ResearchRSS3 days ago
A study from Japan found that people with pulmonary hypertension (a condition where blood vessels in the lungs become stiff and narrow) who have higher pulmonary vascular resistance—a measure of how hard the heart has to work to pump blood through the lungs—tend to have worse health outcomes. The study also looked at whether a type of diabetes medication called SGLT2 inhibitors might help these patients.
WHY IT MATTERSIf you have pulmonary hypertension related to heart disease, knowing that high pulmonary vascular resistance predicts worse outcomes could help your doctor decide whether to start more aggressive treatment earlier or monitor you more closely.
ResearchRSS3 days ago
Researchers found that a Parkinson's disease medication called Crexont helped patients spend more time feeling better and less time experiencing symptoms when they switched from other levodopa treatments. The study showed improvements in movement control and daily functioning across different patient groups. This is early-stage research being presented at a medical conference.
WHY IT MATTERSIf you take levodopa for Parkinson's and struggle with 'off' periods when symptoms return between doses, Crexont may offer a way to extend your good symptom control time throughout the day.
ResearchRSS3 days ago
Researchers found that data from smartphones and wearable devices, collected over several years through a health app, can help doctors identify people with a rare lung disease called idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) earlier than before. The study used information like heart rate and activity levels from the My Heart Counts app to spot differences between people with IPAH and healthy people. This discovery could lead to faster diagnosis of this serious condition.
WHY IT MATTERSEarlier detection of IPAH could allow patients to start treatment sooner, potentially slowing disease progression and improving outcomes for this condition that currently has no cure.
NewsRSS3 days ago
A person with pulmonary hypertension (PH), a rare lung disease that makes it hard for the heart to pump blood through the lungs, shares what it was like growing up with this condition. They had to frequently miss school and explain their illness to classmates who asked questions about their absences. This article highlights the social and emotional challenges that young people with chronic rare diseases face alongside their medical treatment.
WHY IT MATTERSPatients with pulmonary hypertension and their families can find validation and community in peer experiences, while healthcare providers gain insight into the psychosocial impact of PH that extends beyond physical symptoms.
Clinical trialRSS3 days ago
A company called Allrock Bio is testing a new oral medication called ROC-101 for pulmonary hypertension (a condition where blood pressure in the lungs becomes dangerously high). This is a Phase 2a trial, which means they're checking if the drug is safe and works well as an add-on treatment. The trial is now enrolling patients across the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
WHY IT MATTERSIf ROC-101 proves effective as an add-on therapy, it could offer pulmonary hypertension patients a new oral option to combine with their existing treatments, potentially improving symptom control.
AdvocacyRSS3 days ago
A mother shares her personal story about being diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension three months after giving birth to her second son in 2023. The article focuses on how she manages her condition while raising three boys and the emotional impact this serious lung disease has had on her life and family.
WHY IT MATTERSPatient stories about pulmonary hypertension help newly diagnosed patients and families understand that others are managing this serious condition while maintaining family life, which can provide hope and practical insights into daily living with the disease.
PolicyRSS3 days ago
Doctors are now recommending that all ALS patients get genetic testing to understand if their disease is inherited. A genetic counselor is a specialist who helps explain what these test results mean and how they might affect family members. Understanding your genetic information can help you and your doctor make better decisions about your care and family planning.
WHY IT MATTERSIf you have ALS, genetic testing and counseling can reveal whether your condition is hereditary, which affects whether your relatives should be screened and what treatment options might work best for you.
AdvocacyRSS3 days ago
A patient-led nonprofit called The Speak Foundation has created a network of specialized clinics called LGMD Centers of Excellence to help people with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD), a rare muscle disease. This new network aims to solve a major problem: patients with LGMD have had trouble getting consistent care and doctors have struggled to develop new treatments because the patient population is very small and spread out.
WHY IT MATTERSThis coordinated clinic network could help LGMD patients access specialized care in one place and speed up the development of new treatments by making it easier for researchers to find and study patients.
NewsRSS3 days ago
A parent in rural Nebraska shares how their two sons with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) enjoy their summer break when school ends in mid-May. The article focuses on how the family adapts to seasonal changes and the boys' routines during warmer months. This is a personal story about managing life with DMD throughout the year.
WHY IT MATTERSParents of children with DMD can learn practical strategies for managing summer schedules and activities when school-based therapies and routines end.
NewsRSS3 days ago
Upsher-Smith Laboratories created two new websites to help people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) who are using a medicine called Kymbee. One website is made for parents and caregivers of children with DMD and includes tips for talking to doctors and instructions for starting the treatment.
WHY IT MATTERSIf your child has DMD and is considering or starting Kymbee treatment, these new websites provide free resources to help you understand the medication and communicate with your healthcare team.
