TUESDAY, Nov. 12, 2024 — The epidemic of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the United States appears to be cooling off after more than two decades, a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study says. Gonorrhea cases dropped for a second year in 2023, declining 7% and falling below pre-pandemic levels, researchers say.… read on > read on >
All Health and Wellness:
Vitamin D Supplements Could Help Lower Blood Pressure in Obese People
Vitamin D supplements might lower blood pressure in seniors who are obese, reducing their heart health risk, a new study says. But taking more than the recommended daily dose will not provide additional health benefits, researchers report in the Journal of the Endocrine Society. “Our study found vitamin D supplementation may decrease blood pressure in… read on > read on >
Grandparents & Grandkids: Poll Shows Them Helping Each Other
Grandchildren are a true blessing for seniors, helping them avoid loneliness and keeping them on their toes, a new poll reports. Overall, 72% of people with grandkids say they hardly ever feel isolated, compared with 62% of those without grandchildren, according to results from the University of Michigan’s National Poll on Healthy Aging. People without… read on > read on >
Beta Blockers Unnecessary for Folks Without Heart Failure; May Be Linked to Depression
Beta blockers are go-to meds for many people who’ve survived a heart attack. However, new Swedish research has found that they might not be needed for heart attack survivors whose hearts have retained a normal pumping ability. Using them in this group might even raise patients’ odds for depression, the data showed. “We found that… read on > read on >
Genomic Test Might Quickly Diagnose Any Type of Infection
A cutting-edge genetic test can rapidly detect and identify almost any kind of disease-causing microorganism in the human body, whether it’s a virus, bacteria, fungus or parasite, researchers say. Doctors have been using the genetic test for more than a decade to identify pathogens in spinal fluid, after its development at the University of California-San… read on > read on >
Could Asthma Harm a Child’s Memory Skills?
Asthma is associated with memory problems in children, a new study has found. Further, the early onset of asthma might worsen potential memory deficits in kids, researchers found. This is the first study to make such a connection, researchers said. “This study underscores the importance of looking at asthma as a potential source of cognitive… read on > read on >
Report Finds Big Disparities in Americans’ Well-Being by Region
Americans’ well-being varies widely between different regions of the nation, a new study reports. People in the southern U.S., Appalachia and the Rust Belt states score lowest on the Human Development Index (HDI), a composite measure that includes a population’s life expectancy, education and income, researchers report in The Lancet. The highest levels of well-being… read on > read on >
Weight Loss Meds Help Stroke Survivors Prevent Stroke Recurrence, Death
The weight-loss drug Ozempic can help reduce stroke patients’ risk of a heart attack or death, a new study says. GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Ozempic or SGLT2 diabetes medications like Jardiance or Farxiga both helped protect the health of people following a stroke, researchers found. Patients taking either a GLP-1 or SGLT2 drug had a… read on > read on >
Diabetes & Kidney Trouble Can Bring Heart Disease Decades Earlier
People with both type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease face a heart health double-whammy, a new study says. Men with both diabetes and kidney disease will develop heart health problems 28 years earlier than those without either condition, researchers reported today at an American Heart Association meeting in Chicago. Women with diabetes and kidney… read on > read on >
Hourglass-Shaped Stent Might Ease Tough-to-Treat Angina
Recurring angina chest pain in people with a certain type of heart disease can be tough to treat, but a new hourglass-shaped stent could be a real advance, researchers report. People with what’s known as microvascular disease — impeded blood flow in tiny blood vessels within the heart — improved significantly once they got the… read on > read on >