Category: Brandpoint Health

2024-10-09T07:01:00

(BPT) – Imagine waking up every day feeling utterly exhausted, no matter how much sleep you get. Now, add an unbearable itch that just won’t go away, dry eyes and mouth, and stomach pain. This is the reality for some people living with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC).

A Closer Look at Primary Biliary Cholangitis

Primary biliary cholangitis is a rare autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks and slowly destroys the bile ducts in the liver. Over time, this can lead to inflammation of the bile duct and scarring of the liver and may cause serious complications.¹

The symptoms of PBC can at first be mild and get worse over time, and it may take 5 to 20 years to develop.¹ Common signs are chronic itch (pruritus) and extreme fatigue, both of which may impact daily life.^1,2 Some patients may have no symptoms, therefore the disease is oftentimes only discovered through routine liver blood tests.³

The Challenges of Getting a PBC Diagnosis

“The symptoms aren’t always obvious,” shares Naveen, a patient with PBC. “There haven’t been many treatments available for me in the past, which can be disheartening, especially with the intense symptoms that really affect my life on a daily basis.”

For many, the journey to diagnosis may involve numerous tests and procedures.⁴ The experience can be emotionally and physically exhausting, especially given the impact that untreated PBC can have on a person’s health.²

A Disease That Disproportionately Affects Women

PBC is more common in women, particularly those who are over 40 years old, with approximately 1 in 1000 women in this age group affected and 65 out of every 100,000 women in the US diagnosed with the condition.^3,5 Although the disease is more prevalent in women, an increasing number of men are now being diagnosed. On average, women receive a diagnosis within 12 months, while for men, the process can take up to three years.⁶

If left untreated, PBC can lead to permanent liver damage, and even severe cases of liver failure.¹ Early diagnosis and proactive management of the disease can play an important role in reducing the risk of complications and may help in improving the health of those affected.^7,8

Living With PBC: The Daily Reality

Living with PBC means more than just managing the physical symptoms; it’s also about coping with the emotional and psychological toll that the disease can take. This could be incessant itching, debilitating fatigue, or other symptoms that can make it difficult to maintain a normal lifestyle, impacting work, social relationships, and overall well-being.²

For those with PBC, connecting with patient advocacy groups and support communities may offer both practical advice and emotional comfort, helping to navigate the complexities of living with this chronic condition.^9,10

Moving Forward

While the challenges of living with PBC can be significant, advancements in understanding the disease and ongoing research into new treatment options offer hope.¹¹ For people living with PBC, some treatment goals include improving or normalizing alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels and managing symptoms of the disease, such as pruritus.^2,12,13 A treatment plan that helps sustain ALP levels and more effectively fights debilitating symptoms may help improve disease outcomes.^2,12,13

If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms that might suggest PBC, it’s important to seek medical advice. Early detection and proactive management may help make a difference in the course of the disease and the outcomes of those affected.^7,8

References

1. Mayo Clinic. Primary biliary cholangitis. Accessed August 29, 2024. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/primary-biliary-cholangitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20376874
2. Sivakumar T, Kowdley KV. Anxiety and depression in patients with primary biliary cholangitis: current insights and impact on quality of life. Hepat Med. 2021;13:83-92. doi:10.2147/HMER.S256692
3. American Liver Foundation. Primary biliary cholangitis. Accessed August 29, 2024. Available at: https://liverfoundation.org/liver-diseases/autoimmune-liver-diseases/primary-biliary-cholangitis-pbc/
4. Mayo Clinic. Primary biliary cholangitis diagnosis. Accessed September 17, 2024. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/primary-biliary-cholangitis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20376880
5. Hohenester S, Oude-Elferink RP, Beuers U. Primary biliary cirrhosis. Semin Immunopathol. 2009;31(3):283-307. doi:10.1007/s00281-009-0164-5
6. Abdulkarim M, Zenouzi R, Sebode M, et al. Sex differences in clinical presentation and prognosis in patients with primary biliary cholangitis. Scand J Gastroenterol. 2019;54(11):1391-1396. doi:10.1080/00365521.2019.1683226
7. Martini F, Balducci D, Mancinelli M, et al. Risk stratification in primary biliary cholangitis. J Clin Med. 2023;12(17):5713. doi:10.3390/jcm12175713
8. Cleveland Clinic. Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC): living with this chronic disease. Accessed August 29, 2024. Available at: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/living-with-pbc
9. National Organization for Rare Disorders. Primary biliary cholangitis organization. Accessed September 17, 2024. Available at: https://rarediseases.org/organizations/primary-biliary-cholangitis-organization/
10. Global Liver Institute. Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) externally-led patient-focused drug development (EL-PFDD). Accessed September 17, 2024. Available at: https://globalliver.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/PBC-EL-PFDD.pdf
11. Bernal RB, Castro CM, Ferrigno B, et al. Management of primary biliary cholangitis: current treatment and future perspectives. Turk J Gastroenterol. 2023;34(2):89-100. doi:10.5152/tjg.2023.22239
12. Murillo Perez CF, Harms MH, Lindor KD, et al. Goals of treatment for improved survival in primary biliary cholangitis: treatment target should be bilirubin within the normal range and normalization of alkaline phosphatase. Am J Gastroenterol. 2020;115(7):1066-1074. doi:10.14309/ajg.0000000000000557
13. Lindor KD, Bowlus CL, Boyer J, Levy C, Mayo M. Primary biliary cholangitis: 2018 practice guidance from the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. Hepatology. 2019;69(1):394-419. doi:10.1002/hep.30145

