A common diabetes medication may help some patients with treatment-resistant hypertension slightly lower their high blood pressure and lessen their risk of heart failure events such as stroke, according to an analysis of a clinical trial published in Circulation.
Insertable cardiac monitors detected a higher incidence of atrial fibrillation in patients with prior ischemic stroke over a three-year period than standard medical monitoring methods, according to results published in JAMA Neurology, based on long-term findings from the Northwestern Medicine-led STROKE AF clinical trial.
Scientists have found a highly accurate way to predict the best cancer treatment for patients based on patterns of gene expression in their tumors.
Individuals born in the U.S. had a higher rate of giving birth prematurely compared to U.S. immigrants, a new Northwestern Medicine study has found.
Twelve Feinberg faculty members were named to the 2023 “Highly Cited Researchers” list, published by Clarivate Analytics. The annual list identifies investigators who have demonstrated significant influence in their field through the publication of highly cited publications during the last decade.
Patients with severe aortic stenosis who underwent a minimally invasive aortic valve replacement procedure had similar long-term survival rates compared to patients who underwent traditional surgery, according to a recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Your body’s cells need oxygen to live. That’s why it’s critical to take care of your lungs, which help transport oxygen. As you age, changes to your bones, muscles and lung tissue can compromise the organ, causing shortness of breath and increasing your risk of infection. Exposure to air pollutants also can compromise your lungs, as can heart failure, which can lead to fluid buildup. Some decline in lung function is expected as you age, but exercise and other steps can help you breathe easier. Heart and lung health go hand in hand, says G.R. Scott Budinger, MD, chief of pulmonary and critical care at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Some evidence suggests that the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet can help promote lung function in people with lung disease. A nutritious diet can also help support your immune system so your body can fend off respiratory infections better. Prioritize antioxidant-rich foods (primarily fruits and vegetables) as well to stave off inflammation in the lungs and throughout the body.
A new version of the diabetes drug Mounjaro – which people have been seeking out as a weight loss drug all year – is now officially approved by the FDA to help patients do just that. The drug, made by Eli Lilly, is marketed as Zepbound. Also known as tirzepatide, it has helped dieters lose as much as 40 to 60 pounds in testing. Veronica Johnson, MD, an obesity medicine specialist at the Northwestern Medicine Center for Lifestyle Medicine and assistant professor of medicine (general internal medicine) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said the drug was just about as effective as metabolic and bariatric surgery. It gives patients an alternative to going under the knife to treat obesity, and all the medical conditions that come with excess weight. Dr. Johnson encouraged people to think of Zepbound as a potential solution to the complex condition of obesity. “Obesity is far more complicated than just eat less, move more,” she said. “We have clear hormones in our body and other determinants and contributors that make it harder for us to manage our weight with just lifestyle modifications.”
A mainstay on the dinner table at this time of year, turkey, contains tryptophan, which is widely believed to be responsible for the uncontrollable yawns and sudden snoozes common after huge family feasts. However, it is not the only thing to blame for sleepiness after Thanksgiving dinner. “Turkey doesn’t really make us sleepy,” Kristen Knutson, associate professor of neurology and preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. said. “If we feel sleepy after a big meal, it is likely due to not getting enough sleep in the days leading up to the big event and finally being able to relax after the dinner is over,” said Knutson.
Ever since the pandemic, when rates of teenage suicide, anxiety and depression spiked, policymakers around the world have pushed to make mental-health resources more broadly available to young people through programming in schools and on social media platforms. This strategy is well intentioned. Traditional therapy can be expensive and time-consuming; access can be limited. But there is now reason to think that this approach is risky. Recent studies have found that several of these programs not only failed to help young people; they also made their mental-health problems worse. Jessica Schleider, PhD, a psychology researcher and associate professor of medical social sciences and pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, has tested several single-session treatments that can be offered online and show promising results in teenagers. But although such offerings fill gaps in our mental health infrastructure, they cannot take the place of more time- and resource-intensive forms of care. The hard truth is that soaring rates of teenage depression and anxiety present a structural problem requiring structural solutions, including the training of a much larger work force of therapists.
