Gina Kokosky

Since 2004, the American Heart Association (AHA) has been aiming to increase heart health awareness for women around the world, to prevent cardiac events and to promote healthy lifestyle changes, with the Go Red for Women initiative. Through the campaign, the AHA is encouraging people to wear red for women’s health on February 1, kicking off American Heart Month.

Cardiac diseases are the number 1 killer of women in the United States,

but they are also 1 of the most preventable&#151;nearly 80% of cardiac events can be prevented through lifestyle change.

AHA officials encourage women to wear red, share heart health facts, and empower each other to take charge of their own heart health by adopting healthier habits, knowing the risks for cardiovascular diseases, and recognizing the symptoms of cardiac events, according to the campaign’s website.

Macy’s is partnering with the AHA to sponsor Go Red for Women this year. The department store chain has been supportive of the initiative since its inception, and has raised more than 69 million dollars to fund research and promote awareness.

“As the number 1 killer of women, this cause is near and dear to our hearts, affecting customers and colleagues in our local communities,” said Sam Harrison, Vice President of Giving and Volunteerism at Macy’s.

“By providing different ways for our customers to give back together we are helping women of all ages and backgrounds live longer, healthier lives.”

Throughout the month of February, customers will be invited to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar, with the extra change going to fund education, resources, and tools for women to improve their heart health through their Make Good Cents for Go Red for Women fundraiser. Macy’s will also be selling a limited-edition Calvin Klein red dress, with 10% of the purchase price going directly to the AHA.

CVS will also be working with the AHA to promote heart health this February. The pharmacy will be encouraging patients and customers to make a donation in support of heart health research throughout the month.

In addition, CVS is encouraging women to know their risk by staying on top of their personal health numbers. The 5 personal health numbers that can help patients determine their risk of cardiovascular are total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, and body mass index. To help patients have easy and affordable access to these numbers, CVS will be offering free heart health screenings every Thursday in February, including Valentine’s Day, at over 1100 of their MinuteClinic locations.

Knowing the symptoms of cardiac events in women is crucial, as they can be different than symptoms seen in men, according to the AHA. The most common symptom for men and women is chest pain and discomfort, but women are more likely to experience shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, back pain, jaw pain, and lightheadedness. The most common sign of a stroke is a sudden numbness or weakness on one’s face, arm, or leg, but only on 1 side of the body. Stroke symptoms also include sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding, trouble seeing or blurred vision, dizziness or trouble walking, or a severe headache.

The Go Red For Women campaign&#39;s website offers resources for creating an exercise routine, eating healthier, and managing blood pressure. These are the best ways to protect your heart health, according to the AHA.

To join CVS, Macy’s, and the AHA in their efforts to promote women’s heart health awareness this month, be sure to wear red this Friday, February 1, in support of Go Red for Women.

Go Red For Women. The American Heart Association. 2019.

https://cvshealth.com/social-responsibility/our-giving/go-red-for-women

Macy’s Honors American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women this February by Motivating Women to Get Active and Take Action Against Heart Disease. Associated Press News. January 28, 2019.

https://www.apnews.com/0ca437f624ff4096a4ba9e9989e3c886

Articles

Since 2004, the American Heart Association (AHA) has been aiming to increase heart health awareness for women around the world, to prevent cardiac events and to promote healthy lifestyle changes. 

American Heart Association's Annual Women's Heart Health Initiative Sponsored by Macy's, CVS

Fear is a common tactic used to promote healthy behaviors. The idea is that a person will fear a disease, like skin cancer, and take preventive measures, such as wearing sunscreen.  Recently published findings show that fear can be more effective in motivating patients when hope is also presented, according to findings published by

While fear can assist in raising awareness about a health problem, it often fails at leading to preventive measures, according to the study. By combining the emotions of fear and hope, patients may be more likely to take precautions.

In 2 studies, both hope and self-efficacy were found to predict action against skin cancer, including the use of sunscreen and protective clothing. Self-efficacy is the belief that a person can take measures to help themselves.

