Megan Brooks

Clinicians should consider the use of medication for adults with untreated stage 1 hypertension (130-139/80-89 mm Hg) whose 10-year risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is <10% and who fail to meet the blood pressure goal of <130/80 mm Hg after 6 months of guideline-based lifestyle therapy, the American Heart Association (AHA) advises in new scientific statement.

The statement was published online April 29 in Hypertension.

The recommendation complements the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Blood Pressure Management Guidelines, which do not fully address how to manage untreated stage 1 hypertension, the AHA says.

“There are no treatment recommendations in current guidelines for patients who are at relatively low short-term risk of heart disease when blood pressure does not drop below 130 mm Hg after six months of recommended lifestyle changes. This statement fills that gap,” Daniel W. Jones, MD, chair of the statement writing group and a past president of the AHA, said in a news release.

If after 6 months with lifestyle changes, blood pressure does not improve, lifestyle therapy should be continued and “clinicians should consider adding medications to control blood pressure,” said Dr. Jones, professor and dean emeritus, University of Mississippi, Jackson.

Healthy lifestyle changes to lower blood pressure include achieving ideal body weight, exercising (30 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity on most days, if possible), limiting dietary sodium, enhancing potassium intake, and following the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, which is plentiful in fruits and vegetables with low-fat dairy products and reduced saturated fat and total fat. In addition, patients should be advised to limit alcohol intake and to not smoke.

The writing group acknowledges that these goals can be hard to achieve and maintain over time.

“It is very hard in America and most industrialized countries to limit sodium sufficiently to lower blood pressure, and it is difficult for all of us to maintain a healthy weight in what I refer to as a toxic food environment,” Dr. Jones said.

“We want clinicians to advise patients to take healthy lifestyle changes seriously and do their best. We certainly prefer to achieve blood pressure goals without adding medication; however, successfully treating high blood pressure does extend both years and quality of life,” said Dr. Jones.

The AHA statement also addresses cases in which adults were found to have hypertension during adolescence or childhood and were prescribed antihypertensive drug therapy.

In this patient population, clinicians should consider the original indications for starting antihypertensive drug treatment and the need to continue the medication and lifestyle therapy as young adults, the AHA advises.

“In young adults with stage 1 hypertension who are not controlled with lifestyle therapy, special consideration should be given to use of antihypertensive medication in individuals with a family history of premature CVD, a history of hypertension during pregnancy, or a personal history of premature birth,” the AHA states.

The scientific statement was prepared by the volunteer writing group on behalf of the AHA Council on Hypertension; the Council on the Kidney in Cardiovascular Disease; the Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology; the Council on Cardiovascular Radiology and Intervention; the Council on Lifelong Congenital Heart Disease and Heart Health in the Young; and the Stroke Council.

The authors have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Clinicians should consider the use of medication for adults with untreated stage 1 hypertension (130-139/80-89 mm Hg) whose 10-year risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is <10% and who fail to meet the blood pressure goal of <130/80 mm Hg after 6 months of guideline-based lifestyle therapy, the American Heart Association (AHA) advises in new scientific statement.

The statement was published online April 29 in Hypertension.

The recommendation complements the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Blood Pressure Management Guidelines, which do not fully address how to manage untreated stage 1 hypertension, the AHA says.

“There are no treatment recommendations in current guidelines for patients who are at relatively low short-term risk of heart disease when blood pressure does not drop below 130 mm Hg after six months of recommended lifestyle changes. This statement fills that gap,” Daniel W. Jones, MD, chair of the statement writing group and a past president of the AHA, said in a news release.

If after 6 months with lifestyle changes, blood pressure does not improve, lifestyle therapy should be continued and “clinicians should consider adding medications to control blood pressure,” said Dr. Jones, professor and dean emeritus, University of Mississippi, Jackson.

Healthy lifestyle changes to lower blood pressure include achieving ideal body weight, exercising (30 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity on most days, if possible), limiting dietary sodium, enhancing potassium intake, and following the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, which is plentiful in fruits and vegetables with low-fat dairy products and reduced saturated fat and total fat. In addition, patients should be advised to limit alcohol intake and to not smoke.

The writing group acknowledges that these goals can be hard to achieve and maintain over time.

“It is very hard in America and most industrialized countries to limit sodium sufficiently to lower blood pressure, and it is difficult for all of us to maintain a healthy weight in what I refer to as a toxic food environment,” Dr. Jones said.

“We want clinicians to advise patients to take healthy lifestyle changes seriously and do their best. We certainly prefer to achieve blood pressure goals without adding medication; however, successfully treating high blood pressure does extend both years and quality of life,” said Dr. Jones.

The AHA statement also addresses cases in which adults were found to have hypertension during adolescence or childhood and were prescribed antihypertensive drug therapy.

In this patient population, clinicians should consider the original indications for starting antihypertensive drug treatment and the need to continue the medication and lifestyle therapy as young adults, the AHA advises.

“In young adults with stage 1 hypertension who are not controlled with lifestyle therapy, special consideration should be given to use of antihypertensive medication in individuals with a family history of premature CVD, a history of hypertension during pregnancy, or a personal history of premature birth,” the AHA states.

The scientific statement was prepared by the volunteer writing group on behalf of the AHA Council on Hypertension; the Council on the Kidney in Cardiovascular Disease; the Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology; the Council on Cardiovascular Radiology and Intervention; the Council on Lifelong Congenital Heart Disease and Heart Health in the Young; and the Stroke Council.

The authors have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Clinicians should consider the use of medication for adults with untreated stage 1 hypertension (130-139/80-89 mm Hg) whose 10-year risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is <10% and who fail to meet the blood pressure goal of <130/80 mm Hg after 6 months of guideline-based lifestyle therapy, the American Heart Association (AHA) advises in new scientific statement.

The statement was published online April 29 in Hypertension.

The recommendation complements the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Blood Pressure Management Guidelines, which do not fully address how to manage untreated stage 1 hypertension, the AHA says.

“There are no treatment recommendations in current guidelines for patients who are at relatively low short-term risk of heart disease when blood pressure does not drop below 130 mm Hg after six months of recommended lifestyle changes. This statement fills that gap,” Daniel W. Jones, MD, chair of the statement writing group and a past president of the AHA, said in a news release.

If after 6 months with lifestyle changes, blood pressure does not improve, lifestyle therapy should be continued and “clinicians should consider adding medications to control blood pressure,” said Dr. Jones, professor and dean emeritus, University of Mississippi, Jackson.

Healthy lifestyle changes to lower blood pressure include achieving ideal body weight, exercising (30 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity on most days, if possible), limiting dietary sodium, enhancing potassium intake, and following the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, which is plentiful in fruits and vegetables with low-fat dairy products and reduced saturated fat and total fat. In addition, patients should be advised to limit alcohol intake and to not smoke.

The writing group acknowledges that these goals can be hard to achieve and maintain over time.

“It is very hard in America and most industrialized countries to limit sodium sufficiently to lower blood pressure, and it is difficult for all of us to maintain a healthy weight in what I refer to as a toxic food environment,” Dr. Jones said.

“We want clinicians to advise patients to take healthy lifestyle changes seriously and do their best. We certainly prefer to achieve blood pressure goals without adding medication; however, successfully treating high blood pressure does extend both years and quality of life,” said Dr. Jones.

The AHA statement also addresses cases in which adults were found to have hypertension during adolescence or childhood and were prescribed antihypertensive drug therapy.

In this patient population, clinicians should consider the original indications for starting antihypertensive drug treatment and the need to continue the medication and lifestyle therapy as young adults, the AHA advises.

“In young adults with stage 1 hypertension who are not controlled with lifestyle therapy, special consideration should be given to use of antihypertensive medication in individuals with a family history of premature CVD, a history of hypertension during pregnancy, or a personal history of premature birth,” the AHA states.

The scientific statement was prepared by the volunteer writing group on behalf of the AHA Council on Hypertension; the Council on the Kidney in Cardiovascular Disease; the Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology; the Council on Cardiovascular Radiology and Intervention; the Council on Lifelong Congenital Heart Disease and Heart Health in the Young; and the Stroke Council.

The authors have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Cordis, part of Cardinal Health, has recalled certain lots of its Precise PRO Rx carotid stent system because of a risk of separation of the distal tip of the sheathed delivery system during use.

The Food and Drug Administration has classified this recall as class I, the most serious type, because of the potential for serious injury or death.

“If the device separates during use this may cause serious adverse events such as removal of the separated tip from the carotid artery, embolization distally, or stroke,” noted the recall notice posted on the FDA website.

To date, there have been seven complaints, including five reported injuries, related to this device issue. No deaths have been reported.

The Precise PRO Rx stent system is used in patients with stenotic lesions of the carotid arteries. The system includes a metal (nitinol) self-expanding stent preloaded on a delivery catheter used to place the stent.

The recall covers 7,300 devices made between October 2019 and August 2020 and distributed between Dec. 6, 2019, to Feb. 8, 2021.

The FDA has a complete list of product and lot numbers for the recalled devices on their website.

The company sent an urgent medical device recall letter to all affected customers asking them to check inventories and providing instructions on how to return any recalled product they have on hand.

Health care providers with questions about this recall can contact the company by email at GMB-FieldCorrectiveActionp@cardinalhealth.com or by phone at 786-313-2087.

Health care providers can report adverse reactions or quality problems they experience using these devices to the FDA’s MedWatch program.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Cordis, part of Cardinal Health, has recalled certain lots of its Precise PRO Rx carotid stent system because of a risk of separation of the distal tip of the sheathed delivery system during use.

The Food and Drug Administration has classified this recall as class I, the most serious type, because of the potential for serious injury or death.

“If the device separates during use this may cause serious adverse events such as removal of the separated tip from the carotid artery, embolization distally, or stroke,” noted the recall notice posted on the FDA website.

To date, there have been seven complaints, including five reported injuries, related to this device issue. No deaths have been reported.

The Precise PRO Rx stent system is used in patients with stenotic lesions of the carotid arteries. The system includes a metal (nitinol) self-expanding stent preloaded on a delivery catheter used to place the stent.

The recall covers 7,300 devices made between October 2019 and August 2020 and distributed between Dec. 6, 2019, to Feb. 8, 2021.

The FDA has a complete list of product and lot numbers for the recalled devices on their website.

The company sent an urgent medical device recall letter to all affected customers asking them to check inventories and providing instructions on how to return any recalled product they have on hand.

Health care providers with questions about this recall can contact the company by email at GMB-FieldCorrectiveActionp@cardinalhealth.com or by phone at 786-313-2087.

Health care providers can report adverse reactions or quality problems they experience using these devices to the FDA’s MedWatch program.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Cordis, part of Cardinal Health, has recalled certain lots of its Precise PRO Rx carotid stent system because of a risk of separation of the distal tip of the sheathed delivery system during use.

The Food and Drug Administration has classified this recall as class I, the most serious type, because of the potential for serious injury or death.

“If the device separates during use this may cause serious adverse events such as removal of the separated tip from the carotid artery, embolization distally, or stroke,” noted the recall notice posted on the FDA website.

To date, there have been seven complaints, including five reported injuries, related to this device issue. No deaths have been reported.

The Precise PRO Rx stent system is used in patients with stenotic lesions of the carotid arteries. The system includes a metal (nitinol) self-expanding stent preloaded on a delivery catheter used to place the stent.

The recall covers 7,300 devices made between October 2019 and August 2020 and distributed between Dec. 6, 2019, to Feb. 8, 2021.

The FDA has a complete list of product and lot numbers for the recalled devices on their website.

The company sent an urgent medical device recall letter to all affected customers asking them to check inventories and providing instructions on how to return any recalled product they have on hand.

Health care providers with questions about this recall can contact the company by email at GMB-FieldCorrectiveActionp@cardinalhealth.com or by phone at 786-313-2087.

