Hearts donated by severely obese donors aren’t more risky for recipients than hearts from people who aren’t obese, a new study indicates. “These findings were somewhat surprising because the severely obese donors did tend to have more medical problems, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, than the non-obese donors,” said study author Dr. Leora…  read on >

Want to fend off high blood pressure? New research adds to the pile of evidence showing that living healthy can help you avoid hypertension. The study included nearly 3,000 Black and white U.S. adults, aged 45 and older, who didn’t have high blood pressure at the start of the study. The participants’ heart health was…  read on >

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 16, 2020 (Healthday News) — A single infusion of an experimental drug dramatically lowers levels of coronavirus in the bodies of newly infected patients and cuts their chances of hospitalization, the drug’s maker reported Wednesday. Eli Lilly’s announcement did not include detailed data and hasn’t been peer-reviewed or published yet, The New York…  read on >

Most people now know that COVID-19 can cause blood clots, potentially leading to paralysis, stroke, heart attack and death. While it’s not clear precisely how SARS-CoV-2 causes clots, a new study suggests that the amount of a particular protein — called factor V — in a patient’s blood may have something to do with it.…  read on >

TUESDAY, Sept. 15, 2020 (Healthday News) — In a sign that Americans are becoming more wary about the safety of a new coronavirus vaccine, a new poll shows a majority of adults don’t trust what President Donald Trump has said on vaccine development. More than half (52%) of adults said they don’t trust the president’s…  read on >

COVID-19 is unlike other respiratory viruses known to humans, but in time it could evolve into a seasonal scourge like the flu. That’s according to a new report in which researchers lay out the case for a possible seasonal COVID. The scenario depends on many unknowns, and assumes the new coronavirus will bend to weather…  read on >

MONDAY, Sept. 14, 2020 (Healthday News) — Oxford University has announced that final-stage testing of a coronavirus vaccine it is developing with drug maker AstraZeneca will restart following a pause last week after a serious side effect showed up in a volunteer. “The independent review process has concluded and following the recommendations of both the…  read on >

More U.S. kids are getting a recommended vaccine that protects against several cancers — but there is still much room for improvement, a new study finds. At issue is the vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV). Certain strains of HPV are sexually transmitted, and some of those are “high risk” — meaning that if the immune…  read on >

COVID-19 can damage the kidneys and increase patients’ risk of needing kidney dialysis, researchers report. The study authors also warned that doctors should prepare for a significant rise in chronic kidney disease cases due to the pandemic. For the study, the investigators analyzed data from nearly 4,000 COVID-19 patients, aged 18 and older, hospitalized at…  read on >