The true age of your heart; Louisiana NP convicted in $2M Medicare fraud scheme; men face higher risk of 3 common diseases, but they’re less likely to seek care – Morning Medical Update

Author(s):

Austin Littrell

Fact checked by:

Keith A. Reynolds

Key Takeaways

MRI technology can assess the "functional age" of the heart, aiding early heart disease detection and intervention.
A Louisiana nurse practitioner was convicted for a $2 million Medicare fraud scheme involving false DME orders.
Men are at higher risk for diseases like hypertension and diabetes but are less likely to seek medical care, highlighting gender disparities in health care engagement.

The top news stories in medicine today.

How old is your heart?

A new study from the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England, shows MRI technology can detect the “functional age” of the heart — and how unhealthy lifestyles can add years or even decades to it. In research involving over 550 participants, people with diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure or atrial fibrillation had hearts that functioned significantly older than their actual age. The technique, hailed by researchers as a “game changer,” could help catch heart disease before symptoms emerge, offering earlier intervention and motivation for lifestyle changes. Findings were published in the Open European Heart Journal.

Louisiana NP convicted in $2M Medicare fraud scheme

A federal jury has convicted Shanone Chatman-Ashley, 45, of Opelousas, Louisiana, for orchestrating a $2 million Medicare fraud scheme involving medically unnecessary durable medical equipment. Between 2017 and 2019, Chatman-Ashley, a nurse practitioner (NP), signed over 1,000 false DME orders without patient consultations, receiving kickbacks from telehealth companies. She was found guilty of five counts of health care fraud and faces up to 10 years in prison per count. Prosecutors say she exploited elderly and disabled patients while enriching herself at taxpayers’ expense. Her sentencing is scheduled for July 31.

Men face higher risk of these common diseases — but are less likely to seek care

A new analysis published in PLOS Medicine finds that men are more likely than women to get sick and die from hypertension, diabetes and HIV/AIDS — and less likely to get diagnosed or treated. The global study by Angela Chang of the University of Southern Denmark reveals stark sex-based disparities across 200 countries, where men had higher rates of these diseases and lower rates of health care engagement. Researchers urge greater collection of sex-disaggregated health data and the development of targeted strategies to close gender gaps in prevention and care.