive parts of the body.

Weiss said the populations where Guinea worm still exists are prone to local insecurity, including conflict, which can prevent staff and volunteers from going house to house to implement interventions or offer support.

"If we take our foot off of the gas in terms of trying to accelerate getting to zero and providing support to those communities, there’s no question that you’re going to see a surge in Guinea worm," Weiss said. "We’re continuing to make progress, even if it is not as fast as we all want it to be, but that progress continues."

Guinea worm is poised to be the second human disease to be eradicated after smallpox, according to The Carter Center.



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Dire shortage of infectious disease specialists in US, for 'complex' reasons

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The United States is experiencing a dire shortage of infectious disease specialists, according to the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), a medical association based in Arlington, Virginia. 

"Infectious disease (ID) physicians have repeatedly demonstrated their importance during critical worldwide crises, such as with HIV/AIDS, the COVID-19 pandemic and Mpox (previously Monkeypox)," Dr. Cindy Whitener told Fox News Digital.

Whitener is chief of the division of infectious diseases at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

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"During their daily work, ID physicians prevent deaths in patients with antibiotic-resistant organisms and avert outbreaks in hospitals" — to name "just a couple of examples of their value," she also said. 

But the next generation of doctors is not showing a strong interest in the field — leading to concern among many. 

Although plenty of other specialty slots were filled in the most recent recruitment cycle, just over half of adult infectious disease training programs were filled, according to data from the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). 

"When the results of the ‘match’ are released to programs and applicants on ‘Match Day,’ the NRMP also provides a list of unmatched applicants to the programs that did not fill, as well as a list of unfilled programs to the applicants who did not match," Jeanette L. Calli, chief of match operations at the National Resident Matching Program in Washington, D.C., told Fox News Digital.

"It is the up to the applicants and programs to reach out to each other to fill the remaining positions," she said. 

Many programs work hard to fill their open slots by recruiting applicants who did not match; they also hope to attract other residents who are often training in the same university hospitals.

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The decrease in applicants for ID fellowships this year is notable, as Stat News pointed out, because during the first two pandemic-era rounds, the field saw a rise in interest — a trend experienced in other public health-related fields that was dubbed the "Fauci effect." 

As Stat News put it, "The critical nature of public health careers was never clearer than during the pandemic, and educators said they saw a wave of people drawing inspiration from that."

But this is not the case now. 

In 2017, some 208 million U.S. citizens lived in counties in which there was either no infectious disease physician coverage at all — or an inadequate number of infectious disease doctors — according to a study published in October 2020 in Annals of Internal Medicine, a medical journal.

The study estimated that 80% of counties in the U.S. did not have even one infectious disease specialist.

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"Furthermore, nearly two thirds of all Americans live in the 90% of counties with below average or no ID physician access, and these counties encompass vast — largely rural — parts of the country," the study said.

It noted, however, that its "analysis did not account for other professions capable of delivering public health or ID-specific care (such as epidemiologists, advanced practice providers, pharmacists, and infection preventionists)."

Still, recent models from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) project a concerning shortage of infectious disease doctors over the next 10 years — mostly in rural areas. 

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The same agency expects there to be a demand for 15,130 infectious disease specialists by 2035. Yet it estimates that only 14,000 doctors will be working in the specialty by that year. 

Some experts are surprised that fewer doctors are going into the infectious disease specialty — given that record numbers have been applying to medical school in part due to the pandemic and the "Fauci effect."

Approximately 62,000 people applied to medical school in the 2021-2022 cycle — a new record, with the actual number who matriculated surpassing 22,000 for the second consecutive year, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).

Some critics, however, argue that positions went unfilled partly because infectious disease fellowship programs expanded too rapidly in the past several years.

In the 2018 cycle, there were approximately 394 available positions at 151 programs to train for the practice of adult infectious diseases. 

That's in contrast to the most recent match, with roughly 441 positions at 175 programs, according to the NRMP. 

"I think the situation is quite complex," Dr. Carlos del Rio, president of IDSA, told Fox News Digital. 

"There are several factors playing into the decision of residents in both internal medicine and pediatrics to not choose [infectious disease] as a specialty," added del Rio, who is also an infectious disease physician and professor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. 

"[Infectious disease] is one of the few specialties, if not the only specialty, where you make less after training than before," said del Rio. 

"In other words, the person graduating from internal medicine can get a higher salary than someone graduating from ID with an additional two-to-three years of training."

Only 44% of infectious disease physicians felt they were fairly compensated in 2021. That's the lowest out of approximately 30 specialties surveyed, according to Medscape.

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"But other issues are also playing a role," del Rio noted. "In the past, residents had much more exposure to ID physicians in their training. In today's training environment, that is less and less the case."

Trainees see infectious disease physicians routinely working longer hours for lower compensation compared to other medical specialties — and often handling additional administrative tasks "without appropriate renumeration," said Whitener of Pennsylvania.

"Additional disincentives that have existed for years but were exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic," she added, "are burnout, due to longstanding understaffing and chronic long work hours."

Experts also blame the pandemic for polarizing the specialty — as many faced "the potential for personal risk of being harassed or threatened for publicly expressing ID opinions or advice on topics that become politicized," Whitener noted.

