-
Private Medicare Plans Must Cover Biogen's ALS Drug
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has directed private insurers providing Medicare Advantage plans to cover Biogen's amyotrophic lateral sclerosis drug Qalsody after finding instances of coverage denial. Qalsody received the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's...
-
Some Breast Cancer Patients Can Avoid Surgery
Some early breast cancer patients can safely avoid specific surgeries, according to two studies exploring ways to lessen treatment burdens. One new study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, examines whether removing lymph nodes is always necessary in early...
-
Common Blood Test Could Spot Multiple Diseases
A blood draw is a typical part of a person's regular check-up. But that blood sample might hold a lot more useful information about a person's health than doctors are currently getting. A new study shows that a routine part of a blood test called the complete blood count...
-
Blood Pressure Fluctuations Harmful to Brain
Keeping your blood pressure in check is important for more than just heart health - it can also keep your brain sharp as you age. A new study published Dec. 11 in the journal Neurology shows that seniors whose blood pressure spikes and drops over time might be more likely to...
-
Young People at Greatest Risk From Heat Deaths
Heat waves caused by climate change have been thought to pose the greatest risk to the world's elderly, but a new study from Mexico suggests that's not the case at all. Instead, three-quarters (75%) of heat-related deaths are occurring there among people younger than 35,...
-
Ultra-Processed Foods May Add Fat to Your Thighs
Eating lots of ultra-processed foods appears linked to a buildup of fat in the thighs, which in turn raises a person's odds for arthritis in the knees, new research shows. "In an adult population at risk for but without knee or hip osteoarthritis, consuming ultra-processed...
-
Lung Cancer Survival Improved By 26 Percent
More people with lung cancer are living longer, but it remains America's deadliest cancer, a new state-by-state report shows. "There is more work to do, but I am incredibly optimistic about the future of lung cancer care," said Harold Wimmer, president and CEO of the...
-
Increasing Exercise After 40 May Add 5 Years to Life
If you're over 40 and raise your levels of exercise to that of the top 25% of your peers, you might gain an average of five more years of life, a new study calculates. For over-40 folks in the lowest level of daily activity, a similar move could bring an average 11 extra...
-
Prostate Cancer Overtreatment Common in Older Men
Overtreatment of prostate cancer is increasing in the United States among men with limited life expectancy, a new study reports. Procedures like radiation therapy and prostate surgery are being employed more often in these men, causing side effects like incontinence and...
-
How to Support Our Veterans
This Veterans Day our country pauses to honor those who have served in the U.S. military. It is a day to remember and reflect upon the sacrifices of our veterans and thank them for their service. Veterans come from all walks of life and have fought in different wars and in...
-
Obesity-Linked Heart Deaths Nearly Tripled in US
Lives lost to obesity-related heart disease have nearly tripled over the past twenty years, a new study reports. Heart disease deaths linked to obesity increased 2.8-fold between 1999 and 2020, according to findings presented today at the American Heart Association's annual...
-
New Stroke Prevention Guidelines, 4th Biggest Killer
The majority of strokes could be prevented, according to new guidelines aimed at helping people and their doctors do just that. Stroke was the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and more than half a...
-
Now Is a Good Time to Get Your Flu, COVID Vaccines
If you missed the early fall push for flu and COVID-19 vaccines, it's not too late. Health officials say it's important to get vaccinated ahead of the holidays, when respiratory bugs tend to spread with travel and indoor celebrations. Those viruses haven't caused much trouble...
-
Science-Backed Strategies to Boost Your Memory
While aging may increase your risk of dementia, it is not an inevitable diagnosis. There are ways to safeguard your memory, according to WebMD. Here are some expert tips: Take vitamins. A healthy diet is the staple of optimal cognitive function, but research has shown...
-
Too Many Meds Can Harm Alzheimer's Patients
Alzheimer's disease patients prescribed fistfuls of daily drugs are at greater risk of harm, a new study warns. Patients with Alzheimer's prescribed five or more daily medications suffer from more symptoms, falls and hospitalizations, and they are at greater risk of death,...
-
Loneliness Significantly Increases Dementia Risk
A new study finds that lonely people are more than 30% more likely to develop dementia than those who don't experience loneliness. Florida State University College of Medicine researchers analyzed data from more than 600,000 men and women worldwide, combining results from...
-
More Hot Flashes Linked to Higher Diabetes Risk
Menopausal women with frequent hot flashes and night sweats are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes, a new study warns. Middle-aged women who regularly suffer those well-known symptoms of menopause are 50% more likely to wind up with Type 2 diabetes, researchers reported...
-
Dr. Crandall: Boost Your Winter Immunity Now
The weather is getting colder and winter, the holidays, and visiting relatives are right around the corner. And the miserable cold and flu season that comes along with the colder weather and indoor gatherings is approaching also. The time to prepare is now, says Chauncey...
-
How to Fall Safely
More than 14 million older adults in the United States fall each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Unfortunately, accidental falls are the primary cause of injury and deaths from injury for older adults. Learning the right way to take...
-
A Handful of Pistachio Nuts Can Save Your Sight
Researchers at Tufts University found that eating two ounces of pistachio nuts daily improved the eyesight of adults after just 12 weeks. Pistachio nuts are the only nuts that contain lutein, one of the compounds that help form protective pigments in the retina. These...
-
Money, Education Impact Your Odds for Dementia
Folks with more money and better education are at less risk for developing dementia as they grow older, a new study shows. People with advantaged backgrounds are less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment, and to progress from there to dementia, researchers found. They...
-
Gradual Dosing of Alzheimer's Drug Cuts Brain Risk
Starting on a more gradual dosing schedule of Eli Lilly's Alzheimer's drug Kisunla cut the percentage of patients experiencing potentially serious brain swelling, according to interim results of a late-stage trial presented at a medical meeting on Tuesday. At week 24 of the...
-
Muscles Bounce Back After Weight Training Breaks
For many reasons, bodybuilders and others involved in weight training might have to take a break from the gym. However, new Finnish research finds that even weeks-long interruptions in training won't hamper muscle-building efforts. "Of course, the break slows progress some,...
-
Study: Hospice Care Saves Medicare Money
Hospice care is a compassionate and heartfelt enterprise, involving a medical team dedicated to maintaining a person's comfort and dignity as they face the final curtain. Now, new research shows hospice is also incredibly cost-effective as a health care service, a new report...
-
How Long You Can Stand on One Leg Reflects Aging
There's a simple test available to seniors who want to quickly check how well they're aging: see how long you can stand on one leg. Folks over 50 who can stand on one leg for 30 seconds are aging gracefully, particularly if it's not their strong leg, a new study finds. This...