U.S. officials said Wednesday that they plan to strengthen existing privacy rules to prevent the sharing of private legal reproductive health care information for use in investigations and prosecutions against patients or providers. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), through its Office for Civil Rights (OCR), moved to strengthen the Health Insurance… read on > read on >
While the immediate goal of bariatric surgery is to help obese patients shed significant weight, new research shows it may also reduce diabetes complications, including nerve damage. Investigators followed 127 weight-loss surgery patients for two years. They found the surgery led to a sustained drop in previously high blood sugar (glucose) levels as well as… read on > read on >
U.S. officials are intensifying efforts to crack down on illicit use of the veterinary tranquilizer xylazine, which can cause painful and deadly side effects in humans. The drug, when mixed with the opioid fentanyl, has been designated an “emerging threat,” the Office of National Drug Control Policy announced Wednesday. “As a physician, I am deeply… read on > read on >
Pregnancy rates in the United States suffered a steep decline during the last decade, new government data shows. The overall U.S. pregnancy rate fell by 12% between 2010 and 2019, according to figures released Wednesday by the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). The pregnancy rate among women aged 15 to 44 was 85.6… read on > read on >
Getting care in the United States for lingering COVID-19 symptoms can be challenging, affecting long-term health and ability to work, a new study finds. Adults with so-called long COVID have had greater challenges with health care access and affordability than other adults, and these barriers to care have implications for their well-being, said lead researcher… read on > read on >
WEDNESDAY, April 12, 2023 (American Heart Association News) — High blood pressure – sometimes referred to as “the silent killer” because it can do serious heart and brain damage before symptoms appear – is common in adults. But what about children? Among U.S. children and adolescents, up to 5% have high blood pressure – also… read on > read on >
The United States is in the middle of an opioid crisis, yet new research shows that only about 7% of Americans on Medicaid who have opioid use disorder receive residential treatment. This means that many people who could potentially benefit from what is more commonly known as “rehab” aren’t getting the care they need to… read on > read on >
Be forewarned: High blood pressure in your 30s may lead to poorer brain health in your 70s. A new study suggests that treating the condition in young and middle-aged adults may help prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease later on, especially in men. For the study, researchers examined brain scans of older adults who had high… read on > read on >
(HealthDay News) – The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday proposed limiting the use of a chemical used to clean medical equipment in sterilizing plants because it also raises cancer risks for workers. The agency plans to slash emissions of the odorless gas, called ethylene oxide, by about 80% at 86 medical sterilization facilities. “EPA’s number… read on > read on >
Mosquitoes appear to be affected by artificial light at night, but whether that’s a good or bad thing is an open question. New research finds that urban light pollution may disrupt the winter dormancy period of the mosquitoes that transmit the West Nile virus. That could be good because they may not fatten up in… read on > read on >
