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☆ Factbox: Novo Nordisk's weight-loss drug cuts heart disease risk in study
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] A selection of injector pens for the Wegovy weight loss drug are shown in this photo illustration in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., March 31, 2023. AMGENAmgen's (AMGN.O) experimental obesity drug, AMG133, showed a mean weight loss of 14.5% after 12 weeks of treatment at the highest monthly dose. The company plans to test higher doses of the drug over a longer treatment window in a mid-stage trial. ZEALAND PHARMADenmark's Zealand Pharma (ZELA.CO) and Boehringer Ingelheim's experimental obesity treatment achieved up to 14.9% weight loss in a mid-stage trial on Wednesday. OPKO HEALTH Opko Health (OPK.O) has completed a mid-stage trial of its obesity drug, pegapamodutide, which it expects will have fewer side effects.

Persons: Jim Vondruska, Wegovy, Eli Lilly, ELI LILLY Lilly, Mounjaro, LLY.N, danuglipron, AMGEN, ALTIMMUNE, Mariam Sunny, Pratik Jain, Sriparna Roy, Sriraj Kalluvila, Anil D'Silva Organizations: REUTERS, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, NOVO NORDISK Novo Nordisk, Novo, PFIZER Pfizer Inc, danuglipron, THERAPEUTICS, Therapeutics, ZEALAND PHARMA Denmark's Zealand Pharma, Thomson Locations: Chicago , Illinois, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ Sleep apnea, lack of deep sleep linked to damage in brain, study says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

If the sleep apnea is severe and untreated, people have three times the risk of dying from any cause. People with severe sleep apnea who spent less time in deep, also known as slow-wave sleep, had more damage to the white matter of the brain than people who had more slow-wave sleep, according to the study. “The association with sleep apnea was only unveiled when we isolated severe cases, suggesting that mild to moderate sleep apnea may not be significantly associated with white matter changes,” he said. About 34% of the participants had mild sleep apnea, 32% had moderate and 34% had severe sleep apnea. People with sleep apnea, however, can have dozens of micro-awakenings during the night as they snore, snort or gasp for breath.

☆ 8 key ways running can transform your body and brain
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Kevin Loria | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Running can significantly improve physical and mental health. As a form of aerobic exercise, running can reduce stress, improve heart health, and even help alleviate symptoms of depression. Some researchers think running may be so good for us because it's something we evolved to doTop editors give you the stories you want — delivered right to your inbox each weekday. There's also a long list of psychological benefits runners gain from their sport. These are some of the physical and mental health benefits of running.

☆ Opinion: Happiness is a trap. Here’s what to pursue instead
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Opinion Monica C. Parker | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Monica C. Parker Elena RossiniBetween chief happiness officers, the Happy Planet Index, Gross National Happiness, and the World Happiness Report (Finland scored the highest again this year), it seems as though happiness has some good PR. This one is: What if we’re so fixated on happiness that we’ve failed to question whether happiness is what we should be pursuing? We resist negative emotions such as sadness or fear at our peril. Even better than embracing your negative emotions is embracing both positive and negative emotions at the same time. Wonder makes us less stressed and feel like we have more time.

☆ Mental illness may mean higher heart attack, stroke risk for people under 40
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Those people younger than 40 with a mental disorder were 58% more likely to have a heart attack and 42% more likely to have a stroke than those with no disorder, the study found. That could point to a greater need for managing psychological conditions and monitoring heart health in those at risk, Park added. It is important to note that the findings do not show that mental illness causes heart attacks or stroke, she added. Choi recommends that people with mental health conditions receive regular checkups as well. “Many individuals with mental illness suffer from social isolation and loneliness, and for years researchers have been sounding the alarm that loneliness is detrimental for physical health,” Ehrlich said.

☆ Flying high on obesity success, Novo's appetite for deals grows
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Natalie Grover | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Its interest is largely in areas it has already invested in, including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and gene therapies, he said on a panel at the LSX World Congress conference. Since launching its popular Wegovy weight-loss drug in the United States in June 2021, Novo's shares have soared by 140%. The company has traditionally taken a wait-and-see approach to deals, often waiting for drugs to have success in later-stage trials before going for a deal. Since joining the drugmaker in 2018, the company has grown its business development capacity. "If you look at some of our competitors, there are hundreds of people in business development ... and we probably have 25," he said.

