Breaking a myth that cardiovascular diseases are an urban lifestyle phenomenon, a three-year-long study in 45 villages of Andhra Pradesh has revealed that heart-related problems are the largest killer in rural areas too.
Pregnant women and newborns should avoid exposure to the fumes of solvents used in house renovations.
A relatively new kind of antibiotic has been found to provide faster relief from an asthma attack, but more research is necessary before the drug can be prescribed, says a study.
A Singapore company has used stem cells to help victims of serious burns and other wounds grow fresh skin, its chief medical officer said in a report published Friday.
Results from a controlled clinical trial indicate that overweight people who cut their calories by 25 percent for six months have reduced fasting insulin levels and core body temperature, two markers for which lower levels have been associated with increased longevity in humans. The present study is part of a project sponsored by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), a component of the National Institutes of Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to learn more about the effects of sustained low calorie diets in humans on factors affecting aging.
Men and women with elevated blood pressure who make healthy lifestyle changes and sustain them for up to a year and a half can substantially reduce their rates of high blood pressure and potentially decrease their heart disease risk. With behavioral counseling, increases in physical activity, and adoption of a healthy eating plan called DASH, rates of high blood pressure dropped from 37 to 22 percent among participants in a study conducted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health.
Researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), have identified a critical human cell surface molecule involved in infection by Kaposi’s sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV), the virus that causes Kaposi’s sarcoma and certain forms of lymphoma. Kaposi’s sarcoma is a major cancer associated with HIV/AIDS, and it typically manifests as multiple purple-hued skin lesions.
A vaccine that protects women against a virus that causes cervical cancer is effective for more than four years, researchers said. They found that women given GlaxoSmithKline Plc’s cervical cancer vaccine Cervarix had high levels of antibodies against two of types of the human papillomavirus (HPV) for up to 4.5 years after receiving their last dose.
Patients who underwent a minimally invasive procedure to reduce their risk of a stroke by clearing plaque from neck arteries had unexpected gains in memory and mental skills, according to a study that will be presented today at a medical conference in Toronto.
It might be regarded as a statement of the obvious. But scientists have proved what everyone else takes for granted – that laughter really is good for you. It turns out that even the anticipation of watching a funny video can raise the levels of immune-boosting hormones in the blood and the benefits can last up to a day.