A blood test used to detect a heart attack may often provide some misleading results, British researchers report. In a new study of patients undergoing blood tests at a hospital in England, one in 20 people had high blood levels of troponin, a protein released into the bloodstream during a heart attack. But most of… read on >
Dementia is now one of the leading killers in the United States, with the rate of deaths linked to the disease more than doubling over the past two decades. “Overall, age-adjusted death rates for dementia increased from 30.5 deaths per 100,000 in 2000 to 66.7 in 2017,” say a team of researchers from the U.S.… read on >
No amount of alcohol is safe to drink during pregnancy, experts say. Even small or moderate amounts pose a risk, says the American Pregnancy Association. Risks to offspring include, but are not limited to: Physical abnormalities. Poor coordination and memory. Hyperactive behavior. Learning, speech and intellectual disabilities. Problems with the heart, kidneys or bones. Source:… read on >
More than 6 million American children aged 3 to 11 get head lice each year. Because children often play closely, lice can travel from child to child. For children with head lice, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises parents: Apply treatment products only to the scalp. After rinsing the product from the scalp, remove… read on >
It’s hard to keep up with the findings from studies on the health effects of saturated fat — you know, the fat typically found in animal foods, from red meat to whole milk. But one thing’s certain. For every study that finds saturated fats unhealthy, there’s another showing that its role in heart disease and… read on >
Though coaches and parents are more alert to the need for emergency attention after young athletes suffer a concussion, many may not realize how long symptoms and other effects can linger. A study in JAMA Pediatrics found that 31 percent of concussion victims had persistent symptoms after four weeks, as well as lower quality-of-life scores… read on >
There was a significant increase in the number of infants in Japan who had surgery for complex congenital heart disease after the nuclear accident in Fukushima, a new study finds. The disaster happened in March 2011 after a tsunami and earthquake hit the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan, causing a meltdown and release… read on >
The term artificial intelligence (AI) might bring to mind robots or self-driving cars. But one group of researchers is using a type of AI to improve lung cancer screening. Screening is important for early diagnosis and improved survival odds, but the current lung cancer screening method has a 96 percent false positive rate. But in… read on >
Vaccines are big news in the United States these days. Measles outbreaks in unvaccinated clusters around the country have highlighted the importance of immunization, reviving debate over whether vaccines should be required for all children. Meanwhile, the flu continues to plague all parts of the United States so the flu shot is still worth getting,… read on >
About 8,000 of the 45,000 snake bites in the United States each year are caused by venomous snakes. But most traditional first-aid methods do more harm than good, the World Health Organization says. WHO recommends: Reassure the victim, if he or she is anxious. Immobilize the person’s body and bitten area. Avoid interference with the… read on >