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© 2024 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. US-UNBC-2497 09/24

2024-10-10T14:35:00

(BPT) – COVID-19 can affect anyone, so it’s important to stay informed as we approach another respiratory virus season. This infographic offers key insights on COVID-19 vaccinations, transmission, increased risk factors, Long COVID risks, and the benefits of getting your flu shot at the same time. It also explains when and how to get your updated vaccine for the year. Always talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about vaccinations this season. To find your local vaccine availability and COVID-19 resources, please visit: https://www.ForYouAndThem.com/.

2024-10-10T14:01:00

(BPT) – “At first I was kind of like, what is that? What is CIDP? I’ve never heard of that. But then, the relief set in more than confusion … because at least there was a name to what I had.”

Jamilah’s days were once filled with vibrant activities like dance classes, crocheting, and running a photography business. Her life was active — a true reflection of her passion and creativity. But in September 2021, everything changed. Jamilah began to have trouble standing up and moving around. She experienced numbness and tingling sensations in her hands, and within weeks, these symptoms rapidly progressed, spreading to other parts of her body. Soon, she found herself confined to a wheelchair. Only later was she diagnosed with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). Today, her life has changed dramatically from those days filled with vibrant activities, with most of her time spent at home. Her CIDP care requires monthly visits to an infusion center, and she is forced to rely on a wheelchair to get around. Hoping to deepen awareness and understanding of CIDP, Jamilah is an advocate, sharing her story to highlight that recovery is not linear, but reclaiming joy in one’s life.

Understanding CIDP

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, or CIDP, is a rare, debilitating, often progressive, immune-mediated neuromuscular disorder of the peripheral nervous system. This condition can lead to significant reductions in arm and leg function, frequent falls, and in severe cases, dependence on a wheelchair, rendering many individuals unable to work.

“CIDP can be debilitating and have a significant impact on quality of life. Many patients with CIDP require treatments that may be burdensome,” says Lisa Butler, Executive Director of the GBS|CIDP Foundation. The effects of CIDP extend beyond physical limitations, impacting daily life at home, work, and school. A cross-sectional study assessing limitations in activities among 147 patients with CIDP found that 85% reported difficulty running, 80% reported difficulty standing for longer periods of time, and 75% reported difficulty dancing. Additionally, more than 75% of patients reported sensory deficits.

In the United States alone, approximately 24,000 people are currently being treated for CIDP, yet there remains a considerable unmet need for effective and manageable therapies. “Existing therapies have traditionally been limited to corticosteroids and plasma-derived treatments, which, while effective for many, present challenges for some patients,” says Jeffrey Allen, M.D., Professor, Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota. Studies have shown an estimated 85% of patients require ongoing treatment with potentially time-consuming therapies and 88% of treated patients report residual neurological symptoms.

A New Era in CIDP Treatment

As new, targeted treatment options become available, patients stand to benefit from having an expanded arsenal of medications.

For Jamilah, her hope is to find a solution that could turn her dreams into reality — reviving her crochet business and launching a dance studio that welcomes both wheelchair users and differently abled dancers, giving them a place and community to express their creativity and passion for dance.

The potential of offering new innovative treatment options for patients like Jamilah and others living with autoimmune diseases is what motivates companies like argenx to continue innovating. “Every day, we are turning science into real solutions for patients suffering from severe autoimmunity,” says Luc Truyen, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer at argenx.

To learn more about CIDP and advancements being made in autoimmune diseases, visit https://www.argenx.com/. If you are interested in learning more about CIDP treatments, please speak with a healthcare provider.

2024-10-08T15:57:00

(BPT) – This article was sponsored and developed by Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. Allison was compensated by Neurocrine Biosciences to share her story.

The first week of October is recognized as Mental Illness Awareness Week, an essential time to support and advocate for the one in five adults in the United States living with a mental illness. As advocates work to raise awareness for these individuals and their care partners, it’s important to remember that those taking antipsychotic medication to treat mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, may also have tardive dyskinesia (TD).* TD is a persistent, involuntary movement disorder associated with use of antipsychotic medication that affects approximately 600,000 or more people in the U.S.

