WHO Experts Say Healthy Kids, Teens May Not Need More COVID Shots

New advice from the World Health Organization (WHO) says healthy children and teens may not need additional COVID-19 shots, though they may need to catch up on other routine vaccines.

“The public health impact of vaccinating healthy children and adolescents is comparatively much lower than the established benefits of traditional essentia...

Nerve 'Pulse' Therapy May Help Ease Sciatica

People suffering from sciatica gain lasting relief from a procedure that uses a fine needle to heat nerve roots near the spine, a new clinical trial shows.

The minimally invasive procedure, called pulsed radiofrequency (RF), provided superior pain reduction and disability improvement out to one year for patients with sciatica, according to...

FDA Approves First Over-the-Counter Nasal Spray for Opioid Overdoses

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved the over-the-counter use of a nasal spray that can reverse an opioid overdose.

Research has shown that wider availability of naloxone (Narcan) could save lives as the opioid epidemic rages on in this country.

“The FDA remains committed to addressing the evolving complexiti...

Could COVID in Pregnancy Raise Odds for Obese Kids?

The consequences of COVID-19 during pregnancy are still unfolding, but a new study delivers sobering news: Prenatal exposure to the virus may be linked to childhood obesity.

Looking at nearly 280 infants, researchers found those whose mothers had COVID while pregnant had lower birth weight compared to babies whose moms did not have a COV...

Missed Getting Your Steps Today? You're Still on Track for Health

For those who want to get active but feel that joining a gym or exercising on a daily basis is a bridge too far, new research may have found the sweet spot: walking.

After stacking the walking habits of 3,100 adults up against a decade’s worth of health outcomes, investigators concluded that those who logged roughly 8,000 steps in a...

AHA News: Missouri Man Turns Heart Disease Diagnosis Into Public Service Message

Don Young already had been through an excruciating ordeal with throat cancer that included removal of his larynx, multiple hospitalizations and a doctor's prediction of six months to live – all while in his 40s.

Then came heart trouble.

It started in the middle of the night when he got out of bed and passed out on the bedroom floor...

Too Much Time Online Might Raise Kids' Odds for Mental Health Woes: Study

Children’s screen use could be altering their developing brains as they enter adolescence and increasing their risk for mood disorders, a major new study finds.

Children ages 9 and 10 who spend more time on smartphones, tablets, video games and TV exhibited higher levels of depression and anxiety by the time they were 11 and 12, research...

Lawmakers Want to Tighten Access to Veterinary Drug Xylazine, Often Mixed With Fentanyl

WEDNESDAY, March 29, 2023 (HealthDay News) – Congressional leaders introduced a bill on Tuesday that would further restrict access to the veterinary drug xylazine, which is now being added to fentanyl powder.

Also known as tranq, the drug is meant to be a sedative and muscle relaxer for horses and other large animals and is not approved ...

Flu Boosts Short-Term Odds for Heart Attack 6-Fold

Getting the flu isn’t fun for many reasons, but it can also trigger a heart attack, a new study suggests.

A heart attack is six times more likely in the week after a person is diagnosed with flu than in the year before or after, according to Dutch researchers.

This emphasizes the need for flu patients and those caring for them to b...

Gun Deaths Among Kids Keep Rising, But Studies Show State Gun Laws Can Help

Following a mass shooting that killed three children and three adults at a private Christian school in Tennessee on Monday, public officials are again talking about how to stop the never-ending cycle of gun violence in the United States.

Recent research offers both bad and good news on the issue.

Two separate studies from the same re...

Health Highlights: March 29, 2023​

Too much time online might raise kids' odds for mental health woes. A new study links excessive screen time to the mood disorders, and found brain changes that contribute to the disorders. Read more

Flu ups short-term odds for heart attack 6-fold. Besides emphasizing the need for flu patie...

Combo Steroid Treatment May Work Best When Sepsis Strikes

Giving patients who have septic shock a combo of two steroids could potentially be a lifesaver, according to a new study.

Researchers found that patients receiving a combination of hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone had lower death rates and discharge to hospice compared to those who received hydrocortisone alone.

“Our results prov...

Blind People Are Better at Sensing Their Heartbeats

People who are blind are better at sensing their own heartbeats, according to a new study that found blindness appears to heighten one's ability to feel signals from the inner body.

Researchers from Sweden and Poland tested this in a study of 36 blind individuals and the same number of sighted people.

Each was asked to count their he...

Scientists Get Closer to Understanding 'Hidden' HIV

Researchers are closing in on another immune system “hideout” that HIV uses to persist in the human body for years.

A subset of white blood cells called myeloid cells can harbor HIV in people who’ve been virally suppressed for years, according to a new small-scale study funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Th...

Having Asthma, Eczema Might Raise Arthritis Risk

If you’re one of the millions of people with allergic asthma or eczema, you may be more likely to develop the wear-and-tear form of arthritis as you age.

This is the main finding from a new study that examined the risk of developing osteoarthritis among people with the two allergic conditions.

The study wasn’t designed...

New Drug Combo Buys More Time for Advanced Endometrial Cancer Patients

Researchers have discovered that two drugs might be better than one for women who have advanced endometrial cancer.

Combining chemotherapy and immunotherapy or a monoclonal antibody at the same time helped these patients live longer without their cancer progressing, especially those who had a specific type of endometrial cancer known as a ...

Rate of Kids Hospitalized in Mental Health Crisis Keeps Rising

Children with mental health problems are flooding America's hospitals.

A new study of 4.8 million pediatric hospitalizations between 2009 and 2019 found that the number of acute care hospitalizations for kids with mental health problems increased significantly. In 2019, most were due to attempted suicides, suicidal thoughts or self-injury,...

AHA News: Irregular Sleep Schedule Linked to High Blood Pressure

People with irregular sleep patterns may face substantially higher odds of high blood pressure than those who stick to a schedule, even when they get the recommended amount of sleep each night, new research suggests.

The study, published Tuesday in the journal Hypertension, found people who slept in on the weekends or varied the times they...

Weight Loss Helps Your Heart Even If Some Weight Come Back

It can be downright discouraging to work hard to lose 10 pounds, only to regain a few later.

But don’t be downhearted -- a new evidence review says the important heart health benefits of weight loss are sustained even if some of the weight comes back.

People who drop some pounds still have lower blood pressure and better cholestero...

Hidden Heart Disease Can Raise Your Odds for Heart Attack 8-Fold

TUESDAY, March 28, 2023 (HealthDay News) – Millions of middle-aged folks may be walking around with no symptoms of heart disease, and yet they still face a higher risk for a heart attack, new research shows.

What gives? Subclinical or silent heart disease may be responsible. This is the early thickening or hardening of the heart art...