The first study recruited 341 patients aged

who were included in Mechanical Turk, Amazon’s online task completion platform. Participants were instructed to read an article about skin cancer that imitated a WebMD page, according to the authors. The article contained 3 sections: “how susceptible are most of us to skin cancer,”“how severe is skin cancer,”and “what actions can we take to prevent skin cancer and how effective are those measures?”Patients reported that the article evoked feelings of hope, optimism, and encouragement, which were all found to predict the likelihood of sun protection, according to the study.

The second study included 382 undergraduate students who watched a video on melanoma and had to answer questions afterward. A total of 367 students completed a follow up survey a week later to determine if any participants had adopted sun safety behavior. It was determined that hope played a significant role in taking preventive action, and continuing that action for at least 1 week, according to the study.

Future studies should evaluate the efficacy of individualized messages and the message environment, according to the researchers.

Nabi RL, Myrick JG. Uplifting Fear Appeals: Considering the Role of Hope in Fear-Based Persuasive Messages.

https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2017.1422847

Patients are more likely to take action when public health messages instill hope.

Instilling Hope May Have Patient Benefits In Preventive Health Care

Officials with the FDA have approved benzyhydrocondone and acetaminophen (Apadaz, KemPharm) for short-term acute pain management, according to a press release from the manufacturer.

The alternative pain management therapy can be prescribed when pain is severe enough to require an opioid analgesic, according to the release.

“The approval of Apadaz is a significant milestone for KemPharm as it creates the opportunity to introduce what we believe is a differentiated product for the short-term management of acute pain,” Travis Mickle, PhD, president, KemPharm said in a press release.  “Based on its unique properties, we firmly believe there is a commercial pathway for Apadaz in what is a very high-volume market.  We are excited by the opportunity Apadaz offers to patients and for physicians who now have the option of prescribing a differentiated product.”

KemPharm developed the novel drug using their patented ligand active therapy (LAT) platform technology.  Apadaz is chemically inactive until ingested, unlike other opioids alternatives, according to the release. The inert prodrug reacts with enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract to separate the ligand and release hydrocodone, which causes the therapeutic effect.

Apadaz is indicated for acute, severe pain when other opioid alternatives are insufficient; however, the treatment should not be taken for more than 14 days, according to the release.

Patients who are exposed to opioids, including Apadaz, are at a heightened risk of addiction, abuse, and misuse. To prevent addiction, KemPharma officials recommend reserving Apadaz for patients only when an alternative treatment cannot be tolerated or does not produce adequate effects.

Apadaz is not recommended for patients with respiratory depression, acute bronchial asthma who do not have access to resuscitative equipment, gastrointestinal obstruction, and hypersensitivity to hydrocodone and acetaminophen, according to the press release.

Patients with chronic pulmonary diseases and patients weakened by age or debilitating conditions are at risk for developing life-threatening respiratory depression. Patients with increased intracranial pressure, brain tumors, head injuries, impaired consciousness, and gastrointestinal conditions are also at risk of adverse effects from Apadaz, according to KemPharma.

Other risks include neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome, adrenal insufficiency, hypotension, skin reactions, hypersensitivity or anaphylaxis, withdrawal, and risks operating machinery, according to the release.

Apadaz can interact with serotonergic drugs, mixed agonist/antagonist, partial agonist opioid analgesics, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors. Concomitant use with benzodiazepines and cytochrome P450 CYP3A4 inhibitors can also have negative effects, such as acetaminophen hepatoxicity, and is not recommended.

The most common side effects associated with Adapaz are nausea, somnolence, constipation, pruritus, dizziness, and headache, according to the release.

KeyPharm plans to move forward in using the same LAT technology used to create Apadaz in the development of new drugs.

“Finally, today is a validation of KemPharm’s groundbreaking LAT platform and our technological approach to drug development,” Dr Mickle said in the release.  “KemPharm is first and foremost a prodrug development company.  The Apadaz approval highlights the value potential that LAT offers in the discovery and development of proprietary prodrugs that are designed to be differentiated versions of widely prescribed, currently approved drugs, and that can successfully complete the rigorous regulatory process.”

