Latest Health News

18May
2021

AHA News: Research Into Asian American Health Doesn't Always Reflect Their Diversity

AHA News: Research Into Asian American Health Doesn`t Always Reflect Their DiversityTUESDAY, May 18, 2021 (American Heart Association News) -- Large health studies sometimes paint a rosy picture of Asian Americans in comparison with other groups. But when researchers aren't using a broad brush, the portrait can be quite different.When viewed not as a single entity of 20 million people but as people of Chinese, Filipino, Indian or other distinct backgrounds, significant differences – and health disparities – appear.For example, a 2020 study in the American Journal of Public Health, based on California Health Interview Survey data, found Asians overall appeared healthier than non-Hispanic white people. But the aggregated data masked disparities: Filipino and Japanese adults reported high blood pressure more often than white and Asian people overall, and Japanese and...

In One U.S. School District, Nearly 10% of Students...

18 May 2021
In One U.S. School District, Nearly 10% of Students Identify as `Gender-Diverse`TUESDAY, May 18, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Teens may be much more diverse in their gender identities than widely thought, a new study suggests.In a survey of nearly 3,200 high school students in one U.S. school district, researchers found that almost 10% were "gender-diverse." That meant they identified as a gender other than the sex on their birth certificate.Often, those kids identified as transgender, but many considered themselves nonbinary -- neither male nor female.Researchers said the 10% figure is far higher than past estimates. A widely cited statistic comes from a 2017 government survey of U.S. high school students, in which 1.8% said they were transgender.That survey only asked kids whether they identified as transgender, specifically, said Dr. Kacie Kidd, lead researcher on...

Sleep Apnea Raises Odds for Severe COVID-19

18 May 2021
Sleep Apnea Raises Odds for Severe COVID-19TUESDAY, May 18, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- People suffering from severe obstructive sleep apnea are at a greater risk of catching COVID-19, a new study finds.But researchers at Kaiser Permanente Southern California also found that the longer patients used a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask while sleeping, the more their COVID-19 risk dropped.For the study, a team led by pulmonologist Dr. Dennis Hwang collected data on nearly 82,000 U.S. patients who were evaluated for sleep disorders between 2015 and 2020.Of those, nearly 1,500 would test positive for a COVID-19 infection. In all, 224 were hospitalized, and 61 were in the intensive care unit and/or died.Untreated sleep apnea was associated with a higher rate of COVID-19 infection, the findings showed."Greater PAP...

Beta-Blocker Heart Meds Might Lower Arthritis Risk

18 May 2021
Beta-Blocker Heart Meds Might Lower Arthritis RiskTUESDAY, May 18, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Commonly used beta blocker heart medicine may also reduce the risk of knee and hip osteoarthritis and pain, a new study suggests."Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and affects 15% of the general population," said study co-authors Georgina Nakafero and Abhishek Abhishek, from the University of Nottingham in England.In a joint statement to Healio Rheumatology, they noted that no "specific therapy exists for OA [osteoarthritis] and medical management focuses on analgesia," but that "currently used analgesics have modest efficacy for OA pain, and drugs such as NSAIDs and opioids frequently cause side effects."The researchers said they "hypothesized that if beta blockers can reduce pain due to OA, they will reduce primary care...

Low- or High-Dose, Aspirin Brings Similar Protection Against Heart Disease: Study

18 May 2021
Low- or High-Dose, Aspirin Brings Similar Protection Against Heart Disease: StudyTUESDAY, May 18, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- When it comes to taking a daily aspirin to cut heart patients' risk of heart attack and stroke, a new study finds dosing doesn't matter.Researchers looked at more than 15,000 heart disease patients at 40 health centers across the United States who took either 81 milligrams (mg) or 325 mg of daily aspirin for a median of 26.2 months.Though there were no significant differences between the two doses in terms of safety or effectiveness, patients taking the higher dose were much more likely to switch doses during the study.Patients in the higher dose group were also slightly more likely to stop taking aspirin for a number of reasons, including intolerance and their own and health care providers' preferences, according to the study presented at the...

Clues to Rare Disorder Affecting Kids With COVID-19

18 May 2021
Clues to Rare Disorder Affecting Kids With COVID-19TUESDAY, May 18, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- New insight into a rare and dangerous disorder that can occur in kids with COVID-19 could improve treatment of the condition, researchers say.Many children infected with SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) go undiagnosed or have no symptoms, but about one in 1,000 develop a condition called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) within four to six weeks.Symptoms include fever, abdominal pain with vomiting and/or diarrhea, rash, and heart and nervous system problems. With early diagnosis, MIS-C is treatable with immune suppressants such as steroids. Left untreated, it can be fatal."Why does this happen when there is no virus or antiviral response still present in kids? And why is it only occurring in youth?" said study...

Major Gene Study Looks at Origins of Bipolar Disorder

18 May 2021
Major Gene Study Looks at Origins of Bipolar DisorderTUESDAY, May 18, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists report they have pinpointed 64 regions in the DNA of humans that increase a person's risk of bipolar disorder, more than twice the number previously identified.The researchers, who called this the largest investigation of bipolar disorder to date, also discovered overlap in the genetic roots of bipolar disorder and other psychiatric disorders. They said it adds to evidence that sleep habits, alcohol and substance use may play a role in the development of bipolar disorder, which affects 40 million to 50 million people worldwide.People with the disorder -- which typically begins in young adulthood -- have recurrent episodes of severely high and low moods and have an increased risk of suicide.In this study, an international team of...

Starting Rehab Earlier Boosts Outcomes for Heart Failure Patients

17 May 2021
Starting Rehab Earlier Boosts Outcomes for Heart Failure PatientsMONDAY, May 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Getting heart failure patients into cardiac rehabilitation sooner rather than later after a hospitalization is tied to a better prognosis, new research shows."Typically, cardiac rehabilitation programs require patients to be stable for six weeks after a hospitalization," explained cardiologist Dr. Benjamin Hirsh, who wasn't connected to the new research."This study challenges this rule by enrolling patients into cardiac rehabilitation early after hospitalization," said Hirsh, who directs preventive cardiology at Northwell Health's Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y. "The patients randomized to early cardiac rehabilitation demonstrated earlier mobility and less feelings of depression," he noted. "I imagine these benefits will...

Surgical Snip Might Prevent Stroke in People With A-fib

MONDAY, May 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- A simple surgery may help lower the risk for strokes by more than a third in patients with atrial fibrillation, a common irregular heartbeat, a new trial...

Pandemic Caused Rise in Telemedicine Visits for Kids,...

MONDAY, May 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Virtual doctor visits for children grew this past year during the pandemic, but a new poll shows U.S. parents are divided on whether they will continue...
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