About 500,000 men have a vasectomy each year in the United States, preventing sperm from reaching the semen during ejaculation. While the operation is safe and highly effective in preventing pregnancy, it has its risks, the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development says. The agency says any general discomfort, bruising and swelling… read on >
You can add hearing loss to the many health risks of smoking, new research suggests. For the study, researchers analyzed eight years of health data on more than 50,000 people in Japan. After accounting for work-related noise exposure and other hearing loss risk factors, the investigators found that smokers were 1.2 to 1.6 times more… read on >
Anxiety is a normal response to stress, but if it becomes overwhelming and difficult to conduct your daily routine, it may be time to seek help. Anxiety disorders affect nearly 1 in 5 people in the United States, the Office on Women’s Health says. Women are twice as likely as men to develop the problem.… read on >
A large study has confirmed what many public health experts have long believed: Colonoscopy saves lives. The study looked at roughly 25,000 patients in the Veterans Affairs (VA) health system, where colonoscopy is widely used. The VA views it as the main screening test for patients aged 50 and older who have average odds for… read on >
People who’ve had a heart attack are more likely to be prescribed and take recommended blood-thinning drugs if they get vouchers to waive their co-payments, a new study shows. The finding comes from a study of 11,000 people treated for heart attack at 300 U.S. hospitals. All of the patients had health insurance: 64 percent… read on >
“Financial toxicity” caused by high cancer drug prices is harming people’s ability to fight the dreaded disease, a new report from the President’s Cancer Panel warns. The report, released Tuesday, argues that urgent action is needed to stem the growing price tags associated with new cancer drugs, particularly if the price doesn’t match the amount… read on >
Believe it or not, new research suggests that people hospitalized for a heart attack are more likely to survive when certain heart specialists are out of town. The study of more than 34,000 U.S. heart attack patients found survival rates were higher when interventional cardiologists were attending their annual conference. Those cardiologists are specialists in… read on >
A wearable heart defibrillator reduces the overall risk of early death for heart attack survivors, but not the risk of sudden cardiac death, a new study finds. The defibrillator — housed in a lightweight vest worn directly against the skin — continuously monitors the wearer’s heart. It sounds an alarm and/or verbally announces the need… read on >
Nearly half of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients who should have genetic testing don’t receive it, a new study finds. Genetic testing can play an important part in deciding the best course of treatment, the University of Michigan researchers noted. The study included just over 1,700 women with early stage breast cancer who could benefit… read on >
Poorer Americans with anal cancer — a highly treatable disease — are more likely to die than wealthier patients, a new study finds. Researchers analyzed 2004-2013 data from 9,550 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the anus. Each year, 8,200 cases are diagnosed in the United States, and more than 1,000 people die of the… read on >
