Trending News Today: Clinical Trial Participation Reduces Drinking, Improves Outcomes in Women with HIV

Participating in a randomized clinical trial helped women with HIV significantly reduce their alcohol intake, regardless of medication assignment, which resulted in improved rates of viral suppression, The American Journal of Managed Care reported. According to the article, the study included 194 women who received either daily oral naltrexone or placebo. After 4 months, reductions in drinking were comparable between both groups and the behavior change also resulted in benefits to HIV outcomes, the article reported.

A new study showed that an investigational cheap combination pill taken once daily reduced the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure in patients, The Associated Press reported. According to the article, the pill, which contains 2 blood pressure drugs, a cholesterol medicine, and aspirin, was tested in a large study of approximately 6800 individuals in Iran. After 5 years, those who took the combination pill had a 34% lower risk for a cardiovascular event, which translated to a 22% lower risk when the researchers took into account other heart medications that participants were taking, the article reported.

A recent study showed that higher levels of physical activity at any intensity can lower the risk of early death in middle-aged and older individuals, CNN reported. According to the article, the researchers analyzed studies involving 36,383 adults that assessed how physical activity and sedentary time were linked with a risk of an early death. Overall, the study demonstrated the inactive participants had a risk of death that was approximately 5 times higher than those who were the most active, the article reported.