Until law, GLP-1 drugs were used to treat diabetes, obesity and even the recent evidences suggest that it could as well be used to treat chronic kidney problems. There is yet another research, published in JAMA Psychiatry on February 25, titled Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults With Alcohol Use Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial that explores if GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide reduce alcohol consumption and cravings in adults with alcohol use disorder.

What Do Studies Say?

The research was conducted over a period of 9 weeks, where in the randomized clinical trial, the participants who were administered semaglutide, it led to reductions in some but not all measures of weekly consumptions. It also reduced weekly alcohol and craving related to placebo, and also led to a greater relative reduction in cigarettes per day.

The research also found that weekly injections of semaglutide, which is the active ingredient in weight loss drugs like Wegovy also helped reduce cravings in people with alcohol use disorder.

The lead author Christian Hendershot said that these findings will help in developing new approaches to treat alcoholism. "Two drugs currently approved to reduce alcohol consumption aren't widely used. The popularity of Ozempic and other GLP-1 receptor agonists increases the chances of broad adoption of these treatments for alcohol use disorder," said Hendershot in news release by the University of Southern California's Institute for Addiction Research, where he is the director.

The study is government-funded research and was funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, part of the National Institutes of Health.

How Was The Study Conducted?

The study was small, and took in account for only 48 adults over two months, thus experts say that it is not yet clear how safe these drugs are for people who do not need to lose weight. Though the results do add up with the evidence form animal studies on drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy on how it helps manage cravings, not just for food, but also for tobacco and alcohol. Scientists are also studying these drugs on smokers, people with opioid addiction and cocaine users.

Co-author Dr Klara Klein of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who treats people with obesity and diabetes said, "This is such promising data. And we need more of it. We frequently will hear that once people start these medications that their desire to drink is very reduced, if not completely abolished."

Why Does It Work So Well Against Alcoholism?

The GLP-1 receptor agonists work by mimicking hormones GLP-1 in the gut and brain that regulates appetite and feelings of fullness. This response is what helps one lose weight, and what helps one curb their craving for alcohol. These drugs that mimic the functioning of your brain, which is responsible to tell your body when to stop consuming, are the same hormones that tell your body about other kinds of consumptions, including alcohol. Therefore by consuming the weight loss drugs one can treat alcohol use disorder.

However, the researchers have pointed out on the limited data on the research and have suggested to continue using the three approved drugs by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, namely, Disulfiram, Naltrexone, and Acamprosate to treat alcohol use disorder until large studies confirm these findings.

The COVID-19 pandemic did more than overwhelm global healthcare systems. It also disrupted timely care for people experiencing strokes.

Published in European Medical Journal, a global review of 107 studies has found that patients delayed hospital visits, stroke-related hospital admissions fell and treatment became harder to access during the pandemic.

The review, which examined research published between December 2019 and September 2024, looked at how the pandemic affected stroke care from the moment symptoms began through hospital treatment and recovery. Researchers initially screened 1,405 studies before including 107 in their analysis.

Stroke Patients Delayed Going To Hospital

One of the alarming patterns among stroke victims was a delay in seeking medical help. People experiencing stroke symptoms were reluctant to go to hospitals because they feared catching COVID-19 or believed healthcare facilities were already overwhelmed.

The delay was particularly noticeable among people with milder stroke symptoms; some of whom reached hospitals after critical treatment windows had passed.

The findings are a cause of concern as stroke treatment is extremely time-sensitive. Delays can prevent patients from seeking timely treatments to restore blood flow to the brain.

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Stroke Admissions Declined

Several studies included in the review reported a decline in stroke admissions during the pandemic. One study found a 31% decrease in monthly admissions for ischaemic stroke, while another reported a 44% reduction.

The drop did not mean fewer people were having strokes. Instead, researchers found evidence that some patients may simply have avoided or delayed seeking emergency care.

When patients did reach hospitals, several studies found they were more likely to have more severe strokes than patients treated before the pandemic.

