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Results for search "Death &, Dying: Misc.".

Health News Results - 121

U.S. Overdose Deaths Drop 10% in Early Data

In findings that suggest inroads are being made in the battle against America's opioid epidemic, new government data shows a 10% drop in overdose deaths.

The statistics, compiled by states and posted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, show just over...

Could a Cheek Swab Predict When You Might Die?

A new test called CheekAge, based on a quick swab of cells in the mouth, might someday be used to predict how long a person has to live, developers report.

The test tracks what are known as epigenetics: The way in which a person's environment or lifestyle affects how their genes function throughout the life span.

A key marker of epigenetics is DNA methylation, molecular changes in ...

U.S. Deaths Declined 6% Last Year, as COVID-19 Slipped to 10th Leading Cause

A new government report reveals that deaths among Americans decreased by a significant 6.1% between 2022 and 2023.

Much of this was due to COVID-19's ebbing effect on deaths.

During the pandemic, over a million Americans lost their lives, and in 2021 it was the third leading cause of death.

However, new data shows ...

U.S. Deaths Dropped 6% Last Year, as COVID Fell From 3rd to 10th Leading Killer

Deaths among Americans dropped by a significant 6.1% between 2022 and 2023, a new government tally finds.

Much of this was due to COVID-19's ebbing effect on deaths.

During the pandemic, over a million Americans lost their lives, and in 2021 it was the third leading cause of death.

However, new data shows that as v...

Unhealthy Microbiome May Raise Death Risk After Organ Transplant

People with an "unhealthy"gut microbiome appear to be more likely to die following an organ transplant, a new study warns.

These gut microbe patterns are specifically associated with deaths from cancer and infection, regardless of the organ that's been transplanted, res...

New ER Program Helped More Patients Get Needed Hospice Care

One hospital's push to transition patients who are nearing the end of life from the emergency room to hospice care appears to be working.

After the program went into effect, 54% of ER patients at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston transitioned to hospice care within 96 hours. That compared to 22% before the program began in 2021.

Their findings suggest that such programs may hel...

Climate Change May Be Fueling a Rise in Stroke Deaths

Intense weather fluctuations caused by climate change could be contributing to an increase in stroke deaths, a new study claims.

Freezing cold fronts and broiling heat waves are associated with more than half a million deaths annually in recent years, researchers report April 10 in the ...

Working-Age Americans Are Dying at Much Higher Rates Than Peers in Other Wealthy Nations

Working stiffs in the United States are dying at higher rates than those in other wealthy nations, a new study finds.

Death rates among working-age Americans are 2.5 times higher than the average of other high-income countries, researchers report in the March 21 issue of the International Journal of Epidem...

Smoking Now Fuels More Drug Overdoses than Injecting Does

Despite stereotypical images of addicts injecting heroin and then dying, new government research finds that smoking drugs such as fentanyl is now the leading cause of fatal overdoses.

In the new research, published Thursday in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, scientists from the U.S. Centers ...

Tummy Tucks, Liposuctions Are Killing Americans Visiting Dominican Republic

Too many American tourists looking for cheap cosmetic surgeries alongside their beach time are winding up dead in the Dominican Republic, a new report finds.

Between 2009 and 2022, 93 people -- almost all young or middle-aged women -- have died after undergoing tummy tucks, liposuction or buttock enhancement procedures in that country's clinics, reports a team from the U.S. Centers for Di...

How Do Americans Die? New Study Looks at Last Few Years of Life

A sampling of the last three years of life spent by people who died in 2018 is giving a picture of what dying looks like in the United States.

The analysis was conducted by a team at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Researchers tracked the end-of-life "trajectories" of about 200,000 Medicare beneficiaries who died in 2018.

They found that about 6 in every 10 (59%) people spent the ...

Those Who Fear Serious Illness More Likely to Die Sooner: Study

Having severe hypochondria can prompt hours of needless worrying, but in an ironic twist new research now shows it could also shorten your life.

New Swedish research found people diagnosed with an excessive fear of serious illness tended to die earlier than people who don't constantly fret about their health.

"Many of us are mild hypochondriacs. But there are also people on the othe...

U.S. Infant Mortality Rate Climbs for First Time in 20 Years

Following nearly two decades of decline, U.S. infant death rates edged up by 3% in 2022, new provisional government numbers reveal.

