Landing in the hospital with COVID or the flu can put your heart health at dire risk, a new study suggests. Adults hospitalized for a severe infection are more than twice as likely to develop heart failure years later, according to findings published Jan. 30 in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The results…  read on >  read on >

Cold showers or ice baths have become a trendy way to recuperate after a heavy-duty workout, but do they actually help? A new evidence review suggests there’s some science to back up the hype. People report lower stress, improved sleep and better quality of life following cold-water immersion, researchers reported Jan. 29 in the journal…  read on >  read on >

A simple acronym — F.A.S.T. — can help bystanders recognize the first signs of stroke and call 911 right away, a new study says. Both F.A.S.T and another acronym, BE-FAST, helped people remember the symptoms of stroke, according to findings to be presented Wednesday at a meeting of the American Stroke Association. However, people remembered…  read on >  read on >

A common drug used to prevent migraines might have an additional benefit — protecting women against stroke. Women taking the beta blocker propranolol to ward off migraines have a lower risk of strokes caused by blood clots, according to new research to be presented Thursday at a meeting of the American Stroke Association. The risk…  read on >  read on >

Calorie labels on restaurant menus are harming people with eating disorders, a new evidence review claims. These labels are meant to make it healthier to eat out at restaurants, by informing customers of the calorie content of food choices. But people diagnosed with eating disorders tend to respond poorly when presented with a menu featuring…  read on >  read on >

A rapid blood test could speed treatment for people who’ve suffered a stroke related to brain bleeding, a new study says. Stroke victims with brain bleeds have nearly seven times higher blood levels of a brain protein called glial fibrillary acidic protein, or GFAP, compared to patients with strokes caused by a blood clot, researchers…  read on >  read on >

Flossing protects your brain as well as your gums, a new study suggests. People who floss their teeth at least once a week are reducing their risk of stroke caused by a blood clot, researchers are scheduled to report Wednesday at a meeting of the American Stroke Association in Los Angeles. Flossing is associated with…  read on >  read on >

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced a plethora of tough questions on vaccines, abortion and public health policy during his Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday as President Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Lawmakers pressed Kennedy, a longtime vaccine critic and former Democrat-turned-independent, on his qualifications to oversee HHS, a $1.7 trillion agency that…  read on >  read on >

People still see COVID-19 as an ongoing public health threat, even though the pandemic officially ended in 2023, according to a new HealthDay/Harris Poll. Nearly 3 in 4 people (72%) agree COVID is still a serious public health issue, including more than a third (35%) who strongly agree, the poll found. COVID has settled into…  read on >  read on >

Most community crisis services did not expand following the launch of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, potentially blunting the effectiveness of the hotline, a new study says. Walk-in psychiatric services, mobile crisis response units and suicide prevention programs all declined following the launch of the 988 line in July 2022, researchers reported in a…  read on >  read on >