A traditional heart bypass, rather than angioplasty, may be a better choice even for older patients, as long as they are strong enough to withstand the more invasive procedure, according to a new study.
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This much has long been known: Black women in the U.S. are 40 percent more likely to develop cervical cancer and twice as likely to die from it than their white counterparts. Doctors have believed for some time that this disparity can be attributed to black women s having less ready access to screening and follow-up care.
We wouldn t blame you for being confused by the latest headlines linking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to an increased risk of breast cancer. Back in 2002, a flawed interpretation of data from the Women s Health Initiative study first noted this association. Yet this year, new findings showed just the opposite: Menopausal women can ease their symptoms with hormone therapy without fear of additional risk.
Smokers attempting to quit commonly find themselves relapsing, even if they manage to abstain for a period of time. However, a new study, in the journal Addiction, suggests that those who continue to use a nicotine patch even when they experience a relapse may be slightly better off.
A new study has found that young women who use the injectable contraceptive Depo-Provera for a year or more have about double the risk of breast cancer. This drug has been available for over 20 years.
Yesterday we addressed the dangers of Aristolochia, an herb whose medicinal use dates from antiquity, and which remains in use as a dietary supplement today. Now, as the potential for adverse health effects associated with supplement use becomes more clear, the FDA is calling for supplement manufacturers to provide more information on the safety of new ingredients.
Phthalates, a type of chemical commonly used to make plastic products flexible (ranging from rubber duckies to medical devices), are benign substances that serve a variety of purposes. Yet despite the numerous credible scientific studies that support this chemical s safety, a number of activist groups continue to insist that phthalates are dangerous for children.
Here s another drop in the bucket of needless health scare stories: A study presented at the American College of Cardiology meeting in Chicago finds that pregnancy increases the risk of heart attack by three- to four-fold. However, a look at the figures for absolute risk shows that this increase amounts to just one heart attack for every 16,000 deliveries. Not quite the crisis that the headlines suggest.
Throughout the ages, people have resorted to countless methods to cure the common cold, yet such bugs continue to plague people around the world, with no cure in sight. However, the results of a recent meta-analysis suggests that there may be an evidence-based treatment that could shorten a cold s duration even if it s still not the cure we ve been searching for.
Residents of Washington state: Brace yourselves. Public health officials have warned that the state is on track for the worst epidemic of pertussis, or whooping cough, since the 1940s. So far this year, over 1,100 cases of the disease have been confirmed, and 20 infants have been hospitalized. We re seeing 100 to 125 new cases every week, says Tim Church, a spokesman for the state Health Department, who also predicts that Washington will end the year with about 3,000 whooping cough cases total.
ACSH has a long history of balancing hype from various sources with evidence-based science, especially when it comes to countering sensationalized studies that rely on questionable methodologies.
In a blog post that would be funny if the topic weren t so distressing, ACSH advisor Dr. Michael Siegel, professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health, criticizes the FDA s latest announcement warning smokers about the dangers of using electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes).
The toll of prescription painkiller abuse is rising and, according to the CDC, oxycodone and hydrocodone overdose claimed over 14,000 lives in 2008 alone. And to add to the arsenal of creative ploys such as doctor shopping that addicts use to gain access to these drugs, many are now heading to emergency room departments and complaining of toothaches in order to get their prescription fix.
Asthma rates in the U.S. have been rising over the past 10 years, reaching the highest level ever in 2010, according to a new report from the CDC. The report assessed data from the National Health Interview Survey, which included self-reported diagnoses of asthma among a nationally representative sample of Americans. The results indicate that, while in 2001 about 7.3 percent of people in the U.S. reported having asthma, as of 2010, this number rose to 8.4 percent.
While there are many reasons to continue brushing and flossing your teeth, improved cardiovascular health is unlikely to be one of them, according to a new scientific statement by an American Heart Association (AHA) expert committee. The statement, published in the AHA journal Circulation, draws from the expert committee s review of 500 journal articles and studies that, ultimately, did not confirm a causative link between gum disease (or any oral or dental condition) and cardiovascular diseas
Hey, cancer survivors! Now hear this: Eat healthier and exercise more! These remarkably obvious recommendations are part of the latest guidelines for cancer survivors issued by the American Cancer Society (ACS). According to this "groundbreaking" alert, maintaining a healthy weight through proper nutrition and physical exercise can reduce the risk of cancer relapse.
Earlier this week, we discussed a new study that found that in vitro fertilization (IVF), along with another assisted reproductive technology called ICIS (intracytoplasmic sperm injection), was associated with a significant increase in a baby s risk of birth defects. However, ACSH advisor Dr. Robert Brent, who is also Professor of Pediatrics, Radiology, and Pathology at Jefferson Medical College Research Department and Alfred I.
Josh Bloom, Medical Progress Today Spotlight Feature 5/10/12
Me-too? Says who?
In an op-ed for Forbes, Angela Logomasini, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, takes the EPA to task for attempting to skirt the standard regulatory system on chemical regulation. She describes an insidious new policy called Design for the Environment, which is effectively restricting certain substances by putting pressure on manufacturers to voluntarily remove them from the market.
As if the health hazards of smoking weren t reason enough to avoid the habit, extensive exposure to second-hand smoke has also been known to have adverse health effects, particularly for children who live with a smoking parent. Now, a new study presented at the ATS 2012 International Conference finds that the respiratory symptoms we often see in children who live with a smoker may actually extend into adulthood.
The nasty bacterial infection, Clostridium difficile (C. diff), is making its way out of the hospital and into the community. Hospital patients have long been at risk of acquiring this infection, but a new study presented at the Digestive Disease Week s annual medical conference indicates that now children who aren t hospitalized are also being infected at increasingly high rates.
Last year, the U.S. saw 222 measles cases the highest number since 1996, a statistic that public health officials are now using to remind kids and adults to get vaccinated. And because 200 of the identified cases were imported from abroad and from countries one might not immediately associate with the disease, including France and Italy the latest warning is especially important to those traveling.
When folks here at ACSH hear the term cancer phobia, we instinctively assume it means the pervasive fear that exposure to certain chemicals or environmental factors will undoubtedly increase one s risk of cancer. Yet in a recent op-ed for The New York Times, science journalist David Ropeik uses the label in quite a different way: He describes the sense of doom that many patients experience upon receiving a cancer diagnosis, or simply when they hear the word cancer.
A June 5th referendum in California will determine whether a one-dollar tax will be added to cigarette packs sold in the state. Right now, survey results suggest that voters support the measure by a slim margin: 50 percent of those polled were in favor, while 42 percent were opposed and 8 percent remained undecided.ACSH's Dr. Elizabeth Whelan, for one, will be watching the voting outcome with interest.
Less than a decade ago, almost a third of South African babies were born infected with HIV.
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