Climate Change Is Pushing More People to Get X-rays, CT Scans

There's yet another downside to global warming: Higher health care expenditures for medical scans on hot days.

So report Canadian researchers who discovered that periods of heat and air pollution bumped up demand for X-rays and CT scans by about 5%. Over time, that could really add up, said lead researcher Dr. Kate Hanneman. She's an asso...

Judge Declares Wyoming's Abortion Bans Unconstitutional

Two Wyoming abortion bans, including the first state law to prohibit the use of abortion pills, violate the state's constitution, a judge ruled Monday.

In her decision, Judge Melissa Owens, of Teton County District Court, wrote that both a ban on medication abortion and a broader ban on all methods of abortion “impede the fundamental...

Why Alarm Is Easing Over a Rise in Pancreatic Cancer Among the Young

Experts have been concerned by rising rates of pancreatic cancer in young adults, but new research reveals the jump in cases has not been accompanied by any increase in deaths from the disease.

Why? According to the scientists behind the finding, today's more highly sensitive imaging scans may be catching early, nonlethal cases of pancrea...

More Than Half of U.S. Adults Could Be Candidates for Ozempic

More than half of all American adults, almost 137 million people, could be candidates for the blockbuster GLP-1 drug semaglutide, a new analysis finds.

Sold as Ozempic for treating diabetes and Wegovy to spur weight loss, the medication could be indicated for those two purposes or to help prevent heart disease, explained a team led by Dr. ...

U.S. Alcohol-Linked Deaths Doubled in 20 Years

Alcohol-related deaths have surged in the United States, nearly doubling over 20 years, and a growing number of victims are women, a new study warns.

"Our study found significant gender differences in alcohol-related [death rates]," said senior author Yiota Kitsantas, head of population health and social medicine at the Florida Atlantic Un...

There's Been a Big Improvement in Lung Cancer Survival

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 American Lung Association (ALA), which documents improved survival rates ...

Newer Blood Thinner Cuts Odds for Stroke After Heart Valve Surgery

Japanese researchers say they have found a pill that works as well as existing medication to prevent blood clots after heart valve surgery, with fewer trips to the doctor.

Unlike warfarin, the standard treatment, edoxaban does not require regular monitoring of blood clotting activity and doesn't interact with other meds.

"Edoxaban co...

Most of the World's Cities Lack Enough Trees to Cool, Calm Residents

As climate changes sends summer temperatures higher worldwide, new research finds most urban residents don't have a key source of cooling shade: trees.

A study of eight cities around the globe found that only two -- Seattle and Singapore -- reached even the minimum recommendation of 30% of their buildings having adequate tree canopy nearby...

Ablation Best Treatment for Rapid Heartbeat in Heart Attack Survivors

New research suggests that a procedure now regarded as Plan B when patients have episodes of rapid heartbeat after a heart attack should be the go-to treatment.

Ablation is a minimally invasive procedure to treat abnormal electrical short circuits caused by a heart attack. These episodes -- called ventricular tachycardia (VT) -- are the mo...

Diabetes Meds Metformin, GLP-1s Can Also Curb Asthma

Drugs already taken by millions of diabetes patients appear to also help slash asthma attacks by up to 70%, new British research shows.

The two drugs are metformin, one of the most widely used diabetes medications, and the GLP-1 class of medications that include Ozempic, Mounjaro and Saxenda.

A study of nearly 13,000 people with di...

E. Coli Spurs Nationwide Organic Carrots Recall

An E. coli outbreak linked to organic carrots has sickened 39 people in 18 states, U.S. health officials reported Sunday.

Supplied by California-based Grimmway Farms and sold under popular brand names such as Nature’s Promise, Wegmans and Trader Joe’s, the tainted carrots have left at least one person dead and 15 others hospita...

First U.S. Case of New Mpox Strain Spotted in Traveler

As Africa continues to battle an outbreak of the newer "clade Ib" strain of mpox, California officials have confirmed the first known U.S. case of this strain of the virus.

The subtype of clade I mpox virus has already caused widespread misery in Congo and other Africa nations.

"This case was confirmed in an individual who recently ...

Poll Finds Many Parents Struggling to Manage Kids' Anger

Angry outbursts are common among children, as siblings squabble and kids protest the unfairness of rules like screen time limits.

Now, a new survey shows that many parents struggle to manage their kids’ anger, and some even suspect they’re not providing a good example themselves.

Seven in 10 parents think they sometimes d...

Certain Painkillers Can Raise Bleeding Risks for People on Blood Thinners

People on blood thinners have a doubled risk of dangerous internal bleeding if they also take a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like ibuprofen or naproxen, a new study warns.

People typically are prescribed blood thinners to treat or prevent strokes, heart attacks, or blood clots in the legs or lungs, researchers said.

N...

Climate Change to Blame for Almost 1 in 5 New Dengue Infections

One in five cases of dengue fever can be linked to climate change, and future surges in the mosquito-borne virus are inevitable, a new study says.

About 19% of current dengue cases can be tied to climate change, which has expanded the area within which mosquitos transmit disease both in the United States and around the world, researchers r...

Cocoa, Green Tea Might Counter Effects of 'Stress Eating' Fatty Foods

Folks who stress-eat fatty foods like cookies, chips and ice cream might be able to protect their health with a nice cup of cocoa or green tea, a new study says.

Drinking cocoa that’s high in healthy flavanols along with a fatty meal can counteract some of the impact of fats on the body, particularly the blood vessels, researchers fo...

When Schools Give Kids Time in Nature, Anxiety and Behavior Issues Ease

A dose of green may be just what school kids with anxiety, depression and other mental health issues need, new research shows.

Canadian investigators found that a school program that let 10- to 12-year-olds spend a little time each week in nature paid dividends in improving kids' mental well-being.

"Nature-based programs may offer ta...

New Prolapse Surgery Uses Women's Own Tissues to Restore Function

It’s possible to correct a woman’s pelvic prolapse using her own muscle tissue in robot-assisted surgery, a new study demonstrates.

In the procedure, tendon muscle is transferred from the thigh to the uterus or cervix, repairing a pelvic floor that’s become weakened and is allowing organs to press into each other, researc...

Your Heart's Shape Could Affect Your Health

It's long been known that certain structural qualities of the human heart -- its size, chamber volume -- can influence cardiovascular health.

British scientists say they're now discovering that the gene-directed shape of a person's heart might matter, too.

“This study provides new information on how we think about heart disease...

AI Helps Spot Liver Disease Early

AI can help doctors diagnose early cases of fatty liver disease, a new study says.

An AI program trained to spot a leading type of the disease, called metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), unearthed hundreds of undiagnosed cases among the electronic health records of patients within the University of Washington Medical Syst...