Heart beat: An egg a day may be A-okay
In people without diabetes, an egg a day does not increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. In all people, eating eggs lowers the risk of hemorrhagic stroke.
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Month: March 2013
News briefs: Sugary beverages raise diabetes risk; coffee and tea don’t
Sugar-sweetened beverages, whether caffeinated or decaffeinated, appear to be associated with higher risks of developing type 2 diabetes in both men and women. Coffee and tea appear to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
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Cardiac exercise stress testing: What it can and cannot tell you
Experts do not recommend routine cardiac stress testing in otherwise healthy people to check for hidden heart problems. But the procedure is useful for diagnosing chest pain, unexplained fatigue, and other possible signs of heart disease.
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Ask the doctor: What to take for shingles pain
People who have shingles can take famciclovir and valacyclovir to kill the virus and alleviate pain. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and acetaminophen may also be added. The use of glucocorticoid medicines for pain is debated.
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Learn how to sleep again
With aging, many people wake during the night and have trouble falling asleep again. It’s important to adopt good sleep habits before considering sleeping pills for persistent insomnia. Counseling called cognitive behavioral therapy can also help.
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In the journals: When a depression drug fails, add talk therapy
When a new depression medication medicine doesn’t lessen symptoms early in treatment, adding a form of psychological counseling called cognitive behavioral therapy can help.
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Arthroscopic shoulder surgery
Arthroscopy is a popular technique for shoulder surgery. It’s recommended to repair torn rotator cuff tendons (which keep the arm bone in the shoulder socket), dislocated shoulders, and torn ligaments, as well as to remove bone spurs and cartilage.
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What you should know about: Magnesium
The main reason to take a magnesium supplement is a documented low body magnesium, usually identified by a low blood level. A normal blood level range is 1.7 to 2.2 milligrams per deciliter. For most healthy people, it’s best to get magnesium from food.
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Bypass best for people with diabetes
People with diabetes often need a procedure to improve blood flow and avoid a heart attack. Those who undergo bypass surgery tend to live longer and are less likely to have a heart attack than those who undergo angioplasty.
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News briefs: Smartphone applications not always reliable to assess skin cancer
Phone applications that monitor suspicious moles for the deadly skin cancer melanoma may not be reliable. In a study, three out of four applications incorrectly classified 30% or more melanomas as unconcerning.
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