Diabetes Death Rates At Lowest Level Since Start Of Pandemic: CDC

CBS News: Diabetes Deaths Fall To Lowest Levels In Years, In Early CDC Figures
Diabetes deaths in the U.S. have fallen to some of the lowest rates in years, according to new preliminary figures published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reversing a surge in mortality that was seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were 26.4 deaths per 100,000 people from diabetes, according to early death certificate data for the third quarter of 2024 published this month by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. (Tin, 4/30)

In other public health news —

MedPage Today: Breast Cancer Mortality In Young Women Declined Precipitously After 2010
While the incidence of breast cancer in young women has been increasing over the last 20 years, breast cancer deaths in this age group fell significantly between 2010 and 2020, researchers found. Among women ages 20 to 49, incidence-based mortality declined from 9.70 per 100,000 women in 2010 to 1.47 per 100,000 in 2020, reported Adetunji Toriola, MD, PhD, MPH, of the Siteman Cancer Center at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting in Chicago. (Bassett, 4/30)

ABC News: Active Ingredient In Weight Loss Drug Wegovy May Help Treat Type Of Fatty Liver Disease: Study
The active ingredient in the popular weight loss drug Wegovy may help treat a type of fatty liver disease, according to new research. The disease, known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), occurs where fat builds up in the liver, leading to inflammation, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (Chang, 4/30)

Stat: Sedative Medetomidine, Or 'Dex,' Complicates Battle Against Fentanyl
The era of “tranq” may be ending. But tranq, as the powerful veterinary tranquilizer xylazine is known in the illicit drug supply, is being replaced at least in part by a dangerous new sedative: medetomidine. (Facher, 5/1)

AP: What’s That Rash? Put Some Thought Into Asking Google For Medical Help
Dr. Google is often on call for worried patients, but it may not give the best advice. Doctors say internet searches for medical information should be done cautiously, especially with artificial intelligence playing a growing role. Information from the right websites can teach patients about symptoms and prepare them for a doctor’s visit. But a poorly done search might inflame anxiety well before someone reaches the waiting room. It’s important to know the source of the information you find and to avoid trying to diagnose your health issue. (Murphy, 4/30)

On aging and happiness —

The New York Times: Young People Are Not As Happy As They Used To Be, Study Finds
The happiness curve is collapsing. For decades, research showed that the way people experienced happiness across their lifetimes looked like a U-shaped curve. Happiness tended to be high when they were young, then dipped in midlife, only to rise again as they grew old. But recent surveys suggest that young adults aren’t as happy as they used to be, and that U-shaped curve is starting to flatten. (Caron, 4/30)

The Hill: Older Americans Working Longer To Stay Active, Save More
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 1 in 5 workers were 55 or older in 2023. In that same year, 15 percent of workers were between 55 and 64, and about 7 percent were 65 or older. ... Nearly 80 percent of older workers said they are still working because they need the paycheck or because they want to keep building their retirement savings, according to the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies. A recent survey from insurance company Allianz Life found 64 percent of Americans worry more about running out of money than they do about dying. (Perkins and Prann, 4/30)