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Stroke Treatment Was Delayed Inside Hospitals

The disruption was not limited to patients' decisions about when to seek help. Hospitals had to reorganise resources and reassign staff towards COVID-19 response. These changes affected stroke services and contributed to delays in treatment.

The review also identified increases in both symptom-to-door time, the period between stroke symptoms beginning and reaching hospital, and door-to-treatment time, the period between arriving at hospital and receiving treatment to restore blood flow. Ambulance services also faced additional pressure during the pandemic.

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Delays Affected Stroke Recovery

The review found evidence that the disruption was associated with poorer outcomes for some stroke patients. One study reported significantly greater disability at discharge during the pandemic, with a median modified Rankin Scale score of 4 compared with 2 before the pandemic. The difference remained at three months after the stroke.

Another analysis reported higher mortality at discharge among patients treated during the pandemic, at 7.7% compared with 2.5% in a pre-pandemic group.

Role Of Telemedicine In Stroke Care During Pandemic

Telemedicine refers to seeking healthcare remotely using technology, without the doctor and patient needing to be in the same physical location.

Telemedicine helped maintain some continuity of stroke care during the pandemic, but access was not even everywhere.

The review found that younger patients were more likely to use remote healthcare services, while older adults didn't.

This raises concerns about whether telemedicine can adequately support people who may have greater healthcare needs but face barriers to digital access.

The researchers added that said future preparedness should focus on keeping stroke services accessible, ensuring equitable access to telemedicine and educating patients about the need to seek emergency care promptly.

A few extra minutes during an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy may help doctors detect more gastric cancers and precancerous alternations, according to research recently discussed at the World Congress of Gastroenterology (WCOG) 2026 in New Delhi.

At WCOG, it was discussed that the quality and duration of an endoscopic examination can influence the chances of finding early cancer. An inspection time of an additional at least seven minutes was linked with about 3.4 times higher detection of gastric cancer and dysplasia.

The finding comes as gastrointestinal cancers continue to increase, contributing to a growing global health burden. GI cancers currently account for around one in four cancer cases and one in three cancer deaths worldwide. The overall burden of the disease is projected to nearly double by 2050.

Dr. Pramod Garg, Professor & Head, Department of Gastroenterology and Human Nutrition, AIIMS, New Delhi; President, Indian Society of Gastroenterology and Co-Chair, Steering Committee, WCOG 2026, said, “Earlier detection depends on both identifying people at risk and ensuring that diagnostic procedures are performed to the highest possible standard. High-quality endoscopy can create an important opportunity to identify disease at a stage when intervention can make a greater difference.”

Could Endoscopy Time Affect Cancer Detection?

Also read: WCOG 2026: How Infections, Metabolic Disease Are Changing Digestive Health

An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy allows doctors to examine the lining of the oesophagus, stomach, and upper part of the small intestine using a flexible camera device.

Simply inserting the scope and looking quickly may not be enough to identify subtle abnormalities. A more systematic examination allows the endoscopist more time to examine the stomach lining, identify suspicious areas, improve mucosal visualisation and document findings accordingly.

The WCOG discussion therefore puts focus on not just whether endoscopy is performed, but also on how long and how well it is performed.

The reported 3.4 times association highlights the value of a careful, detailed examination that could help detect changes related to cancer early, prompting timely treatment.

Also read: Fatty Liver, Chronic Gut Diseases And Worm Infections: India’s Changing Disease Burden

India's GI Cancer Burden

The changes in India's gastrointestinal cancer burden were also discussed, including growing concern around early-onset colorectal cancer. Researchers are examining whether genetics, environmental exposures and changes in the gut microbiome could be contributing to colorectal cancer appearing at younger ages.

WCOG 2026 also included concerns related gallbladder cancer, liver cancer and the rising role of metabolic risk factors. Discussions also focused on the use of AI in gastrointestinal diagnosis and the importance of validating these tools before introducing them in standard practice.

