Latest news with #JAMACardiology
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Smoking marijuana and eating cannabis gummies both linked to dangerous health risk, study finds
Long-term cannabis use in any form has been linked to a greater risk of heart disease. In a new study, researchers at UC San Francisco determined that eating edible cannabis, such as gummies, has the same impact on cardiovascular risk as smoking marijuana. The risk stems from reduced blood vessel function, according to the study, which was published in JAMA Cardiology on May 28. Heavy Cannabis Use Could Pose This Threat To The Brain The study included 55 people between 18 and 50 years of age who were "outwardly healthy." The participants were divided into three groups: those who regularly smoked marijuana, those who ate edibles containing THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), and those who didn't use cannabis, according to a UCSF press release. Read On The Fox News App The cannabis users had been consuming the substance at least three times weekly for at least one year. On average, the smokers had the habit for 10 years, while those consuming edibles had been doing so for five years, the release noted. In September 2024, the participants underwent testing to determine how well their blood vessels functioned and whether the cells lining the blood vessels were affected. Dementia Risk Connected To Cannabis-related Hospital Visits, Says Study All cannabis users were found to have "decreased vascular function," comparable to those who smoke tobacco. Their blood vessel function was roughly half compared to those who did not use cannabis. This side effect has been linked to a higher risk of heart attack, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular conditions, the researchers noted. The participants who smoked marijuana were also found to have changes in their blood serum that harmed cells lining their blood vessels and lymphatic vessels, an effect that was not seen in those who ate edible cannabis. The researchers noted that while smoking marijuana and consuming edibles both affect vascular function, they likely do so for different reasons. Shingles Vaccine Has Unexpected Effect On Heart Health "Chronic cannabis smoking and THC ingestion were associated with endothelial dysfunction [impaired functioning of the endothelial cells lining the inside of blood vessels] similar to that observed in tobacco smokers, although apparently occurring via distinct mechanisms," the researchers wrote. "This study enhances the understanding of the potential risks to vascular health linked to cannabis use and provides more evidence that cannabis use is not benign." Dr. Bradley Serwer, a Maryland-based cardiologist and chief medical officer at VitalSolution, an Ingenovis Health company that offers cardiovascular and anesthesiology services to hospitals nationwide, said he was not surprised by the study's findings. "We have known that the chronic use of THC-containing compounds can have negative health consequences — this study just reaffirms those prior studies," Serwer, who was not involved in the UCSF research, told Fox News Digital. The study did have some limitations. "Variability in cannabis strains complicates standardization," the researchers wrote. "Self-reported cannabis use may introduce recall bias; thus, participants were queried at multiple points: in the online survey, at the eligibility interview and before each visit." It was also challenging to determine whether blood vessel function could have also been affected by lifestyle factors like stress, caffeine and secondhand smoke exposure, they noted. Serwer pointed out that this was a "very small" study of only 55 people, all living in the San Francisco Bay area. "The study did not allow for variability in the different strains of cannabis, and they used a self-reporting survey, which can be under- or over-reported," he told Fox News Digital. "They looked for physiologic endpoints and not hard endpoints, such as heart attacks, strokes or death. We have to infer that the physiologic endpoints would result in cardiovascular events." Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter The cardiologist said he agreed, however, with the conclusion that cannabis use is "not benign." "Chronic use does have potential cardiovascular risks," he warned. "There are therapeutic uses of cannabis, and the decision to use or avoid it should be made with all benefits and risks in mind." In general, Serwer said he cautions all of his patients to avoid any unnecessary cardiac risks. "As clinicians, we must weigh the benefits and the risks of a medicine/drug or intervention," he said. "If the risks outweigh the benefits, it should be avoided." For more Health articles, visit The study was funded mainly by the National Institute on Drug Abuse; the California Department of Cannabis Control; the California Tobacco-Related Disease Program; the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; and the FDA Center for Tobacco Products. Fox News Digital reached out to cannabis industry organizations requesting article source: Smoking marijuana and eating cannabis gummies both linked to dangerous health risk, study finds
