When New York City was the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic last spring in the United States, nearby Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital was treating more than 400 COVID-19 patients at one time, remembers Dr. Aaron Glatt. Infectious disease experts had warned for years about the potential for another pandemic, yet the scale of this…  read on >  read on >

The toll of America’s obesity epidemic is showing up in younger women, as a new study shows that deaths from heart disease in this unlikely group have increased in the past decade. The likely culprits along with obesity? Type 2 diabetes, along with diseases of pregnancy, such as preeclampsia and preterm delivery, researchers said. “Cardiovascular…  read on >  read on >

Getting bitten by a dog or wild animal is frightening, especially for kids, but a new study may help relieve some of the worry about catching rabies. The rabies prevention treatment KEDRAB is safe and effective for patients 17 and younger, a groundbreaking pediatric clinical trial has shown. The trial included 30 kids with suspected…  read on >  read on >

As pot gains in acceptance among adults, teenagers appear to be more tempted to try it, a new study out of California finds. After the state legalized marijuana use for adults in 2016, teens’ use of the drug also climbed after years of steady decline. Researchers analyzed survey data from more than 3 million seventh-,…  read on >  read on >

Gene variants associated with a rare autoimmune disorder called Addison’s disease have been pinpointed, according to researchers. “By studying the single largest collection of samples from patients with Addison’s disease, we’ve been able to carry out the first genetic study of the disease that spans the entire human genome,” said study co-leader Daniel Eriksson, a…  read on >  read on >

The 2018 wildfire that destroyed 239 square miles in Northern California, including the town of Paradise, left a lasting mental health crisis in its wake. Many residents who survived the so-called Camp Fire are now grappling with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, according to a new study in the International Journal of Environmental…  read on >  read on >

Owning a handgun increases a person’s risk of firearm-related suicide more than owning a shotgun, a new study finds. Researchers surveyed surviving loved ones of 121 gun owners who had died by suicide, including 93 who died by a firearm and 28 by other means. The survey respondents were asked about the types and numbers…  read on >  read on >

MONDAY, Feb. 15, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — Reducing sodium intake by any amount can lower blood pressure over the long term – and may benefit everyone, including people with normal blood pressure, new research shows. While the link between consuming less-salty foods and lower blood pressure is well established, researchers wanted to understand…  read on >  read on >