"This was the first year we saw statistically significant increased rates of infant mortality in about 20 years,"said study author Danielle Ely, a statistician at the U.S. National Center for He...

Medical Groups Issue Consensus Definition of Brain Death

A new guideline from four leading medical organizations should help doctors determine if someone is brain dead.

"Until now, there have been two separate guidelines for determining brain death, one for adults and one for children,"said author Dr. Matthew Kirschen, a critical care physician at the Children's ...

Jimmy Carter 'Happy' in At-Home Hospice Care as 99th Birthday Nears

Former President Jimmy Carter turned quite a few heads last week when he made a surprise visit to the Plains Peanut Festival in Georgia.

Carter, who turns 99 on Sunday, decided back in February "to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention,"according to an announcement made at the time by the Carter Center.

B...

40% of Patients Recall Some Consciousness During Near Death Experiences

People have long talked about having near-death experiences in which they felt they were looking down on themselves while others tried to save them.

Now, researchers have documented some of those experiences. In a study published online recently in the journal Resuscitation,...

Losing a Parent is Hard. Is It Harder for Boys?

After the death of a parent, boys may have a tougher time than girls, a new study suggests.

Young people who lose a parent before age 21 are at risk for poor mental health, lower income and unemployment in adulthood. Researchers say boys seem to be harder hit.

The study was published July 25 in the

New Report Measures Scope of Damage From Medical Mistakes

About 795,000 Americans die or are permanently disabled every year due to misdiagnosed medical conditions.

A new analysis led by experts at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore looks more closely at diagnostic error and its impact.

"Prior work has gen...

Bipolar Disorder Ups Early Death Risk by Sixfold

People who have bipolar disorder may have a higher risk of dying early, according to new research.

Finnish investigators say this is due to a combination of external causes -- such as suicide, accidents and violence -- and physical health issues, with alcohol a big contributor.

Targeting interventions to substance abuse will likely reduce premature deaths owing to both external and...

New Opioid Use Raises Death Risk 11-Fold in Those With Dementia

Older adults who begin using opioid painkillers after a dementia diagnosis have a significantly greater risk of death -- about 11-fold within the first two weeks, according to new research.

The risk of death continued beyond two weeks, but at a lower rate, said researchers in Denmark. They found a doubled death risk within 90 days of opioid initiation, and said doctors must seriously...

B 7/14 -- Lisa Marie Presley Died of Common Complication of Weight-Loss Surgery

Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley, died from complications of a weight-loss surgery she had several years ago, according to an autopsy report released Thursday.

The singer/songwriter died Jan. 12 of natural causes due to a small bowel obstruction, according to the office of the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner. This is a common complication after bariatric (wei...

Higher Maternal Death Rates Among Black Women Tied to Racism, Sexism, UN Says

Black women are more likely to die during or soon after childbirth due to systemic racism and sexism in the medical system, not genetics or lifestyle, according to the United Nations.

A U.N. agency, the United Nations Population Fund, released a

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • July 13, 2023
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  • First Murder Conviction for Fentanyl Dealer Delivered in California

    A fentanyl dealer has been found guilty of second-degree murder in what authorities believe is the first-ever murder conviction for dealing the dangerous drug.

    The conviction happened in Placer County, Calif., in a case involving the fatal overdose last summer of a 15-year-old girl in Roseville, about 20 miles northeast of Sacramento, ABC News reported.

    "This conviction cou...

    Drug Overdoses Are Killing Men at Much Higher Rates Than Women

    American men die of drug overdoses at a higher rate than women, but new research shows that difference can't be completely explained by factors like misuse or greater use.

    A study led by scientists from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City and the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) found that men were two to three times more likely than women to die of a ...

    Recalled Newborn Loungers Tied to 2 More Infant Deaths

    After two more infant deaths, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is are urging parents and caregivers to stop using recalled Boppy Newborn Loungers, which are now linked to 10 deaths in all.

    The loungers were recalled in September 2021 because of eight baby deaths. An additional two deaths have been reported since the recall, the commission said Wednesday.

    The recal...

    Another Reason to Hate Mondays: Higher Risk for Severe Heart Attacks

    Monday can be a downer as folks leave weekend play behind. Now, researchers say Monday might also be the most common day for deadly heart attacks.

