Medical News Updates

This week: how quickly weight returns after stopping semaglutide or tirzepatide, why a borderline normal haemoglobin may deserve a closer look, twelve month results for automated insulin delivery in type 1 diabetes, why the testosterone dose matters for heart rhythm, and what two million people can and cannot tell us about drinks and mood.

In this episode.

Weight regain after stopping a GLP-1, from a pooled analysis of six randomised trials in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism.

Borderline low haemoglobin and mortality, from half a million adults in the UK Biobank, published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Automated insulin delivery at twelve months in adults with type 1 diabetes.

Testosterone and atrial fibrillation, and why the target level matters, from the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

Drinks, depression and anxiety, from fifty-nine studies covering more than two million people.

Every story carries its caveat in the episode. Correlation is not causation, and preliminary findings are flagged as preliminary.

This is general education, not personal medical advice. Please talk to your own clinician about your care.

This week: a large trial finds statins cut heart attacks and strokes in healthy over seventies but do not prevent dementia or disability, a Scandinavian study of more than 280,000 people pins down who is most at risk of ketoacidosis on flozin medicines, semaglutide and tirzepatide enter the European heart failure guidelines, immune cells appear to remember obesity for years, and four medical bodies issue joint autumn vaccine advice.

statins, atorvastatin, STAREE trial, primary prevention, healthy ageing, SGLT2 inhibitors, flozins, diabetic ketoacidosis, sick day rules, type 2 diabetes, heart failure, ESC guidelines, semaglutide, tirzepatide, GLP-1, obesity, weight loss, immune system, flu vaccine, COVID vaccine, RSV

This week in plain English: the first wearable that tracks glucose and ketones together, the STAREE trial on statins for healthy over 70s, why missed blood pressure pills erase their benefit, the first RAS targeted drug for pancreatic cancer, and new guidelines on cardiac rehab.

Source:

1. FDA press release, 25 Aug 2026, Libre Duo 10 Day authorization: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-authorizes-first-wearable-device-continuously-monitors-both-ketone-levels-and-blood-sugar
2. Healio, first continuous ketone and glucose device authorized: https://www.healio.com/news/endocrinology/20260826/first-device-to-continuously-monitor-ketone-and-glucose-levels-receives-fda-authorization
3. UPI coverage of the Libre Duo authorization: https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2026/08/25/fda-oks-blood-sugar-ketone-monitor/5521787688375/
4. Medscape, STAREE results at ESC 2026: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/staree-trial-atorvastatin-cuts-major-cv-events-30-older-2026a1000ukk
5. TCTMD, STAREE, statins cut MACE risk 30 percent in older adults: https://www.tctmd.com/news/staree-statins-cut-mace-risk-30-older-adults-no-cvd-history
6. Healio, statins after age 70: https://www.healio.com/news/cardiology/20260829/statins-cut-risk-for-first-heart-attack-stroke-by-30-after-age-70
7. ESC press release, blood pressure medication adherence analysis (BPLTTC): https://www.escardio.org/news/press/press-releases/patients-are-missing-out-on-the-cardiovascular-benefits-of-blood-pressure-lowering-medicines/
8. HCPLive, low adherence cuts cardiovascular benefit of blood pressure therapy: https://www.hcplive.com/view/low-adherence-cuts-cardiovascular-benefit-of-blood-pressure-therapy
9. FDA press release, 26 Aug 2026, Rasonque (daraxonrasib) approval: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-class-targeted-therapy-metastatic-pancreatic-cancer
10. AJMC, daraxonrasib clears FDA as first RAS targeted pancreatic cancer drug: https://www.ajmc.com/view/daraxonrasib-clears-fda-as-first-ras-targeted-pancreatic-cancer-drug
11. News Medical, new international guidelines on cardiac rehabilitation: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260828/New-international-guidelines-highlight-the-extensive-benefits-of-cardiac-rehabilitation.aspx
12. Mirage News, first ESC cardiac rehab guidelines: https://www.miragenews.com/first-esc-cardiac-rehab-guidelines-highlight-1734933/

The FDA has authorized Libre Duo, a wearable sensor designed to monitor glucose and ketones continuously for people with diabetes aged two years and older.

