In a new study, middle-aged men who smoked did worse on tests of cognitive ability over time, but women who lit up didn’t show the same declines.
Prevention
Exposure to Common Chemicals May Weaken Vaccine Response
A study finds disturbing evidence that chemicals found in furniture, fast-food packaging and microwave popcorn bags may compromise children’s immune systems.
Google Helps Emergency Room Docs to Predict Flu Trends
How bad is the flu season? Doctors are Googling the answer
Will an Aspirin Prolong Your Life? It Depends
Heart patients benefit from taking a low-dose aspirin daily, but the same same protection doesn’t extend to healthy people hoping to prevent a first heart attack
9-1-1 Operators Could Save More Lives By Coaching Callers in CPR
CPR can save lives, but most bystanders are reluctant to do it. Would you be more likely to perform CPR if a 9-1-1 operator talked you through it?
When Cancer Screening Does More Harm than Good
Screening for cancer is supposed to save lives, but not all experts recommend regular testing for cancer. Why?
US Heart Attack Patients More Likely to Land Back in the Hospital
In an international study of patients with severe heart attacks, Americans had shorter hospital stays but were much more likely to be readmitted to the hospital for complications
Bacteria Show Up in Hospital Rooms, Again
We get it — hospitals are crawling with germs. If it’s not your cell phone, the doctor’s coat or even the hands-free water faucet, then it’s the privacy curtain around the bed that’s tainted with unwanted bacteria.
A Blood Test to Predict Death? It Could Be Possible
Could a simple blood test predict a person’s risk of dying from heart disease or cancer?
Can a Tiny Electronic Tattoo Measure Your Vital Signs?
Information is the currency of modern medicine. Better diagnostic tools — think everything from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines to rapid genetic sequencing for new pathogens — enable better medical care.
Colon Cleansing: Not So Cleansing After All
How clean is your colon? If you’re tempted to find out by getting a colon cleanse, don’t bother. You’re quite likely to develop complications from the procedure and there’s no evidence that flushing out your colon has any …
Beat the Heat: 7 Hot-Weather Survival Tips for the Whole Family
As a deadly heat wave sweeps across the U.S. — soaring temperatures have contributed to at least 22 deaths this week — there’s one question on most people’s mind: How do I find relief?
Vampire Bat Saliva Could Lead to Stroke Treatment
Vampire bats have a well-known trick for getting the most blood out of their victims: an enzyme called desmoteplase, or DSPA, in their saliva that thins victims’ blood and helps it flow more freely. The good news for the rest of …