Surprisingly, patients who isolate before surgery to protect themselves from COVID-19 actually have a higher risk of lung complications after their operation than those who don’t isolate, a new study reports. The findings conflict with current guidelines that recommend isolation before surgery, researchers noted. “Our evidence suggests that removing preoperative isolation strategies is unlikely to… read on > read on >
Significant fatigue at the start of cancer treatment is associated with a greater risk of severe side effects and shorter survival, a new study finds. Researchers analyzed data from four clinical trials of lung cancer or prostate cancer treatments that were conducted by the SWOG Cancer Research Network, a cancer clinical trials group funded by… read on > read on >
COVID-19 spreads like wildfire through crowded U.S. prisons, and researchers are calling for policy changes to protect inmates. “We may need to have stricter thresholds for where we draw the line on how crowded a facility can be,” study senior author Dr. Amir Mohareb said in a news release from Massachusetts General Hospital, where he… read on > read on >
If you think the pandemic hasn’t taken a toll on the mental health of young people, ponder these two facts from a new review: one in four are suffering from depression, while one in five are struggling with anxiety. “Being socially isolated, kept away from their friends, their school routines and extracurricular activities during the… read on > read on >
News that the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 can be picked up and spread by vaccinated folks has sparked confusion and concern, and an infectious disease expert wants to clarify. These worries follow a recent U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation that urged even vaccinated folks to wear masks indoors in areas… read on > read on >
MONDAY, Aug. 9, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — A doctor’s presence during a blood pressure reading triggers a “fight or flight” response that can affect the results, say researchers who studied the effect by measuring nerve activity. “White coat hypertension” – the phenomenon when blood pressure rises in some people who are measured by… read on > read on >
Smoke from wildfires burning along the West Coast is choking the entire United States, reminding everyone of the hazards of climate change. But that haze isn’t just stinging your eyes and choking your breath — it poses a direct threat to your health, experts say. Wildfire smoke has been shown to increase risk of heart… read on > read on >
Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday he is hopeful that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will give full approval to the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine by the end of August, and he predicted that a wave of vaccine mandates will soon follow. At the moment, the agency has only granted emergency use of the Pfizer, Moderna… read on > read on >
After lagging behind for months, the European Union (EU) now has a higher COVID-19 vaccination rate than the United States. Rates of people in the 27-member EU with at least one dose have climbed from less than 4% in mid-February to 60%, while rates in the United States rose from nearly 12% to less than… read on > read on >
An experimental gel has shown early promise in treating the most common form of skin cancer — hinting at a potential alternative to surgery in the future. Researchers tested the gel in 30 patients with basal cell carcinoma (BCC), a skin cancer diagnosed in more than 3 million Americans each year. The tumors rarely spread… read on > read on >
