My 69-year-old husband has had cardiomyopathy and diabetes for years. Lately his ankles are always swollen. At his last doctor visit, his cardiologist said his heart has leaky valves and his ejection fraction is 10%. What would be the best plan for him?
The Health Letter talks with an orthopedic surgeon about joint replacement.
I’ve always used the word subconscious when talking about thoughts that are buried. But someone corrected me recently and said unconscious is the correct term. Have I been using the wrong word?
I read something about antidepressants causing cataracts. Is there any truth to it?
Water exercise is beneficial and safe for those with heart disease.
Delirium occurs frequently in older people who are hospitalized. It can manifest as a state of confusion and agitation, or one of withdrawal and lethargy.
Getting a second opinion about a medical issue is a good idea. It can confirm a previous diagnosis or offer new insights, and it may help avoid costly or unnecessary treatment.
An unusual treatment may help prevent the recurrence of a bacterial infection.
The United Nations met this week to address how to prevent chronic diseases that cost billions of dollars each year. In a two-day meeting, the UN’s General Assembly is discussing how to reduce rates of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and lung diseases. Each year, these diseases account for about 63% of all deaths worldwide. The UN and the World Health Organization are looking at cost-effective ways to prevent these diseases, including taxes on tobacco and alcohol and regulations on the amount of salt and trans fats in foods. The UN meeting took place in New York City September 19 and 20. The Wall Street Journal wrote about it September 19.
Kids’ car seat safety is improving, but there are still areas of concern. This is according to information collected in 2009 and 2010 by Safe Kids USA. The group runs car seat check-up events across the country. Some data was promising. Nearly all seats were installed in the correct direction, rear facing or forward facing. Many children between 20 and 40 pounds were still rear facing, which is recommended by Safe Kids and the American Academy of Pediatrics. But seats that were installed with a seatbelt, rather than with LATCH, were often installed incorrectly. And most forward-facing seats did not use the top tether, which anchors the top of a car seat. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 3 to 14. Proper use of car seats reduces the risk of a child’s death from a car crash by more than half.