If you have high blood pressure, checking it regularly at home might help you better control the condition, even if your doctor takes your blood pressure at most appointments.

Gender is no barrier to strokes, which occur when blood flow to the brain is blocked (an ischemic stroke) or damage is caused by bleeding in the brain (a hemorrhagic stroke). But there are some gender differences when it comes...

Taking certain medications to control hypertension before bedtime will not only improve nighttime blood pressure control but may also modestly reduce the risk of developing diabetes, suggests a study from Spanish researchers....

If you snack impulsively, eat at unusual times, or chow down before going to bed, chew on this: Irregular eating can increase your risk of high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, obesity, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

A free smartphone app provides trustworthy information about herbal products.

It's well known that caffeine can improve athletic (and mental) performance, but not in everyone. A study from Canadian researchers finds that how you perform after a caffeine boost depends on your genes.

The benefits of eating conventionally grown fruits and vegetables outweigh the potential risks of exposure to minuscule residues of the synthetic pesticides used. (The undisputed danger of pesticides is to the environment and...

Working out in groups with people of similar age motivates older adults to stick with an exercise routine, according to a study published in Health Psychology.

A hiatal hernia doesn't cause heartburn, but it is often associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Here's why.

A large German study published in 2016 found an association between the long-term use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD) in people over age 75. But two more recent studies,...

A Mediterranean-style diet may reduce the risk of cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) for the treatment of gallstones, according to a 2017 study in The American Journal of Gastroenterology.

If you are taking anti-TNF agents to control inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and you still have evidence of active disease, here's what the American Gastroenterology Association (AGA) recommends.

Modifying your lifestyle is an effective way to reduce the risk of heart disease. Yet many people at high risk feel no need to alter their lifestyle habits, a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association...

Nitric oxide is a chemical compound in the body that relaxes the blood vessels and keeps them flexible, allowing them to dilate, boosting blood flow, and helping to control blood pressure. It also has anti-inflammatory effects...

Most people with abnormal heart rhythms (atrial fibrillation or ventricular arrhythmias) can safely consume coffee and other caffeinated beverages in moderation—despite the common concern that caffeine can trigger arrhythmias—a...

Emotional or physical stress can trigger worrisome symptoms that are similar to those of a heart attack. Here's what you need to know about this condition, known medically as stress cardiomyopathy.

If you or someone you care for has cognitive problems, take precautions to prevent falls. People with moderate cognitive impairment or dementia are twice as likely to fall as their cognitively healthy same-age counterparts, and...

Could an implanted device that sends subtle pulses of electricity to areas of the brain responsible for memory help delay and even reverse some effects of Alzheimer's disease (AD)? While most scientists exploring potential...

When a person with dementia develops a UTI, they can quickly become delirious or experience unremitting pain or both. But she or he may not be able to let you know what's going on. If you are caring for someone who has...

Results from a large study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society provides additional evidence that hearing aids may slow cognitive decline in adults who are hearing-impaired.

Outbreaks of influenza occur each winter and last for three or four months, leading to infection on average in approximately 5 to 20 percent of the population. If you have a lung disease (such as COPD or asthma—even if it’s...

Routine activities, such as bathing, grooming, and dressing, can take their toll on your energy if you have moderate or severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). But planning ahead and using some simple...

It's important to establish that bronchitis, or inflammation of the bronchial tubes of the lungs, can present as either acute or chronic. You should know that one type is not contagious, but the other most certainly is.

Smoking causes an estimated 80 to 90 percent of lung cancer cases. Yet, only 2 to 4 percent of the estimated 8 million Americans who are candidates for lung cancer screening because of their smoking history have undergone the...

If you are experiencing depression, here's where you can turn for help and what to expect.

Sleep problems can be both a cause and an effect of depression. Here's what you should know about both.

Individual psychotherapy, including mindfulness-based therapy, can be effective. But one-on-one counseling is expensive and may not be available to many people suffering from depression or anxiety. Can group therapy deliver the...

Foods can improve mood in some people, but can diet really affect depression? Last year, the first controlled clinical trial on the link between diet quality and depression gave stronger support to this connection.

