Electric Cars Still Better for the Planet Than Gas Vehicles

Electric cars really are greener than gasoline ones, researchers report.

Some have questioned whether electric cars could actually increase carbon emissions when the generation of the electricity to run them is taken into account.

But a new study concluded that in most areas of the world, electric cars reduce carbon emissions...

Nationwide Shortages Looming for Respirators, Masks, Gowns: Expert Poll

Nearly half of U.S. health care facilities are already or nearly out of respirators worn by staff to protect against infection as they care for COVID-19 patients, a new survey shows.

One in five facilities have no respirators and 28% are almost out of the filtering face masks, which provide advanced protection against viral infecti...

Caring for Relatives With ALS Almost a Full-Time Job for Youth: Study

Kids and teens spend as much as five hours a day helping care for relatives with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, a new study finds.

Although the young people often help with bathing, dressing, eating and other caregiving activities, they may not have enough training or information about the dis...

Too Little Sleep Takes Toll on Kids' Mental Health: Study

Kids who don't get enough sleep may be at risk for ADHD, anxiety, depression and other mental health problems, researchers report.

"If we make sure our children get enough sleep, it can help protect them from mental health problems," said researcher Bror Ranum, a doctoral candidate at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology...

AHA News: Understanding the Basics of 'Herd Immunity'

Recently I heard a medical "expert" on the news incorrectly define the term "herd immunity." It's a new phrase for many people, but we're hearing about it more and more, so it's important to understand exactly what it is.

First, let's discuss how immunity works for individuals. A person can become immune (or resistant) after exposure to ...

AHA News: Is This Nature's Healthier Meat Replacement?

Thanks to research suggesting they are better for heart health than animal-based foods, many carnivores are on the hunt for the best plant-based meat replacements they can find.

That may explain the increase in popularity of plant-based burgers in fast-food restaurants and grocery stores. But nutritionists say legumes may be a better opt...

AI May Not Be Better Than Experts at Reading Medical Scans

A new study casts doubt on claims that artificial intelligence (AI) equals or surpasses the ability of human experts to interpret medical images.

Many previous studies were of poor quality and may have exaggerated the benefits of AI, which could pose a risk to the safety of millions of patients, the study authors claimed.

The...

Construction Industry Respirator Masks Can Be Used by Health Care Workers: Study

As the coronavirus pandemic stresses the U.S. health care system, personal protective equipment -- including high-tech masks -- are in desperately short supply.

But a new study suggests an innovative solution: Reusable respirators typically used by construction or factory workers may be a viable alternative to disposable N95 respirat...

U.S. Leads the World With Most Coronavirus Cases, House Passes $2 Trillion Stimulus Package

The United States passed China as the country with the most coronavirus cases in the world late Thursday, while the U.S. House on Friday approved a $2 trillion stimulus package to bolster America's sagging economy.

The bill now goes to President Donald Trump for his signature.

The unprecedented legislation will send $1,200 c...

Three Countries Have Kept Coronavirus in Check; Here's How They Did It

Vietnam. South Korea. Taiwan.

All three countries are placed uncomfortably close to China, the initial epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic that's now swept across the world.

But they also have one other thing in common: They've each managed to contain their COVID-19 infections, preventing the new coronavirus from reaching e...

Cough, Fever, Fatigue? Head to CDC's Online Coronavirus Symptom Checker

You went jogging and developed a cough. You did some yard work and now you're wheezing. Maybe your throat is scratchy.

Your first thought is: Do I have COVID-19?

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has posted a new coronavirus self-checker on its website that might ease your mind and steer you toward any medic...

Legal Pot Products Too Potent for Chronic Pain

Most legal medical marijuana -- more than 90% -- is stronger than what doctors recommend for chronic pain relief, a new study finds.

"We know that high-potency products should not have a place in the medical realm because of the high risk of developing cannabis-use disorders, which are related to exposure to high THC-content produ...

Multiple Measures of Social Distancing Required to Slow Coronavirus: Study

It takes multiple measures of social distancing to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, a study from Singapore concludes.

That finding is based on a computer model of a simulated setting in Singapore. Coronavirus cases are on the rise there, but as of March 23, schools remained open and workplace distancing was only recommended, not...

Preventing Repeat Heart Attack, Stroke More Important Than Ever: AHA

With the new coronavirus severely straining the U.S. health care system, experts are calling on heart attack and stroke survivors to take extra steps to reduce their risk of a repeat event.

The American Heart Association (AHA) said current information suggests that elderly people with heart disease or high blood pressure are more likel...

Could Stroke Drug Help COVID-19 Patients Avoid Ventilators?

For people very sick with COVID-19, access to a mechanical ventilator can mean life or death. Trouble is, they're in short supply in the United Sates and around the world.

Now, research suggests that a widely used clot-busting stroke drug might help COVID-19 patients who can't access a ventilator or who fail to improve even when they ...

PTSD Can Take Heavy Toll on Hearts of Female Vets

PTSD can cause severe psychic distress, but it may also raise heart risks for female veterans in particular, a new study suggests.

"The association we found was incredibly strong," said lead author Dr. Ramin Ebrahimi, a cardiologist affiliated with the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System.

"We have a rising ...

Meth Use, Addiction on the Rise Among Americans: CDC

Methamphetamine use is soaring again, with nearly one million Americans hooked on it, according to federal health officials.

Between 2015 and 2018, about 53% of the 1.6 million meth users were addicted to it and slightly more than 22% said they injected the drug, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Cont...

Why Are Teens, Millennials Ignoring Coronavirus Warnings?

In what can only be described as the stupidity of youth, at least one young person in Kentucky has been infected with COVID-19 after taking part in a "coronavirus party."

The revelers got together "thinking they were invincible" and purposely defied state guidance to practice social distancing, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Tuesday.<...

Severe COVID-19 Might Injure the Heart

The new coronavirus may be a respiratory bug, but it's becoming clear that some severely ill patients sustain heart damage. And it may substantially raise their risk of death, doctors in China are reporting.

They found that among 416 patients hospitalized for severe COVID-19 infections, almost 20% developed damage to the heart musc...

Could Viagra, Cialis Work Largely by Placebo Effect?

Until the discovery of Viagra, men with erectile dysfunction were largely left with the impression that their sexual problems were all in their head.

That might still be somewhat true, even in this age of little blue pills, a new paper argues.

A good number of men receiving a placebo in clinical trials for erectile dysfunctio...