Having an annual mammogram starting at age 40 can catch breast cancer early, when it’s most treatable. Women who are comfortable doing breast self-exams should do them to look for changes in their breasts.
The widely prescribed ACE inhibitor drugs cause coughs in some people, but the cough may also help to prevent pneumonia.
Chronic heartburn is usually caused by a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Simple self-help steps can keep GERD in check. When they don’t, a proton pump inhibitor medications offers the most effective relief.
A joint statement by 15 medical organizations concluded that hormone therapy is safe as a treatment for hot flashes as long as women take it early in menopause and use it for the shortest time possible.
The surgical procedures known as endarterectomy and noninvasive stenting are equally safe and effective treatments for preventing stroke in people with blocked or narrowed carotid arteries.
Medications and devices can help many people with heart failure with low ventricular ejection fraction live longer with a better quality of life. But not all therapies are right for everyone, and treatment must be individualized.
Bladder training can help women deal with incontinence. it involves learning to urinate on a schedule and doing pelvic muscle exercises.
Physical inactivity is responsible for 6% of coronary artery disease, 7% of diabetes, 10% of breast and colon cancers, and 9% of premature deaths worldwide. Increasing activity by 10% to 25% could prevent up to 1.3 million deaths per year.
An expert panel has recommended that men not routinely undergo PSA testing for prostate cancer risk. Men should learn as much as they can about the risks and benefits of PSA testing and make a deeply informed decision.
The most widely used “keyhole” method for obtaining veins to perform coronary bypass is safe and is associated with fewer infections and other post-surgery complications.