Heart problems and the heat: What to know and do

This spring, many parts of United States experienced historic heat waves. Now summer is officially underway, and experts are predicting hotter than normal temperatures across most of the country. Extreme temperatures increase health risks for people with chronic conditions, including heart problems. If you do have a heart condition, here’s how to keep cool and … Read more

Cognitive effects in midlife of long-term cannabis use

As of June 2022, 37 US states have passed medical cannabis laws and 19 states have legalized recreational cannabis. Cannabis has proven beneficial for a range of conditions such as childhood seizure disorders, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite in people with HIV/AIDs. In the meantime, a new generation of cannabis products has exploded onto … Read more

If cannabis becomes a problem: How to manage withdrawal

  Proponents of cannabis generally dismiss the idea that there is a cannabis withdrawal syndrome. One routinely hears statements such as, “I smoked weed every day for 30 years and then just walked away from it without any problems. It’s not addictive.” Some cannabis researchers, on the other hand, describe serious withdrawal symptoms that can … Read more

An emerging treatment option for men on active surveillance

Active surveillance for prostate cancer has its tradeoffs. Available to men with low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer, the process entails monitoring a man’s tumor with periodic biopsies and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests, and treating only when — or if — the disease shows signs of progression. Active surveillance allows men to avoid (at least for … Read more

Poliovirus in wastewater: Should we be concerned?

Polio is a potentially life-threatening or disabling illness that spreads from person to person. Thanks to vaccination, the United States has been polio-free since 1979, and the spread of this highly contagious disease has been interrupted in most countries. Yet on June 22, the United Kingdom Health Security Agency announced that it had detected poliovirus … Read more