Latest news with #MassGeneralBrigham
Hans India
4 days ago
- Health
- Hans India
Study links common diabetes drug with cardiovascular risk
New Delhi: A commonly used type 2 diabetes medication in the US -- Glipizide -- may be linked to a higher rate of heart-related conditions, claimed a study. Researchers from Mass General Brigham examined nationwide data from nearly 50,000 patients treated with different sulfonylureas. They found that glipizide was linked to a higher incidence of heart failure, related hospitalisation, and death compared to dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors. The findings are published in JAMA Network Open. 'Patients with type 2 diabetes are at heightened risk of adverse cardiovascular incidents such as stroke and cardiac arrest,' said corresponding author Alexander Turchin, Division of Endocrinology at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH). 'While sulfonylureas are popular and affordable diabetes medications, there is a lack of long-term clinical data on how they affect cardiac health in comparison to more neutral alternatives like dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors,' he added. Type 2 diabetes is a common chronic disease whose prevalence continues to grow worldwide. Individuals with Type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events, including coronary ischemia, stroke, and heart failure. Mitigation of cardiovascular risk is therefore an important aspect of the treatment of diabetes. The study included 48,165 patients with type 2 diabetes and moderate cardiovascular risk who received care at 10 different study sites across the country. The researchers studied the five-year risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in patients treated with different sulfonylureas (glimepiride, glipizide, or glyburide) or DPP4i in addition to metformin, a primary diabetes medication. They found that glipizide was associated with a 13 per cent increase in cardiovascular risk when compared to DPP4i, while glimepiride and glyburide led to relatively smaller and less clear effects, respectively. 'Our study underscores the importance of evaluating each drug in a particular pharmacological class on its own merits,' said Turchin. The team also called for further research to uncover the underlying mechanisms.
CBS News
7 days ago
- Automotive
- CBS News
Police, doctors warn of e-bike dangers as use skyrockets in Massachusetts
No matter where you go in the city, it's not hard to spot an electronic bike or scooter zipping through the streets. On a hot day like Wednesday, Druv Manik told WBZ, in comparison to a traditional bike, "I like these a lot better because they're much faster and I don't have to use much energy." Chris Child, another cyclist agreed saying, "It's a nice way to get around." Over the past few years, e-bikes and scooters have grown in popularity for being fast, fun, and convenient. But when deciding between using it and a traditional bike, medical professionals say you should know the risks. "We have seen a few injuries this year alone in our pediatric intensive care unit," said Dr. Michael Flaherty, a pediatric intensivist at Mass General Brigham. Since e-bikes became more accessible, he claims more kids have been coming in with injuries. "Above all it's head injuries, which are the most dangerous and that's usually due to not wearing a helmet," Flaherty explained. "And then it's a lot of extremity injuries broken limbs, road rash injuries just from the impact of falling and going that fast." According to the doctor, it's an issue that goes far beyond Massachusetts. "In the emergency department, the number is quoted over the past four or five years have been close to 50,000 emergency department visits for e-bike related injuries across the United States," he said. In the town of Hanover, Police Chief Timothy Kane tells WBZ, the amount of youth using e-bikes has skyrocketed. "A lot of times, we're observing these youngsters traveling in the wrong direction, cutting off traffic, not yielding," Kane said. In an effort to keep kids safe, the chief sent out a notice earlier this month saying, "All riders who operate a bicycle on a public way in a manner that jeopardizes the lives and safety of the public will be cited for Operating to Endanger (OTE)." For those under the age of 18, we're told their bikes will be impounded. "We want to make sure that we do everything that we can so that this community can avoid a tragedy," Kane said. The state of Massachusetts doesn't have a clear set of concrete rules and regulations for e-bikes and e-scooters. To prevent more injuries, Flaherty says parents should be educating their children on the rules of the road. "If you're under the age of 16 and you don't have a driver's license you probably shouldn't be riding a motorized bike that can go 20 to 35 mph," he said.