NewsRSS3 days ago
A person with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is finding it harder to move around their home with a walker and is exploring other mobility options. They recently visited different places to look for solutions that might work better for their situation. This article discusses the process of finding new mobility devices when current ones stop working well enough.
WHY IT MATTERSPeople with FSHD often face progressive mobility challenges, and knowing what alternative devices exist can help maintain independence and quality of life as the disease progresses.
NewsRSS3 days ago
An ALS caregiver shares how reading a novel about a woman with cancer helped her process difficult emotions and questions she faces while caring for her husband who has had ALS for 16 years. The article explores how literature can be a meaningful tool for caregivers dealing with serious illness in their families. It highlights the emotional and psychological challenges that come with long-term caregiving.
WHY IT MATTERSALS caregivers often experience isolation and emotional burden — this article validates that seeking emotional support through creative outlets like reading is an important part of managing caregiver wellbeing.
AdvocacyRSS3 days ago
Three organizations that work with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) patients are joining together to make clinical trials better. FSHD is a rare muscle disease that causes weakness in the face, shoulders, and upper arms. This partnership wants to improve how these trials are designed so they can test new treatments more effectively.
WHY IT MATTERSBetter-designed clinical trials mean faster progress toward treatments for FSHD, and patient input through the FSHD Society ensures trials are structured in ways that actually work for people living with the disease.
ResearchRSS3 days ago
Scientists discovered that a protein called UBQLN2 helps nerve cells manage both proteins and fats. When UBQLN2 doesn't work properly — especially in controlling fats — it may cause nerve cells to die in ALS, a disease that weakens muscles over time. This discovery suggests doctors might be able to help nerve cells stay healthier by fixing how fats are controlled.
WHY IT MATTERSUnderstanding how fat regulation breaks down in ALS nerve cells could lead to new treatments that target this specific problem, potentially slowing or stopping nerve cell damage in people living with ALS.
NewsRSS3 days ago
A person living with ALS is sharing their experience about staying active and maintaining muscle strength. They were unsure whether to write about this topic because they worried people might misunderstand their message. The author emphasizes that everyone with ALS may need to find their own approach to managing the disease.
WHY IT MATTERSThis personal perspective helps ALS patients understand that maintaining mobility is individual—what works for one person may not work for another, so they shouldn't feel pressured to follow someone else's exact approach.
NewsRSS3 days ago
A doctor named Richard Lewis shares his approach to telling patients they have ALS (a disease that affects nerve cells that control muscles). The article focuses on how he explains the diagnosis, talks about things that are uncertain, and helps patients and families cope with the news.
WHY IT MATTERSLearning how doctors communicate an ALS diagnosis can help patients and families understand what to expect when receiving their own diagnosis and how to have better conversations with their care team.
ResearchRSS3 days ago
A new study from Denmark found that people with higher levels of HCB (a pesticide that was banned in many countries) in their blood may have a higher risk of developing ALS, a disease that affects nerve cells and causes muscle weakness. HCB was used as a pesticide in the past but is no longer allowed in many places because it can be harmful to health. This research suggests that exposure to this old pollutant might be connected to ALS risk.
WHY IT MATTERSIf you have ALS or a family history of it, understanding environmental risk factors like HCB exposure could help you and your doctor identify potential causes and discuss ways to reduce exposure to similar pollutants.
NewsRSS3 days ago
A person living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) attended a performance of Les Misérables and reflected on how the musical's themes of second chances and perseverance mirror their own life journey with this progressive muscle disease. The article connects the emotional arc of the musical to personal experiences of living with a rare genetic condition. This is a personal perspective piece rather than medical news.
WHY IT MATTERSFor people with DMD, reading personal narratives from others living with the same condition can provide emotional support and help them feel less alone in their disease journey.
NewsRSS3 days ago
Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) is a condition where people with ALS have sudden, uncontrollable crying or laughing that doesn't match what they're actually feeling. A doctor named Richard Lewis explains what causes PBA, what it looks like, and shares a specific question he uses to ask patients about it—because many people don't mention this symptom unless directly asked.
WHY IT MATTERSMany ALS patients experience PBA but don't report it to their doctors, so learning the screening question could help you get diagnosed and treated for this treatable symptom that affects quality of life.
Clinical trialRSS3 days ago
The FDA has approved a clinical trial for a new cell therapy called remestemcel-L-rknd made by Mesoblast. The therapy will be tested in children ages 5-9 who have Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a serious muscle disease. About 76 children will participate in the trial and receive either the therapy or a placebo while continuing their regular DMD treatments.
WHY IT MATTERSThis trial represents a new treatment approach for DMD in young children who are still in a critical window for muscle development, offering families a potential alternative or complement to existing therapies.