MONDAY, Sept. 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — After routine surgery, a “virtual” follow-up visit might be just as good as a traditional office appointment, a new study suggests. Researchers found that surgery patients who had video follow-up appointments were just as satisfied with their care as those who made aContinue Reading

MONDAY, Sept. 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Hospitalized opioid addicts die at a rate similar to people who have a heart attack after leaving the hospital. Nearly 8% of patients addicted to opioids died within 12 months of hospital discharge, according to researchers from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU).Continue Reading

MONDAY, Sept. 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — If you have a cardiac arrest, your odds of survival are best in an airport or airplane, a new study finds. That’s because automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are readily available and so are people ready to help, researchers explained. “Our findings emphasize thatContinue Reading

MONDAY, Sept. 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — It’s not just athletes on the field who suffer when outdoor temperatures get too high. Members of college and high school marching bands are at increased risk of heat-related illness, too, researchers warn. “They go out there, and they often wear these reallyContinue Reading

SUNDAY, Sept. 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) — When hair sprouts where you don’t want it, you can always shave, but other ways to remove unwanted body hair can last longer. The downside: Chemical hair removers can cause burning, itching or redness. “Hair removal creams, lotions and gels are quick andContinue Reading

FRIDAY, Sept. 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) — An advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday recommended a third Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine booster shot for all Americans aged 65 or older, as well as for those deemed to be at high risk for severe illness. According toContinue Reading

FRIDAY, Sept. 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Pfizer is expanding the recall of its anti-smoking drug Chantix (varenicline), the company announced Friday. The nationwide recall of all Chantix 0.5 mg and 1 mg tablets was prompted because they may contain levels of a nitrosamine, N-nitroso-varenicline, that are at or aboveContinue Reading

FRIDAY, Sept. 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Treating sickle cell anemia with the drug hydroxyurea may also reverse related heart abnormalities, a new study suggests. Heart issues are common among people with sickle cell disease. Among them are enlargement of the heart and an impaired ability to relax heart muscles,Continue Reading

FRIDAY, Sept. 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) — When the COVID-19 public health emergency ends, a new crisis in insurance coverage in the United States may begin. Fifteen million Americans who enrolled in Medicaid during the pandemic could lose their coverage when the emergency declaration ends, according to an analysis byContinue Reading

THURSDAY, Sept. 16, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The “white cane” that many blind people rely on for navigating the world hasn’t been upgraded in a century, but researchers are reporting progress on a “robo-cane” they hope will modernize the assistive device. The prototype cane is equipped with a color 3DContinue Reading