A new clinical trial will soon test if a pig liver can help people whose own livers have suddenly stopped working. The hope? That animal organs can temporarily filter a patient’s blood, giving their own liver time to rest and possibly recover. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first-of-its-kind study, according…  read on >  read on >

A “smart shirt” equipped with an electrocardiogram (ECG) can help identify folks who are at higher risk of heart disease, a new study says. The shirt monitors people’s heart rate recovery after exercise, tracking the time it takes for their heart to return to a normal rhythm. “The heart’s response to exercise provides us with…  read on >  read on >

When officials in Wisconsin’s largest city asked the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for help dealing with high levels of lead in city schools, the answer wasn’t what they expected. The CDC said no — because it no longer has the staff to help. “I sincerely regret to inform you that due…  read on >  read on >

Health officials in Hood River County, Oregon, are investigating three cases of a rare and fatal brain disease known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD).  Two people in the county, which has a population of about 24,000, have died from the illness, and a third case is still being reviewed, Oregon Live reported. CJD is caused by…  read on >  read on >

Natural disasters fueled by climate change might wind up increasing cancer deaths, a new study suggests. Rates of colon cancer diagnoses dropped during and after Hurricanes Irma and Maria hit Puerto Rico two weeks apart, as well as during the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers reported April 14 in the journal Cancer. However, late-stage colon cancer diagnoses…  read on >  read on >

Worried about taking the ADHD meds you’ve been prescribed because they might harm your heart health? There’s no need to fret, according to a new evidence review. ADHD medications generally have just a small effect on a person’s blood pressure, heart rate and heart electrical activity, researchers reported in The Lancet Psychiatry. What’s more, there…  read on >  read on >

Women with sickle cell disease often have pain crises around the time of their period, and researchers now think they know why. Inflammation increases significantly in women during their period, and that could be contributing to sickle cell pain events, researchers reported. “The amount of inflammation is significantly elevated in the follicular phase, or first…  read on >  read on >

Curious what recovery really looks like after a hip replacement?  Dr. Ayesha Abdeen, chief of hip and knee replacement surgery at Boston Medical Center, shares what to expect at every step along the way — from managing pain to getting back to favorite activities. What to expect after surgery Total hip replacement (THR) surgery has…  read on >  read on >

From slurping daily spoonfuls of fish oil to giving up alcohol, lifting weights and playing word games, older Americans think just about anything that might keep their brains sharp is worth a try. After all, the risk of dementia — a loss of memory, problem-solving and thinking abilities that often equals an end to independence…  read on >  read on >