Bisexual women may face a higher heart disease risk, new research suggests

Most people may not consider sexual orientation a risk factor for heart disease — but a recent study suggests that bisexual women may have poorer cardiovascular health (CVH) than heterosexual females.

Researchers analyzed data from 12,180 people with an average age of 39. 

About half of those people were female. 

IRREGULAR SLEEP COULD PUT YOU IN THE DANGER ZONE FOR HEART DISEASE: STUDY

The data was culled from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007-2016), which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducts.

Individuals were each assigned a CHV score from 0 to 100 (100 being the best) based on their dietary habits and physical exams. 

The scores were based on the American Heart Association’s measure of ideal heart health in U.S. adults. 

A score below 50 indicated "poor" cardiovascular health, 50-79 was considered "moderate" and 80 or higher was "high," per the AHA website.

Pregnant women and individuals with a history of heart disease were excluded from the study. 

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Bisexual females were about half as likely to receive higher heart health scores than heterosexual females, largely due to "nicotine exposure and higher body mass index."

The researchers also cited several other factors, including added stress, less sleep and a higher risk of diabetes among bisexual women, according to a press release from the Columbia School of Nursing.

Additionally, bisexual men were found to be twice as likely as heterosexual males to have high blood pressure.

Dr. Billy Caceres, an assistant professor at the Columbia School of Nursing, led the study, which was published in JAMA Cardiology.

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Other participating researchers were from Columbia; the University of California, San Francisco; and the Boston University School of Medicine, among others.

It was titled "Differences in Ideal Cardiovascular Health Between Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Adults."

Fox News Digital reached out to the study authors for comment.

The authors of the study noted that more research is needed to determine other factors that might influence cardiovascular health in bisexual females.

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Dr. Dung Trinh, chief medical officer of Irvine Clinical Research and a physician with Memorial Care Medical Group in California, was not involved in the study. But he said he believes that health care providers should consider the unique health needs of different sexual orientations when providing care for cardiac disease. 

"Cardiac health care providers should ask open-ended questions about sexual orientation and gender identity during the patient's medical history intake to help identify any risk factors," Dr. Trinh told Fox News Digital in an email.

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Dr. Trinh said the potential impact of "discrimination and stigma on the patient's mental health and overall well-being" may heighten the risk of cardiovascular disease among bisexual females.

"Doctors should screen for mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, that may impact cardiovascular health, especially among LGBTQ+ individuals who face higher rates of mental illness than the general population," he added.

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Many of the lifestyle factors impacting cardiovascular health — such as smoking status, alcohol consumption, dietary choices and exercise habits — vary based on a person's cultural background or sexual orientation, said Dr. Trinh.

"It’s important to educate patients on how their sexual orientation may impact their cardiac disease risk factors and to also stress prevention strategies such as healthy eating habits, regular exercise, stress management techniques, and medication adherence if necessary," he said.

Additionally, physicians should provide appropriate referrals for community resources or support groups as needed, Dr. Trinh recommends.

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Irregular sleep could put you in the danger zone for heart disease: study

If you go to bed and wake up at different times throughout the week — or if your sleep gets disrupted during the night — you could face a higher risk of heart disease, according to a new study published by the American Heart Association.

The study looked at 2,032 older adults, measuring both the duration and timing of their sleep. 

For a seven-day period, participants kept a sleep diary and wore a special wristwatch that tracked their sleep quality by measuring movements and oxygen levels.

Those who had irregular sleep patterns — including differences in the times they went to bed and interruptions in their sleep throughout the night — were more likely to show signs of atherosclerosis.

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Atherosclerosis, also known as coronary artery disease, is a "thickening or hardening of the arteries caused by a buildup of plaque in the inner lining of an artery," as defined on Johns Hopkins Medicine’s website.

Researchers adjusted for outside factors, including prior cardiovascular disease, obstructive sleep apnea and other sleep disorders.

"Sleep irregularity, particularly sleep duration irregularity, was associated with several measures of subclinical atherosclerosis," the study authors wrote. 

"Sleep regularity may be a modifiable target for reducing atherosclerosis risk."

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The study was led by Dr. Kelsie M. Full from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, along with researchers from Harvard Medical School, the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and other institutions. 

It was part of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), which involved more than 6,000 men and women from six U.S. communities.

Dr. Pranav Patel, a board-certified cardiologist with Inspira Medical Group Cardiology in New Jersey, said this study is different from the many others that have previously linked sleep deprivation to adverse heart issues.

"What's novel about this study is that the group of people includes all races. Prior to the 2000s, most studies generally looked at Caucasian males," he said in a discussion with Fox News Digital.

Patel was not involved in the study. 

CARE ABOUT YOUR HEART? TRY GETTING BETTER SLEEP, NEW STUDY SUGGESTS

Among those whose sleep patterns varied by two hours or more each day, the study found an increase of coronary artery disease.

"That essentially means they are more likely to have plaque in the vessels of the heart, which supply the muscle that's used to pump blood to the rest of the body," Dr. Patel said.

"This study also showed there was an increase of plaque buildup in the extremities" — the arms and legs — "which we call peripheral vascular disease," he went on.

Disruptions to the sleep cycle, he added, can lead to increased inflammation and higher blood pressure, which can trigger fatty buildup in the arteries.