Allison grew up in San Diego and has been participating in performance arts since she was a kid, including theater, acting and writing. While working at her first night shift radio job at the age of 28, she began losing sleep and started behaving erratically. Shortly after, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and prescribed both an antipsychotic and antidepressant. Allison’s doctor discontinued the antipsychotic after only three days, but she continued taking the antidepressant and a mood stabilizer. She later moved to Florida for a fresh start but saw her bipolar disorder symptoms increase after her antidepressant suddenly stopped working. She was again prescribed an antipsychotic medication and worked with her doctors over the next few years to find the best treatment to manage her symptoms and regain mental stability in her life.

However, eight years after beginning antipsychotic treatment, Allison began to experience uncontrollable movements, including a twisting torso, jerky legs, mouth movements and rapid blinking. “When I tried to sleep, my legs and arms flailed and I would kick my husband, like my whole spine was jumping. I became self-conscious and started sleeping on the couch,” she said. “My frame was rattling violently, like a car driving through potholes with bad shock absorbers. It was really scary.” After visiting several neurologists over the course of many years and wondering if she would ever receive answers, Allison was diagnosed with TD.

Mild, moderate or severe TD movements can occur in different parts of the body and can negatively impact people physically, socially and emotionally. People living with TD may also feel judged and ashamed, adding to a sense of worry, isolation and stigma. Even mild uncontrollable body movements from TD can have emotional and social consequences. “My symptoms were affecting my ability to sleep, work and live my life as I wanted to,” Allison said.

It’s important that people who are taking antipsychotic medication be monitored and screened by a healthcare provider for drug-induced movement disorders, such as TD, as part of their routine appointments. Proactive recognition and treatment of TD can make a positive impact in the lives of many people experiencing mental illness. While TD is unlikely to get better on its own, it is a treatable condition.

After researching potential treatment options and discussing the benefits and risks with her healthcare provider, Allison was prescribed INGREZZA^® (valbenazine) capsules. INGREZZA is a one-capsule, once-daily medication that’s proven to reduce TD in adults and is the #1 most prescribed vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) inhibitor. VMAT2 inhibitors are recommended by the American Psychiatric Association as first-line treatment for patients experiencing TD. In a clinical study, INGREZZA was proven to reduce TD in adults at six weeks, and most people saw results in just two weeks.^†‡ The most common side effects of INGREZZA in people with TD are sleepiness and tiredness.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE can cause serious side effects in people with Huntington’s disease, including: depression, suicidal thoughts, or suicidal actions. Tell your healthcare provider before you start taking INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE if you have Huntington’s disease and are depressed (have untreated depression or depression that is not well controlled by medicine) or have suicidal thoughts. Pay close attention to any changes, especially sudden changes, in mood, behaviors, thoughts, or feelings. This is especially important when INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE is started and when the dose is changed. Call your healthcare provider right away if you become depressed, have unusual changes in mood or behavior, or have thoughts of hurting yourself.

Do not take INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE if you are allergic to valbenazine, or any of the ingredients in INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE.

Please see full Important Safety Information, including Boxed Warning, below and full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide.

After a few weeks of taking INGREZZA, Allison experienced fewer uncontrollable movements. “Now that I have been on INGREZZA and experience fewer movements, I’m not as consumed with embarrassment and discomfort over my TD symptoms,” she said. “I’m glad I never gave up and advocated for myself because now my husband can fall asleep in the same bed as me again due to the decrease in my movements.” Individual results may vary.

This Mental Illness Awareness Week, Allison wants to share her mental health journey to encourage others to support those living with mental illnesses and people experiencing uncontrollable movements to persevere and discuss symptoms and treatment options, such as INGREZZA, with their healthcare provider.

“It’s important to acknowledge Mental Illness Awareness Week because not everyone is equipped to advocate for themselves,” said Allison. “Our efforts to raise awareness of TD should not stop simply because there are available treatment options, such as INGREZZA, we must come together and support each other.”

If you or a loved one is experiencing persistent, uncontrollable movements and have been treated with antipsychotic medication, visit INGREZZA.com for more information.

Important Information

Approved Uses

INGREZZA^® (valbenazine) capsules or INGREZZA^® SPRINKLE (valbenazine) capsules are prescription medicines used to treat adults with:

• movements in the face, tongue, or other body parts that cannot be controlled (tardive dyskinesia).
• involuntary movements (chorea) of Huntington’s disease. INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE do not cure the cause of involuntary movements, and do not treat other symptoms of Huntington’s disease, such as problems with thinking or emotions.

