Colonoscopy Screening Reduced Colorectal Cancer Incidence but No Significant Mortality Benefit

A 13-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial found that a single colonoscopy screening significantly reduced colorectal cancer incidence but did not significantly lower mortality. In this multicountry study involving 84,583 adults aged 55–64 years from Norway, Poland, and Sweden, participants were randomized to receive colonoscopy screening or no screening. […]

Ultra-Processed Food Intake Linked to Poorer Attention and Higher Dementia Risk

Higher consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is associated with poorer attention and increased modifiable dementia risk, independent of overall diet quality. In this cross-sectional study of 2,192 dementia-free Australian adults aged 40–70 years, dietary intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire and categorized by the Nova classification system, […]

BP-Lowering Reduces Cardiovascular Risk Across All CKD Stages, with Attenuated Benefit in Diabetes

Blood pressure (BP)-lowering treatment significantly reduces the risk of major cardiovascular events in individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) across all stages, with effects comparable to those without CKD, although benefits are diminished in patients with coexisting diabetes. This one-stage individual-participant meta-analysis included 52 randomized controlled trials, of which 46 […]

New Guideline Clarifies the Role of CBT-I in Chronic Insomnia

A new clinical practice guideline from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine indicates that cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) alone remains the most effective first-line treatment for chronic insomnia, while adding medication may offer modest benefits for select outcomes such as total sleep time. The guideline is supported by […]

Undiagnosed Heart Disease Account for a Large Share of Sudden Cardiac Deaths

While myocardial infarction (MI) accounts for a substantial proportion of sudden cardiac deaths (SCDs), most arrhythmic SCDs occur in individuals without previously diagnosed risk factors, often due to occult cardiac disease such as silent MI or dilated cardiomyopathy. In the 12-year US countywide POST SCD autopsy study, 943 presumed sudden […]

Triple Low-Dose BP-Lowering Pill Reduces Recurrent Stroke After Intracerebral Hemorrhage

In patients with prior intracerebral hemorrhage, adding a single pill combining three low-dose antihypertensive agents to standard care significantly reduced recurrent stroke and major cardiovascular events compared with placebo. In this multinational, double-blind, randomized controlled trial of 1,670 clinically stable patients with baseline systolic blood pressure (BP) of 130–160 mm […]

Longer and More Frequent Daytime Naps—Especially in the Morning—Linked to Higher Mortality Risk

In older adults, longer and more frequent daytime naps, particularly those occurring in the morning, were associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality based on objective actigraphy measurements. In this prospective cohort study from the US Rush Memory and Aging Project, 1,338 community-dwelling adults (mean age 81.4 years, 76% […]

Anemia Linked to Higher Alzheimer’s Biomarkers and Increased Dementia Risk

Anemia was associated with higher levels of Alzheimer disease (AD) blood biomarkers and a markedly increased long-term risk of dementia, with the highest risk observed when low hemoglobin coexisted with elevated neurodegenerative markers. In a population-based cohort from the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen, 2,282 dementia-free […]

Plant-Based Dietary Patterns Linked to Dementia Risk

Greater adherence to healthful plant-based diets was associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRDs), whereas unhealthy plant-based diets were linked to increased risk, with dietary changes over time further influencing outcomes. In the prospective analysis of the US Multiethnic Cohort Study including over 92,000 diverse […]

Calcium Supplementation Linked to Higher Risk of CVD Recurrence

In patients with established cardiovascular disease (CVD), calcium supplementation was associated with an increased risk of recurrent CVD events and related hospitalizations, particularly with calcium-only use and among men. In this large retrospective population-based study from Hong Kong, 17,720 matched patients receiving calcium supplements were compared with an equal number […]