With the advent of smartphones came the rise of selfies, shared daily by “like”-seeking millions across social media. But a small new study suggests that, unlike photos taken with regular cameras, smartphone selfies distort facial features in a not-so-flattering way. And those unappealing — if inaccurate — results may be fueling a hankering for plastic…  read on >  read on >

Insomnia is widespread in heart disease patients and significantly boosts the risk of heart attack, stroke or other major heart event, a new study says. The findings show the need to check for and treat sleep problems in heart disease patients, according to researchers. “Our study indicates that insomnia is common in heart disease patients…  read on >  read on >

When implanted heart devices get infected, doctors recommend surgery to remove them, but many patients ignore that advice, a new study reveals. More than eight in 10 patients with an infected implant (such as a defibrillator or pacemaker) choose antibiotic treatment instead, though it puts their life at risk. Having the devices removed carries a…  read on >  read on >

Alzheimer’s patients are often drowsy during the day, but it might not be because of poor sleep at night. Instead, a clinical trial that monitored patients’ sleep and then studied their brains after death discovered an entirely different reason for such sleepiness — they suffer a loss of neurons that help keep a person awake.…  read on >  read on >

The introduction of HAART (highly active anti-retroviral therapy) in the mid-1990s revolutionized the treatment of HIV/AIDS, halting disease progression and dramatically extending lives. Now, a small new study suggests another potential use for one of the standard HAART medications: It halted disease progression in about a quarter of patients who were battling advanced colon cancer.…  read on >  read on >