A nationwide group of infection control experts recommends U.S. health care facilities stop testing patients for COVID-19 before hospital admission or scheduled surgeries if they have no virus symptoms. The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) statement says facilities should rely instead on enhanced layers of infection prevention. “The small benefits that could come… read on > read on >
Cluster headaches are more common in men, but may be more severe for women, according to a new study. Researchers surveyed almost 900 patients diagnosed with cluster headache — short-lasting but extremely painful headaches that can occur many days or even weeks in a row. The survey asked about symptoms, medications, headache triggers and lifestyle… read on > read on >
Elon Musk swears by the weight-loss drug Wegovy, and Kim Kardashian is rumored to have used it to shed 16 pounds in three weeks to squeeze into a vintage gown once worn by Marylin Monroe. But the intense public demand for Wegovy has triggered a shortage of the diabetes version of the injectable medication, known… read on > read on >
Having trouble finding influenza meds at your local pharmacy? You’re not alone. Now, flu-infected patients will have better access to prescription medicines as the U.S. government releases doses of Tamiflu from the Strategic National Stockpile. The Biden administration announced Wednesday it will release an unspecified number of doses to U.S. states as the country deals… read on > read on >
Plenty of people enjoy a cup or two, or maybe three or four, of coffee every day. But new research shows that people with severe high blood pressure (“hypertension”) should steer clear of drinking too much java. The study found that for those with blood pressure of 160/100 or higher, drinking two or more cups… read on > read on >
Menopause and the years before it may make you feel like you’re losing your mind. Some of those feelings are changes that occur naturally in this stage of life, but other factors contribute, too, according to the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), which offered tips to achieve some peace. Changes in hormones are a big… read on > read on >
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 21, 2022 (HealthDay News) – Cold, dry winter air and a trio of spreading viruses could cause children’s asthma to flare up this winter season. But experts at one children’s hospital offer some tips to help parents keep their kids’ worrisome respiratory symptoms in check. While asthma is a lung condition that can… read on > read on >
Researchers think they’ve figured out why people can become reinfected with COVID-19, despite immunity gained from either vaccination or a previous infection. It turns out that antibodies produced in the nose — the first line of defense against respiratory viruses like COVID — decline faster than antibodies found in the bloodstream, British scientists say. Nasal… read on > read on >
Groups of whales, dolphins and porpoises are regularly stranded in shallow waters around the coasts of the United Kingdom. Researchers wanted to understand why, so they studied the brains of 22 toothed whales — or “odontocetes” — that were stranded in Scottish coastal waters. The study included five species — Risso’s dolphins, long-finned pilot whales,… read on > read on >
Humans have continued to evolve after splitting from chimpanzee ancestors nearly 7 million years ago, according to a new study that found 155 new genes unique to humans that suddenly arose from tiny sections of DNA. Some of the new genes date back to the ancient origin of mammals, according to the researchers. They suspect… read on > read on >
