The coronavirus pandemic has affected American smokers in different ways, a new study finds. While some smoked more to help them cope with the crisis, others quit to reduce their COVID-19 infection risk. “Even before the pandemic, tobacco smoking was the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. COVID-19 has given smokers yet… read on > read on >
Researchers are using mice to study a potential new treatment that could help patients who have sickle cell disease, without some of the risks and side effects of existing therapies. The investigators reported using genetic-based editing on mice to convert a disease-causing hemoglobin gene to a benign variant that would enable healthy blood cell production.… read on > read on >
(HealthDay News) – You’ve heard it often: Don’t get behind the wheel of a car after a night of drinking. Now, a new study confirms that rideshare services like Uber and Lyft are making it easier for people to follow that advice and get home unharmed and alive. Texas researchers saw a marked change in… read on > read on >
Dialysis centers hit with financial penalties for poor performance don’t tend to improve afterward, calling into question a set of U.S. federal programs intended to improve health care nationwide, a new report says. Dialysis centers face up to a 2% reduction in their annual Medicare reimbursements if they get a low score on a set… read on > read on >
Hoping to eat your way to a healthier heart? Diets rich in plant foods may beat low-fat eating regimens for cutting the risk of heart disease and stroke, a new study finds. Saturated fat, the kind largely found in animal products, has long been viewed as the enemy of the heart, since it can raise… read on > read on >
COVID-19 could be a much more expensive experience for folks who fall ill this year, thanks to the return of deductibles and copays, new research suggests. Most folks who became gravely ill with COVID last year didn’t face crushing medical bills because nearly all insurance companies agreed to waive cost-sharing for coronavirus care during the… read on > read on >
The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine may be linked with rare cases of low blood platelet levels, a new study suggests. Platelets are blood cells that help prevent blood loss when vessels are damaged. Low platelet levels may cause no symptoms, but they can lead to an increased risk of bleeding or clotting. Researchers analyzed data from… read on > read on >
WEDNESDAY, June 9, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — It can literally be as easy as a walk in the park. Just 30 minutes of movement – anything that gets your heart beating faster – five times a week is all it takes to meet federal guidelines for physical activity. In fact, the goal is… read on > read on >
Norman Mayer, 86, walks around with a computer chip in his chest and doesn’t think a thing about it. Doctors implanted a tiny heart monitor chip in Mayer’s chest after he suffered a mini-stroke in late 2015, to track his heartbeat and potentially detect an irregular heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation (a-fib). “You don’t even… read on > read on >
After Texas relaxed COVID-19 restrictions, other respiratory illnesses — such as colds, bronchitis and pneumonia — made rapid rebounds. Pathologists from Houston Methodist Hospital found that the rhinovirus and enterovirus infections that can trigger these illnesses started rebounding in the fall of last year after Texas eased capacity limits in bars and restaurants. More recently,… read on > read on >
