Latest news with #CalebAlexander
Miami Herald
03-07-2025
- Health
- Miami Herald
Study: Statins could prevent tens of thousands of heart attacks, strokes
July 2 (UPI) -- Tens of thousands of people suffer needless heart attacks and strokes every year because they aren't taking cholesterol-lowering drugs, a new study says. More than 39,000 deaths, nearly 100,000 non-fatal heart attacks and up to 65,000 strokes in the U.S. could be prevented if people eligible for statins and other cholesterol-lowering drugs were taking them, researchers reported Monday in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. Nearly half of Americans (47%) who have never had a heart attack or stroke are eligible to take statins under U.S. guidelines, researchers found. But fewer than a quarter (23%) of them have been prescribed the life-saving drugs, results show. A substantial number of heart attack or stroke survivors also aren't taking the drugs, even though all are eligible for them under U.S. guidelines, researchers said. 'These results add to a growing body of evidence that there are important shortcomings in the quality of care for common and costly chronic diseases such as high cholesterol, and that addressing those shortcomings would yield major public health benefits,' lead researcher Dr. Caleb Alexander, a professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said in a news release. For the study, researchers analyzed data from nearly 5,000 U.S. adults between 40 and 75 years of age who took part in an annual U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention health survey between 2013 and 2020. The survey included data on the people's 'bad' LDL cholesterol levels and their overall heart health risk profile. Researchers used that info to determine whether they'd be eligible to take cholesterol-lowering drugs under current guidelines. Even people who had suffered a prior heart attack and stroke -- and thus are at higher risk for a follow-up event -- aren't always prescribed statins, researchers found. Only about two-thirds (68%) are taking statins, even though all are eligible for the drugs under the guidelines, results show. Along with warding off heart attacks and strokes, properly prescribed statins also could prevent every year nearly 88,000 heart bypass surgeries and procedures to reopen blocked or clogged arteries, researchers estimated. If everyone eligible for statins took them, researchers estimate that average LDL cholesterol levels would drop sharply and the risk of heart attack or stroke would fall by up to 27%. Preventing heart attacks and strokes through cholesterol-lowering drugs also could save more than $30 billion in annual medical costs for the U.S., researchers estimate. 'Several factors account for the gaps that we document,' Alexander said. 'They include differences in clinician training, patient preferences, barriers to accessing care, financial incentives that don't always support best practices, and the difficulty of putting clinical guidelines into practice in busy, real-world settings.' Better patient education and improved screening methods could make sure the right people are taking the statins they need, researchers said. 'High cholesterol is an important chronic health condition that silently claims far too many lives -there are millions of people walking around with this condition that don't even know they have it, and then when it is recognized it too often goes undertreated,' senior author Dr. Seth Martin, a professor of cardiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said in a news release. 'Evidence-based action is critical to close the gap and prevent devastating cardiovascular events,' he said. More information Harvard Medical School has more on statins. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
UPI
02-07-2025
- Health
- UPI
Study: Statins could prevent tens of thousands of heart attacks, strokes
More than 39,000 deaths, nearly 100,000 non-fatal heart attacks and up to 65,000 strokes in the U.S. could be prevented if people eligible for statins and other cholesterol-lowering drugs were taking them, researchers reported Monday. Adobe stock/HealthDay July 2 (UPI) -- Tens of thousands of people suffer needless heart attacks and strokes every year because they aren't taking cholesterol-lowering drugs, a new study says. More than 39,000 deaths, nearly 100,000 non-fatal heart attacks and up to 65,000 strokes in the U.S. could be prevented if people eligible for statins and other cholesterol-lowering drugs were taking them, researchers reported Monday in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. Nearly half of Americans (47%) who have never had a heart attack or stroke are eligible to take statins under U.S. guidelines, researchers found. But fewer than a quarter (23%) of them have been prescribed the life-saving drugs, results show. A substantial number of heart attack or stroke survivors also aren't taking the drugs, even though all are eligible for them under U.S. guidelines, researchers said. "These results add to a growing body of evidence that there are important shortcomings in the quality of care for common and costly chronic diseases such as high cholesterol, and that addressing those shortcomings would yield major public health benefits," lead researcher Dr. Caleb Alexander, a professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said in a news release. For the study, researchers analyzed data from nearly 5,000 U.S. adults between 40 and 75 years of age who took part in an annual U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention health survey between 2013 and 2020. The survey included data on the people's "bad" LDL cholesterol levels and their overall heart health risk profile. Researchers used that info to determine whether they'd be eligible to take cholesterol-lowering drugs under current guidelines. Even people who had suffered a prior heart