Medical Treatments

Almost 18 percent of Americans are Hispanic, and their experiences with cancer vary greatly.

Hispanic Cancer Rates Show How It Matters Where You Come From

4:14pm September 17, 2015

by Meredith Rizzo

Hispanics are less likely to get cancer than non-Hispanic whites, but they're more susceptible to gallbladder, liver and stomach cancer. And country of origin affects cancer risk, too.

Aspirin can lower the risk of heart attacks, but there's concern that it's being overused.

Panel Says Aspirin Lowers Heart Attack Risk For Some

3:30pm September 17, 2015

by Patti Neighmond

Some adults at risk of heart attack or stroke can indeed benefit from taking a daily aspirin, a federal panel says. And it may also lower colorectal cancer risk. But the treatment has risks, too.

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Katie Serio, director of treatment and prevention at the Council on Alcohol and Substance Abuse of Livingston County, N.Y., trains a group of school nurses to use the overdose antidote naloxone at Dansville High School.

School Nurses Stock Drug To Reverse Opioid Overdoses

5:35pm September 16, 2015

by Michelle Faust

With deaths from heroin and painkillers on the rise, more nurses at high schools and middle schools are prepared to intervene in the event of an overdose on school grounds.

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Don't be afraid to ask the pharmacy for a better price, consumer advocates say.

How To Save Money On Prescription Drugs, Insured Or Not

3:05pm September 16, 2015

by Emily Bazar

Believe it or not, it may be cheaper to pay for a prescription yourself rather than using your insurance. And if that fails, there are other places to turn for help getting the best possible deal.

Vitamin D supplements may or may not help slow cognitive decline. But studies hint at a connection.

Cognitive Decline May Move Faster In People With Low Vitamin D

5:18pm September 15, 2015

by Nancy Shute

Older people with low levels of vitamin D are likely to lose memory and executive function more quickly, a study finds. But it didn't look into whether taking supplements could help.

Engineers made the implant with a metallic 3-D printer that melts titanium powder.

Engineers Create A Titanium Rib Cage Worthy Of Wolverine

4:03pm September 15, 2015

by Michaeleen Doucleff

Doctors say it's the first time a titanium sternum and set of ribs have been made with a 3-D printer. The custom-made device has already been implanted in the chest of a cancer patient in Spain.

Carly Severn lost her hair at age 19 to alopecia.

What Not To Say To A Woman With No Hair

1:49pm September 14, 2015

by Carly Severn

Carly Severn lost her hair at age 19 to alopecia, an autoimmune disorder. She's heard every well-meaning comment in the book. She's here to help us do better than "It will come back, right?"

A landmark federal study was halted when early results showed that lowering patients' top blood pressure number to 120 or lower led to dramatic reductions in heart disease and deaths.

Health & Safety

Aggressively Lowering Blood Pressure Saves Lives, Study Finds

1:47pm September 14, 2015

by Rob Stein

A huge federal study was halted early when a preliminary analysis of the results found clear evidence that lowering blood pressure can slash heart attacks, strokes, heart failure and deaths.

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U.S.-born Hispanics are more apt to have misconceptions about skin cancer, compared to non-Hispanic whites.

Hispanics May Think They Can't Get Skin Cancer, But They're Wrong

10:42am September 14, 2015

by Ellie Hartleb

Having darker skin reduces the risk of skin cancer, but doesn't eliminate it. Hispanics are less likely to be aware of that risk, and more apt to be diagnosed late, which can be deadly.

Isaiah Roggow, a third-year medical student at the University of California, Riverside, examines patient Becky Ketchum during the school's free clinic.

Medical Schools Teach Students To Talk With Patients About Care Costs

3:45pm September 13, 2015

by Rebecca Plevin

Doctors and patients haven't typically discussed how much medical care costs. But medical schools say that should change and are teaching future doctors how to broach the tricky subject.

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