Trending News Today: Gum Disease May Be Tied to Higher Blood Pressure

The American Medical Association (AMA) is urging the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to take action against the high costs for insulin, The Hill reported. According to the article, the AMA said in a letter to FTC Chairman Joseph Simons that physicians are concerned anticompetitive behaviors by manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers may be contributing to the increasing cost of insulin. The AMA added that the consequences of the anticompetitive market could include worse health outcomes for patients, the article reported.

A new study has found that gum disease may be linked with higher blood pressure, Reuters reported. According to the article, researchers analyzed data of adults over the age of 30 with hypertension who underwent a dental exam, including 3626 who said they were currently taking medication to control high blood pressure and 460 who said they were not. Among the study participants treated for hypertension, those with gum disease had average blood pressure readings 2 to 3 mm Hg higher than those without gum disease and were less likely to have their blood pressure under control with medication, the article reported.

A recent study showed that hospital accreditation may not be tied to better outcomes for US patients, Reuters reported. According to the article, the researchers analyzed data from 4400 US hospitals, including 3337 accredited facilities and 1063 that passed state-based review from 2014-2017. Overall, they found no difference in patient death rates between accredited and unaccredited hospitals and only a slightly lower rate of patient readmissions at accredited hospitals, the article reported.