Performing CPR can save a life, but it may be difficult to remember exactly what to do during an emergency, the American Red Cross says. Here’s what the agency recommends: Place your hands, one on top of the other, in the middle of the chest. Use your body weight to administer compressions that are at… read on >
As a nasty flu season rages throughout the United States, new research finds that one particularly vulnerable population often misses out on tests for the illness. Among hospitalized people, older patients are much less likely to be tested for flu than younger patients, the new study found. That’s important, because the U.S. Centers for Disease… read on >
Smokers often think their habit won’t have health consequences until far into the future, a small survey suggests. Researchers found that compared with nonsmokers, those who smoke generally believe that any health problems — from yellow teeth to lung cancer — would strike later in life. It’s a perception, researchers said, that might delay some… read on >
Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) tends to make a person more impulsive, inattentive and hyperactive. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration suggests how to help manage ADHD in children: Train parents, teachers and other caregivers in a setting where problem behaviors often occur. Behavior therapy to teach the child new behavior to replace undesirable… read on >
Survival rates are rising for people who have cardiac arrest while in the hospital, a new study finds. But if cardiac arrest happens at night or on a weekend, you’re more likely to die than if it happens on a weekday. The odds of surviving an “off-hours” cardiac arrest are nearly 4 percent lower than… read on >
Are bleary-eyed Americans getting a break at last? New research suggests that people are sleeping a few more minutes each night than they used to. “Over 14 years [2003 to 2016], Americans were getting 17 minutes more sleep every night, or a full four days more sleep per year,” said study lead researcher Dr. Mathias… read on >
Americans spent more on health care in 2016, even though their use of health care did not increase, and rising costs are the reason why, a new report shows. “It is time to have a national conversation on the role of price increases in the growth of health care spending,” said Niall Brennan, president of… read on >
Severe weather, an earthquake, a fire or flood all present unique challenges for people with Alzheimer’s disease. Their impaired memory and reasoning severely limits their ability to act appropriately during a crisis, the National Institute on Aging says. If you are preparing an emergency kit for someone who has Alzheimer’s, the agency suggests including: Incontinenceundergarments,… read on >
Older adults are at increased risk for hypothermia, a dangerous drop in body temperature, the U.S. National Institute on Aging warns. This can be due to chronic health conditions or the use of certain medicines, including over-the-counter cold remedies. Hypothermia occurs when your core body temperature drops to 95 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. Warning signs… read on >
The growing popularity of snowboarding and skiing has meant more injuries on the slopes, a new review shows. In 2015, more than 140,000 people were treated in U.S. hospitals, doctors’ offices and emergency rooms for skiing and snowboarding-related injuries, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Snowboarders are three times more likely than skiers… read on >