This Medical News Update explains how the system works, why rising ketones matter, its potential role in detecting diabetic ketoacidosis risk, and the important limitations patients and caregivers should understand. Continuous monitoring supports, but does not replace, a written sick-day plan, backup ketone testing, or urgent medical care when warning symptoms develop.

Read the full patient-friendly article:

https://livingdiabetes.com/fda-libre-duo-continuous-glucose-ketone-monitoring/

For general education only. This episode does not replace individualized medical advice, product instructions, or emergency care.

This week, a nationwide Cyclospora outbreak tied to fast food lettuce, the first pill form of a powerful cholesterol drug, new data on activity levels for people on GLP-1 medications, a possible link between hormone exposure and thyroid cancer, and an update on the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa. Plain English, no hype.

The FDA warns TRUE METRIX meters can show one E-5 code for two very different problems. Don't stop testing — but arrange a backup meter when you can.

A safety alert for anyone using a TRUE METRIX blood glucose meter. The FDA has flagged a serious problem — the same "E-5" error code can mean either dangerously high glucose OR a simple test strip error. Those need opposite responses, and getting it wrong can be dangerous. We explain what the FDA is recommending and, importantly, what NOT to do.

In this episode:

• Which meters are affected — TRUE METRIX, AIR, GO, PRO, and cobranded versions

• Why one error code for two situations is a real safety risk

• The FDA's most important instruction — don't stop testing abruptly

• Who's at highest risk — people on intensive insulin or sulfonylureas

• How to switch to a backup testing method safely

• What to do if you see an E-5 error with symptoms

Key takeaway: If you use TRUE METRIX, arrange another testing method when you can — but keep monitoring until your backup is ready. If an E-5 error appears and you feel symptoms of high or low glucose, get help rather than guessing.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general education only. It is not medical advice. Always consult your diabetes care team. Severe symptoms — confusion, loss of consciousness, seizure, repeated vomiting, or signs of diabetic ketoacidosis — require urgent medical care.

Show notes / sources:

• FDA: TRUE METRIX Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems Safety Communication
• FDA: Trividia Health Correction for TRUE METRIX Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems

#TrueMetrix #GlucoseMeter #BloodGlucose #DiabetesTech #FDA #DiabetesSafety #Trividia #BGM #MedicalNewsUpdate

The FDA posted an Omnipod correction — some Pods may under-deliver insulin. Not every Pod is affected. Check your lot numbers and keep a backup plan.

If you use an Omnipod insulin pump, here's an important safety notice — explained calmly. On May 26, 2026, the FDA posted a voluntary Medical Device Correction from Insulet because certain Pods may leak insulin and deliver less than intended. This is a correction, not a blanket recall — most Pods aren't affected — but everyone using Omnipod should check their lot numbers and make sure they have a safe insulin backup.

In this episode:

• Which products are in scope — specific lots of Omnipod 5, Omnipod DASH, and Omnipod Eros

• What "insulin under-delivery" means and why it can raise blood sugar

• The Class I recall entry for Omnipod 5 ACE Pump Pods

• Warning signs while wearing a Pod — wetness, insulin smell, unexplained highs

• Why you should never stop insulin without an alternative plan in place

• The DKA symptoms that mean it's time to get urgent help

Key takeaway: Check your Pod lot numbers on the official Omnipod/Insulet correction page. If yours are affected, stop using them and get free replacements — but do NOT stop insulin without a backup plan from your diabetes team.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general education only. It is not medical advice. Always consult your diabetes care team. Seek urgent care if high glucose comes with symptoms that could suggest diabetic ketoacidosis.

Show notes / sources:

• FDA: Insulet voluntary Medical Device Correction for certain Omnipod Pods (May 26, 2026)
• FDA recall database: Class 1 Device Recall — Omnipod 5 ACE Pump
• Omnipod: Urgent Medical Device Correction

#Omnipod #InsulinPump #Insulet #DiabetesTech #Type1Diabetes #DiabetesSafety #FDA #InsulinDelivery #MedicalNewsUpdate

Two lots of Dexcom G7 sensors were stolen before destruction and resold. Check lot numbers 1725204004 and 1725069002. Here's what to do.