"When you’re sleeping, you’re calm and your blood pressure is probably not spiking, but when you're awake, your blood pressure is more heightened because you have to function and do most of your daily tasks," he said. 

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"It all goes back to the circadian rhythm, which is a natural sleep-wake cycle that most people have. People with irregular sleep patterns have a disruption in this cycle — which leads to the increase in inflammation and blood pressure."

Dr. Patel said the study removed risk factors such as diabetes and previous high blood pressure, looking only at sleep irregularity — "a novel finding that hasn't been presented until now."

To achieve a more regular sleep pattern, Dr. Patel recommends setting a bedtime that’s within the same 30-minute window each night.

Those who have problems with snoring or sleep apnea should see a doctor for treatment, he said.

The study authors noted that more research is needed to explore ways to reduce the risk caused by sleep irregularity.

Fox News Digital reached out to the lead author for comment.

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Popular artificial sweetener, erythritol, could raise risk of heart attack and stroke: study

A popular artificial sweetener, erythritol, could raise the risk of heart attack and stroke, a new study from the Cleveland Clinic revealed.

Researchers evaluated more than 4,000 people in the U.S. and Europe. Those who consumed high amounts of erythritol had a greater risk of developing major adverse cardiovascular events, which could include stroke, heart attack or death. 

The study, published in Nature Medicine, found that erythritol may contribute to the formation of blood clots, a major trigger for cardiac events.

However, there were also some caveats.

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Erythritol is a carbohydrate called a sugar alcohol, which has about half the calories of regular sugar, per WebMD. 

It is an ingredient in both Truvia and Splenda, two popular zero-calorie sugar substitutes. The sweetener is also found naturally in some foods, including grapes, watermelon, pears, mushrooms and fermented cheese.

"Our study shows that when participants consumed an artificially sweetened beverage with an amount of erythritol found in many processed foods, markedly elevated levels in the blood are observed for days — levels well above those observed to enhance clotting risks," said Stanley Hazen, M.D., PhD, in a press release on Cleveland Clinic's website.

He is co-section head of preventive cardiology at Cleveland Clinic and lead author of the study.

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved erythritol for safe consumption in 2001. The World Health Organization (WHO) approved it in 1999.

Erin Palinski-Wade, R.D., a New Jersey-based dietitian with a focus on diabetes and nutrition, said erythritol has a sweetness level similar to sugar, making it easy to swap out in recipes in equal amounts. 

"Because it is not metabolized in the gut, erythritol has a limited impact on blood glucose levels, unlike other sugar alcohols," Palinski-Wade told Fox News Digital in an email. 

"This sweetener also has no aftertaste and only 0.24 calories per gram, making it an appealing choice as a sugar replacement."

Palinski-Wade, who was not involved in the new study, said erythritol is also added to a variety of foods, including low-carb ice creams, protein powders, low-carb snacks, desserts and some beverages.

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"Sweeteners like erythritol have rapidly increased in popularity in recent years, but there needs to be more in-depth research into their long-term effects," said Hazen of Cleveland Clinic. 

"Cardiovascular disease builds over time, and heart disease is the leading cause of death globally. We need to make sure the foods we eat aren’t hidden contributors."

Palinski-Wade was surprised by the findings of the study.

"Most previous research on erythritol has been quite positive, as it contains beneficial antioxidants and has no impact on blood glucose levels or insulin," she said.

Palinski-Wade added that the study shows an association, not causation. 

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"More research and longer-term studies, including research on individuals without current risk factors for cardiovascular disease, are needed to fully understand the impact of erythritol on long-term health," she said."

Hazen also recognized the need for further research.

"It is important that further safety studies are conducted to examine the long-term effects of artificial sweeteners in general, and erythritol specifically, on risks for heart attack and stroke, particularly in people at higher risk for cardiovascular disease," he said.

The new study had some limitations that are important to know.

Kim Kulp, a registered dietitian in San Francisco, California, who was not involved in the study, pointed out that while there was an increase in cardiovascular events after having higher levels of erythritol in the blood, the people involved in the study were already at a higher risk for heart disease and other health problems. 

"Since those who choose to use sugar substitutes are often overweight or have diabetes, this puts them at a greater risk for heart problems to begin with," she told Fox News Digital in an email. 

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"The results of this same study could be different if the subjects were all healthy individuals."

Palinski-Wade said the best strategy is to follow the recommendation of the Dietary Guidelines of Americans (from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) to limit added sugars to less than 10% of total daily calories — and to use all sweeteners, both caloric and non-calorie, in moderation.

"Working to limit added sweeteners in the diet while boosting our intake of foods containing naturally occurring sugars, such as whole fruit, is the best strategy when it comes to improving long-term health," she said. 

"Based on the findings of this study, people with risk factors for cardiovascular disease should speak to their physician to see if erythritol is right for them."

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2 die from cholera in Syria after a devastating earthquake damages health, water infrastructure

Two people have died of cholera in Syria's opposition-held northwest in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake that hit the area, a source from the rescue force that operates there told Reuters on Tuesday.

The earthquake left more than 4,000 people dead in the rebel-controlled zone near the Turkish border and damaged fragile health and water infrastructure, prompting fears of a spike in cases of the disease.

The opposition-run civil defence, known as the White Helmets, said that the total number of cholera deaths recorded in the northwest since the outbreak began last year had risen to 22, with another 568 non-fatal cases reported.

