Umbilical cords of children whose mothers used selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors during pregnancy may be longer than umbilical cords of other newborn children, shows a new study from the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, SSRIs, are commonly prescribed antidepressants, and this is the first time their association with umbilical cord length was observed. The findings were published in PLOS ONE.
Culture
(Boston)--With opioid addiction and prescription drug abuse considered one of the biggest public health threats of our time in the U.S., many are asking why so many Americans are struggling with addiction to illegal drugs and prescription medications. New research suggests that chronic pain may be part of the answer.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Sandia National Laboratories video producer Myra Buteau swept a hand toward the top shelf of a bookcase stuffed with black cases of high-definition tapes. The biggest challenge in telling the story of Sandia's years of above-ground and underground nuclear weapon field tests, she said, was condensing the 100 hours of interviews on those tapes into a 32-minute historical documentary.
Boston, Mass. -- An FDA-approved clinical trial is underway at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Massachusetts General Hospital for Children to evaluate the use of a hypoglossal nerve stimulator -- a technology currently available to adults with severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) that stimulates the upper airway to facilitate breathing during sleep -- in a select group of adolescent patients with Down syndrome and OSA.
New research shows environmental pollutants could affect the chances a person will develop amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.
There is no cure for this rapidly progressive motor neuron disease, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Those afflicted eventually lose their strength and ability to move their arms, legs and body.
As part of a larger study on environmental risk factors for ALS, University of Michigan researchers published their work on pesticide and other environmental exposures in JAMA Neurology.
Philadelphia, PA, May 9, 2016 - Drowning is a global threat to human health. Each year, more than 372,000 people die as a result of drowning, with many of those deaths being preventable by simple water safety measures. In order to arm professionals with the most up-to-date clinical protocols, the Wilderness Medical Society (WMS) has issued a new set of practice guidelines for both the treatment and prevention of drowning, published in the society's official journal, Wilderness and Environmental Medicine.
The community of beneficial bacteria that live in our intestines, known as the gut microbiome, are important for the development and function of the immune system. There has been growing evidence that certain probiotics--therapies that introduce beneficial bacteria into the gut--may help alleviate some of the symptoms of intestinal disorders such as Crohn's disease.
PORTLAND, Ore., May 6, 2016 -- Children whose mothers gain excess weight or have elevated blood sugar during their pregnancies are more likely to become overweight or obese during their first decade of life, according to a new Kaiser Permanente study published today in Maternal and Child Health Journal.
Orlando, Fla. - Data from one of the largest national registries of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) patients shows that although women are more likely to experience vascular complications in the hospital, their one-year survival rate is more favorable than men. This STS/ACC TVT Registry™ analysis was presented today as a late-breaking clinical trial at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) 2016 Scientific Sessions in Orlando, Fla.
Orlando, Fla. - Women younger than 55 years of age who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are more likely to experience one-year adverse cardiovascular events due to risk factors such as diabetes and chronic kidney disease, yet they are less likely to receive potent antiplatelet therapy than men. The PROMETHEUS study found that outcomes for both men and women post-PCI are dependent on their baseline risk factors, not their sex.
Orlando, Fla. - The largest observational study of percutaneous transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) demonstrated that moderate sedation use is associated with improved patient outcomes, including lower 30-day mortality and shorter hospital stays, as compared to traditional general anesthesia. This STS/ACC TVT Registry™ analysis was presented today as a late-breaking clinical trial at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) 2016 Scientific Sessions in Orlando, Fla.
PHILADELPHIA - A new study finds the use of moderate sedation, in which patients do not need a breathing tube, leads to better clinical outcomes as compared to general anesthesia for patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).
On 28 April 2016 the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) published the results of a search for evidence-based guidelines on the treatment of people with rheumatoid arthritis. The aim of the report is to identify those recommendations from current guidelines of high methodological quality that may be relevant for a potential new disease management programme (DMP) "rheumatoid arthritis". According to the results of the report the recommendations cover nearly all important health care aspects; however, rehabilitation measures are only addressed sporadically.
PHILADELPHIA - Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), a rapid irregular heartbeat caused by pooling blood in the heart which can lead to heart failure and stroke, are often treated with an ablation, a minimally invasive procedure used to remove the tissue which causes the pooled blood. Following this procedure, patients are often prescribed long-term, daily oral anticoagulation medications -- also known as blood thinners.
There has been a lot of enthusiasm for nudging individuals to eat better without restricting choice by making healthy foods more visible, attractive, and convenient. One such effort is for restaurants to serve meals with a default healthy side, such as sliced apples instead of fries, while still allowing the customer to opt out of the healthy side in favor of their preferred side dish.