Dr. Govind Makharia, Professor, Department of Gastroenterology and Human Nutrition, AIIMS, New Delhi and Chairman, Local Organising Committee, WCOG 2026, said, “AI has the potential to strengthen diagnosis and decision-making across gastroenterology, while advanced endoscopy is expanding what can be treated through minimally invasive approaches. The next step is ensuring that these technologies are supported by robust evidence and integrated responsibly into clinical practice.”

H. pylori was also addressed as a preventable risk factor for gastric cancer.

Dr Barry Marshall, Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, said, “H. pylori is much more than an ulcer organism. If the infection persists for many years, it can cause chronic inflammation in the stomach and increase the risk of gastric cancer. That gives us an opportunity because this is a potentially preventable cause of cancer.”

Advances in minimally invasive procedures like POEM, endoscopic submucosal dissection and therapeutic EUS were also discussed, although access to advanced GI care remains uneven.

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has revealed that he takes aspirin every day, sharing that he has been doing so for decades because he believes it helps keep his blood “thin”.

He said it while discussing his aspirin use and the bruising that was recently seen on his knuckles. He also said that doctors have advised he take a lower dose.

“I take an aspirin a day. I don’t know if it works but psychologically I need it. It thins the hell out of your blood I guess. I don’t know if it works or not but I’ve been doing it for a long time. And here I am making speeches. I like Bayer aspirin. And I take the big one. They want me to go down to the 80. I take the 386. I don’t know what the hell it is. It’s a monster. They said, ‘Sir, you don’t need that!’ I said, do me a favor, I’ve been doing okay for 35 years. Leave me alone.”

So, does taking an aspirin every day actually protect the heart? And if yes, does a higher dose necessarily provide better results?

Aspirin Reduces Blood Clot Formation

Aspirin affects platelets, which are tiny components of blood that help form clots. By making platelets less likely to clump together, aspirin can reduce the formation of blood clots that could block an artery supplying the heart or brain.

This is why doctors may prescribe daily aspirin to people who have already had a heart attack, stroke, or procedures like coronary stent placement.

But aspirin does not make the blood “thin” in a literal sense. It changes the way blood platelets clot. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says daily aspirin can help people with cardiovascular disease or those who have already had a heart attack or stroke, but daily use is not suitable for everyone.

Aspirin can reduce the risk of certain blood clot formations, but it can also increase the risk of unwanted bleeding. The FDA warns that aspirin can lead to serious side effects like bleeding in the stomach and brain.

It recommends that people do not take daily aspirin without discussing it first with their healthcare professionals.

Mayo Clinic also says that daily aspirin is not right for everyone. Regular use can increase the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding and stomach ulcers, while in some people it can also increase the risk of a bleeding stroke.

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Who Should And Shouldn't Take It?

For people who have never had a heart attack or stroke or any other type of cardiovascular disease, taking aspirin routinely to prevent a cardiovascular event is generally not recommended.

The American Heart Association says routine daily aspirin is not recommended for most healthy adults without cardiovascular disease because its benefit can be offset by the risk of serious bleeding.

The FDA also says that for people without cardiovascular disease risk, the risks of long-term aspirin use may be greater than the benefits.

For someone who has already had a heart attack, stroke or any other cardiovascular event, doctors may prescribe daily aspirin because preventing another clot-related event can outweigh the bleeding risk.

According to Mayo Clinic, this is a secondary method of prevention. It says that the benefit of daily aspirin in this group is well established. This does not mean that patients should start, stop or change their aspirin dose on their own.

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Is A Bigger Aspirin Dose Better For Heart?

A higher dose does not automatically provide better protection against heart attacks. Low-dose aspirin prescribed for cardiovascular health is usually around 75 to 100 mg, with 81 mg frequently used.

Mayo Clinic says that the appropriate dose depends on the individual and should be discussed with a healthcare professional.

Taking higher doses of aspirin can increase the risk of bleeding. People with a history of stomach ulcers or gastrointestinal bleeding, bleeding disorders or aspirin allergy may also face greater risks.

The risk of bleeding also increases with age. The American Heart Association says routine aspirin for primary prevention is generally not recommended for healthy adults over 70.