Health care providers can report adverse reactions or quality problems they experience using these devices to the FDA’s MedWatch program.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force continues to recommend that clinicians screen all adults aged 18 years and older for high blood pressure and that they confirm a diagnosis of hypertension with blood pressure measurements taken outside the office before starting treatment.

mixetto/Serbia/Getty Images

This grade A recommendation is consistent with the 2015 recommendation from the task force.

Hypertension affects approximately 45% of adults in the United States and is a major contributing risk factor for heart failure, myocardial infarction, stroke, and chronic kidney disease.

Using a reaffirmation deliberation process, the USPSTF concluded with high certainty that there was “substantial net benefit” from screening adults for hypertension in clinical office settings.

The reaffirmation recommendation clarifies that initial screening should be performed with office-based blood pressure measurement.

The task force found “convincing” evidence that screening for and treatment of hypertension detected in clinical office settings substantially reduces cardiovascular events and have few major harms.

To confirm a diagnosis of hypertension outside the office before starting treatment, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring or home blood pressure monitoring is recommended. Blood pressure measurements should be taken at the brachial artery with a validated and accurate device in a seated position after 5 minutes of rest.

Although evidence regarding optimal screening intervals is limited, the task force says “reasonable” options include screening for hypertension every year for adults aged 40 years or older and for adults who are at increased risk for hypertension, such as Black persons, persons with high-normal blood pressure, or those who are overweight or obese.

Screening less frequently (every 3-5 years) is appropriate for adults aged 18-39 years who are not at increased risk for hypertension and who have received a prior blood pressure reading that was in the normal range, said the task force, led by Alex Krist, MD, MPH, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond.

The recommendation and supporting evidence report were published online April 27, 2021, in JAMA.
 

‘Screening is just the first step’

In a JAMA editorial, Marwah Abdalla, MD, MPH, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, and coauthors said the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that “rapid and significant innovation in science, health care, and society is possible. Implementing the latest USPSTF recommendations will require widespread changes to how the health care system and other entities screen for hypertension.

“Yet screening is just the first step in a long road to controlling hypertension. Medicine and society need to implement a variety of interventions proven to be effective in controlling blood pressure at scale,” the editorialists said.

“Additionally, these efforts need to consider how to achieve success for all people. This will require working to address the roots of structural racism and reduce the racial disparities that increase hypertension-related morbidity and mortality for vulnerable populations,” they added.

“These changes will take innovation in how care delivery is provided at both the individual and population levels – lessons the health care system and society learned are achievable through the response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Dr. Abdalla and colleagues concluded.

The USPSTF and Dr. Abdalla reported no relevant financial relationships. One editorialist reported receiving personal fees from Livongo and Cerner and grants from Bristol-Myers Squibb.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force continues to recommend that clinicians screen all adults aged 18 years and older for high blood pressure and that they confirm a diagnosis of hypertension with blood pressure measurements taken outside the office before starting treatment.

mixetto/Serbia/Getty Images

This grade A recommendation is consistent with the 2015 recommendation from the task force.

Hypertension affects approximately 45% of adults in the United States and is a major contributing risk factor for heart failure, myocardial infarction, stroke, and chronic kidney disease.

Using a reaffirmation deliberation process, the USPSTF concluded with high certainty that there was “substantial net benefit” from screening adults for hypertension in clinical office settings.

The reaffirmation recommendation clarifies that initial screening should be performed with office-based blood pressure measurement.

The task force found “convincing” evidence that screening for and treatment of hypertension detected in clinical office settings substantially reduces cardiovascular events and have few major harms.

To confirm a diagnosis of hypertension outside the office before starting treatment, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring or home blood pressure monitoring is recommended. Blood pressure measurements should be taken at the brachial artery with a validated and accurate device in a seated position after 5 minutes of rest.

Although evidence regarding optimal screening intervals is limited, the task force says “reasonable” options include screening for hypertension every year for adults aged 40 years or older and for adults who are at increased risk for hypertension, such as Black persons, persons with high-normal blood pressure, or those who are overweight or obese.

Screening less frequently (every 3-5 years) is appropriate for adults aged 18-39 years who are not at increased risk for hypertension and who have received a prior blood pressure reading that was in the normal range, said the task force, led by Alex Krist, MD, MPH, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond.

The recommendation and supporting evidence report were published online April 27, 2021, in JAMA.
 

‘Screening is just the first step’

In a JAMA editorial, Marwah Abdalla, MD, MPH, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, and coauthors said the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that “rapid and significant innovation in science, health care, and society is possible. Implementing the latest USPSTF recommendations will require widespread changes to how the health care system and other entities screen for hypertension.

“Yet screening is just the first step in a long road to controlling hypertension. Medicine and society need to implement a variety of interventions proven to be effective in controlling blood pressure at scale,” the editorialists said.

“Additionally, these efforts need to consider how to achieve success for all people. This will require working to address the roots of structural racism and reduce the racial disparities that increase hypertension-related morbidity and mortality for vulnerable populations,” they added.

“These changes will take innovation in how care delivery is provided at both the individual and population levels – lessons the health care system and society learned are achievable through the response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Dr. Abdalla and colleagues concluded.

The USPSTF and Dr. Abdalla reported no relevant financial relationships. One editorialist reported receiving personal fees from Livongo and Cerner and grants from Bristol-Myers Squibb.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force continues to recommend that clinicians screen all adults aged 18 years and older for high blood pressure and that they confirm a diagnosis of hypertension with blood pressure measurements taken outside the office before starting treatment.

mixetto/Serbia/Getty Images

This grade A recommendation is consistent with the 2015 recommendation from the task force.

Hypertension affects approximately 45% of adults in the United States and is a major contributing risk factor for heart failure, myocardial infarction, stroke, and chronic kidney disease.

Using a reaffirmation deliberation process, the USPSTF concluded with high certainty that there was “substantial net benefit” from screening adults for hypertension in clinical office settings.

The reaffirmation recommendation clarifies that initial screening should be performed with office-based blood pressure measurement.

The task force found “convincing” evidence that screening for and treatment of hypertension detected in clinical office settings substantially reduces cardiovascular events and have few major harms.

To confirm a diagnosis of hypertension outside the office before starting treatment, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring or home blood pressure monitoring is recommended. Blood pressure measurements should be taken at the brachial artery with a validated and accurate device in a seated position after 5 minutes of rest.

Although evidence regarding optimal screening intervals is limited, the task force says “reasonable” options include screening for hypertension every year for adults aged 40 years or older and for adults who are at increased risk for hypertension, such as Black persons, persons with high-normal blood pressure, or those who are overweight or obese.

Screening less frequently (every 3-5 years) is appropriate for adults aged 18-39 years who are not at increased risk for hypertension and who have received a prior blood pressure reading that was in the normal range, said the task force, led by Alex Krist, MD, MPH, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond.

The recommendation and supporting evidence report were published online April 27, 2021, in JAMA.
 

‘Screening is just the first step’

In a JAMA editorial, Marwah Abdalla, MD, MPH, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, and coauthors said the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that “rapid and significant innovation in science, health care, and society is possible. Implementing the latest USPSTF recommendations will require widespread changes to how the health care system and other entities screen for hypertension.

“Yet screening is just the first step in a long road to controlling hypertension. Medicine and society need to implement a variety of interventions proven to be effective in controlling blood pressure at scale,” the editorialists said.

“Additionally, these efforts need to consider how to achieve success for all people. This will require working to address the roots of structural racism and reduce the racial disparities that increase hypertension-related morbidity and mortality for vulnerable populations,” they added.

“These changes will take innovation in how care delivery is provided at both the individual and population levels – lessons the health care system and society learned are achievable through the response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Dr. Abdalla and colleagues concluded.

The USPSTF and Dr. Abdalla reported no relevant financial relationships. One editorialist reported receiving personal fees from Livongo and Cerner and grants from Bristol-Myers Squibb.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Hormonal therapies for the treatment of hormone-dependent breast and prostate cancer could raise the risk for myocardial infarction and stroke, and patients need to be closely monitored to allow early detection and treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the American Heart Association says in a new scientific statement.
 

“The statement provides data on the risks of each type of hormonal therapy so clinicians can use it as a guide to help manage cardiovascular risks during cancer treatment,” Tochi Okwuosa, DO, chair of the writing group, said in a news release.

“A team-based approach to patient care that includes the oncology team, cardiologist, primary care clinician, dietitian, endocrinologist, and other health care professionals as appropriate is needed to work with each patient to manage and reduce the increased risk of heart disease and strokes associated with hormonal therapy in breast and prostate cancer treatment,” said Dr. Okwuosa, director of cardio-oncology services, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago.

The scientific statement was published online April 26 in Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine.

Hormone-dependent cancers, such as prostate and breast cancer, are the most common noncutaneous cancers in the United States and around the world. As hormonal therapies have markedly improved survival in these patients, CVD has emerged as a leading cause illness and death.

The increased CVD burden might be explained by the increasing average age of cancer survivors, leading to higher rates of age-related CV risk factors and coronary artery disease.

The writing group reviewed existing evidence from observational studies and randomized controlled trials on the cardiovascular impact of anticancer hormonal therapies.



Among the key findings:

• In patients with breast cancer,  has been shown to increase the risk for venous thromboembolic events, but to have somewhat protective to neutral effects on CVD risk burden and CVD events. Conversely, aromatase inhibitors have been shown to increase the risk for CVD risk factors and events, including MI and stroke.
• Androgen-deprivation therapy for prostate cancer appears to increase the risk for CV events, although gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists are associated with a lower risk for CV events than are GnRH agonists. The oral antiandrogens appear to be associated with increased CVD risk as well, particularly when used for complete androgen blockade as combination GnRH/anti-androgen therapy.
• The duration of hormonal therapies has a significant impact on CVD risk; the longer patients receive hormonal therapy, the greater the risk. More research is needed to better define the risks associated with duration of treatment.
• The data are mixed on the impact of preexisting CV risk factors and CVD on CV events associated with hormonal therapy. Although the presence of baseline CV risk factors and CVD can increase CV events associated with aromatase inhibitors, it is not clear that tamoxifen does.
• Studies suggest that patients with prostate cancer and baseline CVD and CV risk factors have increased rates of CV events when treated with androgen-deprivation therapy.
• Although the prolonged use of some hormonal therapies worsens CV risk factors and , the effects of the duration of therapy on CV events are less clear.

The writing group noted that there are no definitive guidelines for the monitoring and management of hormonal therapy-related CVD risks.

The authors encourage clinicians to be alert for worsening CV problems in those with preexisting heart disease or risk factors, and to recognize that even patients without preexisting CV problems are at higher risk because of their exposure to hormonal therapies.

“For patients who have two or more cardiovascular risk factors, it is likely that referral to a cardiologist would be appropriate prior to beginning hormone treatment. For patients already receiving hormonal therapies, a discussion with the oncology team can help to determine if a cardiology referral is recommended,” Dr. Okwuosa said in the news release.

This scientific statement was prepared by the volunteer writing group on behalf of the AHA Cardio-Oncology Subcommittee of the Council on Clinical Cardiology and the Council on Genomic and Precision Medicine; the Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology; and the Council on Cardiovascular Radiology and Intervention.

The research had no commercial funding. Dr. Okwuosa has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Hormonal therapies for the treatment of hormone-dependent breast and prostate cancer could raise the risk for myocardial infarction and stroke, and patients need to be closely monitored to allow early detection and treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the American Heart Association says in a new scientific statement.
 

“The statement provides data on the risks of each type of hormonal therapy so clinicians can use it as a guide to help manage cardiovascular risks during cancer treatment,” Tochi Okwuosa, DO, chair of the writing group, said in a news release.

