For people struggling with both diabetes and a common type of heart failure, the weight-loss drug Wegovy may do more for their health than help them shed pounds, new research suggests. In the study, published Saturday in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers reported that the drug helped people with type 2 diabetes who… read on > read on >
All Health and Wellness:
Stopping Aspirin a Month After Stent Implant Helps Heart Patients
People who’ve survived a heart attack and have been given a stent may be better off quitting low-dose aspirin a month after the procedure, a new study finds. The strategy is “beneficial by reducing major and minor bleeding through one year by more than 50 percent,” said study lead author Dr. Gregg Stone, a professor… read on > read on >
Know Your Spring Allergens and the Meds That Can Help
Spring is in the air, and along with it loads of tree, grass and weed pollen. Sneezing, watery and itchy eyes, runny nose and all the other miseries of seasonal allergies can prevent a person from fully enjoying the season of rebirth. Worse, seasonal allergies also can trigger or worsen asthma, or lead to health… read on > read on >
Watching the Solar Eclipse, Safely
Today is your last chance until 2044 to see a total eclipse of the sun in the continental United States. But be sure to protect your eyes if you plan to watch the moon block the sun’s rays, briefly plunging Earth into temporary darkness. “The eclipse will last a few minutes,” said Dr. David Hinkle,… read on > read on >
Even a Little Secondhand Smoke Ups Odds for A-Fib
Just a little exposure to secondhand smoke may increase your risk for the heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation (A-Fib), a new, large study suggests. People who have A-Fib, the world’s most common heart rhythm disorder, are five times more likely to have a stroke than their healthy peers. While passive smoking has been linked to… read on > read on >
Urine Test Could Cut Need for Painful Bladder Cancer Procedure
A new urine test could spare bladder cancer survivors from a painful follow-up procedure needed to ensure their cancer hasn’t come back, researchers report. People who’ve gotten surgery for high-risk bladder cancer require a cystoscopy — a procedure in which a flexible probe is inserted through the urethra into the bladder, allowing doctors to check… read on > read on >
Eclipse Viewing Safety: Keeping Your & Your Kid’s Vision Safe
People preparing to watch Monday’s total eclipse of the sun need to protect their vision during the event, eye doctors say. Powerful ultraviolet rays can do permanent damage to the eyes if people look directly at the sun as the moon is sliding into place before it, said Starr Schroeder, an emergency department nurse at… read on > read on >
Have Only Well-Off Americans Gained From Recent Strides Against Heart Disease?
America is making headway against heart disease, with heart-related deaths declining over the past three decades. But it appears that only the well-to-do have benefitted, a new study shows. Heart attack rates have stayed the same or gotten worse among the poor during the same 30-year period, researchers found. “The decline in cardiovascular health has… read on > read on >
Nerve Zap Treatment for Sleep Apnea Less Effective in Obese People
Obese folks are less likely to benefit from a nerve-stimulation treatment for sleep apnea that’s recently been made available to them, a new study reports. The treatment is likely to be 75% less effective among obese people with BMIs of 32 to 35, compared to patients with lower BMIs, researchers found. “Our study shows that… read on > read on >
It May Be Fine to Exercise During Long COVID
People with Long COVID might be able to exercise to improve their health, something that up to now has been discouraged, a new study suggests. “The World Health Organization [WHO] and other major bodies have said that people with post-COVID should avoid intense exercise,” said lead researcher Andrea Tryfonos, a postdoctoral investigator with the Karolinska… read on > read on >