All expecting mothers should get a blood test for syphilis three times during pregnancy, new guidance issued by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends. The practice advisory calls on doctors to test for syphilis at a pregnant woman’s first prenatal care visit, then again during the third trimester and at birth. The advisory… read on > read on >
Women who smoke and become pregnant may worry that the weight gain that comes with quitting might bring its own harms to themselves or their baby. However, a new study confirms the health benefits of quitting smoking still far exceed any weight-linked concerns. Weight gain can occur once women decide to forgo cigarettes, but even… read on > read on >
The dangerous heart rhythm disorder known as atrial fibrillation is mainly known for increasing people’s risk of stroke. But people with A-Fib actually have a much higher risk of developing heart failure than suffering a stroke, a new study shows. In fact, the risk of heart failure associated with A-Fib is “twice as large as… read on > read on >
Black and Hispanic patients with Alzheimer’s disease are greatly underrepresented in clinical trials, even though they’re more likely to get dementia than whites. However, racial discrimination may not be driving this disparity, a new study finds. Instead, Black and Hispanic people are being judged ineligible for Alzheimer’s trials because they appear to have lower levels… read on > read on >
Managing a stroke victim’s blood sugar levels after they receive powerful clot-busting drugs might help them survive their health crisis, a new trial finds. People with high blood sugar levels were more likely to suffer a potentially deadly brain bleed after clot-busters reopened their blocked brain arteries, researchers found. The risk was particularly high in… read on > read on >
An early marker of multiple sclerosis could help doctors figure out who will eventually fall prey to the degenerative nerve disease, a new study says. In one in 10 cases of MS, the body begins producing a distinctive set of antibodies in the blood years before symptoms start appearing, researchers reported April 19 in the… read on > read on >
Fresh organic basil tainted with salmonella and sold by Trader Joe’s in 29 states has sickened at least 12 people, according to an alert issued Wednesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One person was so ill that hospitalization was required. “Throw away any Infinite Herbs organic basil purchased from Trader Joe’s,”… read on > read on >
As climate change threatens another long hot summer for Americans, new data shows last summer’s record-breaking temperatures sent a rising number of people to emergency departments. At special risk of heatstroke and other heat-related issues: Working-age Americans, who often found themselves far from air conditioning when triple-digit temperatures struck. “Heat-related illness will continue to be… read on > read on >
Nearly 20% of fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables that Americans eat contain concerning levels of pesticides, a new report finds. Pesticides posed significant risks in popular choices such as strawberries, green beans, bell peppers, blueberries and potatoes, the review from Consumer Reports found. “One food in particular, green beans, had residues of a… read on > read on >
Teenagers are frequently bullied about their weight on social media, and the bullying increases with each hour they spend on these sites, a new study reveals. Nearly one in five teens (17%) said they’d experienced weight-related bullying online, according to results published April 17 in the journal PLOS One. “This experience can have adverse effects,… read on > read on >