“A team-based approach to patient care that includes the oncology team, cardiologist, primary care clinician, dietitian, endocrinologist, and other health care professionals as appropriate is needed to work with each patient to manage and reduce the increased risk of heart disease and strokes associated with hormonal therapy in breast and prostate cancer treatment,” said Dr. Okwuosa, director of cardio-oncology services, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago.

The scientific statement was published online April 26 in Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine.

Hormone-dependent cancers, such as prostate and breast cancer, are the most common noncutaneous cancers in the United States and around the world. As hormonal therapies have markedly improved survival in these patients, CVD has emerged as a leading cause illness and death.

The increased CVD burden might be explained by the increasing average age of cancer survivors, leading to higher rates of age-related CV risk factors and coronary artery disease.

The writing group reviewed existing evidence from observational studies and randomized controlled trials on the cardiovascular impact of anticancer hormonal therapies.



Among the key findings:

• In patients with breast cancer,  has been shown to increase the risk for venous thromboembolic events, but to have somewhat protective to neutral effects on CVD risk burden and CVD events. Conversely, aromatase inhibitors have been shown to increase the risk for CVD risk factors and events, including MI and stroke.
• Androgen-deprivation therapy for prostate cancer appears to increase the risk for CV events, although gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists are associated with a lower risk for CV events than are GnRH agonists. The oral antiandrogens appear to be associated with increased CVD risk as well, particularly when used for complete androgen blockade as combination GnRH/anti-androgen therapy.
• The duration of hormonal therapies has a significant impact on CVD risk; the longer patients receive hormonal therapy, the greater the risk. More research is needed to better define the risks associated with duration of treatment.
• The data are mixed on the impact of preexisting CV risk factors and CVD on CV events associated with hormonal therapy. Although the presence of baseline CV risk factors and CVD can increase CV events associated with aromatase inhibitors, it is not clear that tamoxifen does.
• Studies suggest that patients with prostate cancer and baseline CVD and CV risk factors have increased rates of CV events when treated with androgen-deprivation therapy.
• Although the prolonged use of some hormonal therapies worsens CV risk factors and , the effects of the duration of therapy on CV events are less clear.

The writing group noted that there are no definitive guidelines for the monitoring and management of hormonal therapy-related CVD risks.

The authors encourage clinicians to be alert for worsening CV problems in those with preexisting heart disease or risk factors, and to recognize that even patients without preexisting CV problems are at higher risk because of their exposure to hormonal therapies.

“For patients who have two or more cardiovascular risk factors, it is likely that referral to a cardiologist would be appropriate prior to beginning hormone treatment. For patients already receiving hormonal therapies, a discussion with the oncology team can help to determine if a cardiology referral is recommended,” Dr. Okwuosa said in the news release.

This scientific statement was prepared by the volunteer writing group on behalf of the AHA Cardio-Oncology Subcommittee of the Council on Clinical Cardiology and the Council on Genomic and Precision Medicine; the Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology; and the Council on Cardiovascular Radiology and Intervention.

The research had no commercial funding. Dr. Okwuosa has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Hormonal therapies for the treatment of hormone-dependent breast and prostate cancer could raise the risk for myocardial infarction and stroke, and patients need to be closely monitored to allow early detection and treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the American Heart Association says in a new scientific statement.
 

“The statement provides data on the risks of each type of hormonal therapy so clinicians can use it as a guide to help manage cardiovascular risks during cancer treatment,” Tochi Okwuosa, DO, chair of the writing group, said in a news release.

“A team-based approach to patient care that includes the oncology team, cardiologist, primary care clinician, dietitian, endocrinologist, and other health care professionals as appropriate is needed to work with each patient to manage and reduce the increased risk of heart disease and strokes associated with hormonal therapy in breast and prostate cancer treatment,” said Dr. Okwuosa, director of cardio-oncology services, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago.

The scientific statement was published online April 26 in Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine.

Hormone-dependent cancers, such as prostate and breast cancer, are the most common noncutaneous cancers in the United States and around the world. As hormonal therapies have markedly improved survival in these patients, CVD has emerged as a leading cause illness and death.

The increased CVD burden might be explained by the increasing average age of cancer survivors, leading to higher rates of age-related CV risk factors and coronary artery disease.

The writing group reviewed existing evidence from observational studies and randomized controlled trials on the cardiovascular impact of anticancer hormonal therapies.



Among the key findings:

• In patients with breast cancer,  has been shown to increase the risk for venous thromboembolic events, but to have somewhat protective to neutral effects on CVD risk burden and CVD events. Conversely, aromatase inhibitors have been shown to increase the risk for CVD risk factors and events, including MI and stroke.
• Androgen-deprivation therapy for prostate cancer appears to increase the risk for CV events, although gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists are associated with a lower risk for CV events than are GnRH agonists. The oral antiandrogens appear to be associated with increased CVD risk as well, particularly when used for complete androgen blockade as combination GnRH/anti-androgen therapy.
• The duration of hormonal therapies has a significant impact on CVD risk; the longer patients receive hormonal therapy, the greater the risk. More research is needed to better define the risks associated with duration of treatment.
• The data are mixed on the impact of preexisting CV risk factors and CVD on CV events associated with hormonal therapy. Although the presence of baseline CV risk factors and CVD can increase CV events associated with aromatase inhibitors, it is not clear that tamoxifen does.
• Studies suggest that patients with prostate cancer and baseline CVD and CV risk factors have increased rates of CV events when treated with androgen-deprivation therapy.
• Although the prolonged use of some hormonal therapies worsens CV risk factors and , the effects of the duration of therapy on CV events are less clear.

The writing group noted that there are no definitive guidelines for the monitoring and management of hormonal therapy-related CVD risks.

The authors encourage clinicians to be alert for worsening CV problems in those with preexisting heart disease or risk factors, and to recognize that even patients without preexisting CV problems are at higher risk because of their exposure to hormonal therapies.

“For patients who have two or more cardiovascular risk factors, it is likely that referral to a cardiologist would be appropriate prior to beginning hormone treatment. For patients already receiving hormonal therapies, a discussion with the oncology team can help to determine if a cardiology referral is recommended,” Dr. Okwuosa said in the news release.

This scientific statement was prepared by the volunteer writing group on behalf of the AHA Cardio-Oncology Subcommittee of the Council on Clinical Cardiology and the Council on Genomic and Precision Medicine; the Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology; and the Council on Cardiovascular Radiology and Intervention.

The research had no commercial funding. Dr. Okwuosa has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

COVID-19 patients with ST-segment elevation MI (STEMI) represent a population with unique demographic and clinical features resulting in a high risk for mortality, according to initial findings from the North American Cardiovascular COVID-19 Myocardial Infarction (NACMI) Registry.

Floaria Bicher/iStock/Getty Images Plus

“This is the largest registry of COVID-positive patients presenting with STEMI [and] the results clearly illustrate the challenges and uniqueness of this patient population that deserves prompt and special attention,” study cochair Timothy Henry, MD, president-elect of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions, said in a news release.

The NACMI registry is a collaborative effort between the SCAI, the American College of Cardiology Interventional Council, and the Canadian Association of Interventional Cardiology.

“The rapid development of this ongoing, critically important prospective registry reflects the strong and unique collaboration of all three societies. It was gratifying to be part of this process and hopefully the results will improve the care of our patients and stimulate further research,” Dr. Henry said in the news release.

The registry has enrolled 1,185 patients presenting with STEMI at 64 sites across the United States and Canada. Participants include 230 COVID-positive STEMI patients; 495 STEMI patients suspected but ultimately confirmed not to have COVID-19; and 460 age-and sex-matched control STEMI patients treated prior to the pandemic who are part of the Midwest STEMI Consortium.

The initial findings from the registry were published online in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
 

Atypical symptoms may explain high death rate

The primary outcome – a composite of in-hospital death, stroke, recurrent MI, or repeat unplanned revascularization – occurred in 36% of COVID-positive patients, compared with 13% of COVID-negative patients and 5% of control patients (P < .001 relative to controls). 

This difference was driven largely by a “very high” in-hospital death rate in COVID-positive patients, lead author Santiago Garcia, MD, Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, said in an interview.

The in-hospital death rate was 33% in COVID-positive patients, compared with 11% in COVID-negative patients and 4% in controls. Stroke also occurred more often in COVID-positive patients at 3% versus 2% in COVID-negative and 0% in controls.

These initial findings suggest that the combination of STEMI and COVID-19 infection “confers a poor prognosis, with one in three patients succumbing to the disease, even among patients selected for invasive angiography (28% mortality),” the investigators wrote.

The data also show that STEMI in COVID-positive patients disproportionately affects ethnic minorities (23% Hispanic and 24% Black) with diabetes, which was present in 46% of COVID-positive patients.

COVID-positive patients with STEMI are more likely to present with atypical symptoms such as dyspnea (54%), pulmonary infiltrates on chest x-ray (46%), and high-risk conditions such as cardiogenic shock (18%), “which may explain the high fatality rate,” Dr. Garcia said.

Despite these high-risk features, COVID-positive patients are less apt to undergo invasive angiography when compared with COVID-negative and control STEMI patients (78% vs. 96% vs. 100%).

The majority of patients (71%) who did under angiography received primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) with very small treatment delays (at 15 minutes) during the pandemic.

Another notable finding is that “many patients (23%) have ‘no culprit’ vessel and may represent different etiologies of ST-segment elevation including microemboli, myocarditis, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy,” Dr. Garcia said in an interview.

“In line with current guidelines, patients with suspected STEMI should be managed with PPCI, without delay while the safety of health care providers is ensured,” Ran Kornowski, MD, and Katia Orvin, MD, both with Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel, and Tel Aviv University, wrote in a linked editorial.  

“In this case, PPCI should be performed routinely, even if the patient is presumed to have COVID-19, because PPCI should not be postponed. Confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 infection should not delay urgent decision management concerning reperfusion strategy,” they advised.

Looking ahead, Garcia said plans for the registry include determining predictors of in-hospital mortality and studying demographic and treatment trends as the pandemic continues with more virulent strains of the virus.

Various subgroup analyses are also planned as well as an independent angiographic and electrocardiographic core lab analysis. A comparative analysis of data from the US and Canada is also planned.

This work was supported by an ACC Accreditation Grant, Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation, and grants from Medtronic and Abbott Vascular to SCAI. Dr. Garcia has received institutional research grants from Edwards Lifesciences, BSCI, Medtronic, and Abbott Vascular; has served as a consultant for Medtronic and BSCI; and has served as a proctor for Edwards Lifesciences. Dr. Kornowski and Dr. Orvin disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

COVID-19 patients with ST-segment elevation MI (STEMI) represent a population with unique demographic and clinical features resulting in a high risk for mortality, according to initial findings from the North American Cardiovascular COVID-19 Myocardial Infarction (NACMI) Registry.

Floaria Bicher/iStock/Getty Images Plus

“This is the largest registry of COVID-positive patients presenting with STEMI [and] the results clearly illustrate the challenges and uniqueness of this patient population that deserves prompt and special attention,” study cochair Timothy Henry, MD, president-elect of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions, said in a news release.

The NACMI registry is a collaborative effort between the SCAI, the American College of Cardiology Interventional Council, and the Canadian Association of Interventional Cardiology.

“The rapid development of this ongoing, critically important prospective registry reflects the strong and unique collaboration of all three societies. It was gratifying to be part of this process and hopefully the results will improve the care of our patients and stimulate further research,” Dr. Henry said in the news release.

The registry has enrolled 1,185 patients presenting with STEMI at 64 sites across the United States and Canada. Participants include 230 COVID-positive STEMI patients; 495 STEMI patients suspected but ultimately confirmed not to have COVID-19; and 460 age-and sex-matched control STEMI patients treated prior to the pandemic who are part of the Midwest STEMI Consortium.