It is not known if INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE is safe and effective in children.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE can cause serious side effects in people with Huntington’s disease, including: depression, suicidal thoughts, or suicidal actions. Tell your healthcare provider before you start taking INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE if you have Huntington’s disease and are depressed (have untreated depression or depression that is not well controlled by medicine) or have suicidal thoughts. Pay close attention to any changes, especially sudden changes, in mood, behaviors, thoughts, or feelings. This is especially important when INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE is started and when the dose is changed. Call your healthcare provider right away if you become depressed, have unusual changes in mood or behavior, or have thoughts of hurting yourself.

Do not take INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE if you:

• are allergic to valbenazine, or any of the ingredients in INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE.

INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE can cause serious side effects, including:

• Allergic reactions. Allergic reactions, including an allergic reaction that causes sudden swelling called angioedema can happen after taking the first dose or after many doses of INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE. Signs and symptoms of allergic reactions and angioedema include: trouble breathing or shortness of breath, swelling of your face, lips, eyelids, tongue, or throat, or other areas of your skin, trouble with swallowing, or rash, including raised, itchy red areas on your skin (hives). Swelling in the throat can be life-threatening and can lead to death. Stop taking INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE and go to the nearest emergency room right away if you develop these signs and symptoms of allergic reactions and angioedema.
• Sleepiness and tiredness that could cause slow reaction times (somnolence and sedation). Do not drive a car or operate dangerous machinery until you know how INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE affects you. Drinking alcohol and taking other medicines may also cause sleepiness during treatment with INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE.
• Heart rhythm problems (QT prolongation). INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE may cause a heart rhythm problem known as QT prolongation. You have a higher chance of getting QT prolongation if you also take certain other medicines during treatment with INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you develop any signs or symptoms of QT prolongation, including: fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat (heart palpitations), shortness of breath, dizziness or lightheadedness, or fainting or feeling like you are going to faint.
• Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS). NMS is a serious condition that can lead to death. Call a healthcare provider right away or go to the nearest emergency room if you develop these symptoms and they do not have another obvious cause: high fever, stiff muscles, problems thinking, irregular pulse or blood pressure, increased sweating, or very fast or uneven heartbeat.
• Parkinson-like symptoms. Symptoms include: body stiffness, drooling, trouble moving or walking, trouble keeping your balance, shaking (tremors), or falls.

Before taking INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions including if you: have liver or heart problems, are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Make sure you tell all of your healthcare providers that you are taking INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE. Taking INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE with certain other medicines may cause serious side effects. Especially tell your healthcare provider if you: take digoxin or take or have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) medicine. You should not take INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE if you are taking, or have stopped taking, a MAOI within the last 14 days.

The most common side effect of INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE in people with tardive dyskinesia are sleepiness and tiredness.

The most common side effects of INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE in people with chorea associated with Huntington’s disease include sleepiness and tiredness, raised itchy red areas on your skin (hives), rash, and trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep.

These are not all of the possible side effects of INGREZZA or INGREZZA SPRINKLE. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit MedWatch at www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Dosage Forms and Strengths: INGREZZA and INGREZZA SPRINKLE are available in 40 mg, 60 mg, and 80 mg capsules.

Please see full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning, and Medication Guide.

* Certain prescription medicines (metoclopramide and prochlorperazine) used to treat gastrointestinal disorders may also cause TD.

† INGREZZA was studied in a 6-week clinical trial. A total of 234 people participated in the study. Results were based on 79 people taking the recommended dose of 80 mg.

‡ In a 6-week clinical study. Post-clinical study evaluation of 149 patients who took 40 mg and/or 80 mg during the first 2 weeks; 64% had at least a 1-point reduction on an uncontrollable movement severity scale.

This article was sponsored and developed by Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. Allison was compensated by Neurocrine Biosciences to share her story.

© 2024 Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. All Rights Reserved. CP-VBZ-US-3972 10/2024

2024-10-07T06:01:00

(BPT) – Are you concerned about your cardiovascular (CV) health? Even if you don’t have a family history of CV diseases, it’s important to find out if you’re at risk so you can proactively take care of your cardiac health. Luckily, three simple universally available tests can detect your risk of life-threatening CV events like heart attack and stroke — decades in advance.

Since 1950, heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the U.S. While heart disease affects people of all genders, races and ethnicities, heart disease in women, especially young women, has increased, with more women than men dying of heart disease every year.

While these statistics may be shocking, there is good news. A recent study has shown that a simple blood test of three biomarkers can predict a woman’s lifelong risk for heart attack and stroke.

Predicting the risk of CV disease as simple as 1, 2, 3

The recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine followed nearly 30,000 healthy American women to predict their risk of CV disease over the subsequent 30 years. Researchers measured participants’ levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), LDL cholesterol (LDL), and lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)). Each biomarker independently contributed to a woman’s overall CV risk, but one stood out above the rest: hs-CRP.

