Our weekly roundup of the latest developments in the world of health. The risks of stents used to open clogged neck arteries and the effectiveness of anti-aging supplements were in the news this week. So were a new report about the benefits and risks of eating fish and a new drug for type 2 diabetes.
Stay well.
This Issue:
Head, Neck Stents and Strokes Supplements Don't Slow Aging
Pros and Cons of Eating Fish
New Type 2 Diabetes Drug In the News:
Neck Stents and Strokes We still don't know the best way to open clogged arteries in the neck. A French study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that a therapy that uses stents to clear blockages in the carotid artery carried twice the risk of stroke and sudden death compared to the standard surgical treatment. The risk was worrisome enough that researchers stopped the study early, The Associated Press reports. The study involved 520 patients who had at least 60% blockage in their carotid artery, who experienced symptoms due to the blockage, and who were considered average risk from surgery. Half of the patients had surgery, while the others had stents placed. After a month, nearly 10% of the people who got stents had a stroke or died, compared to 4% percent of those who had standard surgical treatment. However, some prior studies comparing carotid stenting to standard surgery showed that that the two methods were similar. It is unlikely that the matter will be resolved any time soon. In an accompanying editorial, the author suggests that carotid stents be considered only for patients with at least 70% blockage who have symptoms and are at high risk for standard surgery.
Supplements Don't Slow Aging
Most supplements marketed as anti-aging therapies don't offer any benefits. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine looked at whether DHEA supplements and testosterone patches lived up to their anti-aging claims. Researchers concluded that they don't. In the study, the researchers looked at 57 women and 87 age 60 or older over a two-year period. The women were given either standard daily doses of DHEA or a placebo, while the men got real DHEA or a dummy pill and a testosterone skin patch or a placebo patch. The researchers took blood samples from the participants every three months; evaluated their body fat, hormone levels, bone density and physical performance; and had the participants complete surveys about their quality of life. The participants who got real DHEA and testosterone had higher blood levels of the hormones, but had no improvement in physical performance, quality of life or the ability to lower blood sugar levels compared to people getting the placebo. Men using the testosterone patches did see an increase in body weight without fat, but they did not have any improvement in strength as a result, The Associated Press reports. DHEA improved bone density in the arm and neck, but not in the back and hip, an effect the researchers say is minor or inconsistent, the AP says. It is possible that higher doses of the supplements might offer more benefits, but could also increase the risk of breast and prostate cancers, the AP says.
Pros and Cons of Eating Fish
The benefits of eating fish outweigh the risks. That's the conclusion of a report released this week by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). The report addresses consumer concerns about eating fish; while some types are high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, they also may contain mercury and other toxins, The Associated Press reports. The IOM report says the decreased heart disease risk, plus evidence that omega-3 fatty acids may also help vision and cognitive development in babies and help pregnant women carry babies to term, outweigh the risk of exposure to contaminants. The report recommends that pregnant women and children under 12 -- those most at risk from the toxins in seafood -- could benefit from eating six to 12 ounces of seafood a week, but should avoid big predatory fish that are more likely to have higher levels of mercury. Healthy teenagers and adults, as well as people at risk for heart disease, may lower their cardiac risk by eating seafood. If they eat more than two servings per week, though, they should be sure to vary the type of seafood, the AP says.
New Type 2 Diabetes Drug
People with type 2 diabetes have a new treatment option. The Food and Drug Administration this week approved a new drug that boosts the body's ability to lower blood sugar. The once-daily pill, Januvia, simultaneously increases insulin production and decreases glucose production in the liver. Januvia's manufacturer, Merck and Co., said that in a one-year trial the drug lower blood sugar level just as much as an older medication, glipizide, but without the weight gain and episodes of extremely low blood sugar associated with the older therapy, The Associated Press reports. The most common side effects seen with Januvia were upper respiratory tract infection, sore throat and diarrhea. Januvia is approved for use alone or in combination with other type 2 diabetes drugs, the AP says.
Used with the permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved. The above summaries are not intended to provide advice on personal medical matters, nor are they intended to be a substitute for consultation with a physician.
