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THURSDAY, Aug. 31, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Postmenopausal women who are stressed, depressed or have trouble sleeping may face an increased risk of a common heart rhythm disorder, new research suggests.The study, of nearly 84,000 women over the age of 50, found that certain psychological factors were linked to the risk of developing atrial fibrillation, or a-fib -- a heart arrhythmia that can cause serious problems over time.The higher the women scored on two measures of "stress" and "strain," the greater their risk of developing a-fib over the next 10 years. Two specific factors -- stressful life events and insomnia -- showed the strongest connection to the heart condition.The findings highlight the role of mental well-being in physical health, according to an expert not involved in...

THURSDAY, Aug. 31, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Taking cholesterol-lowering statin medication after a bleeding stroke, or intracerebral hemorrhage, may lower the risk of a subsequent stroke caused by a blood clot, according to new research.“Previous research has had mixed results on the risk of stroke in people who are taking statins and have already had a bleeding stroke, so we evaluated this further,” said study author Dr. David Gaist, of the University of Southern Denmark in Odense and a member of the American Academy of Neurology.“We looked at whether use of statins after a bleeding stroke is associated with the risk of any additional stroke, including both those caused by bleeding and by blood clots," Gaist said in an academy new release. "We found that those who used statins...

THURSDAY, Aug. 31, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- When factoring in why children get asthma, a child's neighborhood may be important to consider.New research finds that living in a neighborhood during early childhood that has better access to resources was associated with lower asthma incidence. Better resources would include high-quality housing, healthy food, parks, playgrounds and clean air.Children who were born in these high-opportunity neighborhoods had about 23 asthma cases per 1,000 children compared to 35 cases per 1,000 in very low opportunity neighborhoods. Those in low opportunity neighborhoods had 27 cases per 1,000, the investigators found.“Understanding neighborhood conditions could help researchers identify vulnerable children who are at high risk for developing asthma,”...

THURSDAY, Aug. 31, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- If a loved one were living with addiction, a majority of Americans say they would know how to get help. About 71% of 2,200 respondents to an American Psychiatric Association poll said they would know how to assist a friend or family members.Most, about 73%, would refer that loved one to treatment, and 74% would talk to them about their addiction."It’s promising, especially during Recovery Month, that Americans show such openness to talking with loved ones who may have substance use disorders or behavioral addictions," said APA President Dr. Petros Levounis."The public's recommendations for treatment indicate a level of familiarity with certain methods of recovery --mutual help groups, Alcoholics Anonymous, for example, or rehab -- which are...