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 >
For elderly heart attack survivors, how well they perform on a simple mobility test could help predict whether they will be back in the hospital within a month, researchers say. Nearly one in five of these heart patients are readmitted with complications such as heart failure, bleeding or irregular heart beat within 30 days after… 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 >
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 >
As e-cigarette use soars in high schools across America, new research shows many people don’t understand the amount of addictive nicotine they’re inhaling with every puff. In a new survey, many teens said they regularly used e-cigarettes, but swore they only vaped nicotine-free products. However, urine tests for a “marker” of nicotine use came up… read on >
Americans with cancer are more likely to use marijuana and prescription opioids than those without cancer, and the use of medical marijuana by this group is on the rise, new research shows. Pain is common among cancer patients, but many do not get adequate pain relief, the researchers noted. The new study looked at more… read on >