☆ Investors see big Novo Nordisk stock boost if obesity drug shows heart benefit
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Maggie Fick | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Demand for the Danish company's weight-loss treatment Wegovy is soaring in the United States, leading it to significantly raise its full-year profit and sales expectations last month. "But most insurance companies (...) may need to see that data, to definitively see the correlation between weight loss and improved outcomes." Less than 15% could put downward pressure on the stock while around 10% would be a major disappointment, some of the investors and analysts said. Booming demand and production issues have caused shortages of Wegovy though, forcing Novo to delay launching the weekly injection in most of Europe. Even with the medical benefit, investors say the company faces a challenge convincing Europe's cost-conscious health authorities to pay for the drug.

☆ Robert Patrick, Early and Prolific Playwright of Gay Life, Dies at 85
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Penelope Green | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Robert Patrick, a wildly prolific playwright who rendered gay (and straight) life with caustic wit, an open heart and fizzy camp, and whose 1964 play, “The Haunted Host,” became a touchstone of early gay theater, died on April 23 at his home in Los Angeles. One day in 1961, a 24-year-old Mr. Patrick followed a cute boy with long hair into the place, where the playwrights John Guare, Sam Shepard, Lanford Wilson and, soon, Mr. Patrick, all got their starts. The cute boy was John P. Dodd, who went on to be a well-known lighting designer and die of AIDS in 1991. No one was paid, except the cops, because Mr. Cino was not just running an unlicensed cabaret but also a gay hangout, which was illegal in the early 1960s. Its young playwrights, particularly Mr. Patrick, churned out plays, playlets and monologues akin to TikToks, as Don Shewey, the author and theater critic, said in a phone interview.

☆ Cognitive decline, dementia common after stroke
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

About 40% of the survivors of stroke have mild cognitive impairment that does not meet the diagnostic criteria for dementia. Cognitive impairment is most common within the first two weeks after a stroke, the statement said. The American Stroke Association’s statement did offer some good news: About 20% of people who experience mild cognitive impairment after a stroke fully recover their cognitive function, typically within the first six months. Stroke risk factors, such as hypertension, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes, should be treated, as should atrial fibrillation. “Perhaps the most pressing need, however, is the development of effective and culturally relevant treatments for post-stroke cognitive impairment,” she said.

☆ One woman described how she almost drowned snorkeling in a full-face mask. Here's why they could be dangerous.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Full-face snorkel masks have been a subject of debate amongst the scientific community. The fit, healthy 59-year-old had snorkeled before, but this was the first time she'd used a full-face mask. While it may sound like a freak accident, Standley's narrow escape may indicate a more serious issue involving full-face snorkel masks. British woman Angela Kearn, 63, died while snorkeling in the Red Sea in Egypt after she used a full-face mask from a Decathlon sporting goods store. But Caroline Topping, the coroner, also wrote: "The use of a full face snorkel mask contributed to the death in two ways."

☆ This weight-loss drug maker's stock is up 20% this year — and Barclays sees it going higher
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Wegovy catapulted into the spotlight thanks to its success in weight loss and the endorsement by celebrities and social media influencers, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk. However, some investors are concerned that Novo's stock has already factored in this growth potential, as its shares have risen by 137% since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the drug in June 2021. Novo's shares are also traded in New York Stock, London , and Frankfurt. NVO 5Y mountain According to Barclays' Field, the market for obesity treatment drugs could be worth as much as $200 billion within the next decade. "So does the weight loss that comes with taking Wegovy prevent you from having a heart attack or a stroke among those that have a higher risk?

☆ Top diets for heart health, according to American Heart Association
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

But which diet best meets the dietary guidelines of the American Heart Association? In a new scientific statement, leading experts in nutrition ranked 10 popular diets on their ability to meet the AHA’s evidence-based dietary guidance for heart health, published in 2021. “The American Heart Association says no one should drink alcohol if they haven’t started,” Gardner said. Aimed at doctorsWhile people concerned with heart health can and should use the new AHA ranking of the 10 diets, the scientific statement was written for physicians, Gardner said. Top diets for heart health are predominately plant-based, the AHA statement says.

