Frostbite may have met its match.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first medication to treat severe frostbite, the agency announced this week.

The drug, iloprost (brand name Aurlumyn) is intended to reduce the risk of finger and toe amputations due to dangerously cold extremities.

NEED A ‘WINTER RESET’? EXPERTS SHARE BENEFITS OF SLOWING DOWN DURING COLDER MONTHS

Iloprost was originally approved for treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension, a condition in which high blood pressure affects arteries in the lungs and heart.

“This approval provides patients with the first-ever treatment option for severe frostbite,” said Norman Stockbridge, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Division of Cardiology and Nephrology in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, in a press release. 

“Having this new option provides physicians with a tool that will help prevent the life-changing amputation of one’s frostbitten fingers or toes.” 

Frostbite occurs when cold temperatures cause parts of the body to freeze, primarily the fingers, toes, nose, cheeks and chin, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

ASK A DOC: ‘HOW SHOULD I CARE FOR MY SKIN DURING THE WINTER?’

Initial symptoms include numbness, tingling or color changes, Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, told Fox News Digital.

“Severe frostbite can cause white or blue skin and, later, fluid-filled blisters,” said Siegel, who was not involved in the drug development.

Initial symptoms of frostbite include numbness, tingling or color changes. (iStock)

Prolonged frostbite can lead to permanent damage or amputation, the CDC stated.

Aurlumyn is intended for severe frostbite cases, in which both the skin and the underlying tissue are frozen, and blood flow is stopped.

WHY YOU FEEL MORE ACHES AND PAINS IN THE COLD WEATHER — AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT

“Iloprost, the active ingredient in Aurlumyn, is a vasodilator, a drug that opens blood vessels and prevents blood from clotting,” the FDA release stated.

The FDA’s approval follows a randomized clinical trial that included 47 adults with severe frostbite, who were divided into three groups.

Prolonged frostbite can lead to permanent damage or amputation, the CDC stated. (IStock)

One group received iloprost intravenously for six hours daily for up to eight days. 

Another group received other medications that are not approved for frostbite, combined with iloprost.

A third group received other medications without iloprost.

SNOW SHOVELING SAFETY TIPS TO PREVENT INJURY AND HEART ATTACKS: ‘VERY STRENUOUS ACTIVITY’

Seven days after the initial frostbite, each participant received a bone scan to determine whether fingers or toes would need amputation. 

The patients who received iloprost did not require any amputation, compared to 19% of patients who received iloprost with other medications and 60% of patients who only received other medications.

Signage is seen outside the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters in White Oak, Maryland, on Aug. 29, 2020.  (REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo)

“This is a very important approval,” Siegel told Fox News Digital.

“Severe frostbite causes blood clotting and can lead to amputation. This new drug’s active ingredient, ilopost, is a vasodilator that preserves blood flow to the area of severe frostbite and prevented the need for amputation in all cases in a small study.”

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Aurlumyn, which was developed by Eicos Sciences Inc. in Maryland, was found to cause some side effects, the FDA noted. 

Those included heart palpitations, accelerated heart rate, nausea, headache, flushing, vomiting, dizziness and low blood pressure.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

For that reason, Siegel noted, the drug can only be administered by a physician.

Fox News Digital reached out to Eicos Sciences Inc. and the FDA requesting additional comment.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.

Erectile dysfunction medication could reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, a new study is suggesting, though some experts cast doubt on the link between the two.

In a study by University College London researchers in the U.K., men who were prescribed phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors, otherwise known as erectile dysfunction drugs, were 18% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease years later.

The study, published in the journal Neurology by the American Academy of Neurology, surveyed 269,725 men who had been diagnosed with erectile dysfunction without any memory problems or cognitive deficits.

STUDY FINDS THAT PROTEINS MAY PREDICT WHO WILL GET DEMENTIA IN 10 YEARS BASED ON BLOOD SAMPLES

Among the respondents, 55% were taking erectile dysfunction medication, including sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), vardenafil and avanafil.

These men were compared to the remaining respondents, who were not prescribed these drugs.

Researchers adjusted the results for factors like age, underlying health conditions, smoking status and co-prescribed medications.

The findings pointed to an 18% Alzheimer’s risk reduction in patients who were prescribed erectile dysfunction drugs after a follow-up period of about five years.

HOW ARE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS NAMED? A DRUG DEVELOPMENT EXPERT SHARES THE PROCESS

The strongest association was among men who took these drugs more regularly, the study found.

Erectile dysfunction drugs “act on a cell-signaling messenger that has also been investigated for its links to memory,” according to a UCL press release.

A doctor points at potential evidence of Alzheimer’s disease spotted in a PET scan at Brigham And Women’s Hospital in Boston on March 30, 2023. (REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File photo)

“These drugs are also able to cross the blood-brain barrier and may affect brain cell activity,” the press release stated.

Animal research has discovered that erectile dysfunction medication has “some neuroprotective benefits,” according to the UCL researchers.

