Blood and Blood Disorders

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Study Spots Ties Between Rheumatoid Arthritis, Other Diseases

People with inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes or blood clots may be at increased risk...
Could a Blood Test for Breast Cancer Become a Reality?

There’s early promise in the quest for a blood test that might spot breast cancer up...
For Men, Living Alone May Mean Poorer Control of Blood-Thinning Meds

Men who are on the blood-thinning drug warfarin have more difficulty taking the medication if they...

More Blood and Blood Disorders News

Health Tip: Avoiding Anemia
Anemia is a blood disorder characterized by a shortage of either red blood cells...
- Posted August 9, 2019
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Health Tip: Donate Blood Safely
Donating blood generally is safe, says Mayo Clinic. New, sterile equipment should be used...
- Posted August 8, 2019
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New Moms Can Save a Life By Donating Cord Blood
Pregnant women should keep in mind that donating their umbilical cord blood could save...
- Posted August 5, 2019
- 2
Health Tip: If You Bruise Easily
A bruise typically forms when small blood vessels near the skin’s surface break from...
- Posted August 2, 2019
- 9
What You Need to Know Before Your Next Blood Test
A blood test may seem like a simple thing, but it can do so...
- Posted July 28, 2019
- 2
Just How Harmful Is TV for Your Health?
Cautions about TV viewing are as old as television itself, but how bad is...
- Posted June 24, 2019
- 11
Scientists Spot Unexpected Player in Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a mysterious and misunderstood illness, but researchers may have uncovered at least...
- Posted May 16, 2019
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Are You Running Short on Iron?
Could you — or your teenage daughter — have an iron deficiency and not...
- Posted May 14, 2019
- 16
Gene Therapy May Help Fight Tough-to-Treat Blood Cancer
A gene therapy that tweaks the immune system might offer hope to people with...
- Posted May 2, 2019
- 7
Health Tip: Protect Yourself From Sepsis
Sepsis, the body’s overwhelming response to a blood infection, is a life-threatening medical emergency,...
- Posted April 30, 2019
- 5
Experimental Blood Thinner May Help Prevent Stroke, Without the Bleeding Risk
Researchers say an experimental stroke drug prevented blood clots without the typical side effect...
- Posted April 18, 2019
- 8

Are You Living with Psoriasis?

A growing knowledge of the skin disease called psoriasis is leading to greater treatment choices, including personalized therapies, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports.

Psoriasis is an immune system disorder that causes overproduction of skin cells, resulting in scaling, pain, swelling, redness and heat. The condition affects about 7.5 million Americans.

“As we better understand the disease, researchers know more about what specific factors to target in order to develop effective treatments,” FDA dermatologist Dr. Melinda McCord said in an agency news release.

There is no cure for psoriasis, so the main goals of treatments are to stop skin cell overproduction and reduce inflammation. Current therapies include medicines applied to the skin (topical), light treatment (phototherapy), or drugs taken by mouth or given by injection.

Doctors used to take a step-by-step approach, starting patients with mild to moderate psoriasis on topical therapy. If that was ineffective, doctors moved on to phototherapy or drug treatment.