Latest Health News

THURSDAY, Aug. 18, 2022 (American Heart Association News) -- Symptoms of cardiovascular problems run the gamut. Some – like chest pain during a heart attack or a droopy face during a stroke – are sudden and severe, while others last years with varying intensity. Factors such as sex, cognitive function and depression can complicate the recognition or diagnosis of symptoms.In a new report, experts detail the latest knowledge on cardiovascular disease symptoms with the goal to improve patient care and identify where more research is needed."Symptoms are a big part of how we assess a patient when they come to see us in clinic and how we make decisions about what the best treatment is for an individual," said Megan Streur, a nurse practitioner at the Heart Institute at UW Medical Center...

THURSDAY, Aug. 18, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Using a lower threshold to diagnose pregnancy-related diabetes does not seem to reduce the risk of having a big baby, on average — but some women do benefit, a new clinical trial suggests.Gestational diabetes is diagnosed when a pregnant woman's blood sugar levels are abnormally high. The condition can have consequences for moms and babies, a main one being fetal overgrowth. That results in a big baby and a difficult delivery that can injure the newborn or mother, and raise the odds of a Cesarean section delivery. In addition, some infants are born with low blood sugar or breathing problems that require treatment.For women, meanwhile, gestational diabetes raises the risk of preeclampsia — a potentially dangerous condition where blood...

THURSDAY, Aug. 18, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Three of the country's largest pharmacy chains will have to pay $650.5 million over the next 15 years to two Ohio counties for their role in the opioid epidemic, a U.S. federal judge has ordered.The decision follows a November jury verdict that found CVS, Walgreens and Walmart pharmacies continued to dispense significant quantities of the drugs even though there were obvious signs of abuse, the New York Times reported. U.S. District Court Judge Dan Polster ruled that the pharmacies were responsible for one third of the cost the counties will need to deal with the damage the opioid crisis has wrought. Drug manufacturers and distributors are responsible for the other damages, he said. Polster has been the judge in more than 3,000 cases that...

THURSDAY, Aug. 18, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Countries that are closer to achieving universal health coverage saw smaller declines in routine childhood vaccinations during the pandemic, a new study reveals.The World Health Organization describes universal health coverage as "all individuals and communities receive the health services they need without suffering financial hardship."Researchers were able to use the pandemic as a "natural experiment" to compare differences in childhood immunization coverage based on countries' progress toward universal health coverage. "Our findings strongly suggest that policymakers should continue to advocate for policies aimed at achieving universal health coverage in coming years," said the study authors, who included Yesim Tozan, an assistant...