The more you know about your genetic risk of heart disease, the more likely you are to get your cholesterol levels under control, according to a new study presented at the American Heart Association meeting in Orlando, Florida.

Researchers recruited 200 people between the ages of 45 to 65 who had an intermediate risk of heart disease, but who were not taking any cholesterol-lowering drugs. Half of the participants were given their 10-year risk score, taking into account many factors, such as blood pressure levels and smoking status. The rest were given a score that included an assessment of 28 genes known to increase the risk of heart disease. Everyone received information on ways to modify their risk, including taking statin medication.

When a followup was done six months later, the group that received genetic risk information had significantly lower LDL or bad cholesterol – specifically, 10 points lower.

Specifically, people who were told they had a greater likelihood of developing heart disease because of genetics were more likely to take statins.

This Week’s Slice of History: First Lobotomy: Nov. 12, 1935

Sourced from: Medical Daily, Advising People About Heart Risk Genes Helped Cut Cholesterol: Study

More than half of female methadone clinic patients became addicted to opioids after using prescription painkillers, according to new research published in the journal Biology of Sex Differences.

After an analysis of information from patients that included health, lifestyle, and urine tests for drug use, researchers found that 52 percent of women and 38 percent of men were first exposed to opioids through a prescription from their doctor.

They also found that women were more likely to have physical and psychological health problems, home responsibilities, and a genetic predisposition to mental illness, and that men were more likely to be working and using tobacco and marijuana. In fact, marijuana use was high among both men and women – 47 percent reporting use in the past month

Study authors also found that treatment with methadone for opioid addiction was largely geared towards men, with few studies including women–even though the case can be made that women are affected more significantly than men.

This Week’s Slice of History: First Lobotomy: Nov. 12, 1935

Sourced from: Medical News Today, 50% of female methadone patients started with prescription painkillers

Even with barbeques, you can have too much of a good thing. A report released by the National Cancer Institute says that regularly consuming meat cooked at high temperatures or over an open flame may put you at increased risk of kidney cancer.

Researchers found that cooking animal muscle at high temperatures may produce substances that can actually cause changes in a person’s DNA. And one of these substances may have a link to kidney cancer.

Researchers compared 659 people with kidney cancer to 699 people without cancer by examining their dietary patterns and genetic risk profiles. They found that the cancer patients had diets higher in red and white meat, and usually ate it after it had been grilled, pan-fried or barbequed.

There were some caveats to the study as most of the people in the cancer group were obese and consumed healthy foods, such as fruit, less often. Also, the researchers surveyed only non-Hispanic white adults.

Further studies are needed to confirm a connection between kidney cancer and charred meat.

This Week’s Slice of History: First Lobotomy: Nov. 12, 1935

Sourced from: Reuters, Consuming charred meat may up kidney cancer risk