Some 240 million calls are made to 911 in the United States each year, says the National Emergency Number Association. If you or a loved one needs law enforcement, firefighters or emergency medical help, call that number right away. NENA shares these do’s and don’ts for calling 911: Do call for true emergencies. If you…  read on >

Your odds of surviving a cardiac arrest long enough to be admitted to the hospital are lower on the weekend than on a weekday, researchers say. For the study, the investigators analyzed data from nearly 3,000 patients worldwide who suffered an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and were treated with a publicly accessible automated external defibrillator (AED).…  read on >

Here’s some worrisome news for folks who manage to survive a heart attack: New research suggests they might be far more vulnerable to developing cancer down the road. People who suffered a heart health scare — a heart attack, heart failure or a dangerously erratic heart rhythm — had a more than sevenfold increased risk…  read on >

A first-aid kit can help you after an injury or in an emergency. So keeping a first-aid kit in both your car and home is good practice, says Mayo Clinic. Mayo mentions these must-have items for a first-aid kit: A comprehensive first-aid manual. Adhesive tape, gauze, elastic bandages and other bandage strips. Cotton balls, surgical…  read on >

That persistent tickle in the back of your throat may be diagnosed as post-nasal drip, says Harvard Medical School. It mentions these common treatment options for the condition: Use a humidifier, or take a hot shower. Keep well-hydrated to help keep mucus thin. Sleep on propped-up pillows. Moisten the inside of your nose with an…  read on >

Vaping isn’t necessarily better for your heart health than smoking tobacco, a pair of new studies argue. They report that use of e-cigarettes negatively affects risk factors for heart disease in ways similar to traditional tobacco cigarettes: Levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides are elevated in people who use e-cigarettes, according to results from the…  read on >

Smoking pot doesn’t do your heart or your brain any favors, a pair of new studies shows. Frequent pot smokers are more than twice as likely to suffer a stroke compared with those who don’t partake, the first study found. They’re also more likely to be hospitalized for a dangerously erratic heart rhythm, according to…  read on >

As Americans pay tribute to all veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces Monday, new research suggests that how comrades died can affect levels of grief among soldiers who served in Afghanistan and Iraq. “Our goal was to better understand how combat veterans experience the deaths of their military comrades in battle or…  read on >