The initial findings from the registry were published online in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
 

Atypical symptoms may explain high death rate

The primary outcome – a composite of in-hospital death, stroke, recurrent MI, or repeat unplanned revascularization – occurred in 36% of COVID-positive patients, compared with 13% of COVID-negative patients and 5% of control patients (P < .001 relative to controls). 

This difference was driven largely by a “very high” in-hospital death rate in COVID-positive patients, lead author Santiago Garcia, MD, Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, said in an interview.

The in-hospital death rate was 33% in COVID-positive patients, compared with 11% in COVID-negative patients and 4% in controls. Stroke also occurred more often in COVID-positive patients at 3% versus 2% in COVID-negative and 0% in controls.

These initial findings suggest that the combination of STEMI and COVID-19 infection “confers a poor prognosis, with one in three patients succumbing to the disease, even among patients selected for invasive angiography (28% mortality),” the investigators wrote.

The data also show that STEMI in COVID-positive patients disproportionately affects ethnic minorities (23% Hispanic and 24% Black) with diabetes, which was present in 46% of COVID-positive patients.

COVID-positive patients with STEMI are more likely to present with atypical symptoms such as dyspnea (54%), pulmonary infiltrates on chest x-ray (46%), and high-risk conditions such as cardiogenic shock (18%), “which may explain the high fatality rate,” Dr. Garcia said.

Despite these high-risk features, COVID-positive patients are less apt to undergo invasive angiography when compared with COVID-negative and control STEMI patients (78% vs. 96% vs. 100%).

The majority of patients (71%) who did under angiography received primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) with very small treatment delays (at 15 minutes) during the pandemic.

Another notable finding is that “many patients (23%) have ‘no culprit’ vessel and may represent different etiologies of ST-segment elevation including microemboli, myocarditis, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy,” Dr. Garcia said in an interview.

“In line with current guidelines, patients with suspected STEMI should be managed with PPCI, without delay while the safety of health care providers is ensured,” Ran Kornowski, MD, and Katia Orvin, MD, both with Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel, and Tel Aviv University, wrote in a linked editorial.  

“In this case, PPCI should be performed routinely, even if the patient is presumed to have COVID-19, because PPCI should not be postponed. Confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 infection should not delay urgent decision management concerning reperfusion strategy,” they advised.

Looking ahead, Garcia said plans for the registry include determining predictors of in-hospital mortality and studying demographic and treatment trends as the pandemic continues with more virulent strains of the virus.

Various subgroup analyses are also planned as well as an independent angiographic and electrocardiographic core lab analysis. A comparative analysis of data from the US and Canada is also planned.

This work was supported by an ACC Accreditation Grant, Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation, and grants from Medtronic and Abbott Vascular to SCAI. Dr. Garcia has received institutional research grants from Edwards Lifesciences, BSCI, Medtronic, and Abbott Vascular; has served as a consultant for Medtronic and BSCI; and has served as a proctor for Edwards Lifesciences. Dr. Kornowski and Dr. Orvin disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

COVID-19 patients with ST-segment elevation MI (STEMI) represent a population with unique demographic and clinical features resulting in a high risk for mortality, according to initial findings from the North American Cardiovascular COVID-19 Myocardial Infarction (NACMI) Registry.

Floaria Bicher/iStock/Getty Images Plus

“This is the largest registry of COVID-positive patients presenting with STEMI [and] the results clearly illustrate the challenges and uniqueness of this patient population that deserves prompt and special attention,” study cochair Timothy Henry, MD, president-elect of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions, said in a news release.

The NACMI registry is a collaborative effort between the SCAI, the American College of Cardiology Interventional Council, and the Canadian Association of Interventional Cardiology.

“The rapid development of this ongoing, critically important prospective registry reflects the strong and unique collaboration of all three societies. It was gratifying to be part of this process and hopefully the results will improve the care of our patients and stimulate further research,” Dr. Henry said in the news release.

The registry has enrolled 1,185 patients presenting with STEMI at 64 sites across the United States and Canada. Participants include 230 COVID-positive STEMI patients; 495 STEMI patients suspected but ultimately confirmed not to have COVID-19; and 460 age-and sex-matched control STEMI patients treated prior to the pandemic who are part of the Midwest STEMI Consortium.

The initial findings from the registry were published online in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
 

Atypical symptoms may explain high death rate

The primary outcome – a composite of in-hospital death, stroke, recurrent MI, or repeat unplanned revascularization – occurred in 36% of COVID-positive patients, compared with 13% of COVID-negative patients and 5% of control patients (P < .001 relative to controls). 

This difference was driven largely by a “very high” in-hospital death rate in COVID-positive patients, lead author Santiago Garcia, MD, Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, said in an interview.

The in-hospital death rate was 33% in COVID-positive patients, compared with 11% in COVID-negative patients and 4% in controls. Stroke also occurred more often in COVID-positive patients at 3% versus 2% in COVID-negative and 0% in controls.

These initial findings suggest that the combination of STEMI and COVID-19 infection “confers a poor prognosis, with one in three patients succumbing to the disease, even among patients selected for invasive angiography (28% mortality),” the investigators wrote.

The data also show that STEMI in COVID-positive patients disproportionately affects ethnic minorities (23% Hispanic and 24% Black) with diabetes, which was present in 46% of COVID-positive patients.

COVID-positive patients with STEMI are more likely to present with atypical symptoms such as dyspnea (54%), pulmonary infiltrates on chest x-ray (46%), and high-risk conditions such as cardiogenic shock (18%), “which may explain the high fatality rate,” Dr. Garcia said.

Despite these high-risk features, COVID-positive patients are less apt to undergo invasive angiography when compared with COVID-negative and control STEMI patients (78% vs. 96% vs. 100%).

The majority of patients (71%) who did under angiography received primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) with very small treatment delays (at 15 minutes) during the pandemic.

Another notable finding is that “many patients (23%) have ‘no culprit’ vessel and may represent different etiologies of ST-segment elevation including microemboli, myocarditis, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy,” Dr. Garcia said in an interview.

“In line with current guidelines, patients with suspected STEMI should be managed with PPCI, without delay while the safety of health care providers is ensured,” Ran Kornowski, MD, and Katia Orvin, MD, both with Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel, and Tel Aviv University, wrote in a linked editorial.  

“In this case, PPCI should be performed routinely, even if the patient is presumed to have COVID-19, because PPCI should not be postponed. Confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 infection should not delay urgent decision management concerning reperfusion strategy,” they advised.

Looking ahead, Garcia said plans for the registry include determining predictors of in-hospital mortality and studying demographic and treatment trends as the pandemic continues with more virulent strains of the virus.

Various subgroup analyses are also planned as well as an independent angiographic and electrocardiographic core lab analysis. A comparative analysis of data from the US and Canada is also planned.

This work was supported by an ACC Accreditation Grant, Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation, and grants from Medtronic and Abbott Vascular to SCAI. Dr. Garcia has received institutional research grants from Edwards Lifesciences, BSCI, Medtronic, and Abbott Vascular; has served as a consultant for Medtronic and BSCI; and has served as a proctor for Edwards Lifesciences. Dr. Kornowski and Dr. Orvin disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Patients with chronic migraine who turn to cannabis to relieve headache pain may be setting themselves up for medication overuse headache, preliminary research suggests, although the direction of the relationship is unclear. Researchers at Stanford (Calif.) University found a significant increase in the likelihood of medication overuse headache (rebound headache) in chronic migraine patients who use cannabis.

“This study shows that there is some kind of association between cannabis use and medication overuse headache in people with chronic migraine,” said lead investigator Niushen Zhang, MD, a clinical assistant professor at Stanford.

“But it is unclear at this time whether patients are using cannabis to treat medication overuse headache or if cannabis is contributing to the development medication overuse headache, or both,” she said.

The findings were presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 2021 annual meeting.
 

Sixfold increase

“Medication overuse occurs in about 1% to 3% of the general population. It affects nearly one-third of the patients (mostly patients with chronic migraine) seen at tertiary care centers such as the Stanford Headache Center,” Dr. Zhang said.

From clinical observations, patients with chronic migraine and medication overuse headache appear to be concomitantly using cannabis products, yet there is currently very little research on this topic, she added.

To investigate, the researchers reviewed the records of 368 adults who experienced chronic migraine (15 or more migraine days per month) for at least 1 year. Of the 368 patients, 150 were using cannabis, and 218 were not. In addition, 212 had medication overuse headache, and 156 did not.

Results showed that patients who used cannabis were nearly six times more likely to have medication overuse headache than those who did not use cannabis (odds ratio, 5.99; 95% confidence interval, 3.45-10.43; P < .0001).

There were significant bidirectional relationships between current cannabis use, opioid use, and medication overuse headache.
 

Jury out on cannabis for migraine

Commenting on the findings, Teshamae Monteith, MD, of the University of Miami, noted, “With increased legalization, greater access, and less stigmatization, there are more individuals using cannabis for migraine, but there is no solid evidence to suggest that cannabis is effective for acute or preventive treatment of migraine.”

The study is “interesting,” Dr. Monteith said, but, owing to methodologic limitations, it is not clear that cannabis contributes to medication overuse headache. “Patients with medication overuse headaches may have more comorbidities, such as anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders, that are driving the cannabis use. The patients on cannabis also had higher rates of opiate use, which itself is a stronger contributor to medication overuse headache and may indicate the presence of other pain disorders,” Dr. Monteith said.

“It is not clear if these patients were appropriately treated with migraine prevention; patients that use cannabis sometimes report that they prefer to avoid pharmaceutical treatments, such as antidepressants, etc., used for migraine,” Dr. Monteith noted.

She said that at this point, she would advise clinicians to ask about cannabis use “and let patients know that we do not know enough about the long-term effects of cannabis on the migraine brain.”

Most importantly, Dr. Monteith said, she would “encourage clinicians to be sensitive to the high prevalence of migraine, chronic migraine, and medication overuse. If we can treat more effectively and prevent migraine progression, which includes addressing comorbidities, there would be a lot less medication overuse headache.”

Also weighing in on the study, Jessica Ailani, MD, director, Medstar Georgetown Headache Center, Washington, D.C., noted that there is no conclusive evidence that cannabis is an effective acute or preventive treatment for migraine. “There is a suggestion that cannabis can help treat a migraine attack, but there is uncertainty about concentration of cannabidiol (CBD) to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) needed to achieve pain freedom,” Dr. Ailani said.

“There has also been some concern about interactions between CBD and other medications used to treat migraine and that CBD can cause a condition known as reversible cerebral vasoconstrictive syndrome. These are reasons to be cautious with CBD,” Dr. Ailani added.

“At this time there is limited advice we can give our patients except that more studies need to be done. If cannabis is used, it should be reported, and medications that may interact with cannabis should be avoided. A headache calendar should be kept to ensure frequency of migraine and headache attacks do not go up,” said Dr. Ailani.

The study had no specific funding. Dr. Zhang, Dr. Monteith, and Dr. Ailani have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Patients with chronic migraine who turn to cannabis to relieve headache pain may be setting themselves up for medication overuse headache, preliminary research suggests, although the direction of the relationship is unclear. Researchers at Stanford (Calif.) University found a significant increase in the likelihood of medication overuse headache (rebound headache) in chronic migraine patients who use cannabis.

“This study shows that there is some kind of association between cannabis use and medication overuse headache in people with chronic migraine,” said lead investigator Niushen Zhang, MD, a clinical assistant professor at Stanford.

“But it is unclear at this time whether patients are using cannabis to treat medication overuse headache or if cannabis is contributing to the development medication overuse headache, or both,” she said.

The findings were presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 2021 annual meeting.
 

Sixfold increase

“Medication overuse occurs in about 1% to 3% of the general population. It affects nearly one-third of the patients (mostly patients with chronic migraine) seen at tertiary care centers such as the Stanford Headache Center,” Dr. Zhang said.