To reverse the trend, she suggests closing the compensation gap for ID physicians — and improving physician staffing to decrease burnout.

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"It needs to be recognized that typical financial metrics are not reflective of the contributions made by many ID physicians, which include supportive administrative and clinical roles and indirect clinical income," she added.

President Biden signed the Prepare for and Respond to Existing Viruses, Emerging New Threats and Pandemics Act, also known as the PREVENT Pandemics Act, on Dec. 29, 2022, meant to increase the nation’s preparedness for the next pandemic, according to the AAMC.

The IDSA advocated for the bill to pass.

It noted that the legislation includes a measure called the BIO Preparedness Workforce Pilot Program that would decrease medical school debt.

"Specifically, this [pilot] program would help make the field of ID a more financially feasible choice for new physicians and increase the availability of infectious diseases experts in underserved communities through a loan repayment program," the IDSA said in a recent statement. 

"PREVENT will also strengthen medical supply chains, improve disease data collection and bolster the nation’s overall preparedness infrastructure."

However, in a jointly written op-ed titled "Here's how we prevent the next, inevitable pandemic" published last spring by Fox News Digital, two authors — Rick A. Bright, CEO of the Pandemic Prevention Institute at The Rockefeller Foundation, and Esther Krofah, executive director of FasterCures and the Center for Public Health at the Milken Institute — argued, "Global leaders from the public and private sectors must engage in a robust dialogue" in regard to advance planning and preparedness for future pandemics.

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"International organizations, regional institutions and community-based groups are all essential, too."

They also wrote, "Together, they must agree on the right data to generate — likely a combination of genomic, environmental, mobility and consumer data from traditional and nontraditional sources."

They added, "Together, they must identify gaps in data collection and prioritize investments."



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Tuesday, January 24, 2023

Obesity and belly bulge linked to being 'frail' later in life: study

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A bulging belly might be linked to early physical decline and age-related infirmity.

Researchers in Norway recently released a prospective cohort study that looked into the relation body mass indexes (BMI) and waist circumferences (WC) have on "pre-frailty" and "frailty" in older adults, and they published their findings in BMJ Open, a peer-reviewed open access medical journal.

The study was co-authored by Shreeshti Uchai, Lene Frost Andersen, Laila Arnesdatter Hopstock and Anette Hjartåker, all of whom are faculty members at the University of Oslo’s nutrition department and the UiT The Arctic University of Norway’s community medicine department.

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A total of 4,509 study participants from Tromsø, Norway, were examined over a 21-year period with 2,340 of the participants being women and 2,169 of the participants being men.

The study participants were at least 45 years old from 1994 to 1995 – the study’s starting point – and they reportedly had their body mass index and waist circumferences measured in 2001 and again from 2007 to 2008.

"Physical frailty was defined as the presence of three or more and pre-frailty as the presence of one to two of the five frailty components suggested by Fried et al: low grip strength, slow walking speed, exhaustion, unintentional weight loss and low physical activity," the study stated in its primary outcome measure.

Trained personnel reportedly measured the study participants and calculated their BMI by recording each subject’s weight and dividing it by the square of their height (kilograms by meter squared).

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The study’s researchers report that they used the World Health Organization’s (WHO) established "Classification of adults according to BMI" chart to categorize which participants were "underweight" (less than 18.5 kg/meter squared), "normal" (18.5 to 24.9 kg/meter squared), "overweight" (25 to 29.9 kg/meter squared) and "obese" (greater than or equal to 30 kg/meter squared).

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The study’s researchers also report that they followed the WHO’s established waist measurement categorization and sorted each study participant’s waist circumference into a "normal," "moderately high" or "high" category.

Study participants who were baseline obese or had a high to moderately high waist circumference were found to be more prone to pre-frailty and age-expected frailty compared to those who had a normal BMI and waist circumference, according to the study’s results summary.

There were "no significantly increased odds for pre-frailty/frailty" in study participants who had a normal BMI with a moderately high or high waist circumference and those who were baseline overweight with a normal waist circumference.

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Based on the study’s 21-year analysis, the research paper reported that there are "increased odds of pre-frailty/frailty" for people who are obese with a moderately high or high waist circumference, people who are in the overweight to obese category and people who are on an increasing obesity trajectory.

Study participants who had a high waist circumference throughout the study’s follow-up were found to have a higher likelihood of being pre-frail or frail in old age compared to their "stable normal" waist circumference counterparts.

"Both general and abdominal obesity, especially over time during adulthood, is associated with an increased risk of pre-frailty/frailty in later years," the study concluded. "Thus maintaining normal BMI and WC throughout adult life is important."

The WHO says a "healthy diet" includes a combination of various food staples – including cereals (wheat, barley, rye, maize or rice), starchy tubers or roots (potato, yam, taro or cassava), legumes (lentils and beans), fruits, vegetables and animal sources (meat, fish, eggs and milk).

In terms of exercise, the WHO recommends at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity or at least 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous aerobic physical activity for adults who are 18 years old and older.



