Over 40% of Antibiotics Could Be 'Inappropriately' Prescribed

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- When your doctor prescribes an antibiotic, there's a 43% chance it may not be needed, a new study finds.

"While there has been a lot of research looking at inappropriate prescribing, our findings suggest that we still may be underestimating the proportion of prescriptions that are inapp...

More Americans Are Now Dying at Home Rather Than the Hospital

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Most folks would prefer a peaceful death at home, in familiar surroundings with the company of their loved ones.

Now, for the first time in a century, there's a rise in the likelihood of those dying wishes to be honored.

Home has now surpassed the hospital as the most common place ...

Two Drugs Make Inroads Against Aggressive Breast Cancers

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Two experimental drugs show real promise against an aggressive, treatment-resistant form of breast cancer that's spread to other parts of the body, researchers say.

The tumors in question are called metastatic HER2-positive breast cancers -- named because the tumor cells' surface is populate...

Sleeping Too Long Might Raise Stroke Risk

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- If you're the kind of person who sleeps nine or more hours a night or takes long afternoon naps, you may want to worry about your stroke risk, a new Chinese study suggests.

According to the research, people who sleep and nap too long may increase their risk for stroke by 85%. Regular 90...

What If 'Exercise Needed to Burn Off Calories' Was Included on Food Labeling?

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Would you change your grocery list if a food label said "Walk an hour to burn off the calories in this product"?

That's the idea behind a new push to include food labeling that describes the amount of exercise needed to burn off calories consumed, the researchers behind a new study said.

Rural Seniors Hurt by Lack of Medical Specialists

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- American seniors living in rural areas face a higher risk of hospitalization and death, and a lack of medical specialists may be the reason why, researchers report.

"People on Medicare with chronic conditions such as heart failure or diabetes who live in rural areas have higher death and hos...