From clinical observations, patients with chronic migraine and medication overuse headache appear to be concomitantly using cannabis products, yet there is currently very little research on this topic, she added.

To investigate, the researchers reviewed the records of 368 adults who experienced chronic migraine (15 or more migraine days per month) for at least 1 year. Of the 368 patients, 150 were using cannabis, and 218 were not. In addition, 212 had medication overuse headache, and 156 did not.

Results showed that patients who used cannabis were nearly six times more likely to have medication overuse headache than those who did not use cannabis (odds ratio, 5.99; 95% confidence interval, 3.45-10.43; P < .0001).

There were significant bidirectional relationships between current cannabis use, opioid use, and medication overuse headache.
 

Jury out on cannabis for migraine

Commenting on the findings, Teshamae Monteith, MD, of the University of Miami, noted, “With increased legalization, greater access, and less stigmatization, there are more individuals using cannabis for migraine, but there is no solid evidence to suggest that cannabis is effective for acute or preventive treatment of migraine.”

The study is “interesting,” Dr. Monteith said, but, owing to methodologic limitations, it is not clear that cannabis contributes to medication overuse headache. “Patients with medication overuse headaches may have more comorbidities, such as anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders, that are driving the cannabis use. The patients on cannabis also had higher rates of opiate use, which itself is a stronger contributor to medication overuse headache and may indicate the presence of other pain disorders,” Dr. Monteith said.

“It is not clear if these patients were appropriately treated with migraine prevention; patients that use cannabis sometimes report that they prefer to avoid pharmaceutical treatments, such as antidepressants, etc., used for migraine,” Dr. Monteith noted.

She said that at this point, she would advise clinicians to ask about cannabis use “and let patients know that we do not know enough about the long-term effects of cannabis on the migraine brain.”

Most importantly, Dr. Monteith said, she would “encourage clinicians to be sensitive to the high prevalence of migraine, chronic migraine, and medication overuse. If we can treat more effectively and prevent migraine progression, which includes addressing comorbidities, there would be a lot less medication overuse headache.”

Also weighing in on the study, Jessica Ailani, MD, director, Medstar Georgetown Headache Center, Washington, D.C., noted that there is no conclusive evidence that cannabis is an effective acute or preventive treatment for migraine. “There is a suggestion that cannabis can help treat a migraine attack, but there is uncertainty about concentration of cannabidiol (CBD) to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) needed to achieve pain freedom,” Dr. Ailani said.

“There has also been some concern about interactions between CBD and other medications used to treat migraine and that CBD can cause a condition known as reversible cerebral vasoconstrictive syndrome. These are reasons to be cautious with CBD,” Dr. Ailani added.

“At this time there is limited advice we can give our patients except that more studies need to be done. If cannabis is used, it should be reported, and medications that may interact with cannabis should be avoided. A headache calendar should be kept to ensure frequency of migraine and headache attacks do not go up,” said Dr. Ailani.

The study had no specific funding. Dr. Zhang, Dr. Monteith, and Dr. Ailani have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Patients with chronic migraine who turn to cannabis to relieve headache pain may be setting themselves up for medication overuse headache, preliminary research suggests, although the direction of the relationship is unclear. Researchers at Stanford (Calif.) University found a significant increase in the likelihood of medication overuse headache (rebound headache) in chronic migraine patients who use cannabis.

“This study shows that there is some kind of association between cannabis use and medication overuse headache in people with chronic migraine,” said lead investigator Niushen Zhang, MD, a clinical assistant professor at Stanford.

“But it is unclear at this time whether patients are using cannabis to treat medication overuse headache or if cannabis is contributing to the development medication overuse headache, or both,” she said.

The findings were presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 2021 annual meeting.
 

Sixfold increase

“Medication overuse occurs in about 1% to 3% of the general population. It affects nearly one-third of the patients (mostly patients with chronic migraine) seen at tertiary care centers such as the Stanford Headache Center,” Dr. Zhang said.

From clinical observations, patients with chronic migraine and medication overuse headache appear to be concomitantly using cannabis products, yet there is currently very little research on this topic, she added.

To investigate, the researchers reviewed the records of 368 adults who experienced chronic migraine (15 or more migraine days per month) for at least 1 year. Of the 368 patients, 150 were using cannabis, and 218 were not. In addition, 212 had medication overuse headache, and 156 did not.

Results showed that patients who used cannabis were nearly six times more likely to have medication overuse headache than those who did not use cannabis (odds ratio, 5.99; 95% confidence interval, 3.45-10.43; P < .0001).

There were significant bidirectional relationships between current cannabis use, opioid use, and medication overuse headache.
 

Jury out on cannabis for migraine

Commenting on the findings, Teshamae Monteith, MD, of the University of Miami, noted, “With increased legalization, greater access, and less stigmatization, there are more individuals using cannabis for migraine, but there is no solid evidence to suggest that cannabis is effective for acute or preventive treatment of migraine.”

The study is “interesting,” Dr. Monteith said, but, owing to methodologic limitations, it is not clear that cannabis contributes to medication overuse headache. “Patients with medication overuse headaches may have more comorbidities, such as anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders, that are driving the cannabis use. The patients on cannabis also had higher rates of opiate use, which itself is a stronger contributor to medication overuse headache and may indicate the presence of other pain disorders,” Dr. Monteith said.

“It is not clear if these patients were appropriately treated with migraine prevention; patients that use cannabis sometimes report that they prefer to avoid pharmaceutical treatments, such as antidepressants, etc., used for migraine,” Dr. Monteith noted.

She said that at this point, she would advise clinicians to ask about cannabis use “and let patients know that we do not know enough about the long-term effects of cannabis on the migraine brain.”

Most importantly, Dr. Monteith said, she would “encourage clinicians to be sensitive to the high prevalence of migraine, chronic migraine, and medication overuse. If we can treat more effectively and prevent migraine progression, which includes addressing comorbidities, there would be a lot less medication overuse headache.”

Also weighing in on the study, Jessica Ailani, MD, director, Medstar Georgetown Headache Center, Washington, D.C., noted that there is no conclusive evidence that cannabis is an effective acute or preventive treatment for migraine. “There is a suggestion that cannabis can help treat a migraine attack, but there is uncertainty about concentration of cannabidiol (CBD) to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) needed to achieve pain freedom,” Dr. Ailani said.

“There has also been some concern about interactions between CBD and other medications used to treat migraine and that CBD can cause a condition known as reversible cerebral vasoconstrictive syndrome. These are reasons to be cautious with CBD,” Dr. Ailani added.

“At this time there is limited advice we can give our patients except that more studies need to be done. If cannabis is used, it should be reported, and medications that may interact with cannabis should be avoided. A headache calendar should be kept to ensure frequency of migraine and headache attacks do not go up,” said Dr. Ailani.

The study had no specific funding. Dr. Zhang, Dr. Monteith, and Dr. Ailani have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

The majority of patients with migraine do not get the recommended amount of weekly exercise, but those who do gain benefits that extend to fewer migraine days and reduced rates of triggers including stress, depression, and sleep problems, new research shows.

“This study adds to an ever-growing body of research that points to exercise as an effective way to promote general well-being and reduce monthly migraine days,” said study investigator Mason Dyess, DO, from the University of Washington, Seattle. “This study also highlights that exercise is an underutilized resource in migraine sufferers.”

The findings were released ahead of the study’s scheduled presentation at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology..
 

An accessible prophylactic

Dr. Dyess said that the COVID-19 pandemic prompted him and his colleagues to investigate how many patients with migraine in their headache clinic were utilizing “one of the most accessible prevention tools for migraine – exercise.”

“The pandemic has restricted physical and financial access to care for patients in our community and across the country, so understanding how exercise is being used by our patients and its effect on monthly migraine days has never been more important,” Dr. Dyess said.

The study involved 4,647 people diagnosed with migraine. About three-fourths had chronic migraine (at least 15 migraine days a month) and about one-quarter had episodic migraine (up to 14 monthly migraine days).

The patients provided information via a questionnaire about their migraine characteristics, sleep, depression, stress, anxiety, and the amount of moderate to vigorous exercise they got each week.

Only 27% of patients reported getting at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise each week, the minimum amount recommended by the World Health Organization.

Patients with migraine who did not achieve the minimum 2.5 hours of moderate to vigorous exercise recommended per week had increased rates of depression, anxiety, and sleep problems.
 

A word of caution

Depression was reported by 47% of patients who reported no exercise, compared with 25% of people who reported the recommended amount of weekly exercise.

Anxiety was reported by 39% of people who did not exercise, compared with 28% of those who got the recommended 150-plus minutes of exercise. Sleep problems were reported by 77% of the nonexercisers versus 61% of those who achieved the recommended exercise amount.

Exercise also appeared to reduce the risk for migraine attacks.

Among patients who did not exercise, 48% had high headache frequency (25-plus headache days per month), while only 5% had low headache frequency (0-4 headache days per month).

In contrast, of people who got the recommended 150-plus minutes of exercise per week, 28% had high headache frequency and 10% had low headache frequency.

“Exercise should be part of the discussion while counseling patients with migraines. This is a resource available across the socioeconomic spectrum that is easily integrated into the plan of care for many patients,” said Dr. Dyess. 

However, he cautioned that there is a subgroup of migraine patients for whom moderate to vigorous exercise is simply not tolerable. “In these patients, research points to the promotion of a healthy diet and lifestyle with gentle movement exercises like yoga rather than aggressively pursuing moderate or vigorous exercise regimens,” Dr. Dyess said.
 

A ‘puzzling’ relationship

Reached for comment, Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD, a neurologist in Newton, Mass., and executive director of Global Neuroscience Initiative Foundation, said the interaction of exercise and migraine is “puzzling.”

“First, it is well known that strenuous physical exercise may aggravate or even trigger migraine attacks. These are found even in the migraine diagnostic criteria,” said Dr. Lakhan. “Interestingly, there is a body of evidence that demonstrates a basic level of exercise as prophylactic treatment for migraine.”

Dr. Lakhan said that exercise is “definitely underutilized in clinical practice for migraine for these reasons: Migraineurs have fear avoidance behavior given the strenuous physical exercise as a potential trigger.”

Also weighing in on the study, Noah Rosen, MD, director of Northwell Health’s Headache Center in Great Neck, N.Y., said it’s a “useful reminder of the benefits that can be achieved without medication, but we need more information to give better guidance. I wish this study had given us more information as to what type of exercise was best for people with migraine, whether active group sports, running, swimming, or others.”

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

The majority of patients with migraine do not get the recommended amount of weekly exercise, but those who do gain benefits that extend to fewer migraine days and reduced rates of triggers including stress, depression, and sleep problems, new research shows.

“This study adds to an ever-growing body of research that points to exercise as an effective way to promote general well-being and reduce monthly migraine days,” said study investigator Mason Dyess, DO, from the University of Washington, Seattle. “This study also highlights that exercise is an underutilized resource in migraine sufferers.”

The findings were released ahead of the study’s scheduled presentation at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology..
 

An accessible prophylactic

Dr. Dyess said that the COVID-19 pandemic prompted him and his colleagues to investigate how many patients with migraine in their headache clinic were utilizing “one of the most accessible prevention tools for migraine – exercise.”

“The pandemic has restricted physical and financial access to care for patients in our community and across the country, so understanding how exercise is being used by our patients and its effect on monthly migraine days has never been more important,” Dr. Dyess said.

The study involved 4,647 people diagnosed with migraine. About three-fourths had chronic migraine (at least 15 migraine days a month) and about one-quarter had episodic migraine (up to 14 monthly migraine days).

The patients provided information via a questionnaire about their migraine characteristics, sleep, depression, stress, anxiety, and the amount of moderate to vigorous exercise they got each week.

Only 27% of patients reported getting at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise each week, the minimum amount recommended by the World Health Organization.

