Experts now believe that ultraviolet A rays are as damaging to the skin as UVB rays. There is no standard for measuring effectiveness of UVA protection in sunscreens, but there are products on the market that protect well against both UVA and UVB.
High-dose radiation treatments for prostate cancer may be more effective than other methods at treating the disease without damaging neighboring tissues, but follow-up studies will be needed to determine if survival rates improve.
An excess of aldosterone, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, causes hypertension in some people. Treatment depends on whether one gland or both is affected.
Some research suggests that cholesterol-lowering statins may help prevent narrowing or hardening of the aortic valve, but there is not enough evidence to indicate you should start taking a statin if you are not taking one already.
DHEA, a steroid hormone, has been promoted as a supplement that can help men lose weight, protect against heart disease, and improve memory. But none of these assertions has been proven.
Depression can often develop as a result of a heart attack or cardiac surgery, and has more serious effects on heart health and overall health than depression that was present before a heart attack.
A few states have begun to compile data on the success rates of cardiac surgeons, but the information may be outdated or otherwise inaccurate. One suggestion is to choose a doctor who regularly performs the surgery you need and has done it many times.
The American Heart Association has launched a web site to help people track their eating habits and exercise, and offers tips and encouragement toward living a healthier life.
The Framingham risk-assessment tool is used to evaluate a person’s risk of heart attack, but it does not consider the influence of inflammation. Researchers have developed a new tool that uses three additional factors to evaluate your heart attack risk.
C. difficile, a bacterium that can infect the digestive tract, was formerly a problem primarily for the elderly and hospitalized. But the number of cases of C. difficile-related illness is growing, and they are more severe and harder to treat.