A quicker, safer option for treating an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation might be just months away. Atrial fibrillation is currently treated with drugs or a procedure known as thermal ablation. Thermal ablation uses extreme temperatures to disable areas of the heart causing the abnormal heart rhythm. The new system — called pulsed field ablation… read on > read on >
Pregnant women will no longer have any drug to prevent preterm birth after the maker of the only available treatment announced Tuesday that it will withdraw its product, Makena, from the market. Covis Pharma Group’s decision follows a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel vote last October that concluded the drug does not actually… read on > read on >
When people struggle to fall asleep, it’s no surprise they seek solutions. Options can range from prescription medications to sleep therapy, good habits and an abundance of supplements. Taking magnesium for sleep is something some say has real benefits, but does it really? It’s not entirely certain, but the mineral serves a variety of other… read on > read on >
WEDNESDAY, March 8, 2023 (American Heart Association News) — Blood pressure measurements taken in a medical office can vary widely between visits, new research finds, offering further support for guidelines that call for supplemental home monitoring. “These large variations in blood pressure measurements pose a great challenge to determine whether hypertension treatment is actually working,”… read on > read on >
Opioids pose the greatest poison risk to children in the United States, accounting for more than half of poisoning deaths in infants and toddlers, a new study reports. About 52% of poisoning deaths of children aged 5 and younger in 2018 involved the ingestion of an opioid, according to findings published online March 8 in… read on > read on >
A water heater set to 120 degrees Fahrenheit can release water from the tap hot enough to cause a second-degree burn in about nine minutes. Turned up to 130 degrees, that injury happens in just 25 seconds. At 140 degrees, it only takes three seconds, according to a new study that tallied the personal and… read on > read on >
Add gastrointestinal problems to the long list of lingering conditions that can follow COVID-19. New research has found that people who have had COVID-19 are at an increased risk of gastrointestinal disorders within a year of their infection — including liver problems, acute pancreatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux and ulcers in the lining of… read on > read on >
Women are more likely than men to die after coronary artery bypass surgery, according to a large new study. Researchers still don’t understand why women have these poorer outcomes. “This should be a ‘wake-up call’ for cardiothoracic surgeons — women still have a higher risk of adverse outcomes following coronary artery bypass surgery, and there… read on > read on >
Some people may have a gene that helps protect them from respiratory diseases like COVID-19 — and helped their ancestors fight the plague. It comes at a cost. This same gene variation may be linked to an increased risk of autoimmune disease, including rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, according to British researchers. “This gene… read on > read on >
Patients with painful endometriosis can help reclaim their lives by managing flare-ups at home and getting medical care, a specialist in women’s health assures. Dr. Kristin Riley, chief of minimally invasive gynecologic surgery at Penn State Health in Hershey, offered information about the condition that affects 1 in 9 women. Endometriosis happens when tissue that… read on > read on >
