COVID-19 is never a good diagnosis, but health risks are especially high in people with poorly controlled, advanced diabetes, a new study confirms. The new report looked at pooled data from 22 studies that included a total of nearly 18,000 people. Simply having diabetes didn’t raise a COVID-19 patient’s risk for death: The study found… read on > read on >
If making healthy lifestyle changes doesn’t lower a patient’s slightly high blood pressure within six months, doctors should then consider prescribing medication, a new American Heart Association scientific statement advises. The recommendation is for people with untreated stage 1 high blood pressure (130-139/80-89 mm Hg) who have a low risk of a heart attack or… read on > read on >
Stroke recovery tends to be worse among Americans in poorer neighborhoods than those in wealthier neighborhoods, a new study finds. “People in less advantaged neighborhoods were more likely to have more disability, lower quality of life and more symptoms of depression than people in more advantaged neighborhoods,” said study author Lynda Lisabeth, from the University… read on > read on >
Herbal kratom is used by less than 1% of the U.S. population, but the rate is much higher among those who misuse opioid painkillers, a new study finds. Kratom is used to manage pain and opioid withdrawal. However, it carries the risk of addiction and harmful side effects, which has led the U.S. Food and… read on > read on >
There’s some sobering news for the millions of Americans who skipped their second coronavirus vaccine dose: Doing so could greatly reduce their odds of avoiding severe illness. In a “real-world” study of 417 adults aged 65 or older who got either the Pfizer or Moderna two-dose vaccines, effectiveness in keeping folks out of the hospital… read on > read on >
When gender-diverse or transgender people have surgeries to affirm their gender, they experience a variety of positive mental health outcomes, new research shows. The study found an association between the surgeries, which participants had at least two years prior to a survey, and significantly lower rates of past-month psychological distress, past-year suicidal ideation and past-year… read on > read on >
Young Black and Hispanic cancer patients face poorer survival odds than their white counterparts, even from some cancers that are highly curable, a new study finds. It’s well known that the United States has long-standing racial disparities in cancer survival. The researchers said the new findings bolster evidence that those disparities are not confined to… read on > read on >
The Biden administration has eased guidelines for prescribing a crucial addiction treatment drug, just as a new study reveals one in five U.S. pharmacies refuses to dispense the medication, called buprenorphine. “Buprenorphine is a vital, lifesaving medication for people with opioid use disorder, but improving access has been a problem for a variety of reasons,”… read on > read on >
WEDNESDAY, April 28, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — Walking briskly up a steep hill to pick up her daughter from school, Katrien Limón felt a pain in her chest. “Like I had the worst acid reflux of my life,” she said. Katrien, who lives in Montrose, California, had been treated for acid reflux before.… read on > read on >
WEDNESDAY, April 28, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — Spring can be an ideal time to try a new exercise routine. Warmer temperatures make it enticing to head outdoors and, this year, more people might be considering a return to the gym after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. While any regular physical activity can benefit your… read on > read on >
