Why are men over 50 around the world 60% more likely than women to die early? Two big reasons are higher rates of smoking and heart disease, according to a large new study. The findings are based on an analysis of data from more than 179,000 people in 28 countries. Fifty-five percent were women. Researchers… read on > read on >
Having an intellectual disability is second only to being elderly as a risk factor for dying from COVID-19, a new study suggests. “The chances of dying from COVID-19 are higher for those with intellectual disability than they are for people with congestive heart failure, kidney disease or lung disease,” said study author Dr. Jonathan Gleason,… read on > read on >
Humans sweat more and move more than chimpanzees and other apes, but new research shows people are actually more water-efficient than their primate cousins. For the first time, scientists say they measured precisely how much water humans lose and replace each day compared with their closest living animal relatives. The investigators found that the human… read on > read on >
When you turn your clocks forward to Daylight Saving Time this weekend, take a few minutes to make your home safer. Change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) suggests. Unless these devices have sealed 10-year batteries, they require fresh batteries every year. It’s also… read on > read on >
About 7 out of 10 Alzheimer’s patients wound up free of the brain plaques that are a hallmark of the disease after treatment with a potentially breakthrough experimental drug, clinical trial results show. The drug, donanemab, also significantly slowed the patients’ brain decline, according to findings published March 13 in the New England Journal of… read on > read on >
Raising chickens in your backyard — a popular trend during the COVID-19 pandemic — holds risks that can come home to roost in an unwelcome way. It’s already well known that poultry can spread the salmonella bacteria to human handlers. But chickens cooped up in backyards could also be breeding grounds for viruses that pose… read on > read on >
FRIDAY, March 12, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — Researchers have developed a new Spanish acronym aimed to raise awareness of stroke symptoms in the Hispanic community. Known as RAPIDO, it seeks to replicate the popular FAST mnemonic that exists in English. Studies show that while Hispanic adults currently have a similar rate of stroke… read on > read on >
FRIDAY, March 12, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — Michelle Whiteman woke up and realized that her left arm felt numb. She figured it was a pinched nerve and made an appointment to see her chiropractor. The 40-year-old hair stylist who was getting her master’s degree in special education felt in excellent health. She’d been… read on > read on >
A single measles outbreak cost one U.S. county $3.4 million, a new government study estimates, underscoring the societal burden of inadequate vaccination rates. The outbreak occurred in Clark County, Wash., in early 2019, and ultimately infected 71 people — mostly children younger than 10 who hadn’t received the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. The county’s low MMR… read on > read on >
One in four U.S. households use smart speakers to check the weather, play music and query search engines. But a new technology may soon have folks asking, “Hey Google, how’s my heart?” Researchers from the University of Washington, Seattle, have developed a skill for Amazon Alexa and Google Home that allows the devices to check… read on > read on >
