U.S. surgery patients have a high rate of smoking, which could be one reason why some wind up on the operating table, researchers say. A look at nearly 329,000 Michigan residents who had common surgical procedures between 2012 and 2019 found that nearly a quarter had smoked in the past year. In comparison, just over…  read on >  read on >

About 1 in 5 Colorado high school students has access to guns, according to new study from the Colorado School of Public Health. The research — published March 29 in the Journal of Pediatrics — is being released after recent mass shootings in Atlanta and in Boulder, Colo. “Our findings highlight that it is relatively…  read on >  read on >

Want to ward off high blood pressure? Don’t forget to brush and floss. A new study finds that severe gum disease may make an otherwise healthy person significantly more likely to develop high blood pressure. “[Our] evidence indicates that periodontal bacteria cause damage to the gums and also triggers inflammatory responses that can impact the…  read on >  read on >

Nonsmokers usually try to avoid secondhand smoke, but many kids have no option, and now a new study finds tobacco smoke exposure puts them at higher risk of hospitalization. Compared to other kids, those exposed to secondhand smoke were more likely to have had an urgent care visit over a one-year period, and to incur…  read on >  read on >

If you’re one of the many people who’ve switched to working at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, you need to take care of your eyes, the American Academy of Ophthalmology says. Staring at a screen too long can lead to digital eye strain. Symptoms include blurry vision, headaches and tired, dry eyes. It happens because…  read on >  read on >

When people die some cells in their brains go on for hours, even getting more active and growing to gargantuan proportions, new research shows. Awareness of this activity, spurred on by “zombie genes,” could affect research into diseases that affect the brain. For the study, researchers analyzed gene expression using fresh brain tissue collected during…  read on >  read on >