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"The destruction of infrastructure, water and sewage lines after the earthquake increases the possibility of an outbreak of the disease," the White Helmets said in a tweet.

A report by the United Nations Security Council last week said the ongoing outbreak had been worsened by "severe shortages" of clean water across the country.

It said Syria's wet season had been "unusually dry" and hot.

First linked in September 2022 to contaminated water near the Euphrates river, the outbreak spread across various areas of control in the nation fractured by more than a decade of war.

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Victims of Ohio train derailment can get free medical assistance from virtual health care company

As residents of East Palestine, Ohio, continue to struggle in the aftermath of the train derailment and subsequent toxic chemical fires earlier this month, a health-focused company has pledged to provide free medical care for victims.

The Wellness Company of Boca Raton, Florida, is a virtual provider of health care, supplements and wellness services.

It is now offering free online consultations with a licensed doctor or medical provider via its website.

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On Feb. 3, a train carrying vinyl chloride, a potentially hazardous chemical, derailed just outside the small town of East Palestine. 

Railroad officials ordered a controlled burn of the chemicals, sending plumes of contaminated smoke into the sky.

Since the derailment, East Palestinians have reported various degrees of sickness. 

One resident told Dr. Marc Siegel of New York City, a Fox News medical contributor, that she has experienced shortness of breath, headache, lightheadedness, irritated throat and swollen eyes. 

Her husband reported a gravelly voice, a headache that lasted for weeks, dizziness and a tingling sensation in his gums. 

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Another resident told "Fox & Friends" that her "skin was burning" after she got out of the shower, and that the sensation lasted "all night long."

There is also widespread concern about the unknown long-term effects of the exposure.

Those living in the town also have been frustrated by slow action or a lack of assistance from the U.S. government — particularly from President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Resident DJ Yokley told Fox News that federal help has been "too little, too late."

"It is clear at this point that the government is absolutely unwilling or unable to assist the men, women and children of East Palestine," said Foster Coulson, founder and chairman of The Wellness Company, in a press release on his company’s website.

"Today, we are pledging to assist those Americans who are impacted by this disaster by offering free medical care," he continued.

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"I encourage the rest of the medical-industrial complex to join us in our mission of putting the health and well-being of people before the bottom line," he also said.

The Wellness Company said it has "world-class" doctors in all 50 states. 

Patients will be able to obtain any necessary prescriptions via overnight delivery, Coulson told Fox News Digital in an email.

Any in-person follow-up care should be determined between the patient and the doctor, he added.

"After decades of neglect by the government, the health care infrastructure — much like the transportation infrastructure — in East Palestine is simply not able to handle the magnitude of the crisis they are now facing," Coulson said. 

"These are the times to come together as a community, as a country and as a society to support those in need."

East Palestine residents who are ill and suffering can visit https://ift.tt/xFgfOep to receive free virtual care through August 2023.

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Be well: Add an egg (or 3) to your daily diet for heart health

Eggs used to get a bad rap because of their high cholesterol content.

Yet a new study shows they may actually be good for heart health.

The study, which was recently published in the journal Nutrients, found that eating one to three eggs per week could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 60%.

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Those who consumed four to seven eggs cut their risk of heart disease by 75%.

The data was collected from 3,042 healthy participants in Athens, Greece.

The study, titled "Egg Consumption, Cardiovascular Disease and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: The Interaction with Saturated Fatty Acids," was led by a group of nutrition researchers and data scientists in Greece.

Michelle Routhenstein, a New York City-based cardiology dietitian who was not involved in the study, said there is a place for eggs in a heart-healthy diet — as long as the total saturated fat intake is considered.

"Eggs are a rich source of vitamin B2, vitamin B12 and selenium, which are cardioprotective," she told Fox News Digital via email. 

When someone is deficient in vitamins B2 and B12, it can cause a spike in homocysteine (an amino acid), which can increase the risk of plaque formation in the arteries.

Selenium also acts as an antioxidant, helping to prevent heart disease.

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Eggs are also packed with high-quality protein that fills you up faster, reducing the chances of consuming processed or refined foods that aren’t so heart-friendly, said Routhenstein.

Eggs are a versatile food that can be enjoyed at any meal. 

Routhenstein recommends preparing a veggie-packed omelet or frittata, or having poached or boiled eggs as part of the protein in a well-balanced grain bowl.

Registered dietitian Lisa Moskovitz of the NY Nutrition Group in New York City likes to hard-boil eggs, slice them and put them on top of avocado toast. 

Another option is to scramble them and roll them into a breakfast burrito with fiber-rich beans and salsa — or chop eggs into your favorite salad for lunch. 

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"For a more interesting way to enjoy eggs, you can make mini crustless quiches or pour eggs into a muffin tin and bake them into bite-sized muffins," she told Fox News Digital in an email. 

"Eggs can also be cracked and stirred right into brothy soup (during the cooking process) to up the protein intake and create your own version of egg drop soup."

While eggs can be a heart-healthy addition to any diet, Routhenstein stressed the importance of taking into account the total amount of saturated fat intake for the day. 

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"The study points to the benefit of 1-3 or 4-7 eggs per week for cardiovascular risk reduction, which equates to about 1.6 grams to 11.6 grams of saturated fat per week from the eggs," she said. 

The American Heart Association recommends that only 5% to 6% of calories come from saturated fat. 

