A drug that lowers cholesterol might help save hospitalized patients with COVID-19, a new, small Israeli study suggests. Researchers at Hebrew University of Jerusalem noted that COVID causes a big buildup of cholesterol, which results in inflammation in cells. In lab experiments, they found that the cholesterol-lowering drug fenofibrate (TriCor) effectively reduced damage to lung… read on > read on >
New research delivers an answer to a burning question: When are COVID-19 patients most infectious? The answer? Two days before and three days after they develop symptoms. The findings highlight the importance of rapid testing and quarantine if someone is feeling sick, the study authors said. The researchers also found that infected people are more… read on > read on >
It can happen in an instant. A young child climbs a heavy piece of furniture, and it topples over on the toddler. New research suggests that’s not as rare as you might think: Hundreds of thousands of children have been treated in U.S. emergency rooms for such injuries in recent decades. “Some families may not… read on > read on >
New research offers further evidence of a link between gum disease and heart disease. The ongoing Swedish study previously found that gum disease (“periodontitis”) was much more common in first-time heart attack patients than in a group of healthy people. In this follow-up study, the researchers examined whether gum disease was associated with an increased… read on > read on >
If you’re at the beach or pool, applying sunscreen before and after you’ve been in the water is a must, a cancer specialist says. The intensity of exposure to harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays “is higher under water than it is above water,” said Dr. Arun Mavanur. He is a surgical oncologist at the Alvin &… read on > read on >
Students face a number of challenges as they head back to school this fall — from potential exposure to COVID-19 and other illnesses to injuries on the playing field. “This return to school season is like no other,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Schools must be… read on > read on >
Despite all of the criticism of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, new research suggests there was a silver lining: more shut-eye for middle and high school students. “Without the required transportation time or time required to get ready for school in the morning, online students were able to wake later, and thus get more… read on > read on >
Overdose deaths linked to illicit “designer” benzodiazepines have surged in the United States, as underground labs crank out new synthetic variations on prescription tranquilizers like Valium, Xanax and Ativan. Overdose deaths involving illicit benzos increased more than sixfold (520%) between 2019 and 2020, rising from 51 to 316, according to data from 32 states and… read on > read on >
A new approach to spinal cord stimulation may drastically reduce chronic back pain, a small pilot study suggests. The study, of 20 patients with stubborn low back pain, tested the effects of implanting electrodes near the spinal cord to stimulate it with “ultra-low” frequency electrical pulses. After two weeks, 90% of the patients were reporting… read on > read on >
One-third of the U.S. population — about 103 million people — had been infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus by the end of 2020, but more than three-quarters of the cases weren’t officially confirmed, according to a Columbia University study. “It is these undocumented cases, which are often mild or asymptomatic infectious, that allow the virus… read on > read on >
