Harvard Health Content API

Eating strawberries just might help fend off esophageal cancer, a very small study suggests. Only 36 people were in the study. All of them had precancerous growths in the esophagus. Researchers asked them to eat about 2 ounces of freeze-dried strawberries each day. They did this for 6 months. Afterward, researchers looked again at the precancerous cells in the esophagus. In 29 of the 36 patients, the cells looked more normal under a microscope. Researchers tried strawberries as a possible treatment because research in rats suggested it might work. They used freeze-dried berries because they have concentrated levels of antioxidants, which are thought to fight cancer. The strawberry study was presented at a conference. ABC and CBS News both aired reports on it April 6.

People who take higher doses of narcotics are more likely to overdose, a study finds. The study focused on people who took narcotics for pain. These drugs are also called opioids. They include Oxycontin, Vicodin and others. Researchers looked at 750 accidental deaths from opioid overdose. These were compared with data on nearly 155,000 other people who took opioids for pain. The overdose rate was less than one-half of 1%. It occurred more often among people who were prescribed doses of 100 milligrams a day or more. People who usually took lower doses were less likely to take too much. The Journal of the American Medical Association published the study. HealthDay News wrote about it April 5.

The higher risk of strokes and blood clots for women who take estrogen after menopause appears to fade after they quit taking it, a study finds. The new study is a follow-up to the landmark Women’s Health Initiative study. Part of that study compared women taking estrogen to those taking a placebo. It was halted in 2004 after stroke risks were seen in the estrogen group. The new study looked at long-term results for 10,739 women. On average, they took estrogen for about 6 years. About 4 years after they stopped, their higher risk of strokes and blood clots had disappeared. Results were best for women who started taking estrogen in their 50s. The study strengthens doctors’ current advice to women with menopause symptoms. Most recommend taking hormones in the smallest effective dose for the shortest possible time.

A non-surgical procedure repairs a serious heart valve problem as well as surgery does for high-risk patients, a study has found. Both procedures are done for aortic stenosis. This is a stiffening of the heart’s aortic valve, which strains the heart. It can lead to severe symptoms and disability. The new procedure uses a thin tube called a catheter to push a new artificial valve through an artery to the heart. A balloon props open the old valve while the new one is inserted. The study included nearly 700 people. They were well enough for surgery but had a high risk of problems with it. They were randomly divided into two groups. One group got surgery. The other got the new procedure. After one year, about 27% of the surgery patients and 24% of those who got the new procedure had died. About 8% of those in the non-surgery group had strokes and other neurological problems.

Arizona’s Medicaid program may start charging fees to smokers and to diabetics who don’t lose weight. The proposal comes from the state’s Health Care Cost Containment system. Smokers on Medicaid would be charged $50 a year. The same fee would apply to people with diabetes who don’t follow their doctors’ orders to lose weight. There’s a dual purpose, officials said. It would bring revenue into the state’s cash-strapped Medicaid program. And it could encourage people to take better care of themselves. The state will ask the federal government to approve these two proposals and others that are aimed at cutting costs. The New York Times and the Associated Press wrote about the proposals April 1.

Diet plus exercise help obese older adults more than either one alone, a new study finds. Though that may seem like conventional wisdom, some doctors would disagree, the author told HealthDay News. Some worry that diet changes and exercise may reduce bone and muscle and make older adults more frail. But the study found the opposite was true. The study included 93 obese adults. All were older than age 65. They were randomly divided into four groups. One group did supervised exercise 3 times a week. It included aerobic exercise, weight training and stretching. Another group was given a reduced-calorie diet and support from a dietician. The third group did both things — exercise and diet changes. The fourth group received general advice on diet. The study lasted a year. People who dieted and exercised had the best results. They lost 9% of their weight on average.