For a 2,000-calorie diet, that would be about 13 grams of saturated fat each day.

"While eggs may be able to be included in a heart-healthy diet, the amount should be relatively limited, and the whole diet should be evaluated for optimal risk reduction," Routhenstein told Fox News Digital.

To read more pieces in Fox News Digital's "Be Well" series, click here. 

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Wearable fitness trackers with sensing technology could interfere with implantable cardiac devices: study

Many people use fitness trackers, such as smartwatches, as part of achieving a healthy lifestyle — but some cardiac patients should be aware of the risks.

Some smart scales, smart rings and wearable fitness devices that use "bioimpedance," a sensing technology that emits a tiny unnoticeable electrical current into the body, may interfere with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), like pacemakers and defibrillators, according to a new study.

The research was published on Feb. 21 in Heart Rhythm.

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"We found bioimpedance sensing technology available in certain consumer devices such as smart scales, smartwatches, and smart rings could interfere with the correct functioning of CIEDs," lead author Dr. Benjamin Sanchez Terrones of Utah told Fox News Digital.

He’s an assistant professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering and member of the Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

CIEDs include pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), according to the American Heart Association. 

The study noted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not cleared any consumer bioimpedance device for patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices because of the potential electrical interference. 

Yet not all the commercially available trackers have bioimpedance sensing technology, he added.

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"The FDA published a study in 2021 in the same journal as we did where they found that both the Apple iPhones and the Apple smartwatches create a magnetic interference to CIEDs when closer than 6 inches," Sanchez Terrones noted.

"As indicated by the manufacturers of these devices and the recommendation by the American Heart Association for other devices that may also interfere, the safest [step] is not to use them by this population [who have CIEDs]."

He added that for any questions about these devices, patients should always talk to their health care providers.

"Bioimpedance sensing is a technology [in which] a tiny, painless, alternating electrical current is applied to the body by the smartwatch, smart ring, or smart scale, and used by the device to measure the body's response," Sanchez Terrones said.

An application of this technology is measuring body composition, "where this electrical current is used to measure hydration level and fat mass content," he said.

Wearable fitness trackers use this sensing technology to record the level of stress or vital signs, such as heart rate or the number of steps taken every day, per the study’s press release. 

Some smart scales and rings also use bioimpedance sensing, Sanchez Terrones said.

"When the person is barefoot on the scale, then the scale — in addition to measuring weight — uses bioimpedance sensing to apply an electrical current from one foot to the other in some cases, sometimes from the foot to the hand if the smart scale also has a handle bar with sensors in it, to then measure segmental body composition," Sanchez Terrones added.

The scale can measure fat mass in the legs, arms and trunk separately for more accuracy, he added.

The electromagnetic waves on metal detectors and certain devices, such as cell phones, headphones and radios, can keep a cardiac defibrillator or pacemaker from functioning properly, the American Heart Association warns.

"This sort of interference had been previously described with smartphones, but a possible risk with smartwatches had not been fully appreciated," Dr. Deepak L. Bhatt, director of Mount Sinai Heart and a professor of cardiovascular medicine at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, told Fox News Digital. 

The association advises patients with an implantable defibrillator or pacemaker to use their cell phone at least six inches from their implantable device (by keeping it at the ear opposite where their device was implanted). 

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It also reminds them not to keep their cell phone in their front chest pocket.

Normally the heart beats on its own through its natural pacemaker known as the sinus node.

"Your heart's electrical system controls your heartbeat, beginning in a group of cells at the top of the heart (sinus node) and spreading to the bottom, causing it to contract and pump blood," according to the Mayo Clinic’s website. 

"Aging, heart muscle damage from a heart attack, some medications and certain genetic conditions can cause an irregular heart rhythm," the website added.

When this natural pacemaker stops working properly, the heart can beat too fast or too slowly — so a small, artificial and battery-operated pacemaker can be placed to allow the heart to beat in a regular rhythm, per the American Heart Association. 

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An ICD, or implantable defibrillator, is a small battery-powered device that’s placed to prevent sudden death. It would shock the patient if he or she experiences life-threatening cardiac rhythms known as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation, according to Mayo Clinic’s website.

When these rhythms occur, the heart can beat so fast that it stops pumping blood out to the rest of the body. 

The researchers evaluated the electrical safety of measuring bioimpedance sensing technology using technical specifications that are established by the FDA.

The researchers first evaluated implantable cardiac devices from three different manufacturers — Medtronic, Boston Scientific and Abbott — in benchtop testing, which is done to have a perfectly controlled testing environment.

"The advantage of this approach is that it facilitates the testing of different manufacturers of CIEDs in a reproducible and repeatable fashion," said the lead author. "However, it does not account for the fact people are not made of cables."

Because it is not possible to study the bioimpedance interference inside actual human beings, the study included computer modeling.

"We simulated with modeling the level of bioimpedance interference using a smartwatch, smart scale, and smart ring form factor on a male and a female human computer model with a CIED," Sanchez Terrones said. 

"Bioimpedance sensing generated an electrical interference that exceeded Food and Drug Administration-accepted guidelines and interfered with proper CIED functioning," added Sanchez Terrones in the press release. 

Researchers noted that the level of electrical current sometimes "confused" the implantable devices, although the level and the "confusion effect" differed among the three different manufacturers.

