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What Is Heartworm and How Can You Protect Your Pet From It?

It’s possible to prevent heartworms in many of your furry friends — dogs, cats and ferrets, specifically.

Heading off a severe and sometimes deadly illness simply requires regular, year-round preventive treatment through a pill, injection or topical medication, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Heartworms are pa...

Yes, Kids Ward Off COVID More Easily. But Their Immune System Pays a Price

Children’s amped-up immune systems allow them to beat back COVID-19 easily, producing a strong initial response that quickly slaps away the virus.

But there might be a price to be paid for that sharp reaction, a new study from Australia says.

Because the initial response provides such a swift takedown, kids’ immune systems don’...

FDA Could Ease Blood Donation Rules for Gay Men

Longstanding restrictions on blood donations from gay or bisexual men could soon shift towards a more nuanced policy, where such men are asked about sexual partners and practices instead, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Friday.

Specifically, gay men who are in monogamous relationships will no longer be required to abstain f...

You Can Prevent Sports Overuse Injuries

“Move it or lose it” the saying goes, but too much exercise or playing sports can lead to overuse injuries.

These injuries include damage to bones, ligaments, tendons and muscles due to repetitive actions, such running, throwing, biking, lifting and swimming, to name a few.

An overuse injury can be the result of poor training te...

In a First, Medicaid Extends Coverage to Prison Inmates

Some inmates in California could begin getting certain limited health services, including substance abuse treatment and mental health diagnoses, using Medicaid funds.

Typically, inmates lose Medicaid coverage while in the prison, jail or juvenile justice system.

This change will be the first time ever that Medicaid has provided some...

AHA News: Researchers Take a Closer Look at What COVID-19 Does to the Heart

People hospitalized with COVID-19 may have an increased risk for heart damage, but not so much the type of inflammation previous research suggested, according to a new study.

Early in the pandemic, several studies suggested many COVID-19 survivors experienced heart damage even if they didn't have underlying heart disease and weren't sick e...

Is Your Gas Stove Making You Sick? Experts Weigh In

Natural gas stoves have become the latest flashpoint in America’s increasingly volatile political culture, after a top federal regulator publicly mulled over banning the appliances.

"This is a hidden hazard," the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) commissioner, Richard Trumka Jr., said in an interview. "Any option is on the t...

FDA Says No to Regulating CBD Products as Supplements

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it can't regulate CBD supplements because there isn't enough evidence on their safety. The agency also called on Congress to create new rules for what has become a burgeoning industry.

"The use of CBD raises various safety concerns, especially with long-term use," FDA Deputy Commissioner ...

Updated Booster Shots, Not Original COVID Vaccines, Should Be Standard: FDA Panel

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's vaccine advisory panel on Thursday voted unanimously to recommend that the agency phase out original versions of COVID vaccines for use in the unvaccinated, in favor of updated bivalent booster shots.

Committee members also weighed a proposal to streamline the dosing schedule for COVID vaccines by tu...

Risks for Heart Failure Rise in Rural America

Adults who live in rural areas, and Black men in particular, are at much higher risk for developing heart failure.

Heart failure is a chronic, progressive condition that develops when the heart fails to pump enough blood for the body’s needs.

Researchers from the U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and Vanderbilt...

Got an Extra Chromosome? It Could Harm You

Researchers have uncovered a serious risk for folks who have an extra X or Y chromosome.

Those with the genetic condition known as supernumerary sex chromosome aneuploidy have a risk for blood clots in a deep vein or lung that’s four or five times higher than usual, a new study shows.

“An additional X or Y chromosome is more comm...

Breast Pain Doesn't Always Mean Cancer: When to Get a Mammogram

While anyone can experience breast pain, don't panic: It’s rarely cancer.

Penn State Health offers some reassurance about what might cause the pain and when it might be time to have a mammogram.

“We see a lot of patients who come looking for answers that have widespread, cyclical breast pain,” said Dr. Alison Chetlen, a staff p...

Wintertime Wandering: A Real Danger for People With Alzheimer's

Winter weather can add a layer of danger to the wandering behavior common in people with dementia.

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) offers some suggestions to help prevent wandering and prepare folks to react quickly if it occurs.

“During the winter, it’s especially important for families living in areas affected by ...

Fiber: It's Important to Your Child's Diet, Too

Just like adults, children need lots of fiber in their diets.

Fiber is part of what fuels a child’s normal growth and development. It helps them feel full longer, controls blood sugar levels, reduces cholesterol and promotes regular bowel movements, according to Children's Health of Orange County, Calif. (CHOC).

"We see improvement...

About 1 in 3 American Adults Has an Allergy

If it seems as though everyone you know struggles with some sort of allergy, new research suggests you are not mistaken.

As many as 1 in 3 adults and 1 in 4 kids suffers from a seasonal allergy, a food allergy or eczema, the latest government data shows.

Caused by a reaction to plant pollen, seasonal allergies were most common type o...

Siblings of Babies Who Died of SIDS May Also Face Higher Risk

Researchers have long struggled to figure out what causes a seemingly healthy baby to die suddenly in the first year of life, with an array of possible genetic and environmental factors to choose from.

Now a large, Danish study has found that in families where one child has succumbed to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), a younger siblin...

Top FDA Official Involved in Baby Formula Debacle Resigns

A U.S. Food and Drug Administration official who has led the agency’s food policy efforts since 2018 announced his resignation on Wednesday.

Frank Yiannas was also among the top officials leading the agency response to last year’s infant formula shortage.

"Today, I informed [FDA] Commissioner [Robert] Califf that I will be resign...

Heart Disease When Young Could Bring Memory Issues by Middle Age

People who suffer a heart attack or stroke in middle age may develop memory and thinking problems earlier in life, too, a new study finds.

The study, published online Jan. 25 in the journal Neurology, focused on people who had developed premature cardiovascular disease. That refers to heart disease, stroke or leg artery disease th...

New Breakthrough Could Speed Gene Therapy Research

“Zinc fingers” might sound like the world’s worst candy bar, but these human proteins might prove key to treating complex genetically driven diseases.

A new artificial intelligence program is poised to enable the simple production of zinc fingers, according to research co-led by the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the University ...

What Is the Mediterranean Diet, and How Can It Help You?

If you're looking for a healthy way to eat that has stood the test of time, the Mediterranean diet may be your best bet.

"There are many health benefits to the Mediterranean diet," said Rahaf Al Bochi, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "The Mediterranean diet has been associated with lower risk for heart disease, d...