KemPharm Announces FDA Approval of Apadaz™ (benzhydrocodone and acetaminophen) for the Short-Term Management of Acute Pain [news release]. Coralville, Iowa. KemPharma website.

http://investors.kempharm.com/news-releases/news-release-details/kempharm-announces-fda-approval-apadaztm-benzhydrocodone-and

Officials with the FDA have approved benzyhydrocondone and acetaminophen (Apadaz, KemPharm) for short-term acute pain management.


FDA OKs Short-Term Acute Pain Management Drug

It is common knowledge among scientists that broad spectrum ultraviolet C (UVC) light can destroy the molecular bonds that hold together bacteria and viruses. Due to its efficacy, hospitals often use UVC light with a wavelength between 200-400 nanometers to sterilize surgical equipment.

However, conventional UVC light can damage human tissue and continuous exposure can lead to skin cancer and cataracts.

Far-UVC light is equally as effective in killing microbes as conventional UVC light, without causing damage to healthy tissue.

While far-UVC light is not strong enough to effect human tissue, it can kill microbes and may be able to be effective in preventing the spread of influenza, according to a study published in

“Far-UVC light has a very limited range and cannot penetrate through the outer dead-cell layer of human skin or the tear layer in the eye, so it's not a human health hazard,” study leader David Brenner, PhD said in a press release about the study. “Because viruses and bacteria are much smaller than human cells, far-UVC light can reach their DNA and kill them.”

Past studies have shown that far-UVC light was effective in killing methillin-resistant

The authors reported these findings may be a major breakthrough in preventing and killing the spread of the flu, which is spread through person to person through aerosols, airborne liquid droplets from talking, sneezing, or coughing.

The study tested whether far-UVC light could effectively kill flu aerosols in a similar setting to a public space.

Researchers released aerosols of the H1N1 strain into a test chamber exposed to far-UVC light with a wavelength of 222 nanometers. A control group of aerosols was released into a chamber with no exposure to far-UVC light.

The authors discovered that far-UVC light was successful in killing the flu virus, according to the study.

These findings may suggest that far-UVC lights could be implemented in places where individuals are susceptible to airborne illnesses including schools, hospitals, physician’s offices, and airports. This could be a major step in the prevention of flu epidemics and pandemics, according to the study.

"If our results are confirmed in other settings, it follows that the use of overhead low-level far-UVC light in public locations would be a safe and efficient method for limiting the transmission and spread of airborne-mediated microbial diseases, such as influenza and tuberculosis," Dr Brenner said.

The use of far-UVC may be cost-effective way to prevent and kill the flu because each lamp would cost around $1000, with the potential to decrease upon mass production, according to authors.

"Unlike flu vaccines, far-UVC is likely to be effective against all airborne microbes, even newly emerging strains,” Dr Brenner said.

Welch D, Buonanno M, Grili V, et al. Far-UVC light: A new tool to control the spread of airborne-mediated microbial diseases.

. 2018; 8 (1) doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-21058-w

Ultraviolet C light could be safely harnessed to kill influenza microbes.

UV Light Could Fight the Spread of Influenza

Cells exert physical force on both an individual level and as larger groups of tissue to perform necessary biological functions. Abnormal levels of cell strength are associated with several diseases such as hypertension, asthma, and muscular dystrophy.

An innovative tool is able to measure cellular strength on an individual level 100 times faster than current methods, according to a study published by

The experimental tool was able to measure the strength of more than 1000 cells at a time, making it easier and faster to determine cellular force. The tool will also allow for the expansion of research on cellular force, according to the study.

"Our tool tracks how much force individual cells exert over time, and how they react when they are exposed to different compounds or drugs,” said coauthor Dino Di Carlo, PhD. "It's like a microscopic fitness test for cells with thousands of parallel stations."

A cell’s failure to control exertion levels will impact its ability to complete necessary biological functions, which can lead to the development of a disease or the loss of function all together, according to the study.

The authors noted that asthma occurs when the smooth muscle cells in the airway squeeze too hard, while weak cell strength is associated with the development of heart failure, muscular dystrophy, and migraine headaches.