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"This is a clever study that suggests there may be a potential for wearable devices, such as smartwatches, to interfere with medical devices, such as pacemakers and implantable defibrillators," said Bhatt, who was not part of the study.

Although the study’s computer models are more accurate in terms of human anatomy than plain cables, it did not account for all the biological variability between people, Sanchez Terrones admitted.

He recommends further clinical studies on patients to make sure the scientific and medical community get the most complete information possible to make an informed decision.

"It will be important to see how regulators and manufacturers respond to these results to provide concrete guidance to patients," Bhatt added.

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CDC issues alert about drug-resistant stomach bug's spread

The CDC issued a warning to health care providers this week about an uptick nationwide in "extensively drug-resistant" shigellosis, which is a bacterial infection that affects the intestines and causes inflammatory diarrhea. 

There are about 450,000 shigellosis infections every year. The CDC reports that 5% of all infections in 2022 were extensively drug-resistant, or XDR, up from zero in 2015. 

An infection is considered extensively drug-resistant when it doesn't respond to antibiotics that are commonly used to treat it, such as azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone, and others. 

"XDR Shigella bacteria have limited antimicrobial treatment options, are easily transmissible, and can spread antimicrobial resistance genes to other enteric bacteria," the CDC wrote in an overview for an upcoming meeting next week about the increase in infections. 

Shigellosis is easily spread through person-to-person contact, including sexual contact, as well as through contaminated food and water. 

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Aside from diarrhea, infected individuals also usually experience fever and stomach pain. Symptoms last about one week and start one to two days after infection. 

Young children, international travelers, and people living with HIV have historically been impacted by shigellosis the most. 

Health officials noted in the alert on Friday that "there are no CDC recommendations for treating XDR shigellosis in the United States." 

"Healthcare providers treating XDR shigellosis should consult with a specialist knowledgeable in treating antibiotic-resistant bacteria to determine the best treatment options," the CDC wrote in the advisory. 

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For acute lower back pain, these are the best medications, new study finds

Lower back pain is one of the most common ailments, with four out of five people experiencing it at some point in their lives, according to the website for the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio.

For immediate relief after a back injury, over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers are usually the go-to.

Yet with many different medications lining drugstore shelves, people are often confused about the right options to choose.

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The three best options for acute lower back pain are NSAIDs, NSAIDs with paracetamol, and myorelaxants, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research.

NSAIDs — which include aspirin (Bayer), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve) — are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that alleviate pain, reduce inflammation and bring down fevers. 

NSAIDs are available over the counter up to a certain strength. 

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"NSAIDs are pretty much the second-strongest anti-inflammatory that we have, other than steroids," Dr. Randa Jaafar, a pain management physician in New York City, told Fox News Digital. 

(She was not involved in the study.)

Paracetamol is acetaminophen (Tylenol), which relieves pain and reduces fever. 

Tylenol is available without a prescription in all strengths. This over-the-counter medication was not effective in alleviating lower back pain on its own, the study found. It worked better when paired with an NSAID.

"A lot of people think that Motrin and Tylenol do the same thing, but they can actually be taken together," Dr. Jafaar said. (The wisest course of action is to check with a doctor first about proper amounts for your individual case.)

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The third type of medication named in the study, myorelaxants, are muscle relaxers, which require a doctor’s prescription. 

Myorelaxants work by altering the nervous system to reduce muscle spasms.

The study — titled "Nonopioid pharmacological management of acute low back pain: A level I of evidence systematic review" — analyzed the findings of 18 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the effectiveness of the three types of medications.

The 18 trials included data from 3,478 patients who had experienced acute lower back pain. 

More research is needed to determine the three drugs’ effect on the recurrence of lower back pain, the study authors wrote.

Studies involving opioid pain relievers were not included in the review.

The study was conducted by a group of orthopedic doctors, most of them from RWTH University Hospital in Aachen, Germany.

Importantly, the study applied only to acute back pain — not chronic.

There's been a growing emphasis on non-opioid pain medications such as the ones included in this study, Jafaar told Fox News Digital.

"These three medications attack pain from all different angles," she said. "They are definitely a better alternative to opioids."

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Opioids — which include oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin) and morphine, among others — "travel through your blood and attach to opioid receptors in your brain cells," which then release signals that "muffle your perception of pain and boost your feelings of pleasure," according to the Mayo Clinic’s website.

In addition to being highly addictive for some patients, opioids also carry a small risk of opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH), which is when the medication creates a higher sensitivity to pain over time, Jafaar explained.

In 2020, almost 75% of all drug overdose deaths involved an opioid medication, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes on its website.

Lower back pain is characterized as acute if symptoms are experienced for fewer than 12 weeks. 

Pain is considered chronic if it lasts for three months or more.

"Chronic back pain usually means there's some scar tissue, so it's usually not so much related to inflammation, but there's still an inflammatory component," Dr. Jafaar said.

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When treating any type of lower back pain, Dr. Jafaar typically starts with pain-relieving medications and physical therapy, then moves to epidurals if necessary.

"If the pain is gone at that point, then it can be classified as acute, but if it continues past that point, then I may move on to more aggressive treatments, like spinal cord stimulation," she said.

If a patient is taking a combination of medications for more than three months, he or she should see a doctor and explore a different course of action, said Jafaar.

