Latest Health News

19May
2021

Two-Fifths of Americans With COPD Live Far From Lung Rehab

Two-Fifths of Americans With COPD Live Far From Lung RehabWEDNESDAY, May 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Pulmonary rehab can improve the quality of life for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but as many as 40% of U.S. seniors with COPD lack access to these programs, largely because there are none nearby.COPD is an umbrella term for chronic lung diseases such as bronchitis and emphysema that make it harder to breathe. Often smoking-related, COPD has no cure, and treatments typically include medications to ease breathing. More than 16 million Americans are living with its debilitating effects, according to the American Lung Association. Pulmonary rehabilitation programs -- which include exercise and disease education -- help supplement treatment. Classes typically meet two to three times a week for four to 12 weeks or more....

6 Reasons Bipolar Patients Don't Take Their Meds

19 May 2021
6 Reasons Bipolar Patients Don`t Take Their MedsWEDNESDAY, May 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Not taking prescribed medications can lead to relapse, hospitalization and increased risk of suicide for people with bipolar disorder, yet many who have this condition do not take their medicines as prescribed.A new study examines why this happens, finding six key factors that stop people who have bipolar disorder from taking their medications. The reasons include unpleasant side effects, difficulty in remembering to take the medications, fear of addiction, and preference for an alternative treatment. A patient's own beliefs and knowledge about the disorder also play a role, as does a lack of support from friends, family and health care professionals, according to British researchers. "Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that...

Even Secondhand Smoke in Pregnancy Might Raise Baby's...

19 May 2021
Even Secondhand Smoke in Pregnancy Might Raise Baby`s Breathing RisksWEDNESDAY, May 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Infants exposed to secondhand smoke in the womb and early childhood are likely to have weaker lungs, a new study suggests.The finding is based on levels of blood cotinine during pregnancy and childhood; blood cotinine is the result of the body processing nicotine. Harvard Medical School researchers tied increased levels of the byproduct with reduced lung function at age 6.They noted that the reduction in lung function occurs even with minimal amounts of smoking."Most of the exposure, especially during pregnancy, was secondhand," said lead author Dr. Hanna Knihtilä. "This suggests that even small amounts of exposure from secondhand sources can have detrimental effects on children's lung function."Knihtilä is a research fellow at Harvard...

First Case of COVID-19 Triggering Recurrent Clots in...

19 May 2021
First Case of COVID-19 Triggering Recurrent Clots in Patient`s ArmWEDNESDAY, May 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have reported the first case of COVID-19 causing dangerous, recurring blood clots in a patient's arm.The report offers new insight into how the damage of inflammation caused by COVID-19 can linger and how best to treat recurring clots, the Rutgers University researchers said.There have been reports of lower extremity blood clots in patients after COVID-19, but this is the first known case in which COVID-19 triggered a blood clot recurrence in the upper arm.The patient was an active 85-year-old man who had a prior diagnosis of upper extremity blood clots, according to the study published online recently in the journal Viruses."The patient presented to his primary care physician with complaints of swelling in his left arm and was...

When Diabetes Strikes in Pregnancy, Do Women Eat Healthier?

19 May 2021
When Diabetes Strikes in Pregnancy, Do Women Eat Healthier?WEDNESDAY, May 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Women who develop diabetes in pregnancy don't tend to make healthy diet or exercise changes to help fight it, a new study finds.That could have dire consequences: Gestational (pregnancy-related) diabetes raises the risks of high blood pressure in mothers, larger babies, cesarean delivery, low blood sugar in newborns, and development of chronic diabetes later in life.Moms-to-be who develop the condition are generally advised to reduce their consumption of carbohydrates. Carbs are found in an array of healthy and unhealthy foods from bread, soda and pasta to fruits and dairy products. The new study "highlights the importance of creating individualized programs to ensure that all women with gestational diabetes are successful at modifying their...

What Type of Stent Did I Get, Where? Most Heart Patients Don't Know

19 May 2021
What Type of Stent Did I Get, Where? Most Heart Patients Don`t KnowWEDNESDAY, May 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- When someone comes in for a new heart stent, it's critical that the medical team doing the procedure knows several key facts about previous stents the patient has had. But fewer than half of patients receiving a stent were still carrying the stent card that has those details with them, a new study finds. Most of them — about 88% — do carry their phones, according to study author Dr. Jordan Safirstein, who suggests keeping stent info on smartphones."Stent design has advanced significantly since the mid-1990s, with the evolution of new polymers and advanced drug-eluting stents," said Safirstein, director of transradial catheterization for Morristown Medical Center, part of Atlantic Health System, in New Jersey. "Since that time, email, the...

Get First Colonoscopy at 45, not 50: U.S. Expert Panel

18 May 2021
Get First Colonoscopy at 45, not 50: U.S. Expert PanelTUESDAY, May 18, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- A lot of people think of age 50 as the magic number for getting a first colonoscopy, but earlier is better, a prestigious U.S. expert panel now says.Based on evidence that younger people are being diagnosed with colon cancer and would benefit from screening, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is moving the recommended age for colon cancer screening from 50 to age 45. The recommendation is for all adults without symptoms, personal health history of colon polyps or family health history of genetic disorders that increase risk, the task force noted. "Colorectal cancer screening saves lives and people ages 45 to 75 should be screened ... to lower their risk of dying from this devastating disease," said Dr. John Wong, chief scientific...

Online Therapy Works for Kids Battling Social Anxiety

18 May 2021
Online Therapy Works for Kids Battling Social AnxietyTUESDAY, May 18, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Plenty of teens are burdened with a chronic and often paralyzing fear of being harshly judged by others. Unfortunately, many can't get in-person treatment that could help.But now a team of Swedish researchers says that an entirely online version of a widely used behavioral therapy technique can deliver significant relief to those affected.The finding could pave the way for easier and cheaper access to an effective treatment for a common adolescent condition known as social anxiety disorder (SAD)."SAD is one of the more common psychiatric disorders among young people, affecting 5% to 10% of individuals under age 18," explained study author Martina Nordh. She is a psychologist and postdoctoral researcher in the department of clinical neuroscience...

It's Still Tough to Find Prices on Most U.S. Hospital...

TUESDAY, May 18, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. hospitals have been required to make their prices public since 2019, but 18 months into the rule more than half weren't doing it, a new study...

AHA News: A Stroke at 34 Rocked Her Family's World

TUESDAY, May 18, 2021 (American Heart Association News) -- Lisa Anderson shook her husband, Jacob, awake."I just got off the phone with the nurse," she told him. "She said I could have a...
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