Cardiac rehabilitation-a customized exercise and lifestyle education program that helps people recover after a heart attack-may lower your odds of needing a long-term hospital stay and might also extend your life.
Meditation involves quiet, focused attention on breathing, an object, or a word or phase known as a mantra. It can modestly lower blood pressure and may offer other cardiovascular benefits, some of which may work by dampening the body’s stress response.
A vaccine appears to protect against human papillomavirus (HPV) for 8 years, a new study finds. Human papillomavirus causes most cases of cervical cancer. This was a long-term follow-up to an earlier study. In the original study, more than 1,700 boys and girls were randomly assigned to receive the vaccine or placebo shots. Those who received the placebo were given the actual vaccine 2½ years later. Researchers called this the catch-up group. In the first group, the average child was 12 when vaccinated. In the catch-up group, the average age was 15. Each person received 3 doses. Researchers were able to keep track of more than 1,600 of the original study group. This included 1,100 from the first vaccination group. After up to 8 years (average 6.8), the vast majority of this group had blood antibodies against HPV.
My 88-year-old father has an unsteady gait. He has fallen a couple times at home, fortunately, with no serious injury. But he refuses to use the walker. How can we make his apartment as safe as possible?
Many older adults who are unlikely to live more than 10 years still are given routine screening tests for cancer, new studies show. But those tests are unlikely to help them and may have risks, the authors say. One study used 10 years of data from a U.S. government health survey. It included 27,000 men and women ages 65 and older. Based on their health history, the authors estimated their risk of dying in less than 10 years. Among men at the highest risk of near-term death, 31% to 55% received screening tests for various types of cancer. A second story focused on screening for colon cancer in adults 65 or older. It was based on Medicare records. About 1 in 5 of those who had a colonoscopy that found no problems ended up having another colonoscopy 5 years later. This test is recommended every 10 years.
When people get their annual influenza vaccine, they should also talk to their doctors about any other vaccinations that might be needed, such as a pneumococcal vaccine, a shingles vaccine, or a tetanus shot.
The FDA does not approve dietary supplements the way it approves medications. The FDA monitors whether drug manufacturing processes are adequate.
Stroke symptoms come on suddenly, are a new experience, and have no explained cause. They can include dizziness, loss of balance, and trouble walking; vision problems, difficulty speaking or understanding others.
Brisk walking may improve the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Some evidence shows that it may improve motor function, mood, tiredness, fitness, and some aspects of thinking abilities.