    Doctors at the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland determined this by analyzing patient data in Ireland, though they can't determine the reason why.

    Past research has suggested it might have t...

    FDA Approves New Nasal Spray to Reverse Overdoses

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved a second nasal spray for reversing an opioid overdose.

    To be sold as Opvee, the spray contains the medication nalmefene hydrochloride and will be available to Americans aged 12 and older with a prescription, the FDA said.

    "The agency continues to advance the FDA Overdose Prevention Framework and take actionable steps that enc...

    Stroke Gaining Ground as a Global Killer

    Worldwide deaths from the most common type of stroke have risen significantly in the past three decades and will increase even more sharply in the years ahead, researchers say.

    Ischemic stroke deaths grew from 2 million in 1990 to more than 3 million in 2019. They are expected to reach nearly 5 million by 2030, according to a report published online May 17 in the journal Neurology.

    U.S. Death Rate Declined in 2022, COVID Deaths Fell by Almost Half

    Preliminary mortality data for 2022 finds America making its way back from the devastation of the pandemic, with a significant 5.3% decline in deaths compared to 2021.

    And although COVID-19 remained the fourth leading cause of death in the United States last year, the number of fatalities linked to the disease fell by almost half -- from 462,193 deaths in 2021 to 244,986 deaths in 2022. <...

    Vermont Opens Its Assisted Suicide Laws to Out-of-State Residents

    People seeking medically assisted suicide from any state can now get it in Vermont.

    The state is the first to allow those with terminal illnesses from out of state to end their lives within its borders, the Associated Press reported.

    Republican Gov. Phil Scott signed a bill Tuesday removing a requirement t...

    Science Reveals Possible 'Surge of Consciousness' Just Before Dying

    Near-death experiences -- seeing a bright light, floating outside your body, watching your life flash past, communicating with lost loved ones -- could well be part of a dying brain's final fight-or-flight response, a new report suggests.

    Electroencephalogram (EEG) readings of dying intensive care unit patients found that some experienced a surge of brain activity in regions associated wi...

    Losing a Spouse May Be More Lethal for Men

    While losing a spouse can shorten anyone's life, new Danish research suggests widowers may be far more vulnerable than widows.

    After six years spent tracking health outcomes among nearly 925,000 Danish seniors, investigators determined that when a man between the ages of 65 and 69 loses his wife he is 70% more likely to die in the year that follows, when compared with his non-widowed...

    U.S. Travelers Warned About Counterfeit Pills Containing Fentanyl in Mexico Pharmacies

    Traveling in Mexico? Use caution when buying medications there, cautions the U.S. State Department.

    The warning was issued in response to concerns about counterfeit pills containing fentanyl being sold at pharmacies in tourist areas and border regions.

    "Counterfeit pills a...

    U.S. Pregnancy Deaths Drop Following Spike During Pandemic

    After U.S. pregnancy deaths soared in 2021, they are on track to drop to pre-pandemic levels in 2022, a new government report shows.

    While the decline from more than 1,200 pregnancy deaths in 2021 to 733 deaths in 2022 is positive news, experts said it's still not enough when pregnancy deaths were already at high levels before COVID-19 emerged.

    The U.S. Centers for Disease Control ...

    More Than 3 Million 'Calico Critters' Toys Recalled After Choking Deaths to 2 Kids

    Calico Critters animal figures and sets that were sold with bottle and pacifier accessories are being recalled due to a choking hazard.

    Epoch Everlasting Play has recalled more than 3.2 million of the toys, the

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • March 9, 2023
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  • Opioids Cause Half of All Poisonings in U.S. Kids Age 5 and Younger

    Opioids pose the greatest poison risk to children in the United States, accounting for more than half of poisoning deaths in infants and toddlers, a new study reports.

    About 52% of poisoning deaths of children aged 5 and younger in 2018 involved the ingestion of an opioid, according to findings published online March 8 in the journal

  • Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
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  • March 8, 2023
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  • What Exactly Is Hospice Care?

    When former President Jimmy Carter recently entered home hospice care after many years of cancer treatment, it was an invitation for families across America to consider how they would like to spend their final days.

    For experts in end-of-life care, the 98-year-old's

    For-Profit Hospices Often Deliver Worse Care: Study

    Patients spending the end of their lives in for-profit hospices receive substantially worse care than those who are in nonprofit hospices, a new study claims.