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Putin says Russia is facing a shortage of medicine due to war with Ukraine

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President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that there were shortages of some medicines in Russia, despite the country producing more of its own drugs, and suggested building up stocks of popular medicines to help meet demand.

While prescription drugs are exempt from Western sanctions imposed over the war in Ukraine, their delivery to Russia has been hit by transport, insurance and customs hurdles caused by the war and other restrictive measures, industry figures say.

"There has been a shortage of some drugs, despite the fact that we saw production of pharmaceutical products in the (first) three quarters of last year grow by about 22%," Putin said in a televised meeting with government officials.

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"Sixty percent of medicines on the market are domestic drugs. Nevertheless, a deficit has formed in some drugs, and prices have risen."

He added that Russia does not restrict imports of drugs and continues to work with foreign manufacturers.

"We need to ensure there are supplies of the most popular drugs within a certain period of time," he said, suggesting that Russia could stockpile drugs for the flu season in the same way it builds up gas reserves in preparation for winter.

Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year, Russians rushed to stock up on drugs, with people buying a month's worth of medicine in just two weeks.

Russia also imports a large share of its medical equipment, such as pacemakers and radiotherapy devices, from the European Union and the United States, and its reliance is particularly acute for the most complex and critical machines.



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Body positivity movement rejected by health influencer on weight loss journey: ‘morbid obesity is not healthy’

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The body positivity movement — while rooted in good intentions — has spiraled out of control and promotes lifestyles that are not physically or mentally healthy, a man in the middle of a weight-loss journey said. 

"I can say that when I was about 400 pounds, that wasn't a positive thing for my body," Dave Danna, a 30-year-old from South Carolina, told Fox News. "I feel like what I am doing right now is body positivity and what I am getting towards is a healthy size."

Danna’s weight gain began after he graduated from college and continued for years until he reached a tipping point in 2022. He noticed everyday tasks like tying his shoes became difficult. He struggled to help the movers move him out of his house. Seatbelts started not to fit him.

Finally, when he stepped on his scale, the machine couldn’t give him a weight because he exceeded its 400-pound limit.

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"I was getting to the point where I was concerned about my life on a daily basis," Danna said. "That sort of was my coming to Jesus moment."

The body positivity movement has gained attention in recent years, promoting acceptance of all bodies regardless of size, skin tone, gender and physical abilities to combat unrealistic beauty standards seen in Hollywood and other media. But critics argue activists have taken body positivity too far and push unhealthy lifestyles like obesity, which, according to Harvard University, increases the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by over 50% and stroke by 64%. 

In December, Time Magazine published "The White Supremacist Origins of Exercise," while Cosmopolitan magazine featured plus-sized models on covers in 2021 that read "This is Healthy!" 

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"I would agree that we should find beauty and positivity other than unrealistic beauty standards," Danna told Fox News. "And this seems to me to be almost like a yo-yo all the way in the opposite direction."

"What I don't understand is any type of messaging that would have said that when I was over 400 pounds there wasn't a health issue there," he added. "Because morbid obesity is not healthy."

Danna booked an appointment with a doctor to get blood work done, joined a gym and started to change his eating habits. Over the past six months, he lost nearly 60 pounds. 

"I feel better," he told Fox News. "I've built constructive and healthy habits to get me to where I want to go. But really the journey is just beginning."

Danna wakes up at 4 a.m. everyday to hit the gym before work. He's gained thousands of social media followers since he began posting motivational content about his weight loss journey.

"Building that self-confidence, building the daily feeling of accomplishment has done more for my positive mental health than I had expected," Danna said. "I think it's a bigger victory for me personally than the weight loss."

Danna said the body positivity movement's overall message is "not for me."

"Not to say that the underlying aspects of finding beauty and positivity in different types of bodies isn't legitimate," Danna said. "It's just that we can't seem to find a common ground where we can be healthy and positive."

To watch the full interview with Danna, click here. 



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Monday, January 23, 2023

FDA to propose yearly COVID vaccines like annual flu shots for Americans

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The Food and Drug Administration on Monday proposed approaching COVID-19 vaccines like the annual flu shot many Americans receive in order to protect against mutations of the virus. 

The proposal aims to simplify future vaccination efforts. Under this strategy, most adults and children would get a once-a-year shot to protect against the mutating virus. They would no longer have to keep track of how many shots they’ve received or many months it's been since their last booster.

In documents posted online, FDA scientists say many Americans now have "sufficient preexisting immunity" against the coronavirus because of vaccination, infection, or a combination of the two. 

That baseline of protection should be enough, the agency says, to move to an annual booster against the latest strains in circulation and make COVID-19 vaccinations more like the yearly flu shot.

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The FDA will also ask its panel to vote on whether all vaccines should target the same strains. That step would be needed to make the shots interchangeable, doing away with the current complicated system of primary vaccinations and boosters.

The initial shots from Pfizer and Moderna target the strain of the virus that first emerged in 2020 and swept the globe. The updated boosters launched last fall were also tweaked to target omicron relatives that had been dominant.

Under FDA's proposal, the agency, independent experts and manufacturers would decide annually on which strains to target by the early summer, allowing several months to produce and launch updated shots before the fall. That's roughly the same approach long used to select the strains for the annual flu shot. 

