The rings of stately pines on the coasts of North and South Carolina offer telling long-term evidence of climate change and a chilling forecast for the future. The upshot: The last 300 years have gotten wetter and wetter, making hurricanes ever more dangerous. “Our findings suggest that the maximum amount of rainfall from these storms… read on > read on >
If you often have a stomachache after eating, you’re not alone, a new survey finds. One in 10 people experience frequent meal-related pain. This includes 13% of women and 9% of men, and is most common in 18- to 28-year-olds (15%), according to an online survey of more than 54,000 people in 26 countries. “The… read on > read on >
Medtronic has expanded a recall of its MiniMed 600 series insulin pumps to include more than 463,000 of the devices. The pumps may deliver incorrect dosing of insulin and the recall has been identified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a Class I recall — the most serious type — because use of… read on > read on >
Nearly half of Americans have high blood pressure and only 24% have it under control, but what’s the best way to treat it — one high-dose pill or two at a lower dose? A large new study suggests that two medications may be better than one for many older patients. Lowering elevated blood pressure to… read on > read on >
People newly infected with COVID-19 might soon have access to what essentially is Tamiflu for the novel coronavirus, a breakthrough that experts say would drastically alter the course of the ongoing pandemic. At least three contenders are vying to become the first antiviral pill that specifically targets COVID-19, according to reports from drug manufacturers. Such… read on > read on >
Pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. said Friday that it will seek federal approval for emergency use of its new antiviral pill molnupiravir, after a clinical trial showed the drug halved the risk of hospitalization or death when given to high-risk people shortly after infection with COVID-19. The new medication is just one of several antiviral… read on > read on >
It turns out that the pandemic has reaped one unexpected benefit: As teens were kept home more often, their use of electronic cigarettes dropped by nearly 40%, a new report finds. U.S. health officials said these numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, but the decrease in vaping in 2021 is probably real… read on > read on >
Trying to slim down? Diet drinks aren’t likely to help, researchers warn. And those containing the artificial sweetener sucralose may even increase food cravings and appetite in women and people who are obese, according to a University of Southern California study. “There is controversy surrounding the use of artificial sweeteners because a lot of people… read on >
Despite the troubling findings of a congressional report released earlier this year on toxins in baby foods, a new report finds even more manufacturers are selling baby foods that contain potentially unsafe levels of heavy metals. The toxins in question include dangerous levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury, among others. “No level of toxic… read on > read on >
It’s no secret that excess weight is bad for the heart. But a new study suggests that obese people who lose a substantial amount of weight may reverse the related cardiovascular risks. Researchers found the odds for high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol were similar in formerly obese Americans who were now at a healthy… read on > read on >
