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Antiepileptic drug use linked to increased risk of Alzheimer's and dementia

The use of antiepileptic drugs is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia, according to a new study from the University of Eastern Finland and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, DZNE.

9 Apr 2018

A tale of two CT scanners — one richer, one poorer

Benjamin Hynden, a financial adviser in Fort Myers, Fla., hadn’t been feeling well for a few weeks last fall. He’d had pain and discomfort in his abdomen.

9 Apr 2018

More vegetable intake linked to less carotid artery wall thickness among older women

Medicare Advantage plans cleared to go beyond medical coverage — even groceries

Air conditioners for people with asthma, healthy groceries, rides to medical appointments and home-delivered meals may be among the new benefits added to Medicare Advantage coverage when new federal rules take effect next year.

3 Apr 2018

Genetic testing could help guide blood-thinner treatment after stent placement

Using genetic testing to inform which blood thinner to use following a procedure to open narrowed blood vessels resulted in significantly fewer complications among patients, according to new research in Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine, an American Heart Association journal.

3 Apr 2018

Don’t get tripped up by the IRS’ tweak to health savings accounts

It's tax time, and this week I answered questions from readers about the penalty for not having health insurance as well as changes to health savings accounts. I also discuss health insurance coverage options for a reader's parents who are immigrants and green card holders.

3 Apr 2018

Medicaid minus stigma: In Indian country, it’s part of the fabric of life

On a crisp sunny day, Tyson Toledo, a precocious 5-year-old boy, hobbled into a private health clinic to have his infected foot examined.

2 Apr 2018

Congenital heart defects in newborns may predict mother's post-pregnancy cardiovascular disease

Women who give birth to infants with congenital heart defects may have an increased risk of cardiovascular hospitalizations later in life, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.

2 Apr 2018

Researchers urge federal policymakers to address perinatal depression among minority women

Despite Latinas' and African-American women's increased risks of perinatal depression and the availability of reliable screening tools and national awareness campaigns, research has shown that these women are significantly less likely to be screened or treated.

30 Mar 2018

California sues Sutter Health alleging excessive pricing

California's attorney general announced a lawsuit Friday against Sutter Health, alleging the hospital giant engaged in anticompetitive conduct that drove up prices for patients and employers in the state.

30 Mar 2018

Researchers untap potential of wearable sensors and AI technologies to predict biological age

Researchers from the longevity biotech company GERO and Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology have shown that physical activity data acquired from wearables can be used to produce digital biomarkers of aging and frailty.

30 Mar 2018

Plastic surgery done in developing countries can carry substantial risks of complications

Patients traveling to developing countries for plastic surgery procedures may experience severe complications—requiring extensive and costly treatment after they return to the United States, reports a study in the April issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

30 Mar 2018

Researchers compare prevalence of heart disease, stroke among U.S. adults by birthplace

Foreign-born adults living in the United States had a lower prevalence of coronary heart disease and stroke than U.S.-born adults in nationally representative data spanning 2006-2014, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

28 Mar 2018

Stigma associated with Alzheimer's may prevent people from getting early diagnosis, treatment

Stigma associated with Alzheimer's disease may be an obstacle for individuals to seek information about their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and to participate in clinical studies that discover potential therapies.

27 Mar 2018

Study finds low treatment rates for people with elevated cholesterol levels

Less than 40 percent of people with severe elevations in cholesterol are being prescribed appropriate drug treatment, according to a nationally representative study reported in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.

26 Mar 2018

The dream among ‘dreamers’ to become a doctor now ‘at the mercy’ of courts

Among the young people known as "Dreamers," Ever Arias belongs to a select group. Of the roughly 700,000 unauthorized immigrants who have temporary but tenuous protection from deportation, only 99 are in medical school. Fewer still have made it to their final year.

23 Mar 2018

Clash over abortion hobbles a health bill. Again. Here’s how.

The Affordable Care Act very nearly failed to become law due to an intraparty dispute among Democrats over how to handle the abortion issue. Now a similar argument between Democrats and Republicans is slowing progress on a bill that could help cut soaring premiums and shore up the ACA.

21 Mar 2018

Docs worry there’s ‘nowhere to send’ new and expectant moms with depression

Lawmakers in California will begin debate next month on a bill that would require doctors to screen new moms for mental health problems — once while they’re pregnant and again after they give birth.

19 Mar 2018

Blacks often have higher air pollution exposure elevating their risk for heart disease, death

Blacks often have higher exposure to air pollution than whites, which may partially explain their higher risk heart disease and death compared to whites, according to new research in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, an American Heart Association journal.

15 Mar 2018

Use of HIV-prevention drug grows, but lags among non-whites

Eric Russell, 24, recently joined a health support group for young Latino and black gay men, where he learned about the HIV-prevention pill known as PrEP. He resisted the medication at first, convinced he didn't need it and fearful that taking it would stigmatize him.

15 Mar 2018

Health Insurance News and Research

Antiepileptic drug use linked to increased risk of Alzheimer's and dementia

A tale of two CT scanners — one richer, one poorer

More vegetable intake linked to less carotid artery wall thickness among older women

Medicare Advantage plans cleared to go beyond medical coverage — even groceries

Genetic testing could help guide blood-thinner treatment after stent placement

Don’t get tripped up by the IRS’ tweak to health savings accounts

Medicaid minus stigma: In Indian country, it’s part of the fabric of life

Congenital heart defects in newborns may predict mother's post-pregnancy cardiovascular disease

Researchers urge federal policymakers to address perinatal depression among minority women

California sues Sutter Health alleging excessive pricing

Researchers untap potential of wearable sensors and AI technologies to predict biological age

Plastic surgery done in developing countries can carry substantial risks of complications

Researchers compare prevalence of heart disease, stroke among U.S. adults by birthplace

Stigma associated with Alzheimer's may prevent people from getting early diagnosis, treatment

Study finds low treatment rates for people with elevated cholesterol levels

The dream among ‘dreamers’ to become a doctor now ‘at the mercy’ of courts

Clash over abortion hobbles a health bill. Again. Here’s how.

Docs worry there’s ‘nowhere to send’ new and expectant moms with depression

Blacks often have higher air pollution exposure elevating their risk for heart disease, death

Use of HIV-prevention drug grows, but lags among non-whites

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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