Latest Health News

4Aug
2020

Study Casts Doubt on Value of Cholesterol Drugs

Study Casts Doubt on Value of Cholesterol DrugsTUESDAY, Aug. 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Hundreds of millions of people worldwide take cholesterol-lowering drugs, like statins, but now a new review suggests that many folks don't benefit from these medications. The researchers said the review of 35 randomized controlled trials failed to show a consistent benefit in lowering the risk of heart attack or stroke, or for preventing deaths. "Normally, when you have a theory that says something is beneficial, it should be beneficial all the time, but not all of these studies show the benefit," said study author Dr. Robert DuBroff. He's a clinical professor of medicine in the division of cardiology at the University of New Mexico's School of Medicine in Albuquerque. Does this mean DuBroff thinks patients should dump their...

AHA News: 12-Year-Old Is on Pacemaker No. 3

4 August 2020
AHA News: 12-Year-Old Is on Pacemaker No. 3TUESDAY, Aug. 4, 2020 (American Heart Association News) -- Jennifer and Patrick Tallquist were resting peacefully with their 1-day-old daughter, Abrielle, when a nurse entered their hospital room to give the newborn a test. The nurse hooked up 6-pound "Abbi" to a monitor that checked her heartbeat. Minutes later, the lab called the nurse. "You can see that already?" she said into the phone. She then scooped up Abbi and left the room, offering no explanation. A few hours later, Jennifer and Patrick were reunited with Abbi and received the first details of her problems – she had an arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat. She needed specialized attention at a pediatric hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, an hour away. After two days of tests, Jennifer and Patrick learned Abbi's...

Many Older Americans Staying Strong in the Pandemic

4 August 2020
Many Older Americans Staying Strong in the PandemicTUESDAY, Aug. 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Older Americans are feeling stressed by COVID-19 and prolonged social isolation, but they're also showing their resiliency, a new study finds. Most of these adults have turned to a range of tools to stay in touch, researchers report. "Many of the social venues that help older adults stay engaged are effectively cut off now with social distancing. While the internet can help with some connections, it is hard to replace human contact," said researcher Kerstin Emerson, a clinical associate professor of gerontology at the University of Georgia's Institute of Gerontology. "And for some, these remote connections aren't possible due to no reliable internet." For the study, Emerson surveyed more than 800 adults aged 60 and older between March 30...

Aggressive Cancer Diagnosed for First Time in a Dinosaur

4 August 2020
Aggressive Cancer Diagnosed for First Time in a DinosaurTUESDAY, Aug. 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists for the first time have identified an aggressive bone cancer in a dinosaur that lived nearly 77 million years ago. The cancerous lower leg bone (fibula) is from a horned dinosaur called a Centrosaurus apertus. At first, researchers thought the bone had been broken and was healing when the animal died, but state-of-the-art technology showed it had a cancer known as an osteosarcoma. "Diagnosis of aggressive cancer like this in dinosaurs has been elusive and requires medical expertise and multiple levels of analysis to properly identify," said Mark Crowther, a professor of pathology and molecular medicine at McMaster University in Canada. "Here, we show the unmistakable signature of advanced bone cancer in [a]...

Coronavirus Cases Now Climbing in the Midwest

4 August 2020
Coronavirus Cases Now Climbing in the MidwestTUESDAY, Aug. 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Midwestern states are starting to see surges in coronavirus cases, just as Southern and Western states are scrambling to contain their own outbreaks of COVID-19. Missouri, Montana and Oklahoma are among those witnessing the largest percentage surge of infections over the past week, the Washington Post reported. At the same time, the number of new cases in Florida, Mississippi and Alabama still outpaced all other states. Experts also see worrying trends in major East Coast and Midwest cities, the Post reported, and they anticipate major outbreaks in college towns when classes resume in August. Still, President Trump continued his push to fully reopen schools on Monday. "Ideally, we want to open those schools. We want to open them," Trump said...

November Election Can Be Held Safely, Experts Contend

3 August 2020
November Election Can Be Held Safely, Experts ContendMONDAY, Aug. 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- With the 2020 presidential election just three months away, new research suggests an election can be held safely if stringent steps are taken to lower COVID-19 infection risk. The conclusion follows a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigation that looked at what happened in the city of Milwaukee this past April after Wisconsin became the first state to hold an election in the midst of the pandemic. The bottom line: the election did not appear to trigger an uptick in cases, hospitalizations or deaths due to COVID-19. The caveat: the vast majority of voters (68%) cast mail-in absentee ballots. And those who voted in person did so under the watchful eyes of the state National Guard and city health department staff. According...

Schools Can Reopen Safely If Precautions in Place, Australian Study Shows

3 August 2020
Schools Can Reopen Safely If Precautions in Place, Australian Study ShowsMONDAY, Aug. 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Safeguards such as contact tracing and swift isolation of cases of COVID-19 could be the key to reopening U.S. schools safely this September, a study from Australia shows. In the study, which involved thousands of schools or preschools, a total of 27 kids or teachers were determined to have been present in schools while they were infected with the new coronavirus. But because of proper social distancing, hand-washing and contact tracing, infections spread to only 18 more people out of a school population of thousands, said a team led by pediatrician Dr. Kristine Macartney from the University of Sydney. She directs Australia's National Centre for Immunization Research and Surveillance. "Our findings are the most comprehensive data that we have...

In Rare Cases, Diabetes & Cholesterol Drug Combo Could Be Toxic

3 August 2020
In Rare Cases, Diabetes & Cholesterol Drug Combo Could Be ToxicMONDAY, Aug. 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Taking the statin Crestor in combination with the diabetes drug canagliflozin (Invokana) may have the potential to trigger statin toxicity, a new case report suggests. Although this report details the problem in just one woman, the researchers noted concern because these drugs are taken by millions of people worldwide. These drugs are also increasingly prescribed together. "We think it is a potentially significant problem that warrants further investigation," said report senior author Dr. David Juurlink. He's head of the division of clinical pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Toronto. But Juurlink isn't advising anyone to avoid this combination of medications just yet. "It's probably premature to say these drugs shouldn't be...

Could the First Drug That Slows Arthritis Be Here?

MONDAY, Aug. 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- There are currently no medications that can slow down the common form of arthritis that strikes aging knees and hips. But a new study suggests a powerful,...

Breastfeeding OK After Mom Has Anesthesia, Experts Say

MONDAY, Aug. 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- It's perfectly safe to breastfeed after a mom receives anesthesia, new British medical guidelines say. And she can start as soon as she's alert and able...
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