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Obese people might be wise to slim down before undergoing an ablation procedure to treat an abnormal heart rhythm, researchers report. Folks with atrial fibrillation who lost 3% or more of their body weight before undergoing ablation had greater odds of their heart returning to a normal rhythm than those who didn’t, a new study finds. A-fib, as atrial fibrillation is called, is an abnormal heartbeat that causes the heart to beat faster and out of sequence. A-fib can cause blood clots that can result in a stroke. To control a-fib, doctors prescribe medication or a procedure called catheter ablation. Ablation uses heat to kill heart cells that are causing the abnormality. The goal is to return the heart to its normal sinus rhythm. “Weight loss is a key factor in the management of atrial fibrillation for those that are overweight or obese,” said lead researcher Dr. Jeffrey Goldberger, a professor of medicine and director of the Center for Atrial Fibrillation at the University of Miami School of Medicine. Obesity is not only a risk factor for a-fib, but appears to also have an effect on treatment, he said. “Obesity is known to be a pro-inflammatory condition,” he said. “It turns out that there’s fat tissue that sits directly on the heart muscle and these fat cells can secrete all sorts of hormones that could… read on > read on >

It’s a social media darling and one of the hottest prescription medications on the U.S. market. But does Wegovy really help patients lose weight? Yes, a new study suggests. Investigators analyzed data on more than 100 people using Wegovy (semaglutide). They found that after a year participants had shed more than 13% of their body weight on average. “This medication showed superior weight-loss outcome to all previously approved anti-obesity medications that were tested,” said study lead author Dr. Wissam Ghusn, a research fellow in gastroenterology and hepatology with the Precision Medicine for Obesity Program at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Semaglutide was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2017 to help control blood sugar levels and reduce the risk for heart attacks, stroke and death among patients with type 2 diabetes. For this purpose, the once-weekly injectable medication — sold under the brand name Ozempic — helps the body make more insulin, which lowers blood sugar levels for people with diabetes. But the drug was also associated with weight loss, and the FDA approved it for that purpose in 2021. Sold as Wegovy, the self-administered injectable is given at a higher once-a-week dosage of 2.4 mg. It is intended as a weight-loss medication for adults with an “overweight” body mass index (BMI) between 27 and 29 who also struggle with at… read on > read on >

(HealthDay News) – Cases of vision loss and deaths are mounting in an investigation into eye drops contaminated with a rare strain of a drug-resistant bacteria. In all, four people have died, with one new death now being reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meanwhile, a total of 14 people have experienced vision loss, with six new cases reported last week. Infections have now been reported in 81 people living in 18 states. Four cases have involved people who have had to have their eyeballs surgically removed. The cases involve 10 brands of eye drops, most commonly EzriCare Artificial Tears. Global Pharma Healthcare’s Artificial Tears Lubricant Eye Drops were first recalled in February. The drops were distributed by EzriCare and Delsam Pharma. “Patients who have used EzriCare or Delsam Pharma’s artificial tears and who have signs or symptoms of an eye infection should seek medical care immediately,” the CDC said in its latest update. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the bacteria infecting these patients. It’s a strain never before seen in the United States, CNN reported. Among the newly identified patients, many had either recalled using the eyedrops or lived in long-term care facilities in which others were infected with the bacteria. The bacteria can spread to those who haven’t used the drops, the CDC noted. “The bacteria can spread when one patient… read on > read on >

(HealthDay News) – Two western U.S. states issued air quality alerts over the weekend as heavy smoke from fires blazing in Canada drifted south. Both Colorado and Montana experienced air quality issues because of dozens of Canadian fires. A third state, Utah, noted that it was beginning to see smoke, while Idaho had experienced haze last week, the Associated Press reported. “People with heart or lung disease, older adults and children should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion; everyone else should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion,” Colorado’s Department of Public Health and Environment said in its alert. It issued air quality alerts and advisories for the eastern part of the state, including Denver. Air quality is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups when particle pollution is between 151 and 200. Parts of Colorado’s Front Range were at 168 on Saturday, the AP reported. In the province of Alberta, Canada, fires have led to the evacuation of thousands of residents. The health impact was “very high risk” on Saturday in the cities of Calgary and Edmonton, the AP reported. The smoke in Montana was mostly in the central and eastern parts of the state. In its alert, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality advised residents to avoid outdoor exertion if they could see haze or smoke. More information The American Lung Association has more on the impact of… read on > read on >

The Atlantic hurricane season in the United States starts June 1, and some dangers might not be immediately obvious: carbon monoxide poisoning, fires and electric shock. “Hurricanes and major storms in the U.S. have increased in frequency and severity in recent years. This hurricane season may bring widespread destruction that could impact millions of Americans,” said Alex Hoehn-Saric, chair of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. “I urge consumers to follow CPSC’s safety tips to prepare ahead of storms to prevent loss of life in a storm’s aftermath,” he said in a commission news release. Carbon monoxide (CO) from gasoline-powered portable generators can kill within minutes if used improperly. It has no color or odor, so can render a person unconscious even before they recognize the symptoms of nausea, dizziness or weakness, the CPSC warns. This gas kills nearly 100 Americans using portable generators each year. Black individuals have a higher risk of death, accounting for 23% of those who died between 2011 and 2021, according to the CPSC. To stay safe, the commission advises following these recommendations: Never operate a portable generator inside a home, garage, basement, crawl space or shed. It’s not enough to open doors or windows. Lethal levels of CO can still build up. Use these generators outside only, at least 20 feet away from the house. Direct the exhaust away… read on > read on >