More than 80% of the U.S. population has had at least one vaccine dose but only 16% of those eligible have received the latest boosters authorized in August.

Ultimately, FDA officials say moving to an annual schedule would make it easier to promote future vaccination campaigns, which could ultimately boost vaccination rates nationwide.

The FDA will ask its panel of outside vaccine experts to weigh in at a meeting later this week. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 



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COVID outbreak in China infects 80% of population

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The possibility of a big COVID-19 rebound in China over the next two or three months is remote as 80% of people have been infected, a prominent government scientist said on Saturday.

The mass movement of people during the ongoing Lunar New Year holiday period may spread the pandemic, boosting infections in some areas, but a second COVID wave is unlikely in the near term, Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist at the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said on the Weibo social media platform.

Hundreds of millions of Chinese are travelling across the country for holiday reunions that had been suspended under recently eased COVID curbs, raising fears of fresh outbreaks in rural areas less equipped to manage large outbreaks.

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China has passed the peak of COVID patients in fever clinics, emergency rooms and with critical conditions, a National Health Commission official said on Thursday.

Nearly 60,000 people with COVID had died in hospital as of Jan. 12, roughly a month after China abruptly dismantled its zero-COVID policy, according to government data.

But some experts said that figure probably vastly undercounts the full impact, as it excludes those who die at home, and because many doctors have said they are discouraged from citing COVID as a cause of death.



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Sunday, January 22, 2023

Saturday, January 21, 2023

Heart of the matter: Louisiana nonprofit sees more interest in heart screenings after Damar Hamlin collapse

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The nation rallied around Buffalo Bills football player Damar Hamlin nearly three weeks ago when his heart stopped after a tackle during a game and he collapsed on the field. 

Hamlin is now recovering at home and still faces a lengthy rehabilitation.

Yet if there is any good to have come from his medical scare, it may be the renewed attention on keeping student athletes safe, experts say. 

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Cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in young athletes.

And one Louisiana couple is making life-saving screenings more accessible for families. 

"An incident like this makes you realize, we've got to reenergize, continue to push, continue to educate," said cardiologist Dr. Steven Kelley of the Baton Rouge area. 

For 15 years, Dr. Kelley and his wife Danielle have been champions for heart screenings. 

After the death of one of their children's classmates during a basketball game, the couple committed themselves to using their medical backgrounds to offer EKGs and echocardiograms to students free of charge.

They do so through Jump Start Your Heart, their nonprofit organization. 

"We've screened over 7,000 students," Danielle Kelley told Fox News. 

"But we just want to screen more and more."

Danielle Kelley said that ever since Hamlin's collapse, their organization has received numerous emails from schools, parents and clubs wanting to schedule screenings for their young athletes. 

Studies show that one in 300 students are at risk for sudden cardiac arrest.

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These conditions are often missed during standard physicals. 

Just in the last two weeks alone, a 16-year-old girl in Las Vegas died after having chest problems during a flag football game.

At the Air Force Academy, a 21-year-old football player died suddenly on his way to class. 

"As a parent, I don't know that there is any other pain that you could bear than the loss of a child," Dr. Kelley said. 

"We have more work to do. We have to continue to speak up." 

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Of the thousands of students he's screened, Dr. Kelley said that only a handful have had abnormalities.

Even so, getting those tests could have easily saved their lives, he said. 

For more information on Jump Start Your Heart, anyone can visit the nonprofit's website at jumpstartyourheart.org. 



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Friday, January 20, 2023

Cancer blood test using DNA fragments brings hope for earlier detection, say researchers

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Researchers have developed a new machine-learning model to detect cancers that are in their early stages of disease by examining DNA fragments from cancer cells in the blood.

A University of Wisconsin­–Madison research team was able to detect cancer in the bloodstream in most of the samples tested, it said. 

Muhammed Murtaza, professor of surgery at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health based in Madison, Wisconsin, led the study, which was published recently in Science Translational Medicine, a medical journal from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, according to the study’s press release.

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"We’re incredibly excited to discover that early detection and monitoring of multiple cancer types are potentially feasible using such a cost-effective approach," said Murtaza in the press release. 

Earlier detection of many cancers will lead to better outcomes for patients, the release noted.

Although other scientists are also developing blood tests to detect cancer earlier, the present technology has limitations, such as cost and the "sensitivity" of the test.

Sensitivity, in this case, refers to the ability of the test to correctly detect the presence of cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

When cells die as part of the body’s natural process of cell turnover, fragments of DNA are released outside the cells. These start to circulate in the bloodstream — namely, the plasma, which is the liquid portion of the blood, according to the researchers. 

The research team hypothesized that cancer cells have DNA fragments that are different from healthy cells, specifically where the DNA strands "break." Nucleotides, which are the "building blocks of DNA," surround these break points. 

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The research team used a special technique that the study named Genome-wide AnaLYsis of FRagment Ends — or GALYFRE — to analyze the "cell-free" DNA from 521 samples.

The team also "sequenced" data from an additional 2,147 samples from two groups of people: healthy individuals, and patients with 11 different cancer types.

