Latest news with #Serwer
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
Daily Mail
25-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I'm a cardiologist... here are the subtle signs of a heart attack women should NEVER ignore
Whether it was from school, TV, or that scene in Four Weddings and a Funeral, you're probably well-versed in the symptoms of a heart attack. You know the ones: pain in your left arm and heart. Or so you thought. Because a lot of what we know about science and health are based on the bodies of white, able-bodied men, often anyone who doesn't fit this description is left out of the equation. And this includes women. So because you've been conditioned to recognize the symptoms of a man, you probably wouldn't recognize if you were having a heart attack. In fact, interventional cardiologist and chief medical officer at Vital Solution Dr. Bradley Serwer told that women don't even always have chest pain when they're having a heart attack. 'Instead, they may experience shortness of breath, nausea, indigestion, or upper abdominal pain, dizziness or passing out,' Dr. Serwer said. And it's because of this difference in symptoms that a diagnosis can be delayed. This can have fatal repercussions. 'Though heart disease remains the leading cause of death for women in the United States, they tend to present with it seven to 10 years later in life compared to men,' Dr. Serwer said. 'Due to the under recognition of heart disease in women, studies have indicated that they receive less aggressive treatment.' So what other heart attack symptoms are women potentially missing out on? Dr. Serwer said that jaw pain can be an indication, especially if they commence during moderate exercise and then subside when you rest. He also said that pain primarily located on the left side of the jaw, especially when accompanied by the absence of redness or swelling in the jaw, can be a signal that your pain is being caused by something more severe than you thought. And the idea that a shooting pain is a sign you're having a heart attack isn't totally off. If you feel pain in your neck and arm - any arm - this could be the symptom of a heart attack. And if you're having any sort of shortness of breath, perspiration, or clammy skin followed by pain, you might want to get to a doctor immediately. 'The pain should be taken more seriously if you have significant cardiac risk factors, such as a smoking history, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or a strong family history of coronary artery disease,' Dr. Serwer said. Whether you've experienced this symptoms before or they're showing up out of nowhere, it's always better to be safe than sorry - especially when it comes to your heart.
New York Post
23-04-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Blood pressure and dementia risk share surprising link, study suggests
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is known to have a direct impact on heart attack and stroke risk — but a new study has revealed its surprising link to brain health. In a large, randomized trial, researchers led by First Hospital of China Medical University discovered that 'intensive blood pressure control' resulted in a 15% reduced dementia risk among participants and a 16% reduced risk of cognitive impairment. The study included 33,995 people in rural China aged 40 or older who had 'uncontrolled hypertension.' The participants were divided into two groups. One received 'usual care,' while the other was assigned to 'trained non-physician community healthcare providers' who prescribed 'titrated antihypertensive medications.' For the latter group, the medications helped them achieve a systolic blood pressure goal of <130 mm Hg and a diastolic blood pressure goal of <80 mm Hg, according to the study findings in Nature Medicine. 'The primary outcome of all-cause dementia was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the usual care group,' the researchers wrote. They were also less likely to experience 'serious adverse events.' 3 High blood pressure can impact brain health, according to a new study. – This was one of the first large-scale, randomized, controlled effectiveness trials to demonstrate a 'significant reduction in all-cause dementia associated with lowering blood pressure,' the researchers concluded. There were some limitations of the study, the article acknowledged, including the absence of baseline and follow-up cognitive assessments. Dr. Bradley Serwer — an interventional cardiologist and chief medical officer at VitalSolution, an Ingenovis Health company that offers cardiovascular and anesthesiology services to hospitals — said this study presents an 'intriguing approach' to addressing dementia in individuals with uncontrolled hypertension. 3 'The primary outcome of all-cause dementia was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the usual care group,' the researchers wrote. LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS – 'Unlike studies performed in the United States, this study employed non-physicians to significantly reduce blood pressure in rural China through a 'cluster' blinding method,' Ohio-based Serwer, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. 'While the study can be subject to scrutiny, it raises a pertinent question: How crucial is modification of cardiovascular risk factors in the development of dementia?' The primary medications used in the study to lower blood pressure were calcium channel blockers and angiotensin receptor blockers, Serwer noted. 'These commonly prescribed medications have been independently associated with a reduced risk of dementia, irrespective of the magnitude of blood pressure reduction they achieve,' he said. 3 Nearly 34,000 people in rural China over the age of 40 participated in the study. wutzkoh – 'This raises the possibility that the lower rates of dementia observed may be attributed to other beneficial effects of the medications rather than solely to blood pressure reduction.' To confirm the findings, Serwer said it would be beneficial to include baseline cognitive assessments of the patients and to identify the prevalence of Alzheimer's dementia within the communities. 'The most significant takeaway from this study is the profound importance of addressing blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking and sedentary lifestyles,' the cardiologist said. 'By prioritizing these factors, we not only aim to prevent heart attacks and strokes, but also strive to enhance overall quality of life.' The study was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, Chinese Society of Cardiology Foundation, and the Science and Technology Program of Liaoning Province, China. Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Blood pressure and dementia risk share surprising link, study suggests
