Still coming

Dorian, that is. Take a moment to give thanks for satellites, weather forecasting, and having this much warning to evacuate (in the six coastal counties subject to mandatory evacuation).

And remember, you can find the latest information for pharmacists at GPhA.org/dorian.

Another reason to get a flu shot

For patients with high blood pressure, it apparently cuts their risk of early death. (To be honest, though, not getting the flu would seem to cut everyone’s risk of early death.)

Text a diabetic

It can help her maintain her glucose levels (assuming it’s a supportive message). So finds a six-month, 500-person Chinese study.

The results showed an average reduction in HbA1c of 2 mmol/mol (0.2%) in those who received the supportive messages. The group that did not receive the supportive messages experienced an average rise in HbA1c of 1 moll/mol (0.1%) on average.

Point of care cancer test?

Researchers from the Imperial College of London and MIT have developed an early prototype test that appears to detect cancer in mice — by changing color in a urine test.

[It] works by injecting nanosensors into mice, which are cut up by enzymes released by tumours known as proteases.

When the nanosensors are broken up by proteases, they pass through the kidney, and can be seen with the naked eye after a urine test that produces a blue colour change.

The Goldilocks snooze

According to a seven-year study out of the University of Colorado, getting too much sleep can raise your risk of a heart attack. But so can getting too little. Then again, the Goldilocks zone is actually pretty wide:

Compared to those who slept 6 to 9 hours per night, those who slept fewer than six hours were 20% more likely to have a heart attack during the study period. Those who slept more than nine hours were 34% more likely.

The ties that bind

Here at GPhA Buzz, we love zip ties as much as anyone — they’re as indispensable as duct tape for fixing what needs to be fixed. Then again, we’re not a major pharmaceutical manufacturer subject to FDA inspection.

A sample of one

Headline: “Poor diet can lead to blindness.”

Reality: A single patient — a teenager — who has subsisted on a diet of French fries, potato chips, white bread, and Spam went blind because of his diet.

Further investigation found the patient had vitamin B12 deficiency, low copper and selenium levels, a high zinc level, and markedly reduced vitamin D level and bone mineral density.

(The researchers warn that the rise of veganism could lead to more such cases because of vitamin B12 deficiency.)