A definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease now requires a series of complicated and expensive imaging scans that look for abnormal protein plaques and tangles in the brain. But in the near future, detecting signs of Alzheimer’s could be as simple as taking a finger prick blood test. Researchers detected key Alzheimer’s-related biomarkers in dried blood…  read on >  read on >

Dehydration brings lots of risks — including urinary tract infections (UTIs). An expert offers some tips for avoiding these painful infections without sacrificing summer fun. “Patients can experience more UTIs during the summer due to inadequate fluid intake, especially in the historic heat waves we’ve been experiencing,” said Dr. Maude Carmel, a urology specialist at…  read on >  read on >

Fluoride may have found its match in preventing cavities. New research shows that toothpaste containing hydroxyapatite, one of the main mineral components in teeth, can prevent cavities as effectively as fluoride, which has been used in toothpaste since 1956. The findings were published July 18 in Frontiers in Public Health. “If the article is correct…  read on >  read on >

In areas where Black Americans have been historically affected by discriminatory housing practices, there is higher heart failure risk, according to new research. Researchers studying more than 2.3 million U.S. adults between 2014 and 2019 found that heart failure today was linked to “redlining,” which began in the 1930s. Heart failure risk for Black people…  read on >  read on >

MONDAY, July 17, 2023 (HealthDay Now) — Parents now have a new long-acting drug to protect their children against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common germ that hospitalizes as many as 3% of children under the age of 1 in the United States each year. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved Beyfortus…  read on >  read on >

A new study from Australia tied some dangerous and unsettling issues to sleep disorders in young people. The research found links to daytime drowsiness, mental health issues and motor vehicle accidents and noted that as many as 20% of younger people are affected by sleep disorders. Workplace productivity losses were up to 40% greater among…  read on >  read on >