3 Drugs for Severe Epileptic Seizures Are Equally Effective: Study

THURSDAY, Dec. 5, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Three drugs used to treat severe seizures in epilepsy patients are equally effective, a new study finds.

The three medications -- levetiracetam (Keppra and Roweepra), fosphenytoin (Cerebyx) and valproate -- are commonly used to treat patients with "refractory status epilepticus." In these pati...

All 50 States Now Reporting Cases of Severe Vaping-Linked Lung Injury

THURSDAY, Dec. 5, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Cases of a serious, sometimes fatal, form of lung injury tied to vaping have now been reported in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In total, case numbers have risen to 2,291, according to the latest update from the U.S. Centers for Disease Contr...

More Than 1 in 4 High School Students Now Vape: CDC

THURSDAY, Dec. 5, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- An epidemic of vaping by American teenagers shows no signs of stopping, with 2019 data finding more than a quarter (27.5%) of high school students using e-cigarettes.

The rate was somewhat lower, but still troubling, among middle school kids -- about 1 in every 10 vaped, according to new r...

More Teen Time on Social Media, More Eating Disorders?

THURSDAY, Dec. 5, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- The more often young teens turn to social media, the more prone they are to eating disorders, new research suggests.

While the study does not prove social media use causes eating disorders, it raises a red flag, said study author Simon Wilksch. He's a senior research fellow in psychology at Fl...

Distracted by Their Smartphones, Pedestrians Are Landing in the ER

THURSDAY, Dec. 5, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Talking and texting on your smartphone is a big no-no for drivers, but new research suggests the same should be true for pedestrians.

According to one database, more than 2,500 men and women went to an emergency room for head and neck injuries sustained while using a smartphone between 1998 an...

Vaping May Have Triggered Lung Illness Typically Only Seen in Metalworkers

THURSDAY, Dec. 5, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- A lung disease that normally strikes in the workplace has been linked to vaping in a new report.

A 49-year-old California woman who vaped marijuana came down with a form of pneumonia normally associated with exposure to hard metals in industrial settings, according to a case study published De...

'Mobile Stroke Units' Help Rush Treatment to Patients

THURSDAY, Dec. 5, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- If you're in the throes of a stroke, being stuck in an ambulance in big-city traffic is the last place you want to be -- unless you're riding in a specially equipped ambulance called a mobile stroke unit (MSU).

A new study reports that suspected stroke patients in New York City who were taken ...

AHA News: NFL Coaches' Drive for Success Can Be Hard on Their Hearts

THURSDAY, Dec. 5, 2019 (American Heart Association News) -- You're not likely to find any studies linking heart disease and NFL coaches – just a long list of familiar names.

Among them: Mike Ditka of the Chicago Bears, who had heart attacks in 1988 and 2018. Bill Parcells of the New York Giants and other teams, who needed bypass...

Mom-to-Be's Diabetes May Up Odds of Heart Disease in Her Kids

THURSDAY, Dec. 5, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Children whose mothers had diabetes before or during pregnancy have an increased risk of developing heart disease by age 40, according to a new study.

The findings "highlight the importance of effective strategies for screening and preventing diabetes in women of childbearing age," said study ...

How Well Are You Aging? A Blood Test Might Tell

THURSDAY, Dec. 5, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Imagine a blood test that could spot whether you are aging too quickly.

New research suggests it's not the stuff of science fiction anymore.

The scientists analyzed plasma -- the cell-free, fluid part of blood -- from more than 4,200 people between the ages of 18 and 95, and found a ...

Study Casts Doubt on Use of Common Heart Failure Drugs

THURSDAY, Dec. 5, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Millions of Americans with heart failure take one of the family of beta blocker medications to help ease the condition. But in many cases, could the meds be doing more harm than good?

A new study found that taking beta blockers was associated with an increased risk of hospitalization for patie...

Weight-Loss Surgery a Boon for the Heart

THURSDAY, Dec. 5, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Though weight-loss surgery can do wonders for your waistline, a new study suggests it might also reverse subtle damage to your heart.

The research included 38 obese patients who had weight-loss surgery and 19 obese patients who were on the waiting list for weight-loss surgery.

At the...

Antarctic Study Shows Isolation, Monotony May Change the Human Brain

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Antarctica is one of the loneliest places on Earth.

Endless expanses of white give way to almost complete darkness during the long winter months. Companionship is largely limited to those who've joined you in these achingly cold wilds.

That overwhelming isolation is so great that it...

Run Smart This Winter -- Here's How

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Cold, wet winter weather doesn't have to put the kibosh on your running. Just follow some basic advice to help you maintain your exercise program safely.

Before you head outside, check the forecast for temperature, wind and moisture. This is key in planning a safe winter workout, said Julie ...

More Than 100 E. Coli Illnesses Now Linked to Romaine Lettuce

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- It's still not 100% safe to enjoy caesar salads: Federal health officials say more Americans have been sickened with E. coli after eating romaine lettuce thought to be grown in Salinas, Calif.

Case numbers have jumped from 67 reported a week ago to 102 on Wednesday, according to a news re...

Ski Your Way to a Healthier Aging Brain

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Cross-country skiing may be good for your brain, a new study suggests.

Previous research found that participants of the Vasaloppet, a popular long-distance, cross-country skiing race in Sweden, have a lower risk of heart attack, but potential brain benefits have been unclear.

This n...

A Birth Control Pill You Take Just Once a Month?

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists have developed a method that might eventually allow women to take birth control pills just once a month.

In lab experiments, the researchers found that their tiny drug-delivery device -- contained within a gelatin-coated capsule -- worked as hoped: In pigs, it remained in the stoma...

Low-Dose Aspirin Might Cut Cancer Risk, Especially for Overweight People

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Daily low-dose aspirin might reduce your risk of dying from cancer, particularly if you've packed on a few extra pounds, researchers say.

Taking aspirin three or more times a week is associated with a lower risk of cancer death as well as death for any reason, a new study reports.

A...

Many Moms-to-Be Turn to Their Moms First for Medical Advice

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Moms trump doctors when it comes to pregnancy advice, a new study suggests.

More often than not, pregnant women rely on guidance from their mothers instead of medical experts, the researchers found.

Many believe their mom's advice is as good or even better than medical recommendat...

Another Downside to Vaping: Higher Odds for Depression

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Vaping, already linked to lung damage, may also have harmful psychological effects, a new study suggests.

The researchers found a strong association between vaping and depression in a study of nearly 900,000 U.S. adults.

The apparent culprit: nicotine.

"There is a potent...