New research suggests the effects of high blood pressure during pregnancy may be long-lasting. Researchers found that women who developed high blood pressure during pregnancy had tell-tale signs of abnormal heart structure and function up to a decade later. “This study helps to clarify that, for some women, pregnancy is not just a ‘stress test’ that unmasks underlying cardiovascular risks,” said senior author Dr. Susan Cheng, director of the Institute for Research on Healthy Aging in the cardiology department at Cedars-Sinai’s Smidt Heart Institute in Los Angeles. “This risk may also affect the heart years after pregnancy.” Her team looked at more than 5,000 Hispanic women who had at least one pregnancy and identified those who had disorders during pregnancy such as gestational high blood pressure, preeclampsia or eclampsia. After accounting for other risk factors that might lead to early signs of heart disease, researchers reported that heart images showed persistent problems in about 14% of participants who had high blood pressure problems during pregnancy. They included thicker heart walls, abnormalities in the left ventricle and weakened pumping compared to women who had also been pregnant but had no related high blood pressure disorder. “This study confirms the results of others and demonstrates that women who experience a hypertensive disorder during their pregnancy are more likely to have lasting changes in the structure and function…  read on >  read on >

In preliminary findings, Swedish researchers say taking a cholesterol-lowering statin could also slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. The study can’t prove cause-and-effect, but might pave the way to a trial that could confirm such a link, said study author Sara Garcia-Ptacek, an associate professor of neuroscience at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. The study was observational, meaning that it was a look at past data, not a gold standard “prospective” trial. The Swedish team analyzed data on 15,500 people diagnosed with dementia who also had heart issues suggesting that they might benefit from using a statin. About 11,000 of them did go on to use a statin. Tracked for three years, “people with Alzheimer’s dementia treated with statins had better cognitive development over time,” Garcia-Ptacek said in an institute news release. That was true “even though they were more likely to have diagnoses such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, all of which are risk factors for dementia,” she added. However, the findings, published Dec. 20 in the journal Alzheimer’s Research and Therapy, remain preliminary.   “The results of the study do not mean that we now have evidence that people with dementia should be treated with statins,” Garcia-Ptacek stressed. “But on the other hand, we can’t see any support for not doing so. So, if a person needs statins for high…  read on >  read on >

At least 251 cases of lead poisoning linked to tainted fruit puree pouches have now been reported in 34 states, U.S. health officials said. That’s up from 205 cases reported in the last weekly tally, the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention noted in its latest update. States reporting new cases to CDC now include Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia. Exactly how many cases have been reported in each state is unclear because the CDC has withheld state-specific counts, pointing to patient privacy, CBS News reported. The median age for cases in the investigation “is nearly 2 years old,” a CDC spokesperson told CBS News, though reports have come in for children as old as 9. Federal officials have urged state health departments to seek out cases of lead poisoning, which could be missed if children who ate the lead-tainted applesauce don’t get blood tests from their doctor for the toxic metal. AustroFoods, which makes the now-recalled WanaBana, Weis and Schnucks brand cinnamon-flavored applesauce pouches, said Monday it will reimburse customers for up to $150 for lead tests. Meanwhile, the FDA reported earlier this month that cinnamon samples gathered at a facility…  read on >  read on >

Blue Ridge Beef, a maker of raw pet foods, has announced it is recalling some of its products for kittens and puppies because of possible contamination with salmonella and listeria. After being notified earlier this month by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services that health officials found salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes in certain products, the North Carolina company recalled specific lots of its Kitten Grind, Kitten Mix and Puppy Mix pet foods, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in a news release. The recalled products, which were sold mostly in the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, were distributed between Nov. 14 and Dec. 20, the FDA said. So far, no illnesses related to the recalled products have been reported, the FDA said. The potentially contaminated products have use by dates of N24 1114 to N24 1224. Those dates, as well as lot numbers, are located on the silver tabs at the end of the products, which come in tubes. Salmonella and listeria infections can strike both pets and people, and humans can become infected while handling contaminated pet products. Thoroughly washing your hands and cleaning surfaces that come in contact with the products is advised, the FDA said. Symptoms of salmonella and listeria infection for humans can include nausea, vomiting, fever and diarrhea, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control…  read on >  read on >

It may not take as strict a diet as thought to keep type 1 diabetes under control: New Swedish research shows that a moderate low-carb diet still helped people with type 1 diabetes stick to blood-sugar targets. “The study shows that a moderate low-carbohydrate diet lowers the average blood sugar level and that more patients can keep their blood sugar within the target range, which is considered beneficial in reducing the risk of organ damage for people with type 1 diabetes,” said study first author Sofia Sterner Isaksson, a dietician pursuing doctoral studies at the University of Gothenburg. With type 1 diabetes, the pancreas makes little or no insulin to help blood sugar enter cells for use as energy. Without insulin, blood sugar builds up and can cause serious organ damage. Researchers noted that, for safety’s sake, anyone with type 1 diabetes considering major changes in carb intake should first consult their health care provider. They said that’s especially true for children with type 1 diabetes. For the study, they randomly assigned 25 men and 25 women with type 1 diabetes (average age: 48) to eat a traditional diet with 50% of energy from carbs or a moderate low-carbohydrate diet with 30% of energy from carbs. All had elevated blood sugar levels, and they took insulin shots or used an insulin pump. A continuous blood…  read on >  read on >