Author – The Durango Herald

New gene tests for germs quickly reveal source of infections

Brian Jetter was on life support, a healthy 40-year-old suddenly battling pneumonia and sepsis, and a slew of tests had failed to find the cause. Mystery illnesses like this kill ...

DATE: Jun 12, 2019 | CATEGORY: Health

Cleaning routine shows promise in curbing superbug infection

Think of it as decontaminating yourself. Hospitalized patients who harbor certain superbugs can cut their risk of developing full-blown infections if they swab medicated goo in their nose an...

DATE: Feb 13, 2019 | CATEGORY: Health

Nearly half of U.S. adults have heart or blood vessel disease

A new report estimates that nearly half of all U.S. adults have some form of heart or blood vessel disease, a medical milestone that’s mostly attributable to recent guidelines that expanded ...

DATE: Feb 3, 2019 | CATEGORY: Health

In limbo: Leftover embryos challenge clinics, couples

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Tens of thousands of embryos are stuck in limbo in fertility clinics, leftovers from pregnancy attempts and broken dreams of parenthood. Some are outright aband...

DATE: Jan 21, 2019 | CATEGORY: Health

New exercise guidelines: Move more, sit less, start younger

CHICAGO – Move more, sit less and get kids active as young as age 3, say new federal guidelines that stress that any amount and any type of exercise helps health. The advice is th...

DATE: Nov 12, 2018 | CATEGORY: Health

Immunotherapy scores a first win against some breast cancers

For the first time, one of the new immunotherapy drugs has shown promise against breast cancer in a large study that combined it with chemotherapy to treat an aggressive form of the disease....

DATE: Oct 22, 2018 | CATEGORY: Health

More older women may benefit from bone drugs, study says

A bone-strengthening drug given by IV every 18 months greatly lowered the risk of fracture in certain older women, a large study found. The results suggest these medicines might help more pe...

DATE: Oct 3, 2018 | CATEGORY: Health

Aspirin disappoints for avoiding first heart attack, stroke

Taking a low-dose aspirin every day has long been known to cut the chances of another heart attack, stroke or other heart problem in people who already have had one, but the risks aren’t wor...

DATE: Aug 27, 2018 | CATEGORY: Health

Officials remove special rules for gene therapy experiments

U.S. health officials are eliminating special regulations for gene therapy experiments, saying that what was once exotic science is quickly becoming an established form of medical care with ...

DATE: Aug 17, 2018 | CATEGORY: Health

Helping nature: Inducing labor avoids cesarean for some moms

Move over, Mother Nature. First-time moms at low risk of complications were less likely to need a cesarean delivery if labor was induced at 39 weeks instead of waiting for it to start on its...

DATE: Aug 9, 2018 | CATEGORY: Health

Hopes rise again for a drug to slow Alzheimer’s disease

CHICAGO – Hopes are rising again for a drug to alter the course of Alzheimer’s disease after decades of failures. An experimental therapy slowed mental decline by 30 percent in patients who ...

DATE: Jul 27, 2018 | CATEGORY: Health

AIDS drugs show more promise for preventing new infections

New research shows more promise for using AIDS treatment drugs as a prevention tool, to help keep uninfected people from catching HIV during sex with a partner who has the virus. ...

DATE: Jul 24, 2018 | CATEGORY: Health