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Could Nicotine Caps End Smoking Addiction? 

United States: More specifically, in the last days of its term, the current Biden government is speculated to formally offer a threshold on nicotine levels in cigarettes. It would probably be taken at the eleventh hour to counter the tobacco industry after President Joe Biden did not seal a long-standing promise to ban cigarettes containing menthol, as reported by NBC News.  

A Last-Minute Push for Nicotine Regulation 

The change will likely happen until next Monday and will not affect items such as tobacco products such as e-cigarettes or nicotine replacement patches and lozenges. 

“This is a Hail Mary from the Biden administration to move forward with a meaningful proposal, or at least to jump-start one in the waning days of the administration,” said Erika Sward, assistant vice president of national advocacy for the American Lung Association. 

Though people die and get sick from the poisonous chemicals produced by combustible tobacco, it is the nicotine that initially hooks smokers and sustains their addiction. 

Details of the proposal for reducing the levels of nicotine have not been disclosed comprehensively. It was not the end of the year, though, when numerous studies have pointed out that, to achieve the compounds minimally or non-addictively, dosage may have to be reduced by almost 95 percent. 

Could Nicotine Caps End Smoking Addiction? 
Could Nicotine Caps End Smoking Addiction? 

The Impact of Nicotine Reduction 

“This would be a historic action by the FDA that has the potential to have an enormous impact on public health,” said Dr. Rose Marie Robertson, science and medical officer of the American Heart Association. 

Tobacco use itself is the number one cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, based on the CDC, resulting in more than 480,000 deaths per year. 

Data indicated that the majority of smokers began the habit when they were teenagers. Sward said that any process that could make cigarettes less appealing, less enjoyable, or less satisfying would save millions of lives. 

An FDA study carried out in 2018 found that a nicotine cap would reduce smoking addiction cases to 16 million people in the year 2060. It would rise to 33.1 million in 2100, based on the study’s estimate. 

Even if the Biden administration issues the proposed rule early next week, it may take several years to become final. 

Yolonda C. Richardson, president and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, told NBC News that limiting the amount of nicotine in cigarettes would be “game-changing.” Few initiatives would make a greater impact on combating chronic illnesses like cancer and heart disease, which significantly impair American health and that the next government has stated should be a top focus. 

The first time the FDA weighed in on limits on nicotine was during President-elect Donald Trump’s first term in office. 

A Decade in the Making 

In 2017,then-FDA Commissioner Dr.Scott Gottlieb kick-started the process with a “comprehensive plan,” of which one proposal was to “regulate nicotine in combustible cigarettes and make it minimally or nonaddictive.” 

It was meant, in part, to move adult smokers to less hazardous products like vapor cigarettes or e-cigarettes. The 2017 plan also contained the prospect of integrating the regulation of e-cigarette flavors and a complete prohibition on the use of menthol products. A federal rule to eliminate most flavored e-cigarettes in 2020, but they now come in menthol flavor, as reported by NBC News.  

This week, in an interview with Gottlieb, he was of the opinion that smoking incidence would necessarily have to be on the list of activities, which needed focus to enhance the health standards of people with chronic diseases. 

“There could be perhaps no more impactful thing we can do than to dramatically reduce smoking rates in this country,” he said. 

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FDA Approves Self-Injectable Vyvgart Hytrulo for gMG and CIDP 

FDA Approves Self-Injectable Vyvgart Hytrulo for gMG and CIDP 

United States: The U.S. FDA has approved Vyvgart Hytrulo’s (efgartigimod alfa and hyaluronidase-qvfc) self-administered form for treating adult gMG patients who carry anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies and adult CIDP patients, as reported by HealthDay. 

Fast and Easy Subcutaneous Injection 

The Vyvgart Hytrulo prefilled syringe now functions as an approved subcutaneous device that needs 20 to 30 seconds during patient, caregiver, or healthcare professional administration.  

Testing between the Vyvgart Hytrulo prefilled syringe, and the Vyvgart Hytrulo vial led to the approval of this product by the FDA. The human factors validation studies demonstrated that both gMG or CIDP patients, along with their caregivers, could execute acceptable prefilled syringe preparation and administration of Vyvgart Hytrulo safely and effectively, as reported by HealthDay. 

Designed for Independence and Flexibility 

“Today’s FDA approval provides a new self-injection option across both approved indications in the U.S. that is designed for patients who seek more independence with their treatment,” Luc Truyen, M.D., Ph.D., the chief medical officer at argenx, said in a statement. “Whether patients prefer to receive their treatment in a physician’s office, at home, or while traveling, they can experience treatment on their own terms and continue to benefit from Vyvgart Hytrulo’s favorable safety profile and strong efficacy.” 

