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GLP-1 drugs promise wider health benefits, but experts urge caution on use

GLP-1 receptor agonists are reshaping care for type 2 diabetes, obesity, chronic kidney disease, and obstructive sleep apnea, with evidence for glycemic, weight-loss, cardiovascular, and renal benefits. The review urges nurse practitioners to balance expanding clinical promise with careful prescribing, patient education, monitoring, access advocacy, and vigilance for gastrointestinal, endocrine, pregnancy-related, and rare serious risks.

27 Apr 2026

GLP-1 weight loss is driven mainly by fat loss, not muscle loss

GLP-1-based therapies helped adults with overweight or obesity lose weight mainly by reducing fat mass and visceral adipose tissue, while lean body mass losses were generally modest. The findings suggest these treatments can support higher-quality weight loss when paired with individualized care, nutrition, and resistance training.

27 Apr 2026

Vitamin E intake linked to a key fertility hormone in women trying to conceive

A cross-sectional study of 97 women with infertility found that higher vitamin E intake was associated with lower prolactin levels and smaller hip circumference. Riboflavin and calcium intake were linked to higher muscle mass percentage, but the findings are association-based and need confirmation in longitudinal studies.

26 Apr 2026

Space research accelerates heart disease studies and tissue engineering

By studying and engineering heart tissue in the unique low-gravity environment of space, the laboratory of Arun Sharma, PhD, is uncovering new ways to protect and repair the failing heart.

25 Apr 2026

The heart's constant beating suppresses tumor growth in cardiac tissues

The heart's constant beating may actively suppress tumor growth in cardiac tissues, a new study reports. This is because cellular pathways in these tissues alter gene regulation in cancer cells to keep them from proliferating.

25 Apr 2026

Losing weight improves heart muscle contraction in people with obesity and heart failure

In a new research report, a team of scientists led by Johns Hopkins Medicine say people with severe obesity and a common type of heart failure experience weakened heart muscles, and that losing weight may reverse some of these effects.

25 Apr 2026

Eccentric exercise builds muscle strength and size with less effort

If you think you need to 'go hard' at the gym to make your muscles stronger, think again!

25 Apr 2026

Trends reveal growing burden of deaths from non-ischemic cardiogenic shock

New data from the CDC WONDER database finds deaths from heart attack-related cardiogenic shock (CS) decreased between 1999 and 2020, but deaths linked to heart failure (HF) and abnormal heart rhythms have risen sharply since 2010, particularly among men.

24 Apr 2026

Lower grip strength in early pregnancy linked to risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are a leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide. In addition, HDP can lead to fetal growth restriction, preterm birth, and various long-term adverse health outcomes.

24 Apr 2026

New mouse model reveals primary trigger of rare muscle disorder

Myofibrillar myopathy type 6 (MFM6) is a rare genetic muscle disorder that leads to severe muscle weakness and a drastically shortened life expectancy due to a disruption in muscle protein regulation.

24 Apr 2026

Elite footballers show ancestry-related differences in cardiovascular evaluation

Elite footballers of Black ethnicity show important ancestry-related differences in cardiac adaptation.

24 Apr 2026

"Domino" heart valves from diseased organs could save thousands of children

A surgical innovation called partial heart transplantation could transform care for children with severe heart valve disease, allowing for thousands of additional valve transplants each year, according to a presentation delivered today by Joseph Turek, MD, PhD, at the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) 46th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions.

24 Apr 2026

Drug-coated balloons reduce the need for permanent heart stents

A new sub-study suggests that using a sirolimus-eluting balloon (SEB), a drug-coated balloon, can reduce the number of stents a patient may need, making it a safe and effective way to treat certain heart attacks or unstable chest pain.

23 Apr 2026

Exercise may be safer for children with heart conditions

Physical activity in children and teenagers with cardiomyopathy (conditions that affect the heart muscle's structure and function, impairing its ability to pump or fill effectively), as well as children with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) may be safer than previous research suggested, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association, published today in the Association's flagship peer-reviewed journal Circulation.

23 Apr 2026

Immunotherapy drug helps bladder cancer patients avoid major organ removal

A drug that helps the immune system find cancer cells also helps patients avoid having their bladders surgically removed (cystectomy), a new study shows.

22 Apr 2026

Advanced cardiac CT detects hidden heart damage and future risk

Kumamoto University researchers discover that combining two advanced heart imaging techniques can predict life-threatening cardiovascular events with high accuracy.

21 Apr 2026

Pinecone-inspired conduit enables suture-free repair of nerve injuries

As the authors detail, PNI is a prevalent neurological condition that often causes permanent sensory and motor dysfunction, severely impairing patient's quality of life.

21 Apr 2026

Early myocarditis onset after immunotherapy linked to higher fatality risk

Patients who developed myocarditis within the first month of receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy were more likely to die of myocarditis, and myocarditis-specific fatality was more common in patients who experienced co-occurring myositis and myasthenia gravis, according to results from a study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2026, held April 17-22.

21 Apr 2026

New UWB technique helps pill-sized cameras overcome human body interference

Diagnostic tests for stomach conditions are tough for patients, as many of the most accurate ones involve minor surgical procedures or invasive techniques.

21 Apr 2026

Muscle energy recovery may explain fatigue in cancer survivors

Even apparently healthy cancer survivors often complain of extreme fatigue. They have finished treatment, the scans are clear, but they feel hollowed out, unable to walk to the mailbox or stay awake through dinner.

21 Apr 2026