A new slow-release pill form of ketamine can quell hard-to-treat depression without producing psychedelic side effects normally associated with the drug, early research suggests. Patients on the strongest dose of ketamine tablets saw significant improvement in their depression compared to a placebo, researchers found. On a 30-point depression scale, people taking the ketamine pill improved… read on > read on >
Gun violence in the United States has become a national public health crisis, the U.S. Surgeon General declared Tuesday. “Today, for the first time in the history of our office, I am issuing a Surgeon General’s Advisory on firearm violence. It outlines the urgent threat firearm violence poses to the health and well-being of our… read on > read on >
For decades, millions of Americans popped a low-dose aspirin each day to lower their heart risks. Then, accumulated data prompted the nation’s two leading cardiology groups — the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association — to overturn advisories in 2019 and recommend against daily aspirin, citing a risk for bleeding that exceeded… read on > read on >
A lonely middle and old age could bring higher odds for a stroke, new data suggests. A 12-year study of people over 50 found that those who experienced chronic loneliness were 56% more likely to have a stroke, versus those who said they weren’t lonely. “Loneliness is increasingly considered a major public health issue. Our… read on > read on >
Losing weight can protect you against cancers related to obesity, a new study finds. Obesity has been linked to higher risk of at least 13 types of cancer, researchers said. This is largely due to excess levels of hormones like estrogen and insulin. But study results show that dropping pounds can improve a person’s odds… read on > read on >
A simple and inexpensive paper strip test could help diagnose a case of the flu, and even identify the influenza strain that caused it, a new study finds. The test can distinguish between influenza A and B — the two main types of seasonal flu — as well as identifying more virulent strains like H1N1… read on > read on >
A well-established cholesterol-lowering drug appears to significantly slow the progression of a diabetes-related eye disease, a new trial shows. Fenofibrate (Tricor) has been approved since 2004 as a means of lowering cholesterol. Now, this new study shows that fenofibrate also can reduce the progression of diabetic retinopathy by 27% compared to placebo. The findings were… read on > read on >
For the first time since the pandemic, it got a little safer to cross America’s streets in 2023, new statistics show. According to data released Monday from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), 7,318 American pedestrians were killed by motor vehicles last year — a dip of 5.4% from 2022 and the first such decline… read on > read on >
An experimental stem cell therapy can essentially cure type 1 diabetes by restoring insulin production in some patients, early clinical trial results show. Seven out of 12 patients no longer needed daily insulin shots after receiving a full dose of the gene therapy, dubbed VX-800, researchers reported Friday at the American Diabetes Association’s annual meeting… read on > read on >
The rate of self-reported mental distress and depression among American adults who identify as transgender or gender-diverse (TGD) has more than doubled between 2014 and 2022, an analysis of federal health data reveals. During that time, “a record number of enacted laws has threatened the rights and protections of TGD people, including restricting access to… read on > read on >