Medscape
13-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Self-Administered Etripamil Cuts ED Visits for PSVT
Self-administered intranasal etripamil was nearly twice as likely as placebo to terminate a paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) episode within 30 minutes and reduced emergency department (ED) visits by 39%. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted two randomized placebo-controlled studies (NODE-301 part 1 and RAPID) that involved 340 patients (mean age, 54.7 years) who experienced PSVT at home. Participants were randomly assigned to receive 70 mg of intranasal etripamil (n = 206) or placebo (n = 134). In the RAPID study, a second dose of etripamil was permitted 10 minutes after the first if symptoms persisted. Electrocardiogram recordings were used to confirm the occurrence of PSVT episodes and their termination following study drug administration. The study outcome was an emergency care visit within 24 hours of treatment. TAKEAWAY: Vagal maneuvers were attempted by 370 patients, but these maneuvers terminated PSVT in only 4.6% of cases without clinician assistance. PSVT was terminated within 30 minutes in 57.8% of patients who received etripamil vs 32.1% of those who received placebo ( P < .001). < .001). ED visits occurred in 13.6% of the etripamil group vs 22.4% of the placebo group, reflecting an 8.8% absolute risk reduction and a 39% relative risk reduction (relative risk, 0.61; P = .04). = .04). Fewer etripamil recipients required additional medical intervention than placebo recipients (14.6% vs 25.4%; P = .01). No serious adverse events were noted with etripamil; the most common events were localized to the nasal administration site. IN PRACTICE: "Self-administered, outpatient-based treatment for PSVT could contribute to reduced ED visits and cost and complexity of care," the study authors wrote. SOURCE: The study was led by Sean Pokorney, MD, MBA, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina. It was published online on April 9, 2025, in JAMA Cardiology . LIMITATIONS: The trials were not individually powered to assess differences in ED visit rates, and data were pooled to achieve statistical power. DISCLOSURES: This study was funded by Milestone Pharmaceuticals. Several authors reported receiving personal fees from Milestone Pharmaceuticals or having other ties with various sources. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. Medscape Medical News © 2025 WebMD, LLC Cite this: Edited by Gargi Mukherjee. Self-Administered Etripamil Cuts Emergency Department Visits for Paroxysma Supraventricular Tachycardia - Medscape - May 13, 2025.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Rivus Pharmaceuticals Announces Publication of Phase 2a HuMAIN Trial of HU6 in Patients with Obesity-Related Heart Failure in JAMA Cardiology
–Treatment with HU6 led to significant reductions in body fat and abdominal visceral fat while preserving skeletal muscle in patients with obesity-related heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) – – HU6, a novel, once-daily, oral therapy in Phase 2 clinical development, is a Controlled Metabolic Accelerator, a new class of investigational therapies designed to selectively reduce body fat while maintaining muscle mass – CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., and SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., March 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Rivus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to treating cardiometabolic diseases driven by obesity, today announced the publication of results of the Phase 2a HuMAIN clinical trial of HU6 in patients with obesity-related heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in JAMA Cardiology. The study met the primary endpoint of reduction in body weight with HU6 compared to placebo over the 19-week period. This reduction was driven by decreases in fat mass and visceral fat while preserving lean mass, highlighting improved body composition with HU6. Overall rates of serious adverse events (AEs) and treatment discontinuation with HU6 were low. HU6, a novel, once-daily, oral investigational medicine, is part of Rivus' portfolio of Controlled Metabolic Accelerators (CMAs). HU6, the company's lead program, increases metabolic rate in a controlled manner enabling sustained fat loss while preserving muscle mass, the primary engine of caloric utilization in the body. Excess body fat plays a key role in the underlying pathology of HFpEF, an increasingly common disorder that affects a growing population of patients for whom few