The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine may be linked with rare cases of low blood platelet levels, a new study suggests. Platelets are blood cells that help prevent blood loss when vessels are damaged. Low platelet levels may cause no symptoms, but they can lead to an increased risk of bleeding or clotting. Researchers analyzed data from… read on > read on >
The highly contagious coronavirus variant that brought India to its knees this spring now accounts for 6 percent of new cases in the United States, the Biden administration said Tuesday. Luckily, vaccines appear to work well against this version of the virus, which has spread like wildfire in Great Britain and threatens a full reopening… read on > read on >
Norman Mayer, 86, walks around with a computer chip in his chest and doesn’t think a thing about it. Doctors implanted a tiny heart monitor chip in Mayer’s chest after he suffered a mini-stroke in late 2015, to track his heartbeat and potentially detect an irregular heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation (a-fib). “You don’t even… read on > read on >
While some people may be ready and eager to reconnect with family and friends at social gatherings post-pandemic, it’s OK to feel apprehensive. As restrictions loosen because infection rates are plummeting and more people are getting vaccinated, many people are experiencing feelings that they didn’t expect — such as anxiety about returning to social situations,… read on > read on >
A combination of poor sleep and diabetes significantly increases a person’s risk of early death, a new study finds. The analysis of data from nearly 500,000 middle-aged adults in the United Kingdom showed that compared to other folks, the risk of death from any cause over nearly nine years was 87% higher among those with… read on > read on >
Smoking cigarettes or using other tobacco products increases heart risks, but that doesn’t stop some Americans with a history of heart problems, new research finds. Many continue to smoke after having a heart attack, heart failure or stroke even though they are aware of the risk. Nearly 30% of adults with a history of these… read on > read on >
In rural America, more people die from chronic health conditions and substance abuse than in suburbs and cities, and the gap is widening. Researchers report in a new study that the difference in rural and urban death rates tripled over the past 20 years mostly due to deaths among middle-aged white men and women. “We… read on > read on >
A real-world study shows that even when folks who get the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines do have ‘breakthrough’ infections, those illnesses are mild. The study, from researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is among the first to show that people who get COVID-19 despite being fully or partially vaccinated are… read on > read on >
ADHD medications might help lessen the risk of suicide in children with serious behavioral issues, a new study suggests. Researchers found that medications like Ritalin and Adderall, commonly prescribed for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), were linked to a lower risk of suicidal behavior among 9- and 10-year-olds with substantial “externalizing” symptoms. That included children with high… read on > read on >
Despite calls from some leading health experts to scrap annual physicals because they are a waste of time and money, a new study finds advantages to routine screenings. “While it is disappointing that I can’t tell my patients a visit with me or my colleagues will help them live longer, it is good to know… read on > read on >
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