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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 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 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 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 Suspected heart attack? Don’t fear the emergency room due to COVID-19
Suspected heart attack? Don’t fear the emergency room due to COVID-19

Suspected heart attack? Don’t fear the emergency room due to COVID-19

In addition to a prompt assessment and potentially lifesaving treatment, expect a COVID-19 test and extra safety precautions.

Even before the pandemic, people with heart attack symptoms sometimes hesitated to seek emergency care. But during the first wave of COVID-19 infections in early 2020, many more people than usual stayed away. From mid-March to late May 2020, emergency room visits for heart attacks fell by 23% compared with the preceding 10 weeks. And 20% fewer people showed up with strokes, according to the CDC.

Fear of leaving home and risking exposure to the coronavirus likely explains this trend, which has abated over time. "The overall volume at emergency rooms is still somewhat below normal, and we're seeing people who come in many hours or even a day after their heart attack symptoms began," says Dr. Joshua Kosowsky, assistant professor of emergency medicine at Harvard Medical School. These people sometimes have signs of heart damage that might have been easier to reverse or treat if they had come in right away, he adds.

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