Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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COVID-19 subvariant XE: What to know
It’s nicknamed Frankenstein, but experts say that shouldn’t scare you. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently issued a preliminary report on the new COVID-19 “Frankenstein” subvariant called XE, which is a mix of the omicron BA.1 variant and the “stealth” variant BA.2, with the agency declaring it’s still part of the omicron variant, but not a variant of interest…
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Taking ibuprofen with certain high blood pressure medications may damage kidneys, study says
Patients who are prescribed a diuretic and a renin-angiotensin system (RSA) inhibitor, such as an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), to control their hypertension (high blood pressure), should avoid taking ibuprofen, according to new research published in the journal Mathematical Biosciences. Diuretics and RSA inhibitors are available by prescription under a variety of pharmaceutical brand names while…
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Health tech company in talks with FDA on potential recall for device that may have caused injury, death
Medical technology company Avanos has issued a voluntary field correction ahead of a recall for a vital hospital tool that may have led to injury or even death. Avanos told Fox News Digital that the company is in an “ongoing dialogue” with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the matter and “cannot comment.” The Cortrak 2 Enteral Access…
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Long-term antidepressant medication use may not help patients over the long haul, study says
After a period of time, antidepressant use in individuals with depression was not associated with better health-related quality of life, (HRQoL), compared to those with depression who did not take medications, a new study published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE suggested. “It is generally well known that depression disorder has a significant impact on the health-related quality of…
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Does a daily aspirin help over 60s avoid heart disease and stroke? Expert recommendations just changed
Daily aspirin to prevent heart disease and stroke, also known as cardiovascular disease (CVD) is no longer recommended for those over 60 years old, according to new guidance from the US Preventive Service Task force (USPSTF) released Tuesday. The panel of national experts released a statement report that reversed its standard guidance citing a slightly increased risk…
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Time-restricted eating no more beneficial than caloric restriction in obese patients, study says
Time-restricted eating limited to 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. did not lead to a greater reduction in body weight, body fat or metabolic risk factors compared to a daily caloric restriction, according to a study published in New England Journal of Medicine this week. The researchers at Southern Medical University in Guangzhou, China randomly assigned 139 obese patients…
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WHO: 1 child has died in mystery liver disease outbreak
The World Health Organization says at least one death has resulted from a mysterious liver disease outbreak affecting children in Europe and the United States. The U.N. health agency said late Saturday that it has so far received reports of at least 169 cases of “acute hepatitis of unknown origin” from a dozen countries. The cases were reported in…
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Single tick bite can cause a life-threatening meat allergy: report
Have you ever eaten steak at dinnertime and then developed hives at midnight? As tick season kicks into gear, it’s a good idea to know about a potentially life-threatening food allergy called alpha-gal syndrome that may occur after certain tick bites – especially the lone star tick, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “An…
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CDC warns mysterious pediatric hepatitis outbreak could be linked to adenovirus
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Health Alert Network Health Advisory regarding a possible link between a mysterious cluster of children with hepatitis, which is inflammation of the liver, and a virus known as adenovirus, according to a recent press release. “This health advisory serves to notify U.S. clinicians who may encounter pediatric patients with…
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E-cigs using synthetic nicotine now under FDA oversight
U.S. regulators will soon begin cracking down on vaping companies using a now-closed loophole, including a line of fruit-flavored e-cigarettes that have become teenagers’ top choice. Under a law taking effect Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration can regulate e-cigarettes and similar products that use synthetic nicotine. The action targets Puff Bar and several other vaping companies…
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