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is known to have a direct impact on heart attack and stroke risk — but a new study has revealed its surprising link to brain health. In a large, randomized trial, researchers led by First Hospital of China Medical University discovered that "intensive blood pressure control" resulted in a 15% reduced dementia risk among participants and a 16% reduced risk of cognitive impairment. The study included 33,995 people in rural China aged 40 or older who had "uncontrolled hypertension." 7 Blood Pressure Mistakes That Could Be Throwing Off Your Readings The participants were divided into two groups. One received "usual care," while the other was assigned to "trained non-physician community healthcare providers" who prescribed "titrated antihypertensive medications." For the latter group, the medications helped them achieve a systolic blood pressure goal of <130 mm Hg and a diastolic blood pressure goal of <80 mm Hg, according to the study findings in Nature Medicine. Read On The Fox News App "The primary outcome of all-cause dementia was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the usual care group," the researchers wrote. They were also less likely to experience "serious adverse events." Health Boost And Dementia Prevention In Just 5 Minutes A Day This was one of the first large-scale, randomized, controlled effectiveness trials to demonstrate a "significant reduction in all-cause dementia associated with lowering blood pressure," the researchers concluded. There were some limitations of the study, the article acknowledged, including the absence of baseline and follow-up cognitive assessments. Dr. Bradley Serwer — an interventional cardiologist and chief medical officer at VitalSolution, an Ingenovis Health company that offers cardiovascular and anesthesiology services to hospitals — said this study presents an "intriguing approach" to addressing dementia in individuals with uncontrolled hypertension. Just 5 Minutes Of Exercise Could Reduce High Blood Pressure, Study Finds "Unlike studies performed in the United States, this study employed non-physicians to significantly reduce blood pressure in rural China through a 'cluster' blinding method," Ohio-based Serwer, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. "While the study can be subject to scrutiny, it raises a pertinent question: How crucial is modification of cardiovascular risk factors in the development of dementia?" The primary medications used in the study to lower blood pressure were calcium channel blockers and angiotensin receptor blockers, Serwer noted. "These commonly prescribed medications have been independently associated with a reduced risk of dementia, irrespective of the magnitude of blood pressure reduction they achieve," he said. "This raises the possibility that the lower rates of dementia observed may be attributed to other beneficial effects of the medications rather than solely to blood pressure reduction." To confirm the findings, Serwer said it would be beneficial to include baseline cognitive assessments of the patients and to identify the prevalence of Alzheimer's dementia within the communities. "The most significant takeaway from this study is the profound importance of addressing blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking and sedentary lifestyles," the cardiologist said. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter "By prioritizing these factors, we not only aim to prevent heart attacks and strokes, but also strive to enhance overall quality of life." The study was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, Chinese Society of Cardiology Foundation, and the Science and Technology Program of Liaoning Province, China. For more Health articles, visit Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for article source: Blood pressure and dementia risk share surprising link, study suggests
Fox News
22-04-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Blood pressure and dementia risk share surprising link, study suggests
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is known to have a direct impact on heart attack and stroke risk — but a new study has revealed its surprising link to brain health. In a large, randomized trial, researchers led by First Hospital of China Medical University discovered that "intensive blood pressure control" resulted in a 15% reduced dementia risk among participants and a 16% reduced risk of cognitive impairment. The study included 33,995 people in rural China aged 40 or older who had "uncontrolled hypertension." The participants were divided into two groups. One received "usual care," while the other was assigned to "trained non-physician community healthcare providers" who prescribed "titrated antihypertensive medications." For the latter group, the medications helped them achieve a systolic blood pressure goal of <130 mm Hg and a diastolic blood pressure goal of <80 mm Hg, according to the study findings in Nature Medicine. "The primary outcome of all-cause dementia was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the usual care group," the researchers wrote. They were also less likely to experience "serious adverse events." This was one of the first large-scale, randomized, controlled effectiveness trials to demonstrate a "significant reduction in all-cause dementia associated with lowering blood pressure," the researchers concluded. There were some limitations of the study, the article acknowledged, including the absence of baseline and follow-up cognitive assessments. Dr. Bradley Serwer, a cardiologist and chief medical officer at VitalSolution, a Cincinnati, Ohio-based company that offers cardiovascular and anesthesiology services to hospitals nationwide, said this study presents an "intriguing approach" to addressing dementia in individuals with uncontrolled hypertension. "Unlike studies performed in the United States, this study employed non-physicians to significantly reduce blood pressure in rural China through a 'cluster' blinding method," Serwer, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. "While the study can be subject to scrutiny, it raises a pertinent question: How crucial is modification of cardiovascular risk factors in the development of dementia?" The primary medications used in the study to lower blood pressure were calcium channel blockers and angiotensin receptor blockers, Serwer noted. "These commonly prescribed medications have been independently associated with a reduced risk of dementia, irrespective of the magnitude of blood pressure reduction they achieve," he said. "This raises the possibility that the lower rates of dementia observed may be attributed to other beneficial effects of the medications rather than solely to blood pressure reduction." To confirm the findings, Serwer said it would be beneficial to include baseline cognitive assessments of the patients and to identify the prevalence of Alzheimer's dementia within the communities. "The most significant takeaway from this study is the profound importance of addressing blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking and sedentary lifestyles," the cardiologist said. "By prioritizing these factors, we not only aim to prevent heart attacks and strokes, but also strive to enhance overall quality of life." The study was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, Chinese Society of Cardiology Foundation, and the Science and Technology Program of Liaoning Province, China. Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.
