Biologic drugs to treat asthma have been around for two decades, but a surprising number of family doctors still aren’t prescribing them to kids and adults. A new survey found that more than two in five primary care docs (42%) are unfamiliar with asthma biologics, according to findings presented at this month’s American College of… read on > read on >
All Health and Wellness:
‘Tis the Season to Be Stressed, New Poll Finds
The song says ‘tis the season to be jolly, but many Americans find it to be more the season of stress and worry, a new survey reports. The strain of inflation and world affairs this year are adding to the other holiday-time stressors to create a toxic mental health cocktail, according to findings from Ohio… read on > read on >
Scientists May Have Solved Mystery of How Shock Therapy Works
It’s been around for a century, and electroconvulsive therapy — formerly known as electroshock therapy — has helped countless people with psychiatric conditions feel better. But even the physicians who’ve used it have had little clue as to how it works. Now, a team the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) believe they’ve unraveled that… read on > read on >
Lab-Grown Brain Blood Vessels Show New Ways to Prevent Stroke, Dementia
Lab-grown blood vessels are providing new insight into how damage to the tiny vessels in the brain can cause them to leak, contributing to dementia and stroke. Even better, this research has identified a drug target that could plug these leaks and potentially reduce a person’s risk of brain-damaging blood vessel leaks. Antibiotic and anti-cancer… read on > read on >
Fat Hiding Around Organs Could Raise Odds for Alzheimer’s
Middle-aged folks with lots of belly fat surrounding their internal organs appear to be at higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease later in life, a new study suggests. This hidden abdominal fat — known as visceral fat — is related to changes in the brain up to 15 years before the earliest symptoms of Alzheimer’s manifest,… read on > read on >
Taking Antibiotic After Sex Could Slash Your Risk for an STI. Here’s What to Know
SATURDAY, Nov.18Data showing that the antibiotic doxycycline might prevent a sexually transmitted infection (STI) if taken soon after sex made headlines earlier this year. As surging numbers of cases of syphilis and gonorrhea affect more Americans, here’s what you need to know about using the drug. “If you’re actively having sex and not using condoms… read on > read on >
First Asthma-Linked Death Highlights Hazards at Marijuana-Processing Plants
A young woman working at a Massachusetts cannabis-processing facility who developed new-onset asthma and later died of a fatal asthma attack is the first such fatality in the burgeoning industry, a new report finds. Researchers believe large amounts of allergen-laden dust created at these facilities could pose real respiratory dangers to workers. When it comes… read on > read on >
COVID Pandemic Set Back U.S. Efforts to Fight HIV
Here’s another casualty of the pandemic: Gains made against another scourge, HIV. Progress made in fighting HIV/AIDS across all segments of society was eroded during the crisis, according to a report led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). “Equity in HIV outcomes likely worsened during the pandemic, with decreased access to… read on > read on >
Eye-to-Eye Contact in Conversation Is Rarer Than You Might Think
Have a hard time looking others in the eye? You aren’t alone, Canadian researchers report. Eye-to-eye contact rarely occurs when two people are talking, they found. “We discovered that participants spent only about 12% of conversation time in interactive looking, meaning that they gazed at each other’s faces simultaneously for just 12% of the interaction… read on > read on >
Air Filters Probably Won’t Cut Your Odds for Illness: Study
Air filters might help keep the air in your home fresh, but a new review finds they don’t appear to reduce your risk of catching an airborne virus. Technologies designed to make indoor spaces safer from infection are not effective in the real world, researchers from the University of East Anglia in the UK argue.… read on > read on >