Medical Treatments

Antipsychotic drugs, such as haloperidol and risperidone are FDA-approved for treating schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but can increase the risk of death in older people who have dementia.

Risky Antipsychotic Drugs Still Overprescribed In Nursing Homes

8:51pm February 05, 2018

by Ina Jaffe

Too many people with dementia are being given sedating drugs to make them easier to handle in understaffed facilities, a new study finds, despite federal warnings to stop the practice.

Mushrooms Are Good For You, But Are They Medicine?

1:18pm February 05, 2018

by April Fulton

Edible mushrooms, not the psychedelic ones, are low in calories and high in fiber and antioxidants. But despite the hype, scientists are just now looking into how they might fight disease in humans.

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New treatments for migraines could change how physicians treat patients with the debilitating headaches.

Gone With A Shot? Hopeful New Signs Of Relief For Migraine Sufferers

8:00am February 03, 2018

by Lauren Gravitz

Novel migraine therapies could change how physicians treat these debilitating headaches. But they are likely to be expensive and the long-term side effects will not be known for some time.

Trauma or abuse can trigger seizures in people with psychogenic non-epileptic seizure disorder.

Her Seizures Looked Like Epilepsy, But Her Brain Looked Fine

4:37pm February 01, 2018

by Jon Hamilton

For a surprising number of people who appear to have epilepsy, the real problem is psychogenic non-epileptic seizures, a little-known condition.

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A volunteer from the non-profit Accion Solidaria organizes imported medicines alphabetically, in a store room in Caracas, Venezuela, last April. The Pharmaceutical Federation of Venezuela estimates the country is suffering from an 85 percent shortage of m

Venezuela's Health Care System Ready To Collapse Amid Economic Crisis

3:21pm February 01, 2018

by Samantha Raphelson

The Pharmaceutical Federation of Venezuela estimates the country is suffering from an 85 percent shortage of medicine amid an economic crisis also marked by severe hyperinflation and food scarcity.

An analysis of insurance claims in Washington state found that in a single year more than 600,000 patients underwent testing and treatment they didn't need, at an estimated cost of $282 million.

Health & Safety

Unnecessary Medical Care: More Common Than You Might Imagine

10:37am February 01, 2018

by Marshall Allen

An analysis of insurance claims in Washington state found that in a single year more than 600,000 patients underwent testing and treatment they didn't need, at an estimated cost of $282 million.

Scientists zeroed in on specific neurons in the brains of mice to gain insights into how anxiety is triggered and suppressed.

Researchers Discover 'Anxiety Cells' In The Brain

8:53pm January 31, 2018

by Jon Hamilton

Scientists who identified specific brain cells in mice that control anxiety say the discovery could provide insights that might eventually help people with panic disorder and social phobia.

Patients with a history of polyps who need more subsequent tests may have to pick up some of those costs.

Health & Safety

After A Polyp Is Found, Patients May Have To Chip In For Colonoscopies

6:00am January 30, 2018

by Michelle Andrews

While the federal health law made insurers cover the full cost of screening colonoscopies, consumers with a history of polyps who need more frequent tests may have to pick up some costs.

When Jenna Sauter's youngest son, Axel, tested positive for THC — marijuana's active ingredient — after he was born, she got a home visit from local social services. Sauter says she and her friends don't smoke near their children.

Is Smoking Pot While Pregnant Safe For The Baby?

2:31pm January 29, 2018

by Sarah Varney

Adults in a growing number of states can now legally use marijuana without a doctor's prescription. But obstetricians worry pregnant women don't realize the drug could hurt their kids.

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A review of the evidence suggests that alerting people — by text, phone call or other method — when they're due or overdue to get a particular vaccination can boost immunization rates.

Got Your Flu Shot Yet? Consider This A Reminder

7:11am January 29, 2018

by Patti Neighmond

A research review suggests reminding people when their vaccinations are due or overdue increases the number of people who get immunized.

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