Fewer heart attack and stroke patients are seeking medical care since the coronavirus pandemic began and doctors are wondering why. It’s possible that during the pandemic, patients are ignoring symptoms that would otherwise worry them, doctors from Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles suggest. While investigators are trying to figure out what’s happening, Dr. Patrick Lyden, a…  read on >

The coronavirus pandemic has led many older adults to postpone medical care, a new survey finds. The University of Chicago survey found that 55% of U.S. adults aged 70 and older experienced a disruption in their medical care during the first month of social distancing. Thirty-nine percent put off non-essential care and 32% delayed primary…  read on >

COVID-19 might raise stroke risk in young and middle-aged adults, with virus-linked blood clots causing severe damage to their brains, doctors warn. Word has already spread that the novel coronavirus appears to increase clotting in some patients, experts say. Now, a series of five cases at the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City…  read on >

Fear of exposure to COVID-19 appears to be exacting an unexpected toll on public health: Childhood vaccination rates have plummeted, leaving millions at risk for other life-threatening illnesses. “We’re seeing a general drop in pediatrician visits of 70% to 80% — and that’s very concerning,” said Dr. Sara Goza, president of the American Academy of…  read on >

New research adds to a growing body of evidence that suggests men are far more vulnerable to severe COVID-19 than women are. Although both genders fall ill in the same numbers, men are 2.5 times more likely to get severe disease and die, the study from China showed. The finding comes as scientists in New…  read on >

If you toss and turn every night because the coronavirus epidemic has left you anxious and worried, one sleep expert has some advice. Financial struggles, loss of control, or worries about loved ones can affect peoples’ quality and duration of nightly sleep, said sleep psychologist Emerson Wickwire, an associate professor of psychiatry and medicine at…  read on >

Even though many Americans might not even know what pulse oximeters are, the tiny devices are flying off pharmacy shelves as high-risk folks worry about COVID-19. That’s because they perform a critical function, measuring the concentration of oxygen in the blood. How? Just clip the device onto a patient’s finger for a reading. A healthy…  read on >

Heart failure raises the risk of complications and death from COVID-19, and requires extra vigilance during the pandemic, the American Heart Association (AHA) says. More than 6 million people in the United States have heart failure. It occurs when the heart no longer pumps blood as well as it should. “When the cardiac system is…  read on >

While health experts continued to call for a national strategy to test more Americans for coronavirus, President Donald Trump on Monday announced a “blueprint” for boosting testing capacity as some states began reopening their economies. But the national guidance says states must develop their own testing plans and rapid-response programs while the White House provides…  read on >