Healio (8/25, Gramigna) reports, “A brief mindfulness intervention appeared to reduce stress among health care professionals,” investigators concluded in a small randomized study that “sought to assess the feasibility and efficacy of an abbreviated mindfulness-based self-care program (MBSC) for stress reduction during work hours among health care professionals at a single research hospital.” The study revealed that participants in “the MBSC group exhibited reduced stress levels and anxiety, as well as improved positive affect, state mindfulness and mindful self-care at the end of the intervention.” What’s more, “through follow-up, the MBSC group exhibited sustained reductions in stress, anxiety, trait mindfulness and state mindfulness.” The findings were published online in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Brief mindfulness intervention reduces stress among health care professionals, “Joe Gramigna, Healio, August 25, 2020

Healio (8/25, Gramigna) reports, “Lithium use among older adults was associated with increased risk for renal decline,” investigators concluded after using “linked health care databases from Ontario, Canada, to analyze 2007 to 2015 data of older adults with a mean age of 71 years.” The study team then “propensity-score matched 3,113 lithium users 1:1 to 3,113 valproate users and further examined those with higher or lower concentrations of serum lithium.” The findings of the “population-based cohort study” were published online Aug. 24 in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Lithium may increase risk for renal decline among older adults, ”
Joe Gramigna, Healio, August 25, 2020

HealthDay (8/25, Gordon) reports that despite hints from previous research, investigators found no link “between high blood pressure medications and depression,” even after studying “dozens of commonly used” antihypertensives. In fact, after studying data on some 5.4 million Danes, investigators found that “nine blood pressure” medications “were associated with a lower risk of depression.” Medications that lowered the risk for depression “included: enalapril (Vasotec), ramipril (Altace), amlopidine (Norvasc), verapamil (Verelan), verapamil combination drugs, propranolol (Inderal), atenolol (Tenormin), bisoprolol (Zebeta) and carvedilol (Coreg).” The findings were published online Aug. 24 in the journal Hypertension.

Related Links:

— “Blood Pressure Meds Don’t Raise Risk of Depression, “Serena Gordon, HealthDay, August 25, 2020

CNN (8/24, Prior) reports that a study indicated “as the coronavirus pandemic gained traction in the United States, internet searches for key words related to panic attacks and acute anxiety spiked.” The findings were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

CNBC (8/24, Higgins-Dunn) reports that the study found “anxiety-related searches were roughly 11% higher than usual over the 58 days after” the president “declared a national emergency on March 13.” Meanwhile, “there were 3.4 million total searches for anxiety, about 375,000 more than usual.” Also covering the story are HealthDay (8/24, Gordon) and Healio (8/24, Miller).

Related Links:

— “Acute anxiety: Internet searches for key words spiked to all-time high early in pandemic, “Ryan Prior, CNN, August 24, 2020

Healio (8/24, Buzby) reports that research indicated “continued use of certain angiotensin agents, calcium antagonists and beta-blockers was linked to decreased rates of depression.” The “analysis included 3,747,190 patients who were on an antihypertensive drug between 2005 and 2015.” The study found that “of the 41 antihypertensive therapies analyzed, nine were associated with a reduced risk for depression: two angiotensin agents (enalapril and ramipril); three calcium antagonists (amlodipine, verapamil and verapamil combinations); and four beta-blockers (propranolol, atenolol, bisoprolol and carvedilol).”

Related Links:

— “Use of certain antihypertensives correlates with reduced incidence of depression, “Scott Buzby, Healio, August 24, 2020

Healio (8/21, Young) reported, “Approximately one in six patients with cirrhosis had depression while more than half had moderate-severe anxiety, according to the results of a phone interview survey.” Investigators analyzed data from “1,021 patients” who “completed it.” The findings were published online in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Related Links:

— “Anxiety, depression common among patients with cirrhosis, “Alex Young, Healio, August 21, 2020

HealthDay (8/21, Preidt) reported, “Eating disorders – such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia and binge-eating disorder – cost the U.S. economy nearly $65 billion in one recent year,” investigators concluded in a study that also revealed that “about 75% of that ($48.6 billion) was due to lost productivity.” The study “team found that there were nearly 54,000 emergency department visits due to eating disorders in fiscal year 2018 to 2019, costing $29 million, and over 23,500 in-patient hospitalizations due to eating disorders, costing $209 million.” The findings were disclosed in “a news release from the Academy for Eating Disorders.”

Related Links:

— “Eating Disorders Cost Billions in the U.S., “Robert Preidt, HealthDay, August 21, 2020

HCPlive (8/20, Walter) reports researchers have “determined the overall effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of geriatric adults with pre-existing major depressive disorder (MDD).” For the study, researchers “examined 73 community-living older adults with pre-existing MDD living in Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis,” finding that these older adults “were more concerned by the risk of contracting the virus than by the risks of social isolation.” What’s more, the study revealed that “older patients exhibited resilience to the stress and isolation of physical distancing.” The findings were published online ahead of print in the September issue of the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Geriatric Patients with Depression Showing Resiliency During COVID-19 Pandemic, “Kenny Walter, HCPlive, August 20, 2020

HealthDay (8/20, Reinberg) reports, “Girls with the eating disorder anorexia nervosa may have stunted growth,” researchers concluded in a study that included “255 girls around age 15 who were hospitalized for anorexia nervosa.” After measuring “patients’ height at the time of hospitalization and again at adulthood,” investigators found that “the women’s adult height was much shorter than expected compared with the genetic potential gauged by their parents’ height.” The findings were published online in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Related Links:

— “Anorexia Often Stunts Girls’ Growth, Study Finds, “Steven Reinberg, HealthDay, August 20, 2020

NBC News (8/19) reports the USPSTF’s new guidance “recommends behavioral counseling for all sexually active adolescents, as well as for adults at high risk for STIs.” The USPSTF says cases of STIs could be reduced significantly if younger people received counseling about risky behavior.

Related Links:

— “USPSTF Guidance Says Young People Should Receive Counseling About Risky Behavior To Reduce Cases Of STIs, “Kelsie Sandoval, NBC News, August 19, 2020