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TUESDAY, Sept. 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- If you have experienced a heart attack and you have an adversarial personality, new research suggests you might want to consider an attitude adjustment. An angry outlook may make you vulnerable to a second heart attack, the new study found. The study included more than 2,300 heart attack survivors, average age 67, who were followed for 24 months. Men accounted for 68% of the patients. At the start of the study, the patients' levels of hostility were assessed, and 57% were rated as hostile, according to the report published Sept. 15 in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. "Hostility is a personality trait that includes being sarcastic, cynical, resentful, impatient or irritable," said study author Dr. Tracey Vitori, from the...

TUESDAY, Sept. 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Parents who choose to forgo or delay their children's vaccinations may quickly find themselves without a pediatrician. Just over half (51%) of pediatric offices in the United States have a policy to dismiss families that refuse childhood vaccines, a nationwide survey found. Thirty-seven percent of pediatricians themselves said they often dismissed families for refusing vaccines, and 6% said they would dismiss a family for choosing to spread out crucial early vaccines. "Arguments for dismissing families include that vaccination is the standard of care and the benefits far outweigh the risks. The evidence for vaccines is so strong that doctors may feel they just can't work with parents who stray so far from the standards of medical care,"...

TUESDAY, Sept. 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Using the donated blood plasma of COVID-19 survivors to treat patients in the throes of severe coronavirus illness has met with some controversy. But a small new study suggests it could have real merit. The study of 39 patients with severe COVID-19 who were treated at one New York City hospital found the treatment appeared to bump up survival, researchers said. Plasma is the component of blood that contains immune system antibodies. So-called "convalescent plasma" from COVID-19 survivors is rich in antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, and it's thought that infusing the plasma into COVID-19 patients might help them battle their illness. On Aug. 23, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration made the unusual and controversial move of granting...

TUESDAY, Sept. 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Applying a type of "good" bacteria to the skin may relieve children of the itch and discomfort of eczema, a new, small study suggests. Eczema is a chronic inflammatory condition that causes dry, itchy skin and scaly rashes. It usually starts in early childhood, and commonly occurs along with allergies like hay fever and asthma, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. There are numerous treatments for eczema, both topical and oral, but not all can be given to young kids. "So, there's a big need for safe and effective treatments for young children," said study author Dr. Ian Myles. He is a researcher and staff clinician with the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. For the study, his team...