Male Breast Cancer: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Exercising When You Have Pulmonary Hypertension

Because pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) often causes shortness of breath, swelling, and fatigue, exercise may seem like the last thing you should do. But the right kind -- with your doctor's OK -- can help symptoms and boost quality of life.

How Exercise Helps

Almost any way you slice it, exercise is good medicine.

"We call sitting the new smoking," says Eugene Chung, MD, chair of the American College of Cardiology Sports and Exercise Cardiology Leadership Council and professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan. "If you live a predominantly sedentary lifestyle, the biggest bang for your buck, health-wise, is to get up and start moving around more often."

Regular exercise helps the heart and body work smarter, not harder. It keeps your blood vessels in good shape and eases inflammation. All these have a positive impact on PAH.

Here's how: PAH stresses the right ventricle of your heart. This stress starts a cascade of changes in your body. One of those is a bump in adrenaline, the hormone that triggers your "fight or flight" response.

"Exercise has been shown in multiple studies to help with decreasing inflammation and train the heart to respond to the adrenaline surge," says Chung.

This improves your peak exercise heart rate. That's how many beats per minute your heart can safely pump when exercising. It also lowers your blood pressure, which helps keep the cascade of changes from happening in the first place.

In short, exercise helps break the cycle of worsening PAH symptoms.

Best Ways to Move

"Any exercise program should be started in consultation with your doctors, and you should be followed regularly," says Chung.

Your doctor understands your limitations and can tell you what's OK. Ideally, you'll exercise under the supervision of a cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program. As for the type of exercise that's best, Chung says they focus on aerobic activity. That's the kind that gets your heart pumping, not isometric moves that make you hold your muscle in a contracted position or high resistance exercise like weightlifting.

To get your blood pumping, you can try:

Walking. Get your steps in on a treadmill or by taking a brisk stroll around your neighborhood. Aim for 1-hour sessions three times a week.

Swimming. Working out in water tones your muscles without straining your joints. You can do water aerobics or simply swim laps.

Cycling. Elliptical bikes and recumbent bikes are a safe way to cycle without risking a fall.

Other types of exercise include:

Yoga. Although there isn't much research about the direct benefits of yoga on PAH, its slow and mindful stretching reduces stress and lowers inflammation in your body.

Light resistance training. You can keep your muscles flexible and strong by using light weights (soup cans can work well) or just body weight. A rehabilitation specialist can teach you moves such as chair squats, wall pushups, calf raises, bicep curls, and more.

It's important not to lift heavy weights because it can worsen symptoms.

"If you were to push it and do more high-intensity weightlifting, there's a chance that, depending on the cause of pulmonary hypertension, you could put increased strain on the right side of the heart," says  Chung.

You're more likely to hold your breath as you lift as well, which raises the pressure in your chest cavity.

What to Watch For

Like with any exercise routine, be on the lookout for signs you've done too much. Keep these safety tips in mind:

Exercise at a time of day when you feel best and have the most energy.

Don't work out solo: Try to sweat it out with a buddy.

Never hold your breath while working out.

Always warm up before you work out and cool down afterward.

Start small and do more once your body is ready.

Tell your doctor about any concerning side effects, like swelling or more shortness of breath than usual.

Liberty Capital Management Inc. Sells 100 Shares Of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ)