☆ Workplace discrimination linked to increased risk of high blood pressure, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Kyla Russell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

High blood pressure damages arteries and makes them less elastic, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Each participant said they did not have high blood pressure at the start of the study, and most said they were not smokers and consumed little or no alcohol. According to the analysis, 319 of the participants reported developing high blood pressure by the end of the eight years. People who experienced intermediate levels of workplace discrimination at the beginning of the study were 22% more likely than those who reported low levels of workplace discrimination to report high blood pressure after eight years. Compared with participants who experienced low workplace discrimination at the beginning of the study, people with high levels of workplace discrimination were 54% more likely to report high blood pressure after eight years.

☆ Exercise can help addiction treatment, study shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —One key to fighting addiction may be exercise, according to a new study. “It’s very beneficial to do physical activity in addition to the treatments.”There are limitations to the findings. Physical activity can also help boost self-esteem and lower anxiety and depression, experts said. What exercise doesMost people can benefit from engaging in physical activity, Kandola said. The current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans does recommend that adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two days of muscle-strengthening activity.

☆ Florida surgeon general appointed by DeSantis cut data from a COVID-19 vaccine safety study
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Associated Press | Sarah Gray | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo cut data from a COVID-19 vaccine safety study, per multiple reports. Ron DeSantis in 2021 to head the Florida Department of Health. The nonbinding recommendation made by Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo last fall ran counter to the advice provided by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ladapo said that the risk of men ages 18 to 39 having cardiac complications outweighed the benefits of getting the mRNA vaccine. "(The vaccine) has done a lot to advance the health of people of Florida and he's encouraging people to mistrust it."

☆ Could Certain Foods Help With Hot Flashes?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Alisha Haridasani Gupta | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For a phenomenon that affects roughly 75 percent of menopausal American women, hot flashes are still surprisingly mysterious, with little known about how they work or what to do about them. But what triggers that process and why? How are hot flashes connected with other health issues, like cognitive concerns and cardiovascular disease? Treatment options are limited to hormones and just one non-hormonal drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration. All of which, Dr. Sholes-Douglas added, is a clear reflection of the scant attention and little funding devoted to medical research into this phase of a woman’s life.

☆ Type 2 diabetes: Coffee, tea lower risk of heart disease and early death
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —If you have type 2 diabetes, drinking more coffee, tea or plain water may lower your risk of dying prematurely from any cause by about 25%, a new study found. However, drinking more sugar-sweetened beverages raised the risk of heart disease by 25% and the risk of dying from a heart attack or another cardiovascular event by 29%, the study said. Adults with type 2 diabetes who drink more coffee or tea lower their risk of heart disease, a new study said. There was a 26% lower risk of early death associated with drinking coffee, 21% for tea, 23% for plain water and 12% for low-fat milk. When both sugar-sweetened and artificial no-calorie drinks were replaced with coffee, tea, plain water and low-fat milk, there was an even lower risk of heart disease and death from any cause.

☆ Humans can't live forever, but we haven't even come close to the limit for how long our bodies could last
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Emily Swaim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Mysteries like cellular senescence, telomere length, and DNA methylation hold the keys to our longevity. But so far, no one has figured out how to completely prevent or eliminate harmful senescent cells. DNA methylation is linked to several age-related diseasesTreating or preventing age-related diseases is one of the keys to unlocking longer, healthier lives. Similar to telomeres, DNA methylation is another way scientists can measure your biological age to help predict your life expectancy. For example, telomere shortening can lead to DNA damage, which in turn disrupts your mitochondria.

☆ Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) earnings Q1 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Johnson & Johnson shares fell Tuesday after the company reported adjusted earnings and revenue that topped Wall Street's expectations, but lowered its sales guidance for its pharmaceutical business. J&J is now forecasting 2023 sales of $97.9 billion to $98.9 billion, about $1 billion higher than the guidance provided in January. Lawsuits allege the company's talc products were contaminated with the carcinogen asbestos, which caused ovarian cancer in thousands of individuals. Some suits link several deaths to J&J's talc products. Read the full J&J earnings report.

