Diarrhea

Drinking apple cider vinegar may help with weight loss but its health benefits are overstated

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
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One day, she explained that she adds apple cider vinegar to improve my health.

Key Points: 
  • One day, she explained that she adds apple cider vinegar to improve my health.
  • Apple cider vinegar is a natural product made of fermented apple juice that has gone sour.
  • I decided to turn medical sleuth and investigate whether apple cider vinegar is as good for health as it sounds.

Claim: disinfectant properties

  • But does apple cider vinegar’s decontaminant qualities translate to the human gut?
  • Our stomachs produce acid, which acts as a natural barrier to infection, so how can adding more acid help?

Claim: weight loss and management of type 2 diabetes

  • There are plenty of anecdotal claims that apple cider vinegar can aid weight loss, supported by limited evidence from several small studies.
  • Apple cider vinegar is thought to cause weight loss through its effect on delay of gastric emptying.
  • Reduced calorific intake will lead to weight loss – but how are the metabolic effects on blood glucose and lipids mediated?
  • In type 2 diabetes there is a reduction in sensitivity to insulin which in turn leads to a reduced uptake of glucose by cells.

Claim: reduces risk of heart disease

  • Raised blood lipids are a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction and stroke.
  • Well, I’m afraid there’s no scientific evidence that vinegar consumption of any kind reduces cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in those with or without diabetes.

Claim: cancer treatment and prevention

  • One of the more outrageous claims of benefits of daily apple cider vinegar consumption is that it may prevent or treat cancer.
  • A frequently quoted case-control study from China found that an increased consumption of vinegar was associated with a reduced incidence of oesophageal cancer.


Stephen Hughes does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Infections after surgery are more likely due to bacteria already on your skin than from microbes in the hospital − new research

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Research, Bacteria, Pneumonia, Science Translational Medicine, CSI, Fungal infection, Instrument, Infection, Patient, Harborview Medical Center, Accreditation, Hospital, Diarrhea, University, Death, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bloodstream infections, Neurosurgery, Woman, Quality, Agency, Skin, Microbiology, Pharmacy, Spine, Nose, Nursing care plan, Elective surgery, Neck, Dentistry

Genetic data from the bacteria causing these infections – think CSI for E. coli – tells another story: Most health care-associated infections are caused by previously harmless bacteria that patients already had on their bodies before they even entered the hospital.

Key Points: 
  • Genetic data from the bacteria causing these infections – think CSI for E. coli – tells another story: Most health care-associated infections are caused by previously harmless bacteria that patients already had on their bodies before they even entered the hospital.
  • We show that many surgical site infections after spinal surgery are caused by microbes that are already on the patient’s skin.

Surgical infections are a persistent problem

  • Among the different types of heath care-associated infections, surgical site infections stand out as particularly problematic.
  • A 2013 study found that surgical site infections contribute the most to the annual costs of hospital-acquired infections, totaling over 33% of the US$9.8 billion spent annually.
  • Still, surgical site infections occur following about 1 in 30 procedures, typically with no explanation.
  • While rates of many other medical complications have shown steady improvement over time, data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that the problem of surgical site infection is not getting better.

BYOB (Bring your own bacteria)

  • Prior studies on surgical site infection have been limited to a single species of bacteria and used older genetic analysis methods.
  • But new technologies have opened the door to studying all types of bacteria and testing their antibiotic resistance genes simultaneously.
  • Over a one-year period, we sampled the bacteria living in the nose, skin and stool of over 200 patients before surgery.
  • In fact, 86% of the bacteria causing infections after spine surgery were genetically matched to bacteria a patient carried before surgery.
  • That number is remarkably close to estimates from earlier studies using older genetic techniques focused on Staphylococcus aureus.
  • They likely acquired these antibiotic-resistant microbes through prior antibiotic exposure, consumer products or routine community contact.

Preventing surgical infections

  • At face value, our results may seem intuitive – surgical wound infections come from bacteria that hang out around that part of the body.
  • If the most likely source of surgical infection – the patient’s microbiome – is known in advance, this presents medical teams with an opportunity to protect against it prior to a scheduled procedure.
  • The fact that most infections don’t actually start with sources in the hospital is probably a testament to the efficacy of these protocols.


Dustin Long receives funding from the National Institutes of Health. Dr Bryson-Cahn receives funding from the Gordon and Berry Moore Foundation and is the co-medical director for Alaska Airlines.

