LA Wildfires Spewed Lead Into Atmosphere

The Los Angeles wildfires spewed toxic lead into the southern California atmosphere during their rampage, a new U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study says.

Airborne lead soared to 110 times normal levels during the wildfires, according to readings taken by an air monitoring site located about 14 miles from the Eaton C...

Childhood Long COVID Might Be Caused By Lower Blood Flow In Lungs

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 26, Blood flow problems within the lungs could be driving long COVID in some children, according to scans using an advanced form of MRI.

Children and teens with long COVID appear to have significantly reduced blood flow through their lungs, researchers reported in the journal Radiology.

This could cause fatig...

Listeria Outbreak From Frozen Shakes Kills 12, Sickens 38

A listeria outbreak tied to frozen shakes served in hospitals and long-term care facilities has sickened at least 38 people and killed 12, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The shakes, which are not sold in retail stores, were supplied to care facilities under the Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial brands. They are ...

Most Americans Don’t Know These Heart Disease Risks, Survey Shows

Many Americans don't realize how everyday habits and overlooked health issues can increase their risk for heart disease, according to a new Cleveland Clinic survey.

The nationwide survey found numerous gaps in heart health knowledge. For example: 

• 40% of repondents didn't know that using tobacco harms heart health.

Study Finds No Spike in Cardiac Arrest in Athletes During Pandemic

A new study has found no evidence that COVID vaccines increase the risk of sudden cardiac arrest in young athletes, despite numerous claims that circulated during the pandemic.

The six-year study — published Feb. 24 in JAMA Network Open — compared sudden cardiac arrests and deaths among competitive athletes aged 10 and...

Antidepressants Might Accelerate Dementia Decline

TUESDAY, Feb. 25, 2025 (HealthDay news) -- Antidepressants are frequently prescribed to people with dementia for symptoms like anxiety, depression, aggressiveness and sleeplessness.

But a specific class of antidepressant medications -- selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) -- actually might speed up brain decline among some demen...

Gynecological Problems Risk Heart, Brain Health

Women experience a great deal of pain or discomfort from common gynecological problems like endometriosis, heavy or irregular periods and ovarian cysts.

But even worse, these reproductive health problems might be increasing their risk of heart disease and stroke, according to new findings published Feb. 24 in the journal Heart.

More ER Docs Prescribing Meds To Fight Opioid Addiction

More emergency room doctors in California are prescribing the anti-addiction medication buprenorphine, contributing to the state’s battle against the U.S. opioid epidemic, a new study suggests.

About 16% of scrips written for buprenorphine in California came from an ER doctor in 2022, up from only 2% in 2017, researchers reported rec...

Just One Hour of Screen Time Increases Risk of Nearsightedness

Each hour a person spends squinting into a smartphone or staring at a screen increases their risk of nearsightedness, a new evidence review suggests.

Every daily one-hour increment in digital screen time is associated with 21% higher odds of myopia, researchers reported recently in JAMA Network Open.

What’s more, the r...

Night Shift Workers Might Lower Cancer Risk With Melatonin

Night shift workers face an increased risk of cancer, as their disrupted sleep cycle causes wear and tear on their DNA.

But taking melatonin might help ward off this risk, a new study suggests.

Folks on the night shift taking melatonin had a substantial increase in their urine of a biochemical that indicated better DNA repair while t...

Breast Cancer A Killer In Poor Countries, Report Says

Breast cancer deaths are expected to increase during the next quarter-century, largely impacting the world’s poorest nations, a new international study says.

About 1.1 million breast cancer-related deaths are projected to occur in 2050 worldwide, an increase of 68% from 2022, researchers estimated.

Low-income countries will bea...

Narcissists Feel Left Out and Fuel More Rejection, Study Finds

Narcissists may seem self-assured, but new research shows they often feel excluded -- and their behavior may be making things worse.

Hallmarks of narcissm include an inflated sense of one's importance, a hunger for admiration and negative response to criticism. The new research — published Feb. 20 in the Journal of Personality an...