You’re probably familiar with an LDL test and likely Lp(a), which measures fats in your blood. What makes hs-CRP different is that it doesn’t test for fats — but rather for inflammation.

Inflammation’s role in CV disease

It may sound odd that inflammation, your body’s natural response to illness or injury, can contribute to CV events, but if you think about inflammation’s health role, it’s easy to see why.

Cholesterol and plaque in your arteries can also trigger an inflammatory response, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. When you suffer from long-term inflammation, it can damage healthy tissues, including your arteries and heart.

By measuring your hs-CRP levels, you’ll have a clearer picture of your risk of CV events down the road. In fact, according to another study, among patients already taking cholesterol-lowering statins, hs-CRP may be an even stronger predictor of future CV events than measuring high LDL cholesterol.

“Our understanding of how increased levels of inflammation can interact with lipids to compound cardiovascular disease risks has significantly improved our ability to treat patients based on their individual inflammatory risk which we can now treat with low-dose colchicine,” said Brittany N. Weber, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Cardio-Rheumatology Clinic, and associate physician in preventative cardiology and cardiovascular imaging at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “This new study shows the importance of measuring the inflammatory biomarker, hs-CRP, in addition to fats in the blood, to be able to better treat our patients, especially women, even earlier and potentially prevent life-threatening heart events.”

A low-dose treatment option for inflammation

Many statin medications have some anti-inflammatory properties but do not fully address inflammation issues. To help manage your inflammation and lower your risk of CV events, you’ll need an anti-inflammatory medication that can further reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke.

If your hs-CRP levels are high, your doctor may recommend low-dose colchicine. Low-dose colchicine, 0.5 mg, is the first and only therapy FDA-approved as an anti-inflammatory medication shown to reduce the risk of a cardiovascular event, including heart attack or stroke.

The once-daily oral tablet can be used alone or in combination with a patient’s current lipid-lowering medication to effectively treat cardiovascular disease. Low-dose colchicine addresses your inflammatory risk to reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke in secondary and primary prevention.

If you’re concerned about your heart health, ask your doctor about the three simple tests above and take special notice of your inflammation marker. Learn more about your risk and steps you can take to support your cardiac health at CVDInflammation.com.

2024-10-04T06:01:00

(BPT) – Do you know how well you’re aging? Aging well goes beyond how you look. To live a healthier, more active lifestyle as you age, it’s important to know your current health baseline and identify potential future issues that you can prevent or manage now.

As we hit the home stretch of 2024, get a jump on next year’s resolutions and be your own health advocate. Create a personalized healthy aging plan with the help of next gen services, like genetic sequencing, and knowing your body’s “true” biological age.

Don’t know where to start? Here are five proactive steps you can take to invest in your health and longevity.

1. Find your baseline

While knowing your family medical history is a great place to start, you’ll need more information to determine your baseline health.

Consider signing up for 23andMe’s Total Health^TM, a longevity platform that combines genetic testing, blood biomarker testing, Biological Age analysis, and expert clinician oversight.

Total Health provides advanced, clinician-ordered genetic testing called exome sequencing that evaluates high impact genes associated with health conditions that, if detected early, may have effective preventive measures and clinical interventions.

Nothing is more personalized than your genetics, and genetic screening really is for everyone (not just for a specific group of people), especially with the amount of information current testing provides. Genetics is a true foundation of health, and the information gleaned from your DNA can offer a lifetime’s worth of insights into your longevity.

2. Go beyond routine lab tests

Once you have genetics as a baseline, you can layer on more data to get a fuller picture of your health profile.

Traditional blood testing does provide important health information. However, frequent comprehensive blood tests can offer ongoing insight into prevention and early detection. In fact, 70% of clinical decisions rely on lab data — that’s why blood testing is so fundamental.¹

A comprehensive test can measure things like blood sugar levels, kidney, liver and thyroid function, along with cholesterol and advanced lipoprotein levels. This is especially important if you have a family history of cardiovascular diseases.

Knowing your cholesterol level is just part of the story. When you have a comprehensive blood test, you can find out your lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) and Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) levels. High levels of Lp(a) and APOB are associated with an increased risk of heart and blood vessel disease, including heart attacks and stroke.

If you have high levels of either (or both) markers, your health care provider can recommend treatments and lifestyle changes that can help you manage these levels and reduce your risk of related conditions.

Having both genetic and blood biomarker data together is key to constructing your health baseline. Together, they can help you identify screening, treatments and lifestyle changes that promote longevity and build long-term resilience.

3. Combine your genetic results with your bloodwork and take action

Genetics is about future risk. Lab tests are about the now.

Having both genetic and blood biomarker data together is key. Your genetic data gives you deep insights into your potential future risks, while your biomarker data gives you insight into the now. And together they could help provide you with answers.