THE 8 BIGGEST ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE MYTHS — AND THE TRUTHS BEHIND THEM

Lead study author Dr. Ruth Brauer, of the UCL School of Pharmacy, commented in the release on the progression of new Alzheimer’s treatments.

“Although we’re making progress with the new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease that work to clear amyloid plaques in the brain for people with early stages of the disease, we desperately need treatments that can prevent or delay the development of Alzheimer’s disease,” she said.

“More research is needed to confirm these findings, learn more about the potential benefits and mechanisms of these drugs, and look into the optimal dosage.”

“This observational study is based on electronic health care records.”

A randomized, controlled trial including both men and women is warranted, Brauer added.

Ozama Ismail, PhD, director of scientific programs at the Alzheimer’s Association, was not involved in the study but commented on the findings in a statement to Fox News Digital.

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE FOUND TO BE TRANSMITTED THROUGH MEDICAL PROCEDURES DECADES AGO, STUDY FINDS

“While this study is interesting and adds to a potential association, there is no evidence that these drugs are able to treat Alzheimer’s disease,” he said.

“This observational study is based on electronic health care records and cannot determine if the connection is meaningful without further exploration.”

An Alzheimer’s expert said patients should always consult their doctor before changing medications. (iStock)

Further research and clinical trials are a “necessary step” before considering erectile dysfunction medications as a treatment for Alzheimer’s, Ismail noted.

“Such trials would need to include diverse participants — including women — to conclusively determine if this class of drug can meaningfully treat Alzheimer’s disease,” he said.

An “important limitation” of the study is that Alzheimer’s diagnoses were not determined using “gold standard” testing, the expert said, which would include “imaging biomarkers and/or assessment at autopsy.”

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Ismail warned that patients should not use over-the-counter erectile dysfunction drugs to prevent Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.

“Always consult with your physician before starting or changing your medications,” he advised.

An expert warned that patients should not use over-the-counter erectile dysfunction drugs to prevent Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. (BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Although the study was limited, Ismail said, it highlights a “potential new avenue for drug repurposing.”

He added, “The repurposing of existing, approved treatments can be a valuable part of drug development because, through already completed testing, we know much about their safety and side effects.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“This can sometimes reduce the length and cost of studies needed for the new indication.”

Repurposing drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer’s would require new studies to be conducted over longer periods of time and in older people that “reflect the diversity of individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease,” Ismail said.

Fox News Digital reached out to the UCL researchers for additional comment on the study.

For more Health articles, visit foxnews.com/health.

After a case of bubonic plague was confirmed in Oregon earlier this week, some people may wonder if there’s a danger of the disease spreading in the U.S.

The Oregon resident, who was the first to contract the infection since 2015, reportedly caught the infection from a pet cat, according to state health officials.

Experts shared with Fox News Digital what people should know about the infectious disease — including how to recognize symptoms, seek out treatment and prevent infection in the first place.

‘ARCTIC ZOMBIE VIRUSES’ COULD BE RELEASED BY CLIMATE CHANGE FROM THAWING PERMAFROST, SOME SCIENTISTS CLAIM

What is bubonic plague?

The bubonic plague is caused by Yersinia pestis, a bacterium that was likely first introduced in North America around 1900 from rats on ships coming from South Asia, according to Timothy Brewer, M.D., professor of medicine and epidemiology at UCLA.

“Since its introduction 120 years ago, it has become endemic in ground squirrels and rodents in the rural Southwestern U.S.,” he told Fox News Digital.

Though the plague has most recently been found in Oregon, most cases occur around the “Four Corners” area of the Southwest — the southwestern corner of Colorado, southeastern corner of Utah, northeastern corner of Arizona and northwestern corner of New Mexico — primarily between late spring and early fall.

MEASLES OUTBREAKS IN US, UK HAVE HEALTH AGENCIES ON HIGH ALERT: ‘BE VIGILANT’

Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore, Maryland, noted that the Oregon case was a rare occurrence, but that it is important to recognize that plague is endemic to the western part of the United States and that pets can be exposed via rodents or other animals.

“However, this is not something that the general public needs to worry very much about,” he also told Fox News Digital.

Initial symptoms of the disease include fever, chills, a headache, weakness and the characteristic painful and swollen lymph nodes. (iStock)

Although the disease can affect people of all ages, half the cases involve patients between the ages of 12 and 45, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Globally, between 1,000 and 2,000 cases of plague are reported to the World Health Organization each year, although only an average of seven annual cases of are reported in the U.S.

Spread and symptoms

Yersinia is usually transmitted by one of three ways, according to Brewer.

“Those include being bitten by an infected flea, handling an infected animal (such as skinning a ground squirrel), or by breathing in dust contaminated by dried rodent urine or feces with the bacteria,” he said.