Need an activity to do with your kids on spring and summer days? Go to the park. Outdoor play is good for physical health, mental well-being and reduced stress in children, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). “Whether it’s sunny or snowing, playing outside is good for children, physically and mentally,” said pediatrician Dr. Monique Jonae Soileau-Burke, president of AAP’s Maryland chapter. “Scientific evidence tells us that playing outdoors can improve health, and children love it,” she said in an academy news release. “On Kids to Parks Day [May 20], we encourage families to make plans to get their children out into nature for summer fun and well-being. Consider visiting a national, state or local park.” People who spend time in nature have lower levels of stress and depression. It’s also fun to be outdoors. The earlier you share nature with your baby, the more likely they are to develop a lifelong love of the outdoors, AAP notes. With an infant, you can take a walk through the trees with a stroller. Throw down a blanket to explore weather, bird songs, forest smells and plant textures while giving them some outside tummy time. Take your kids on a bike ride through the neighborhood or on a bike trail at a local or national park. It’s a good activity for all ages if you… read on > read on >

A new brain bank is accepting future donations from living athletes, in an effort to perform long-term research into the effects of sports-related concussion. The National Sports Brain Bank (NSBB) at the University of Pittsburgh will track the health of living participants on an annual basis, and will autopsy their donated brains after their death. “We want to follow prospective donors longitudinally while they’re still alive and get information from them about their sports participation, trauma, history, other medical history, any symptoms they may experience,” said NSBB Director Dr. Julia Kofler. “We can then correlate their clinical information with what we see down the road under the microscope, at the time of autopsy,” she said. Two former NFL stars — Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis and former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Merril Hoge — pledged at a news conference announcing the NSBB to stand among the first group of pro athletes who will participate in the brain bank. Bettis said he’s taking part as a way of giving back to professional football, and also potentially help protect his children’s health. “I’m a father and my son plays high school football. My daughter played high school basketball. She had multiple concussions,” Bettis said. “For me, it’s important that I be that role model to show that we have that job, if you will, as… read on > read on >

Patients with Crohn’s disease have a new treatment option, following U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of a pill called Rinvoq (upadacitinib). Rinvoq is meant to treat adults with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease who have not had success with TNF (tumor necrosis factor) blockers. The daily pill is the first oral treatment for this group of patients. Crohn’s is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. It causes inflammation in any part of the digestive tract, typically affecting the small intestine and the beginning of the large intestine. Common symptoms include diarrhea, cramping, stomach pain and weight loss. The medication was previously approved for several other conditions, including eczema, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ulcerative colitis, according to the website of pharmaceutical company AbbVie. Researchers evaluated its safety and effectiveness in two randomized trials in 857 patients with the disease. Participants received either 45 mg of Rinvoq or a placebo daily for 12 weeks. More patients treated with the medication achieved remission than those treated with the placebo, the FDA said in a news release. Also, more people treated with the medication had improvement in intestinal inflammation, which was assessed with a colonoscopy. The FDA also assessed Rinvoq as a maintenance treatment, evaluating 343 patients who had responded to the 12 weeks of medication. This group received 15 mg or 30 mg once daily or… read on > read on >

People with the rare heart disorder hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) can safely engage in vigorous exercise, according to new research. This finding could lead to fewer activity restrictions for people with this condition, which involves the heart muscle becoming thickened and enlarged. HCM is an inherited disorder that affects about one in 500 people worldwide. It is associated with sudden cardiac death in young people. Yet the U.S. National Institutes of Health-funded study found that those who exercised vigorously are no more likely to die or experience severe cardiac events than those who exercised moderately or not at all. “Based on these data, we’re learning that we don’t need to universally restrict HCM patients from participating in vigorous exercise, something that’s so important to all of us,” said study co-author Dr. Rachel Lampert, a professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine, in New Haven, Conn. “Individuals with this condition should talk to a health care provider with expertise in HCM about getting back on the field, back in the pool and back on the court, if that’s what they want to do,” Lampert said in an institute news release. “Getting an expert evaluation is key to determining degree of risk for all HCM patients, and critical before going back to play.” To study this, the researchers recruited 1,660 people with HCM or who carried the… read on > read on >

Spotting ADHD early can ensure children with the condition get the help they need sooner rather than later. But how can parents know if the behavior they’re seeing in their child is a sign of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or merely the mercurial mood and behavior swings of a toddler? An expert at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore offers some guidance. “Research shows that children with ADHD have abnormal brain development, meaning that ADHD has a biological basis that often makes it a lifelong condition,” Mark Mahone, director of neuropsychology, said on the institute’s website. “We want to catch ADHD early because it has such a profound effect on learning and academic development. Children whose symptoms begin in early childhood are at the highest risk for academic failure and grade repetition.” The team at Kennedy Krieger was among the first to study preschoolers’ brains for signs of ADHD using neuroimaging. The researchers found that children with ADHD have a smaller caudate nucleus, a brain structure associated with thinking skills and motor control. Up to 40% of children have significant attention problems by age 4. ADHD is the most common mental health disorder among preschoolers. About 1 in 11 school-aged children have an ADHD diagnosis. Mahone encourages parents to pay close attention to their toddler’s behavior. Look for these specific signs: Your child dislikes or… read on > read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

Losing Weight Before Atrial Fibrillation Treatment Boosts Outcomes

Wegovy Shows Weight-Loss Effectiveness in Real-World Study

Another Death, More Cases of Vision Loss Linked to Tainted Eye Drops

Smoke From Canadian Wildfires Triggers Air Alerts in Colorado, Montana

Hurricane Season Starts June 1. Protect Your Family From Carbon Monoxide Dangers

Why Taking Your Kids to the Park Is Always a Healthy Idea

New ‘National Sports Brain Bank’ Will Boost Head Injury Research

FDA Approves First Pill to Treat Moderate-to-Severe Crohn’s Disease

Exercise No Threat to People With an Inherited Form of Enlarged Heart

Signs Your Toddler Might Have ADHD