For example, if you have high cholesterol today, you might be wondering why. Is it your daily habits, or is there more to it? Your genetics could help piece it all together and provide insight into why you may have higher cholesterol beyond your lifestyle habits. In fact, you might have a higher likelihood based on your own genetics! And you might need personalized interventions.

Your genetic test results can also guide you toward concrete steps to prevent disease related to a genetic variant. Genetics can provide insights on potential serious health risks for hereditary cardiovascular disease, neurological disease, and different types of cancers — risks you may not know otherwise. Take, for example, a variant in the MLH1 gene that causes Lynch syndrome.

Lynch syndrome affects about 1 in 280 people and can have serious health consequences. Individuals with Lynch syndrome are at a greater risk of colorectal, endometrial, ovarian and certain other cancers than the general population.

If your genetic results indicate you have Lynch syndrome, you can take proactive steps to manage your cancer risks. For example, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that people with Lynch syndrome should have colonoscopes starting at age 20-25 (instead of waiting until age 45) and continue to get screened every 1-2 years. Earlier, more frequent screening can catch the disease at the beginning stages when it’s most treatable.

4. Make lifestyle changes to lower your biological age

Your age is just a number. It doesn’t tell you how your body is truly aging. That’s why it’s critical to find out your biological age number and potentially lower or maintain your biological age.

23andMe’s Total Health membership includes access to a new Biological Age feature. This feature can help tell you how old you really are from the inside by analyzing biomarkers that reflect the condition of major body systems and organs and how it may differ from your calendar age. This measure is checked biannually so you can track it and take steps to potentially slow down or even reverse course if your biological age is outpacing your calendar age.

5. Make a tailored health plan with a clinician who understands genetics

All of this sophisticated health data is only helpful if you know what to do with it. Once you have your genetic and blood work results, it’s a good idea to work with a clinician to create a tailored health plan that includes lifestyle, screening and other health management tools.

If, for example, you have high cholesterol and elevated Lp(a) levels, a clinician can help you take concrete steps to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. They might discuss the benefits of statins and how your genetic results can be used to inform what your doctor prescribes to help reduce the risk of side effects.

Finding a clinician may sound daunting, but if you have a Total Health membership, you’ll have unlimited direct access to expert clinicians who have unique training in genetics. They can help connect all of the dots and build a hyper-personalized health plan that focuses on ongoing disease prevention and early detection.

Don’t address health issues as they come along. Get ahead of possible health risks to increase your odds of aging better with these proactive steps. To learn more about genetics, blood testing and personalized care, visit 23andMe.com/Total-Health.

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5759162/

2024-10-03T15:27:00

(BPT) – Have you scheduled your mammogram? If you’re a woman over 40 and haven’t had a mammogram before or are putting off your next one, this is your friendly reminder to schedule it now. Doing so can give you important health information and potentially save your life.

Regular mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer early when it is most treatable. While diagnosis can be scary, catching breast cancer in its earliest, localized stages increases a patient’s 5-year relative survival rate to 99%.

Another benefit of mammograms you may not know about is that they can show if you have dense breast tissue. While dense breast tissue is common, it puts women at a higher risk of developing breast cancer.

“Mammograms remain the gold standard for detecting breast cancer,” said Michele Brands, MD, Network Director of Women’s Imaging at St Luke’s University Health Network. “But the reality is that dense breast tissue and cancer appear white on mammograms, so the dense tissue can hide the cancer.”

After years of varying policies across the United States, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced a new nationwide reporting standard for breast density notification. As of September 10, 2024 all patients must be informed about their breast density.

With this knowledge, women can then ask their doctors about supplemental imaging options that could make a big difference in early detection of breast cancer.

Your breast health toolbox

Traditional 2D mammograms have a reputation for being uncomfortable and anxiety-producing. However, advancements like GE HealthCare’s Senographe Pristina with Dueta make the screening less scary and put women in the driver’s seat of their mammogram.

Should a mammogram reveal you have dense breast tissue, you may need more detailed 3D imaging screenings, like an automated breast ultrasound, which is specifically designed for detecting cancer in dense breast tissue, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). When results remain inconclusive, another tool that may be recommended is contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) which uses an injected dye to examine breast tissue and flag abnormalities with high levels of sensitivity and specificity.

These screening tools have been invaluable to Dr. Brands and her team at St. Luke’s One-Stop Clinic for Breast.

“Utilizing these tools has been amazing and it’s really helped us with the One-Stop Breast Clinic to create this rapid diagnostic approach for women and bring them through the process as quickly as possible,” said Brands. “One woman may have dense breast tissue, and another may not. The presence of dense tissue is going to inform the process and help you get very personalized care.”

Personalized breast care is critical. Take advantage of the different tools available to get the answers clinicians and their patients deserve. To learn more, visit GEHealthCare.com.

