What Works Best to Ease Flare-Ups of COPD?

The best available drugs to treat sudden COPD flare-ups are the medications already widely in use, antibiotics and corticosteroids, a new evidence review has concluded.

There's not enough evidence to recommend newer treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), said lead researcher Dr. Claudia Dobler, a visiting scholar ...

AHA News: Race, Income in Neighborhoods Tied to Cardiac Arrest Survival

Socioeconomics might impact the chance of surviving a cardiac arrest, suggests a new study that found survival rates are lower in heavily black than in heavily white neighborhoods, and in low- and middle-income areas compared with wealthy ones.

More than 350,000 people each year in the U.S. have out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, when the ...

5 Tips for Fighting Addiction

Overcoming addiction can be difficult, with powerful cravings often causing relapse. But a psychiatrist offers some tips for success.

Know your triggers, said Dr. Nahla Mahgoub, of Gracie Square Hospital in New York City.

People in recovery are vulnerable to various environmental and emotional triggers, said Mahgoub.

How Coronavirus Raced Through Quarantined Cruise Ship

The crisis aboard the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan shows how germs can spread rapidly through air conditioning systems that can't filter out particles as small as the new coronavirus, one air quality expert says.

The quarantine ended last Wednesday, but not before the number of coronavirus cases reached 690 and th...

Could Heartburn Meds Spur Growth of Drug-Resistant Germs in Your Gut?

Common heartburn meds may foster the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the gut, a new research review suggests.

In an analysis of 12 past studies, researchers found that, overall, the evidence supports a link: People who use acid-suppressing medications -- particularly proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) -- are more likely than nonu...

Anti-Addiction Meds Key to Saving Lives of People Hooked on Opioids

People treated for an opioid addiction stand a much better chance of breaking their dependency if they take opioid-blocking medications, a new study finds.

In fact, addicts who took methadone or buprenorphine had an 80% lower risk of dying from an overdose than those in treatment who are not using these drugs. Yet, many treatment ...

Bad Sleep, Bad Diet = Bad Heart?

It's a dangerous equation: Poor sleep triggers a bad diet, and the two can equal a higher risk for obesity and heart disease in women, a new study contends.

"Women are particularly prone to sleep disturbances across the life span, because they often shoulder the responsibilities of caring for children and family and, later, because of ...

AHA News: Legacy of Discrimination Reflected in Health Inequality

Risk factors that can lead to heart disease and stroke include obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure. For African Americans, another issue also threatens their cardiovascular health: discrimination.

"This is an uncomfortable subject for many people," said Dr. Keith Churchwell, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Y...

Coronavirus Outbreak in America Is Coming: CDC

A coronavirus outbreak on American soil is now all but a certainty, U.S. health officials warned Tuesday.

"As more and more countries experience community spread, successful containment at our borders becomes harder and harder. Ultimately, we expect we will see community spread in this country," Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the U....

Too Many Antibiotics, Opioids Given to Dental Patients in the ER

Too many patients who go to U.S. emergency rooms for dental problems are prescribed antibiotics and opioid painkillers, a new study claims.

The findings show the need for continued efforts to combat both opioid abuse and overuse of antibiotics, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers said.

For the stud...

Getting Quality Autism Therapy From Thousands of Miles Away

By the time he was 7 months old, John Michael Crawford had been diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called tuberous sclerosis, associated with a high risk of developmental delays, including autism.

Early intervention programs are believed to help reduce that risk, but these time- and labor-intensive thera...

Chicago's Short-Lived 'Soda Tax' Cut Consumption, Boosted Health Care Funds

Chicago's brief and now-defunct soda tax did cut the consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks, a new study finds, along with raising funds for public health initiatives.

From August to November 2017, when the tax was in effect, the volume of soda sold in Cook County dropped 21% and the tax raised nearly $62 million, nearly $17 million...

They Thought She Drank, But Her Body Actually 'Auto-Brewed'

Doctors thought they had a fairly common scenario in front of them: A patient with advanced liver disease who needed help for her alcohol abuse. Then they discovered her own bladder was making the alcohol.

The doctors, at the University of Pittsburgh, say it's a previously unrecognized variant of so-called auto-brewery syndrome. ABS, w...

How Safe Is It to Fly?

Buckle up and get ready for take-off: Flying has never been safer, an expert says.

Despite recent high-profile crashes of Boeing aircraft, the news on flight safety is good: Airline passenger deaths have dropped sharply in recent decades around the world, according to Arnold Barnett, a professor of management at MIT.

"The wor...

Variety is Key for the Fittest Americans

Very fit American adults enjoy a wider range of physical activities than those who are less active, a new study finds.

The findings could help point to ways to boost physical activity in adults, according to the researchers.

Data gathered from more than 9,800 adults nationwide between 2003 and 2006 showed that those who were...

Patients Care Little About ER Doctors' Race or Sex: Study

Americans don't seem to care about the race or sex of emergency room doctors, a new study shows.

Participants were asked to rate their satisfaction with a simulated ER visit and the scores were the same whether their doctor was white or black, or a man or a woman.

"We were really surprised that even after looking at these da...

Pot Use Among U.S. Seniors Nearly Doubled in 3 Years

Americans may want to rethink the stereotype of the pot-loving teen: More U.S. seniors are using the drug now than ever before.

The proportion of folks 65 and older who use pot stands at 4.2%, up from 2.4% in 2015, according to figures from the U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

"The change from 2.4 up to 4....

Many Kids in Rural U.S. Are All Too Familiar With Handguns

About one-third of boys and 10% of girls in rural U.S. communities have carried a handgun, a new study finds. Many started carrying as early as sixth grade.

This study "provides evidence that youth handgun carrying in these settings is not uncommon," said lead author Dr. Ali Rowhani-Rahbar. He is an associate professor of epidemiol...