Senior residential homes are breeding grounds for antibiotic-resistant bacteria, due to overprescription of antibiotics, a new study says. Stool samples provided by Australian senior home residents contained bacteria with a wide range of genes linked to antibiotic resistance, researchers report in the Journal of Infection. “Commonly used tablet antibiotics in the elderly increase many types… read on > read on >
All Health and Wellness:
New Medical Technology Lights Up Bacteria Hiding in Wounds
Fluorescent light can be used to highlight bacteria that hides in wounds, causing infections and slowing down the healing process, a new evidence review says. A handheld fluorescent device can light up bacteria in 9 out of 10 wounds that traditional clinical treatment would overlook, according to a study in the journal Advances in Wound… read on > read on >
Traveling With a Loved One With Alzheimer’s This Long Weekend? Experts Have Tips
People can create many special moments if they include a loved one with dementia in their end-of-summer Labor Day getaway. However, they’ll need to take some special steps to make traveling as smooth as possible, according to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA). “One last summer trip on Labor Day weekend can mean dealing with… read on > read on >
Rural Hospitals Especially Vulnerable to Ransomware Attacks
Rural hospitals – and their patients — are particularly vulnerable to the aftershocks caused by ransomware attacks, a new study reports. “Ransomware attacks are bad news for hospitals and patients no matter where they happen, but they’re especially harmful to rural hospitals and patients,” lead researcher Hannah Neprash, an associate professor at the University of… read on > read on >
Experts Warn of Unsafe Fake Children’s Car Seats Sold Online
Jillian Davis was pleased to be gifted a car seat during her pregnancy, from a family member who bought it online from a major retailer. But following the delivery of her daughter in late June, a car seat tech at her Salt Lake City hospital informed her that the seat was an unsafe counterfeit. “It’s… read on > read on >
Migraine Drug Ubrelvy May Stop Headaches Before They Start
A migraine drug can help stop the devastating headaches in their tracks, allowing sufferers to go about their daily lives with little to no symptoms, a new clinical trial has found. People who took ubrogepant (Ubrelvy) were 73% more likely to say they had no disability and were able to function normally within a couple… read on > read on >
Just Cutting Down on Smoking Won’t Help Your Heart, Study Finds
Smokers who quit the habit soon after being diagnosed with heart disease saw their odds for heart attack or death drop by almost half over the next five years, a new report found. However, those who simply cut back on their smoking saw no risk reduction at all, the same study showed. “I like to… read on > read on >
Evidence Supports Classroom Cellphone Bans, Expert Says
Classroom cellphone bans should help improve learning environments in schools, a child development expert says. Keeping the devices out of classrooms would help focus attention, improve problem-solving and — by allowing kids to occasionally lapse into boredom — spur creativity, says Jon Piacentini, a child and adolescent psychologist at UCLA Health. “There are more harms… read on > read on >
U.S. Surgeon General Calls Parental Stress an Urgent Public Health Issue
Almost half of American parents surveyed say they face “overwhelming” levels of stress on a daily basis, and in an advisory issued on Wednesday U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called parental stress an urgent public health issue. Murthy said he issued the advisory — meant to draw attention to a health issue of national… read on > read on >
It’s Safer to Donate a Kidney Now Than at Any Time in History
The risk of death associated with donating a kidney is at an all-time low, a new study finds. A kidney donor’s risk — already small a decade ago — is now lower by more than half, researchers found. Fewer than one death occurs for every 10,000 kidney donations, according to results published Aug. 28 in… read on > read on >