Too Much or Too Little Sleep Bad for Your Brain

Everyone needs sleep, but too little or too much of it might contribute to declines in thinking, a new study suggests.

Too little sleep was defined as four or fewer hours a night, while too much was deemed 10 or more hours a night. The ideal amount? Seven hours a night.

"Cognitive function should be monitored in individuals ...

Immunotherapy Drug Boosts Survival With Bladder Cancer

An immunotherapy drug significantly improved survival in patients with the most common type of bladder cancer, according to a new study.

About 550,000 new cases of bladder cancer are diagnosed worldwide each year, making it the 10th most common type of cancer, the study authors noted.

Chemotherapy is the initial standard of c...

Guard Yourself Against the Health Dangers of Wildfire Smoke

As the smoke left by wildfires in California and Oregon continues to linger, people exposed to it need to take steps to protect themselves, an expert says.

In healthy people, wildfire smoke can cause symptoms such as runny nose, burning and watery eyes, sore throat, chest pain and shortness of breath, said Dr. Reza Ronaghi, a pulmonolo...

AHA News: High Blood Pressure May Cause Poor Communication Between Brain Regions

A test that measures blood flow changes in the brain shows people with high blood pressure are more likely to experience poorer communication between brain regions than those with normal blood pressure, according to a small study.

The research, published Monday in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension, also found those with...

U.S. COVID Death Toll Nears 200,000, While Cases Start to Climb Again

MONDAY, Sept. 21, 2020 (Healthday News) -- As the U.S. coronavirus case count neared 200,000 on Monday, public health experts debated whether the spread of the virus will continue to slow or a new surge will come, as cold weather returns to much of the country.

"What will happen, nobody knows," Catherine Troisi, an infectious disease e...

COVID Survivor Rita Wilson Wants You to Get Your Flu Shot

Aches and fatigue quickly progressed to fever with severe chills, but the terrible and unrelenting headache was the real signal that actress Rita Wilson was in for a rough ride following her infection with COVID-19.

"It was a massive headache that really lasted for about two weeks," Wilson recalls. "It was relentless. It wasn't like Ty...

Clear Danger: Glass-Topped Tables Injure Thousands Each Year

At Rutgers New Jersey Medical School's trauma center, Dr. Stephanie Bonne and her team noticed a string of patient injuries caused by broken glass tables.

"They were quite serious, significant injuries that required pretty big operations and long hospital stays," said Bonne, who is an assistant professor of surgery and trauma medical d...

Holidays Can Be a Fright for Kids With Food Allergies

Parents of kids with food allergies probably won't be surprised to hear that Halloween is an especially risky time for their youngsters.

A new study found that serious allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) triggered by peanuts jumped 85% when kids were trick or treating. Serious reactions triggered by an unknown tree nut or peanut expo...

Potential COVID-19 Drug Could Increase Heart Risk: Study

The widely prescribed antibiotic azithromycin is being investigated as a COVID-19 treatment, but a new study warns it could increase the risk of heart problems.

Researchers analyzed data from millions of patients (average age: 36) in the United States and found that azithromycin by itself isn't associated with an increase in heart prob...

Life Expectancy Could Decline Worldwide Due to COVID-19

The coronavirus pandemic could cause short-term decreases in life expectancy in many parts of the world, according to a new study.

Using a computer model, the researchers concluded that infection rates of only 2% could cause a drop in life expectancy in countries where average life expectancy is high (about 80 years).

At ...

A Guide to Acne Care for People of Color

Dealing with acne can be especially difficult for people of color, a skin expert says.

Acne affects up to 50 million people in the United States each year. For people of color, acne is often accompanied by dark spots or patches called hyperpigmentation.

"Acne is the most common skin condition in the U.S., and it can be partic...

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Dies at 87

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died on Friday, the court announced. The cause was complications from pancreatic cancer. Ginsburg was 87.

First appointed to the court in 1993 by President Bill Clinton, Ginsburg was the longest serving member of the liberal justices on the bench. Her many votes in support of abortion righ...

CDC Reverses COVID Test Guideline After Controversy

Facing strong criticism, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reversed a prior COVID-19 guideline that had said that people who know they've been in close contact with an infected person but are asymptomatic do not have to get tested.

Instead, the revised guideline now clearly tells Americans who find themselve...

There's No Magic Formula to Slow Your Dog's Aging

Despite the deep desire to help your dog age gracefully and stay mentally sharp, new research suggests that even the best diet and training won't slow the ravages of time for your furry friend.

Just like their human owners, dogs can experience thinking declines and behavioral changes as they age. They might display less curiosity about...

Pregnancy May Delay MS

Pregnancy can delay the onset of multiple sclerosis (MS) by more than three years, researchers report.

The international study found those who'd been pregnant had their first MS symptoms an average of 3.3 years later than those who'd never been pregnant. Having carried a baby to term delayed MS onset by an average of 3.4 years, the res...

As Schools Reopen, Many Students, Staff Live With High-Risk Family Member

School districts across America are navigating exactly how to resume classes this fall, just as a new study warns that many students and teachers live in homes with people at high risk for severe COVID-19.

"For many school districts, decisions over whether and how to reopen will likely be revisited throughout the school year … [...

Experts Offer Guidance on a Common But Underreported Menopause Syndrome

Hot flashes and night sweats are well-known side effects of menopause, but the end of a woman's periods can also lead to other uncomfortable changes.

Vaginal dryness, painful sex and painful urination are common symptoms of genitourinary syndrome of menopause, or GSM. Estimates vary, but most research suggests that a majority of postm...

Many High-Risk Patients Don't Know They Need Follow-Up Colonoscopy

Many Americans at high risk for colon cancer don't know how often they need to have a screening colonoscopy, researchers say.

The report follows the recent death of actor Chadwick Boseman, who died Aug. 28 at age 43 after a private, four-year battle with colon cancer. Boseman was best known for playing the superhero Black Panther.

The Real Reason for 2018 Drop in Fatal U.S. Drug Overdoses

A slight decline in U.S. drug overdose deaths in 2018 was due to a drop in supply of a dangerous opioid from China rather than federal government efforts, and was only temporary, a new study shows.

"The U.S. has not bent the curve on the drug overdose epidemic," said lead author Dr. Hawre Jalal, an assistant professor of health policy ...

AHA News: Young Women May Face Greater Stroke Risk Than Young Men

Young women are more likely than their male peers to have a stroke, a new study suggests.

Researchers analyzed a claims database of insured people in the United States from 2001 to 2014, tallying the number of ischemic, or clot-caused, strokes based on hospital admissions. People with a history of stroke or other cerebrovascular disease ...