Health/Fitness « Weekly Gravy

Robot-guided radiation therapy can improve treatment for age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss and blindness among American seniors, a new study shows. Precisely targeted radiation treatment reduced by a quarter the number of routine injections needed to treat wet-type age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most advanced and serious form of the disorder, researchers reported June 11 in The Lancet journal. “With this purpose-built robotic system, we can be incredibly precise, using overlapping beams of radiation to treat a very small lesion in the back of the eye,” said lead researcher Timothy Jackson, a consultant ophthalmic surgeon at King’s College Hospital in London. Wet AMD occurs when new, abnormal blood vessels grow under the retina. These vessels leak blood and other fluid, causing scarring of the macula — the center of the retina — and rapid vision loss. Standard treatment for wet AMD involves injections of drugs that inhibit the growth of new blood vessels in the eye. Most patients require an injection every one to three months to keep fluid from building up, researchers said. “Patients generally accept that they need to have eye injections to help preserve their vision, but frequent hospital attendance and repeated eye injections isn’t something they enjoy,” Jackson said in a King’s College news release. In the new therapy, the eye is treated once using three beams… read on > read on >

The number of people severely sickened after consuming mushroom edibles sold as Diamond Shruumz-brand Chocolate Bars, Cones or Gummies has risen, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday. As of Monday, “a total of 12 illnesses have been reported from eight states,” the FDA noted in an updated advisory. “All 12 people have reported seeking medical care; 10 have been hospitalized.” No deaths have been reported. Symptoms have included “seizures, central nervous system depression [loss of consciousness, confusion, sleepiness], agitation, abnormal heart rates, hyper/hypotension, nausea and vomiting,” the agency added. The Diamond Shruumz-brand mushroom edible products are being marketed online and at smoke/vape shops, legal CBD/THC shops and other retail outlets nationwide. The FDA is asking retailers to stop selling the products. The edibles pose a special danger to kids, the agency added. “This product may appeal to children and teenagers as it is marketed as a candy,” the FDA noted. “Parents and caregivers should consider discussing the information in this advisory with their children and take extra care to avoid this product being consumed by younger people.” Anyone who does become ill after consuming Diamond Shruumz-brand products should call the Poison Help Line at 800-222-1222 and let them know the product was consumed. More information Find out more about the dangers of edibles at the American Academy of Pediatrics. SOURCE: U.S. Food and… read on > read on >

A test used to gauge whether a college athlete has suffered a concussion is right only half the time and may be useless, new research finds. The test used by the NCAA, which oversees college sports, measures an athlete’s cognitive skills, and is one of three tests (symptoms and balance tests being the other two) that doctors use to identify concussion. “If you don’t do well on the cognitive exam, it suggests you have a concussion. But many people who are concussed do fine on the exam,” said study lead author Dr. Kimberly Harmon. She is a professor of family medicine and section head of sports medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Harmon said she was prompted to conduct the study by firsthand experience working on the sidelines as team physician for the UW Huskies. “Some people were concussed and they did well on the recall tests. Some people weren’t concussed and they didn’t do well. So I thought we should study it,” she explained in a UW news release. The test itself is one part of what’s known as the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT). In the cognitive skills section of SCAT, the patient is asked “orientation” questions (What day is it? What month is it?), then a memory test (recite back a list of words), then a concentration challenge (repeat… read on > read on >

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Monday that it has joined up with the Department of Justice and several other federal agencies to do more to stop the sale of illegal e-cigarettes in this country. In launching the newly created task force, the FDA aims “to coordinate and streamline efforts to bring all available criminal and civil tools to bear against the illegal distribution and sale of e-cigarettes responsible for nicotine addiction among American youth,” the agency said in a news release. “Enforcement against illegal e-cigarettes is a multi-pronged issue that necessitates a multi-pronged response,” Dr. Brian King, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, explained in the release. “This ‘All Government’ approach — including the creation of this new task force — will bring the collective resources and experience of the federal government to bear on this pressing public health issue.” Anti-smoking groups welcomed the news. “The creation of this task force can be an important step in preventing youth use of e-cigarettes, which are endangering the health and well-being of young people,” Yolonda Richardson, president and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said in a statement. “We encourage the Administration to take an aggressive approach in clearing the market of illegal e-cigarette products, which the public health community has been requesting consistently and most recently urged in a letter to… read on > read on >

Folks using a weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy or Zepbound still have nutritional requirements for good health, even if they’re eating less. A new set of nutritional recommendations are expected to help people remain healthy even as they shed unwanted pounds, researchers say. The guidelines are meant “to equip clinicians with knowledge and tools to help support optimal nutritional and medical outcomes for their patients treated with anti-obesity medications,” researcher Lisa Neff, executive director of global medical affairs for Eli Lilly and Company, said in a news release. Eli Lilly makes Zepbound. The guidelines, crafted following an evidence review, call for women taking a weight-loss drug to eat between 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day. Men using the medication should eat 1,500 to 1,800 calories a day. A day’s food should include: More than 60 to 70 grams of protein. Recommended sources include beans, seafood, lean meat, poultry, low-fat dairy and eggs. Healthy carbohydrates constituting 45% to 65% of overall energy intake, with added sugars limited to less than 10% of intake. Whole grains, nuts and seeds, fruits, vegetables and dairy are recommended. Fats constituting between 20% and 35% of energy intake, with saturated fats limited to less than 10% of intake. Nuts, seeds, avocado, vegetable oil, fatty fish and seafood are recommended; avoid fried and high-fat foods due to gastro-intestinal effects associated with weight-loss… read on > read on >

