Do COVID-19 Patients Really Have to Die Alone?

Hospitals have put in place strict no-visitation rules meant to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but these precautions have led to another heart-wrenching dilemma.

People are dying alone, gasping their last breath without any family or friends there to provide comfort.

Now, some experts are arguing this shouldn't be the case, ...

High-Fiber, Low-Fat Diet May Help People With Ulcerative Colitis

A low-fat, high-fiber diet may improve the quality of life of patients with ulcerative colitis, a new study finds.

"Patients with inflammatory bowel disease always ask us what they should eat to make their symptoms better," said researcher Dr. Maria Abreu. She's a professor of medicine and microbiology and immunology at the University...

Blacks Underrepresented in Cancer Drug Trials: Study

U.S. government-funded clinical trials for new cancer treatments have more Black participants than those run by drug companies, but Blacks are still underrepresented in cancer studies, researchers say.

The SWOG Cancer Research Network team analyzed data from 358 clinical trials -- 85 drug industry trials and 273 SWOG trials. They inclu...

Remdesivir May Reduce Deaths, Hasten Recovery for COVID-19 Patients

There's more good news on the effectiveness of the antiviral drug remdesivir against COVID-19, according to new clinical trial results from the drug's maker.

Gilead Sciences said Friday that in a trial involving more than 1,100 patients, remdesivir was associated with improved recovery and a 62% reduced risk of death compared with ...

Changes in IVF May Have Spurred Drop in Cerebral Palsy, Study Says

Rates of cerebral palsy among babies in Nordic countries born through in vitro fertilization (IVF) have fallen by more than half over the past two decades, due to fewer twin births from IVF, according to a new study.

A study in Denmark 15 years ago found a significantly increased risk of cerebral palsy in infants born through IVF. The ...

Terrifying Delirium Can Strike Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients

Intense breathing problems may be the most widely reported feature of COVID-19, but new research warns that coronavirus can also take aim at the brain.

Infection can trigger serious nerve damage, stroke, inflammation and even wild bouts of delirium.

In fact, a bizarre array of delusions plagued nearly a quarter of the 43 Brit...

Most Survivors of Severe COVID-19 Report Symptoms Many Weeks After 'Recovery'

Even a month after hospital discharge and "recovery," a majority of patients who had survived severe COVID-19 were still dealing with fatigue, shortness of breath and other symptoms, Italian research shows.

The study tracked outcomes for 143 hospitalized patients treated in April in Rome, at the height of the Italian COVID-19 pandemic....

Antiviral Drugs Tied to Heart Issue in COVID-19 Patients

Older, critically ill COVID-19 patients who are given a combination of two common antiretroviral drugs can experience a drastic slowing of their heart rate, French researchers report.

In their study of 41 patients treated with lopinavir and ritonavir twice daily for 10 days, 22% developed a slow heart rate condition called bradycar...

AHA News: More People Are Dying During the Pandemic – and Not Just From COVID-19

More people in the United States are dying during the COVID-19 pandemic, but not just because of the coronavirus. One reason, experts say, is people with other ailments may not be seeking help.

That conclusion is emerging from new research showing deaths are increasing from causes such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes – while ...

Raw Milk Can Harbor Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

If you're a fan of raw milk, keep it chilled. Leaving raw milk at room temperature can release antimicrobial-resistant genes, a new study suggests.

Also, bacteria that have antimicrobial-resistant genes can transfer them to other bacteria, spreading resistance, the researchers said.

"We don't want to scare people, we want t...

U.S. Sees Another Record-Breaking Day of New Coronavirus Cases

States across America reported nearly 60,000 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, setting yet another daily record as the pandemic tightens its grip on a country struggling to reopen.

The surge has been largely fueled by states in the South and the West that eased their lockdowns early, The New York Times reported.

Sing...

With Social Distancing, Schools Should Be Safe to Reopen This Fall, Experts Say

Kids should be able to safely return to reopened schools this fall, resuming their studies with little risk that they will contribute to the COVID-19 pandemic, some infectious disease experts argue.

The scientific evidence so far indicates that children do not tend to spread the novel coronavirus between themselves, nor do they appear ...

Cold War Antiseptic May Be Valuable Germ Fighter

A nontoxic antiseptic developed in the former Soviet Union may be a valuable weapon for fighting common infections, British researchers say.

The drug, miramistin, was developed for the Soviet Space Program. While little known in the West, it blocks or kills flu, human papillomaviruses (HPV), coronaviruses, adenoviruses and HIV, accord...

'Aerosol Boxes' Meant to Protect COVID Health Teams Might Harm Them: Study

Aerosol boxes meant to protect health care workers when they intubate COVID-19 patients may actually increase their exposure to airborne virus particles, an Australian study warns.

Intubation is done when patients are placed on a ventilator.

Aerosol boxes have been touted as a quick, simple way to protect workers, but their e...

Marijuana, E-Cigarettes Enticing More Young Adults

E-cigarettes and pot may go hand in hand when it comes to young Americans, a new report suggests.

There's been a sharp rise in the use of both among young adults in California, and many of them are underage, the new analysis finds.

Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, examined state data from 2017 to 20...

Coronavirus Fears Kept Many Essential Workers at Home in April: Study

Many more American workers caring for children, the sick or aged, as well as bus drivers, subway workers and those involved in food production took time off work in April -- probably due to fears of contracting COVID-19, a new government report finds.

In an analysis of federal employment data on work absenteeism from October 2019 until...

'Broken Heart Syndrome' Has Risen During Pandemic: Study

Doctors at one Ohio hospital system have discovered yet another possible consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic: More cases of "broken heart syndrome."

The condition -- which doctors call stress cardiomyopathy -- appears similar to a heart attack, with symptoms such as chest pain and breathlessness. But its cause is different: Experts be...

In Many Cases, Hip Replacement Also Eases Back Pain

If you have a bad hip and lower back pain, a new study suggests that hip replacement surgery may solve both issues at once.

Researchers at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City focused on 500 patients who underwent hip replacement surgery and followed up with them one year after the operation.

Over 40% report...

5 Years, No Fatal ODs: Study Finds 'Safe Injection Sites' Can Save Lives

Safe injection sites for users of illicit drugs such as heroin: They've been tried and legalized in countries such as Canada and the Netherlands, and a new study suggests they might save American lives, too.

In the study, published online July 8 in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers analyzed five years of data (201...