Even as the COVID-19 pandemic kept people isolated at home, sexually transmitted disease (STDs) cases increased across the United States. Although cases fell in the pandemic’s early months, infections rose again by the end of 2020, with gonorrhea, syphilis and congenital syphilis surpassing 2019 levels, according to a new U.S. Centers for Disease Control and… read on > read on >
Certain personality traits may make older adults more or less vulnerable to waning memory and thinking skills, a new study suggests. The study, of nearly 2,000 older adults, found that those high on the “conscientious” scale — organized, self-disciplined and productive — were less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment. That refers to subtler problems… read on > read on >
Psilocybin — the active component in “magic mushrooms” — may help rewire the brains of people with depression. Psychedelics including psilocybin have shown promise in treating many mental health disorders in recent years, and a new study is among the first to begin to unravel precisely how they work. “The brain becomes more open and… read on > read on >
TUESDAY, April 12, 2022 (American Heart Association News) — At their babies’ 20-week ultrasound, Bridget and Jerrid Conway were eager to catch another glimpse of their twin girls. In the exam room, the technician moved the wand over Bridget’s stomach. When she lingered over Twin A, or Sadie as they later named her, the Conways… read on > read on >
Faced with rising COVID-19 case counts, Philadelphia has announced that it will reinstate an indoor mask mandate next week. City officials announced the change on Monday, as COVID-19 cases have climbed across the country due to the highly transmissible Omicron subvariant known as BA.2. Philadelphia has an automatic indoor mask mandate that kicks in whenever… read on > read on >
An experimental medication for critically ill COVID-19 patients appears to work so well that the drug’s maker announced Monday it has stopped its clinical trial early and will apply for emergency use authorization. The medication, sabizabulin, halved the death rate in COVID-19 patients who were receiving supplemental oxygen and were at high risk of serious… read on > read on >
In their search for a drug to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, scientists are taking a look at certain rheumatoid arthritis drugs. Preliminary findings suggest that a type of rheumatoid arthritis drug known as TNF inhibitors may lower dementia risk in rheumatoid arthritis patients who also suffer from heart disease. But no one is suggesting these drugs… read on > read on >
A single dose of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine provides as much protection against cervical cancer as the standard three-dose regimen, a new study finds. “These findings are a game-changer that may substantially reduce the incidence of HPV-attributable cervical cancer, and positions single-dose HPV vaccination as a high-value and high-impact public health intervention that is within… read on > read on >
If you suffer from headaches, you have plenty of company. Headaches afflict half of the world’s population, and women are more likely to get them than men, a new paper says. “We found that the prevalence of headache disorders remains high worldwide and the burden of different types may impact many. We should endeavor to… read on > read on >
Quitting smoking can give heart disease patients nearly five additional years of life without heart problems, according to a new study. “Kicking the habit appears to be as effective as taking three medications for preventing heart attacks and strokes in those with a prior heart attack or procedure to open blocked arteries,” said study author… read on > read on >
