One low-cost intervention could make a difference in America’s epidemic of opioid overdoses, a new study suggests. When health care providers were notified that one of their patients had died from an overdose, they wrote fewer opioid prescriptions for up to a year later. The University of Southern California (USC) study built upon earlier findings… read on > read on >
If you’re sick or have been injured, you might not know whether the emergency room or urgent care is the right place to be treated. The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) offers some general advice, so you don’t have to wonder where to go when immediate medical attention is needed. “The emergency department is… read on > read on >
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved a second Alzheimer’s drug, lecanemab, despite reports of rare brain bleeds linked to use of the drug in some patients. However, the FDA pointed to the drug’s benefits, as well. “Alzheimer’s disease immeasurably incapacitates the lives of those who suffer from it and has devastating effects… read on > read on >
Patients with an incurable, genetic liver disease have new hope after an animal study showed that a single drug could reverse its effects. Alagille syndrome is caused by a mutation that prevents the formation and regeneration of bile ducts in the liver. About 4,000 babies a year are born with this condition. Often, they require… read on > read on >
FRIDAY, Jan. 6, 2023 (American Heart Association News) — Losing weight is a popular New Year’s resolution. But people often fail to keep this commitment or quickly gain back the pounds. Instead of jumping on the latest fad diet, experts advise improving the nutritional quality of what goes into your body. A gradual shift to… read on > read on >
An antidote to teenage depression might be found in school gymnasiums and on sports fields, a major new review argues. Supervised exercise programs are associated with significant reductions in symptoms of depression among children and teenagers, according to the analysis of data from 21 studies involving more than 2,400 kids. “This is the first time… read on > read on >
Two major pharmacy chains, CVS and Walgreens, plan to offer abortion pills in states that do not have restrictions that would prevent dispensing the medications. This likely won’t increase access in states that have made abortion illegal since a June decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling. The… read on > read on >
FRIDAY, Jan. 6, 2023 (HealthDay News) – While NFL safety Damar Hamlin is still critically ill after suffering cardiac arrest during a game on Monday, he is making a “fairly remarkable recovery,” his doctors said during a news conference on Thursday. “There has been substantial improvement in his condition over the past 24 hours,” Dr.… read on > read on >
FRIDAY, Jan. 6, 2023 (HealthDay News) – New research has confirmed that a three-dose malaria vaccine is both safe and effective in West African adults, including those previously exposed to malaria. Researchers at the University of Maryland Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD) led work on the Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite (PfSPZ) vaccine. The… read on > read on >
People should test for the naturally occurring radioactive gas radon in their homes to help prevent ill health, the American Lung Association urges. In some areas, like the state of Connecticut, radon was found to be present at high levels in a quarter (26%) of all homes. Radon is emitted from the ground and can… read on > read on >
