Injuries, heart attacks, lung infections, strokes and other medical emergencies caused about half of the world’s 28 million deaths in 2015, a new study reports. Such deaths are on the rise, and rates are much higher in poor countries than wealthy ones, the researchers said. “We believe our study is among the first to identify…  read on >

Typically, doctors treat appendicitis with removal of the organ, medically called an appendectomy, says the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Laparoscopic surgery uses several small incisions, usually leading to few complications and a short recovery time. A laparotomy uses a single incision in your lower right abdomen. Post-surgery, doctors recommend…  read on >

Think breakfast isn’t the most important meal of the day? Think again, say researchers behind a new study that found the risk of heart-related death rises dramatically for folks who skip the morning repast. Compared to people who always ate breakfast, those who say they never did had a 87% higher odds of dying from…  read on >

The body’s immune system is designed to fight off threats, like infection-causing germs, through a process called inflammation. But a steady state of inflammation can lead to everything from diabetes to autoimmune diseases to heart disease to cancer. Many of these health threats don’t come from foreign invaders like scary bacteria, but from some everyday…  read on >

Despair runs rampant through Generation X as these Americans struggle through middle age, a new study reports. So-called indicators of despair — depression, suicide, drug and alcohol abuse — are rising among those in their late 30s and early 40s, and it’s occurring across-the-board, researchers say. “These are getting worse as people age through their…  read on >

One in ten people will have a kidney stone at some point in their lives, says the National Kidney Foundation. Kidney stones are hard objects that are produced from chemicals in urine. Symptoms can range from lower back pain, bloody urine, vomiting or fever and chills. Possible causes of kidney stones are drinking too little…  read on >

Tighter high blood pressure guidelines for children might better spot those at risk for heart disease in adulthood, a new study suggests. Compared to 2004 guidelines, the updated 2017 guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics increased the number of children considered to have high blood pressure. But it wasn’t known if the new guidelines…  read on >

Even if you love your job, your workspace might not love you back. Because people may spend 40 or more hours on the job, often at a desk, all that exposure to less-than-inspiring surroundings can negatively influence health. While some people suffer emotional and physical problems from a stressful job, for others, it’s the physical…  read on >

The death of a baby is always tragic, but safe sleep practices could have prevented some recent suffocation deaths, new research claims. The study found two factors appeared to be behind a majority of infant deaths by suffocation: A baby not sleeping on his or her back. A baby sleeping in an adult bed. “Although…  read on >