Many Americans with heart disease are avoiding medical care during the pandemic, a new survey finds. Only 52% of Americans sought medical care for a concerning health problem during the pandemic, according to the survey conducted by the Cleveland Clinic. Among patients with heart disease, 63% did. Many sought advice online or from friends and…  read on >  read on >

Previous exposure to other coronaviruses may enhance a person’s immune response to COVID-19 infection, but new research suggests that antibodies triggered by the SARS outbreak of 2003 provide only limited protection against the new coronavirus. Antibodies are blood proteins made by the immune system to protect against infection, the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU)…  read on >  read on >

Black American children have higher rates of shellfish and fish allergies than white children, a new study finds. The research confirms the important role that race plays in children’s food allergies, the study authors said. “Food allergy is a common condition in the U.S., and we know from our previous research that there are important…  read on >  read on >

The nerve pain drug gabapentin might reduce damage after a spinal cord injury, research in mice suggests. The drug prevented harmful structural changes in injured spinal cords, as well as cardiovascular changes and immune suppression caused by spinal cord injury, according to the study. “Gabapentin is often prescribed as a treatment for pain, but if…  read on >  read on >

Dry and chapped lips are common during the winter, but there are a number of things you can do to protect them, an expert says. “Cold, dry weather; sun damage; and frequently licking your lips are just some of the reasons your lips might feel dry and chapped this winter,” dermatologist Dr. Noëlle Sherber said…  read on >  read on >

Could wearing two masks be better than one? The emergence of new and more infectious COVID-19 variants has led health experts to consider “double masking” as a potential way to better protect yourself and those around you. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating whether donning a medical mask underneath a typical…  read on >  read on >

Heart surgery can be stressful, but researchers may have found a way to reduce patients’ anxiety and postoperative pain — without any extra side effects. A team from the Netherlands found that the simple act of listening to music around the time of surgery may help patients as they recover. “This is a fascinating question…  read on >  read on >