Millions of Americans may be getting the wrong treatment to prevent a heart attack or stroke, a new study suggests. Prescriptions for blood-thinning aspirin, cholesterol-lowering statins and blood pressure medications might be incorrect because a tool that estimates risk appears to be off by as much as 20 percent, Stanford University researchers reported. That means… read on >
Your weight can be a strong indicator of your general health. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says three weight calculations are good predictors of how healthy you are: body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and risk factors for diseases and conditions associated with obesity. BMI is calculated from your height and weight. The… read on >
(HealthDay News) –Joint replacement surgery removes damaged parts of a joint and replaces them with man-made parts. The goal is to restore function and reduce pain and inflammation. The most commonly replaced joints are the hip or knee. Less often, a shoulder, finger joint, ankle or elbow is replaced, the U.S. National Institute of Arthritis… read on >
An annual flu shot is key for children with asthma, a new study shows. “We now know that if these kids get the flu, the risks are very high that emergency treatment for an asthma attack will fail,” said study co-author and pediatrician Dr. Francine Ducharme. “Instead of having an 18 percent risk of treatment… read on >
Child sexual abuse in the United States exacts an enormous economic toll, researchers report. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health calculated that in 2015 alone, the costs associated with the aftermath of abuse exceeded $9 billion. That figure included costs associated with health care, child welfare, special education, violence and crime,… read on >
Not every food you eat has to be low-calorie when you want to lose weight. There are many nutritious and tasty foods that can help you feel satisfied, rather than deprived, and that’s important when you’re facing calorie restrictions day in and day out. The key to including them is careful portion control. Nuts are… read on >
Swimming is a great way to stay active and spend time with family and friends. But if you or a family member has an intestinal bug, it’s important to avoid a pool. While chlorine can help keep water safe from other germs, some diarrhea-causing germs can survive in chlorinated water for more than seven days,… read on >
Fish is a protein-rich food that may be very nutritious. But it can also harbor dangerous levels of mercury that could add it to the “do not eat” list for some people, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says. The FDA offers these suggestions for kids and women of child-bearing age: Don’t eat fish more… read on >
Children suffering from rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare cancer of the muscle tissue, may have better chances for a cure if they have extended chemotherapy, a new study finds. In a phase 3 clinical trial, adding six months of low-dose maintenance chemotherapy after initial treatment extended the five-year survival rate from 74 percent to 87 percent, researchers… read on >
A cancer drug that boosts the immune system outperforms chemotherapy in fighting advanced lung cancer, a new trial shows. Keytruda (pembrolizumab) extended life four to eight months longer than chemotherapy in lung cancer patients whose immune systems had been duped by their cancer cells. “This trial shows that pembrolizumab used alone improves survival as opposed… read on >