effective treatments are available. "I am excited to see the potential of HU6 in significantly reducing visceral adiposity and total body fat without affecting lean mass in patients with obesity and HFpEF," said Ambarish Pandey, M.D., a cardiologist, lead-author of the publication and member of the HuMAIN study Steering Committee. "As we know, visceral adiposity is causally implicated in the development and progression of HFpEF and having a therapy that can directly target this could be transformative in HFpEF treatment." The published HuMAIN study results showed that HU6 resulted in a significantly greater reduction in body weight (-6.8 lbs vs -0.5 lbs, p=0.0026), total fat mass (-7.4 lbs vs. -0.88 lbs with placebo, p=0.0003), percent visceral fat (-1.5% vs. -0.2% with placebo, p=0.0028) and percent reduction in body fat percentage (-4.8% vs. -0.45% with placebo, p=0.0002) at 19 weeks compared with baseline. Other measures of body composition showed: No significant change in lean body mass or skeletal muscle mass with HU6 vs. placebo or with HU6 at 19 weeks compared with baseline. A reduction in abdominal visceral adipose tissue with HU6 vs. placebo (-0.19 L) in patients whose body composition was assessed by MRI. Although this Phase 2a study was a short duration of 19 weeks, additional secondary endpoints were assessed to evaluate the impact of HU6 on a number of cardiac markers. The findings showed: Significant improvements from placebo in left ventricular systolic function (increased left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] of 3.76% and decreased left ventricular end-systolic volume of -5.64 ml) and right ventricular function (right ventricular systolic [RV S'] velocity of 2.10 cm/s) as assessed by echocardiography. Significant reductions from placebo in resting systolic blood pressure (-8.7 mm Hg) and diastolic blood pressure (-4.9 mm Hg), which was observed early and persisted throughout the study. No significant differences in changes in cardiac safety parameters in participants who underwent a cardiac MRI or in resting heart rate or respiratory rate. No significant difference was noted in peak exercise oxygen uptake between HU6 and placebo arms. The safety profile of HU6 was consistent with previous studies. HU6 was well tolerated in study participants, who were on average elderly, obese, had multiple comorbidities, and were taking 15 concomitant medications. Overall rates of serious AEs were low. Four patients taking HU6 and one patient taking placebo experienced a serious AE, all of which were deemed unrelated to the study drug. "Although HuMAIN was a small study of short duration powered only for a reduction in body weight, the significant improvements observed in body composition and cardiac and metabolic secondary endpoints are meaningful," said Jayson Dallas, M.D., chief executive officer, Rivus Pharmaceuticals. "These positive study results, especially the improvements in cardiac structure and function, suggest that HU6 could be the first disease-modifying treatment for HFpEF, a debilitating disorder associated with poor quality of life and physical limitations." Data from HuMAIN study participants in the compliance population (i.e., those who complied with taking HU6 throughout the study based on a measure of a primary metabolite of HU6) are available on the Rivus website. In addition to the Phase 2a HuMAIN study, Rivus is evaluating HU6 in the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group Phase 2 M-ACCEL trial ( NCT05979779) in patients with MASH. The company remains on track to announce topline results from M-ACCEL in the second quarter of 2025. About the Phase 2a HuMAIN TrialThe multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, dose-escalation Phase 2a HuMAIN trial ( NCT05284617) evaluated the efficacy and safety of oral HU6 in patients with chronic, stable obesity-related HFpEF. In the intention-to-treat (ITT) population, 66 study participants were randomized to HU6 (starting at 150 mg/day and potentially up-titrated to 450 mg/day based on safety and tolerability) or placebo. Study participants were over age 30 (average of 64.5 years; range: 38 to 87 years) with a body mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m2 (average of 39.4 kg/m2) and an average body weight of 110.9 kg (245 pounds). The primary efficacy endpoint was the change in body weight from baseline to Day 134 (19 weeks). The key secondary efficacy endpoint was the change in peak oxygen uptake (VO2). Exploratory secondary endpoints included changes in body composition, 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) score, N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP) and safety/tolerability. HuMAIN was conducted at 14 clinical sites in the United States. About Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF)Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a chronic debilitating