☆ Here are Thursday's biggest analyst calls: Tesla, Apple, Wynn, Costco, Netflix, First Solar & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Here are Thursday's biggest calls on Wall Street: Goldman Sachs reiterates Netflix as sell Goldman said it's standing by its sell rating heading into earnings next week. Deutsche Bank adds a catalyst call buy on Enphase Energy Deutsche said it's bullish on the solar company's opportunities in Europe. Citi upgrades Merck to buy from neutral Citi said in its upgrade of the pharmaceutical company that it has an underappreciated pipeline of products. Deutsche Bank names a catalyst buy on Sherwin-Williams Deutsche said the paint company's earnings scheduled for later this month should "alleviate" investor concerns. Citi upgrades Steven Madden to buy from neutral Citi said in its upgrade of the shoe company that it sees "better wholesale trends" for Steven Madden.

☆ People Can't Get Ozempic, New Weight-Loss Drugs Because of Broken Healthcare System
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

Wegovy is just one of a wave of revolutionary weight-loss drugs, which also includes the buzzy Ozempic, that represents a watershed moment for obesity treatment. Demand for weight-loss drugs is surgingDoctors and healthcare professionals searched for a healthy, safe, and effective weight-loss solution for years before the drugs, known collectively as GLP-1 agonists, exploded on the scene. If there is one key that could unlock access to expensive weight-loss drugs for Americans, it's Medicare. Expanding coverage for Ozempic and other weight-loss drugs for just a small segment of the population could cost Medicare up to $26.8 billion a year. Patients lose outYears from now, patients may have an easier time getting their hands on weight-loss drugs.

☆ What is autism? An expert explains
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Matt Villano | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

To mark Autism Awareness Month, CNN talked with him about what autism is and what causes it. Geschwind: About a decade ago, the term “autism spectrum disorder” was adopted to encompass everything that we called autism into one rubric. When I started researching autism 25 years ago, the autism rate was 1 in 1,000 or 1 in 2,000. You can calculate a risk score for having autism based on genetics, (but) right now, the risk score for autism is not that predictive because we haven’t done enough research. The problem is that for many autistic individuals, current therapies are not that effective.

☆ At 100 years old, I'm the 'world's oldest practicing doctor'—5 things I never do to live a long, happy life
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Dr. Howard Tucker | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

When I was born in 1922, the average life expectancy in the U.S. was 58 years old for men, and 61 years old for women. So as a 100-year-old practicing medical doctor and neurologist, patients often ask me for tips on how to stay healthy, happy and mentally sharp. I've been working for more than 75 years, and was even named as the world's oldest practicing doctor by the Guinness World Records. (My hospital just shut down, so I'm currently doing medical legal review work while I look for another role.) Moderation allows us to live life to the fullest while also keeping us from going overboard and impacting our health in the long run.

When we've been awake for a long time, our sleep drive kicks in and tells us we need to sleep. During REM sleep, the cortex – responsible for cognition and emotion-processing – is activated in some regions and deactivated in others. After cycling through non-REM and REM sleep around 4 to 5 times, the basal forebrain and other structures receive signals to start exiting sleep. WHEN SLEEP GOES WRONGIn the U.S. alone, 50 to 70 million people experience some type of chronic sleep disorder, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). In the United States, a list of board-certified sleep medicine physicians and accredited sleep disorders centers is available from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

☆ 10 ways Tasers and stun guns can damage your body and brain, from twisted testicles to temporary memory loss
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Kelly Burch | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Tasers, AKA stun guns, cause your muscles to seize up, which can make them sore for days after. Police and law enforcement have been using Tasers, known generally as stun guns, since 1974 as a safer alternative to guns. Put another way, all Tasers are stun guns, but not all stun guns are Tasers. Stun guns make your muscles seize up like a Charley horseA police officer's painful reaction to being tasered during a training course on stun guns. Rarely, stun guns can severely harm kidney functionVery rarely, stun guns can cause a serious condition called rhabdomyolysis, AKA rhabdo, which can be fatal.

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