No, taking drugs like Ozempic isn’t ‘cheating’ at weight loss or the ‘easy way out’

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
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Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide are taking drugs like Ozempic to lose weight.

Key Points: 
  • Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide are taking drugs like Ozempic to lose weight.
  • As demand for semaglutide increases, so are claims that taking it is “cheating” at weight loss or the “easy way out”.
  • We don’t tell people who need statin medication to treat high cholesterol or drugs to manage high blood pressure they’re cheating or taking the easy way out.

How does it work?

  • GLP-1 gets secreted by cells in your gut when it detects increased nutrient levels after eating.
  • GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) medications like Ozempic help the body’s own GLP-1 work better by mimicking and extending its action.
  • Read more:
    The rise of Ozempic: how surprise discoveries and lizard venom led to a new class of weight-loss drugs

What can users expect? What does the research say?

  • Higher doses of semaglutide are prescribed to treat obesity compared to type 2 diabetes management (up to 2.4mg versus 2.0mg weekly).
  • A large group of randomised controlled trials, called STEP trials, all tested weekly 2.4mg semaglutide injections versus different interventions or placebo drugs.
  • Trials lasting 1.3–2 years consistently found weekly 2.4 mg semaglutide injections led to 6–12% greater weight loss compared to placebo or alternative interventions.
  • Weight reduction due to semaglutide also leads to a reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure of about 4.8 mmHg and 2.5 mmHg respectively, a reduction in triglyceride levels (a type of blood fat) and improved physical function.
  • Another recent trial in adults with pre-existing heart disease and obesity, but without type 2 diabetes, found adults receiving weekly 2.4mg semaglutide injections had a 20% lower risk of specific cardiovascular events, including having a non-fatal heart attack, a stroke or dying from cardiovascular disease, after three years follow-up.

Who is eligible for semaglutide?

  • Australia’s regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), has approved semaglutide, sold as Ozempic, for treating type 2 diabetes.
  • The TGA has approved Wegovy to treat obesity but it’s not currently available in Australia.

What else do you need to do during Ozempic treatment?

  • In addition to taking medication, people had brief lifestyle counselling sessions with dietitians or other health professionals every four weeks as a minimum in most trials.
  • The aim of these trials was to show the effect of adding the medication on top of other lifestyle counselling.


A review of obesity medication trials found people reported they needed less cognitive behaviour training to help them stick with the reduced energy intake. This is one aspect where drug treatment may make adherence a little easier. Not feeling as hungry and having environmental food cues “switched off” may mean less support is required for goal-setting, self-monitoring food intake and avoiding things that trigger eating.

But what are the side effects?

  • In on study these led to discontinuation of medication in 6% of people, but interestingly also in 3% of people taking placebos.
  • More severe side-effects included gallbladder disease, acute pancreatitis, hypoglycaemia, acute kidney disease and injection site reactions.
  • Here are some potential risks and benefits

    To reduce risk or severity of side-effects, medication doses are increased very slowly over months.

  • Health, Meat and Livestock Australia, and Greater Charitable Foundation.
  • She has consulted to SHINE Australia, Novo Nordisk, Quality Bakers, the Sax Institute, Dietitians Australia and the ABC.

Greater Good Charities and Boehringer Ingelheim Kick Off Fourth Year of Good Flights Program and Celebrate Successful Transport of More Than 12,800 Shelter Pets to Adoptive Homes Including Nearly 1,300 Asymptomatic Heartworm-Positive Dogs

Retrieved on: 
Monday, April 8, 2024
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To kick off the fourth year of Good Flights, a special transport of more than 45 shelter pets will take place on April 8 from Louisiana to the East Coast.

Key Points: 
  • To kick off the fourth year of Good Flights, a special transport of more than 45 shelter pets will take place on April 8 from Louisiana to the East Coast.
  • Air and ground transports for Good Flights occur approximately five times a month and many have Save a Heart pets on them.
  • “The Good Flights Program and Save a Heart initiative represents a remarkable collaboration between Greater Good Charities and Boehringer Ingelheim,” said Dr. Julie Ryan-Johnson, Senior Associate Director - Shelter Engagement Program, Boehringer Ingelheim.
  • Good Flights covers transport costs, provides mentorship, pharmaceuticals, and furnishes much needed supplies including pet crates, bowls, and leashes.

