Many seniors who undergo surgery after breaking a hip continue to take opioids long after being released from the hospital, new research indicates. After tracking nearly 30,000 U.S. older patients, investigators found that nearly 17% were still taking opioids as much as half a year after hip surgery. At three months after surgery, that figure…  read on >  read on >

Along with other dangers, the aftermath of Hurricane Ida could pose significant heart health risks. Stress and trauma from the storm that slammed into Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and other states could increase heart risk, and the impact may be more significant for heart disease and stroke patients, the American Heart Association (AHA) warns. For example,…  read on >  read on >

The pause in youth sports caused by the COVID-19 pandemic wound up shaking some budding athletes to their core, a new U.S. survey shows. More than 1 in 10 youth athletes ended up reconsidering their sports goals or aspirations as the pandemic closed stadiums and gyms. That included one-quarter of athletes in their later teens,…  read on >  read on >

With Labor Day festivities approaching, you might want to think twice about that cocktail. Or at least you should avoid that second round, especially if you have a history of your heart beating irregularly. A new study appears to confirm the existence of “holiday heart syndrome” — a higher risk of atrial fibrillation (a-fib), after…  read on >  read on >

Monoclonal antibody infusions can help prevent severe COVID-19, but the best protection is to get vaccinated, experts say. Antibodies are made by the immune system to fight infections. “The problem is that our immune system takes two to three weeks to make good antibodies,” said Dr. Turner Overton, co-director of the Alabama Vaccine Research Clinic…  read on >  read on >

A high amount of coronavirus in the lungs is a major contributor to death in COVID-19 patients, new research shows. The findings challenge previous theories that simultaneous infections such as pneumonia or an overreaction of the body’s immune system are significant factors in COVID-19 deaths, the researchers noted. To come to that conclusion, the investigators…  read on >  read on >

The latest buzz on coffee? It may be good for your heart, a new, large study suggests. Drinking light to moderate amounts — up to three cups a day — may lower the risk of stroke, fatal heart disease and all-cause death, researchers found. “Regular coffee consumption of up to three cups per day is…  read on >  read on >

Fully half of all young adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may also battle alcohol or drug abuse. And folks with ADHD who have a history of depression or anxiety are particularly vulnerable to substance abuse problems, a new study showed. “People with ADHD may be self-medicating with drugs or alcohol to keep their…  read on >  read on >

Despite studies showing that it doesn’t work against COVID-19, prescriptions for the anti-parasite drug ivermectin have climbed sharply in recent weeks as COVID-19 cases surge nationwide, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Prescriptions for what was originally a drug for animals soared to more than 88,000 a week in mid-August from a…  read on >  read on >