Health

Are you better off choosing a female surgeon? Are you better off choosing a female surgeon? 01:01 BOSTON – If you need an operation, you may be better off choosing a female surgeon. A new study published in JAMA Surgery looked at over a million patients who underwent an elective or …

In a Saturday interview, former White House chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci spoke out in defense of masking up amid today’s rising COVID cases. In the event that masks are again recommended, he is “concerned that people will not abide by recommendations,” he said in the interview.  “I would hope …

Music icon Jimmy Buffett passed away on Friday at the age of 76.  The cause of death was merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), a disease he had been fighting for four years, according to the official obituary posted on the musician’s website. MCC is a rare but aggressive type of skin …

The state of Virginia is warning of a statewide outbreak of meningococcal disease, a “rare but serious” bacterial illness that can lead to meningitis. Since June 2022, there have been 27 cases of the disease reported in eastern, central and southwest Virginia — three times the expected number of cases …

The U.S. is seeing a significant rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations as it enters Labor Day weekend.  According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 15,067 new COVID patient hospitalizations for the week ending Aug. 19. That marked an 18.8% jump from …

Skipping the salt could slash heart disease risk by nearly 20%, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology, which was held in Amsterdam this week. Those who never add salt to their food had an 18% lower risk of being diagnosed with atrial …

For people who have previously had a heart attack, taking a daily aspirin could reduce their risk of a repeat cardiac event or stroke, according to a recent Danish study. The findings were presented at the ESC Congress 2023 in Amsterdam this week. “Our findings support current clinical guidelines on …

This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Giving birth is one of the most transformative experiences a woman can have — but the postpartum period isn’t always so easy to …

Doctors weigh in after a recent CDC report found that up to 20% of women have been mistreated in some way during the labor and delivery process. (iStock) PREGNANCY PERILS – A CDC report says one in five women are mistreated, yet some docs warn of bias and oversimplification. Continue reading… …

Don’t rule out malaria just because you haven’t traveled anywhere. In light of recent locally acquired cases in the U.S., the lack of international travel should not exclude a diagnosis of malaria when Americans have unexplained fever — especially if they develop new anemia. That’s according to a recent Centers …