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Biden admin to limit telehealth prescriptions for some controlled drugs

The Biden administration is moving to require patients to be evaluated by a physician in person before receiving prescriptions for some controlled medications, including Adderall and OxyContin.

The proposal would reverse a policy enacted during the coronavirus pandemic that allowed doctors to prescribe these medications through telehealth appointments. The move will make it more difficult for Americans to access some drugs used for treating pain and mental health disorders.

The Drug Enforcement Administration announced the proposed rules on Friday, which state that telehealth flexibilities will be extended for common, non-controlled medications but schedule II medications and narcotics will be prohibited without an in-person appointment.

Patients must visit a doctor in person at least once to receive an initial prescription for drugs the federal government believes have the highest potential for abuse, including Vicodin, OxyContin, Adderall and Ritalin. Refills for these medications could still be prescribed over telehealth appointments.

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Doctors will only be able to prescribe controlled medications like Ambien and Xanaxas, as well as medications used to treat opioid addiction, for 30 days. Any refills for these drugs will require an in-person evaluation.

The rules aim to maintain expanded access to telehealth, which has been crucial for millions of patients, particularly those living in rural areas, while also balancing safety.

"DEA is committed to ensuring that all Americans can access needed medications," DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said in a statement. "The permanent expansion of telemedicine flexibilities would continue greater access to care for patients across the country while ensuring the safety of patients. DEA is committed to the expansion of telemedicine with guardrails that prevent the online overprescribing of controlled medications that can cause harm."

The move comes amid an ongoing opioid crisis and a growing number of overdose deaths from controlled medications such as fentanyl.

The DEA said the proposed telemedicine rules will advance its goal of expanding access to medication for opioid use disorder to anyone in the country who needs it. 

"Medication for opioid use disorder helps those who are fighting to overcome substance use disorder by helping people achieve and sustain recovery and also prevent drug poisonings," Milgram said. "The telemedicine regulations would continue to expand access to buprenorphine for patients with opioid use disorder."

U.S. overdose deaths reached a record in 2021, and about three-quarters of those were from opioids. But the death toll from synthetic opioids like fentanyl far exceeded those related to prescription drugs that same year, according to Centers for Disease Control data. Fentanyl is increasingly present in the black market, as the pills are often pressed into fake prescription pills or mixed into other drugs.

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Several states have already moved to restore limitations for telehealth care. As of October, nearly 40 states and Washington, D.C., had ended emergency pandemic declarations making it easier for doctors to see patients in other states.

The proposed rules come after startups in the telehealth industry launched in recent years to treat and prescribe medications for mental health or attention deficit disorders. The industry and people with difficulty accessing in-person care have largely benefitted from the pandemic-era policy.

The new rules are expected to be in place before the COVID-19 public health emergency expires on May 11.

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New York nurse accused of slamming baby onto bassinet fired, under investigation

A nurse in New York who was caught on video allegedly slamming a newborn face-first onto a bassinet was fired and is under investigation.

The incident, which occurred at Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip on Long Island, is being investigated by the Suffolk County Police Department's Special Victims Section.

The baby, Nikko, was two days old when he received antibiotics at the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Nikko's father, Fidel Sinclair, began filming his child through curtains that were not completely drawn and captured the incident on camera.

Sinclair's video recorded the nurse allegedly forcefully flipping the baby from on his back to on his stomach on the bassinet.

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"I’m happy I was there. God sent me," Sinclair told WNBC. "If it wasn’t for God, … we would have never seen none of that happen. And that would have kept happening through the night, not only to him, but to the other babies, too."

Nikko’s mother, Consuelo Saravia, told the outlet that the video was "heartbreaking."

"I couldn’t stop crying. I couldn’t even sleep," she said.

Saravia said she confronted the nurse about how she was handling the baby.

"I told her, ‘I don’t want you to touch my child! You just slammed him,’" Saravia said. "She said, ‘Oh no if you think I mishandled him or anything, I’m sorry.’"

Catholic Health, which operates the hospital, said in a statement that immediate action was taken in response to the video. 

"Upon learning of this incident, swift and immediate action was taken, including conducting an investigation and consequently terminating the individual involved," the statement read. "Additionally, we reported the individual to the Department of Health for further review. Keeping our patients safe remains our paramount concern."

The organization also explained that curtains being drawn is standard practice to ensure privacy.

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"It is standard procedure to have curtains in the neonatal ICU to provide privacy for the patients and their families and because services are being administered at the bedside," Catholic Health said. "Immediate family members are permitted inside the neonatal ICU to spend time with their loved ones." 

The New York Department of Health said in a statement it is taking the "disturbing" allegations seriously.

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FDA approves first at-home test to detect both flu and COVID

People will soon be able to self-test for both flu and COVID-19 in one fell swoop — without leaving their homes.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the first over-the-counter (OTC) home test that can detect both influenza A and B as well as SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Using samples from a nasal swab, the Lucira COVID-19 & Flu Home Test provides results in around half an hour, the FDA said.

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The single-use test does not require a doctor’s prescription. 

"Today’s authorization of the first OTC test that can detect influenza A and B, along with SARS-CoV-2, is a major milestone in bringing greater consumer access to diagnostic tests that can be performed entirely at home," said Jeff Shuren, M.D., J.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, in a press release on the FDA's website.

"The FDA strongly supports innovation in test development, and we are eager to continue advancing greater access to at-home infectious disease testing to best support public health needs," he went on. 

