What Kind of Drinking Can Trigger A-Fib?

FRIDAY, Oct. 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Frequent drinking is more likely than binge drinking to increase your risk of the most common heart rhythm disorder, a new study finds.

Atrial fibrillation (a-fib) increases the risk of stroke by fivefold. Symptoms include racing or irregular pulse, palpitations, shortness of breath, tiredness,...

Study Uncovers Racial Gaps in Treatment of Multiple Myeloma

FRIDAY, Oct. 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- There are significant racial disparities in treatment of U.S. patients with multiple myeloma, a new study shows.

Researchers reviewed nationwide data on 3,504 white, 858 black and 468 Hispanic patients treated from 2007 to 2013.

The average time between multiple myeloma diagnosis and ...

Are Disinfectants Putting Nurses at Risk of COPD?

FRIDAY, Oct. 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Nurses trying to prevent infection of hospital patients could be putting themselves at risk of developing chronic lung disease, a new study warns.

The cleaners and disinfectants used to sterilize medical equipment and wash hospital surfaces appear to increase nurses' odds of developing chronic ...

Drug Limits Damage of Brain Injury

FRIDAY, Oct. 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Many brain injury deaths could be prevented by using an inexpensive drug in the critical hours following a head trauma, a new international study finds.

"Traumatic brain injury can happen to anyone at any time, whether it's through an incident like a car crash or simply falling down the stairs,...

Fat Collects in Lungs, Raising Asthma Risk

FRIDAY, Oct. 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Excess weight is hard on the heart, but new research shows it may also harm your lungs.

The study found that higher amounts of fat collect in the airways of overweight and obese people, which may help explain why they're more likely to have wheezing and asthma.

In the study, the inves...

AHA News: Retired? Hardly – at 99, This Pioneering Heart Doctor Still Leading the Way

FRIDAY, Oct. 18, 2019 (American Heart Association News) -- At 99 years old, most people are not engaging in complex research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Jeremiah Stamler is no ordinary person.

The author and co-author of hundreds of peer-reviewed studies and books, Stamler's cutting-edge research into the ca...

Confusing Medical Bills Tied to Money Woes in Cancer Survivors

FRIDAY, Oct. 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Difficulty understanding health insurance and medical bills may cause financial hardship for cancer survivors, a new study finds.

There is growing evidence that many American adults lack health insurance literacy, which is the knowledge, ability and confidence to obtain, evaluate and use health...

The Wellness Boost of a Purposeful Life

FRIDAY, Oct. 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Research has long shown how psychological disorders lead to poor physical health. Now scientists are learning more about the flip side of emotions, how living a purposeful life may have as many physical benefits as inspirational ones.

Having purpose in life is simply believing that your life h...

Cooking With Greens

FRIDAY, Oct. 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- It's time to go beyond spinach and kale. To really power up your meals with greens, you want to explore the taste and texture of watercress and dandelions. And the following recipes will get from the fridge to your table in minutes.

Watercress is part of the cruciferous family to which kale and...

Mercury in Creams, Feces in Cosmetics: Beware Bargain Beauty Products

THURSDAY, Oct. 17, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Stocking up on the latest beauty products can be costly. Is it possible to save money and still put your best face forward?

You may luck out and find things on sale at reputable retailers. But beware of prices that seem too good to be true on the internet or from sellers that may not be arou...

Juul Halts Sale of Fruit, Dessert Flavors of E-Cigarettes

THURSDAY, Oct. 17, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Juul, which makes the top-selling brand of electronic-cigarettes in the United States, said Thursday it will no longer sell fruit or dessert flavors of its products.

The company's decision comes as it faces widespread criticism that its flavored nicotine products are hooking a generation of t...

More Patients With Heart Disease Die at Home Than in Hospital

THURSDAY, Oct. 17, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly a third of U.S. heart patients die at home, which is more than the number who die in the hospital, according to a new study.

Researchers examined data on more than 12 million heart disease patients who died between 2003 and 2017. They looked at whether the deaths occurred in a hospital...

AHA News: He Used CPR in an Emergency - Then He Became the Emergency

THURSDAY, Oct. 17, 2019 (American Heart Association News) -- Joe Farrell went to retrieve an errant golf ball when he came upon another player on the ground not breathing. The man's golfing partner was attempting CPR but not performing it properly.

Joe, a physical therapist, took over. He made sure 911 was called before starting chest...

Deaths Due to Suicide, Homicide on the Rise Among U.S. Youth

THURSDAY, Oct. 17, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- The anger and fear seething throughout the United States could be having a fatal impact on some of the nation's youngest citizens.

More teens and young adults are coming to a violent end in recent years, either at their own hand or another's, new federal data show.

Both suicide and ...

Unyielding Stress Plays Role in Blacks' Blood Pressure Woes

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 16, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Chronically high levels of stress may increase black Americans' risk of high blood pressure, a new study suggests.

"Given the disproportionately high burden of hypertension in African-Americans, determining if chronic stress increases the risk of hypertension in this population is an importa...

Certain Blood Pressure Meds Tied to Suicide Risk in Study

THURSDAY, Oct. 17, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- A common type of blood pressure medication might be associated with an increased risk of suicide, a new study suggests.

People taking angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) appear to be more likely to die by suicide, compared to those who take another type of blood pressure drug called ACE inhi...

Your Personality as a Teen May Predict Your Risk of Dementia

THURSDAY, Oct. 17, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Could your personality as a teen forecast your risk for dementia a half-century later?

Very possibly, say researchers, who found that dementia risk is lower among seniors who were calm, mature and energetic high schoolers.

"Being calm and mature as teen were each associated with rou...

Why Maintaining a Healthy Weight Is Important in Adulthood

THURSDAY, Oct. 17, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Adults who pack on pounds between their mid-20s and middle age have an increased risk of premature death -- and the same is true of those who lose weight from middle to late adulthood, according to a new study.

The findings suggest that maintaining normal weight throughout adulthood reduces t...

Your Noisy Knees May Be Trying to Tell You Something

THURSDAY, Oct. 17, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Ever hear your joints clicking, creaking or crunching? Now, researchers say a new technique that listens closely to knees may help doctors diagnose and monitor osteoarthritis.

In the new study, researchers attached small microphones to participants' knees, which allowed them to listen for hig...

Surgery Helps Tough-to-Treat Acid Reflux

THURSDAY, Oct. 17, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- For people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) that doesn't respond to the usual treatments, a complex surgery may help, a new study finds.

In carefully selected patients, the surgery provided much more relief than two different types of medication treatment -- 67% for surgery co...