Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Those Under 40 Should Watch, Manage Cholesterol, New Heart Guidelines Say
Stat: New Heart Disease Guidelines Suggest Statins As Early As Age 30
Leading medical organizations on Friday recommended major changes in cardiovascular disease prevention, saying people as young as 30 — down from age 40 — should consider statins or other measures to manage cholesterol. (Cooney, 3/13)
In other health and wellness news —
The Wall Street Journal: Teenagers Have Easy Access To Weed. Science Says It’s Bad For Them.
Legalization of recreational marijuana by many states has made it easier for teens to get access to highly potent and convenient forms of the drug, creating new hazards for teen health. New research shows that using it as little as once a month or less as a teenager is linked to an increased risk of developing psychiatric disorders and doing poorly in school. (Petersen, 3/14)
Fortune: Burned-Out Workers Are Using Medical Leave As A Vacation To Escape Toxic Bosses
If you’re burned out, stuck in a toxic job, and too financially stretched to just quit, TikTok has a suggestion: Take medical leave. Instead of quiet quitting or burning through PTO, a growing corner of the internet is advising workers to take up to 12 weeks off—fully protected and, depending on your benefits, even paid. “If you have a full-time job with benefits and you are really struggling with your mental health, take FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act),” one TikToker, @lexi.inks, told her followers in a viral video. (Royle, 3/15)
San Francisco Chronicle: Stanford Scientists Searching For Ways To Prevent Kidney Stones
Dr. Alan Pao had a patient years ago with recurring, debilitating kidney stones that due to their chemical makeup were essentially unpreventable. He recalled telling the man once that he was sorry, but there were no options that wouldn’t make his condition worse. “There are some things someone could try,” Pao told the man, thinking of patients he’d seen over the years at the Stanford Kidney Stone Clinic and ideas that had tickled the back of his mind as possible options for treating them. And the man said, well, why shouldn’t Pao be the one to try? (Allday, 3/15)
NPR: Do You Need A 'Parasite Cleanse?' Here's What Doctors Say
Some wellness influencers are very worried about parasites. In online posts and videos, they suggest the organisms can be blamed for a host of symptoms — bloating, insomnia, food cravings, teeth grinding, headaches, among others. They claim that you can rid your body of these discomforts with what's known as a parasite cleanse. (Boden, 3/16)
