FRIDAY, March 26, 2021 (HealthDay News) — When people die some cells in their brains go on for hours, even getting more active and growing to gargantuan proportions, new research shows. Awareness of this activity, spurred on by “zombie genes,” could affect research into diseases that affect the brain. ForContinue Reading

FRIDAY, March 26, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Using cellphones to track patients’ painkiller use, a new study found more than 60% of opioid painkillers prescribed to surgical patients after their procedures went unused. That has implications for the ongoing epidemic of opioid misuse in the United States, where unused medicationsContinue Reading

THURSDAY, March 25, 2021 (HealthDay News) — A drug with a 30-year track record as an effective tool for fighting cancer may significantly improve memory and thinking in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease, new research suggests. Sargramostim (brand name: Leukine) has long been used after cancer treatment to coax aContinue Reading

WEDNESDAY, March 24, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Heavy bleeding following birth can threaten the life of the mother, and doctors at times turn to a hysterectomy to end the bleeding. But a new study suggests a less invasive, underused procedure might be a better, less drastic option. Investigators determined thatContinue Reading

WEDNESDAY, March 24, 2021 (HealthDay News) — After a sharp drop early in the COVID-19 pandemic, rates of routine breast and colon cancer screening soon returned to near-normal levels, a new study finds. “These are the first findings to show that, despite real fears about the consequences of drop-off inContinue Reading

WEDNESDAY, March 24, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Total knee replacement is a cost-effective treatment for extremely obese people with knee osteoarthritis, a new study claims. The painful condition affects more than 14 million U.S. adults, and total knee replacement is often recommended to treat advanced knee osteoarthritis. However, concerns aboutContinue Reading

MONDAY, March 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) — For those who suffer painful arthritis in their aging knees, new research suggests a noninvasive treatment might deliver lasting relief. Called genicular artery embolization, the roughly two-hour catheter treatment involves a once-and-done injection of tiny hydrogel particles into arterial pathways in the kneeContinue Reading

MONDAY, March 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Looking to shed some of those pandemic pounds? A new analysis says wearables like Fitbit and Apple Watch can help people slim down. The researchers examined studies involving commercial health wearables and adults who were overweight/obese or had a chronic health condition. AfterContinue Reading

MONDAY, March 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Lab-created heart valves that grow with the recipient could spare kids born with heart defects from the repeated valve-replacement surgeries they now endure. University of Minnesota researchers found that lab-created valves implanted in young lambs for a year were capable of growing withinContinue Reading

FRIDAY, March 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The antibiotic cefazolin is a safe alternative to prevent infection in most surgical patients who are allergic to penicillin, according to a new study. Cefazolin is a type of antibiotic known as a cephalosporin. It’s the recommended antibiotic for most surgical procedures, butContinue Reading

THURSDAY, March 18, 2021 (HealthDay News) — An ongoing debate about when and how often women should undergo screening mammograms is intensifying in medical circles. A new study and an editorial published online March 15 in JAMA Internal Medicine are adding new fuel to the fight. The research suggests manyContinue Reading