Does COVID-19 help create heart problems, or are people with preexisting heart issues simply more prone to getting the illness? The issue remains unclear, with a new British study finding that people with heart problems appear to have an increased risk of contracting COVID-19. “In this research, we’ve discovered that poorer heart structure and function… read on > read on >
Cotton masks provide better protection against the new coronavirus than those made with synthetic fabrics, researchers say. In a new study, investigators tested different mask fabrics under conditions that mimic the humidity of a person’s breath in order to assess how the fabrics perform in actual use. Under humid conditions, filtration efficiency (a measure of… read on > read on >
Could whether your governor is a Democrat or a Republican have influenced how many coronavirus cases and deaths your state has seen during the pandemic? Yes, claim researchers who discovered a strong link between the two — by late last summer, the odds of dying from COVID-19 was nearly twice as high in states whose… read on > read on >
A healthy, plant-based diet could reduce your risk of stroke by up to 10%, researchers say. This type of diet includes greater amounts of foods like vegetables, whole grains and beans, and fewer less-healthy foods like refined grains or added sugars. “Many studies already show that eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can… read on > read on >
Yes, you really are seeing double — more twins are being born now than ever before. There are a number of reasons why, according to a new study. Since the 1980s, twin births rose by a third worldwide — from 9 to 12 per 1,000 deliveries. About 1.6 million twins are born each year and… read on > read on >
Social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have prevented an anticipated outbreak of a rare polio-like syndrome in children, researchers report. Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a spinal condition that causes weakness in the limbs, impairs motor function and can lead to lifelong disabilities. It was first reported in the United States in 2012,… read on > read on >
If you’re drinking more, sleeping less, seeing downright scary numbers on your scale and fretting about the future, you’re far from alone, a new survey reveals. “We’ve been concerned throughout this pandemic about the level of prolonged stress, exacerbated by the grief, trauma and isolation that Americans are experiencing,” said Arthur Evans Jr., chief executive… read on > read on >
Many people dread the switch to daylight saving time. When you’re losing an hour of sleep, it can be hard to actually feel like springing forward. Dr. Rachel Ziegler, a sleep medicine physician from the Mayo Clinic Health System in Fairmont, Minn., offers some tips for easing into the time change before it happens on… read on > read on >
One Ohio medical center has seen a sharp rise in heart infections and strokes related to IV drug abuse — pointing to one more consequence of the U.S. opioid epidemic, researchers say. In a preliminary study, the researchers found that between 2014 and 2018, their hospital saw a 630% increase in infectious endocarditis related to… read on > read on >
Your eyes may be a window into the health of your brain, a new study indicates. Researchers found that older adults with the eye disease retinopathy were at increased risk of having a stroke, as well as possible symptoms of dementia. And on average, they died sooner than people their age without the eye condition.… read on > read on >
