by BMJ Newswise — In trials, the antipsychotic drug brexpiprazole (Rexulti) failed to provide a clinically meaningful benefit and increased the risk of death. Yet the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has fast tracked its approval, making Rexulti the first antipsychotic for treating agitation in elderly patients with dementia. At a cost of around...
Month: <span>September 2023</span>
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Eye scan may detect Parkinson’s up to 7 years before it’s diagnosed
By Bronwyn Thompson For the first time, scientists have identified a marker in the retina that may lead to the development of Parkinson’s disease, and it may be detected years prior to diagnosis. Researchers out of Moorfields Eye Hospital and University College London (UCL) conducted the largest study to date looking at retinal imaging and...
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Study shows that common medication used to prevent heart attacks may be ineffective for majority of British South Asians
by Queen Mary, University of London Study shows that common medication used to prevent heart attacks may be ineffective for majority of British South AsiansGraphical abstract. Credit: JACC: Advances (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.jacadv.2023.100573Clopidogrel is a commonly prescribed medication used to prevent further heart attacks after an initial event. It needs to be activated in the body...
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MRI scans improve prostate cancer diagnosis in screening trial
by University College London pet scanCredit: CC0 Public DomainThe REIMAGINE study, published today in BMJ Oncology, is the first study to use MRI scans with prostate specific antigen (PSA) density to assess the need for further standard NHS tests. Of the 29 participants found to have serious prostate cancer, 15 had a ‘low’ PSA score...
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US approves maternal vaccine to prevent RSV in infants
Credit: CC0 Public Domain The United States on Monday became the first country to approve a vaccine for pregnant women that prevents severe disease caused by Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in their babies. The Pfizer shot, which was already approved for use in older adults, has now been greenlighted for use as a single injection from...
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Aspirin can help prevent a second heart attack, but most don’t take it
by Washington University School of Medicine Aspirin can help prevent a second heart attack, but most don’t take itWorldwide, only 40% of eligible patients are taking daily aspirin to prevent a second heart attack or stroke, according to a new study led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Grouped by per-capita income,...
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Risk of death related to pregnancy and childbirth more than doubled between 1999 and 2019 in the US
by Laura Fleszar, Allison Bryant Mantha, Catherine O. Johnson and Greg Roth, The Conversation Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Black women were more likely to die during pregnancy or soon after in every year from 1999 through 2019, compared with Hispanic, American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and white women. That...
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Simple blood test may predict future heart, kidney risk for people with type 2 diabetes
by American Heart Association blood testCredit: Pixabay/CC0 Public DomainA simple blood test may predict the risk of progressive heart and kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, according to new research published in the journal Circulation. “High levels of certain biomarkers are indicators of heart and kidney complications and may help...
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Does prior omicron infection shield against future infection? Maybe not, new research finds
by Cara Murez People may assume that a COVID-19 infection protects them the next time they encounter the virus, but that’s not necessarily true. A new study of 750 vaccinated seniors living in retirement homes and long-term care facilities found that those infected during the first omicron wave were actually more vulnerable to reinfection with...
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Study finds inverse correlation between dietary magnesium intake and peripheral arterial disease
By Neha Mathur, Aug 16 2023, Reviewed by Sophia Coveney In a recent article published in PLOS One, researchers conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate the association between dietary magnesium intake and peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a chronic atherosclerotic disease primarily affecting the lower extremities. Study: Association between dietary magnesium intake and peripheral arterial disease: Results from NHANES 1999–2004. Image...