Patients with migraine who did not achieve the minimum 2.5 hours of moderate to vigorous exercise recommended per week had increased rates of depression, anxiety, and sleep problems.
 

A word of caution

Depression was reported by 47% of patients who reported no exercise, compared with 25% of people who reported the recommended amount of weekly exercise.

Anxiety was reported by 39% of people who did not exercise, compared with 28% of those who got the recommended 150-plus minutes of exercise. Sleep problems were reported by 77% of the nonexercisers versus 61% of those who achieved the recommended exercise amount.

Exercise also appeared to reduce the risk for migraine attacks.

Among patients who did not exercise, 48% had high headache frequency (25-plus headache days per month), while only 5% had low headache frequency (0-4 headache days per month).

In contrast, of people who got the recommended 150-plus minutes of exercise per week, 28% had high headache frequency and 10% had low headache frequency.

“Exercise should be part of the discussion while counseling patients with migraines. This is a resource available across the socioeconomic spectrum that is easily integrated into the plan of care for many patients,” said Dr. Dyess. 

However, he cautioned that there is a subgroup of migraine patients for whom moderate to vigorous exercise is simply not tolerable. “In these patients, research points to the promotion of a healthy diet and lifestyle with gentle movement exercises like yoga rather than aggressively pursuing moderate or vigorous exercise regimens,” Dr. Dyess said.
 

A ‘puzzling’ relationship

Reached for comment, Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD, a neurologist in Newton, Mass., and executive director of Global Neuroscience Initiative Foundation, said the interaction of exercise and migraine is “puzzling.”

“First, it is well known that strenuous physical exercise may aggravate or even trigger migraine attacks. These are found even in the migraine diagnostic criteria,” said Dr. Lakhan. “Interestingly, there is a body of evidence that demonstrates a basic level of exercise as prophylactic treatment for migraine.”

Dr. Lakhan said that exercise is “definitely underutilized in clinical practice for migraine for these reasons: Migraineurs have fear avoidance behavior given the strenuous physical exercise as a potential trigger.”

Also weighing in on the study, Noah Rosen, MD, director of Northwell Health’s Headache Center in Great Neck, N.Y., said it’s a “useful reminder of the benefits that can be achieved without medication, but we need more information to give better guidance. I wish this study had given us more information as to what type of exercise was best for people with migraine, whether active group sports, running, swimming, or others.”

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

The majority of patients with migraine do not get the recommended amount of weekly exercise, but those who do gain benefits that extend to fewer migraine days and reduced rates of triggers including stress, depression, and sleep problems, new research shows.

“This study adds to an ever-growing body of research that points to exercise as an effective way to promote general well-being and reduce monthly migraine days,” said study investigator Mason Dyess, DO, from the University of Washington, Seattle. “This study also highlights that exercise is an underutilized resource in migraine sufferers.”

The findings were released ahead of the study’s scheduled presentation at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology..
 

An accessible prophylactic

Dr. Dyess said that the COVID-19 pandemic prompted him and his colleagues to investigate how many patients with migraine in their headache clinic were utilizing “one of the most accessible prevention tools for migraine – exercise.”

“The pandemic has restricted physical and financial access to care for patients in our community and across the country, so understanding how exercise is being used by our patients and its effect on monthly migraine days has never been more important,” Dr. Dyess said.

The study involved 4,647 people diagnosed with migraine. About three-fourths had chronic migraine (at least 15 migraine days a month) and about one-quarter had episodic migraine (up to 14 monthly migraine days).

The patients provided information via a questionnaire about their migraine characteristics, sleep, depression, stress, anxiety, and the amount of moderate to vigorous exercise they got each week.

Only 27% of patients reported getting at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise each week, the minimum amount recommended by the World Health Organization.

Patients with migraine who did not achieve the minimum 2.5 hours of moderate to vigorous exercise recommended per week had increased rates of depression, anxiety, and sleep problems.
 

A word of caution

Depression was reported by 47% of patients who reported no exercise, compared with 25% of people who reported the recommended amount of weekly exercise.

Anxiety was reported by 39% of people who did not exercise, compared with 28% of those who got the recommended 150-plus minutes of exercise. Sleep problems were reported by 77% of the nonexercisers versus 61% of those who achieved the recommended exercise amount.

Exercise also appeared to reduce the risk for migraine attacks.

Among patients who did not exercise, 48% had high headache frequency (25-plus headache days per month), while only 5% had low headache frequency (0-4 headache days per month).

In contrast, of people who got the recommended 150-plus minutes of exercise per week, 28% had high headache frequency and 10% had low headache frequency.

“Exercise should be part of the discussion while counseling patients with migraines. This is a resource available across the socioeconomic spectrum that is easily integrated into the plan of care for many patients,” said Dr. Dyess. 

However, he cautioned that there is a subgroup of migraine patients for whom moderate to vigorous exercise is simply not tolerable. “In these patients, research points to the promotion of a healthy diet and lifestyle with gentle movement exercises like yoga rather than aggressively pursuing moderate or vigorous exercise regimens,” Dr. Dyess said.
 

A ‘puzzling’ relationship

Reached for comment, Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD, a neurologist in Newton, Mass., and executive director of Global Neuroscience Initiative Foundation, said the interaction of exercise and migraine is “puzzling.”

“First, it is well known that strenuous physical exercise may aggravate or even trigger migraine attacks. These are found even in the migraine diagnostic criteria,” said Dr. Lakhan. “Interestingly, there is a body of evidence that demonstrates a basic level of exercise as prophylactic treatment for migraine.”

Dr. Lakhan said that exercise is “definitely underutilized in clinical practice for migraine for these reasons: Migraineurs have fear avoidance behavior given the strenuous physical exercise as a potential trigger.”

Also weighing in on the study, Noah Rosen, MD, director of Northwell Health’s Headache Center in Great Neck, N.Y., said it’s a “useful reminder of the benefits that can be achieved without medication, but we need more information to give better guidance. I wish this study had given us more information as to what type of exercise was best for people with migraine, whether active group sports, running, swimming, or others.”

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Antipsychotics may protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection or lead to a milder course of illness, new research suggests.

“Counterintuitively,” the investigators noted, vulnerable people with severe mental illness “on antipsychotic treatment showed a lower risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and a likely better COVID-19 prognosis.”

“These are very interesting findings that reflect a clinical reality where we see few patients with severe COVID-19, despite the presence of various risk factors,” study investigator Manuel Canal-Rivero, PhD, clinical psychologist, Virgen del Rocio University Hospital, Sevilla, Spain, said in a news release.

“The number of COVID-19 patients is lower than expected among this group of people and in cases where a proven infection does occur, the evolution is benign and does not reach a life-threatening clinical situation. These data as a whole seem to point to the protective effect of the medication,” Dr. Canal-Rivero added.

The study was published online as a letter to the editor February 19, 2021, in Schizophrenia Research.
 

A ‘striking’ finding

The researchers assessed the prevalence and prognosis of COVID-19 in 698 patients with serious mental disorders (SMDs) receiving treatment with long-acting injectable antipsychotic medication. The non-SMD population included the catchment area population of 557,576 individuals.

From February to November 2020, 4.1% of the non-SMD population were infected with SARS-CoV-2 versus just 1.3% of the SMD population (9 of 698 patients). All but one patient with SMD had asymptomatic illness (8 of 9, 89%). Accurate information on asymptomatic illness in the non-SMD population was not available.

There were also fewer hospital admissions in the SMD population (0% vs. 8.5%), ICU admissions (0% vs. 0.9%) and deaths because of COVID-19 (0% vs. 1.1%), although the differences were not statistically significant.

In related research, the same investigators found that many of the genes whose expression is altered by SARS-CoV-2 infection are significantly down-regulated by antipsychotic drugs.

“In a striking way, we have shown how antipsychotics reduce the activation of genes involved in many of the inflammatory and immunological pathways associated with the severity of COVID-19 infection,” Benedicto Crespo-Facorro, MD, PhD, University of Sevilla, who led the study, said in the news release.

“Although this finding requires replication, the discovery could be very significant because the treatment of COVID-19 with drugs originally indicated for unrelated clinical situations, that is to say drug repositioning, has been shown to be an interesting source of effective treatments for COVID-19 patients,” he added.
 

Antiviral properties?

In a comment, Samoon Ahmad, MD, professor, department of psychiatry, New York University, said the findings are “fascinating” and should be explored further.

While the findings on long-acting injectable antipsychotic treatment “seem counterintuitive at first, they are in line with other studies,” said Dr. Ahmad, who heads the inpatient psychiatry unit at Bellevue Hospital Center and is founder of the Integrative Center for Wellness in New York.

“We know that certain antipsychotics can suppress the expression of inflammatory cytokines (thereby theoretically preventing cytokine storm) and antidepressant medications appear to activate key cellular proteins that the SARS-CoV-2 virus uses for replication,” explained Dr. Ahmad, who was not associated with the study.

For example, as reported by this news organization, a preliminary study published in 2020 showed that early treatment with the antidepressant fluvoxamine prevented clinical deterioration in adult outpatients with confirmed COVID-19.

The antipsychotic aripiprazole has also shown potential to treat severe COVID-19 infection.

“Consequently, there appears to be a possible explanation as to why these drugs afford patients with severe mental disorders increased protection against the SARS-CoV-2 virus,” Dr. Ahmad said in an interview.

However, he cautioned, there are several factors at play that could influence the results. Therefore, more research is needed before drawing any firm conclusions.

“Still, the possibility that psychiatric medications may have antiviral properties is a tremendous development and I really hope that additional studies confirm the preliminary findings,” Dr. Ahmad said.

The study had no specific funding. The authors and Dr. Ahmad disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Antipsychotics may protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection or lead to a milder course of illness, new research suggests.

“Counterintuitively,” the investigators noted, vulnerable people with severe mental illness “on antipsychotic treatment showed a lower risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and a likely better COVID-19 prognosis.”

“These are very interesting findings that reflect a clinical reality where we see few patients with severe COVID-19, despite the presence of various risk factors,” study investigator Manuel Canal-Rivero, PhD, clinical psychologist, Virgen del Rocio University Hospital, Sevilla, Spain, said in a news release.

“The number of COVID-19 patients is lower than expected among this group of people and in cases where a proven infection does occur, the evolution is benign and does not reach a life-threatening clinical situation. These data as a whole seem to point to the protective effect of the medication,” Dr. Canal-Rivero added.

The study was published online as a letter to the editor February 19, 2021, in Schizophrenia Research.
 

A ‘striking’ finding

The researchers assessed the prevalence and prognosis of COVID-19 in 698 patients with serious mental disorders (SMDs) receiving treatment with long-acting injectable antipsychotic medication. The non-SMD population included the catchment area population of 557,576 individuals.

From February to November 2020, 4.1% of the non-SMD population were infected with SARS-CoV-2 versus just 1.3% of the SMD population (9 of 698 patients). All but one patient with SMD had asymptomatic illness (8 of 9, 89%). Accurate information on asymptomatic illness in the non-SMD population was not available.

There were also fewer hospital admissions in the SMD population (0% vs. 8.5%), ICU admissions (0% vs. 0.9%) and deaths because of COVID-19 (0% vs. 1.1%), although the differences were not statistically significant.

In related research, the same investigators found that many of the genes whose expression is altered by SARS-CoV-2 infection are significantly down-regulated by antipsychotic drugs.

“In a striking way, we have shown how antipsychotics reduce the activation of genes involved in many of the inflammatory and immunological pathways associated with the severity of COVID-19 infection,” Benedicto Crespo-Facorro, MD, PhD, University of Sevilla, who led the study, said in the news release.

“Although this finding requires replication, the discovery could be very significant because the treatment of COVID-19 with drugs originally indicated for unrelated clinical situations, that is to say drug repositioning, has been shown to be an interesting source of effective treatments for COVID-19 patients,” he added.
 