Esperion Presents Important New Data from CLEAR Outcomes at ACC.24 Highlighting Value of NEXLETOL® (bempedoic acid) Tablets in Diverse Populations Including Women, Hispanics/Latinx and Patients with Obesity

Retrieved on: 
Sunday, April 7, 2024
Uric acid, Urinary tract infection, Anaphylaxis, Myocardial infarction, Common, Bronchitis, Patient, Atherosclerosis, FAHA, Cleveland Clinic, Bempedoic acid, Ezetimibe, Therapy, Anemia, Pain, MACE, Sinusitis, ACC, FOMA, FNLA, FACC, Obesity, Cardiovascular disease, Esperion Therapeutics, Abdominal pain, Risk, Gout, Spasm, Woman, American College, Body mass index, ESPR, Back pain, Outcome, ATP, Safety, Fatigue, Arthralgia, ANN, Angioedema, Kidney, Journal, Constipation, University, Adverse event, Pregnancy, CLEAR, Rash, MPH, Rupture, FDA, Molina Healthcare, JACC, Hypersensitivity, Health, Circulatory system, Tablet, CVD, Incidence, Diarrhea, Fetus, Gallstone, Diet, Excipient, Upper respiratory tract infection, Dietary supplement

ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Esperion (Nasdaq: ESPR) today announced the presentation of results from three pre-specified subgroups from CLEAR Outcomes at the 2024 American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Sessions (ACC.24): women, Hispanic/Latinx, and patients with obesity. These results align with the American College of Cardiology’s robust diversity, equity and inclusion programs to drive cultural change across the profession and ensure that the cardiovascular care team is as diverse as the patients they care for and that all patients are represented in cardiovascular research. The data also reinforce the mission of the ACC: transforming cardiovascular care for all.

Key Points: 
  • “Bempedoic acid is the only FDA approved non-statin LDL lowering therapy to demonstrate reductions in MACE in both primary prevention and secondary prevention patient populations.
  • The Hispanic population is the largest ethnic minority in the U.S., yet is a population historically underrepresented in clinical trials.
  • At Esperion, we discover, develop, and commercialize innovative medicines to help improve outcomes for patients with or at risk for cardiovascular and cardiometabolic diseases.
  • CLEAR Outcomes is part of the CLEAR clinical research program for NEXLETOL® (bempedoic acid) Tablet and NEXLIZET® (bempedoic acid and ezetimibe) Tablet.

Phathom Pharmaceuticals Launches Direct-to-Consumer Campaign, “VOQUEZNA Can Kick Some Acid”

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
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FLORHAM PARK, N.J., March 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PHAT), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel treatments for gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, today announces the launch of its new broadcast ad and full-scale, Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) campaign, “VOQUEZNA Can Kick Some Acid,” to raise awareness of its powerful first-in-class treatment and encourage people to speak to their doctor about this new treatment option. VOQUEZNA (vonoprazan) is indicated for the healing and maintenance of healing of all severities of Erosive Esophagitis (EE), also referred to as Erosive GERD, and for the relief of related heartburn. VOQUEZNA represents the first major innovation to the U.S. Erosive GERD market in over 30 years.1

Key Points: 
  • The campaign will also be featured on consumer-facing platforms across Facebook, Instagram, waiting room TVs in doctor offices, and digital banner ads.
  • “Phathom is excited to launch our first campaign directly to, and for, the people whose lives we strive to improve every day.
  • To view a video of the “VOQUEZNA Can Kick Some Acid” commercial, click here.
  • Talk with your healthcare provider about the possibility of fundic gland polyps if you have been on VOQUEZNA for a long time.

Synthekine Presents Positive Initial Results from Phase 1a/1b Clinical Trial of α/β Biased IL-2, STK-012, for Treatment of Advanced Solid Tumors

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
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Synthekine Inc ., an engineered cytokine therapeutics company, today announced positive initial results from a Phase 1a/1b clinical trial of its α/β biased IL-2 partial agonist, STK-012, for the treatment of advanced solid tumors.

Key Points: 
  • Synthekine Inc ., an engineered cytokine therapeutics company, today announced positive initial results from a Phase 1a/1b clinical trial of its α/β biased IL-2 partial agonist, STK-012, for the treatment of advanced solid tumors.
  • The data were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2024 in San Diego.
  • In the results presented, which included 47 patients treated in Phase 1a dose escalation, STK-012 monotherapy demonstrated a favorable safety, efficacy, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile.
  • The poster, titled “Initial results from a Phase 1a/1b study of STK-012, a first-in-class α/β IL-2 receptor biased partial agonist in advanced solid tumors (NCT05098132),” will be presented today at AACR from 9 am to 12:30 pm PT.