2024-10-03T11:19:00

(BPT) – Fall is here and it’s time to cozy up with healthier habits! If you’re looking to refresh your routine and embrace healthier habits this season, Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist Dawn Jackson Blatner shares valuable tips to help you harvest your health this fall.

1. Enjoy seasonal produce

Fall offers a variety of nutrient-rich produce like pumpkins, squash and sweet potatoes, which are great for hearty, immune-boosting meals. These seasonal foods are packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber to help support your immune system during flu season. Consider making a trip to your local farmers market or grocery store and stock up on these delicious and healthful ingredients.

2. Recommit to healthful habits

The slower pace of fall offers the perfect opportunity to support your overall well-being. Mindfulness practices like meditation or journaling can help you manage stress and maintain a positive mindset during the seasonal shift. Whether it’s starting a gratitude journal or taking a few minutes each day to meditate, setting aside time for yourself can greatly benefit your mental health.

3. Bake healthier fall treats

‘Tis the season to enjoy favorite seasonal treats like pumpkin bread and apple cinnamon muffins — but with a healthier twist! This season, try incorporating more nutritious ingredients into your favorite baked goods. Simple swaps like using whole grains, natural sweeteners and nutrient-dense additions such as fortified eggs can make a big difference. Fortified eggs, in particular, are a great source of high-quality, essential vitamins like Vitamin D and Omega-3s, helping to maintain energy levels during cooler days.

4. Maintain energy with exercise

As the weather cools, it may be tempting to cozy up indoors, but staying active is just as important in fall as any other season. Before it gets too cold, take advantage of outdoor activities like hiking, biking and apple picking to enjoy the crisp autumn air while getting in some fun exercise.

When it gets too uncomfortable to exercise outside, take your workouts indoors with a cozy yoga flow, a strength-training circuit or an indoor cycling class to keep your fitness routine fresh and exciting all season long.

5. Test out new protein-rich recipes

Fall is a fantastic time to explore fresh, protein-rich dishes that highlight seasonal ingredients. With protein-rich recipes trending, it’s more important than ever to ensure you’re getting enough protein for sustained energy this fall.

Experimenting in the kitchen can be both fun and rewarding, especially when you incorporate nutritious ingredients, such as eggs, into your meals to provide the boost your body needs. Eggland’s Best eggs, which contain 6 times more Vitamin D and 10 times more Vitamin E compared to ordinary eggs, provide superior nutrition and help to boost your body’s immunity and reduce oxidative stress during this transitional time. If you’re looking for a delicious, protein-packed recipe to make this fall, try this Shredded Beef and Egg Burrito recipe from Eggland’s Best.

Shredded Beef and Egg Burrito

This popular burrito from the Mexican state of Chihuahua features meat cooked until it’s falling apart, seasoned with a spiced-up chunky tomato base and finished with tender scrambled nutritious Eggland’s Best eggs.

Prep time: 20 minutes; Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes; Yield: 6

Ingredients

12 Eggland’s Best eggs, large
1 pound flank steak
1 white onion, halved and divided (half of it finely chopped)
3 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided or to taste
1-2 fresh jalapeno chiles, stemmed, finely chopped (don’t remove seeds)
1 pound ripe tomatoes, cored and finely chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
6 10-inch flour tortillas

Preparation

1. Place meat in large pot along with half the onion, garlic cloves, bay leaves and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover with water up to 2 inches above meat. Bring to a boil over high heat and remove any foam that has risen on top. Cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until meat is thoroughly cooked, soft and easily shreds. Strain and set aside. Once the meat has cooled enough to handle, shred into fine pieces.
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add chopped half onion and jalapenos, and cook about 3-4 minutes until wilted. Incorporate tomatoes and one teaspoon salt and cook 8-10 minutes, until completely softened. Add meat, stir and cook a couple more minutes so it all comes together.
3. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, crack eggs. Season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper and whisk until foamy.
4. Stir beaten eggs into meat mixture and reduce heat to medium low. Scramble gently as eggs cook until desired doneness. Set aside.
5. Thoroughly heat flour tortillas on a preheated comal, griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat. One by one, add generous amount of filling in thick strip to one side of the tortilla. Tuck in the top and bottom, fold and roll into burrito shape. You can also leave untucked and just roll it. Serve hot and eat, or wrap and take it on the go!

Find more tasty recipes at Egglandsbest.com/recipes.

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Eggland’s Best has partnered with acclaimed chef and TV personality Pati Jinich to launch the “Latin Heritage Celebracion de Huevos” Sweepstakes. Now through October 22, fans can enter daily at EBFamilySweeps.com for a chance to win the Grand Prize of $5,000 to elevate their Latin cooking experience, along with weekly prize packs featuring a signed cookbook from Chef Pati, her favorite salsas from La Costena, EB branded cookware and three-month supply of Eggland’s Best eggs!