For people who live in a plague-endemic area of the U.S., one infectious diseases expert said they should be mindful that their dogs may encounter animals that could have the plague, such as prairie dogs. (iStock)

Erica Susky, a certified infection control practitioner based in Canada, said symptoms typically develop two to eight days after the initial exposure to the bacterium. 

“It begins with fever, chills, a headache, weakness and the characteristic painful and swollen lymph nodes called buboes,” she told Fox News Digital. “The buboes form at the site of the bite from the infected rodent or flea.”

Anyone with these symptoms should seek immediate medical treatment if they have been exposed to an animal, generally a rodent or flea, Susky advised.

“The best way to avoid the disease is to avoid rodents in rural and semi-rural dry areas in the western U.S.”

“Bubonic plague is a serious infectious illness alone, but can also develop quickly into more severe and deadly forms of plague,” she warned. 

“More serious forms include pneumonic and septicemic plague, which is where the bacteria invade the lungs and bloodstream,” Susky said.

With pneumonic plague, the patient experiences a cough, shortness of breath and chest pain, and it can end in respiratory failure, shock and death. 

Septicemic plague results in shock and often death.

The Oregon resident, who was the first to contract the infection since 2015, reportedly caught the infection from a pet cat (not pictured), according to state health officials. (iStock)

The initial telltale symptom of the plague is an extremely swollen lymph node, according to Adalja. 

“The danger is when the bacteria spreads from the involved lymph node systemically,” he warned. “It is critical to seek medical attention to prevent the infection from spreading.”

Treatment and prevention

Plague can be life-threatening if left untreated, Brewer said; but if diagnosed in time, it can be treated effectively with antibiotics, typically gentamicin or fluoroquinolones.

In patients with pneumonic plague, the CDC recommends starting a course of antibiotics within 24 hours of the start of symptoms.

Plague can be life-threatening if left untreated, but if diagnosed in time, it can be treated effectively with antibiotics. (iStock)

“The best way to avoid the disease is to avoid rodents in rural and semi-rural dry areas in the western U.S.,” Brewer advised. 

“Be careful about cleaning out rodent nests, airing out cabins that have been closed up for the season, or other activities where contaminated dust could be stirred up and inhaled.”

For those who live in a plague-endemic area of the U.S., Adalja said they should be mindful that their dogs may encounter animals that could have plague, such as prairie dogs.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

“Keeping them leashed when they’re in areas where other animals might be present is something that individuals can do to prevent [transmission],” he said.

Brewer recommends keeping cats indoors to prevent them from picking up infected fleas, as well as using flea medications for cats and dogs.

Bubonic plague smear demonstrating the presence of Yersinia pestis bacteria, 1965. Bipolar staining of a plague smear prepared from lymph aspirated from an adenopathic lymph node, or bubo, of a plague patient. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

“Plague is a dramatic but relatively rare disease,” Brewer said. 

“Using common sense about avoiding rodents and keeping rodents away from pets and habitats in the Southwest U.S. should be sufficient prevention for most people.”

Susky agreed, adding, “Plague, though a serious infectious illness, is a smaller concern, as many people are much more likely to get infections from other bacteria and viruses.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“However, it is still important to be aware of areas where plague can occur in larger numbers, which would be in the Western U.S.”

There is no vaccine currently available for bubonic plague.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.

Health officials in Hawaii have confirmed five cases of whooping cough among members of a family, including a case that has led to the hospitalization of a child. 

The Hawaii Department of Health says each case of pertussis affected an unvaccinated individual and that it is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other states to “notify travelers who were exposed.” 

“The family had traveled from the United States mainland and stayed at a hotel accommodation on Oahu,” the department said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that an investigation has “identified no close contacts after the family’s arrival in Hawaii.” 

Hawaii health officials say these are the first whooping cough cases in the state since March of last year, and there have been 89 confirmed and probable cases reported there dating back to 2019. 

SHOULD THE CDC DROP ITS 5-DAY COVID ISOLATION GUIDELINES? DOCTORS WEIGH IN 

The Department of Health described whooping cough as a “highly contagious respiratory infection caused by bacteria” that can “cause severe coughing fits (up to 10 weeks or more), followed by a high-pitched ‘whoop’ sound when breathing in.” 

“Whooping cough can lead to serious complications, especially in infants, such as pneumonia, dehydration, seizures, and brain damage. Infants may not cough at all,” it also said. “Instead, they may have apnea (life-threatening pauses in breathing) or struggle to breathe.” 

WHAT IS ALASKAPOX? FIRST FATALITY REPORTED FROM ANIMAL-BORNE VIRUS 

Hawaii health officials say whooping cough can “cause severe coughing fits.” (iStock)

It is not immediately clear when the family arrived in Oahu. 

Hawaii health officials say the best protection against whooping cough is to stay up to date with vaccines. 

Hawaii health officials say whooping cough symptoms include “struggling to breathe.” (iStock)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

They recommend anyone in Hawaii to see a doctor if they or their children are experiencing symptoms including if they have a fever, are “struggling to breathe” or are “coughing violently and rapidly.”