Pregnancy triggers many changes to the body, but there’s one that may surprise many women. A hidden change is that the heart has to pump, on average, nearly 50% more blood by the end of pregnancy than it did before pregnancy, and then it has to quickly go back to “normal operations” after delivery. While… read on > read on >
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Diabetes Medications: Choosing Which Ones Are Best for You
You have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. What are your medication options? That depends on what type of diabetes you have and what risk factors you carry. In type 2 diabetes, the body becomes resistant to the insulin and the pancreas has to make more. Insulin resistance can be caused by obesity, lack of… read on > read on >
Australian Footballer Is First Female Athlete to Receive Diagnosis of CTE
Heather Anderson, a star Australian rules football player who died last November, is the first female professional athlete to be diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. “She is the first female athlete diagnosed with CTE, but she will not be the last,” researchers wrote in a paper published Friday. Anderson was 28 when she… read on > read on >
FDA Approves First Blood Test to Predict Preeclampsia in Pregnant Women
A new blood test approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration can predict imminent preeclampsia, helping pregnant women who are at risk of this severe and sometimes deadly form of high blood pressure. The test can identify with 96% accuracy which women with sometimes-vague symptoms will develop preeclampsia within the following two weeks, The… read on > read on >
Long-Acting, Injected HIV Meds Can Help Tough-to-Treat Patients
For nearly three decades, daily antiretroviral pills have offered patients living with HIV a highly effective way to keep their infection under control. But some patients, particularly those beset by homelessness, drug addiction and/or mental illness, find it very difficult to follow a daily pill routine due to the “competing priorities in their life, like… read on > read on >
Access to Medical Marijuana Won’t Lower Use of Opioid Painkillers: Study
Medical marijuana is touted as a pain reliever, but in U.S. states where it’s legal, prescriptions for opioid or non-opioid painkillers haven’t decreased, a new study finds. According to researchers, this means that people aren’t switching to cannabis for pain relief in huge numbers even when it’s legally available, so it’s unlikely to ease the… read on > read on >
AHA News: Trim, Fit and 53, His Heart Attack Took Him by Surprise
WEDNESDAY, July 5, 2023 (American Heart Association News) — Ed Frauenheim frequently walked the hilly streets around his San Francisco neighborhood. One summer day, he took long strides to his favorite park. As always, he huffed and puffed a bit up the steep ascent. Walking back down the hill was another story. Suddenly, he felt… read on > read on >
Depression Rates Rise for Minority Youth in States With Anti-LGBT Legislation
Youth who are both LGBTQ+ and either Black or Hispanic and live in U.S. states that have discriminatory policies are more likely to have depression than their counterparts in states that are more affirming to gender and sexual identity, new research finds. “This study provides scientific evidence to what many queer and trans people of… read on > read on >
Hotter Climate Could Mean Worsening Eyesight for Americans
Older American adults who live in warmer regions are more likely to have serious vision impairment than those who live in cooler places, new research finds. Living with average temperatures of 60 degrees Fahrenheit or above — think South Florida, for example — created much higher odds of blindness or trouble seeing even with glasses,… read on > read on >
Are Your Allergies Ready to Head Off to College?
As you stare down your freshman year of college and contemplate living away from home, you’re probably facing a few “firsts”: First roommate who isn’t a sibling; first time fending for yourself to make sure you’re eating properly; and if you have nasal allergies, food allergies or asthma, this could be the first time you’re… read on > read on >