There’s a good chance that some cases of the mysterious polio-like illness seen recently in U.S. children may have been misdiagnosed, a new study reports. Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), which causes potentially life-threatening paralysis and primarily strikes children, has been recurring in the United States in every-other-year waves since 2014. But it’s likely some kids… read on >
A smokeless method of vaporizing and then inhaling pot packs a much more powerful punch than simply smoking weed, researchers say. That could raise safety concerns for users — driving, for example. Marijuana vaporizers heat pot to a temperature just below combustion, allowing people to inhale the intoxicating chemical THC from the plant material without… read on >
Ambulance response times for cardiac arrest are longer in poor U.S. neighborhoods than in rich ones, which means poor patients are more likely to die, a new study finds. “When it comes to a cardiac arrest, every minute counts,” said study author Dr. Renee Hsia, a professor of emergency medicine at the University of California,… read on >
Smokers who switch to vaping can have the occasional cigarette without a complete relapse, new research suggests. The study included 40 people who quit smoking by using e-cigarettes (vaping). About half said they had either brief or regular tobacco smoking relapses, particularly in social situations. However, they didn’t view such slip-ups as the end of… read on >
Women who live a healthy lifestyle during the transition to menopause may help keep their blood vessels healthy as they age, a new study suggests. Compared with women who had the least healthy lifestyle, those who led the healthiest lifestyle had less thickening and buildup of fatty plaque in their arteries, researchers found. “Midlife is… read on >
Regular eye checkups are important, especially for children, the American Optometric Association says. The newborn checkup at the hospital isn’t enough, the group warns. By age 6 months, the association recommends that all children have a thorough eye exam. If your child has a healthy prognosis from the eye exam, the AOA says the child… read on >
The hearts of women who snore appear to become damaged more quickly than those of men who “saw lumber” at night, a new study suggests. Evaluating nearly 4,500 British adults who underwent cardiac imaging, researchers also learned that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may be vastly underdiagnosed among snorers. This finding surprised study author Dr. Adrian… read on >
Love your time in the local sauna? Your heart may love it, too. New research from sauna-loving Finland suggests that for people aged 50 and older, saunas may lower their odds of risk of dying from heart disease. Specifically, just 5 percent of Finns in the study who spent more than 45 minutes in a… read on >
Risk of heat-related disease and death is rising worldwide due to climate change, a new report warns. Hotter temperatures threaten the elderly and other vulnerable people with heat stress, and heart and kidney disease, according to an international team of experts. Last year, more than 157 million at-risk people were exposed to heat waves worldwide.… read on >
Antibiotics are frequently prescribed to fight bacterial infections. But if used improperly, the bacteria they are meant to kill can become resistant. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers these guidelines for safe antibiotic use: Use the medicine exactly as directed. Make sure the recipient takes the entire course of antibiotics, even if the person is… read on >
