THURSDAY, Dec. 1, 2022 (American Heart Association News) — Don’t call it a comeback if it was never really gone, but the flu is poised for a breakout year. Like the killer in a horror movie franchise, this season’s flu is bringing fresh twists to a familiar theme. Here are seven things you should know… read on > read on >
All Health and Wellness:
The ‘Great Resignation’ Is Taking a Toll on U.S. Health Care
The nationwide shortage of health care professionals — a so-called “Great Resignation” of providers — is impacting patient care in ways large and small, a new HealthDay/Harris Poll shows. One in four Americans (25%) have noticed or personally experienced the impact of staffing shortages in health care, second only to staff shortages in the retail… read on > read on >
FDA Moves to Ease Restrictions on Gay Men Giving Blood
THURSDAY, Dec. 1, 2022 (HealthDay News) – U.S. Food & Drug Administration policies that have limited blood donations from men who have sex with men may soon ease. At the moment, FDA policy does not allow blood donation from men who have had sex with other men in the past three months. That’s already a… read on > read on >
Two Veterinary Meds Show Promise Against a Tough Foe: Bed Bugs
Two common drugs that veterinarians use to kill parasites on pets could be the solution to getting rid of bed bugs. Both fluralaner and ivermectin, which are used to kill fleas and ticks on household pets, could also kill bed bugs. The newer, longer-lasting fluralaner showed especially strong potential. This new research comes from a… read on > read on >
Green Spaces Give Mental Boost, Even When White With Snow
If you need a body image boost, go outdoors. Whether you’re in green space, a blue space near a river or the ocean or even a snowy environment, it can make a difference. “A body of evidence now exists showing that nature exposure — living close to, frequenting or engaging with environments such as forests… read on > read on >
‘Virtual’ Driver Program Could Make Driving Safer for Teens With ADHD
A simulator may make driving safer for teens with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder by training them to take shorter glances away from the roadway. Focused Concentration and Attention Learning (FOCAL) is a computer-based program that teaches teens to keep their eyes on the road. For this study, funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health,… read on > read on >
Black Patients Fare Worse Than White Patients After Angioplasty, Stents
Black adults who undergo a common procedure to open up clogged arteries are readmitted to the hospital more often than their white peers. They’re also more likely to die in the years after treatment, a new study finds. Researchers looked at how patients fared following balloon angioplasty and coronary stenting — “one of the most… read on > read on >
AHA News: As Winter Approaches, Seasonal Depression May Set in for Millions
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 30, 2022 (American Heart Association News) — Winter’s coming. The leaves have fallen, temperatures are dropping and there’s less daylight to brighten our moods. While some enjoy the changing of the seasons, millions of U.S. adults will experience a form of depression during the winter months known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD.… read on > read on >
Shortages of Antibiotics, Antivirals Are Making a Tough Illness Season Worse
An early surge in cold and flu cases has created shortages in key antiviral and antibiotic drugs needed for the annual “sick season,” pharmacists report. The antiviral flu drug Tamiflu is in short supply for both adults and children, in both its brand name formulation as well as the generic version, said Michael Ganio, senior… read on > read on >
Experimental Alzheimer’s Drug May Slow Decline, But Safety Concerns Linger
The experimental Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab slowed thinking declines among patients suffering the early stages of the disease in a new study, but safety concerns about brain swelling and brain bleeds remain. In the eagerly awaited trial findings, published Tuesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers reported that lecanemab “reduced brain amyloid levels and… read on > read on >