2024-10-01T09:01:00

(BPT) – Mary, a devoted mother, grandmother and educator, gradually found herself struggling to distinguish contrasting colors, a subtle but unsettling change that impacted her daily routine. While vision changes are often accepted as a normal part of aging, what Mary was experiencing were signs of a more serious eye disease that affects the retina—the part of the eye that captures light and helps translate it into images.

She was diagnosed with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which progressed into geographic atrophy (GA)—the advanced form of dry AMD that can cause permanent vision loss—and she was determined to slow it down.

“I love to travel, cook and garden. And I love my job,” Mary, 71, said. Whether she is driving to school to teach her fourth-grade students, cooking her famous eggplant parmigiana for her big Italian family or spending quality time with her seven grandchildren, Mary’s vision is central to her independence.

With the help of her son and following her AMD diagnosis, Mary found a retina specialist in her area. Together, she and her doctor routinely monitored for changes in her vision, which was critical in helping to identify Mary’s progression to GA.

Anyone can be affected by GA. However, there are certain risk factors that have been linked to an increased chance of developing the disease, such as:

• Being over 55
• Being an active smoker
• Having cardiovascular disease, or
• Having a family history of AMD

After being diagnosed, Mary experienced feelings of fear, which is common among those who face vision loss. “When my retina specialist explained that my dry AMD had advanced to geographic atrophy and what that entailed, I was very upset and scared,” explained Mary. “Luckily, my friends and family have been so helpful by providing rides to my appointments and emotional support when needed.”

In the U.S. 1.5 million people are estimated to have GA—up to 75% of whom are believed to be undiagnosed. Because the disease may advance rapidly, scheduling regular vision checkups and initiating proactive conversations with an eye doctor or retina specialist are particularly important for timely and effective disease management. The symptoms of GA can be subtle, but common signs include:

• Seeing washed-out colors
• Difficulty seeing in low light or at night
• Straight lines that look wavy or crooked
• Blurriness or blank spots in the field of vision, making it difficult to recognize faces
• Loss of central vision, making it challenging to perform tasks like reading or driving

In speaking with her doctor, Mary learned there was a treatment she could try—IZERVAY™ (avacincaptad pegol intravitreal solution), a prescription eye injection used to treat geographic atrophy (GA). IZERVAY was proven to slow GA progression in 2 clinical trials evaluating 624 people with GA. In just one year, IZERVAY slowed GA progression by 18%-35% compared to those who were not treated.

For anyone over the age of 55 who experiences symptoms of GA, it may be time to talk with an eye doctor to learn more about the condition and benefits of treatment—because earlier action may help slow the progression of GA sooner. Slowing GA may help preserve vision for longer.

“I couldn’t wait to start IZERVAY,” she said. “I am so grateful, and it gives me hope that I may preserve the vision I have longer, which can help me see my grandchildren grow up and do the things I love.”

INDICATION AND IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

What is IZERVAY?

IZERVAY (avacincaptad pegol intravitreal solution) is a prescription eye injection, used to treat geographic atrophy (GA), the advanced form of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

What is the most important information I should know about IZERVAY?

Do NOT receive IZERVAY if you:

• Have an infection in or around your eye
• Have active swelling in or around your eye that may include pain and redness

IZERVAY can cause serious side effects:

• Eye injections like the one for IZERVAY can cause an eye infection (endophthalmitis) or separation of layers of the retina (retinal detachment).
• Call your healthcare provider right away if you have redness of the eye, eye pain, increased discomfort, worsening eye redness, blurred or decreased vision, an increased number of small specks floating in your vision, flashes of light, or increased sensitivity to light.
• There is a risk of developing wet AMD with IZERVAY. You should report any symptoms (visual distortions such as straight lines seeming bent, deterioration in vision, dark spots, loss of central vision) to your healthcare provider to monitor.
• IZERVAY may cause a temporary increase in eye pressure after the injection. Your healthcare provider will monitor this after each injection.

Before receiving IZERVAY tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions including if you:

• Have a history of seeing flashes of light or small specks floating in your vision and if you have a sudden increase of size and number of these specks.
• Have high pressure in the eye or if you have glaucoma.
• Are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor for advice before taking this medicine.
• Are taking any medications, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Tell your healthcare provider about any medicine you take.

What should I avoid while receiving IZERVAY?

• Your vision may be impaired after receiving an eye injection or after an eye exam. Do not drive or use machinery until your vision has recovered sufficiently.

What are the most common side effects of IZERVAY?

• Blood in the white of the eye
• Increase in eye pressure
• Blurred vision
• Wet age-related macular degeneration

These are not all the possible side effects of IZERVAY. Tell your healthcare provider about any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see full Prescribing Information for more information.

For more information on IZERVAY consult your eye care professional or visit IZERVAY.com.