Long COVID in Older Adults: Be Alert for These Signs, says Physiatrist Talya Fleming, MD
Primary care clinicians will need to be particularly alert for signs of long COVID in older patients as some signs and symptoms may be easily attributed to the aging process.
Less than Half of Patients with New AF Diagnosis Prescribed Oral Anticoagulation within 6 Months
Factors positively associated with a timely first OAC Rx among the 41.3% who received one included male sex, certain comorbidities, other current medications, and obesity.
CDC's Fall "Bridge Access Program" to Provide Free COVID-19 Vaccines, Treatment to Uninsured, Underinsured US Adults
For the 25-30 million uninsured adults in the US, the program, which will end in December 2024, will ensure access to protection from the virus for another year.
Prescription Digital Behavioral Therapeutic for Type 2 Diabetes Wins FDA Marketing Clearance
AspyreRx™, prescribed in 90-day increments, resulted in a mean HbA1c reduction of 1.3% at 180 days in 1 out of 2 phase 3 trial participants. A Q4 launch is anticipated.
BMI vs body fat; menopause and martinis; statin guidelines collide; +2 - The Five for Friday
Is BMI or body fat a better estimate of obesity?; spoiler: older women do drink ETOH; USPSTF vs ACC/AHA; plus no more opioids for LBP and a primer on migraine meds.
The BMI vs Body Fat Debate: Study Suggests One-Third of People with Normal BMI are Obese
In Israel, where 60% of adults are overweight, new research prompts investigators to suggest that % body fat should replace BMI as the gold standard measure of obesity.
In Patients with NAFLD, Type 2 Diabetes Significantly Ups Risk for Hepatic Decompensation, Hepatocellular Carcinoma
In patients with NAFLD, type 2 diabetes was found to be an independent predictor of both hepatic decompensation and incident HCC, according to meta-analysis authors. .
Inclisiran Label Expanded to Include Primary Prevention Population
The expanded indication widens the patient population eligible for the novel siRNA therapy to include high-risk patients on maximum statin Rx who have not had a CV event.
Physiatry and Primary Care: A Potent Pairing for Older and Aging Adults
For older adults who feel limited by physical changes associated with aging, physiatry can help maintain strength and flexibility along a continuum of primary care.
Higher Community Wellbeing Linked to Reduced CVD Mortality in Study of More than 3000 US Counties
Wellbeing is considered a measurable and modifiable community attribute that study authors show is correlated with CV outcomes.
US Maternal Mortality Doubled 1999-2019, Remains Highest Among Black Women
The greatest increase over the 10 years was seen in deaths among American Indian and Alaska Native women, according to Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation data.
Loneliness Linked to Greater Risk for CVD in Individuals with Diabetes
The predictive value of loneliness for cardiovascular disease in patients with diabetes was stronger than traditional lifestyle risk factors in large UK Biobank analysis.
Pegozafermin Shows Early Promise in NASH: Phase 2b ENLIVEN Trial Findings
Pegozafermin, an investigational long-acting (FGF21) analogue, was associated with fibrosis improvement and NASH resolution in an average of 25% of study participants.
FDA Awards De Novo Marketing Authorization for KidneyIntelX.dkd to Assess Risk of Decline in Kidney Function in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes and Early-Stage Kidney Disease
KidneyIntelX.dkd, a first-in-class AI-enabled prognostic test, stratifies risk of DKD progression in 5 years and is specific for early stage disease.
E-Cigarettes: US Sales Nearly Double over 2 Years, Youth Prefer Flavored Disposables
Sales of e-cigarettes in the US jumped by 46% from 2020-2022; rapid market shifts beg coordinated restrictions to protect public health, says the CDC.
Studies of Novel, Highly Effective Antiobesity Medications Headline 83rd ADA Scientific Sessions
Retatrutide, survodutide, orforglipron. The 3 new GLP-1 agonist-based AOMs showed weight loss of up to 20% and are well worth watching.
Bempedoic Acid Reduced Risk for MACE by 30% in Primary Prevention Population: CLEAR Outcomes Subanalysis
ADA 2023: The only nonstatin therapy to reduce risk for 4-point MACE in ASCVD may potentially find a role in primary prevention as well, though caution is advised.
Triple Agonist Retatrutide Associated with Weight Loss of up to 24% in 48-Week Phase 2 Trial
ADA 2023: Weight loss with the combination GLP-1/GIP/glucagon receptor agonist was as high as 30% in study participants who received the highest dose.
Oral GLP-1 Agonist Orforglipron Leads to ~15% Mean Body Weight Reduction in Adults with Overweight/Obesity
ADA 2023: The investigational oral GLP-1 RA resulted in weight loss comparable to injectable GLP-1 RA formulations and requires no food or water restrictions.
Survodutide, Novel Dual GLP-1/Glucagon Agonist, Achieves ~19% Weight Loss in People with Overweight, Obesity
ADA 2023: Among survodutide-treated participants in a phase 2 study, more than half lost more than 50% of baseline bodyweight, reported PI Carel le Roux, MBChB, PhD.
SURMOUNT-2: Tirzepatide Treatment Leads to Average 15% Weight Loss in Adults with T2D, Obesity
ADA 2023: SURMOUNT-2 findings show tirzepatide is associated with greater weight loss in adults with T2D than any other treatment studied to date.
Friday's 5 Quotes for Primary Care
SGLT-2 inhibitors show broad cardiometabolic efficacy; colchicine approved for CV inflammation, astronomical diabetes rates; plus 2 more quotes of note.
Global Diabetes Prevalence Will Double by 2050, Affecting 1.3 Billion People: New Predictions
Type 2 diabetes will continue to comprise more than 90% of this population and obesity will be the primary driver, according to Global Burden of Disease researchers.
“Triagonist” Therapy for Type 2 Diabetes and Comorbidities to be Previewed at 2023 ADA Scientific Sessions
ADA 2023. Retatrutide, an investigational triple GLP-1/GIP/glucagon agonist, may provide benefits in liver fibrosis and obesity as well as in glycemic control.
SGLT-2 Inhibitor HF, CV Benefit Found Consistent Across Populations with T2D, CKD, HF
SGLT-2 inhibitors were found to consistently reduce risk of CV mortality and HF events in a meta-analysis including 90 000 high-risk patients with T2D, CKD, and/or HF.
Home Blood Pressure Monitoring among Older US Adults
Among adults aged 50 to 80 years with a BP-related condition, less than half say they regularly monitor BP at home; one-third are "not very concerned" about their BP.
Empagliflozin and Empagliflozin/Metformin Win FDA Approval for Pediatric Type 2 Diabetes
The 2 SGLT-2 inhibitor-based medications are the first in the class to be approved for pediatric T2D and provide a much needed additional oral treatment option for the population.
Healthy Lifestyle Linked to Primary CVD Prevention in Postmenopausal Women with Normal BMI
Higher scores on a healthy lifestyle index were associated with significantly reduced risk of incident CVD among women aged 50-79 years with BMI between 18.5 and 25.0.
FDA Approves Low-Dose Colchicine as First Anti-inflammatory Therapy to Reduce Cardiovascular Events
Colchicine 0.5 mg is associated with reduction in a wide range of CV events in patients already on statin therapy, supporting the long-held "anti-inflammatory" hypothesis.
Testosterone Replacement Does Not Increase Risk for CV Events in Men with Hypogonadism, New Study Finds
ENDO 2023. In older men with hypogonadism and CVD, there was no difference in incident CVD between those taking testosterone and those taking placebo.