Patients who undergo angioplasty and stenting to open clogged arteries in and around the heart should also be screened for depression, according to a new study. Researchers found that depressed patients were less likely than their mentally healthy peers to take their prescribed medications, including beta-blockers, antiplatelets and statins. These medications reduce the likelihood of… read on > read on >
All Health and Wellness:
Smoking, Vaping Both Bad for Your Teeth & Gums: Study
For those who care about their teeth, a new study sounds a pretty clear alarm: using tobacco in any form — including the increasingly popular practice of vaping — is a recipe for a dental nightmare. The warning comes from the U.S. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), after scientists analyzed several years… read on > read on >
Herbals, Yoga, Ginkgo: What Alternative Treatments Help Fight Heart Failure?
It’s tempting to follow the latest trend when it comes to health care, but for patients who live with heart failure, some alternative treatments could have serious consequences. To address the issue, the American Heart Association (AHA) has published a new scientific statement covering a wide range of alternative therapies and their impact on heart… read on > read on >
Patients’ Genes Raise Odds for Rare Brain Infection When Using Certain Meds
For some people, dozens of U.S.-approved drugs can lead to a rare but often fatal brain infection. Researchers have now confirmed a strong link between four genetic mutations and this illness, called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). A new study found that in people taking PML-inducing drugs, having one of four genetic variants increased the odds… read on > read on >
Climate Change’s Extreme Temperatures Could Mean More Heart Deaths
Both extremely hot and very cold days take their toll on people who have heart disease, particularly those with heart failure. A new multinational analysis of 32 million heart-related deaths over the past 40 years found more occurred on days with severe temperatures, an issue that climate change could make even worse. Although the greatest… read on > read on >
Race, Income Can Determine Blood Cancer Outcomes, Studies Show
If someone is stricken with a blood cancer or life-threatening clot, they’ll probably fare better if they are white and wealthy, three new studies show. The ongoing impact of patient race and income to medical outcomes was in the spotlight Saturday in New Orleans at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH).… read on > read on >
Odds for Early Death Rise After Severe Injury Linked to Alcohol
Before you toast the holiday season with too much alcohol, here’s a sobering thought. Folks who get injured severely enough while intoxicated to require hospital treatment are five times more likely to die in the coming year, according to new research published in Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. The same is true of… read on > read on >
U.S. Health Officials Urge Indoor Masking in Major Cities as ‘Tripledemic’ Rages
MONDAY, Dec. 12, 2022 (HealthDay News) – As three highly contagious respiratory viruses spread across the United States, straining hospitals and triggering drug shortages, health officials in some major cities and states are calling for a return to indoor masking. Over the past few weeks, COVID-19, the flu and RSV have made millions of Americans… read on > read on >
It’s Snow Season: Stay Safe on the Slopes
Skiiers and snowboarders, take note: You’re less likely to get hurt if you ease back into the winter sports season. “We see a lot of patients in the After-Hours Clinic (of the department of orthopaedic surgery) on their way back from skiing and snowboarding,” said Dr. Sabrina Sawlani, a sports medicine physician at UCLA Health,… read on > read on >
Holiday Kitchen Accident? Here’s How to Treat Minor Cuts, Burns
From burns to cuts, kitchen accidents happen, and they may be more likely as you cook for holiday gatherings. Treating those injuries quickly and effectively can help begin the healing process and may reduce scarring, according to a skin expert at the American Academy of Dermatology. “Whenever your skin is injured — whether by accident… read on > read on >