Latest Health News

22Jul
2020

Early Dialysis Doesn't Improve Outcomes With Acute Kidney Failure

Early Dialysis Doesn`t Improve Outcomes With Acute Kidney FailureWEDNESDAY, July 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- For critically ill patients with acute kidney injury, early dialysis doesn't reduce death any more than standard care does, new research finds. "Studying a large number of patients from many countries across different hospital settings gives us a degree of confidence that taking a more conservative approach to treatment may be warranted," said researcher Martin Gallagher, program director of Acute Kidney Injury and Trials at the George Institute for Global Health in Sydney, Australia. Acute kidney injury is a sudden episode of kidney failure or kidney damage, and it carries a high risk of death and long-term kidney damage. The best time to start dialysis remains uncertain, Gallagher said. "Starting too early could mean that this costly...

Antibodies Fade a Few Weeks After Mild COVID-19, Study Finds

22 July 2020
Antibodies Fade a Few Weeks After Mild COVID-19, Study Finds

WEDNESDAY, July 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Hopes for robust, long-term antibody protection after a bout of COVID-19 have been dampened by a new study that finds the protection may only last a few months. Still, experts noted that the body's immune system has more than one way to defend against viruses it has already encountered, so the findings don't dash hopes for a vaccine. "Infection with this coronavirus does not necessarily generate lifetime immunity," Dr. Buddy Creech, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, told the Associated Press. But antibodies are only part of the immune system's armamentarium, added Creech, who wasn't part of the new research. The study was published July 21 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers led by...

AHA News: Enjoy a Nap, But Know the Pros and Cons

22 July 2020
AHA News: Enjoy a Nap, But Know the Pros and ConsWEDNESDAY, July 22, 2020 (American Heart Association News) -- You could read this story now. Or you could take a nap first, and perhaps tackle it feeling more alert and refreshed. Health-wise, is that a good idea? Under the right conditions, for the right reasons, probably – if you're awake to the possible pitfalls. "A power nap, between 15 and 45 minutes, can improve memory and reduce fatigue for the rest of the day," said Dr. Michael Grandner, director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona in Tucson. "If you're otherwise well rested, that kind of nap can actually boost performance pretty well." Some studies even compare the benefits of a midday nap to a cup of coffee, while some companies – including Google and NASA – let workers pencil naptime into...

Pandemic Has Half of U.S. Hospitals Operating at a Loss:...

22 July 2020
Pandemic Has Half of U.S. Hospitals Operating at a Loss: ReportWEDNESDAY, July 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The COVID-19 pandemic has America's hospitals on the fiscal ropes, with many facing financial ruin without continued aid from the federal government, a new report predicts. Average hospital margins across the nation could sink to −7% in the second half of 2020 without further help, with half of all hospitals potentially operating in the red, the American Hospital Association's new analysis estimates. "The COVID crisis continues to cripple the financial health of hospitals and health systems," said Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association (AHA). "As today's analysis shows, this pandemic is the greatest financial threat in history for hospitals and health systems, and is a serious obstacle to keeping the doors...

Straight Talk From Front-Line Experts on Wearing a Mask

22 July 2020
Straight Talk From Front-Line Experts on Wearing a MaskWEDNESDAY, July 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- On the front lines of the war against COVID-19, masks have become a flashpoint. How well do they protect against the new coronavirus -- if at all? To separate facts from fiction, two experts from Penn State Health weigh in to clear up common misconceptions. They laid to rest the claim that no studies have investigated the effectiveness of masks. "Several observational studies published since the COVID-19 pandemic began show emerging data that masks coupled with other distancing measures help to prevent the transmission of COVID-19," infectious disease specialist Dr. Catharine Paules said in a Penn State news release. They also dashed another myth -- that masks won't help you avoid getting sick. "Masks do help keep you from getting...

Gene Could Explain Why Some Women Don't Need Pain Relief in Childbirth

22 July 2020
Gene Could Explain Why Some Women Don`t Need Pain Relief in ChildbirthWEDNESDAY, July 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- A genetic variant that acts as a natural pain reliever may explain why some women don't require pain relief during childbirth, researchers say. The level of pain and discomfort experienced during childbirth varies widely, so researchers at the University of Cambridge in England decided to investigate why some women have less pain during labor and delivery. "It is unusual for women to not request gas and air, or epidural for pain relief during labor, particularly when delivering for the first time," said co-lead author Dr. Michael Lee, a consultant in pain medicine in the Division of Anesthesia. "When we tested these women, it was clear their pain threshold was generally much higher than it was for other women," he said in a university...

Coronavirus Death Toll Tops 1,000 as Trump Warns the Worst is Still to Come

22 July 2020
Coronavirus Death Toll Tops 1,000 as Trump Warns the Worst is Still to ComeWEDNESDAY, July 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- For the first time in nearly two months the daily U.S. coronavirus death toll topped 1,000 on Tuesday, with President Donald Trump acknowledging that the country's outbreak will likely "get worse before it gets better." Trump's comments came during the first coronavirus task force briefing he's held since April, as he conceded there were now "big fires" in the country, particularly in Florida and across the South and West. He also shelved his past resistance to masks, displaying his own and asking Americans to wear them because "they have an impact." Meanwhile, three states that have been slammed by the pandemic in recent weeks continued to struggle to handle surges of COVID-19 patients in their hospitals, CNN reported. Hospitalizations...

Flavored-Cigarette Ban Led to Smoking Decline Among Young Americans

21 July 2020
Flavored-Cigarette Ban Led to Smoking Decline Among Young AmericansTUESDAY, July 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Banning flavored cigarettes led to a large decline in smoking among U.S. teens and young adults, a new study suggests. The U.S. ban on flavored cigarettes (other than menthol) took effect in September 2009. To find out how it affected teens and young adults, researchers analyzed data from the 2002-2017 U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health. They found a 43% decline in smoking among youth ages 12-17 and a 27% decline among young adults ages 18-25. "Our study suggests that the ban of flavored cigarettes was extremely effective at reducing smoking among young people," said study leader Matthew Rossheim. He's an assistant professor of global and community health at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. "This shows incredible promise...

Using Fewer Asthma Meds May Be Safe Option for Some

TUESDAY, July 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- People with asthma often need several medications to control their wheezing, but new research suggests that some can use less without suffering an asthma...

Pandemic Has ER Docs Stressed Out and Weary: Survey

TUESDAY, July 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The coronavirus pandemic has left many U.S. emergency doctors with high levels of anxiety and emotional exhaustion, a new study finds. The research...
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