    To come to that conclusion, RAND Corp. researchers analyzed surveys completed by people whose loved ones had spent time in more than 3,100 hospices throughout the country.

    The research included reviewing more than 650,000 sur...

    Almost 700,000 Rocking Sleepers Recalled After 15 Babies Die

    Following the deaths of 15 infants, families are advised to immediately stop using all models of Kids2 Rocking Sleepers, according to a second recall notice.

    Four of those 15 babies died after the first recall notice, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported.

    The company is recalling 694,000 Rocking Sleepers. Parents can contact the Kids2 company for a refund.

    U.S. Stroke Deaths Fall, But New Rise in Strokes Is Likely

    U.S. stroke deaths have dramatically declined in the past several decades. But, researchers caution, their new study also found the potential for a resurgence.

    "After nearly four decades of declining stroke-related mortality, the risk appears to be increasing in the United States. Our research underscores the need for novel strategies to combat this alarming trend,"said lead study author ...

    Letting Doctors Know a Patient Has Overdosed Might Curb Opioid Overprescribing

    One low-cost intervention could make a difference in America's epidemic of opioid overdoses, a new study suggests.

    When health care providers were notified that one of their patients had died from an overdose, they wrote fewer opioid prescriptions for up to a year later.

    The University of Southern California (USC) study built upon earlier findings that letters like these could reduc...

    Another Big Drop in U.S. Life Expectancy in 2021

    The average American's expected life span at birth took another big hit in 2021, according to final data on death rates for that pandemic year.

    Whereas in 2019 the average American could have expected to live an average of 78.8 years, life expectancy declined to 77 years in 2020, and then to 76.4 years in 2021, according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control ...

    Homicide a Leading Cause of Death for Kids, Teens

    Homicide has become a leading killer of children, with guns being the most common weapon used in their deaths, a new study shows.

    The overall rate of homicides in children has grown about 4.3% each year for a decade, with a steep rise seen between 2019 and 2020, when the number of kids who died by homicide rose 27.7%.

    Firearm-related homicides rose 47.7% between 2019 and 2020, acc...

    U.S. Deaths Drop in 2022, But Still Higher Than Pre-Pandemic Levels

    More than two years after the pandemic began, there is a bit of good news on death rates in the United States: They should be lower this year than during the past two years once final numbers are tallied.

    Still, they have not dropped to levels seen before COVID swept across the country, preliminary data shows.

    Deaths are expected to remain about 13% higher than 2019 numbers for 2022...

    Pandemic's Two-Year Global Death Toll May Be Close to 15 Million

    Almost 15 million people likely died as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, nearly three times more than previously reported, a new World Health Organization study estimates.

    The researchers said the COVID-19 pandemic caused about 4.5 million more deaths than would have been expected in 2020, and 10.4 million more in 2021, according to the report published online Dec. 14 i...

    1 in 5 People Saved by CPR Recall 'Lucid Dying'

    People have long talked about having near-death experiences in which they felt they were looking down on themselves while others tried to save them.

    Now researchers have documented some of those experiences. In a new study, investigators found that about 20% of patients recalled lucid experiences of death that occurred while they were seemingly unconscious and dying.

    "These lucid e...

    Physicians Say Faulty Oxygen Devices Put Lives in Peril

    Faulty readings by pulse oximeters may have resulted in more COVID deaths among minorities, doctors warned in testimony before a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel this week.

    Pulse oximeters are small devices that read a person's blood oxygen levels via a fingertip. During the pandemic, health workers used the readings to help determine who should receive scarce medications...

    Most Pregnancy-Related Deaths in U.S. Could Have Been Prevented

    More than four out of five pregnancy-related deaths in the United States could have been prevented, according to a new federal government report.

    The researchers examined data from

    Second Person in U.S. Dies After Monkeypox Diagnosis

    A second person in the United States infected with monkeypox has died in California.

    As in the earlier case in Texas, public health officials are investigating what role the virus may have played in the death of this second patient.

    "We will be doing an autopsy. S...

    Brain Study Shows How Fentanyl Kills

    Fentanyl, the synthetic opioid that's driving a surge in drug overdose deaths, kills by stopping breathing even before someone loses consciousness, a new study reveals.

    To come to that conclusion, researchers ran