The tool, called fluorescently labeled elastomeric contractible surfaces (FLECS), consists of a rectangular plate with more than 100,000 X shaped micropatterns of proteins. The cells attach themselves to the protein micropatterns, which shrink when the cells contract, according to the study.

By altering the shape, stiffness, or composition of the micropattern, the tool can measure the strength of a wide range of cells, according to the study.

To test FLECS, researchers simulated an asthma attack in a lab using smooth muscle cells that line the airway of the human body. The force was measured by using drugs to make the cells contract and relax, according to the study.

They compared the results of FLECS to what is already known about the effect of the drugs on the same type of tissue, and found that FLECs was more precise than previous methods. The device also demonstrated the ability to analyze the strength of each cell on an individual level, according to the study.

Researchers further tested FLECS on other cells, such as microphages, to evaluate its versatility. FLECS found that microphages can exert a force up to 200,000 times their own weight when they detect an infection, according to the study.

Compared with the current method of examining the amount of calcium in a cell, FLECS proved to be more precise, according to the study.

FLECS could potentially assist drug development efforts for conditions caused by abnormal cellular strength, according to the authors.

"Our platform can markedly improve the speed and fidelity of screening of millions of potential molecules in order to find new candidates that can rapidly progress through the approval process to become new drugs in asthma, cancer and heart disease,” coauthor Reynold A. Panettieri Jr, MD, said in a statement.

Pushkarsky I, Tseng P. Black D, et al. Elastomeric sensor surfaces for high-throughput single-cell force cytometry.

2018; 2 (2): 124 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-018-0193-2

A new tool that can measure cell strength 100 times faster than current methods may result in more optimal drug development for several diseases.

Tool That Measures Cell Strength Has Potential To Help Develop Novel Treatments

is the most prevalent cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in pediatric patients, with the bacteria involved with 80% of infections. Children with infections are typically prescribed antibiotics.

Children who have previously been treated with antibiotics are becoming resistant to the antibiotic treatment of

according to findings from a study published by

The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy

The increase in resistance may render antibiotic treatment of

ineffective in the future, according to the authors.

Antibiotic resistance is a growing public health threat, with 10 million patients per year potentially at risk of antibiotic-resistant infections by 2050. Researchers compare the threat of antibiotic resistance to that of pandemic flu.

Children are often prescribed antibiotics to treat common illnesses; however, a high frequency of antibiotic use as a child has been proven to increase the risk of antibiotic resistance in adulthood. There is currently little knowledge about the occurrence of antibiotic resistance in children, according to the authors.

In the study, the researchers examined the rate of antibiotic resistance among preschool aged children who developed UTIs from

Risk factors, such as previous antibiotic exposure, were also examined, according to the authors.

analyzed from 824 children under the age of 5 who were receiving primary care treatment for a UTI. The authors found that common antibiotics, including amoxicillin, trimethoprim, and co-amoxiclav, were observed to increase the prevalence of antibiotic resistance upon regular exposure. Additionally, one-third of UTIs caused by

were resistant to more than 3 types of antibiotics, according to the findings.

Children were also likely to resist antibiotic treatment for

if they were exposed to antibiotics within the past 3 months, according to the authors.

“Our study shows that antibiotic resistance to this common bacteria found in children is high, especially when antibiotics have previously been recently prescribed,”

“Frequent exposure to antibiotics can disrupt the normal balance of bacteria within the urinary tract and gut, which can lead to increased risk of bacterial infection.”

should consider whether antibiotic treatment is necessary to treat at UTI prior to prescribing.

“Future research must prioritise increasing our understanding of antibiotic resistance in bacteria that commonly cause infections, so that prescribing guidelines can be updated to improve patient outcomes,” said co-author Cèire Costelloe, PhD.

is high when commonly prescribed antibiotics are used [news release]. University of Bristol website. www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2018/february/antibiotic-resistance.html. Accessed Feb. 9, 2018.

Antibiotics may become ineffective in treating E coli if antibiotic resistance continues to increase among children.