Blood Pressure Meds Help Even The Frailest Patients

Taking blood pressure medication as prescribed helped even the frailest elderly people (65 and older) live longer, and the healthiest older people had the biggest survival boost, according to a large study in northern Italy published in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal. “We knew that high blood pressure medication was protective in general among… Continue reading Blood Pressure Meds Help Even The Frailest Patients

Teen E-Cigarette Use Doubles Since 2017

Teen rates of e-cigarette use are rising sharply, new research shows. Data from the 2019 Monitoring the Future Survey of eighth, 10th and 12th graders show alarmingly high rates of e-cigarette use compared to just a year ago, with rates doubling in the past two years, the findings show. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, scientists… Continue reading Teen E-Cigarette Use Doubles Since 2017

Patterns of Pain-Medicine Usage

If new research is anything to go by, Americans are in a lot of pain. The researchers in this newest study used data from the nationally representative Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) to examine the impact of pain-related interference — a measure of pain’s impact on normal work activities — on people’s health status and… Continue reading Patterns of Pain-Medicine Usage

How to Safely Use Test Strips and Glucose Meters

From the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), advice on the smartest ways to use test strips and glucose meters. Using a glucose meter to check and monitor blood sugar is a daily part of life for millions of Americans with diabetes. Glucose meters and test strips are medical devices regulated by the FDA. And… Continue reading How to Safely Use Test Strips and Glucose Meters

How to Tell if Your Teen Is Using Drugs

Prescription drugs, especially opioids, are a growing threat to the health of young people, with 6 percent of teens 12 to 17 saying they use the drugs for non-medical reasons. And in 2014, prescription drugs caused the overdose death of 1,741 young people ages 18 to 25, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.… Continue reading How to Tell if Your Teen Is Using Drugs