"Sequencing DNA means determining the order of the four chemical building blocks — called "bases" — that make up the DNA molecule," according to the National Institutes of Health’s website on human genome research. 

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"The sequence tells scientists the kind of genetic information that is carried in a particular DNA segment."

The research team then used these analyses to develop a metric that could reflect the proportion of DNA molecules that were from cancer in each sample. 

They combined this measure with the genetic information found on the DNA fragments to develop a model that trains a machine to compare DNA fragments from healthy cells to DNA fragments from different types of cancer cells. 

This model differentiated people with cancer at any stage of their diagnosis from people without cancer 91% of the time.

It also "accurately identified samples from patients with stage 1 cancer in 87% of cases, suggesting it holds promise for detecting cancer in early stages," per the release. 

The study, however promising, notes that more research is needed to apply GALYFRE’s use for patients in different age groups and those who have multiple medical problems. 

The research team hopes to perform more clinical studies to validate the blood test for specific cancers, such as pancreatic cancer and breast cancer.

"One direction we are taking is refining GALYFRE to make it even more accurate for some patients who are at risk of developing specific types of cancers," Murtaza noted in the release. 

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His team is also looking to see if this technology can be used not only for earlier detection of cancers, but also for monitoring how chemotherapy patients respond to cancer treatments.

"I find that using cell-free DNA and a liquid biopsy will be most useful for patients with a known cancer diagnosis and [for] post treatment to monitor for disease recurrence — avoiding the need for [high-risk] biopsy," Dr. Oren N. Gottfried, professor at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham North Carolina, told Fox News Digital. 

"This is particularly true with brain cancer, where each brain biopsy includes considerable risk," added Gottfried, who is also a neurosurgeon. 

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"In general as a screening tool, I feel it should be focused on patients that have significant family histories or personal risk factors, or that have genetic syndromes that are associated with getting multiple cancers."

Murtaza of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health hopes with further research and development that "this work will lead to a blood test for cancer detection and monitoring that will be available clinically in the next 2-5 years for at least some conditions — and ultimately be accessible for patients with limited health care resources in the U.S. and around the world," he said in the news release. 



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Hong Kong ends quarantine requirement for people infected with COVID-19 starting Jan. 30

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Hong Kong said it will no longer require people infected with COVID-19 to quarantine from Jan. 30, removing one of the last major coronavirus restrictions in place in the Asian financial hub.

The scrapping of the isolation requirements is part of a decision to downgrade COVID-19's status to an endemic disease from a severe respiratory disease and follows a similar move by China on Jan.8.

"I have decided to scrap the quarantine order for COVID-infected patients. This is one of the important steps towards normalcy," city leader John Lee told a legislative meeting on Thursday.

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People in Hong Kong are, however, still required to wear masks unless exercising.

Last week, high-speed rail services between Hong Kong and mainland China resumed for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic.

The re-opening comes amidst a massive wave of infections on the mainland following China's abrupt U-turn on its "zero-COVID" policy.



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Thursday, January 19, 2023

Massachusetts health officials detect gonorrhea strain with 'reduced response' to antibiotics

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Health officials in Massachusetts say that they have detected a strain of gonorrhea in two individuals that has shown a reduced response to multiple antibiotics.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health made the announcement on Thursday.

Officials said that this marks the first time that a strain of gonorrhea that shows a resistance or reduced response to antibiotics has been detected inside the United States.

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection that is bacterial, and can come with little to no symptoms. According to the health agency, it can "result in pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and other health problems" if untreated.

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The particular strain of gonorrhea detected by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health's State Public Health Laboratory has been seen in Asia-Pacific countries as well as in the United Kingdom.

A gonorrhea strain with a similar genetic marker in Nevada to the two individuals in Massachusetts was previously detected, however "retained sensitivity to at least one class of antibiotics."

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The state health agency says that "these cases are an important reminder that strains of gonorrhea in the US are becoming less responsive to a limited arsenal of antibiotics."

"The discovery of this strain of gonorrhea is a serious public health concern which DPH, the CDC, and other health departments have been vigilant about detecting in the US," said Massachusetts Public Health Commissioner Margret Cooke. "We urge all sexually active people to be regularly tested for sexually transmitted infections and to consider reducing the number of their sexual partners and increasing their use of condoms when having sex. Clinicians are advised to review the clinical alert and assist with our expanded surveillance efforts."



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Israel has not found any signs of Pfizer's COVID vaccine leading to strokes

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Israel has not identified any evidence linking strokes to an updated coronavirus vaccine made by U.S. drugmaker Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech SE, according to a health ministry official.

On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said that a safety monitoring system had flagged that the shot could possibly be linked to a type of brain stroke in older adults, according to preliminary data.

"We have not turned up such a finding, even after we went back and rechecked all our data after the FDA announcement," said Salman Zarka, the head of Israel's coronavirus task force said in a video briefing sent to Reuters on Thursday.

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Some 389,648 people in Israel have so far taken the shot, which targets the original strain and its BA.4/BA.5 Omicron subvariant.

On Wednesday, the European Union's drug regulator also said it had found no safety signals in the region related to Pfizer's bivalent shot.

