Medical Bulletin 9/December/2022

Yoga is part of spiritual and exercise practices for millions of people worldwide. With yoga practice becoming a widely accepted form of exercise, the body of yoga research is growing. It is a multifaceted lifestyle activity that can positively enhance cardiovascular health and wellbeing. Physical exercises such as stretching exercises and the physical components of yoga practices have several similarities, but also important differences.

A three-month pilot study of patients with hypertension appearing in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, published by Elsevier, demonstrates that adding yoga to a regular exercise training regimen supports cardiovascular health and wellbeing and is more effective than stretching exercises. Incorporation of yoga reduced systolic blood pressure and resting heart rate and improved 10-year cardiovascular risk

Reference:

Paul Poirier et al, Impact of Yoga on Global Cardiovascular Risk as an Add-on to a Regular Exercise Regimen in Patients with Hypertension, Canadian Journal of Cardiology, DOI10.1016/j.cjca.2022.09.019

Arsenic-contaminated water and antibiotic resistance in children linked: Study

Antibiotic resistance is one of the leading causes of death and hospitalization worldwide. While the major drivers of antibiotic resistance are the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, natural elements such as heavy metals can also promote antibiotic resistance.

In rural Bangladesh, areas with high levels of arsenic contamination in drinking water, compared to areas with less contamination, have a higher prevalence of antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli in both water and child stool samples, according to a new study publishing December 8, 2022 in PLOS Pathogens by Mohammad Aminul Islam of Washington State University, and colleagues.

Reference:

Amin MB, Talukdar PK, Asaduzzaman M, Roy S, Flatgard BM, Islam MR, et al. (2022) Effects of chronic exposure to arsenic on the fecal carriage of antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli among people in rural Bangladesh. PLoS Pathog 18(12): e1010952. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1010952

Alternative medicines for heart failure may have some benefits or even potential risks

An estimated 6 million people ages 20 and older in the U.S. have heart failure, a condition that occurs when the heart isn't functioning normally. The statement, "Complementary and Alternative Medicines in the Management of Heart Failure," assesses the effectiveness and safety of CAM therapies used for heart failure treatment. According to the statement, it's estimated that more than 30% of people with heart failure in the U.S. use complementary and alternative medicines.

The statement defines complementary and alternative medicine therapy as medical practices, supplements and approaches that do not conform to the standards of conventional, evidence-based practice guidelines. Complementary and alternative products are available without prescriptions or medical guidance at pharmacies, health food stores and online retailers.

Reference:

Sheryl L. Chow, et al,Complementary and Alternative Medicines in the Management of Heart Failure: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association, Circulation, DOI: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000001110

Capivasertib addition to fulvestrant improves progression-free survival in patients with advanced (HR)-positive breast cancer

Patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer are commonly treated in the first line with an endocrine therapy-such as an aromatase inhibitor, which blocks the production of estrogen-alongside a CDK4/6 inhibitor, which stalls the cell cycle. Eventually, however, most tumors develop resistance to these therapies, and options for further treatment are limited.

In patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative tumors resistant to aromatase inhibitors, addition of the investigational AKT inhibitor capivasertib to fulvestrant (Faslodex) doubled the median progression-free survival compared with placebo plus fulvestrant in the phase III CAPItello-291 clinical trial, according to results presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, held December 6-10, 2022.

Reference:

Nicholas Turner et al , AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR CANCER RESEARCH