Our weekly roundup of the latest news in the world of health. A new test for tuberculosis could revolutionize the way the disease is diagnosed and treated. The test is faster and more accurate, and can predict whether a person's disease is resistant to antibiotics. Cesarean section rates will keep rising, as about 1 of every 3 new moms gives birth this way, says a large study. Other research finds that women with BRCA gene mutations may benefit from having healthy ovaries removed. The surgery reduced their risks of breast and ovarian cancer. In drug news, a weight-loss drug raises the risks of heart attacks and strokes in people who already have heart disease.
Stay well.
This Issue:
C-section Rates Will Keep Rising Ovary Removal Reduces Cancer Risk in Some New Test for TB Is Faster, More Accurate Weight-Loss Drug Carries Risks of Heart Attack, Stroke In the News:
C-section Rates Will Keep Rising
About 1 of every 3 U.S. babies is born by cesarean section. Those numbers are likely to increase in the future, says a study. It looked at nearly 230,000 deliveries in 19 hospitals. Results showed that almost one-third of first-time moms delivered by cesarean. And many doctors have policies that women who have had one c-section must deliver future babies through c-sections as well. The study also found that inducing labor with drugs increased the risk for c-section. It was published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Ovary Removal Reduces Cancer Risk in Some Women
Women with BRCA gene mutations may benefit from having their healthy ovaries removed. So says a study in the September 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Women with these gene mutations have 10 times the risk of ovarian cancer, compared with the general population. The study included about 2,500 women. About 4 in 10 had their ovaries removed. In addition to the decreased risk of ovarian cancer, they had a lower risk of breast cancer over the next several years. The women who had their ovaries removed also were less likely to die of cancer.
New Test for TB Is Faster, More Accurate
A new, faster test can reveal if a person has tuberculosis. It also can tell if the disease is resistant to antibiotics. The new test takes less than two hours, while the old one could take up to a week. The old test also misses cases of TB, so sick people are mistakenly told they are healthy. In a study of 1,730 people, the new test identified 98% of TB cases. It also identified 98% of the cases that were resistant to rifampin, a common drug used to treat TB. The study was published in the September 2 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Weight-Loss Drug Carries Risks of Heart Attack, Stroke
A weight-loss drug increases the risks of heart attack and stroke in people who already have heart disease. So says a study of 10,000 people 55 and older. All wanted to lose weight. They were randomly assigned to take the weight-loss drug sibutramine (Meridia) or an identical-looking placebo (fake pill). People took the pills for an average of 3.5 years. The sibutramine group had a 16% higher risk of heart attack or stroke. They were not more likely to die of either condition. The study appeared in the September 2 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.
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.