Pfizer and BioNTech said in a statement on Friday that they were aware of limited reports of ischemic strokes in people 65 and older following vaccination with their updated shot.

Pfizer further noted that neither the companies nor the CDC and FDA had observed similar findings across other monitoring systems and said there was no evidence to suggest an association with the use of the companies' COVID-19 vaccines.



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EU drug regulator has not found any signs of Pfizer COVID shot linking to stroke

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The European Union's drug regulator has not identified any safety signals in the region related to U.S. drugmaker Pfizer Inc and German partner BioNTech's updated COVID-19 shot, the agency said on Wednesday.

On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said that a safety monitoring system had flagged that the shot could possibly be linked to a type of brain stroke in older adults, according to preliminary data. "EMA can confirm that to date no such signal has been identified in the EU. EMA will continue to evaluate all available data to determine whether emerging safety information could point to a similar signal in the EU," the agency told Reuters in response to a question.

Pfizer and BioNTech said in a statement on Friday that they were aware of limited reports of ischemic strokes in people 65 and older following vaccination with their updated shot.

CDC IDENTIFIES POSSIBLE 'SAFETY CONCERN' FOR CERTAIN PEOPLE RECEIVING COVID VACCINES

Pfizer further noted that neither the companies nor the CDC and FDA had observed similar findings across other monitoring systems and said there was no evidence to suggest an association with the use of the companies' COVID-19 vaccines.

The EMA said it was aware of the U.S. announcement, in which the FDA and CDC also said they had not found signs of a link to stroke in other monitoring databases.

"EMA will continue to evaluate all available data to determine whether emerging safety information could point to a similar signal in the EU," its statement read.



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Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Child nutrition drops in Sri Lanka amid economic crisis

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The number of children grappling with various forms of undernutrition in Sri Lanka increased for the first time in at least six years in 2022, a government report and data from the health ministry indicate.

The island nation of 22 million people is struggling with soaring prices, including of food, largely caused by its worst economic crisis since it gained independence in 1948.

More than 43.4% of the country's children under 5 years of age are suffering from nutrition problems, according to the report released in October, with 42.9% suffering from some form of undernutrition.

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Read together with data available on the website of the health ministry's Family Health Bureau, the numbers indicate that the percentage of children below five who are underweight, stunted, or wasting increased in 2022 after dropping steadily since at least 2016.

Around 1.4 million children under the age of five were registered with the country's Public Health Midwives body and the report surveyed just under that number.

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While 15.3% of the children in the country were found to be underweight as compared to 12.2% last year, 10.1% were suffering from wasting, and 9.2% from stunted growth, the report says.

In 2021, 8.2% of children below five were found to be wasting away while 7.4% had stunted growth.

"In 2022, percentages of children under 5 years with any form of undernutrition (growth faltering, underweight, wasting and stunting) has increased compared to 2021," the report says.

"This trend is seen in all age categories (infant, 1-2 years, 2-5 years) and in all three sectors (urban, rural & estate)," it added.



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Tuesday, January 17, 2023

Moderna says its RNA vaccine was nearly 84% effective in preventing symptoms in adults 60 and older

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Moderna Inc. announced on Tuesday that a late-stage trial found that its experimental messenger RNA vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus was 83.7% effective in preventing at least two symptoms in adults ages 60 and older.

RSV produces symptoms similar to a cold and can lead to death for young children and older adults. It results in about 14,000 deaths per year in adults who are at least 65-years-old. RSV, the flu and coronavirus all soared in the U.S. and Europe this fall.

There is no vaccine for adults currently on the market, but Moderna, Pfizer Inc. and GSK Plc. are each looking to be the first to release their RSV vaccines.

Pfizer and GSK filed applications for U.S. regulatory approval at the end of last year. Pfizer's RSV vaccine was reported to be 66.7% effective against two or more symptoms in late-stage trials.

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Meanwhile, Sanofi and partner AstraZeneca Plc's antibody treatment nirsevimab has received marketing approval from the European Commission for the prevention of RSV in newborns and infants. It is currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Moderna said it plans to submit its vaccine, mRNA-1345, for regulatory approval consideration globally in the first half of this year. Company president Stephen Hoge said its vaccine compares favorably to the experimental Pfizer and GSK shots.

"It's very exciting to see progress in RSV vaccines in older adults, and I think both of those vaccines have shown pretty remarkable results as well," he said. "We really think we're in that top class - 84% is a terrific efficacy number."

According to Cowen analyst Tyler Van Buren, The RSV vaccine market could be worth more than $10 billion globally, and half of that would come from the U.S.

Moderna's study included about 37,000 participants ages 60 years and older. The data analysis was performed after 64 participants became infected with RSV. Moderna said it intends to release the complete data at a medical meeting.

Hoge said the company began secondary analysis on the vaccine's efficacy against more severe disease and hospitalization and that it was too early to give a potential price range for the vaccine. The vaccine is expected to be administered on an annual basis.

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The vaccine was generally found safe, with the most common side effects being injection-site pain, fatigue and headache. Hoge said the company had no concerns about myocarditis, a type of heart inflammation linked to mRNA COVID vaccines.

Reuters contributed to this report.



