Heart transplant recipients receiving organs from active COVID-19 positive donors may have an increased risk of death at six months and one year when compared to those receiving organs from recently recovered COVID-19 patients and COVID-19 negative patients, according to a study published May 17 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. “These… Continue reading Covid-19 And Heart Transplants
Tag: COVID-19
Covid-19 and Epilepsy
People who have a COVID-19 infection are more likely to develop seizures or epilepsy within the six months following infection than are people who have an influenza infection, according to a study published in the online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). The increased risk was more noticeable… Continue reading Covid-19 and Epilepsy
Vaccines and Older Adults
Vaccines have been much in the news lately. Here, from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), an agency of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are some of the shots that you should think about getting: COVID-19 Vaccine COVID-19 is a respiratory disease that causes symptoms such as fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Older… Continue reading Vaccines and Older Adults
Traveling Safely Post-Pandemic
As the world opens up again to travelers, one of the first things folks have to consider is their health. In a new report from International Living, Dr. Shane McCarthy D.O., who has over 20 years’ experience as a primary care physician, offers advice and tips to help folks travel safely. “Pre-COVID, all you needed… Continue reading Traveling Safely Post-Pandemic
COVID-19 and Hair Loss
According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), many people are finding out, months after their recovery from COVID-19, that their hair is falling out in large clumps. And while hair loss is one of the lesser known effects of COVID-19, it’s not unexpected. In fact, temporary hair loss is normal after a fever or… Continue reading COVID-19 and Hair Loss
Beware of Bogus COVID-19 Tests, Vaccines and Treatments
While we remain vigilant to protect our families and communities from COVID-19, some people might be tempted to buy or use questionable products that claim to help diagnose, treat, cure, and even prevent coronavirus disease. Vaccination is one of the best ways to protect everyone 12 and older from COVID-19. The U.S. Food and Drug… Continue reading Beware of Bogus COVID-19 Tests, Vaccines and Treatments
Heart Condition Symptoms and COVID-19
Researchers have released findings from a small study detailing the treatment of myocarditis-like symptoms in seven people after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S. The cases from that research, published today in the American Heart Association’s flagship journal Circulation, are among those reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vaccine Adverse Event… Continue reading Heart Condition Symptoms and COVID-19
Humidity from Masks May Lessen Severity of COVID-19
Masks serve as a barrier to help protect the people wearing them from getting or spreading SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The virus spreads mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets. These droplets travel into the air when coughing, sneezing, or talking. Masks are a simple barrier to help block respiratory droplets. Studies… Continue reading Humidity from Masks May Lessen Severity of COVID-19
What Happens after COVID-19?
When people recover from infection with a virus, the immune system retains a memory of it. Immune cells and proteins that circulate in the body can recognize and kill the pathogen if it’s encountered again, protecting against disease and reducing illness severity. This long-term immune protection involves several components. Antibodies—proteins that circulate in the blood—recognize… Continue reading What Happens after COVID-19?
Stop the COVID Stress Spiral
Now that the pandemic has raged on for nearly a year, people’s stress levels are through the roof. Teachers, healthcare employees, and other frontline workers, along with parents, kids, and all other citizens, are feeling the impact. It’s gotten so bad that even veteran media professionals are struggling to keep a stiff upper lip (take,… Continue reading Stop the COVID Stress Spiral
COVID-19 and Herd Immunity
The United States could be approaching herd immunity, which occurs when enough people become immune to a disease to make its spread unlikely, according to Suzanne Judd, Ph.D., an epidemiologist in the School of Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Based on the number of vaccinations that have already been administered, as… Continue reading COVID-19 and Herd Immunity
Heart Disease Patients and COVID-19
Deaths from ischemic heart disease and hypertensive diseases in the United States increased during the COVID-19 pandemic over the prior year, while globally, COVID-19 was associated with significant disruptions in cardiovascular disease testing. These findings are from two papers publishing in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology that examined the indirect effects of… Continue reading Heart Disease Patients and COVID-19
Neurological Symptoms and COVID-19
A new database will collect information from clinicians about COVID-19-related neurological symptoms, complications, and outcomes as well as COVID-19 effects on pre-existing neurological conditions, according to a news release from The National Institutes of Health (NIH). The COVID-19 Neuro Databank/Biobank (NeuroCOVID), which was created and will be maintained by NYU Langone Health, New York City,… Continue reading Neurological Symptoms and COVID-19
What We Know about COVID-19 Variants
Information about the characteristics of Covid-19 variants is rapidly emerging. Scientists are working to learn more about how easily these variants might spread, whether they could cause more severe illness, and whether currently authorized vaccines will protect people against them. At this time, in January 2021, there is no evidence that these variants cause more… Continue reading What We Know about COVID-19 Variants
COVID-19 and the Brain
In a study of how COVID-19 affects a patient’s brain, National Institutes of Health (NIH) researchers consistently spotted hallmarks of damage caused by thinning and leaky brain blood vessels in tissue samples from patients who died shortly after contracting the disease. In addition, they saw no signs of SARS-CoV-2 in the tissue samples, suggesting the… Continue reading COVID-19 and the Brain
Experts Concerned about Rise in Hypertension Cases
Although access to medicine for controlling blood pressure has broadened, the number of Americans with uncontrolled hypertension is alarming, especially in communities of color, health officials said. “The latest research published in JAMA [the Journal of the American Medical Association] showing that a greater proportion of Americans, particularly communities of color, were living with uncontrolled… Continue reading Experts Concerned about Rise in Hypertension Cases
Traveling During the Pandemic
Travel can increase your chance of spreading and getting COVID-19. Postponing travel and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC). If you are considering traveling, whether during the Christmas season or at another time, here are some important questions to… Continue reading Traveling During the Pandemic
Substance Abuse and COVID-19
A study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that people with substance use disorders (SUDs) are more susceptible to COVID-19 and its complications. The research, published in Molecular Psychiatry, was co-authored by Nora D. Volkow, M.D., director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The findings suggest that health care providers… Continue reading Substance Abuse and COVID-19