As the world reels from the coronavirus pandemic, researchers say religion may provide protection from so-called deaths of despair, new research suggests. The study, conducted in 2018-2019, found that those who attend worship services once a week are less likely to die by suicide, drug overdoses or alcohol poisoning. “These results are perhaps especially striking… read on >
The latest addition to medical haute couture may be a necklace outfitted with a pendant that people can use to screen themselves for signs of an abnormal heart rhythm condition known as atrial fibrillation. Fashioned by a team of Finnish researchers, the pendant houses a portable electrocardiogram (EKG) designed to transmit heart readings to a… read on >
As more evidence emerges that COVID-19 is tied to an increased risk of dangerous blood clots, new research suggests that giving patients blood thinners may improve their odds of survival. “Using anticoagulants should be considered when patients get admitted to the ER and have tested positive for COVID-19, to possibly improve outcomes,” study senior author… read on >
There’s a simple way to limit your guests’ boozing: Give them plenty of alternatives. A British study finds that people are more likely to choose alcohol-free options if they outnumber boozy choices. There were more than 800 people in the study. When presented with eight drink choices in an online questionnaire, participants were 48% more… read on >
A new analysis suggests there may be a simple, noninvasive technique that could delay, or even eliminate, the need for ventilation in COVID-19 patients. It’s called “proning.” And it appears to be remarkably effective at boosting “blood oxygen saturation” levels, often called sats, among COVID patients struggling with abnormally low levels (known as hypoxia). “Proning… read on >
The new coronavirus is disproportionately striking minority populations — particularly urban blacks and Navajo Indians living on their reservation. Experts say social and economic factors that predate the COVID-19 crisis may help explain why. “We found that there were large disparities in the proportion of people at risk of COVID-19 from minority and low-income populations,”… read on >
Daily use of inhaler medication by Americans with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has increased during the coronavirus pandemic, a new study shows. Researchers analyzed data on controller inhaler use by nearly 7,600 patients who use Propeller Health, which uses electronic medication monitors to track inhaler use and alerts patients about missed doses.… read on >
U.S. researchers have started enrolling participants in a study to assess the rate of new coronavirus infection among children and their families. The study — sponsored and funded by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) — will also examine if rates of new coronavirus infection differ between children with and without… read on >
The COVID-19 pandemic has done untold economic damage in the United States, with businesses shuttering and people self-isolating at home to try to slow the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus. You might think hospitals and health care systems would be immune to this wave of financial ruin, since there’s no industry more crucial to… read on >
A new, mutated strain of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 has become dominant and appears to be more contagious than the strain that spread during the early stages of the pandemic, scientists report. They said the new strain appeared in February in Europe, spread to the East Coast of the United States and has been… read on >
