Global Coronavirus Outbreaks Worry Experts, as U.S. Cases Reach 34

Outbreaks of "untraceable" cases of coronavirus in multiple countries around the world are raising the real possibility of a pandemic, public health experts say.

Clusters of cases arising in South Korea, Iran, Italy and Canada with no clear ties to the outbreak's epicenter in China have boosted concerns about local, self-sustaining epi...

5 Expert Tips for Preventing Winter Sports Accidents

Hitting the slopes or the skating rink as the winter of 2020 winds down? Don't let an accident or injury spoil your fun.

"Winter sports and recreational activities have great health and cardiovascular benefits," said Dr. Joseph Bosco, vice president of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). "However, it's important not t...

Breast Cancer Care Far From Home for Rural Patients

As rural hospitals and specialty care units close, a new study shows that some breast cancer patients are forced to travel long distances for their treatments.

University of Minnesota researchers found that those living in rural parts of the United States travel three times as far as urban women for radiation therapy.

The s...

Without Symptoms or Clear Test Results, Woman May Have Still Spread Coronavirus

A report from doctors battling China's coronavirus outbreak raises concern that people who have no symptoms and initially test negative on medical tests might still harbor and spread the COVID-19 virus.

The case involves an asymptomatic 20-year-old woman who appears to have spread the illness to five relatives who later became ill.

In a First, Doctors Use Robotics to Treat Brain Aneurysm

Canadian doctors who conducted the first robotic surgery to treat a brain aneurysm say the approach could boost the availability and precision of lifesaving stroke care.

Use of the technology could also be a first step toward remote robotic surgery for stroke and other conditions affecting brain blood vessels.

"In the future,...

Patients Who Quit Smoking Before Weight-Loss Surgery Often Relapse: Study

Many people who quit smoking before having weight-loss surgery go back to cigarettes after the procedure, a new study finds.

Researchers followed 1,770 adults for seven years after they had weight-loss surgery at 10 U.S. hospitals. While about 14% smoked in the year before surgery, that fell to 2% in the month before their oper...

Sticking With Meds Lowers Lupus Patients' Diabetes Risk

Taking their medications as prescribed significantly lowers lupus patients' risk of developing diabetes, a new study finds.

Type 2 diabetes is a common complication of lupus, an autoimmune disease that can cause damaging inflammation in many organs, as well as rashes, fatigue and joint pain.

For the new study, researchers ana...

Alcohol-Linked Deaths Soaring in U.S., Women Hit Hardest

Americans are drinking themselves to death at ever-increasing rates, with women in particular hitting the bottle hard, a new study shows.

The rate of alcohol-induced deaths among women increased between 3.1% and 3.6% a year from 2000 to 2016, while deaths among men increased 1.4% to 1.8% each year, according to the find...

AHA News: These Stroke Survivors May Not Be Prescribed Enough Blood Pressure Meds

Nearly two-thirds of people who survive an often-deadly type of stroke caused by bleeding in the brain continue to experience high blood pressure because they aren't taking enough medication, new research shows.

The preliminary study, presented this week at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference in Los Angel...

AHA News: This Meaty Jambalaya Takes the Fat Out of Fat Tuesday

Just because Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday" doesn't mean you have to load up on rich foods to celebrate.

As you prepare for the holiday, consider chicken and ham jambalaya, a healthy twist on the popular Louisiana dish. Instead of sausage, which tends to be high in fat and calories, this recipe calls for extra-lean ham and bon...

Can Men Dine Their Way to Higher Sperm Counts?

Listen up, guys: A healthy diet is good for your brain and heart, and also your sperm, new research suggests.

In a study of more than 2,900 Danish men, median age 19, those whose diet was rich in fish, chicken, vegetables, fruit and water had higher sperm counts than those who ate a "Western" diet rich in pizza, French fries, processe...

When 'Time Is Brain,' Mobile Stroke Units Speed Care

Ambulances outfitted as "mobile stroke treatment units" provide faster treatment and reduce patients' risk of severe disability and death, German researchers report.

The new study examined the use of three mobile stroke units in Berlin. Each unit is staffed with emergency medicine neurologists and has a CT scanner and lab on board that...

Brand-Name Rx Rise After Docs Get Drug Company Perks: Study

American doctors prescribe more brand-name medications after they get a free lunch or other incentives from drug company marketers, a new study finds.

Researchers analyzed drug prescribing between 2013 and 2015 for a large sample of enrollees in Medicare Part D. The federal program, which subsidizes prescriptions for 37 million seniors...

U.S. Coronavirus Cases Reach 34: CDC

The number of coronavirus cases among Americans jumped to 34 Friday, as U.S. health officials reported that more passengers who were evacuated from a quarantined cruise ship in Japan have tested positive for the virus.

"We have 13 U.S. cases, versus 21 cases among people who were repatriated," Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the U.S....

Flu Season That's Sickened 26 Million May Be at Its Peak

It's been overshadowed by the new coronavirus outbreak in China, but this year's flu season could be near its peak after surging throughout the United States for months.

At least 14,000 people have died and 250,000 have already been hospitalized during the 2019-2020 flu season, according to estimates from the U.S. Centers for Disease C...

Vaping Illnesses May Have Many Americans Quitting E-Cigs

New research suggests that last summer's spate of severe lung illnesses tied to vaping prompted many Americans to consider giving up e-cigarettes.

Online searches about how to quit vaping spiked after serious lung injuries among vapers started being reported, the study authors found

As of January, more than 2,700 hospitalizat...

Gay Men Underestimate Their Risks From HPV

Young men who have sex with other men don't fully grasp their risk for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, due to a lack of information from health care providers, researchers say.

Interviews with men in their early 20s who are gay, bisexual or who identify as straight but have sex with men found that they knew little about HPV, incl...

Who's Caring for Family Caregivers? 1 in 5 Says Health Is Poor

Caring for a loved one at home can be rewarding, but it can also be overwhelming and take a toll on your own health, a new study suggests.

According to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 1 in 5 of the nearly 18 million Americans who provide informal, unpaid care may be in fair or poor health....

Could the Weather Swings of Climate Change Make Flu Seasons Worse?

Climate change, and the sudden weather changes it brings, could fuel future flu epidemics, researchers warn in a new report.

They used historical data to assess how major weather swings in the fall months could affect flu season in highly populated areas of the United States, mainland China, Italy and France.

Specifically, th...

Wearable 'Brain Stimulator' May Boost Stroke Recovery

A noninvasive magnetic brain stimulation device worn less than an hour a day can increase activity near stroke-injured areas of the brain, a small, preliminary study suggests.

Those improvements in brain activity might then lead to increased motor function in people who have had a stroke, the researchers said.

"We were exci...