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Quick Walking May Prevent Heart Rhythm Issues 

Quick Walking May Prevent Heart Rhythm Issues 

United States: A new research finds that individuals who walk vigorously for long periods reduce their chances of developing heart rhythm abnormalities. 

Faster Walking, Healthier Heart 

The research in the Heart journal revealed that individuals walking over 4 miles per hour had a decreased chance of 43% developing heart rhythm abnormalities compared to walkers moving less than 3 miles per hour, as reported by HealthDay. 

According to researchers, the duration of movement together with average or brisk pace walking worked to decrease heart rhythm issues by 27%. 

Duration and Pace Matter 

“These new findings reinforce the promotion of faster walking pace in physical activity recommendations,” concluded the research team led by Jill Pell, chair of public health with the University of Glasgow in the U.K. “Walking at a brisk pace may have a role in … prevention of cardiac arrhythmias.” 

Inside the Research 

Study data originated from the UK Biobank health study, which encompassed 421,000 participants, with accelerometer-wearers representing 82,000 individuals who tracked their walking pace. 

A brisk walking pace existed in 41% of study participants, whereas an average walking pace occurred in 53%, and a slow pace was observed in less than 6%. 

The study results revealed that walking swiftly reduced heart rhythm issues by 43% or walking moderately reduced them by 35%. 

Atrial Fibrillation Risk Also Drops 

Analysis of data from UK Biobank demonstrates that brisk or average-paced walkers experienced a 46% and 38% decrease in atrial fibrillation risk rates, which elevates stroke risks, as reported by HealthDay. 

Quick Walking May Prevent Heart Rhythm Issues 
Quick Walking May Prevent Heart Rhythm Issues 

The connection between heart rhythm problems and walking pace appears to be shaped by 36% through inflammation alongside metabolic factors, according to expert estimation. 

What’s Behind the Benefits? 

Research from the past supports these findings because brisk walking leads to lower obesity levels and better blood sugar control, in addition to preventing diabetes and lowering high blood pressure, according to scientists. 

“This study is the first to explore the pathways underpinning the association between walking pace and arrhythmias and to provide evidence that metabolic and inflammatory factors may have a role,” researchers concluded. “Walking faster decreased the risk of obesity and inflammation, which, in turn, reduced the risk of arrhythmia.” 

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Smart Shirt Technology Monitors Heart Health in Real Time 

Smart Shirt Technology Monitors Heart Health in Real Time 

United States: The “smart shirt” coupled with an electrocardiogram (ECG) device enables researchers to detect people with elevated cardiovascular risks, according to recent study findings. 

The wearable shirt measures heart rate recovery after workouts, so it tracks how long it takes for the heart to stabilize, as reported by HealthDay. 

“The heart’s response to exercise provides us with an early indicator of changes in health, in particular cardiovascular function and mortality,” senior researcher Manuel Hernandez, a professor of biomedical and translational sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said in a news release. 

How It Works: Tracking the Heart’s Response to Exercise 

Researchers employed smart shirts developed by Carré Technologies based in Quebec for their investigation. Continuous heart performance measures are collected using sensors attached to the smart shirt that record heart rate and electrical cardiac activity. 

Study Participants Show Promising Insights 

The research team selected 38 participants from 20 to 76 years old to complete treadmill walking exercises. The seven participants underwent medical examinations, which revealed high blood pressure as their diagnosis. 

Sounds from the laboratory tests enabled researchers to establish risk prediction systems for targeting heart disease in individuals. 

Researchers declared the investigation kickstarts the development of heart health risk understanding for individuals. 

“We want to use it to provide us with some greater insight in terms of our underlying cardiovascular function,” Hernandez said. “And we want to make something that’s clinically actionable.” 

According to a co-author, wearable technology should give physicians access to a wealth of helpful data. 

A Game-Changer for Rural and Remote Healthcare 

“One would like to have a whole bunch of data from wearables, and then that data is transmitted to a doctor’s office, and the doctor can interpret it,” said co-researcher Richard Sowers, a professor of industrial & enterprise systems engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.  

Based on Sowers’ statement in the news release, these wearable devices would benefit most people who live in rural areas and places where medical resources are scarce. 

Future investigations plan to extend study participant numbers and monitor their progress longitudinally, according to researchers. 

Research groups investigate various applications of the “smart shirt” technology. 

Global Use Cases Emerging 

During the European Association of Urology conference a month ago, scientists from Italy introduced a new tracking system using smart shirts to monitor the vital signs of patients after hospital discharge, as reported by HealthDay. 

“Our patients found the T-shirt easy to use, and over 90% reported it allowed them to feel safe and cared for while recuperating at home,” lead researcher Dr. Antonio Pastore, an associate professor of urology at Sapienza University of Rome in Italy, said in a news release. 

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