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Announces New Phase 2 Data of Plozasiran Published in JAMA Cardiology and Presented at American College of Cardiology 73rd Annual Scientific Session & Expo

Retrieved on: 
Sunday, April 7, 2024
Science, Cardiology, Biotechnology, Research, Pharmaceutical, Health, FDA, Clinical Trials, Arrowhead, Principal, Urinary tract infection, JAMA Cardiology, Apolipoprotein C-III, Risk, Headache, Patient, Hypertriglyceridemia, Diarrhea, COVID-19, American College, APOC3, Pancreatitis, Safety, Pharmaceutical industry

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARWR) today presented final data from the double-blind treatment period of its Phase 2 SHASTA-2 study of investigational plozasiran (formerly ARO-APOC3) in patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia (SHTG).

Key Points: 
  • Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARWR) today presented final data from the double-blind treatment period of its Phase 2 SHASTA-2 study of investigational plozasiran (formerly ARO-APOC3) in patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia (SHTG).
  • Results from the SHASTA-2 study showed dramatic, consistent, and sustained reductions in Apolipoprotein C-III (APOC3) and triglycerides and improvement in multiple atherogenic lipoprotein levels.
  • These data were presented in a late-breaking oral presentation today at the American College of Cardiology 73rd Annual Scientific Session & Expo (ACC.24) in Atlanta and simultaneously published in the journal JAMA Cardiology .
  • Subjects treated with plozasiran also showed improvements in multiple atherogenic lipid and lipoprotein levels, including remnant cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and non-HDL cholesterol.

CARVYKTI® is the First and Only BCMA-Targeted Treatment Approved by the U.S. FDA for Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma Who Have Received at Least One Prior Line of Therapy

Retrieved on: 
Saturday, April 6, 2024
Guillain–Barré syndrome, Bone marrow, Medical College of Wisconsin, Encephalopathy, Survival, Immunotherapy, BCMA, Patient, Hypotension, Mortality, B-cell maturation antigen, Edema, Periodic breathing, Associate professor, Dexamethasone, Certification, Neutropenia, Dizziness, Risk, Headache, Chills, Myelodysplastic syndrome, Coagulopathy, DPD, Johnson & Johnson, Immune system, Effect, Fatigue, Thrombocytopenia, Food, Disease, Drive, Appetite, Lymphocytopenia, JNJ, Constipation, Multiple myeloma, Acute myeloid leukemia, CRS, Death, Hypersensitivity, Cytopenia, Cytokine release syndrome, ASCO, Use, Hematology, FDA, PVD, Annual general meeting, T cell, DSM-IV codes, Incidence, Tachycardia, Bortezomib, Diarrhea, Viral, Hope, United, Cough, Daratumumab, Nausea, Society, Division, Physician, Pharmaceutical industry

HORSHAM, Pa., April 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved CARVYKTI® (ciltacabtagene autoleucel; cilta-cel) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior line of therapy, including a proteasome inhibitor and an immunomodulatory agent, and are refractory to lenalidomide.1 With this approval, CARVYKTI® becomes the first and only B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-targeted therapy approved for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma as early as first relapse.

Key Points: 
  • "This milestone underscores our commitment to improve outcomes for patients and transform the treatment of multiple myeloma with CARVYKTI," said Jordan Schecter, M.D., Vice President, Disease Area Leader, Multiple Myeloma, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine.
  • CARVYKTI® is a cell therapy that works by harnessing a patient's immune system, or T cells, to fight the disease.
  • Treatment requires extensive training, preparation, and certification to ensure a positive experience for patients.
  • Since initial approval in February 2022, Johnson & Johnson has made significant advances in manufacturing to rapidly scale CARVYKTI® production.

Orphan designation: Alisitol, retinol palmitate, zinc gluconate Treatment of microvillus inclusion disease, 13/11/2020 Positive

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
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Orphan designation: Alisitol, retinol palmitate, zinc gluconate Treatment of microvillus inclusion disease, 13/11/2020 Positive

Key Points: 


Orphan designation: Alisitol, retinol palmitate, zinc gluconate Treatment of microvillus inclusion disease, 13/11/2020 Positive