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Indonesia court hears lawsuit filed against pharmacies after 200 children die from tainted cough syrup

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Families of Indonesian children who died because of tainted cough syrup demanded restitution as an Indonesian court on Tuesday started hearing their class-action lawsuit against government agencies and pharmaceutical firms.

About 200 children have died of acute kidney injury in Indonesia since last year and authorities have said two ingredients, ethylene glycol and diethyelene glycol, found in some syrup-based paracetamol medications are linked to the illness.

The two ingredients are used in antifreeze, brake fluids and other industrial applications, but also as a cheaper alternative in some pharmaceutical products to glycerine, a solvent or thickening agent in many cough syrups. They can be toxic and can lead to acute kidney injury.

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Twenty-five families are suing the health and finance ministries, the drugs regulator and at least eight drug companies. Awan Puryadi, the families' lawyer, told Reuters they each wanted compensation of up to $224,570.67.

Solihah, 36, who was at the court in the Indonesian capital Jakarta, said her 3-year-old daughter was diagnosed with the acute kidney injury after consuming a syrup medication and died a few days later. She said she wanted the government to be held accountable.

"If my daughter had not consumed the drug, maybe she would still be here," she said, her voice breaking with emotion. "I hope all parties involved are held responsible for the conditions of the children who died and are still sick."

Representatives of the finance ministry and five pharmaceutical companies named in the suit did not respond to requests for comment. Another three companies could not be reached.

The country's drugs regulator, BPOM, said it would respect the ongoing legal process, while the health ministry declined to comment.

Authorities have banned several cough syrups and mounted legal action against several pharmaceutical companies whose products allegedly contained the dangerous ingredients.



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Biden FDA warns judge against reversing abortion drug's approval

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President Joe Biden's administration is urging a judge to reject a request by abortion opponents for a court order withdrawing federal approval for the drug used in medication abortions - which account for more than half of U.S. abortions - citing potential dangers to women seeking to end their pregnancies.

The filing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, made available online on Tuesday, came in a lawsuit in Texas by anti-abortion groups challenging the agency's approval of the drug mifepristone in 2000 for medication abortion.

"The public interest would be dramatically harmed by effectively withdrawing from the marketplace a safe and effective drug that has lawfully been on the market for twenty-two years," lawyers for the FDA said in the filing to Kacsmaryk, who is based in Amarillo.

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A lawyer for the plaintiffs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mifepristone is available under the brand name Mifeprex and as a generic. Used in conjunction with another drug, it is approved to terminate a pregnancy within the first 10 weeks of a pregnancy. The FDA on Jan. 3 said the government for the first time will allow mifepristone to be dispensed at retail pharmacies.

Medication abortion has drawn increasing attention since the U.S. Supreme Court last June overturned its landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that had legalized abortion nationwide. Nearly all abortions, including medication abortions, are now banned in 12 states, and 16 states that permit some abortions also had laws restricting medication abortion as of November, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights.

Anti-abortion groups including the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine and the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists sued the FDA in November, saying the agency improperly used an accelerated process to approve mifepristone and failed to study its risks for minors adequately.

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In its court filing, the FDA said there was no basis for second-guessing the FDA's judgment. The FDA said that pulling the drug would force patients seeking abortions in many cases to undergo unnecessary, more invasive surgical abortion. That would result in longer wait times and would carry risks for some patients including those intolerant to anesthesia, the FDA said.

In support of its argument, the agency submitted declarations from abortion providers. For example, non-profit Maine Family Planning said it would have to eliminate abortion services at 17 of its 18 clinics if mifepristone were no longer available.

Mifeprex maker Danco Laboratories on Friday also asked to intervene in the Texas lawsuit to protect its ability to sell the drug.



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Care about your heart? Try getting better sleep, new study suggests

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A group of researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health evaluated the American Heart Association’s recently expanded metric — which now includes sleep as it relates to cardiovascular disease risk. 

The study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association provided evidence that sleep plays an important role when it comes to heart health. 

 "Our results show that sleep health is integral to heart health, and that an expanded definition of cardiovascular health that includes sleep is more predictive of future heart disease risk," lead study author Nour Makarem, PhD, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University in New York City, told Fox News Digital.

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"Our study supports the inclusion of sleep as the novel 8th metric of cardiovascular health," Makarem also said.

The study represents the first examination of adding sleep to the American Heart Association’s original Life’s Simple 7 metrics as a novel 8th metric of cardiovascular health, the study author said. 

Sleep was recently added to the American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7 measures, a checklist-type of scoring tool used to assess an individual’s cardiovascular health risk. 

The new sleep metric suggests 7-9 hours of sleep daily for optimal cardiovascular health for adults, and more for children depending on age, according to the American Heart Association’s statement about the revised metrics. 

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The previous checklist included measures such as nicotine exposure, physical activity, diet, weight, blood glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure.

The tool that includes sleep is now referred to as the Life’s Essential 8.™

The Columbia University researchers, deciding to evaluate the expanded measure, looked at approximately 2,000 middle-aged-to-older adults from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerois (MESA), a U.S. study of cardiovascular disease and its risk factors.

The participants provided data on their sleep characteristics and took part in a sleep exam, according to the news release from Columbia University.

