WEDNESDAY, Nov. 30, 2022 (American Heart Association News) — Winter’s coming. The leaves have fallen, temperatures are dropping and there’s less daylight to brighten our moods. While some enjoy the changing of the seasons, millions of U.S. adults will experience a form of depression during the winter months known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD.… read on > read on >
All Health and Wellness:
Shortages of Antibiotics, Antivirals Are Making a Tough Illness Season Worse
An early surge in cold and flu cases has created shortages in key antiviral and antibiotic drugs needed for the annual “sick season,” pharmacists report. The antiviral flu drug Tamiflu is in short supply for both adults and children, in both its brand name formulation as well as the generic version, said Michael Ganio, senior… read on > read on >
Experimental Alzheimer’s Drug May Slow Decline, But Safety Concerns Linger
The experimental Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab slowed thinking declines among patients suffering the early stages of the disease in a new study, but safety concerns about brain swelling and brain bleeds remain. In the eagerly awaited trial findings, published Tuesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers reported that lecanemab “reduced brain amyloid levels and… read on > read on >
Put Away That Salt Shaker to Shield Your Heart
Toss out your salt shaker if you want to lower your risk of heart disease, a new study suggests. Even if you already follow a low-salt diet, sprinkling salt on your food can raise your risk for heart disease, heart failure and plaque in cardiac arteries, researchers report. “Compared with people who always added salt… read on > read on >
Do Steroid Injections Worsen Arthritic Knees?
Corticosteroid injections to relieve pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis could actually be setting them back. Two new studies have discovered that, despite the temporary relief of symptoms, the injections were associated with continued progression of the disease. On the other hand, patients injected with another symptom reliever, hyaluronic acid, saw decreased progression of their… read on > read on >
Retired Olympians Face Higher Odds for Arthritis
Olympic athletes aren’t like the rest of the population — but this time it’s in a far less positive way. Two new studies show that athletes who performed at the top of their sport have a higher risk of developing arthritis and joint pain in later life. The linked studies found that 1 in 4… read on > read on >
Valium, Xanax Prescriptions Could Raise Overdose Risk in Youth
Teenagers and young adults who use benzodiazepines to treat insomnia may be at heightened risk of overdose, a new study finds. Benzodiazepines include anxiety medications like Ativan, Klonopin, Valium and Xanax, as well as prescription sleep aids such as estazolam (ProSom), triazolam (Halcion) and temazepam (Restoril). In the new study, researchers found that young people… read on > read on >
Second Death in Trial of Experimental Alzheimer’s Drug Is Raising Concerns
Two people have now died from brain hemorrhages that may be linked to an experimental Alzheimer’s drug, calling into question the medication’s safety. A 65-year-old woman with early-stage Alzheimer’s recently died from a massive brain bleed that some researchers link to lecanemab, an antibody drug designed to bind to and remove amyloid-beta from the brain,… read on > read on >
Need for Organ Transplants Surges at Big Motorcycle Rallies: Study
Once a year, giant motorcycle rallies ride into places like Daytona Beach, Fla., and Sturgis, S.D., bringing hundreds of thousands of people, an economic boost — and a wave of crash-related deaths. That means more organs available for donation and the need to be prepared, according to a new study that examined the issue. Researchers… read on > read on >
AHA News: 3 Heart Surgeries and a Mini-Stroke by Age 35. This Year? 3 Marathons
TUESDAY, Nov. 29, 2022 (American Heart Association News) — For his first 29 years, Justin Cadelago thought little about his heart. The exception was even a fun memory: he got to leave school early once a year to visit his pediatric cardiologist. Cadelago was born with an aorta narrower than usual. This congenital heart defect… read on > read on >