Antiviral properties?

In a comment, Samoon Ahmad, MD, professor, department of psychiatry, New York University, said the findings are “fascinating” and should be explored further.

While the findings on long-acting injectable antipsychotic treatment “seem counterintuitive at first, they are in line with other studies,” said Dr. Ahmad, who heads the inpatient psychiatry unit at Bellevue Hospital Center and is founder of the Integrative Center for Wellness in New York.

“We know that certain antipsychotics can suppress the expression of inflammatory cytokines (thereby theoretically preventing cytokine storm) and antidepressant medications appear to activate key cellular proteins that the SARS-CoV-2 virus uses for replication,” explained Dr. Ahmad, who was not associated with the study.

For example, as reported by this news organization, a preliminary study published in 2020 showed that early treatment with the antidepressant fluvoxamine prevented clinical deterioration in adult outpatients with confirmed COVID-19.

The antipsychotic aripiprazole has also shown potential to treat severe COVID-19 infection.

“Consequently, there appears to be a possible explanation as to why these drugs afford patients with severe mental disorders increased protection against the SARS-CoV-2 virus,” Dr. Ahmad said in an interview.

However, he cautioned, there are several factors at play that could influence the results. Therefore, more research is needed before drawing any firm conclusions.

“Still, the possibility that psychiatric medications may have antiviral properties is a tremendous development and I really hope that additional studies confirm the preliminary findings,” Dr. Ahmad said.

The study had no specific funding. The authors and Dr. Ahmad disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Antipsychotics may protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection or lead to a milder course of illness, new research suggests.

“Counterintuitively,” the investigators noted, vulnerable people with severe mental illness “on antipsychotic treatment showed a lower risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and a likely better COVID-19 prognosis.”

“These are very interesting findings that reflect a clinical reality where we see few patients with severe COVID-19, despite the presence of various risk factors,” study investigator Manuel Canal-Rivero, PhD, clinical psychologist, Virgen del Rocio University Hospital, Sevilla, Spain, said in a news release.

“The number of COVID-19 patients is lower than expected among this group of people and in cases where a proven infection does occur, the evolution is benign and does not reach a life-threatening clinical situation. These data as a whole seem to point to the protective effect of the medication,” Dr. Canal-Rivero added.

The study was published online as a letter to the editor February 19, 2021, in Schizophrenia Research.
 

A ‘striking’ finding

The researchers assessed the prevalence and prognosis of COVID-19 in 698 patients with serious mental disorders (SMDs) receiving treatment with long-acting injectable antipsychotic medication. The non-SMD population included the catchment area population of 557,576 individuals.

From February to November 2020, 4.1% of the non-SMD population were infected with SARS-CoV-2 versus just 1.3% of the SMD population (9 of 698 patients). All but one patient with SMD had asymptomatic illness (8 of 9, 89%). Accurate information on asymptomatic illness in the non-SMD population was not available.

There were also fewer hospital admissions in the SMD population (0% vs. 8.5%), ICU admissions (0% vs. 0.9%) and deaths because of COVID-19 (0% vs. 1.1%), although the differences were not statistically significant.

In related research, the same investigators found that many of the genes whose expression is altered by SARS-CoV-2 infection are significantly down-regulated by antipsychotic drugs.

“In a striking way, we have shown how antipsychotics reduce the activation of genes involved in many of the inflammatory and immunological pathways associated with the severity of COVID-19 infection,” Benedicto Crespo-Facorro, MD, PhD, University of Sevilla, who led the study, said in the news release.

“Although this finding requires replication, the discovery could be very significant because the treatment of COVID-19 with drugs originally indicated for unrelated clinical situations, that is to say drug repositioning, has been shown to be an interesting source of effective treatments for COVID-19 patients,” he added.
 

Antiviral properties?

In a comment, Samoon Ahmad, MD, professor, department of psychiatry, New York University, said the findings are “fascinating” and should be explored further.

While the findings on long-acting injectable antipsychotic treatment “seem counterintuitive at first, they are in line with other studies,” said Dr. Ahmad, who heads the inpatient psychiatry unit at Bellevue Hospital Center and is founder of the Integrative Center for Wellness in New York.

“We know that certain antipsychotics can suppress the expression of inflammatory cytokines (thereby theoretically preventing cytokine storm) and antidepressant medications appear to activate key cellular proteins that the SARS-CoV-2 virus uses for replication,” explained Dr. Ahmad, who was not associated with the study.

For example, as reported by this news organization, a preliminary study published in 2020 showed that early treatment with the antidepressant fluvoxamine prevented clinical deterioration in adult outpatients with confirmed COVID-19.

The antipsychotic aripiprazole has also shown potential to treat severe COVID-19 infection.

“Consequently, there appears to be a possible explanation as to why these drugs afford patients with severe mental disorders increased protection against the SARS-CoV-2 virus,” Dr. Ahmad said in an interview.

However, he cautioned, there are several factors at play that could influence the results. Therefore, more research is needed before drawing any firm conclusions.

“Still, the possibility that psychiatric medications may have antiviral properties is a tremendous development and I really hope that additional studies confirm the preliminary findings,” Dr. Ahmad said.

The study had no specific funding. The authors and Dr. Ahmad disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the nonstimulant medication viloxazine extended-release capsules (Qelbree, Supernus Pharmaceuticals) for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children aged 6-17 years, the company has announced.

Viloxazine (formerly SPN-812) is a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Capsules may be swallowed whole or opened and the entire contents sprinkled onto applesauce, as needed.

The approval of viloxazine is supported by data from four phase 3 clinical trials involving more than 1,000 pediatric patients aged 6-17 years, the company said.

In one randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 study that included more than 400 children, viloxazine reduced symptoms of ADHD as soon as 1 week after dosing and was well tolerated.

As reported by this news organization, the study was published last July in Clinical Therapeutics.

In addition to its fast onset of action, the fact that it was effective for both inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive clusters of symptoms is “impressive,” study investigator Andrew Cutler, MD, clinical associate professor of psychiatry, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, N.Y., said in an interview.

Also noteworthy was the improvement in measures of quality of life and function, “especially function in the areas of school, home life, family relations, and peer relationships, which can be really disrupted with ADHD,” Dr. Cutler said.

The prescribing label for viloxazine includes a boxed warning regarding the potential for suicidal thoughts and behaviors in some children with ADHD treated with the drug, especially within the first few months of treatment or when the dose is changed. 

In clinical trials, higher rates of suicidal thoughts and behavior were reported in pediatric patients treated with viloxazine than in patients treated with placebo. Patients taking viloxazine should be closely monitored for any new or sudden changes in mood, behavior, thoughts, and feelings.

Viloxazine has shown promise in a phase 3 trial involving adults with ADHD.

The company plans to submit a supplemental new drug application to the FDA for viloxazine in adults later this year.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the nonstimulant medication viloxazine extended-release capsules (Qelbree, Supernus Pharmaceuticals) for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children aged 6-17 years, the company has announced.

Viloxazine (formerly SPN-812) is a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Capsules may be swallowed whole or opened and the entire contents sprinkled onto applesauce, as needed.

The approval of viloxazine is supported by data from four phase 3 clinical trials involving more than 1,000 pediatric patients aged 6-17 years, the company said.

In one randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 study that included more than 400 children, viloxazine reduced symptoms of ADHD as soon as 1 week after dosing and was well tolerated.

As reported by this news organization, the study was published last July in Clinical Therapeutics.

In addition to its fast onset of action, the fact that it was effective for both inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive clusters of symptoms is “impressive,” study investigator Andrew Cutler, MD, clinical associate professor of psychiatry, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, N.Y., said in an interview.

Also noteworthy was the improvement in measures of quality of life and function, “especially function in the areas of school, home life, family relations, and peer relationships, which can be really disrupted with ADHD,” Dr. Cutler said.

The prescribing label for viloxazine includes a boxed warning regarding the potential for suicidal thoughts and behaviors in some children with ADHD treated with the drug, especially within the first few months of treatment or when the dose is changed. 

In clinical trials, higher rates of suicidal thoughts and behavior were reported in pediatric patients treated with viloxazine than in patients treated with placebo. Patients taking viloxazine should be closely monitored for any new or sudden changes in mood, behavior, thoughts, and feelings.

Viloxazine has shown promise in a phase 3 trial involving adults with ADHD.

The company plans to submit a supplemental new drug application to the FDA for viloxazine in adults later this year.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the nonstimulant medication viloxazine extended-release capsules (Qelbree, Supernus Pharmaceuticals) for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children aged 6-17 years, the company has announced.

Viloxazine (formerly SPN-812) is a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Capsules may be swallowed whole or opened and the entire contents sprinkled onto applesauce, as needed.

The approval of viloxazine is supported by data from four phase 3 clinical trials involving more than 1,000 pediatric patients aged 6-17 years, the company said.

In one randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 study that included more than 400 children, viloxazine reduced symptoms of ADHD as soon as 1 week after dosing and was well tolerated.

As reported by this news organization, the study was published last July in Clinical Therapeutics.

In addition to its fast onset of action, the fact that it was effective for both inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive clusters of symptoms is “impressive,” study investigator Andrew Cutler, MD, clinical associate professor of psychiatry, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, N.Y., said in an interview.

Also noteworthy was the improvement in measures of quality of life and function, “especially function in the areas of school, home life, family relations, and peer relationships, which can be really disrupted with ADHD,” Dr. Cutler said.

The prescribing label for viloxazine includes a boxed warning regarding the potential for suicidal thoughts and behaviors in some children with ADHD treated with the drug, especially within the first few months of treatment or when the dose is changed. 

In clinical trials, higher rates of suicidal thoughts and behavior were reported in pediatric patients treated with viloxazine than in patients treated with placebo. Patients taking viloxazine should be closely monitored for any new or sudden changes in mood, behavior, thoughts, and feelings.

Viloxazine has shown promise in a phase 3 trial involving adults with ADHD.

The company plans to submit a supplemental new drug application to the FDA for viloxazine in adults later this year.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Six pregnancy-related complications increase a woman’s risk of developing risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and subsequently developing CVD, the American Heart Association says in a new scientific statement.

They are hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, preterm delivery, gestational diabetes, small-for-gestational-age (SGA) delivery, placental abruption (abruptio placentae), and pregnancy loss.

A history of any of these adverse pregnancy outcomes should prompt “more vigorous primordial prevention of CVD risk factors and primary prevention of CVD,” the writing group says.

“Adverse pregnancy outcomes are linked to women having hypertension, diabetes, abnormal cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease events, including heart attack and stroke, long after their pregnancies,” Nisha I. Parikh, MD, MPH, chair of the writing group, said in a news release.

Adverse pregnancy outcomes can be a “powerful window” into CVD prevention “if women and their health care professionals harness the knowledge and use it for health improvement,” said Dr. Parikh, associate professor of medicine in the cardiovascular division at the University of California, San Francisco.

The statement was published online March 29 in Circulation.

For the scientific statement, the writing group reviewed the latest scientific literature on adverse pregnancy outcomes and CVD risk. 

The evidence in the literature linking adverse pregnancy outcomes to later CVD is “consistent over many years and confirmed in nearly every study we examined,” Dr. Parikh said. Among their key findings:

• Gestational hypertension is associated with an increased risk of CVD later in life by 67% and the odds of stroke by 83%. Moderate and severe  is associated with a more than twofold increase in the risk for CVD.
• Gestational diabetes is associated with an increase in the risk for CVD by 68% and the risk of developing  after pregnancy by 10-fold.
• Preterm delivery (before 37 weeks) is associated with double the risk of developing CVD and is strongly associated with later heart disease, stroke, and CVD.
• Placental abruption is associated with an 82% increased risk for CVD.
• Stillbirth is associated with about double the risk for CVD.

