Lyme disease can exact a significant mental toll as well as a physical one on its sufferers, a new study confirms. Patients hospitalized for Lyme disease had a 28% higher incidence of mental disorders and were twice as likely to attempt suicide than people without Lyme, researchers report. “These findings highlight the need for greater… read on > read on >
TUESDAY, Aug. 17, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — Linda and Clint Pilkinton had a healthy toddler when Linda got pregnant with their second child. They were eager to give Charlie a baby brother. The first trimester of her pregnancy proceeded much like it did with Charlie. Then came the standard 16-week ultrasound and another… read on > read on >
There’s strong evidence that the steroid drug dexamethasone can significantly lower hospitalized patients’ risk of dying from COVID-19, but many who might benefit from it the most aren’t getting it. “Dexamethasone is a steroid that is used for the treatment of arthritis, inflammation and allergic reactions,” explained Hemalkumar Mehta, who studied its use in treating… read on > read on >
Twenty seconds. That’s how long you need to wash your hands to remove germs, a new physics study confirms. Typical hand-washing guidelines — including those from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — advise scrubbing your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds. To assess that recommendation, researchers used a mathematical model to… read on > read on >
While the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the United States has been dominating the news, an old viral enemy has been making a quieter comeback. In late spring, U.S. pediatric hospitals began reporting an unexpected rise in serious infections caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Unlike COVID-19, RSV is a long-established foe that normally emerges… read on > read on >
The anesthesia drug ketamine and a related medicine called esketamine appear to be safe for tough-to-treat depression, researchers report. A number of studies have suggested that low doses of ketamine, which is also abused as a club drug under monikers that include “K” and “Special K,” provide rapid antidepressant effects, typically improving mood within 24… read on > read on >
Long stints on the night shift could set you up for the dangerous heart rhythm disorder known as atrial fibrillation (a-fib), new research suggests. For the study, the researchers analyzed data on more than 283,000 people in the UK Biobank database, and found that those who worked night shifts on a usual or permanent basis… read on > read on >
Five years after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention retooled a guideline for prescribing opioid painkillers, research suggests the change is paying off. With the United States in the grip of an opioid overdose epidemic, the CDC released an evidence-based guideline in 2016 to help doctors treat patients’ pain while balancing the risks… read on > read on >
Anesthesia is a vital part of almost every surgery, but unexpected bills for the service can cause a lot of pain. Now, a new study finds that these costs fell in several states that introduced legislation targeting “surprise” billing. “These price declines show that state surprise billing laws both directly lower out-of-network prices and indirectly… read on > read on >
Take a work break: A small, new study suggests that getting out of your chair every half hour may help improve your blood sugar levels and your overall health. Every hour spent sitting or lying down increases the risk for metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes, the study authors said. But moving around during those… read on > read on >
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