syndrome characterized by severely reduced exercise capacity, which degrades quality of life. Obesity is a strong risk factor for HFpEF and key contributor to the increasing worldwide prevalence of this disorder, with as many as 80% of patients with HFpEF in Western countries either overweight or obese. Specifically, systemic inflammation generated by visceral fat deposits is believed to contribute significantly to the development and progression of HFpEF. Studies have shown that the five-year survival rate in the United States for people hospitalized with HFpEF was 24.3%. Weight loss approaches that involve dieting, bariatric surgery and GLP-1 agonists work by decreasing energy intake rather than by increasing energy expenditure. In addition to loss of fat, these approaches result in marked reductions in muscle mass, which can lead to impaired function in patients with HFpEF, who are typically elderly and frail and already have reduced muscle mass. About Controlled Metabolic Accelerators (CMAs)Rivus is advancing a new class of investigational therapies called Controlled Metabolic Accelerators (CMAs) that have the potential to improve metabolic health for people with obesity and associated metabolic diseases. Rivus' CMAs are oral small molecules in development to increase resting metabolic rate, which results in increased consumption of energy, primarily from fat. The loss in fat mass may address multiple cardiometabolic conditions driven by adiposity. CMAs increase metabolism in a manner that is consistent and imperceptible to the patient by leveraging the natural metabolic process of mitochondrial uncoupling. In preclinical studies, mitochondrial uncoupling was shown to account for a significant portion (20% to 50%) of daily energy expenditure. Caloric-restriction strategies, on the other hand, reduce energy input and result in loss of muscle mass as well as fat. Initial data in humans has demonstrated that CMAs provided fat-selective weight loss, improved insulin sensitivity, and significantly reduced oxidative stress and inflammation. About HU6HU6, a novel, oral, once-daily investigational therapy, is Rivus' lead CMA. It is a purposely designed investigational oral small molecule that is intended to be a foundational monotherapy for cardiac, liver, diabetes and obesity indications. HU6 has been demonstrated to promote sustained body fat loss by imperceptibly increasing resting metabolism, which results in fat burn, while preserving muscle mass. The current clinical development of HU6 is focused on metabolic diseases with the most morbidity and greatest treatment needs: obesity-related heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH)/metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). To date, more than 400 patients have been treated with HU6 as part of the clinical development program. Results of a Phase 2 metabolic study in patients with a high body mass index (BMI) and MASLD showed that once-daily HU6 significantly reduced liver fat content and body weight with no loss of lean muscle mass and improved key markers of systemic inflammation and metabolism.1 HU6 was well tolerated in this trial; side effects were mainly mild or moderate in severity. Results from the Phase 2a HuMAIN study ( NCT05284617) of HU6 in patients with obesity-related HFpEF showed the trial met its primary endpoint, demonstrating that treatment with HU6 resulted in statistically significant weight loss. The rationale for the use of HU6 in HFpEF and the design of the HuMAIN trial were published in the European Journal of Heart Failure in June 2024.2 About Rivus PharmaceuticalsRivus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leader in mitochondrial biology, is dedicated to improving metabolic health by advancing a new class of investigational therapies called Controlled Metabolic Accelerators (CMAs). Rivus' lead CMA is the investigational small molecule HU6 in clinical development to treat obesity-related heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), metabolic dysfunction associated steatohepatitis (MASH)/metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and Type 2 diabetes. In addition to HU6, Rivus is developing a pipeline of oral small molecule CMAs. For more information, please visit Contact:Sheryl SeapyReal Chemistry sseapy@ References Noureddin M, Khan S, Portell F, et al. Safety and efficacy of once-daily HU6 versus placebo in people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and high BMI: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2a trial. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2023;8(12):1094-1105. Kitzman DW, Lewis GD, Pandey A, et al. A novel controlled metabolic accelerator for the treatment of obesity-related heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: Rationale and design of the Phase 2a HuMAIN trial. Eur J Heart Fail. June 26, 2024. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Rivus Pharmaceuticals
