Health News Roundup: Current Ebola outbreak termed worst in Congo's history; US to restrict e-cigarettes

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

U.S. regulators snip red tape for medical devices to curb the opioid crisis

Laura Perryman expected her medical company, Stimwave Technologies Inc, would have to wait several years for its painkilling device to win U.S. approval as a treatment for chronic migraines. She now thinks it could be done in months, thanks to a new initiative by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to use medical device-based treatments, diagnostic tests and mobile medical apps to address the country's opioid crisis.

Doctors not pushing smokers with artery disease to quit

Smokers with narrowed blood vessels in their legs would do well to quit smoking, but many doctors may not be giving them enough support to do it, a recent study suggests. Smoking can dramatically increase the risks of peripheral artery disease (PAD), which restricts blood flow to the extremities and can lead to mobility limitations, amputations and heart attacks. For the current study, researchers examined data on 1,272 patients in Australia, the Netherlands and the U.S. with new or worsening PAD symptoms in their legs and ankles.

Current Ebola outbreak is worst in Congo's history: ministry

The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is the most severe in the country's history with 319 confirmed and probable cases, the health ministry said late on Friday. The hemorrhagic fever is believed to have killed 198 people in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, where attacks by armed groups and community resistance to health officials have complicated the response.

New drug options, risk factors added to U.S. heart guidelines

Updated U.S. guidelines on heart health advise more personalized assessment of risk as well as two newer types of cholesterol-lowering drugs for people at particularly high risk of heart attack or stroke. The recommendations from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, last issued in 2013, acknowledge recent research showing the benefit of very low levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol, which contributes to fatty plaque buildup and narrowing of arteries.

U.S. to restrict e-cigarette flavours to fight teenage vaping 'epidemic'

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration next week will issue a ban on the sale of fruit and candy-flavoured electronic cigarettes in convenience stores and gas stations, an agency official said, in a move to counter a surge in the teenage use of e-cigarettes. The ban means only tobacco, mint and menthol flavours can be sold at these outlets, the agency official said, potentially dealing a major blow to Juul Labs Inc, the San Francisco-based market leader in vape devices.

China reports new African swine fever outbreak in Anhui province

China has confirmed a new outbreak of African swine fever in the eastern province of Anhui. China, home to the world's largest hog herd, has reported more than 50 cases of the highly contagious disease, including in Anhui, since the first detected outbreak in early August.

Weight loss after menopause tied to lower breast cancer risk

Older women who lose weight may have a lower risk of developing invasive breast cancer than those who maintain or gain weight, a large U.S. study suggests. While obesity has long been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, previous research has offered a mixed picture of the potential for weight loss to help reduce that risk. For the current study, researchers assessed weight and height to calculate body mass index (BMI) for more than 61,000 women twice, three years apart.

Mylan and Theravance's COPD treatment gets FDA approval

Theravance Biopharma Inc and partner Mylan NV on Friday won U.S. regulatory approval for their treatment for a chronic lung condition that causes breathing-related problems. The treatment, Yupelri https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2018/210598s000lbl.pdf, is a once-daily inhalable solution to be used by patients of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a lung disease characterized by a wheezing or a chronic cough.

AstraZeneca's diabetes drug curbs heart failure, kidney risks

The biggest clinical trial so far to assess a new class of diabetes pills shows that AstraZeneca's Farxiga can prevent heart failure and cut the risk of kidney problems in a broad range of patients. However, the medicine - belonging to a class of treatments known as SGLT2 inhibitors - failed to show a statistically significant benefit in preventing heart attacks or strokes, even in patients with established cardiovascular (CV) disease.

Soy baby formula linked to severe menstrual cramps later in life

The feeding infant girls baby formula containing soy may set them up for more painful menstrual periods as young women, a new study suggests. The research, which included information on more than 1,500 African American women, reinforces findings in earlier studies that included mostly Caucasian women.

(With inputs from agencies.)