Could Heartburn Med Pepcid Ease COVID-19 Symptoms?

An over-the-counter heartburn remedy is showing some potential as a symptom reliever for COVID-19, a small study finds.

Famotidine, sold under the brand name Pepcid, appeared to improve symptoms in a group of 10 patients diagnosed with COVID-19, researchers reported online June 4 in the journal Gut.

The patients' self-...

Many Kidney Failure Patients Regret Starting Dialysis

More than 1 in 5 adults getting dialysis for kidney failure are sorry they started it, a new study finds.

Patients who began treatment to make their doctors or family members happy are least pleased with the decision, researchers reported.

On the other hand, patients who said they'd discussed life expectancy with their docto...

Wristband 'Zapper' Might Help Calm Tourette Syndrome

A wristband that zaps a key nerve may help quell the uncontrollable tics of Tourette syndrome, according to British researchers.

"We think we've come up with a safe and effective piece of technology that we believe is relatively cheap that will give control over tics to people with Tourette syndrome," said lead researcher Stephen Jack...

Do-It-Yourself COVID Tests Work Fine, Without the Discomfort: Study

Most Americans have winced watching one of those nurse-administered COVID-19 nasal swab tests, where the swab reaches painfully farther up the nose than anyone would want.

Well, the days of "nasopharyngeal" swab tests, administered only by health care workers, may be drawing to a close: A new study finds a much more comfortable swab te...

Black Children Hit Especially Hard by COVID-19 Inflammatory Syndrome

Black children appear to be particularly vulnerable to the rare but severe inflammatory syndrome striking kids with COVID-19, a new French study suggests.

The syndrome may be a delayed immune response to the virus that happens several weeks after infection, the researchers said.

Many patients suffer abdominal pain, vomiting a...

AHA News: Calorie Data on Menus Could Generate Significant Health, Economic Benefits

Current federal law requiring restaurants to post calories on their menus would help diners make healthier choices and could ultimately lead to fewer cases of heart disease and diabetes, according to new research.

Between 2018 and 2023, the public's response to the nutritional labels at restaurants could prevent 14,698 cases of cardiovas...

Loss of Smell, Taste Might Be Long-Term for Some COVID-19 Survivors

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's become clear that many people with the infection lose their sense of smell and taste. And doctors are concerned that some will never get back to normal.

At this point, it's hard to know how common the symptom is. First, there were anecdotal reports of COVID-19 patients who had lost their a...

Amid Pandemic, Protest Peacefully While Staying Healthy

You've watched police brutality protests unfold across America and you want to take part, but you fear that choice could raise your risk of coronavirus infection. Is there a way to express your outrage without endangering your health?

Yes, say doctors who offer tips on safely joining large protests on the streets of cities across the c...

Pandemic Has Left Nearly 43 Million Americans Without Work

As the U.S. coronavirus case count eclipsed 1.8 million and the death toll passed 107,000 on Thursday, America's jobless rolls swelled to nearly 43 million. That's close to one-quarter of the country's work force.

The U.S. Labor Department reported 1.9 million more people filed new unemployment claims last week, a sobering reminder of ...

Could Face Shields Replace Masks in Preventing COVID-19?

Face masks help prevent the spread of COVID-19, but some people find them awkward, uncomfortable or downright unbearable to wear.

There's another good option available for people who just can't get used to strapping on a face mask while out in public, experts say.

Plastic face shields offer another means of deterring COVID-19...

How to Get Better Sleep While Working at Home

For many, work-at-home orders aimed at fighting the COVID-19 pandemic have had an unintended side effect: sleep loss.

"We've seen a significant increase in reports of stress-related insomnia in recent months," said Julio Fernandez-Mendoza of the Penn State Health Sleep Research and Treatment Center in Hummelstown, Penn.

Stre...

Kids Breaking Fewer Bones During Pandemic, But More Fractures Happening at Home

There's been a nearly 60% drop in broken bones among U.S. children during the coronavirus pandemic, but the rate of fractures that occur at home has climbed, a new study finds.

The researchers analyzed data on 1,735 youngsters treated for acute fractures at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) between March 15 and April 1...

Are Your Symptoms From COVID-19 or Seasonal Allergies?

In the thick of the coronavirus pandemic, it might be hard to tell if you've come down with COVID-19, spring allergies or a cold, which all have some similar symptoms.

Fever and dry cough are common symptoms of COVID-19, along with shortness of breath and difficulty breathing, sore throat, diarrhea, fatigue, chills, muscle pain, loss o...

No Evidence Marijuana Raises Stroke Risk

Whether pot use increases the risk of stroke has been hotly debated, and now a new study adds to evidence that it doesn't.

"Our observational study looked specifically at recent cannabis use by reviewing drug testing data for people admitted to the hospital. While more research is needed with larger numbers of people, our study lends s...

When a Handgun Is in the Home, Suicide Risk Quickly Rises

Handgun owners are at substantially heightened risk of suicide in the years after buying their first gun, a large new study finds.

The study of more than 26 million California residents found that first-time handgun owners were nearly four times more likely to die by suicide in the coming years versus non-owners.

Their risk o...

'Gold Standard' Clinical Trial Finds Hydroxychloroquine Won't Prevent COVID-19

Hydroxychloroquine, the malaria drug touted and reportedly used by President Donald Trump as a preventative for COVID-19, appears not to have lived up to its hype, a new study shows.

Unlike some prior studies, this new trial was a "gold standard" prospective, randomized clinical trial. It found that hydroxychloroquine could not prevent...

People Are Avoiding the ER During COVID-19 Crisis at Their Peril: Study

Visits to U.S. emergency departments are down by 42% compared to the same time last year, and that's not good news, researchers report.

Fears of contracting the new coronavirus while visiting the ER are keeping people away, experts say.

But hesitating to seek help can be a fatal mistake.

So, "wider access is ne...

At-Home Gene Test for Breast, Ovarian Cancers Looks Effective

Screening for breast and ovarian cancer genes might be added to the list of medical tests that can be safely and effectively done from home, new research suggests.

The study looked at screening for BRCA1, BRCA2 and other gene mutations linked to an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation have ...

Similar to Adults, Obesity Raises Kids' Odds for Severe COVID-19

If a child is infected with the new coronavirus, being obese appears to greatly raise the odds for developing a severe form of COVID-19, a new study finds.

The report was based on 50 cases of pediatric COVID-19 severe enough to require admission to a New York City hospital.

Eleven (22%) of the 50 kids were obese, and six ...

Plasma Therapy Aids Recovery in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients

The blood plasma of people who have recovered from the new coronavirus infection may help critically ill COVID-19 patients recover, a new study finds.

Of 25 sick patients given plasma transfusions, 19 improved and 11 left the hospital, the researchers reported. None of the patients had side effects from the transfusion.

"Whil...