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Published on: September 25, 2017

Diabetes Drug May Be Beneficial for Patients with Parkinson’s Disease

A drug used to treat patients who suffer from diabetes may have the unexpected side effect of helping reduce early symptoms in persons who suffer from Parkinson’s disease.

Researchers at the University College London recently found that the drug exenatide, which the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved in 2005 for the treatment of diabetes, also may benefit persons with Parkinson’s disease. Researchers studied the effects of the drug on diabetic patients as compared to a control group that was on a placebo. They found that the diabetic patients who were on the drug showed better motor function after treatment. Patients on the drug showed reduced signs of decline, compared to those on the placebo.

The study only included a limited number of participants, and the researchers acknowledged that larger group samples may further confirm the findings of the study.

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Published on: March 19, 2017

Heart Failure Rates in U.S. on the Rise

By Lisa Siegel

While the fatality rate from cardiac disease is on its way down across the United States, the rates of heart failure are increasing. That information comes from a new report by the American Heart Association, which also finds that cardiac disease is still the leading cause of death in the United States.

According to the report, over a period of just five years, the number of Americans who suffer from heart failure increased by 800,000. In fact, according to the American Heart Association (AMA), over the next few years, that rate is expected to increase further. By 2030, the rate of heart failure in the US is expected to increase by a staggering 46%. Approximately 8,000,000 people by that time will suffer from some degree of heart failure. At special risk are seniors and survivors of heart attacks, who constitute the most at-risk groups for heart failure.

A person who suffers from heart failure will typically encounter a number of complications that severely impact his or her health. For instance, heart failure increases the risk of blood leaking into other organs, including the liver and lungs. Persons, who suffer from heart failure may also experience shortness of breath, frequent swelling of the extremities, accelerated heart rate, confusion, disorientation, severe cough, and accumulation of body fluids. Furthermore, symptoms of heart failure tend to worsen over time.

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Published on: January 25, 2017

Scientists Retract Breakthrough Diabetes Study Findings

By Lisa Siegel

A scientific study published three years ago that claimed to have found breakthrough results in the search for a cure for diabetes has now been retracted.

The article titled Betatrophin: A Hormone that Controls Pancreatic Cell Proliferation was widely acclaimed when it was published back in 2013. According to researchers at that time, they had identified a new hormone that could help boost the secretion of insulin in diabetes patients, thereby making it unnecessary for patients to take insulin injections.

However, the group has now admitted that since then, research from another group has failed to replicate the findings of the earlier study. The earlier study had been conducted on rodents. Now, the researchers have voluntarily retracted their 2013 study, and have confirmed that their earlier conclusion was wrong.

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Published on: October 31, 2016

New Blood Test Could Help Early Identification of Osteoarthritis

By Lisa Siegel

Osteoarthritis is a condition characterized by extreme pain, swelling and stiffness of the joints. The condition can make it difficult for a person to stand or walk for long periods of time, and often impairs their ability to work and earn a living.

Osteoarthritis is the slow loss of cartilage from joints. The loss of the cartilage causes friction between bones, resulting in the formation of bone spurs. Osteoarthritis often causes severe pain in the knees, hips, spine and feet.

Early diagnosis of osteoarthritis can help patients who suffer from this condition implement better pain management strategies. Researchers at Warwick University recently announced that they have developed a blood test that can help in the early diagnosis of osteoarthritis.

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Published on: March 17, 2015

TBI Study Questions Effectiveness of Progesterone

By Lisa Siegel

Progesterone, long regarded as a reliable treatment for traumatic brain injury (TBI), and regularly administered to patients with such conditions, may not be as effective in treating the injury as earlier believed.

According to the results of a new study that was published recently in The New England Journal of Medicine, when the drug was administered over a period of five days after patients suffered a traumatic brain injury, there was no significant improvement in the clinical outcomes of the patients.

In the trial, researchers monitored 1,195 patients between 16 and 17 years of age. The patients suffered from TBI, and were divided into two groups randomly. One group received progesterone, while the other was placed on a placebo. The patients received the progesterone within eight hours after suffering the injury. The treatment continued over 120 hours.

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