THE BEST FOODS FOR A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP

The investigators examined cardiovascular health scores that included the original American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7 (LS7) metrics, along with different sleep health measures to determine the sleep parameters that should be a priority for preventing cardiovascular disease. 

Cardiovascular health scores that looked at different dimensions of sleep such as sleep duration, efficiency, sleep regularity, sleep disorders and daytime sleepiness — as well as cardiovascular health scores that included duration of sleep only as a measure of sleep health — were both predictive of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the researchers found.

The study found that sleeping 7 hours or more but less than 9 hours each night was considered indicative of ideal sleep health.

"Our results demonstrate that sleep is an integral component of CVH. In our study, even a CVH score that includes only sleep duration, the most widely measured aspect of sleep health and the most feasible measure to obtain in a clinic or public health setting, predicted CVD incidence," said Makarem in the Columbia news release. 

GET BETTER SLEEP AT NIGHT WITH THE HELP OF 10 SMART PRODUCTS

"Notably, we also found that a CVH score that incorporated multiple dimensions of sleep health was also significantly associated with incident CVD," she said.

"Our results highlight the importance of embracing a holistic vision of sleep health that includes sleep behaviors and highly prevalent, mild sleep problems — rather than strictly focusing on sleep disorders when assessing an individual’s cardiovascular risk."

Individuals who slept fewer hours had higher chances of having low sleep efficiency (defined as less than 85% time in bed after lights off spent sleeping), the news release explained about the study's findings. 

HOW TO TRACK SLEEP ON YOUR APPLE WATCH

Also, those with less sleep duration were likely to have irregular sleep patterns — meaning variations in sleep duration and timing — across days. 

They were also likely to experience excessive daytime sleepiness and sleep apnea, the release said. 

Findings also revealed a higher prevalence of Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and obesity/overweight in those considered "short duration sleepers." 

This suggested that multiple unhealthy sleep dimensions may occur simultaneously and interact — which could further increase the risk for heart disease, the release said. 

Sixty-three percent of participants slept less than 7 hours per night and 30% slept less than 6 hours, the study found. 

It also found that 39% had high night-to-night variability in sleep duration and 25% had a high variation in sleep timing. 

The study also found that 14% reported excessive daytime sleepiness and 36% stated they had high insomnia symptoms. 

In addition, the study found 47% of the people who participated had moderate-to-severe sleep apnea (OSA).

"The most important advice when it comes to promoting sleep health is to make sleep a priority," said Makarem to Fox News Digital. 

"Sleep seems to be the first thing that people squeeze out of their schedules when they are busy. However, the first step to healthy sleep is making time for sleep to ensure that you get 7-8 hours of sleep each night, the ideal sleep duration for promoting heart health."

It's important to practice good sleep hygiene, which means putting yourself in the best position to sleep well by optimizing your sleep schedule, bedtime routine and sleep environment, the lead author told Fox News Digital.

There are a few ways to get better sleep habits, she said.

"Stick to a stable sleep schedule, meaning try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, and try to keep the same sleep schedule on weekdays and weekends to avoid disrupting your body clock's sleep-wake rhythm," she said.

"Use the hour before bedtime to relax and unwind, and optimize your sleep environment by making your bedroom comfortable, quiet, cool and dark."

Makarem also suggested getting rid of distractions such as bright light and noise.

SLEEP DISRUPTIONS MAY BE LINKED TO MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS, SAYS NEW STUDY

"Avoid sources of bright light such as computers, TVs and phones before bedtime. Also, try to drown out any noise by using earplugs or a white noise machine, and avoid stimulants such as nicotine and caffeine," she told Fox News Digital.

Fox News medical contributor Dr. Marc Siegel, weighing in on the study, said that sleep is a time for the heart and brain to repair. 

"When you are sleeping, hormones are released, including oxytocin, that are cardio-protective and promote heart healing," he told Fox News Digital. 

"When you are awake, especially when you are anxious, stress hormones are released, which increase heart rate blood pressure and overall stress on the heart."

Dr. Siegel added, "Sleep is a rejuvenating time for the heart and brain."

Dr. Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, director of Mount Sinai Heart and a Dr. Valentin Fuster Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Health System in New York City, told Fox News Digital, "This is a very informative study that shows an association between insufficient sleep duration (defined here as less than 7 hours or more than 9 hours) and worse cardiovascular health." 

He said as well, "People who slept less than the recommended amount were also found to have higher rates of obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure, which are well-established risk factors for heart disease as well."

Bhatt was not part of the study but was a senior author on the American Heart Association scientific statement on sleep and cardio metabolic risk.

He also said, "Insufficient sleep doesn't get the respect it deserves as a cardiovascular risk factor." He added that he hopes "studies such as this one will change societal attitudes about the importance of a good night's sleep."

The team of Columbia University researchers said in the release that they recommend additional research be conducted regarding the relationship of sleep to lifetime risk of developing CVD.

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The team also said that clinical trials are needed to evaluate the impact of screening for sleep problems and improving the different dimensions of sleep health through sleep hygiene interventions on cardiovascular outcomes.



from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/1gtwfd4

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