Liberty Capital Management Inc. Decreased its stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ – Free Report) by 1.6% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 6,147 shares of the company's stock after selling 100 shares during the quarter. Liberty Capital Management Inc.'s holdings in Johnson & Johnson were worth $996,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in JNJ. GAM Holding AG raised its holdings in Johnson & Johnson by 3.2% in the third quarter. GAM Holding AG now owns 58,013 shares of the company's stock worth $9,402,000 after buying an additional 1,822 shares during the last quarter. Segment Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in Johnson & Johnson by 3.4% in the 3rd quarter. Segment Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,087 shares of the company's stock worth $500,000 after acquiring an additional 102 shares during the last quarter. Tempus Wealth Planning LLC lifted its position in Johnson & Johnson by 3.9% in the 3rd quarter. Tempus Wealth Planning LLC now owns 8,808 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,427,000 after acquiring an additional 328 shares in the last quarter. Pictet North America Advisors SA boosted its stake in Johnson & Johnson by 21.0% during the 3rd quarter. Pictet North America Advisors SA now owns 4,295 shares of the company's stock valued at $696,000 after purchasing an additional 745 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Symphony Financial Ltd. Co. Raised its stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 5.2% in the third quarter. Symphony Financial Ltd. Co. Now owns 37,358 shares of the company's stock worth $6,029,000 after purchasing an additional 1,834 shares during the last quarter. 69.55% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Johnson & Johnson Stock Up 1.5 %

NYSE JNJ opened at $165.86 on Thursday. Johnson & Johnson has a 52 week low of $143.13 and a 52 week high of $168.85. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44. The company has a market capitalization of $399.17 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 0.52. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $163.29 and its 200-day moving average price is $154.92.

Want More Great Investing Ideas? Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 15th. The company reported $2.42 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.21 by $0.21. The business had revenue of $22.47 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $22.17 billion. Johnson & Johnson had a net margin of 46.34% and a return on equity of 36.60%. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 5.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.66 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts predict that Johnson & Johnson will post 10 earnings per share for the current year. Johnson & Johnson Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, November 26th will be issued a dividend of $1.24 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, November 26th. This represents a $4.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.99%. Johnson & Johnson's dividend payout ratio is presently 30.92%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms recently commented on JNJ. TD Securities dropped their price objective on Johnson & Johnson from $195.00 to $185.00 in a research report on Thursday, July 18th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price target on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $178.00 to $181.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 16th. TD Cowen lowered their price objective on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $195.00 to $185.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 18th. Sanford C. Bernstein boosted their target price on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $161.00 to $171.00 in a research note on Thursday, July 18th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald restated an "overweight" rating and issued a $215.00 price target on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a research note on Wednesday, October 16th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.Com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $175.93.

Get Our Latest Stock Report on JNJ

Insider Activity

In related news, VP Robert J. Decker sold 5,635 shares of Johnson & Johnson stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $165.06, for a total transaction of $930,113.10. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 18,973 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,131,683.38. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Company insiders own 0.16% of the company's stock.

Johnson & Johnson Profile

(Free Report)

Johnson & Johnson, together with its subsidiaries, researches, develops, manufactures, and sells various products in the healthcare field worldwide. The company's Innovative Medicine segment offers products for various therapeutic areas, such as immunology, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and psoriasis; infectious diseases comprising HIV/AIDS; neuroscience, consisting of mood disorders, neurodegenerative disorders, and schizophrenia; oncology, such as prostate cancer, hematologic malignancies, lung cancer, and bladder cancer; cardiovascular and metabolism, including thrombosis, diabetes, and macular degeneration; and pulmonary hypertension comprising pulmonary arterial hypertension through retailers, wholesalers, distributors, hospitals, and healthcare professionals for prescription use.

Read More

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding JNJ? Visit HoldingsChannel.Com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ – Free Report).

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Sanofi To Present Dupixent Late-breaking Positive Phase 3 Data In Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria At ACAAI

Positive data from the phase 3 LIBERTY-CUPID study C evaluating the investigational use of Dupixent (dupilumab) in biologic-naive patients with uncontrolled chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) who receive background therapy with antihistamines will be presented in a late-breaking oral presentation at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts. Results showed treatment with Dupixent significantly reduced itch and urticaria activity (itch and hive) scores from baseline, and a higher proportion of patients achieved well-controlled disease status, compared to placebo.

Thomas B. Casale, M.D., Professor, Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine at the University of South Florida, USA, said: "Chronic spontaneous urticaria is an inflammatory skin condition that affects patients with unpredictable episodes of intense itching and hives, often severely impacting their daily lives. These data confirm results seen in the previous Study A and reinforce the potential of Dupixent to significantly alleviate symptoms for patients, helping them to better control this challenging disease."

