HealthDay (7/6, Norton) reports, “Loneliness might be a true heartbreaker for people with diabetes – raising their odds of a heart attack even more than unhealthy lifestyle habits do,” according to findings from “a new study of over 18,000 adults with the blood sugar disease” published online in the European Heart Journal. The study team “found that people who reported feeling lonely were up to 26% more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke in the next decade, compared to those who felt more socially connected.”

Related Links:

— “Loneliness Can Really Break a Heart in People With Diabetes,”Amy Norton, HealthDay, July 6, 2023

Healio (7/6, Young) reports, “Depression associated with hormonal contraception” (HC) “may indicate susceptibility to postpartum depression,” investigators concluded in findings published online April 26 in JAMA Psychiatry. In the “study of 188,648 first-time mothers, 5,722 (mean age, 26.7 years) had a history of depression associated with HC use and 18,431 (mean age, 27.1 years) had a history of depression not associated with HC.” The study revealed that “women with depression associated with HC initiation had a higher risk for postpartum depression.”

Related Links:

— “Depression associated with hormonal contraception indicates risk for postpartum depression,”Kate Young, Healio, July 6, 2023

Healio (7/5, Weldon) reports, “The FDA said Wednesday that it has warned six companies about illegally selling what it called ‘copycat’ edibles containing delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol” (delta-8 THC), “a psychoactive and intoxicating substance found in cannabis sativa plants.” The substance “has not been approved by the FDA for any safe use.” In a July 5 press release, the agency “said the copycat products – often designed to resemble snack foods such as chips, cookies, candy and gummies – could be accidentally consumed by children in large quantities without realizing it.”

Related Links:

— “FDA warns companies about illegally selling ‘copycat’ edibles with delta-8 THC,”Rose Weldon, Healio, July 5, 2023

According to MedPage Today (7/5, DePeau-Wilson), for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), “use of prescription stimulant medication to manage their symptoms was not associated with later substance use,” investigators concluded in a “longitudinal analysis” that “followed patients with” AD/HD “over a 16-year period from childhood through adolescence into early adulthood.” The findings of the 547-child study were published online July 5 in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

The New York Times (7/5, Abelson) reports, “People with private Medicare coverage may not be getting the mental health services they need because they cannot find a psychiatrist within their plan’s network,” investigators concluded in findings published online July 5 in the journal Health Affairs. The study revealed that “more than half of the counties…studied did not have a single psychiatrist participating in a Medicare Advantage plan, the private-sector counterpart to traditional Medicare.” Psychiatrists “may be unwilling to participate in Medicare Advantage plans because of the low payments paid by the insurers, coupled with all of the required paperwork, said” Robert Trestman, MD, PhD, who chairs “the council on health care systems and financing for the American Psychiatric Association.” Dr. Trestman said, “Many of the challenges and frustrations are emphasized in the Medicare Advantage plans.”

Related Links:

— “Medicare Advantage Plans Offer Few Psychiatrists,” Reed Abelson, The New York Times, July 5, 2023