A secondary analysis of the SOUL trial found that oral semaglutide reduced heart failure events by 22% in patients with Type 2 diabetes and heart failure. Published in JAMA Internal Medicine, the study found no benefit for patients with reduced ejection fraction or those without heart failure.

Higher insulin levels in women at age 47 were associated with a greater risk of menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes and nighttime sweats, at a younger age and longer duration of symptoms, researchers reported in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. BMI also was associated with the menopause symptoms but it was more related to slower estradiol decline and blunted follicle-stimulating hormone increase.

An analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found 79% of US adults with hypertension did not have their blood pressure within the recommended threshold of 130 mm Hg systolic and 80 mm Hg diastolic. The study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found 61.3% of cases of uncontrolled hypertension were untreated.

Closing the gap: About two-thirds of people with uncontrolled, untreated hypertension had blood pressure within 10 mm Hg of the goal, and researchers suggested that initiating antihypertensive medication and lifestyle changes could help bring many cases into control.

A study in Switzerland found about half of smokers who had heart attacks quit smoking. Smoking cessation was more likely among patients who had longer hospital stays and those who participated in cardiac rehabilitation programs. The findings were published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

Medtronic has announced expanded access to its MiniMed 780G automated insulin delivery system, including Medicare coverage when paired with Abbott's Instinct sensor. The FDA has cleared the system for use by patients with insulin-requiring type 2 diabetes and for ultra rapid-acting insulins.

OpenAI's ChatGPT Health is a chatbot designed to assist patients in managing their health by interpreting medical scans, developing wellness plans and integrating data from wearable health trackers. Physicians have noted that patients using ChatGPT Health may be better informed about their conditions, though the platform sometimes provides inaccurate information. ChatGPT Health offers enhanced privacy protections, but it is not subject to HIPAA regulations.

More than half of commercially insured patients in the US had at least one chronic condition in 2024, according to a FAIR Health report. The data showed 57.5% of patients had a chronic condition, underscoring that chronic disease is now the norm rather than the exception for insured Americans, marking a significant shift in health trends over the past decade. Common conditions included hypertension (20%), anxiety disorders (14.6%), obesity (13.2%), and mental illness (10.5%), indicating a high burden of both physical and mental health issues within this group.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for women in the US, accounting for one in five female deaths in 2023, according to CDC data. Despite this, many women underestimate their risk, often believing cancer is a greater threat. Experts stress that heart disease kills more women than breast cancer, beginning as early as age 18. Both lifestyle choices and awareness are key factors in reducing this risk.

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