Statins have become the miracle medicine of modern heart care, lowering cholesterol levels and and guarding against heart attacks in millions of Americans. In fact, a running joke among doctors holds that statins are so helpful they should be put in the water supply. However, they aren’t right for all patients, and some rare side… read on > read on >
Sipping sodas – sugary or diet – seems to slightly increase a person’s risk of developing a potentially dangerous irregular heart rhythm, a new study shows. Folks had a 20% greater risk of atrial fibrillation if they drank two liters or more of artificially sweetened beverages each week, researchers reported March 5 in the American… read on > read on >
Just one dose of the antibiotic doxycycline taken after sex halved the number of chlamydia and syphilis cases in San Francisco, promising new research shows. In the study, gay and bisexual men and transgender women who had a history of sexually transmitted infections or multiple sex partners were given a supply of the antibiotic and… read on > read on >
A new robotic hip exoskeleton could help stroke patients improve their walking stride, a new study shows. More than 80% of stroke survivors develop problems walking, often because their step is shorter on one side than the other, researchers explained in background notes. The hip exoskeleton helps people adapt their stride by forcing both legs… read on > read on >
A cheap cavity-fighting liquid typically used to treat sensitive teeth appears to work as well as dental sealants in preventing tooth decay, a new study finds. A single treatment of either silver diamine fluoride (SDF) or a typical dental sealant prevented 80% of cavities for four years among thousands of New York City elementary schoolchildren,… read on > read on >
A new smartphone app can help doctors more accurately diagnose ear infections in babies and small children, potentially reducing unnecessary antibiotic use in kids, researchers report. Ear infections — known by doctors as acute otitis media (AOM) — can be difficult to diagnose, as they require a trained eye to detect subtle clues from a… read on > read on >
Analysis of a “chemical score” from mouth lesion swab samples might allow patients to skip painful biopsies, getting oral cancers promptly diagnosed in a noninvasive way, scientists report. Right now, dentists and other specialists must send excised tissues from suspicious mouth lesions to labs for standard biopsies, which are costly and invasive. However, researchers at… read on > read on >
Long COVID might be triggered by low iron levels in the blood from the person’s initial infection, a new study claims. It’s remained a mystery why an estimated three out of 10 people infected with COVID go on to suffer lingering symptoms like fatigue, shortness of breath, muscle aches and “brain fog” problems with memory… read on > read on >
Certain drugs used to treat multiple sclerosis appear to be safe for babies if taken by breastfeeding moms, a new study finds. Breastfed babies whose moms received monoclonal antibody treatments for MS did not develop any more developmental delays than babies not exposed to the drugs through breast milk. The findings will be presented at… read on > read on >
Using TVs and tablets as “e-babysitters” really cuts down on the time toddlers spend interacting with parents or other caregivers, new research shows. The Australian team of investigators are calling the phenomenon “technoference” — a scenario where “young children’s exposure to screen time is interfering with opportunities to talk and interact in their home environment.”… read on > read on >