Euronews
05-02-2025
- Health
- Euronews
Older people are more likely to face serious heart problems in the US than in Denmark
Older Americans and Danes might both have government-sponsored healthcare, but the United States still lags behind the Scandinavian nation when it comes to health outcomes, according to a new study. The findings, published in the journal JAMA Cardiology, offer insight into how different health systems – one fully public and the other a public-private hybrid – translate to health outcomes for heart disease, which is the top cause of death in the US and second leading cause in Denmark. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and Harvard Medical School in the US compared hospitalisation rates for heart attacks, heart failure, and ischemic stroke – when blood supply is reduced, preventing oxygen from getting to the brain – among adults 65 and older in both countries. They included about 1.2 million people in the US and 16,000 in Denmark. The hospitalisation rate was 1.5 times higher in the US than in Denmark, with a respective 20.8 and 13.9 hospitalisations per 1,000 people, according to the study. Americans were also slightly more likely than Danes to die within 30 days of being hospitalised. That's in line with data from the Global Burden of Disease study, which shows that in 2021, the death rate from cardiovascular diseases was 221.8 per 100,000 in Denmark – 20 per cent lower than in the US (272.3). Wealth and health system structure key factors The new study indicates wealth gaps, and how the health systems are structured, may help explain these differences. While higher-income Americans had slightly higher hospitalisation rates compared with wealthy Danes, the biggest disparities occurred among lower income residents. When it comes to heart failure, for example, low income Danes had a hospitalisation rate of 7.2 per 1,000. For Americans, that figure shot to 24 per 1,000. 'These are really big differences,' Dr Gunnar Gislason, a cardiologist and one of the study's authors, told Euronews Health. The researchers offered a few potential reasons behind the results. While the US and Denmark are both among the wealthiest nations in the world, the US has a higher poverty rate and more income inequality, which could make it harder for many people to access healthcare. The US also has a 'fragmented' health system, the study authors said, with a mix of job-sponsored, privately purchased, and government-run health coverage. Millions of Americans don't have health insurance at all. That means that even though they can sign up for public health insurance when they turn 65, guaranteed health coverage in old age isn't enough to make up for any gaps earlier in life. 'A low socioeconomic status is a well-known risk factor' for heart health issues, Dr Filippo Crea, editor-in-chief of the European Heart Journal, told Euronews Health. Access to care appears to drive outcomes Previous research has shown that uninsured Americans are less likely to get medical care for high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Meanwhile, Denmark has a universal healthcare system for citizens, with few out-of-pocket costs. 'Everybody has the same access to the healthcare system,' said Gislason, who is also chief science officer at the Danish Heart Association. The issues are 'connected because when you have wide access to the healthcare system, you have low cost of medications, so it doesn't depend on your income or education or employment status that you have access to professional care'. Cardiovascular disease costs Denmark about €343 per capita annually, which is on par with other European Union countries. Notably, older Americans are also more likely than Danes to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes, which are all risk factors for heart disease. And while the US had higher hospitalisation rates for heart failure and heart attacks, it had a lower rate than Denmark when it came to ischemic stroke. Gislason said that could be because Danes with less severe heart problems are usually treated in an outpatient clinic, while the threshold for hospitalisation may be lower in the US. Meanwhile Crea said Danes may be more aware of stroke symptoms and thus more likely to seek medical advice. 'It might reflect a public health system which works better,' said Crea, who was not involved with the new study. Denmark's system arguably still has flaws. While income-related disparities in hospitalisations were narrower than in the US, they persisted. Overall, high-income Danes had a cardiovascular hospitalisation rate of 13 per 10,000 compared with 18.8 among their lower-income peers, the study found. The researchers said the findings underscore the need for 'targeted public health and policy efforts to improve the cardiovascular health of socially vulnerable populations in both countries'.
