FRIDAY, Oct. 1, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — As TV reporter Mike Lowe ran the Lifetime Chicago Triathlon in August, he heard shouts of, “Do it for Erin!” Lowe was running in honor of his colleague, Erin Ivory, who used to compete in several triathlons and half Ironman events each year. Two years earlier,… read on > read on >
One-quarter of U.S. parents report that their child has had to quarantine because of possible COVID-19 exposure since school started, a new poll finds. The nationally representative survey of 1,519 people conducted between Sept. 13 and Sept. 22 included 414 people who identified themselves as parents of children aged 17 and younger. Still, about two-thirds… read on > read on >
Pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. said Friday that it will seek federal approval for emergency use of its new antiviral pill molnupiravir, after a clinical trial showed the drug halved the risk of hospitalization or death when given to high-risk people shortly after infection with COVID-19. The new medication is just one of several antiviral… read on > read on >
It turns out that the pandemic has reaped one unexpected benefit: As teens were kept home more often, their use of electronic cigarettes dropped by nearly 40%, a new report finds. U.S. health officials said these numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, but the decrease in vaping in 2021 is probably real… read on > read on >
The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken up the U.S. opioid crisis in ways bad and good, increasing the risk of use and overdose but also spurring innovative approaches to treatment. The pandemic has definitely been linked to an increase in opioid use and overdose deaths, Tufts University’s Thomas Stopka said during a HealthDay Now video interview.… read on > read on >
While high-profile cases like the 2020 killing of George Floyd have cast a harsh spotlight on police violence in the United States, researchers say deaths attributable to it have been underreported for at least 40 years. That’s the key finding in a new study published Sept. 30 in The Lancet. For the study, a team… read on > read on >
Type 2 diabetes may up the risk for Alzheimer’s disease by altering brain function, new animal research suggests. A University of Nevada Las Vegas team showed that chronically high blood sugar could impair memory and alter aspects of working memory networks in rodents. “Diabetes is a major risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease, but it… read on > read on >
Many people with long-term back pain have tried physical therapy and medication, to no avail. A new study suggests they might “unlearn” their discomfort in weeks — using psychological therapy. “For a long time, we have thought that chronic pain is due primarily to problems in the body, and most treatments to date have targeted… read on > read on >
Trying to slim down? Diet drinks aren’t likely to help, researchers warn. And those containing the artificial sweetener sucralose may even increase food cravings and appetite in women and people who are obese, according to a University of Southern California study. “There is controversy surrounding the use of artificial sweeteners because a lot of people… read on >
Besides the long-established benefits of breastfeeding for baby and mom, a new study reports one more: Nursing could help chase the blues away. It is linked to a lower risk for postpartum depression — the so-called “baby blues” — and nursing for a longer time may further ease depression symptoms, according to the findings. “Women… read on > read on >
