FRIDAY, Sept. 16, 2022 (American Heart Association News) — Fewer than 30% of older adults who need more intensive treatment for high blood pressure actually get it, new research shows. And the problem may be worsening. Nearly half of U.S. adults – about 116 million people – have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.… read on > read on >
Bariatric surgery aims to help severely obese patients shed significant weight, and now new research shows that many can also look forward to lasting pain relief and mobility. Though many patients regain some weight in the first couple of years after bariatric surgery, pain and movement benefits seem to stand the test of time. Seven… read on > read on >
In updated guidance issued Thursday, the World Health Organization now recommends against using the antibody drugs sotrovimab and casirivimab-imdevimab for patients with COVID-19. This recommendation replaces previous conditional recommendation for these antibody drugs. The change in guidance was based on emerging evidence that the medications — which work by binding to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein,… read on > read on >
Nitazenes: You’ve probably never heard of these highly toxic drugs, and neither have many Americans who abuse opioid street drugs. That lack of awareness could prove deadly, experts warn, because nitazenes are increasingly being added into heroin and street versions of opioid pills — and triggering fatal overdoses. “Laboratory test results indicate that the potency… read on > read on >
A torn aorta can often be deadly, but a new study has found that survival has improved significantly over the past several decades. But it can still be five times more deadly if not repaired surgically, the researchers added. Aortic dissection happens when blood rushes through a tear in the heart’s ascending aorta. This happens… read on > read on >
For women with breast cancer, their race may help predict the success of hormone therapy given before surgery. In a new study, researchers found that Black women treated with hormone therapy before cancer surgery (so-called “neoadjuvant endocrine therapy”) may be more likely to benefit from that treatment than white women are if they’re treated at… read on > read on >
While adults typically need steroid medication to treat Bell’s palsy, most children can recover without treatment, a new study finds. Bell’s palsy temporarily causes weakness and paralysis in facial muscles, making half of the face droop. The study — a randomized controlled trial held in 11 emergency departments in Australia and New Zealand — included… read on > read on >
Monkeypox cases continue to fall in the United States, but public health officials now are concerned that the virus is wending its way into communities of color. New case numbers are down by nearly half since early August, White House monkeypox response coordinator Bob Fenton said in a Thursday media briefing. Fenton credited the decrease… read on > read on >
Some survivors of sexual assault may face a further trauma after seeking medical care: a huge emergency room bill. That’s the finding of a new study that analyzed U.S. emergency department charges for care related to sexual assault. Researchers found that survivors without health insurance could end up with thousands of dollars in medical bills.… read on > read on >
Skin cancer patients appear to fare better if they receive immunotherapy before their cancers are surgically removed, a pair of clinical trials show. In fact, some do so well that their immune system essentially dissolves their tumors, potentially removing the need for surgery, researchers said. About half of skin cancer patients who received the immunotherapy… read on > read on >
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