attack and stroke -- and thus are at higher risk for a follow-up event -- aren't always prescribed statins, researchers found. Only about two-thirds (68%) are taking statins, even though all are eligible for the drugs under the guidelines, results show. Along with warding off heart attacks and strokes, properly prescribed statins also could prevent every year nearly 88,000 heart bypass surgeries and procedures to reopen blocked or clogged arteries, researchers estimated. If everyone eligible for statins took them, researchers estimate that average LDL cholesterol levels would drop sharply and the risk of heart attack or stroke would fall by up to 27%. Preventing heart attacks and strokes through cholesterol-lowering drugs also could save more than $30 billion in annual medical costs for the U.S., researchers estimate. "Several factors account for the gaps that we document," Alexander said. "They include differences in clinician training, patient preferences, barriers to accessing care, financial incentives that don't always support best practices, and the difficulty of putting clinical guidelines into practice in busy, real-world settings." Better patient education and improved screening methods could make sure the right people are taking the statins they need, researchers said. "High cholesterol is an important chronic health condition that silently claims far too many lives -there are millions of people walking around with this condition that don't even know they have it, and then when it is recognized it too often goes undertreated," senior author Dr. Seth Martin, a professor of cardiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said in a news release. "Evidence-based action is critical to close the gap and prevent devastating cardiovascular events," he said. More information Harvard Medical School has more on statins. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
IOL News
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Help young Caleb hear the world before he starts his schooling journey
Caleb Alexander needs your help Image: Supplied At just five years old, little Caleb Alexander has already faced more than his fair share of life's challenges. Born with club feet and later recovering from painful facial burns as a toddler, this bright-eyed boy from Oudtshoorn is now getting ready for his first year of school — but there's one more hurdle in his way. Caleb has been living with hearing loss since birth, and it's only recently that his family has come to fully understand just how much it's shaped his early years. Despite everything, Caleb's world is filled with colour, imagination, and endless creativity. Known for his cheeky grin and mischievous sense of humour, he spends his days sketching, building wild LEGO creations, and acting out brave firefighter adventures. He may not have many words yet, but there's no mistaking his joyful spirit. Caleb loves his art and creates things with almost anything Image: Supplied Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 'He's our little artist,' said his aunt, Nina-Rose Clarke. 'He colours beautifully, builds for hours, and has this way of expressing himself that's just so full of joy. You don't need words to feel his energy.' It was delays in Caleb's speech and social development that first raised concerns. Given the family's history of hearing difficulties, his parents arranged for all three of their boys to be tested. The results confirmed what they'd feared: Caleb had been struggling to hear since birth. 'Getting that confirmation was really hard,' Clarke explained. 'But we're not the kind of family that sits in sadness for too long. We get up and do something about it.' Getting Caleb the help he needs hasn't been easy. Access to audiology services in Oudtshoorn is limited, and travelling to specialists comes with high costs — something the family has had to juggle carefully. 'But with Caleb about to start school, time is critical. This is the age when language skills take off, friendships begin to blossom, and confidence starts to take root,' Clarke said. 'Caleb is the middle of three boys and often described as the glue that holds the family together. Caleb Alexander with his parents Dean and Denoliza Alexander Image: Supplied 'He's cheeky, full of life, and always up to something — whether it's pulling funny faces, pretending to be a puppy, or helping out with the little ones. Despite his hearing challenges, he's fiercely independent. He makes his bed, tidies up, and loves to lend a hand. 'His hearing loss doesn't define him,' Clarke said. 'His kindness does.' The family has adapted in small but meaningful ways. At noisy gatherings, they take Caleb on peaceful walks to give him a break from the chaos. At home, they've come up with their own ways to communicate — more eye contact, more gestures, more patience. Clarke, who shares a birthday with Caleb, described their bond as special, which is one of the reasons she decided to launch a BackaBuddy fundraising campaign — not just to buy hearing aids, but to give her nephew the best possible start in life. 'These hearing aids aren't just about sound. They're about connection, learning, friendship… everything that makes childhood magical.' The goal is to raise R30,000 to cover the cost of hearing aids, speech therapy, and travel to specialists. In just 11 days, more than 36 donors have already helped raise over R17,000. For Clarke this is a sign that there's still so much kindness in the world. 'We're so grateful — whether someone gives R10 or just shares his story, it all matters,' she said. 'It reminds us, and it shows Caleb, that there are good people out there who care.' His mom Denoliza added: "All we trying to do is to make the world accessible to him so that he can reach the full potential that we know he has in him." To support Caleb's journey and help him start school with the tools he needs, visit: Weekend Argus
