The dangerous heart rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation is becoming more common in middle-aged people, a new study warns. More than a quarter of patients at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) seeking care for A-Fib during the last decade were younger than 65, researchers found. That’s much higher than the 2% prevalence of… read on > read on >
All Health and Wellness:
Parents, Coaches: Help Young Athletes Avoid Summer Heat Hazards
Another broiling summer looms, along with another season of kids’ summer sports. It’s a potentially harmful, even lethal combination. But experts at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH) have advice for kids, parents and coaches on how to keep young athletes safe when thermometers rise. Each year, an estimated 240 people die from heat-linked illnesses, and heat… read on > read on >
Stigma, Shame Hit Many Gay Men Affected by Mpox Outbreak
A British study finds that beyond the physical pain and turmoil of an mpox diagnosis, many of the mostly gay and bisexual men infected during the 2022 outbreak faced stigma, homophobia and shame. Mpox is spread largely through skin-to-skin contact, and the outbreak in Europe and the United States was largely localized to men who… read on > read on >
Screen Pregnant Women for Syphilis, Ob-Gyn Group Advises
All expecting mothers should get a blood test for syphilis three times during pregnancy, new guidance issued by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends. The practice advisory calls on doctors to test for syphilis at a pregnant woman’s first prenatal care visit, then again during the third trimester and at birth. The advisory… read on > read on >
Even With Weight Gain, Quitting Smoking in Pregnancy Still Best for Health
Women who smoke and become pregnant may worry that the weight gain that comes with quitting might bring its own harms to themselves or their baby. However, a new study confirms the health benefits of quitting smoking still far exceed any weight-linked concerns. Weight gain can occur once women decide to forgo cigarettes, but even… read on > read on >
A-Fib Is Strong Precursor to Heart Failure
The dangerous heart rhythm disorder known as atrial fibrillation is mainly known for increasing people’s risk of stroke. But people with A-Fib actually have a much higher risk of developing heart failure than suffering a stroke, a new study shows. In fact, the risk of heart failure associated with A-Fib is “twice as large as… read on > read on >
One Neurological Factor Keeps Black, Hispanic Patients From Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials
Black and Hispanic patients with Alzheimer’s disease are greatly underrepresented in clinical trials, even though they’re more likely to get dementia than whites. However, racial discrimination may not be driving this disparity, a new study finds. Instead, Black and Hispanic people are being judged ineligible for Alzheimer’s trials because they appear to have lower levels… read on > read on >
Managing Blood Sugar After Stroke Could Be Key to Outcomes
Managing a stroke victim’s blood sugar levels after they receive powerful clot-busting drugs might help them survive their health crisis, a new trial finds. People with high blood sugar levels were more likely to suffer a potentially deadly brain bleed after clot-busters reopened their blocked brain arteries, researchers found. The risk was particularly high in… read on > read on >
Blood Test Might Someday Diagnose Early MS
An early marker of multiple sclerosis could help doctors figure out who will eventually fall prey to the degenerative nerve disease, a new study says. In one in 10 cases of MS, the body begins producing a distinctive set of antibodies in the blood years before symptoms start appearing, researchers reported April 19 in the… read on > read on >
Check Your Fridge for Trader Joe’s Fresh Basil, Linked to Salmonella
Fresh organic basil tainted with salmonella and sold by Trader Joe’s in 29 states has sickened at least 12 people, according to an alert issued Wednesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One person was so ill that hospitalization was required. “Throw away any Infinite Herbs organic basil purchased from Trader Joe’s,”… read on > read on >