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"We remain committed to working with test developers to support the shared goal of getting more accurate and reliable tests to Americans who need them."

People 14 and older can collect their own nasal swab samples. 

Adults will also be able to take samples from kids 2 and older.

The FDA recommends that those who test positive contact their doctor to report the results and receive follow-up care.

When testing people who had symptoms of respiratory infection, the Lucira COVID-19 & Flu Home Test showed 90.1% accuracy for detecting positive influenza A cases and 99.3% for negatives. 

The test detected 88.3% of positive COVID-19 cases and 100% of negatives. 

It also detected 99.9% of negative influenza B. 

Further samples are needed to calculate the accuracy of positive influenza B cases, as there were not enough public cases at the time of testing. 

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"The availability of home influenza and COVID-19 testing is a welcome advance," Dr. George Thompson, infectious diseases specialist at UCDavis Health Medical Center in Sacramento, California, told Fox News Digital via email.

"I am hopeful this will decrease the transmission of both viruses, as our patients can receive an accurate and timely diagnosis as to the cause of their symptoms."

Dr. Timothy Brewer, professor of medicine and epidemiology at UCLA in Los Angeles, California, said the home test is good news for consumers. 

"We have antiviral treatments for both influenza and COVID-19," he said in an email to Fox News Digital. 

He said he hoped that "individuals who test positive will reach out to their health care providers to see if they need a confirmatory test and treatment."

Regardless of the result of the home test, Dr. Brewer said that anyone with flu-like symptoms should isolate until they are feeling better and do not have a fever. 

"In addition, if at any time a person has trouble breathing, [has] confusion or is not getting better, they should seek immediate medical attention regardless of whether they had a positive or negative test result."

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states on its website that positive home COVID tests are highly reliable, but false negatives are possible. 

Those who receive a negative result but still have symptoms of cold or flu should seek follow-up care from a doctor.

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CDC advisory group finds insufficient evidence to recommend more than one COVID-19 booster a year

A US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisory group said Friday it isn’t recommending more than one annual coronavirus vaccine booster. 

The working committee, which is part of the CDC’s Advisory Committee For Immunization Practices, found insufficient evidence that more than one shot a year would benefit older or immunocompromised people. 

Annual shots are recommended by the CDC as the vaccine’s effectiveness diminishes over time, especially in more vulnerable populations - the shot generally wanes faster in older people compared ot younger adults - and the group said it recommends an annual booster campaign that would likely start later this year. 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) outlined a plan for a yearly shot last month but an FDA committee said it wasn’t sure if yearly vaccines were the right move because there are still so may unknowns about the virus. 

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The Administration’s Vaccine and Related Biology Products Advisory Committee stressed that COVID-19 is not exactly like the flu, which is more seasonal regarding surges in infections. 

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"We may or may not need annual vaccination," Dr. Cody Meissner, a Tufts University School of Medicine pediatrician, said, according to NBC News. "It’s just awfully early, it seems to me, in this process to answer that." 

Earlier this month, the CDC added the COVID-19 vaccine to the child and adolescent immunization schedule. 

The schedule, which is posted on the CDC's website, recommends that children between six months and 18 years old should receive two doses of the primary series between four and eight weeks apart — followed by a booster dose at least eight weeks later. 

The schedule is a recommendation, not a requirement. 

Children who are "moderately or severely immunocompromised" should include a third dose in the primary series, says the CDC.

Reuters and Fox News' Melissa Rudy contributed to this report.

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Could a urine test detect pancreatic and prostate cancer? Study shows 99% success rate

A simple urine test could detect pancreatic and prostate cancer with up to a 99% rate of accuracy, says a team of researchers from the Surface & Nano Materials Division of the Korea Institute of Materials Science.

Dr. Ho Sang Jung, lead author of the study, said cancer urine contains cancer metabolites and is different from normal urine. 

The study, recently published in the journal Biosensors and Bioelectronics, aimed to determine whether urine tests could detect those cancer metabolites, which are released by cancer cells to promote tumor growth.

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After the urine sample was placed on a test strip, the researchers used a special type of light scattering technique that generated a "fingerprint spectrum of chemicals," which detected the cancer metabolites.

Dr. Jung said the tests can detect cancer at various stages. 

"The purpose of developing this kind of technology is to screen the cancer patient before they go to the hospital," he told Fox News Digital in an email. 

"We are not sure that the test strip can differentiate cancer at very early stages, but at least it can suggest the possibility of cancer status — so the patient may then go to the hospital for a precise medical checkup."

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Dr. James Anaissie, a urologist with Memorial Hermann in Houston, Texas, who was not involved in the study, is optimistic about the future of this technology — but he’s not jumping completely on board just yet.

"If the test is as reliable as they say it is, it may have an important role in screening, as the current PSA [prostate-specific antigen] blood test we use is notoriously unreliable," he told Fox News Digital in an email. 

"There is a big need for something like this."

Also, from a clinical perspective, urine testing is much easier than blood testing, the doctor said.

However, Anaissie remains a bit skeptical. 

"Although they report excellent sensitivity and specificity for prostate cancer, the data to support this is only available upon request of the research team, and they have almost no tables demonstrating these findings, which I would consider standard for studies of this nature," he said. 

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"For example, were the patients diagnosed with prostate cancer in severe stages, where it’s obvious they have prostate cancer even without any urine tests?" said Dr. Anaissie. 

