If you’re over 65, you likely struggle sometimes to hear conversations clearly, but ignoring that may prompt even more serious health problems, experts say. If left unchecked, hearing loss can lead to social isolation and depression — two conditions known to raise dementia risk, said Dr. Leah Ross, a physician in the Division of Geriatric… read on > read on >
Unprovoked shark attacks increased slightly worldwide last year, but twice as many people died from shark bites as the year before, new data show. There were 69 unprovoked shark attacks in 2023, higher than the five-year average of 63 attacks per year, according to the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File. Ten of the… read on > read on >
The weight-loss drug Zepbound provides more health benefits than dropping pounds and controlling diabetes, a new study shows. It also appears to help people with obesity manage their high blood pressure, results show. Patients taking Zepbound (tirzepatide) experienced a significant reduction in their systolic blood pressure, the top number in a blood pressure reading, according… read on > read on >
A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel on Friday addressed a continuing issue with pulse oximeters — that they give less accurate readings for folks with darker skin. The devices are designed to measure oxygen levels in the blood, so correct readings are critical, experts say. During its daylong meeting, the FDA’s Anesthesiology and… read on > read on >
Accessing mental health care via telehealth boomed during the pandemic, and it continues to be a valuable resource for patients. However, it could still be tough to find, depending on the clinics available in your area, new research finds. “We found considerable variation in the types of services telehealth offered by mental health clinics across… read on > read on >
Americans pay nearly three times as much for their prescription drugs as residents of other nations do, new research shows. Drug prices in the United States average nearly 2.8 times those seen in 33 other countries, the report from RAND Health Care found. Brand-name drugs are even more expensive, with U.S. prices averaging 4.2 times… read on > read on >
Even mild cases of COVID can trigger insomnia in most people, a new study reports. About three out of four people with mild COVID (76%) reported experiencing insomnia following their illness. Further, nearly one in four (23%) said they’d experienced severe insomnia, according to results published Feb. 5 in the journal Frontiers in Public Health.… read on > read on >
Driving at night can be risky business, as a dangerous combination of darkness and the glare of bright lights can make it hard to see the road, but one expert offers some safety tips. “If you have to drive in the evening time and you’re not comfortable, try to stick with roads that you know… read on > read on >
Women are much more prone than men to develop autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and lupus. Now, researchers have come up with a potential explanation for that — one that’s rooted in genes that drive a person’s gender. The female body has a complex means by which it handles the additional X chromosome,… read on > read on >
The heavy lead apron dentists drape over you during dental X-rays may soon be a thing of the past. On Thursday, the American Dental Association (ADA) announced that its member dentists can dispense with the aprons, technically called “thyroid collars” because they were used to shield that organ from radiation. “After reviewing nearly 100 articles,… read on > read on >
