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'Boarding' Patients for Days, Weeks in Crowded ERs Is Common Now

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 4, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- When Hannah, a California marketing professional, showed up at her local emergency room in March 2023 for a pregnancy-related complication, she wasn’t prepared for what happened next.

“I arrived at 2 p.m. and finally saw the obstetrics team at midnight,” she recalled.

Genes Might Be Driving You to Go Vegetarian

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 4, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Going vegetarian is trendy and popular, along with being a healthy choice, but a large portion of those who say they want to stick with a plant-based diet don't.

It might come down to your DNA, suggests new research that has uncovered three genes that seem to be strongly linked ...

Seniors With ADHD Face Higher Car Crash Risk

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 4, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- While studies of ADHD and driving usually target teens, a new one focused on seniors found they have a significantly higher risk of car crashes.

Older adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were also more likely to slam on the brakes and get traffic tickets,...

Over 75,000 Kaiser Permanente Union Workers Go on Strike

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 4, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Health care workers who serve millions of Americans began a three-day strike on Wednesday after contract negotiations over staffing levels stalled.

More than 75,000 members of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions began walking off their jobs as early as 6 a.m. in Virginia a...

Shorter Course of Radiation May Be Safe for Women Undergoing Breast Reconstruction

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 4, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Breast cancer patients who undergo a mastectomy can probably benefit from a shorter course of more intense radiation therapy, a new study indicates.

Hypofractionated radiation therapy — which provides a higher dose each session over three weeks — provides the same protection...

Stem Cell Therapy Could Be Breakthrough Against Type 1 Diabetes

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 4, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- People with type 1 diabetes lack functional islet cells in their pancreas to produce the hormone insulin and must take daily insulin via injections or a continuous pump to compensate.

But if new research pans out, some folks with type 1 diabetes may no longer need to take insuli...

CPAP Helps Cut Heart Risks — But You Have to Actually Use It

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 4, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- For sufferers of sleep apnea, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines may guard against having a second heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular crisis, but they have to use it consistently, a new study finds.

CPAP works by keeping your airways open during sleep...

FDA Approves Updated Novavax COVID Vaccine

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 4, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Federal regulators on Tuesday gave the go-ahead to an updated Novavax COVID vaccine, giving Americans a more traditional alternative to two recently revamped mRNA vaccines.

Adolescents and adults who have previously received a COVID vaccine, but who haven’t gotten the newly up...

Antiviral Meds Could Help Ease or Prevent Type 1 Diabetes in Kids, Study Finds

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 4, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Recent research has suggested that viruses could play a role in the loss of pancreatic beta cells, which triggers type 1 diabetes.

Now, a new trial finds antiviral medications, when given soon after a child is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, might help preserve those vital beta...

Largest-Ever Study of Suicide Genetics Gives Clues to Who's at Risk

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 4, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- New research has discovered 12 gene variants that may be tied to an increased risk of attempting suicide.

These genes also may have links with physical and mental health woes, including chronic pain, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), lung conditions and heart dis...

Floods Raise Death Rates Long After Waters Recede

TUESDAY, Oct. 3, 2023 (HealthDay News) – People who experience flooding aren’t just at risk during these severe weather events — they also have a significantly higher risk of dying in the weeks that follow.

A new study by Australian scientists looked at a crucial window between three and six weeks after a flood.

The ad...

Major Drug Companies Agree to Price Negotiations With U.S. Government

TUESDAY, Oct. 3, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Pharmaceutical companies that make the 10 prescription drugs chosen to be the first for price negotiations for Medicare patients have agreed to talks with the government.

The Biden administration announced Tuesday that the drugmakers, including Merck, Bristol Myers Squibb and John...

Tea Drinkers May Gain Better Blood Sugar Control

TUESDAY, Oct. 3, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Drinking dark tea daily may help balance blood sugar levels and stave off type 2 diabetes, the form of the disease most closely tied to obesity.

This is the main message from a new study that looked at tea-drinking habits and diabetes risk among people in China.

Fol...

AI Gets High Marks From Doctors in Answering Medical Questions

TUESDAY, Oct. 3, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- The ChatGPT artificial intelligence (AI) program could grow into a source of accurate and comprehensive medical information, but it’s not quite ready for prime time yet, a new study reports.

ChatGPT’s responses to more than 280 medical questions across diverse specialties aver...

Spending on Kids' Mental Health Keeps Rising

TUESDAY, Oct. 3, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- In yet another reminder of the psychic toll the pandemic has taken on young people, new research shows spending on mental health services for U.S. children and adolescents has risen sharply since 2020.

It climbed 26% for youths aged 19 and younger between March 2020 and August 202...

Seniors, Here Are the Meds That Can Harm Your Driving Skills

TUESDAY, Oct. 3, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Some common medications -- including antidepressants, sleep aids and painkillers -- may dull the driving skills of seniors, a new study finds.

Many different medication classes have been linked to the risk of driving impairment, as anyone who has ever read the label warning "do no...

Loneliness Could Raise Risk for Parkinson's, Study Finds

TUESDAY, Oct. 3, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Loneliness can leave many feeling desolate, but new research now suggests it may also leave people vulnerable to Parkinson's disease.

Among more than 490,000 people listed in the UK Biobank who were followed for up to 15 years, loneliness appeared to increase the chances of a Park...

Over 75,000 Kaiser Permanente Union Workers Could Strike on Wednesday

TUESDAY, Oct. 3, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Health care workers who serve millions of Americans could strike Wednesday if Kaiser Permanente and union workers don’t reach an agreement.

More than 75,000 members of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions are poised to strike, CNBC reported. The union, whose contra...

Following One Death, FDA Warns Hospitals About Giving Probiotics to Preemies

TUESDAY, Oct. 3, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Federal regulators are cautioning doctors not to give probiotics to preterm infants.

An infant given probiotics at an undisclosed hospital has died, U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials said in a recent warning letter.

Preterm infants given probiotics are at ...

Surgeons Seeing More 'Mutilating' Hand Injuries With New Utility Terrain Vehicles

A popular type of off-road vehicle known as a “side-by-side” has been linked to high rates of severe hand injuries, according to a new study.

Side-by-sides are utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) designed to carry more than one passenger and heavy loads. All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are usually made for one driver going off-road.

"Our...