One hospital’s push to transition patients who are nearing the end of life from the emergency room to hospice care appears to be working. After the program went into effect, 54% of ER patients at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston transitioned to hospice care within 96 hours. That compared to 22% before the program… read on > read on >
Cannabis use during pregnancy might affect the way a child’s brain develops after birth, a new study says. Brain imaging of children exposed to cannabis in the womb has revealed patterns consistent with reductions in brain inflammation, researchers reported July 4 in the journal Nature Mental Health. Too much reduction in inflammation in a child’s… read on > read on >
U.S. health officials have determined that untreated water used by a Florida cucumber grower is one likely source of salmonella poisoning that sickened nearly 450 people this spring. Still, that grower didn’t supply all the cucumbers that were linked to salmonella contamination, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) noted in a recent health update. During their… read on > read on >
Mounjaro outperforms Ozempic in helping people lose weight, a new study shows. People taking tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) dropped significantly more pounds than those taking semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy), researchers reported July 8 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. “Individuals with overweight or obesity treated with tirzepatide were significantly more likely to achieve clinically meaningful weight loss… read on > read on >
Researchers report they have discovered lead and arsenic in a wide variety of tampon products sold in the United States and Europe. Testing revealed lead in all 30 tampons from 14 brands obtained from major online retailers and stores in the U.S., the U.K. and Greece, according to a study published July 3 in the journal… read on > read on >
In yet another finding that touts the health benefits of wildly popular weight-loss medications like Wegovy and Ozempic, scientists report that taking the drugs may help reduce the risk of some cancers. In a study published July 5 in JAMA Network Open, researchers found people with type 2 diabetes who were being treated with a class of… read on > read on >
Researchers have identified a gene that can trigger obesity, behavior problems and postpartum depression when missing or damaged. The finding could lead to new treatments for postpartum depression and overeating: The study in mice suggests the so-called “love hormone” — oxytocin — may ease symptoms. Obesity and postpartum depression are major health problems worldwide. The… read on > read on >
Exposure to air pollution can significantly reduce the odds of in vitro fertilization (IVF) leading to a live birth, a new study says. The odds of a live birth are nearly 40% lower in women heavily exposed to particle pollution in the two weeks before her eggs were collected for IVF, compared to those with… read on > read on >
Wartime appears to increase the risk of chronic pain for military women, a new study suggests. Active-duty servicewomen who served between 2006 and 2013 – a period of heightened combat deployments – had a significantly increased risk of chronic pain compared to women serving at other times, according to results published July 5 in the… read on > read on >
After a mastectomy, some women are less likely than others to have breast reconstruction surgery. Rates of the surgery are consistently lower among American Indian and Alaskan native women than among non-Hispanic white women, according to a new study that pointed to age, stage of cancer and insurance as contributors. “Despite an upward trend in… read on > read on >
