An analysis of data regarding premature deaths from coronary artery disease over the last two decades showed that death rates due to coronary artery disease increased about 11% among women living in rural areas. Senior author Dr. Federico Moccetti explains, “Women living in rural areas of the United States have for the first time suffered…

An analysis of data on both the first and second pregnancies of over 300,000 Norwegian women revealed that the risk of preterm birth in their second pregnancy was two times greater among women who experienced a complication during their first pregnancy such as preeclampsia placental abruption, stillbirth, neonatal death, and low birth weight for gestational…

The results of a thirteen-year study involving 6,615 adults suggest that individuals with persistent asthma have a 50% elevated risk for developing atrial fibrillation, which is a common heart rhythm disorder that is known to significantly increase the risk of stroke. Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, February 2020

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a condition that occurs when fat accumulates in the liver from causes other than excessive alcohol consumption. An analysis of data concerning 33,045 adults revealed that individuals with obstructive sleep apnea have a 78% increased risk for NAFLD. BMC Gastroenterology, February 2020

In a study involving 3,700 adults living in various parts of India, researchers found that participants who lived in areas with higher fine particulate matter air pollution tended to have lower bone mass. Researcher Dr. Otavio Ranzani writes, “This study contributes to the limited and inconclusive literature on air pollution and bone health… Inhalation of…

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions—obesity, high blood pressure, problematic cholesterol, impaired metabolic function, and excessive waist circumference—that occur together and increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. An analysis of data concerning over 151,000 deep vein thrombosis (DVT) patients revealed that those with metabolic syndrome had a 37% increased…

According to a study that compared urine drug test result data from 2013 and 2019, positive tests for methamphetamine increased from 1.4% in 2013 to 8.4% in 2019, while the detection rate for fentanyl increased from 1% to 5%. The findings suggest that methamphetamineand fentanyl-related overdose deaths may continue to increase in the United States.…

Johns Hopkins University reports that for every 5-parts-per-billion increase in ten-year ozone exposure, the risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) increases by 16%, regardless of smoking history. Johns Hopkins University, December 2019

Researchers analyzed health data concerning 21,403 workers with occupational noise exposure and found that those with mild bilateral high frequency hearing loss had 34% increased hypertension risk. Despite the finding, experts say that further research is needed before noise exposure becomes an official risk factor for hypertension. PLOS ONE, October 2019

The Consumer Product Safety Commission warns parents not to let a baby sleep in rockers, pillows, car seats, or any other product that holds an infant at an incline greater than ten degrees. Researchers report that lying on an incline can activate a baby’s stomach muscles, making it easier to turn over, even if they’ve…