The cause of bacterial prostatitis is obvious and easy to detect—infection with some type of bacteria. But why some men develop the more common, nonbacterial form is puzzling.

Too many older adults continue to undergo unnecessary cancer screenings despite age- and health-related recommendations from professional groups. When it comes to PSA screening, there are no hard-and-fast rules, but here's what...

Active surveillance offers some men who have a prostate cancer the option of careful monitoring with the intention to treat for cure should the disease change over time. Find out which men are potential candidates and what...

Men who consume soy foods may be at lower risk for prostate cancer, according to an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of 30 observational studies, published in the journal Nutrients earlier this year.

Each year, more than 300,000 Americans ages 65 and older are hospitalized after a hip fracture, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly all the fractures happen from a fall. And a key factor in falls...

Heel ultrasound scans can be a quick and easy screening tool to measure bone density. But the National Osteoporosis Foundation advises some people to skip the scan and have another test instead.

The claim: Following an anti-inflammatory diet can lower the risk of developing osteoporosis. But what does the evidence show?

Although weight-loss surgery clearly provides health benefits, it also has some risks—including an increased risk of bone loss and fracture.

Recent research may have put the kibosh on the health claim that fish oil (omega-3) supplements are an effective treatment for dry eyes.

Microstents are a promising new option for managing elevated intraocular pressure in adults with glaucoma. But with so many microstents becoming available, ophthalmologists are still trying to assess their relative benefits and...

For people with glaucoma, regular monitoring of intraocular pressure (IOP) is important for making sure that their treatment is effective. But testing involves going to the eye doctor, which can be a burden, especially for...

Following a Mediterranean-style diet—with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy oils such as olive oil, and only very modest portions of red meat and refined foods—has been shown to reduce the risk of...

At age 20, the prostate is about the size of a crab apple, but by age 70, the average prostate has doubled in size. The condition, known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, is the most common prostate problem for men older...

The prostate is not a component of the urinary system, but because of its proximity to the urethra it can affect urinary function.

Treatment decisions for BPH are based on the severity of symptoms as assessed by the International Prostate Symptom Score questionnaire, the extent of urinary tract damage, and the man's age and overall health.

Some reports indicate that as many as 30 percent of men who undergo surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) have symptoms that were caused by something other than an enlarged prostate. A medical history helps doctors...

Between meal snacking doesn't have to be a hindrance to your weight management efforts. It's what you snack on and how much of it you consume that counts. These 6 tips can help you avoid self-sabotage.

Maybe Hans Christian Andersen was onto something when he put a lowly pea at the center of his fairy tale, "The Princess and the Pea.” The food industry seems to be obsessed with peas, or at least their protein, which is being...

Dairy foods, including full-fat types, are not associated with increased body fat or other metabolic risk factors, according to a 2017 study in the journal Nutrition & Diabetes, which included more than 1,000 healthy...

Gluten has gotten a bad rap in recent years. But in the absence of celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, there is no evidence that avoiding gluten will benefit your health, and it may even cause harm.

A degenerative, or age-related, meniscal tear develops gradually as repeated everyday movements wear down the cartilage. A weak meniscus can tear with no or minimal trauma, such as when standing up or getting out of a...

Many people who regularly take the pain reliever ibuprofen unknowingly exceed the daily dosing limits, according to a study in Pharmacoepidemiology & Drug Safety. Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug...

Patients with persistent joint pain and other symptoms of Lyme disease are often offered unproven treatments that can cause serious and even life-threatening adverse effects, according to a report from the Centers for Disease...

The advantages of a bilateral knee replacement—when both knees are replaced at the same time—might seem obvious. But most experts agree that this controversial practice has its downsides. Here's what you should know.

For decades, nutrition guidelines advised limiting eggs because it was thought that they raised blood cholesterol and had adverse heart and metabolic effects. While such restrictions have largely been lifted for the general...

Beyond the weight-control benefits of improving your diet, smart nutritional choices can also directly reduce your diabetes risk.

A 2017 review in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology offers an evidence-based, multi-faceted approach to preventing heart disease in people with type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is an "epidemic" in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). What's more, of the 84 million adults who have prediabetes (elevated blood sugar but below the cutoff for diabetes), only...