Skip to main content

Medical Tests & Procedures Archive

Articles

Read More about Drinking sugary beverages associated with colon cancer risk
Drinking sugary beverages associated with colon cancer risk

Drinking sugary beverages associated with colon cancer risk
Drinking two or more sugary drinks a day appeared to more than double the risk of colorectal cancer in women.
Read More about Reducing heart risks in the wake of breast cancer treatment
Reducing heart risks in the wake of breast cancer treatment

Reducing heart risks in the wake of breast cancer treatment
Hormone therapy is a highly successful breast cancer treatment for women, but it can elevate cardiovascular risk. Women can reduce those risks by being vigilant about their heart health and working closely with their doctors. Women who have taken or are taking these medications as part of breast cancer treatment should focus on adopting a healthy lifestyle, exercising regularly, and keeping close tabs on their blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar levels.
Read More about Look inside your heart
Look inside your heart

Look inside your heart
The traditional measures to gauge heart disease risk don’t always tell the whole story. Sometimes more medical information is needed. An increasingly used test to predict a person’s risk for heart attack or stroke is a coronary artery calcium scan. It measures the amount of calcified plaque in the heart’s arteries, high levels of which suggest higher overall plaque buildup. The number can determine if people should begin statin therapy and make additional lifestyle changes.
Read More about Advisory group: Too soon to recommend routine vitamin D screening
Advisory group: Too soon to recommend routine vitamin D screening

Advisory group: Too soon to recommend routine vitamin D screening
An advisory group finds there is not enough evidence to recommend routine screening for vitamin D deficiency.
Read More about 5 important blood tests beyond the basics
5 important blood tests beyond the basics

5 important blood tests beyond the basics
Five blood tests beyond basic blood work may be worth pursuing for older adults. For example, a test to determine one’s vitamin B12 level might be helpful, since older adults sometimes have trouble absorbing that vitamin. Likewise, older adults have less ability to absorb sunlight through the skin, which may lead to less production of vitamin D. Other blood tests to consider include those for HIV or hepatitis C infection, and a test to measure fasting blood sugar.
Read More about Vitamin D and the big C
Vitamin D and the big C

Vitamin D and the big C
New research has found an association between high and low levels of vitamin D and cancer risk. However, many older adults don’t get the recommended daily amount of 600 to 800 international units, as the main sources of vitamin D are sun exposure (which many people try to avoid) and certain foods, like fatty fish, fortified milk and cereal. Getting vitamin D levels checked to find a possible deficiency can reveal if someone needs more vitamin D, which may require taking a daily supplement.
Read More about Large review study finds low risk of erectile dysfunction after prostate biopsy
Large review study finds low risk of erectile dysfunction after prostate biopsy

Large review study finds low risk of erectile dysfunction after prostate biopsy
Prostate cancer biopsies have a low risk of side effects, but some men do experience sexual dysfunction after the procedure. But a large review of sdudies has found that these issues usually resolve within one to three months.
Read More about Screening for lung cancer
Screening for lung cancer

Screening for lung cancer
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends more people should undergo lung cancer screening.
Read More about More people now eligible for lung cancer screening
More people now eligible for lung cancer screening

More people now eligible for lung cancer screening
Updated guidelines suggest current and former smokers get an annual lung cancer screening including those who have quit within the past 15 years.
Read More about Less-invasive treatment for unsightly leg veins as good as surgery
Less-invasive treatment for unsightly leg veins as good as surgery

Less-invasive treatment for unsightly leg veins as good as surgery

Research we're watching

A minimally invasive treatment for treating varicose veins is as effective as surgery to remove the faulty veins, according to a new study.

Most varicose veins — gnarled, bluish veins just under the skin's surface — result from problems with the great saphenous vein, the large vein located near the inside of the leg that runs from the ankle to the upper thigh. The surrounding muscles and one-way valves in the vein weaken, a condition called venous insufficiency.

Result 141 - 150 of 350
Recent Articles
blog image 1

Men might be more likely than women to rely on their doctors when making health care decisions
blog image 1

Bird dog exercise for your core: How to do it safely
blog image 1

Gout and heart disease: What's the connection?
blog image 1

Hearing loss in noisy environments
blog image 1

Hyaluronic acid for skin: Benefits, how to use it, and side effects
blog image 1

Weight cycling linked to increased muscle loss
blog image 1

Self-directed cognitive behavioral therapy may help alleviate chronic pain
blog image 1

What men should know about proposed changes for testosterone therapy
blog image 1

Ashwagandha: Benefits, side effects, and safety concerns
blog image 1

Hearing aids: Types, costs, over-the-counter options, and AirPods
/

Free Healthbeat Signup

Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox!

Sign Up
Harvard Health Publishing Logo

Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE 32-page gift worth $29.95.

PLUS, don’t miss out on your 25% off promo code.

Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle—You’ll discover powerful, research- backed strategies for health longevity drawn from Harvard Medical School experts—ways to eat for a longer life, build strength and flexibility to stay independent, protect your bones, heart, and brain as you age, and even cultivate the habits linked with “super-agers” who stay sharp and active well into their 80s and 90s—all delivered to your email box FREE.

Harvard Health Publishing Logo

Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School.

Plus, get a FREE copy of Living Longer, Living Well!.

Harvard Health Publishing Logo

Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School.

Plus, get a FREE copy of Living Longer, Living Well.