Older adults who avoid surgery because they fear general anesthesia will cause thinking declines need not worry, researchers report. A study of more than 1,000 patients who had heart surgery at four hospitals in Canada found that the amount of anesthesia used did not affect the risk of delirium after surgery. Post-surgery delirium may contribute to cognitive decline. How much anesthesia to give requires striking a delicate balance between too much and little. About 1 in 1,000 people wake up during their surgery, unable to move or signal their pain or distress. This can cause lifelong emotional trauma. “The good news is that the distressing complication of intraoperative awareness can be more reliably prevented,” said senior study author Michael Avidan, head of anesthesiology at Washington University School of Medicine. “Anesthesia clinicians can now confidently administer a sufficient dose of general anesthesia, providing a margin of safety for unconsciousness, without being concerned that this will put their patients’ brains at risk.” The new study adds to other “compelling” evidence that higher doses are not toxic to the brain, he added in a university news release. Previous smaller studies have suggested that too much anesthesia could cause postoperative delirium, which affects about 25% of older patients after major surgery. Its hallmarks include confusion, altered attention, paranoia, memory loss, hallucinations and delusions. Though it is usually short-lived, this… read on > read on >

When there’s pain, pressure and pounding in your head, you might think the worst: Is it a brain tumor? Probably not, a Penn State physician assures. Headache in and of itself is not a common sign of a tumor, because the brain itself doesn’t feel pain, said Dr. John Messmer, medical director at Penn State Health Medical Group. Though a headache might develop if a tumor is causing spinal fluid to build up, most of the time a headache is a headache. But not all headaches are the same. You might have a migraine, a tension headache or a cluster headache — and each responds to different treatment. Here’s how to recognize each type and how to cope: Migraines are severe, pulsating headaches that may happen regularly, sometimes several times a month. They can be preceded by an aura, in which people have blind spots, or see shimmering spots or flashes of light. Migraines usually affect one side of the head or behind the eye and may last for days. Routine physical activity makes them worse. Some migraines are accompanied by stroke-like symptoms, including numbness on one side of the body. These tend to occur in older people who had migraines when they were younger. “If it’s properly diagnosed as a migraine, there are several levels of intervention,” Messmer said in a Penn State news… read on > read on >

If tropical lands like South America or Africa are your travel destinations, getting yourself protected against yellow fever before you go is imperative, an expert says. What is yellow fever? According to Dr. Jill Weatherhead, an assistant professor of tropical medicine and infectious diseases at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, it’s a viral illness endemic to tropical zones that’s spread to humans through the bites of infected mosquitos. Most folks bitten and infected may not show any symptoms. But others will develop symptoms within a week of the bite. “These symptoms include fever, chills, headaches, back pain and myalgias [aches],” Weatherhead said in a Baylor news release. In some people, “the virus can progress to severe disease,” she added. “One in seven people will develop severe yellow fever, which includes high fever or jaundice, which is the yellowing of the skin that is associated with inflammation of the liver or hemorrhagic shock where bleeding can happen.” For folks unfortunate to develop full-blown disease, there’s very little doctors can do since no known antiviral is effective against the illness. The best that can be done is what health care workers call “supportive care.” There are two key methods of preventing yellow fever before it starts, however: Vaccination and mosquito avoidance. “A yellow fever vaccine is available and recommended for all persons nine months and older traveling to… read on > read on >

A ban on Juul e-cigarettes has been reversed, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday. Why? The agency said it needs to review both new court decisions and updated data from the vape maker. While the company’s e-cigarettes are back under review, they have not been fully cleared for sale in this country, the FDA said in its announcement. Juul was first banned from selling its vaping devices in the U.S. market back in June 2022, but the firm’s products have remained on store shelves while the company appealed the ban. Reaction to the news was swift. “The FDA’s continuing delays in reviewing Juul’s marketing applications are unacceptable and harmful to America’s kids as Juul remains one of the most commonly used e-cigarette brands among youth [according to the 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey],” Yolonda Richardson, president and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said in a statement. “It is inexplicable that Juul’s applications remain pending nearly four years after they were first filed and nearly two years after the FDA initially denied them.” “The FDA should swiftly finish its review and again deny marketing applications for all Juul products, given Juul’s primary role in causing the youth e-cigarette epidemic and the continuing popularity of Juul’s products among youth,” Richardson added. “There is no question that Juul fueled this epidemic by introducing a sleek,… read on > read on >

Only about half of people with a sexually transmitted disease would tell a new partner about their infection before having sex, a new review finds. Fear prevents many people from revealing their STD to a new sex partner, according to the combined results of 32 previous studies. Other reasons include believing that condom use provides enough protection; the lack of obligation that comes with a one-night stand; or anxiety over losing the relationship. Some study participants even described “passing” as uninfected so they wouldn’t have to reveal their STD, results show. “Individuals diagnosed with STIs [sexually transmitted infections] may be in vulnerable positions and may face difficult decisions, the outcomes of which can be harmful to their identity and relationships. The process of disclosure is complex,” concluded the research team led by Kayley McMahan, a sexual health coordinator with the University of Tennessee. About 1 in 5 people in the United States have an STD at any one time, with more than 26 million incidents reported to health services, researchers said in background notes. Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis have been at record levels and continue to rise, they added. People who disclosed their illness to their partner did so out of love, a sense of moral obligation, or feelings of having a strong, close relationship, researchers found. “One of the key factors that determines whether… read on > read on >