A safety alert for anyone using a Dexcom G7 continuous glucose monitor. On May 26, 2026, Dexcom revealed that sensors marked for destruction were stolen and resold through unauthorized channels. This is NOT a warning about every G7 sensor — it affects two specific lot numbers. We walk through exactly what to check and what to do.

In this episode:

• The two affected lot numbers — 1725204004 and 1725069002 — read slowly so you can check

• Why one lot has a sterilization concern (skin infection risk) and the other a higher failure rate

• How to find the lot number on your sensor packaging

• What to do if you have an affected sensor — and how to get a free replacement

• Why this is NOT a blanket recall of all G7 sensors

Key takeaway: Check your Dexcom G7 packaging against lot numbers 1725204004 and 1725069002. If yours matches, don't use it — contact Dexcom for a replacement and use a backup glucose check if needed. Don't change any medication based on this news alone.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general education only. It is not medical advice. Always consult your diabetes care team. If you have signs of severe high or low glucose, diabetic ketoacidosis, or a serious skin infection, seek urgent care.

Show notes / sources:

• Dexcom theft notice (BusinessWire)
• Australian TGA market action — Dexcom G7 sensors
• NDSS recall alert
• MedTech Dive coverage
• 
  

#Dexcom #DexcomG7 #CGM #DiabetesTech #ContinuousGlucoseMonitor #Recall #DiabetesSafety #Type1Diabetes #MedicalNewsUpdate

A Mass General Brigham study links fatty liver to a 69% higher relative risk of major heart events. Why your liver is talking to your heart.

Fatty liver disease — now called MASLD — is everywhere. As many as 1 in 3 American adults have some degree of it, often without knowing. For years, doctors treated it as a liver problem. A new Mass General Brigham study, using cardiac CT scans of 3,637 patients from the PROMISE trial, shows we've been thinking about it wrong. People with fatty liver had more unstable artery plaque, and a 69% higher relative risk of heart attacks, strokes, or cardiac death over the following two years.

In this episode:

• What fatty liver (MASLD) actually is and why it's so common

• How researchers used heart CT scans to spot fatty liver "for free"

• Why noncalcified plaque is the more dangerous kind

• The absolute risk difference: 4.1% vs 2.5% over two years

• Why diabetes, prediabetes, and abdominal weight raise the stakes

• How the same lifestyle changes treat both fatty liver and heart risk

Key takeaway: Your liver and your heart are not separate stories. If a doctor has ever mentioned fatty liver, the next question is — what are my heart-risk numbers? Blood pressure. LDL cholesterol. A1C. Don't wait for an event to find out.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general education only. It is not medical advice. Always consult your doctor.

#FattyLiver #MASLD #HeartDisease #Cardiovascular #Diabetes #MetabolicHealth #InsulinResistance #PROMISETrial #MedicalNewsUpdate

The SURMOUNT-MAINTAIN trial answers what happens after you stop Mounjaro or Zepbound — and offers a lower-dose maintenance option that mostly held weight off.

Tirzepatide — the drug you know as Mounjaro for diabetes and Zepbound for weight loss — has produced some of the biggest weight-loss numbers we have ever seen. But everyone asks the same question: what happens when you stop? A new trial called SURMOUNT-MAINTAIN, published in The Lancet, finally gives us a clean answer. People who continued the drug kept most of the weight off. People who stopped regained much of it back.

In this episode:

• The full SURMOUNT-MAINTAIN trial design — 441 adults, three groups

• How the full dose, the 5 mg maintenance dose, and placebo compared at week 112

• Why obesity behaves like a long-term condition — not a short-term problem

• The "weight set point" — and why your body fights to climb back up

• When a lower maintenance dose might be the smarter long-term choice

• Important limitation — people with type 2 diabetes were NOT in this trial

Key takeaway: For tirzepatide to keep working, it likely needs to stay on board long-term. Maintenance dosing is now a real, evidence-backed option — but never stop, lower, or restart on your own.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general education only. It is not medical advice. Always consult your doctor.

#Tirzepatide #Mounjaro #Zepbound #WeightLoss #SURMOUNTMAINTAIN #GLP1 #Obesity #WeightMaintenance #Lancet #MedicalNewsUpdate