Nobel Prize for Medicine Awarded to COVID Vaccine Pioneers

MONDAY, Oct. 2, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- This year’s Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine has been awarded to two scientists who laid the groundwork years ago for the mRNA research that made COVID-19 vaccines possible.

Dr. Katalin Karikó, the 13^th woman to ever receive the honor, and Dr. Drew Weissman, be...

Beating 'Middle-Age Spread':  Carbs You Should and Shouldn't Eat

MONDAY, Oct. 2, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- A diet rich in whole grains, fruits and non-starchy vegetables is the best recipe for middle-aged folks trying to keep their weight under control, new research finds.

Low in added sugar, yet rich in vitamins and minerals, such foods are considered “high-quality” carbs, investig...

Germs Love Two Skin 'Hot Spots' on Your Body

Grandma knew it all along: Certain places on the body are "hot spots" for unhealthy microbes.

That notion — which the authors of a new study dubbed “the grandma hypothesis,” after grandma’s admonitions to clean behind the ears — was tested by students in a genomics course at George Washington (GW) University in Washington, D.C.

Third of Medicaid Patients With Opioid Use Disorder Don't Get Treatment

MONDAY, Oct. 2, 2023 (HealthDay News) – Medications that cut cravings have been shown to help with opioid use disorder, yet nearly a third of Medicaid recipients dealing with opioid addiction aren’t getting them, a new report shows.

There were significant disparities in who gets these medications by age, race and stat...

Scientists Gain Insight Into How COVID Harms the Heart

New research shows the COVID-19 virus can directly infect coronary arteries, inflaming fatty plaque inside them, which can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

This may explain why some people who get COVID-19 have a greater chance of developing heart disease. It also may shed light on why those who already have heart trouble dev...

Diabetes Could Speed Progression of Blood Cancer Myeloma

Diabetes may accelerate the growth of a blood cancer known as multiple myeloma, affecting overall survival, according to a new study.

The research, published Sept. 29 in the journal Blood Advances, also underscores differences in survival outcomes for Black patients versus white patients with both conditions. In this stud...

Exercise Can Preserve Astronauts' Heart Health on Long Space Flights

MONDAY, Oct. 2, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Extensive exercise regimens are keeping astronauts healthy and protecting their hearts during extended space missions, new research finds.

A study from scientists at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas found no loss of heart mass or output, and no loss of function in the heart...

Celiac Disease vs. Gluten Intolerance: What's the Difference?

For most people, there’s no reason to give up gluten for good.

But that’s not so easy for folks with two gluten-related medical conditions: celiac disease and gluten intolerance, according to Dr. Sarmed Sami, a gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London.

He offers some details about this protein and the two h...

Mammograms: An Expert Overview on Why They're So Important

SUNDAY, Oct. 1, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Mammograms have long offered early detection of breast cancer, which is why getting them regularly is crucial to women’s health, one expert says.

“There are several risk factors associated with breast cancer. As with many other diseases, risk of developing breast cancer increa...

Take These Steps to 'Fall-Proof' Your Home

SATURDAY, Sept. 30, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- The risk of falls increases in older age, and along with it, the risk for serious physical or psychological damage, but there are steps people can take to help prevent these accidents.

Each year, about 27% of adults 65 and older fall and about 10% of those are injured.

“If you'v...

FDA Will Begin to Regulate Thousands of Lab Tests

Faced with growing reports of inaccurate clinical lab tests, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday announced that it will for the first time regulate these vital diagnostic tools.

Many Americans might have assumed that the FDA already had oversight of all medical tests; it does not.

However, FDA Commissioner Dr. ...

Want a Healthy Old Age? Get Your Finances in Order Now

FRIDAY, Sept. 29, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Planning for your long-term financial future doesn’t just make good economic sense — it could also save your life.

People in both the United States and the United Kingdom have a higher risk of dying prematurely if they aren’t engaged in long-term financial planning, according to a r...

COVID Triggered More Cases of Deadly Sepsis During Pandemic Than Thought

The life-threatening infection sepsis was more common than once thought among COVID-19 patients early in the pandemic.

Massachusetts researchers linked SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, to about 1 in 6 sepsis cases at five Boston hospitals during the pandemic's first 2-1/2 years.

Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital...

Jimmy Carter 'Happy' in At-Home Hospice Care as 99th Birthday Nears

FRIDAY, Sept. 29, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Former President Jimmy Carter turned quite a few heads last week when he made a surprise visit to the Plains Peanut Festival in Georgia.

Carter, who turns 99 on Sunday, decided back in February “to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instea...

Biden Administration Says Insurance Issues With COVID Shots Mostly Fixed

FRIDAY, Sept. 29, 2023 (HealthDay News) – Despite reports of trouble last week where some people may have been denied insurance coverage while seeking COVID shots at pharmacies, the Biden administration said Thursday those issues have been ironed out.

That issue is "largely, if not completely," resolved after U.S. Healt...

Getting COVID Shot During Pregnancy Helps Protect Newborns, CDC Study Finds

FRIDAY, Sept. 29, 2023 (HealthDay News) – When pregnant women get a COVID vaccine, it helps protect their newborns from the virus, a new government study shows.

"These findings indicate that maternal vaccination during pregnancy could help prevent COVID-19–related hospitalization in infants too young to be vaccinated,...

Most Older Americans Object to Cancer Screening Cutoffs Based on Life Expectancy: Poll

FRIDAY, Sept. 29, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- While guidelines for cancer screening have begun factoring in life expectancy, a new poll shows a majority of older adults disagree with age cutoffs based on how long a person is expected to live.

The University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging queried more than 2,500 adults age...

Childbirth Can Leave New Parents in Serious Medical Debt

New parents bringing home their bundle of joy often carry something else with them as they leave the hospital: medical debt.

That's according to new research from Michigan Medicine that found postpartum women are more likely to have medical debt than those who are pregnant.

The researchers studied this by evaluating collections among...

Brains of Patients With Post-Op Delirium Could Be More Vulnerable

Delirium is common after older patients have surgery and can cause serious complications and distress, but its cause has been a mystery.

New research has found that patients who develop postoperative delirium have increased openings in the blood-brain barrier, the layer of cells that prevent substances from entering the brain.

“The...

Kids With Eczema May Need Further Allergy Tests

FRIDAY, Sept. 29, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Some children who have a common form of eczema should also be tested for allergic reactions because they may have a second allergic-type eczema, a new study suggests.

While atopic dermatitis is common and usually develops by age 5, allergic contact dermatitis has similar symptom...