“This statement should inform future prevention guidelines in terms of the important factors to consider for determining women’s risk for heart diseases and stroke,” Dr. Parikh added.

The statement emphasizes the importance of recognizing these adverse pregnancy outcomes when evaluating CVD risk in women but notes that their value in reclassifying CVD risk may not be established.

It highlights the importance of adopting a heart-healthy diet and increasing physical activity among women with any of these pregnancy-related complications, starting right after childbirth and continuing across the life span to decrease CVD risk.

Lactation and breastfeeding may lower a woman’s later cardiometabolic risk, the writing group notes.
 

‘Golden year of opportunity’

The statement highlights several opportunities to improve transition of care for women with adverse pregnancy outcomes and to implement strategies to reduce their long-term CVD risk.

One strategy is longer postpartum follow-up care, sometimes referred to as the “fourth trimester,” to screen for CVD risk factors and provide CVD prevention counseling.

Another strategy involves improving the transfer of health information between ob/gyns and primary care physicians to eliminate inconsistencies in electronic health record documentation, which should improve patient care.

A third strategy is obtaining a short and targeted health history for each woman to confirm if she has any of the six pregnancy-related complications.

“If a woman has had any of these adverse pregnancy outcomes, consider close blood pressure monitoring, type 2 diabetes and lipid screening, and more aggressive risk factor modification and CVD prevention recommendations,” Dr. Parikh advised.

“Our data [lend] support to the prior AHA recommendation that these important adverse pregnancy outcomes should be ‘risk enhancers’ to guide consideration for statin therapy aimed at CVD prevention in women,” Dr. Parikh added.

In a commentary in Circulation, Eliza C. Miller, MD, assistant professor of neurology at Columbia University, New York, notes that pregnancy and the postpartum period are a critical time window in a woman’s life to identify CVD risk and improve a woman’s health trajectory.

“The so-called ‘Golden Hour’ for conditions such as sepsis and acute stroke refers to a critical time window for early recognition and treatment, when we can change a patient’s clinical trajectory and prevent severe morbidity and mortality,” writes Dr. Miller.

“Pregnancy and the postpartum period can be considered a ‘Golden Year’ in a woman’s life, offering a rare opportunity for clinicians to identify young women at risk and work with them to improve their cardiovascular health trajectories,” she notes.

This scientific statement was prepared by the volunteer writing group on behalf of the AHA Council on Epidemiology and Prevention; the Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology; the Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing; and the Stroke Council.

The authors of the scientific statement have disclosed no relevant financial relationships. Dr. Miller received personal compensation from Finch McCranie and Argionis & Associates for expert testimony regarding maternal stroke; and personal compensation from Elsevier for editorial work on Handbook of Clinical Neurology, Vol. 171 and 172 (Neurology of Pregnancy).

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Six pregnancy-related complications increase a woman’s risk of developing risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and subsequently developing CVD, the American Heart Association says in a new scientific statement.

They are hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, preterm delivery, gestational diabetes, small-for-gestational-age (SGA) delivery, placental abruption (abruptio placentae), and pregnancy loss.

A history of any of these adverse pregnancy outcomes should prompt “more vigorous primordial prevention of CVD risk factors and primary prevention of CVD,” the writing group says.

“Adverse pregnancy outcomes are linked to women having hypertension, diabetes, abnormal cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease events, including heart attack and stroke, long after their pregnancies,” Nisha I. Parikh, MD, MPH, chair of the writing group, said in a news release.

Adverse pregnancy outcomes can be a “powerful window” into CVD prevention “if women and their health care professionals harness the knowledge and use it for health improvement,” said Dr. Parikh, associate professor of medicine in the cardiovascular division at the University of California, San Francisco.

The statement was published online March 29 in Circulation.

For the scientific statement, the writing group reviewed the latest scientific literature on adverse pregnancy outcomes and CVD risk. 

The evidence in the literature linking adverse pregnancy outcomes to later CVD is “consistent over many years and confirmed in nearly every study we examined,” Dr. Parikh said. Among their key findings:

• Gestational hypertension is associated with an increased risk of CVD later in life by 67% and the odds of stroke by 83%. Moderate and severe  is associated with a more than twofold increase in the risk for CVD.
• Gestational diabetes is associated with an increase in the risk for CVD by 68% and the risk of developing  after pregnancy by 10-fold.
• Preterm delivery (before 37 weeks) is associated with double the risk of developing CVD and is strongly associated with later heart disease, stroke, and CVD.
• Placental abruption is associated with an 82% increased risk for CVD.
• Stillbirth is associated with about double the risk for CVD.

“This statement should inform future prevention guidelines in terms of the important factors to consider for determining women’s risk for heart diseases and stroke,” Dr. Parikh added.

The statement emphasizes the importance of recognizing these adverse pregnancy outcomes when evaluating CVD risk in women but notes that their value in reclassifying CVD risk may not be established.

It highlights the importance of adopting a heart-healthy diet and increasing physical activity among women with any of these pregnancy-related complications, starting right after childbirth and continuing across the life span to decrease CVD risk.

Lactation and breastfeeding may lower a woman’s later cardiometabolic risk, the writing group notes.
 

‘Golden year of opportunity’

The statement highlights several opportunities to improve transition of care for women with adverse pregnancy outcomes and to implement strategies to reduce their long-term CVD risk.

One strategy is longer postpartum follow-up care, sometimes referred to as the “fourth trimester,” to screen for CVD risk factors and provide CVD prevention counseling.

Another strategy involves improving the transfer of health information between ob/gyns and primary care physicians to eliminate inconsistencies in electronic health record documentation, which should improve patient care.

A third strategy is obtaining a short and targeted health history for each woman to confirm if she has any of the six pregnancy-related complications.

“If a woman has had any of these adverse pregnancy outcomes, consider close blood pressure monitoring, type 2 diabetes and lipid screening, and more aggressive risk factor modification and CVD prevention recommendations,” Dr. Parikh advised.

“Our data [lend] support to the prior AHA recommendation that these important adverse pregnancy outcomes should be ‘risk enhancers’ to guide consideration for statin therapy aimed at CVD prevention in women,” Dr. Parikh added.

In a commentary in Circulation, Eliza C. Miller, MD, assistant professor of neurology at Columbia University, New York, notes that pregnancy and the postpartum period are a critical time window in a woman’s life to identify CVD risk and improve a woman’s health trajectory.

“The so-called ‘Golden Hour’ for conditions such as sepsis and acute stroke refers to a critical time window for early recognition and treatment, when we can change a patient’s clinical trajectory and prevent severe morbidity and mortality,” writes Dr. Miller.

“Pregnancy and the postpartum period can be considered a ‘Golden Year’ in a woman’s life, offering a rare opportunity for clinicians to identify young women at risk and work with them to improve their cardiovascular health trajectories,” she notes.

This scientific statement was prepared by the volunteer writing group on behalf of the AHA Council on Epidemiology and Prevention; the Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology; the Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing; and the Stroke Council.

The authors of the scientific statement have disclosed no relevant financial relationships. Dr. Miller received personal compensation from Finch McCranie and Argionis & Associates for expert testimony regarding maternal stroke; and personal compensation from Elsevier for editorial work on Handbook of Clinical Neurology, Vol. 171 and 172 (Neurology of Pregnancy).

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Six pregnancy-related complications increase a woman’s risk of developing risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and subsequently developing CVD, the American Heart Association says in a new scientific statement.

They are hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, preterm delivery, gestational diabetes, small-for-gestational-age (SGA) delivery, placental abruption (abruptio placentae), and pregnancy loss.

A history of any of these adverse pregnancy outcomes should prompt “more vigorous primordial prevention of CVD risk factors and primary prevention of CVD,” the writing group says.

“Adverse pregnancy outcomes are linked to women having hypertension, diabetes, abnormal cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease events, including heart attack and stroke, long after their pregnancies,” Nisha I. Parikh, MD, MPH, chair of the writing group, said in a news release.

Adverse pregnancy outcomes can be a “powerful window” into CVD prevention “if women and their health care professionals harness the knowledge and use it for health improvement,” said Dr. Parikh, associate professor of medicine in the cardiovascular division at the University of California, San Francisco.

The statement was published online March 29 in Circulation.

For the scientific statement, the writing group reviewed the latest scientific literature on adverse pregnancy outcomes and CVD risk. 

The evidence in the literature linking adverse pregnancy outcomes to later CVD is “consistent over many years and confirmed in nearly every study we examined,” Dr. Parikh said. Among their key findings:

• Gestational hypertension is associated with an increased risk of CVD later in life by 67% and the odds of stroke by 83%. Moderate and severe  is associated with a more than twofold increase in the risk for CVD.
• Gestational diabetes is associated with an increase in the risk for CVD by 68% and the risk of developing  after pregnancy by 10-fold.
• Preterm delivery (before 37 weeks) is associated with double the risk of developing CVD and is strongly associated with later heart disease, stroke, and CVD.
• Placental abruption is associated with an 82% increased risk for CVD.
• Stillbirth is associated with about double the risk for CVD.

“This statement should inform future prevention guidelines in terms of the important factors to consider for determining women’s risk for heart diseases and stroke,” Dr. Parikh added.

The statement emphasizes the importance of recognizing these adverse pregnancy outcomes when evaluating CVD risk in women but notes that their value in reclassifying CVD risk may not be established.

It highlights the importance of adopting a heart-healthy diet and increasing physical activity among women with any of these pregnancy-related complications, starting right after childbirth and continuing across the life span to decrease CVD risk.

Lactation and breastfeeding may lower a woman’s later cardiometabolic risk, the writing group notes.
 

‘Golden year of opportunity’

The statement highlights several opportunities to improve transition of care for women with adverse pregnancy outcomes and to implement strategies to reduce their long-term CVD risk.

One strategy is longer postpartum follow-up care, sometimes referred to as the “fourth trimester,” to screen for CVD risk factors and provide CVD prevention counseling.

Another strategy involves improving the transfer of health information between ob/gyns and primary care physicians to eliminate inconsistencies in electronic health record documentation, which should improve patient care.

A third strategy is obtaining a short and targeted health history for each woman to confirm if she has any of the six pregnancy-related complications.

“If a woman has had any of these adverse pregnancy outcomes, consider close blood pressure monitoring, type 2 diabetes and lipid screening, and more aggressive risk factor modification and CVD prevention recommendations,” Dr. Parikh advised.

“Our data [lend] support to the prior AHA recommendation that these important adverse pregnancy outcomes should be ‘risk enhancers’ to guide consideration for statin therapy aimed at CVD prevention in women,” Dr. Parikh added.

In a commentary in Circulation, Eliza C. Miller, MD, assistant professor of neurology at Columbia University, New York, notes that pregnancy and the postpartum period are a critical time window in a woman’s life to identify CVD risk and improve a woman’s health trajectory.

“The so-called ‘Golden Hour’ for conditions such as sepsis and acute stroke refers to a critical time window for early recognition and treatment, when we can change a patient’s clinical trajectory and prevent severe morbidity and mortality,” writes Dr. Miller.

“Pregnancy and the postpartum period can be considered a ‘Golden Year’ in a woman’s life, offering a rare opportunity for clinicians to identify young women at risk and work with them to improve their cardiovascular health trajectories,” she notes.

This scientific statement was prepared by the volunteer writing group on behalf of the AHA Council on Epidemiology and Prevention; the Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology; the Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing; and the Stroke Council.

The authors of the scientific statement have disclosed no relevant financial relationships. Dr. Miller received personal compensation from Finch McCranie and Argionis & Associates for expert testimony regarding maternal stroke; and personal compensation from Elsevier for editorial work on Handbook of Clinical Neurology, Vol. 171 and 172 (Neurology of Pregnancy).

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.