Recent Blog Articles
Dupuytren's contracture of the hand
Why play? Early games build bonds and brain
Moving from couch to 5K
How — and why — to fit more fiber and fermented food into your meals
Tick season is expanding: Protect yourself against Lyme disease
What? Another medical form to fill out?
How do trees and green spaces enhance our health?
A muscle-building obsession in boys: What to know and do
Harvard Health Ad Watch: New drug, old song, clever tagline
Concussion in children: What to know and do
Medical Tests & Procedures Archive
Articles
What's the best way to test for low testosterone?
A blood test for total testosterone is the usual first step in men concerned about low T levels. The best time to get tested is between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m.
What is a bubble study?
A bubble study is a test done in conjunction with an echocardiogram to check for the presence of a tiny opening between the heart's upper chambers called a patent foramen ovale. Such an opening could explain how an unexpected stroke happened.
Women who undergo earlier screening less likely to develop colorectal cancer
A 2022 study found that women who begin colorectal cancer screening at age 45 with colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy are far less likely to develop the disease than women who don't undergo any screening or who start screening at age 50.
Treatment for an enlarged prostate
Benign prostatic hyperplasia, also known as an enlarged prostate, occurs in about 50% of men by age 60. It can lead to urination problems like a hesitant, interrupted, or weak urine stream; dribbling after urinating; a feeling that the bladder does not completely empty; and more frequent urination, especially at night. Medication and lifestyle changes are the first-line treatments, but if these don't work, men can choose from several types of surgery or less-invasive procedures to help manage symptoms.
Should I continue to get regular PSA testing after age 70?
Whether or not to continue PSA testing after age 70 depends on many factors, but especially a man's family history of prostate cancer and how comfortable he is about getting a biopsy or treatment if the test results suggest possible cancer.
Brushing off heart failure symptoms
Heart failure symptoms, such as being tired or out of breath, gaining weight, or having swollen ankles, can be overlooked and attributed to other causes. As a result, heart failure is not usually diagnosed until months or years later, when a person is hospitalized for it. By that point, the risk for dying from heart failure has already risen significantly, sometimes higher than the risk of death from cancer. Someone who has potential heart failure symptoms should talk to a doctor, especially if symptoms are new and if the person has diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, or an unhealthy lifestyle.
Artificial intelligence: Advancing into cardiology
Machine learning, a key aspect of artificial intelligence (AI), may improve the diagnosis of heart disease by analyzing large amounts of data from chest CT scans, echocardiograms, and electrocardiograms. By recognizing patterns, the machine "learns" and becomes more accurate over time. Current projects include diagnosing coronary artery disease with stress echocardiography and detecting multiple heart rhythm disorders from electrocardiograms in different formats and layouts.
A safer way to diagnose coronary artery disease?
Cardiac CT angiography (CCTA), a noninvasive test to check for clogged heart arteries, is now considered a first-line test for people with suspected heart disease. This test uses a CT scanner, which takes multiple, rapid x-rays that are merged together to create a detailed, three-dimensional view of the heart's arteries. CCTA appears to be just as effective as traditional angiography for detecting and preventing heart attacks, strokes, and death from heart disease, but with fewer procedure-related risks.
Do blood tests really help diagnose Alzheimer's disease?
In May 2022, the FDA approved a blood test to help diagnose Alzheimer's disease. The test looks for amyloid-beta protein, a marker of Alzheimer's. The blood test is quite accurate, compared with positron emission tomography (PET) brain scans, which are more expensive and complicated. More blood tests, including some that look for tau protein (another marker of Alzheimer's), also are under development. Other tests used to diagnose Alzheimer's include computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and a spinal tap.
What happens during electrical cardioversion?
Electrical cardioversion is a procedure that uses low-energy shocks to convert a rapid or irregular heartbeat back to a normal rhythm. People remain asleep during the brief procedure, so they don't feel anything.
Recent Blog Articles
Dupuytren's contracture of the hand
Why play? Early games build bonds and brain
Moving from couch to 5K
How — and why — to fit more fiber and fermented food into your meals
Tick season is expanding: Protect yourself against Lyme disease
What? Another medical form to fill out?
How do trees and green spaces enhance our health?
A muscle-building obsession in boys: What to know and do
Harvard Health Ad Watch: New drug, old song, clever tagline
Concussion in children: What to know and do
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