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THURSDAY, April 2, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- After a broken hip, seniors who have sufficient vitamin D have better odds of walking, a new study finds. The study suggests that low levels of vitamin D could limit walking, according to researcher Sue Shapses, a professor of nutritional sciences at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J. Nearly 300 patients undergoing hip fracture repair were assessed after surgery in terms of mobility and vitamin D levels. Those with higher vitamin D levels had higher rates of walking 30 days after surgery, according to the study. Poorer nutritional status was associated with lower levels of mobility. But there was no connection between vitamin D levels and death rates. The study only found associations between vitamin D and mobility, and could not...

THURSDAY, April 2, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- America is in urgent need of blood donations during the coronavirus pandemic, so the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it will relax donor restrictions placed on gay and bisexual men and others. Specifically, the FDA has changed the abstinence period required for gay and bisexual blood donors from 12 months to 3 months. "We know that reducing the deferral period for men who have sex with men [MSM] can significantly increase lifesaving blood donations, prevent drug shortages and help reduce harmful stigma experienced by the MSM community," U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams said during a Thursday afternoon media briefing. The coronavirus pandemic has reduced the number of people giving blood because of fears of contracting...

THURSDAY, April 2, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Common bad reactions to marijuana include coughing fits, anxiety and paranoia, but regular users are less likely to have problems than occasional users, a new study finds. "There's been surprisingly little research on the prevalence or frequency of various adverse reactions to cannabis and almost no research trying to predict who is more likely to experience these types of adverse reactions," said study co-author Carrie Cuttler. She's an assistant professor of psychology at Washington State University in Pullman. "With the legalization of cannabis in Washington and 10 other states, we thought it would be important to document some of this information so that more novice users would have a better sense of what types of adverse reactions they...

THURSDAY, April 2, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- As COVID-19 pushes American hospitals to the breaking point, intensive care units are finding creative ways to deal with a looming shortage of lifesaving mechanical ventilators. New York-Presbyterian Hospital last week began splitting single-use ventilators into machines that can serve two patients at a time. Now another New York-based hospital system, Northwell Health, has stepped up with another jury-rigged remedy: using 3D printing and HEPA filter add-ons to turn unused bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) machines into the much-needed ventilators. A BiPAP "is a noninvasive machine often used to help those with lung disease, COPD and severe sleep apnea patients," said team leader Dr. Hugh Cassiere, medical director for respiratory...