Brain diseases like stroke, dementia and depression share common risk factors, and changing any can lower a person’s risk of all three conditions, a new study says. Addressing factors as varied as blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, physical activity, sleep, stress, alcohol consumption and smoking can significantly reduce risk of the three age-related brain diseases,… read on > read on >
Food additive mixtures commonly found in diet drinks, soups, dairy desserts and sauces may slightly increase a person’s risk of type 2 diabetes, a new study says. A mixture of additives commonly found in artificially sweetened beverages increased risk of type 2 diabetes by 13% among a group of nearly 110,000 people, researchers reported in… read on > read on >
America’s emergency rooms are near the breaking point, causing long wait times and boarding of patients awaiting care, a new study says. Essentially, ERs are being asked to serve as health care hubs that offer services far beyond emergency care, according to a new report from the non-profit research organization RAND. And they are asked… read on > read on >
Severe and possibly deadly strep infections are on the rise in the U.S., a study published Monday in Journal of the American Medical Association said. The rate of invasive group A strep infections more than doubled from 2013 to 2022, jumping from about 4 cases per 100,000 people to 8 per 100,000, NBC News reported.… read on > read on >
The U.S. government has shut down or paused several major anti-smoking efforts. Public health leaders say the cuts could reverse decades of progress that have smoking rates in the country at all-time lows. Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) made major cuts to tobacco control offices at the U.S. Centers for… read on > read on >
More people die from heart problems during heatwaves where high temperatures stretch through both the day and night, a new study says. Heatwaves that offer no relief at night — known as compound heatwaves — are much more deadly than soaring daytime temperatures alone, researchers reported April 1 in the Journal of the American College… read on > read on >
Smoke from wildfires driving you mad? You’re not alone, a new study says. Short-term exposure to air choked with wildfire smoke increases people’s risk of mental health problems, according to findings published April 4 in JAMA Network Open. Hospital emergency rooms experience surges in patients with mental health conditions on days when smoke pollution is… read on > read on >
Ozone air pollution increases the risk of asthma among preschoolers and kindergarteners, a new study says. Relatively small increases in ozone smog in a child’s first two years of life is associated with an increased risk of asthma and wheeze at 4 to 6 years of age, researchers reported April 2 in JAMA Network Open.… read on > read on >
Wondering what recovery is really like after knee replacement surgery? Dr. Ayesha Abdeen, chief of hip and knee replacement surgery at Boston Medical Center, breaks down exactly what to expect — from managing pain in the first few days to getting back on your feet and returning to the activities you love. Total knee replacement… read on > read on >
A federal judge has stopped the Trump administration from cutting $11 billion in public health funding — at least for now. U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy, who was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2019, said Thursday that she would grant a temporary restraining order. The request came from 23 states and the District of… read on > read on >
