Light-to-moderate smoking doubles the risk of sudden death in women. In women with heart disease, quitting smoking lowers the risk to that of nonsmokers in 15 to 20 years.
Hormone therapy is no longer recommended for chronic disease prevention, although experts say many women can still use it early in menopause to relieve symptoms.
A pill that contains several different heart medications is being investigated as a way to help people take the medicines they need.
After receiving a bioprosthetic heart valve, using warfarin for three to six months can lower the risk of a blood clot without increasing the risk of unwanted bleeding.
CT scanning has many health benefits but also carries a small risk of causing cancer over a lifetime of exposure. The risks for older adults are very small. At any age, it is still wise to limit CT scans to what you need.
Problems in manufacturing occasionally occur with both generic and brand-name drugs. FDA protocols enable problems to be caught quickly and remedied immediately.
Walking at least 6,000 steps a day can help reduce a woman’s risk for heart disease and diabetes, even if she’s already gone through menopause.
Strokes that produce only mild symptoms still damage brain cells. The accumulated damage from several mild strokes may be harmful and irreversible. Anyone who experiences the symptoms of stroke, no matter how mild, should call 911.
Probiotics may help ease the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. But they shouldn’t be used by individuals with compromised immune systems.
Obtaining the generally recommended amount of daily physical activity-150 minutes a day-extends lifespan by up to five years. Men who were moderately active at age 20 could expect to gain 2.4 years over a lifetime.