Study C enrolled 151 children and adults who were randomized to receive Dupixent (n=74) or placebo (n=77) added to standard-of-care histamine-1 (H1) antihistamines. At 24 weeks, Dupixent demonstrated significant improvements compared to placebo on: Itch severity score (8.64- vs. 6.10-point reduction from baseline; p=0.02); Urticaria (itch and hive) activity score (15.86- vs. 11.21-point reduction from baseline; p=0.02); Well-controlled disease status (urticaria activity score =6; 41% vs. 23%; p=0.005); Complete response (urticaria activity score=0; 30% vs. 18%; p=0.02).

The safety results in Study C were generally consistent with the known safety profile of Dupixent in its approved dermatological indications. Overall rates of treatment emergent adverse events (AEs) were 53% for both Dupixent and placebo. AEs more commonly observed with Dupixent (=5%) compared to placebo included injection site reactions (12% vs. 4%), accidental overdose (7% vs. 3%) and Covid-19 infection (8% vs. 5%).

Dupixent has been approved for CSU in Japan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and is also under regulatory review in the European Union based on earlier trial readouts. Outside of Japan and the UAE, the safety and efficacy of Dupixent for CSU has not been fully evaluated by any regulatory authority.

CSU is a chronic inflammatory skin disease driven in part by type-2 inflammation, which causes sudden and debilitating hives and persistent itch. CSU is typically treated with H1 antihistamines, medicines that target H1 receptors on cells to control symptoms of urticaria. However, the disease remains uncontrolled despite antihistamine treatment in many patients, some of whom are left with limited alternative treatment options. These individuals continue to experience symptoms that can be debilitating and significantly impact their quality of life. More than 300,000 people in the US suffer from CSU that is inadequately controlled by antihistamines.

The LIBERTY-CUPID phase 3 study program evaluating Dupixent for CSU consists of Study A, Study B, and Study C.

Study C was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study that evaluated the efficacy and safety of Dupixent as an add-on to standard-of-care antihistamines compared to antihistamines alone in 151 patients aged six years and older with CSU who remained symptomatic despite antihistamine use and were not previously treated with omalizumab (i.E., biologic-naïve). The primary endpoint assessed the change from baseline in itch at 24 weeks (measured by the weekly itch severity score [ISS7], 0-21 scale). Secondary endpoints at 24 weeks, measured by the weekly urticaria activity score (UAS7) included the change from baseline in itch and hives (UAS7, 0-42 scale), proportion of patients achieving well-controlled disease status (UAS7 =6), and complete response (UAS7=0).

Dupixent (dupilumab) is a fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits the signalling of the IL4 and IL13 pathways and is not an immunosuppressant. The Dupixent development program has shown significant clinical benefit and a decrease in type-2 inflammation in phase 3 studies, establishing that IL4 and IL13 are two of the key and central drivers of type-2 inflammation that play a major role in multiple related and often co-morbid diseases.

Dupixent has received regulatory approvals in more than 60 countries in one or more indications including certain patients with atopic dermatitis, asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, eosinophilic esophagitis, prurigo nodularis, chronic spontaneous urticaria, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in different age populations. More than 1,000,000 patients are being treated with Dupixent globally.

Dupilumab is being jointly developed by Sanofi and Regeneron under a global collaboration agreement. To date, dupilumab has been studied across more than 60 clinical studies involving more than 10,000 patients with various chronic diseases driven in part by type-2 inflammation.

In addition to the currently approved indications, Sanofi and Regeneron are studying dupilumab in a broad range of diseases driven in part by type-2 inflammation or other allergic processes in phase 3 studies, including chronic pruritus of unknown origin and bullous pemphigoid. These potential uses of dupilumab are currently under clinical investigation, and the safety and efficacy in these conditions have not been fully evaluated by any regulatory authority.

Regeneron is a leading biotechnology company that invents, develops and commercializes life-transforming medicines for people with serious diseases.

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