MONDAY, Sept. 20, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — Physically removing a blood clot in the brain is a safe and effective treatment for pregnant women having a stroke, a new study suggests. Stroke during pregnancy remains rare, but the risk increases during pregnancy and for up to 12 weeks after giving birth, or postpartum.… read on > read on >
A smaller dose of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine safely triggers a strong immune response in children as young as 5, the company announced Monday morning. “Over the past nine months, hundreds of millions of people ages 12 and older from around the world have received our COVID-19 vaccine. We are eager to extend the protection afforded… read on > read on >
If a person is diagnosed with COVID-19 in the United States right now, it’s almost certainly caused by the Delta variant. The highly transmissible variant, which caused crippling surges in India and Britain this past spring and fueled case spikes in the United States this summer, is now responsible for over 99% of all cases… read on > read on >
A study of millions of people vaccinated against COVID-19 has identified those at greatest risk of hospitalization and death after breakthrough infection. The most vulnerable are those who are immunosuppressed from chemotherapy, a recent bone marrow or solid organ transplant, or HIV/AIDS. Also at risk are people with neurological disorders (such as dementia and Parkinson’s… read on > read on >
Birth rates tend to fall during pandemics, and history is repeating itself with the COVID-19 scourge, researchers say. Fewer babies have been born in much of Europe and the United States. Earlier in the pandemic, U.S. births declined 7%, a new study finds. In Europe, birth declines varied. In Italy they dropped 9%, in Spain… read on > read on >
It’s not just athletes on the field who suffer when outdoor temperatures get too high. Members of college and high school marching bands are at increased risk of heat-related illness, too, researchers warn. “They go out there, and they often wear these really heavy wool uniforms,” said lead author Andrew Grundstein of the University of… read on > read on >
Emotional changes in the run-up to menopause can sometimes lead to depression. It can be important to see a doctor to help determine whether you’re just feeling stressed or “blue” — or whether you might have clinical or major depression, a condition associated with a chemical imbalance in the brain. Changing hormones during perimenopause —… read on > read on >
It’s no wonder many teens are pooped out. “The obligations of school, work, family and friends make it hard for teenagers to get sufficient sleep to perform their best,” said Dr. Raman Malhotra, president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). “While it might seem like teens sleep a lot, most are sleep deprived… read on > read on >
An advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday recommended a third Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine booster shot for all Americans aged 65 or older, as well as for those deemed to be at high risk for severe illness. According to The New York Times, that vote came after a near unanimous decision… read on > read on >
Shedding excess weight does much more for the long-term heart health of young people than building muscle, new research suggests. It’s not that gaining muscle while young proved to be a cardiovascular problem. It’s just that losing fat offered bigger heart benefits. “We absolutely still encourage exercise,” said study lead author Joshua Bell, a senior… read on > read on >