WebMD
7 days ago
- Health
- WebMD
Mastectomy or Lumpectomy? Reassuring New Data for Young Women
July 23, 2025 – Young women diagnosed with breast cancer may not need to choose aggressive surgery to reduce recurrence risk. New research suggests the likelihood of cancer recurring (coming back) in the same breast or nearby lymph nodes isn't related to her choice of surgical treatment – removing either the cancerous tissue (lumpectomy) or one or both breasts (mastectomy). And for women 40 and under with invasive but not incurable cancer, recurrence risk across the board was "low" – just 5.6% over 10 years. "Many young women with breast cancer choose to have bilateral mastectomies even if they may be a candidate for a smaller surgery," said study author Laura S. Dominici, MD, a breast surgeon at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Mass General Brigham in Boston. "We know survival isn't impacted by this choice, but historically, young women were felt to have higher risk for local recurrence and tend to have more 'aggressive' breast cancers." The new findings, published Wednesday in JAMA Surgery, suggest that "women cannot make a bad choice," Dominici said. "A woman who wants to keep her breast isn't trading off a cancer outcome to do so." Of the more than 1,100 people in the study, 30% had lumpectomy, 26% had a single mastectomy, and 43% had bilateral mastectomy. When researchers analyzed surgical treatment alongside cancer subtype – such as whether it was related to hormones or certain genes – they found no significant differences in recurrence rates. Researchers attributed the low risk to advances in cancer treatments, which have become more targeted. Breast cancer patients in the study were diagnosed between 2006 and 2015, and they received optimal treatment after surgery – meaning breast cancer in young women may not be as likely to come back as older research suggested. Does This Research Apply to Me? The study included women age 40 or younger with stage I, II, or III breast cancer of any subtype – meaning hormone receptor-positive, triple negative, or any ERBB2 (formerly HER2) genetic status. If that describes you, you may want to talk to your doctor about it. The researchers excluded women with stage IV breast cancer (which has already spread to other parts of the body) and women with stage 0, or ductal carcinoma in situ or DCIS. "The results do require some caution in their generalizability because the patients were not from diverse populations, with nearly 85% non-Hispanic White women," Julie A. Margenthaler, MD, wrote in a commentary published with the study. Margenthaler was not involved in the study and is a breast cancer surgeon at WashU Medicine in St. Louis. What Type of Recurrence Did This Study Look For? It looked for local or regional recurrence (that is, in the same breast or surrounding lymph nodes), but not distant recurrence – when breast cancer returns in a distant part of the body like the brain or bones. That's a stage IV diagnosis, which is usually considered treatable but not curable. What About BRCA? About 1 in 10 women in the study had known BRCA genetic involvement, and most had mastectomies. "Women do not have to have a mastectomy in this setting, but many of them consider it," Dominici said. "Mastectomies will reduce the risk for future cancers (for which patients with BRCA mutations are at higher risk) but will not reduce risk for recurrence of the current cancer. A woman with BRCA mutation having lumpectomy should be doing high-risk screening with mammogram and MRI." Does This Mean I Should Get a Lumpectomy? When deciding what breast cancer surgery to have, you need to consider physical, emotional, and psychological factors, said Dominici, who is also a professor at Harvard Medical School. "There is no 'right' answer," she said, "and it is often hard for women to both appreciate and consider the short- and long-term impacts of the different surgeries." Lumpectomy may not be an option for some women with cancer in a significant portion or multiple areas of the breast, Dominici said. "Surgery is one important part of treatment, but systemic therapy and radiation are also key to lower risk for recurrence," she said.
Time of India
20-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Harvard study reveals 17 threats to brain health that quietly boost your risk of stroke and dementia
Harvard study reveals 17 threats to brain health that quietly boost your risk of stroke and dementia Most brain disorders look sudden, but they build for years. A new review from Harvard-affiliated Mass General Brigham pinpoints 17 modifiable factors that turn up again and again in stroke, dementia, and late-life depression. Tackle even one, and you trim risk for all three; tackle several, and benefits compound. The researchers wrapped everything into a 21-point Brain Care Score so clinicians and patients can track progress just as they would blood pressure or cholesterol. Their bottom line: genes set the stage, but daily habits and treatable medical issues decide the plot. Act sooner, age better. Harvard's brain alert: 17 hidden daily habits linking poor health to stroke, dementia, late-life depression High blood pressure : Chronically elevated pressure damages the small vessels that feed brain tissue. Severe kidney disease : Toxin buildup and fluid imbalance worsen vascular injury in the brain. Diabetes : High glucose stiffens arteries and accelerates cognitive decline. Elevated fasting blood sugar (pre-diabetes) : Even