Veterans with mental health conditions have higher risk of heart disease, stroke

Dallas, Texas - Veterans with specific mental health disorders – depression , psychosis and bipolar disorder – had an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and death from cardiovascular disease, according to new research published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, an American Heart Association journal.

Arizona One Of Nine States Awarded Multimillion Dollar Maternal Health Innovation Grant

Phoenix, Arizona - The Arizona Department of Health Services has received a $10.5 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration at the US Department of Health and Human Services, to enhance efforts to improve health outcomes for all women in Arizona. Arizona is one of only nine states awarded this competitive federal grant and will receive $2.1 million a year for the next five years.

HHS Secretary Alex Azar Statement on Illnesses Associated with E-Cigarettes

Washington, DC - As of August 27, 2019, health departments from 25 states have reported 215 possible cases of pulmonary illnesses from users of e-cigarette products, resulting in one death, and additional reports are under investigation. HHS Secretary Alex Azar issued the following statement:

Arm cuff blood pressure measurements may fall short for predicting heart disease risk in some people

New Orleans, Louisiana - A measurement of central blood pressure in people with difficult-to-treat high blood pressure could help reduce risk of heart disease better than traditional arm cuff readings for some patients, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association’s Hypertension 2019 Scientific Sessions.

FDA encourages inclusion of male patients in breast cancer clinical trials

Washington, DC - The draft guidance, Male Breast Cancer: Developing Drugs for Treatment, includes draft recommendations for inclusion of males in breast cancer clinical trials. Historically, males either have not been included in clinical trials for drugs to treat breast cancer or inclusion of males in those trials has been very limited; when finalized, the draft guidance will provide clarity for industry regarding clinical development of drugs to treat breast cancer in male patients.