Everyone’s seen the automatic blood pressure reader wedged unobtrusively into a corner of their local pharmacy. These sit-down machines can pay huge dividends when it comes to helping people learn their heart health risks, a new study says. Setting up these health stations at community pharmacies – and one international sporting event – led to… read on > read on >
Urban dwellers have a higher risk of developing asthma, thanks to dirty air and lower amounts of green space, a major new study says. In fact, better urban planning could prevent more than 1 in 10 new cases of asthma, researchers estimated recently in The Lancet Regional Health-Europe. “This study provides strong evidence for the… read on > read on >
A fast-moving cholera outbreak in Sudan’s Darfur region has killed 40 people and sickened more than 2,300 in the past week alone, according to Doctors Without Borders. The medical aid group, also known as Médecins San Frontières or MSF, says this is the worst outbreak the country has seen in years, The Associated Press said.… read on > read on >
For the first time, scientists have created a brain implant that can “hear” and vocalize words a person is only imagining in their head. The device, developed at Stanford University in California, could help people with severe paralysis communicate more easily, even if they can’t move their mouth to try to speak. “This is the… read on > read on >
Folks fighting an addiction can boost their chances of success if they also drop the smokes, a new study says. Addicts who quit smoking have up to 42% better odds of recovery, researchers reported Aug. 13 in JAMA Psychiatry. These results indicate that smoking cessation programs should be made part of virtually all substance abuse… read on > read on >
Nearly half of U.S. adults should receive earlier treatment for high blood pressure, including lifestyle changes and medications, according to a set of new guidelines issued by America’s top heart health groups. The guidelines call for early and more individualized treatment for the nearly 47% of Americans who have an average blood pressure of 130/80… read on > read on >
An under-the-scalp implant can improve monitoring of a person’s epilepsy, giving doctors data they need to improve control over seizures, a new pilot study says. Epilepsy patients must now keep a diary to track their symptoms. But these self-observations are only right about half the time, researchers found when they compared patients’ diaries to tens… read on > read on >
Agency is continuing efforts with manufacturers to address other IV fluid shortages read on >
Folks fighting high blood pressure might receive some help from a household air purifier, a new study says. Even in areas with relatively low air pollution levels, using a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) purifier at home might significantly lower a person’s blood pressure, researchers reported recently in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.… read on > read on >
Artificial intelligence (AI) programs can help doctors and nurses predict hours earlier which ER patients will likely require hospital admission, a new study says. An AI program trained on nearly 2 million patient visits became slightly more accurate than ER nurses in predicting which patients would need to be admitted, according to findings published Aug.… read on > read on >
