It has happened to millions during the pandemic: a sudden loss of smell that heralds the start of a COVID-19 infection. But scientists have been stumped as to why. Until now. New research suggests the symptom is due to inflammation rather than directly caused by the coronavirus. The researchers noted that loss of smell (anosmia)… read on > read on >
As early as age 6, children who carry extra weight could be headed down a path toward future diabetes or heart disease, a new study suggests. The study, of nearly 1,000 Danish children, found that kids who were overweight often had elevations in blood sugar and insulin by the time they were school-age. They also… read on > read on >
WEDNESDAY, May 4, 2022 (American Heart Association News) — Julie Stillman was 55 years old when a blood vessel in her brain suddenly burst. The hemorrhagic stroke left her unable to compose a simple sentence – a hard blow for a woman who built a career in book publishing. It also robbed her of the… read on > read on >
A dietary supplement believed to protect against Alzheimer’s disease might instead be potentially harmful to the brain, a new study warns. L-serine is an amino acid that serves many different roles in the body, and one is to influence the development and function of synapses in the brain. Clinical trials are underway to test serine… read on > read on >
Women and people of color with chest pain — the most common symptom signaling a heart attack — face longer waits in U.S. emergency departments than men and white people do, new research reveals. For the study, researchers analyzed data on more than 4,000 patients, aged 18 to 55, seen for chest pain at emergency… read on > read on >
State bans on affirmative action have prompted a precipitous decline in the number of U.S. medical students from racial/ethnic minority groups, a new study finds. “We know that a more diverse physician workforce leads to better care for racial- and ethnic-minority patients,” said lead researcher Dr. Dan Ly, an assistant professor of medicine in the… read on > read on >
Despite what you may have heard, rats and other city wildlife aren’t likely to trigger future pandemics in people, according to a new study. The COVID-19 pandemic has scientists trying to determine where future outbreaks are most likely to start. It’s long been suspected that critters in cities might act as reservoirs for viruses that… read on > read on >
Overweight kids don’t have it easy, and a new study warns they may also at increased risk for type 1 diabetes later in life. “A critical window exists in childhood to mitigate the influence of adiposity [being severely overweight, or obese] on the escalating numbers of type 1 diabetes diagnoses,” said the study’s lead author,… read on > read on >
Patients with atrial fibrillation usually receive blood thinners to reduce their stroke risk, but these drugs are under-prescribed to Black Americans, a new study reveals. When they leave the hospital, Black patients are 25% less likely than whites to be prescribed blood thinners such as Xarelto, Eliquis or warfarin, researchers found after studying the records… read on > read on >
Urinary incontinence can plague men as they age, but a new study suggests it may be more than just a bothersome condition and might actually be a harbinger of early death. “This indicates the importance of assessing the general health, risk factors and major co-morbidities among men with LUTS [lower urinary tract symptoms],” wrote the… read on > read on >
