Older adults have a higher risk of delirium after hip and knee surgery if they’re taking anxiety, depression or insomnia drugs, researchers say. “Our findings show that different classes of medicine are riskier than others when it comes to causing delirium after surgery, and the older the patients are, the greater the risk,” said lead…  read on >  read on >

They take care of others, but many U.S. home health care workers say they’re not in good shape themselves, a new study finds. Researchers analyzed self-reported data collected from nearly 3,000 home health care workers in 38 states between 2014 and 2018 and found that more than a quarter rated their general health as fair…  read on >  read on >

The world isn’t ready to prevent or deal with another pandemic because many nations aren’t taking the necessary steps to prepare for what is likely an inevitable future scenario, a new report shows. The Global Health Security (GHS) index — an assessment of preparedness for various health emergencies and problems — is produced by the…  read on >  read on >

“Fights off tumors and alleviates symptoms of chemotherapy,” one vape’s advertising claims, while another is touted as an “asthma remedy, ADHD remedy, and dementia treatment.” Don’t believe the hype. Despite claims that certain vaping products may alleviate health problems, there’s no proof that they do — and they may even cause health issues, the U.S.…  read on >  read on >

Cancer patients are at risk for serious COVID-19 illness, but some are still afraid to get vaccinated against the virus, new research shows. Study authors surveyed nearly 200 high-risk cancer patients at the Mays Cancer Center in San Antonio, Texas. Only 56% said they’d received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, compared to the community…  read on >  read on >

U.S. operating rooms got busy once again soon after the first round of pandemic shutdowns, according to a study that challenges the widely held belief that operations have been curtailed indefinitely during the age of COVID-19. “It’s an untold story,” said senior study author Dr. Sherry Wren, a professor of general surgery at Stanford University…  read on >  read on >

Children with hard-to-control asthma may get relief from adding an injectable antibody drug to their standard treatment, a clinical trial has found. The drug, called dupilumab (Dupixent), has been available for several years to treat stubborn asthma in adults and teenagers. Based on the new findings, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently gave it…  read on >  read on >