Latest Health News

THURSDAY, Nov. 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Americans should stay home and avoid big Thanksgiving gatherings, leading public health agencies and medical societies warn, as COVID-19 cases surge across the country.At a press conference held Thursday, officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised people to limit celebrations to only those who've been living in the household for the previous two weeks. Groups representing the nation's doctors, nurses and hospitals also issued a joint recommendation to curb travel and mingling this holiday season."With Thanksgiving approaching, our hearts and minds turn to seeing family and friends, as part of one of our nation's great traditions, and we all need to consider the safest way to celebrate this holiday," said Dr....

THURSDAY, Nov. 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Most of the side effects commonly blamed on cholesterol-lowering statins may actually be the product of patients' imaginations, new British research claims.The finding follows a study of 60 patients who had been taking statins but stopped because of reported muscle aches, fatigue and/or joint pain. But after giving the patients an unmarked eight-month supply of statins and dummy pills (four bottles of each), the investigators found that 90% of the symptoms reported when taking the real drug endured, even when patients were taking a dummy (placebo) pill."Cardiovascular disease is the biggest killer worldwide, and statins are one of the best drugs we have at reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke," explained study author James Howard....

THURSDAY, Nov. 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Pregnant women with COVID-19 have little risk of developing severe symptoms, as do their newborns, a new study finds.In fact, 95% of these women have good outcomes, and just 3% of their babies test positive for COVID-19, researchers say."For 5% of COVID-19-positive pregnant women, however -- those who get very sick -- the risks to both mother and baby are significant," said study lead author Dr. Emily Adhikari, medical director of perinatal infectious diseases at Parkland Hospital in Dallas.Pregnancy itself, however, does not appear to increase the odds for COVID complications, she said."Most women with asymptomatic or mild infection will be relieved to know that their babies are unlikely to be affected by the virus," Adhikari said."When...

THURSDAY, Nov. 19, 2020 (American Heart Association News) -- Jessica Grib noticed being a lot more tired with her second pregnancy. She felt winded easily and couldn't catch her breath when lying down. Near her delivery date, she started having issues with high blood pressure. At 36 weeks, her blood pressure remained high enough – even with medicine – that doctors ordered her on bed rest.Her daughter, Amelia, was born a week later. It almost cost Jessica her life.Because Amelia was breech, not in the head-down position, doctors ordered a caesarean section. Everything was OK until Jessica reached the recovery room."Her oxygen levels plummeted, and her heart rate was all over the place. They couldn't stabilize it," said her husband, Kevin. "That's really the first indication that...