Nearly 20% of American adults use a drug to help them sleep, either occasionally or regularly, health officials reported Wednesday. Sleep medications, sold both over-the-counter and by prescription, are a common treatment for sleep problems, said senior report author Lindsey Black, a health statistician at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center… read on > read on >
Memory loss is the most common symptom associated with Alzheimer’s disease — the terrifying prospect of slowly forgetting yourself and everything around you. But people who exhibit memory loss early on in their dementia actually have a slower rate of decline than those who develop other symptoms earlier, a new study reports. Difficulty forming sentences,… read on > read on >
When it comes to tobacco control, some states do a far better job than others of preventing and reducing smoking. A new report from the American Lung Association (ALA) notes that California, Maine, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C., are doing the best job of putting proven tobacco control policies in place. Conversely, those who have the… read on > read on >
Send yourself some love this Valentine’s Day by setting a reminder to start taking your spring allergy medications. It’s important to begin allergy meds two weeks before symptoms are expected to appear when possible, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). “It’s not the most romantic idea in the world, but… read on > read on >
The American Heart Association has issued a new scientific statement on pulmonary embolism (PE), a sometimes fatal condition in which a blood clot travels to the lungs. The American Heart Association (AHA) statement suggests surgery be considered for more people with high-risk PE. Refined definitions of risk levels may make it easier to identify which… read on > read on >
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has proposed stricter limits on levels of lead in infant food products. The agency announced draft guidance for manufacturers that would lower allowable lead levels in processed foods meant for infants and children 2 years and younger. The change could reduce dietary exposure to lead, which can cause neurological… read on > read on >
Many people who have surgery for chronic pancreatitis continue to have health struggles in the years afterward — with some dying at a young age, a new study finds. The study, done at one U.S. medical center, is the largest to look at overall survival in the years after people have surgery for chronic pancreatitis… read on > read on >
A cosmetic laser treatment that promises to erase wrinkles, scars, age spots and sun damage may also prevent the return of some skin cancers, a new, small study suggests. Researchers found that in patients who had basal or squamous cell skin cancers, nonablative fractional laser treatment lowered the chances of the cancer recurrence by about… read on > read on >
Even short bouts of light exercise can help the millions of people with knee osteoarthritis reduce pain and improve their range of motion. Knee osteoarthritis, the wear-and-tear form of the disease, occurs when the cartilage between your bones breaks down, causing pain, stiffness and swelling. Researchers in a new study compared high-dose and low-dose exercise… read on > read on >
It’s no secret that athletic endurance and strength go hand-in-hand with a healthy heart. “Exercise strengthens the heart muscle, enabling it to pump a greater volume of blood with each heartbeat,” said Dr. Deepak Bhatt, editor of the Harvard Heart Letter, in a recent Q&A. The enlarged heart muscles that athletes may develop are also… read on > read on >
