MONDAY, June 14, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — After years of improvement, high blood pressure control in the U.S. dropped regardless of age, race or ethnicity, according to new research. Previous studies found Americans with high blood pressure were better managing the condition in the early years of the 21st century before rates leveled… read on > read on >
Novavax, a Maryland biotechnology company that has struggled mightily with delays in developing its coronavirus vaccine, announced Monday that its two-shot regimen was over 90% effective overall in a trial that unfolded even as more contagious variants emerged. Among 30,000 volunteers — all of them from either the United States or Mexico — vaccinated people… read on > read on >
A rising number of young Americans, including children, are taking their own lives using firearms, a new study finds. Researchers found that between 2008 and 2018, gun suicides showed an “alarming” increase among Americans aged 5 to 24. And while those suicides remain rare among children, the rate among kids under 15 quadrupled during the… read on > read on >
British researchers report that babies have a strong immune response to the virus that causes COVID-19, based on a new, small study. For the research, the investigators assessed the immune systems of four infants under 3 months of age who had recovered from COVID, and compared them with adults who also had recovered from the… read on > read on >
Parents need to know that COVID-19 shots are safe and effective for kids age 12 and older, an expert says. While the Pfizer vaccine is approved in the United States for emergency use in this age group, parents may need reassurance, said Dr. Jessica Ericson, an infectious disease pediatrician at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital… read on > read on >
Many patients who are prescribed opioids after surgery could get the same level of pain relief with non-opioid alternatives such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen without the risk of addiction, researchers say. “Opioids have been a routine part of postsurgical pain care for decades, but the risk that they could lead to persistent use has been… read on > read on >
When it comes to teens, one risky driving behavior may beget other risky behaviors on the road: New research finds that those who use cellphones while behind the wheel are more likely to engage in other types of risky driving. “This study found that frequent cellphone use while driving was only one indicator of a… read on > read on >
That music at bedtime that’s supposed to help you fall asleep may actually have the opposite effect, new research suggests. It turns out that “earworms,” those catchy bits of a composition that can get stuck in a person’s head can also interject themselves into a person’s dreams, affecting the ability to fall asleep and to… read on > read on >
What can make a young person vulnerable to eating disorders? Teasing them about any extra pounds they may carry, researchers say. “Our findings add to the growing evidence that weight-based mistreatment is not helpful and is often harmful to the health of young people,” said study leader Laura Hooper, a PhD student at the University… read on > read on >
Many aging Americans can have their vision dimmed by cataracts, but the good news is that they’re easily treated, one expert says. By age 80, half of Americans either have cataracts or have had surgery to remove them, according to Dr. Waid Blackstone, an ophthalmologist at University of Alabama at Birmingham Callahan Eye Hospital Clinic… read on > read on >
