Older adults frequently delay needed surgery because of financial concerns, a new study finds. Nearly half of people ages 50 and older who were very concerned about the cost of surgery wound up not having an operation they had considered, researchers reported Jan. 30 in the journal JAMA Network Open. Further, more than half who… read on > read on >
The first new kind of pain medication in over two decades could be on the horizon for patients, with promising results announced Tuesday from a company trial. For now, the drug from Vertex Pharmaceuticals is called VX-548. But in trials of patients undergoing abdominoplasties (tummy tucks) and foot bunion surgeries, VX-548 performed better than placebo… read on > read on >
The maker of a drug used to treat ADHD and narcolepsy has recalled one lot of the medication after a pill mixup was discovered. The recall notice, issued by Azurity Pharmaceuticals Inc., states that one lot of Zenzedi 30-milligram tablets is being recalled after a pharmacist found antihistamine tablets in a bottle labeled as Zenzedi. The… read on > read on >
New research is helping confirm smoking as a risk factor for the devastating brain illness amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS affects roughly 31,000 Americans each year, with about 5,000 new cases diagnosed annually, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s a progressive, fatal illness that causes nerves cells controlling muscles to… read on > read on >
U.S. approval of over-the-counter emergency contraception like “Plan B” has had an unintended but positive side effect for America’s hospitals, a new study shows. Emergency room visits related to “morning-after” contraception plummeted after the pills became easily available to adults in 2006, according to the report published Jan. 24 in the journal JAMA Network Open.… read on > read on >
Deaths related to ozone air pollution will rise significantly around the world during the next two decades due to climate change, a new study warns. Cities in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa can expect to see ozone-related deaths increase by as many as 6,200 fatalities a year by 2054 unless humans rein in… read on > read on >
A white winter landscape might look magical, but the cold and snow and ice can make even the simplest of tasks potentially dangerous. “It’s slip and fall season,” said Dr. Letitia Bradford, an orthopedic surgeon who practices in rural communities in New Mexico and California. “We see a lot of ankle and wrist fractures during… read on > read on >
Pregnant women exposed to flame-retardant chemicals could face an increased risk of premature birth, a new study warns. Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are commonly used as flame retardants in products like furniture, baby items, electronics, clothes and building materials, researchers said. The chemicals also make plastics more flexible. Manufacturers started using OPEs after flame retardants containing… read on > read on >
Following a recall of millions of its breathing machines that began in mid-2021, Philips Respironics announced Monday that it would halt sales of all such machines within the United States. The machines include continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices used by people with sleep apnea, as well as ventilators used by other patients. The recall… read on > read on >
Britain’s King Charles III returned home on Monday after a planned prostate surgery, the same day his daughter-in-law Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, was also discharged following an undisclosed abdominal surgery. Both had been treated at the London Clinic private hospital. The King spent three nights there after surgery on Friday for an enlarged… read on > read on >
