Latest Health News

FRIDAY, Aug. 26, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Smoking is even worse for your heart than you might already think, new Danish research warns."It is well known that smoking causes blocked arteries, leading to coronary heart disease and stroke," said researcher Dr. Eva Holt, of Herlev and Gentofte Hospital in Copenhagen. "Our study shows that smoking also leads to thicker, weaker hearts," she said. "It means that smokers have a smaller volume of blood in the left heart chamber and less power to pump it out to the rest of the body. The more you smoke, the worse your heart function becomes."What's the good news? "The heart can recuperate to some degree with smoking cessation, so it is never too late to quit," Holt added.For the study, the researchers collected data on nearly 4,000 men and women...

THURSDAY, Aug. 25, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- An experimental antibody therapy for multiple sclerosis can cut symptom flare-ups by half, versus a standard treatment, a new clinical trial has found.The drug, called ublituximab, beat a standard oral medication for MS in reducing patients' relapses — periods of new or worsening symptoms. It also proved better at preventing areas of inflammatory damage in the brain.Ublituximab is not yet approved for treating MS; the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is reviewing the trial data and is expected to make a decision by the year's end, according to drugmaker TG Therapeutics.If approved, ublituximab would be the latest in a newer group of MS therapies called anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies: lab-engineered antibodies that target specific immune...

THURSDAY, Aug. 25, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Here's a fresh prescription for seniors who want to live longer and lower their odds of dying from cancer or heart disease: Lace up your running shoes or grab your tennis racket.A new U.S. National Cancer Institute study found older folks who played racquet sports lowered their risk of death by 16% over a 12-year follow-up. Running cut the risk by 15%.Daily walking, jogging, swimming laps and playing tennis are some of the sports researchers looked at, but, they said, any moderate physical activity done weekly will do the trick."It's never too late to start," said lead researcher Eleanor Watts, a postdoctoral fellow. "So if you're inactive and you're older, you can still reap substantial rewards by increasing physical activity."Exercise...

THURSDAY, Aug. 25, 2022 (American Heart Association News) -- With three children over the age of 10, Delaware couple Mark and Jenn Parrish thought they might be finished growing their family. Finding out Jenn was pregnant was a pleasant surprise."It was more of a surprise when we saw the ultrasound and there were two heartbeats!" she said.At 34, Jenn was considered high-risk. She underwent multiple ultrasounds to examine the babies' organs, including all four chambers of their hearts. All went well every time.On May 29, 2021, daughter Elina arrived first, healthy and screaming. Son Marcus cried a little but wasn't as lively. A few hours later, Jenn noticed her newborn son was lethargic, less and less interested in nursing, and starting to breathe rapidly."I instantly knew something was...