Weight fluctuations risky for overweight heart patients

Strokes and death more common in people whose weight changed most over four years, study finds

A new study says losing and regaining weight repeatedly may be dangerous for overweight heart patients.

Heart attacks, strokes and death were more common in patients whose weight changed the most over four years. For some patients, weight changes might have reflected yo-yo dieting, which some previous studies have suggested may be unhealthy for people without heart problems. That means a hefty but stable weight might be healthier than losing but repeatedly regaining extra pounds.

But big weight fluctuations in heart patients studied could also have been unintentional and a possible sign of serious illness that would explain the results.

Experts say more research is needed on potential risks of yo-yoing weight. The study was published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine. Study: Long-term aspirin use associated with reduced risk of dying from cancer Long-term use of aspirin is associated with lower risk of dying from various types of cancers, including colorectal, lung, breast and prostate cancer, according to a study presented at the 2017 American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting last week.

The longitudinal study analyzed the association of aspirin, with varied doses and duration of use, on overall mortality risks and mortality risks from cancer over a nearly 32-year period. Previous studies have shown that aspirin prevents cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer, particularly colorectal cancer, and seems to reduce the risk of dying from cancer. This large study with long-term followup was one of the first to examine the potential benefits of different doses and durations of aspirin use.

Although aspirin has also been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and strokes, daily aspirin use is known to increase the likelihood of gastrointestinal bleeding. Nearly half of U.S. adults infected with genital HPV, study finds Health officials say nearly half of U.S. adults have caught HPV, a sexually transmitted bug that can cause cervical cancer and genital warts.

About 45 per cent of Americans ages 18 to 59 had some form of genital human papillomavirus, according to a report released last week that’s the most complete look at how common HPV is among adults. More concerning, about 25 per cent of men and 20 per cent of women had certain strains that carry a higher risk of cancer.

There are more than 150 HPV viruses. In most cases, HPV goes away on its own. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said most sexually active people will get HPV. Deep brain stimulation may reduce severe Tourette’s syndrome An experimental technique reduces the tics, or involuntary movements and vocal outbursts, associated with severe Tourette’s syndrome in young adults, a study published last week found.

The surgical technique, called thalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS), sends electrical impulses to a specific area of the brain that reduces the tics, according to the study published in the Journal of Neurosurgery.

The finding adds to the growing body of evidence about the safety and effectiveness of deep brain stimulation, which might eventually lead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve the treatment for Tourette’s syndrome, according to the researchers.

“Our study shows that deep brain stimulation is a safe, effective treatment for young adults with severe Tourette’s syndrome that cannot be managed with current therapies,” said Alon Mogilner, an associate professor in the departments of neurosurgery and anesthesiology at New York University Langone and director of its Center for Neuromodulation.

“This treatment has the potential to improve the quality of life for patients who are debilitated through their teenage years and young adulthood.”