80 MONKEYPOX CASES CONFIRMED IN 11 COUNTRIES – May 20, 2022
CHILDHOOD CV RISK FACTORS PREDICT ADULT CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS – May 20, 2022
CDC STRENGTHENS RECOMMENDATIONS AND ELIGIBILITY FOR COVID-19 BOOSTErs – may 20, 2022
MASSACHUSETTS PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS CONFIRM CASE OF MONKEYPOX – May 19, 2022
EARLIER INTERVENTION FOR SEVERE ASYMPTOMATIC AORTIC STENOSIS REDUCES ALL CAUSE MORTALITY – MAY 18, 2022
EMERGING GENOMIC TEST ABLE TO DETECT MUTATIONS IN 500-PLUS CANCER-RELATED GENES – MAY 18, 2022
Paxlovid Use Jumped 315% Over the Past Four Weeks Says HHS – May 17, 2022
FDA AUTHORIZES COVID-19 BOOSTER FOR HEALTHY 5- TO 11-YEAR-OLDS – May 17, 2022
UPDATE ON MONKEYPOX CASES IN ENGLAND – May 16, 2022
Feature Stories
Monkeypox: Signs, Symptoms, Treatment, and Vaccine Info
Today the World Health Organization reported 80 confirmed cases of monkeypox with another possible 50 being investigated worldwide. In the US, there is a case in Massachusetts, another possible case in New York, and the CDC advised healthcare professionals in the US to be on the lookout for more cases. Monkeypox was first discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of
Older Adults Share How to Age Well – Even During a Pandemic
New findings from the National Poll on Healthy Aging show that most people over 50 years of age say their health is as good as it was before the start of the pandemic in March 2020, or even better. While the majority of the results were positive, 20% of those in their 50s and early 60s, and 14% of those over
Prices Paid to Hospitals by Private Health Plans 224% of what Medicare Paid in 2020
A new RAND Corporation report finds that during 2020 the prices paid by employers and private insurers for both inpatient and outpatient services averaged 224% of what Medicare would have paid. Unlike many other studies that have examined health care price variation, this study reports prices and identifies hospitals and groups of hospitals under joint ownership (hospital systems) by name. The
Albuterol–Budesonide Fixed-Dose Inhaler Reduces Risk of an Asthma Attack
Data from the phase 3 Mandala trial shows that a fixed dose of albuterol and budesonide when met its primary endpoint by demonstrating statistically significant and clinically meaningful reductions in the risk of severe exacerbations compared to albuterol, when used as a rescue medicine. “This represents a paradigm shift in the treatment of asthma. We see this combination treatment, which
Formula Facts
With the nationwide shortage of baby formula, some readers have had questions about what formulas are safe for their babies. Here are some answers and resources. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates commercial infant formulas to make sure they meet minimum nutritional and safety requirements. Approximately 80% of the formula sold in the US is based on cow’s
May is American Stroke Awareness Month
Stroke accounts for an estimated 1 of every 19 deaths in the United States. On average, someone dies of a stroke every 3 and a half minutes. Strokes disproportionately affect women. The data shows that about 55,000 more women than men have a stroke each year. When a stroke occurs, seconds matter. The American Heart Association recommends watching for the
CVD Risks Among Asian Americans Vary by Asian Ethnicity Subgroups
Asian Americans make up the fastest-growing racial/ethnic group in the U.S., increasing 81% – from 11 million to 19 million – between 2000 and 2019. A large, retrospective study published today in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes found that death rates for cardiovascular diseases in the U.S. varied among people from various Asian ethnicity subgroups. “For a long time, because Asian Americans
Study Finds Humor the Most Successful Flirting Skill?