sub-diabetic levels start injuring hippocampal vessels. High total cholesterol : Excess LDL promotes plaque that can trigger strokes and mini-strokes. Obesity : Visceral fat fuels inflammation linked to neuron loss. Smoking : Nicotine and tar narrow blood vessels and reduce oxygen to the brain. Excessive alcohol use : Heavy drinking shrinks grey matter and disrupts mood circuits. Unhealthy diet : Low fruit and veg, high processed foods starve neurons of antioxidants. Physical inactivity : Lack of movement weakens blood flow regulation and insulin control. Poor sleep quality or duration : Short or fragmented sleep limits nightly brain repair. Chronic stress : Prolonged cortisol exposure erodes memory-forming structures. Hearing loss : Reduced auditory input forces the brain to reallocate resources away from cognition. Chronic pain : Persistent pain signals overload networks tied to mood and attention. Social isolation : Limited human contact lowers cognitive reserve and raises depression odds. Lack of purpose in life : Absence of meaningful goals is linked to faster mental decline. Untreated depression : Ongoing depressive episodes shrink key memory regions and raise stroke risk . Why blood pressure, sugar, and kidneys top the danger list High blood pressure nearly doubles lifetime stroke risk, while elevated glucose injures tiny hippocampal vessels long before a diabetes diagnosis. Severe kidney disease compounds both problems by amplifying inflammation. All three conditions are easy to screen and widely treatable, making them the first targets on Harvard's roadmap. Quick wins that protect your brain Sleep 7–8 hours : Adding even one hour can lower stroke and depression risk in older adults. Walk briskly 150 minutes a week : Moderate exercise improves insulin control and mood within three months. Treat hearing loss early : Hearing-aid users in the ACHIEVE trial slowed cognitive decline by nearly half. Follow a MIND-style diet : Leafy greens, berries, and olive oil support healthier brain ageing. Schedule stress breaks : Daily breathing or meditation sessions cut cortisol and protect memory circuits. Related FAQs Which single factor showed the strongest link across all three diseases? High blood pressure had the largest pooled effect size in the Harvard analysis. At what age do researchers suggest baseline brain-risk screening? The team recommends starting checks for blood pressure, glucose, and hearing by age 40. What fasting-glucose range counts as 'elevated'? 100–125 mg/dL (5.6–6.9 mmol/L) was flagged as a modifiable risk zone. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo How much social contact meets the protective threshold? Participating in at least one in-person activity per week—such as volunteering or a club meeting—qualifies as 'engaged.' How long do executive-function gains last after hearing-loss treatment? Early data from the ACHIEVE extension study show cognitive benefits persisting for at least three years post-fitting. Also read | The '10-10-10 rule' to manage blood sugar level, no medicines required
Medscape
18-07-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Dermatomyositis: Imaging Key to Detect Head and Neck Cancer
TOPLINE: Head and neck cancer (HNC) occurred in a small but distinct subgroup of patients with dermatomyositis (DM), in a retrospective study that also found that most cases presented with myositis and neck masses. METHODOLOGY: To characterize patients with DM who developed HNC living in a region not endemic for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study of 590 patients with DM (76% women; 81% White individuals) using the Research Patient Data Registry at Mass General Brigham from 1979 to 2024. Patients had at least 3 years of clinical follow-up post-DM diagnosis. Researchers identified cancer-associated DM and HNC. TAKEAWAY: Of the 126 patients (21%) with cancer, 6% had HNC, all were male and were predominantly White (86%). Squamous cell carcinoma comprised 86% of cases. Five of the tested patients with HNC were human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive. One patient from an EBV-endemic area tested positive for EBV (which has been linked to an increased risk for HNC, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma). Most patients with HNC (86%) had myositis at presentation, and 83% showed cancer-associated symptoms at the onset of DM, most commonly a neck mass. The mean interval from a DM diagnosis to a cancer diagnosis was 20 months. Lymph node involvement was present in all HNC cases, and traditional cancer screening protocols without neck imaging would have missed every case. IN PRACTICE: These results 'underscore the importance' of the new International Myositis Assessment and Clinical Studies Group guidelines for cancer screening in patients with DM, 'which include neck CT imaging for high-risk dermatomyositis patients,' the authors wrote. However, they emphasized that even if initial screenings are negative, 'further evaluation should be pursued for patients with persistent symptoms and vigilance for HPV-associated HNC is critical.' SOURCE: The study was led by Leila Shayegan, MD, Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston. It was published online on July 13 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. LIMITATIONS: Limitations included the retrospective design and small sample size. DISCLOSURES: The authors reported no funding information or relevant conflicts of interest. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
