Health News Roundup: Crosswords and sudoku may not stop mental decline; Stigma may keep people from getting weight loss surgery

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Stigma may keep people from getting weight loss surgery

Most obese patients who qualify for weight loss surgery don't seek it out, and that may be due at least partly to stigma, a U.S. survey suggests. Nearly half of randomly-chosen survey participants said they believe the procedure is usually done for cosmetic rather than health reasons, and about 40 percent thought people who choose the surgery have taken "the easy way out," researchers report in JAMA Surgery.

New York sues Target, Walmart over lead-contaminated toys

Target Corp, Walmart Inc and toy importer LaRose Industries were sued on Thursday over the sale of lead-contaminated children's toys, New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood said. The lawsuit, filed in New York state court in Albany, is over "Cra-Z-Jewelz" jewelry-making kits that were imported by LaRose and sold by Target and Walmart. Tests conducted by the attorney general's office found that the kits contained levels of lead that were up to 10 times higher than the federal limit, according to the complaint.

Crosswords and sudoku may not stop mental decline

Mental engagement through problem-solving games like crossword puzzles, sudoku and brain teasers may not offset cognitive losses due to age-related dementia, a new study suggests. Still, practicing these kinds of activities throughout life might boost mental ability and provide a higher starting point before decline, researchers write in The BMJ.

Senate Democrats introduce bill to allow government to block drug price rises

Four Democratic U.S. senators introduced a bill on Thursday that would allow the government to block drug price increases that it decides are unjustified. The bill sponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar and Jeff Merkley, all Democrats, would allow the Department of Health and Human Services to prohibit drug price increases that it deems excessive.

With no antiretrovirals, Venezuela HIV patients rely on leaf remedy

As Venezuela's hyperinflation and chronic medicine shortages leave HIV patients with little hope of obtaining antiretroviral drugs, many are now relying on the leaves of a tropical tree known as the guasimo. For each dose, patients use around 50 leaves from the tree, which is often used for lumber and is also known as the West Indian elm, and run them through a blender with water. They then strain and drink the green liquid.

Mylan says Sanofi loses Lantus insulin patent claims

U.S. generics drugmaker Mylan said on Thursday that the United States Patent and Trademark Office had rejected Sanofi's infringement claims relating to insulin drug Lantus. Sanofi is heavily reliant on Lantus, its leading product with sales of 4.62 billion euros ($5.26 billion) in 2017, and Mylan's own insulin drug would be its second competitor after Eli Lilly launched its version in late 2016.

South Africa's Aspen strikes distribution deal with U.S. drugmaker Mylan

Aspen Pharmacare has struck a deal with U.S. generics maker Mylan to distribute a portfolio of prescription and over-the-counter drugs in Australia and New Zealand. The arrangement by Aspen Global Incorporated and its Australian subsidiaries includes an option for Mylan to buy the portfolio for approximately 188 million Australian dollars ($136 million), the company said in a statement.

Inflammatory bowel disease tied to heart attack risk

People with inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis may be up to 12 times more likely to have a heart attack, a U.S. study suggests. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) involves chronic or recurring inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's are the most common forms. People with Crohn's have inflammation throughout the digestive tract, while in ulcerative colitis, only the large intestine is inflamed.

U.S. appeals court narrows order on Trump birth control rules

A federal appeals court on Thursday narrowed an order that had blocked President Donald Trump's administration from enforcing new rules that undermine an Obamacare requirement for employers to provide insurance that covers women's birth control. Last year two federal judges - one in Philadelphia and one in Oakland, California - had blocked the government from enforcing a new guideline allowing businesses or nonprofits to obtain exemptions from the contraception policy on moral or religious grounds. The Justice Department appealed both rulings.

Sleep problems may be worse when menopause is hastened by surgery

Women who have surgery to remove their ovaries go through menopause abruptly, and a new study suggests this comes with an increased risk for the kinds of sleep troubles many women experience when they go through menopause gradually. Women typically go through menopause between ages 45 and 55. As the ovaries curb production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, women can experience symptoms ranging from vaginal dryness to mood swings, joint pain and insomnia.

(With inputs from Reuters)

(With inputs from agencies.)