A new study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology’s (NTNU) Department of Psychology, Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, and the State University of New York at Oswego have found that humor is the most effective flirting technique. “What’s most effective depends on your gender and whether the purpose of the flirtation is a long-term or short-term relationship,” says Leif Edward
US Excess COVID Death Rate: 1,118,540, WHO Global Excess Death Rate: 14.9 million
The official COVID-19 death rate in the US is approaching the grim milestone of 1 million, while the excess-death rate is 1,118,540. The World Health Organization reports that the global number of excess deaths between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2021 was approximately 14.9 million (ranging from 13.3 million to 16.6 million). As of 5 pm EST on May
Not Getting Enough Good Quality Sleep Undermines Weight Loss
New research finds that not getting enough good quality sleep undermines an individual’s attempts to keep weight off after dieting. The good news is that about 2 hours of vigorous physical activity per week can help promote better sleep. “It was surprising to see how losing weight in adults with obesity improved sleep duration and quality in such a short
Women and Black Adults with Chest Pain Wait Longer for Care in ED
Chest pain accounts for approximately 6.5 million visits to emergency departments (ED) and 4 million outpatient visits each year in the US. Overall, the rate of acute myocardial infarctions (AMI) are declining, however, are becoming more commonplace among young adults in the US. It has also been shown that women 55 years and younger who present with AMI have more
Emphysema Severity May be Indicator of a Higher Risk of Lung Cancer
The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2022 an estimated 236,740 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed and 130,180 deaths will occur from this disease. Lung cancer accounts for almost 25% of all cancer deaths in the US. Most cases occur in individuals who are 65 years or older; however, a very small number of people who are
Monkeypox: Signs, Symptoms, Treatment, and Vaccine Info
Today the World Health Organization reported 80 confirmed cases of monkeypox with another possible 50 being investigated worldwide. In the US, there is a case in Massachusetts, another possible case in New York, and the CDC advised healthcare professionals in the US to be on the lookout for more cases. Monkeypox was first discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of
Older Adults Share How to Age Well – Even During a Pandemic
New findings from the National Poll on Healthy Aging show that most people over 50 years of age say their health is as good as it was before the start of the pandemic in March 2020, or even better. While the majority of the results were positive, 20% of those in their 50s and early 60s, and 14% of those over
Prices Paid to Hospitals by Private Health Plans 224% of what Medicare Paid in 2020
A new RAND Corporation report finds that during 2020 the prices paid by employers and private insurers for both inpatient and outpatient services averaged 224% of what Medicare would have paid. Unlike many other studies that have examined health care price variation, this study reports prices and identifies hospitals and groups of hospitals under joint ownership (hospital systems) by name. The
Albuterol–Budesonide Fixed-Dose Inhaler Reduces Risk of an Asthma Attack
Data from the phase 3 Mandala trial shows that a fixed dose of albuterol and budesonide when met its primary endpoint by demonstrating statistically significant and clinically meaningful reductions in the risk of severe exacerbations compared to albuterol, when used as a rescue medicine. “This represents a paradigm shift in the treatment of asthma. We see this combination treatment, which
Formula Facts
With the nationwide shortage of baby formula, some readers have had questions about what formulas are safe for their babies. Here are some answers and resources. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates commercial infant formulas to make sure they meet minimum nutritional and safety requirements. Approximately 80% of the formula sold in the US is based on cow’s
May is American Stroke Awareness Month
Stroke accounts for an estimated 1 of every 19 deaths in the United States. On average, someone dies of a stroke every 3 and a half minutes. Strokes disproportionately affect women. The data shows that about 55,000 more women than men have a stroke each year. When a stroke occurs, seconds matter. The American Heart Association recommends watching for the
CVD Risks Among Asian Americans Vary by Asian Ethnicity Subgroups
Asian Americans make up the fastest-growing racial/ethnic group in the U.S., increasing 81% – from 11 million to 19 million – between 2000 and 2019. A large, retrospective study published today in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes found that death rates for cardiovascular diseases in the U.S. varied among people from various Asian ethnicity subgroups. “For a long time, because Asian Americans
Study Finds Humor the Most Successful Flirting Skill?
A new study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology’s (NTNU) Department of Psychology, Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, and the State University of New York at Oswego have found that humor is the most effective flirting technique. “What’s most effective depends on your gender and whether the purpose of the flirtation is a long-term or short-term relationship,” says Leif Edward
US Excess COVID Death Rate: 1,118,540, WHO Global Excess Death Rate: 14.9 million
The official COVID-19 death rate in the US is approaching the grim milestone of 1 million, while the excess-death rate is 1,118,540. The World Health Organization reports that the global number of excess deaths between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2021 was approximately 14.9 million (ranging from 13.3 million to 16.6 million). As of 5 pm EST on May
Not Getting Enough Good Quality Sleep Undermines Weight Loss
New research finds that not getting enough good quality sleep undermines an individual’s attempts to keep weight off after dieting. The good news is that about 2 hours of vigorous physical activity per week can help promote better sleep. “It was surprising to see how losing weight in adults with obesity improved sleep duration and quality in such a short
Women and Black Adults with Chest Pain Wait Longer for Care in ED
Chest pain accounts for approximately 6.5 million visits to emergency departments (ED) and 4 million outpatient visits each year in the US. Overall, the rate of acute myocardial infarctions (AMI) are declining, however, are becoming more commonplace among young adults in the US. It has also been shown that women 55 years and younger who present with AMI have more
Emphysema Severity May be Indicator of a Higher Risk of Lung Cancer
The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2022 an estimated 236,740 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed and 130,180 deaths will occur from this disease. Lung cancer accounts for almost 25% of all cancer deaths in the US. Most cases occur in individuals who are 65 years or older; however, a very small number of people who are