"Was it just as accurate for low-grade and high-grade cancers? Whenever I hear about exciting new technology, I’m always receptive, but with a raised eyebrow."

Urine screenings can be used by anyone, said Dr. Jung. The end goal is for this type of technology to be available for at-home testing.

He foresees several possible practical uses, including screening for cancer before going to the hospital, monitoring for cancer recurrence after treatment, or supplementary testing in addition to blood work.

The study authors recognize some limitations of the research.

"It was hard to get enough urine samples from cancer patients," said Dr. Jung. 

His team used 100 samples in the study and is continuously collecting more from hospitals throughout Korea.

Also, because this is a new technology, it still has not been approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in Korea for commercial use.

Anaissie also points out that more studies are needed to see if the test works when there is a urinary tract infection or blood in the urine, which is not uncommon in patients with prostate cancer.

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"Technology like this takes a long time to go from the lab’s proof of concept to everyday use, and a lot of people are going to try to pick it apart to make sure it’s safe and reliable," Anaissie said.

"The last thing you want is a screening test that ends up having a lot of false negatives. If it can survive the scrutiny, then it has the potential to revolutionize prostate cancer screening."

The researchers’ ultimate goal is for the urine screenings to extend eventually to other types of cancers, such as lung cancer and colorectal cancer. 

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"We are currently developing a system that can classify four cancer types — pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancer — simultaneously," Jung told Fox News Digital. 

He expects the follow-up study to be published sometime this year. 

Pancreatic cancer makes up around 3% of cancer diagnoses in the U.S. and 7% of deaths, per the American Cancer Society (ACS). 

Men are slightly more susceptible than women.

Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer among American men, with about one in 41 dying of the disease (via the ACS).

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Laxatives taken on consistent basis could increase dementia risk, new study finds

Older adults who take laxatives on a regular basis could face a 51% higher risk of developing dementia compared to those who do not use them, a new study published in the journal Neurology suggests.

However, there are caveats to the study. 

Titled "Association Between Regular Laxative Use and Incident Dementia in UK Biobank Participants," the study was conducted at the UK Biobank. 

It's a "large-scale biomedical database and research resource containing in-depth genetic and health information from half a million U.K. participants," according to the study. 

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Researchers from the University of Cambridge, Harvard Medical School and other universities looked at 502,229 participants between the ages of 40 and 69 (with an average age of 56.5) who had no history of dementia. 

Among those who said they took laxatives "most days of the week" over the last four weeks, 1.3% had developed all-cause dementia or vascular dementia after a span of 9.8 years.

Only 0.4% of those who did not use laxatives had the same outcome.

Vascular dementia is a condition that causes "problems with reasoning, planning, judgment, memory and other thought processes caused by brain damage from impaired blood flow to your brain," as defined by the Mayo Clinic.

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The study found no association between laxative use and the development of Alzheimer’s disease, which makes up 60%-70% of all dementia cases, per the World Health Organization.

Two of the most common types of over-the-counter laxatives are osmotics and stimulants. Osmotic laxatives work by attracting water to hydrate and soften the stool, while stimulant laxatives trigger the bowel muscles to contract. 

The study found that osmotic laxatives had the strongest association with dementia risk, with a 64% increase.

"Constipation and laxative use is common among middle-aged and older adults," said study author Feng Sha, PhD, of the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in a press release from the American Academy of Neurology. 

"However, regular laxative use may change the microbiome of the gut, possibly affecting nerve signaling from the gut to the brain or increasing the production of intestinal toxins that may affect the brain."

She went on, "Our research found regular use of over-the-counter laxatives was associated with a higher risk of dementia, particularly in people who used multiple laxative types or osmotic laxatives."

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Those who took multiple types of laxatives were found to have an even higher risk of dementia, with a 90% increase.

Researchers adjusted the results to account for lifestyle factors, pre-existing medical conditions, medications, family history and other socio-demographic attributes.

Dr. Laura Purdy, M.D., a board-certified family medicine physician in Nashville, Tennessee, said the study is very high-level and looks only broadly at the association between dementia and laxative use. She was not involved in the study.

"It shows that there is an increased risk of all-cause dementia, which means that any type of dementia seems to be increased in this patient population," she told Fox News Digital in an email.

"Much more information is needed, such as which laxatives may contribute, how much use is risky, and what, if any, clinical recommendations should or shouldn’t be made regarding laxative use."

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The researchers based their hypothesis on the "microbiome-gut-brain axis," which links the body’s intestinal functions with the brain’s cognitive centers.

Dr. Marc Siegel, professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City and a Fox News medical contributor, believes the association between laxatives and all-cause dementia makes sense. 

"There are electrolyte disturbances with chronic laxative use," he told Fox News Digital in an email. 

"Also, laxatives can and do draw chemicals out of the gut (microbiome), which also work as neurotransmitters in the brain. There is a strong gut/brain connection that you don’t want to disrupt."

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Approximately four million people suffer from constipation in the U.S., the Johns Hopkins Medicine website says. The condition leads to 2.5 million doctor visits each year.

About one-third of older adults experience at least occasional constipation, the National Institute on Aging states on its website.

"More research is needed to further investigate the link our research found between laxatives and dementia," said Dr. Sha, per the press release. 

"If our findings are confirmed, medical professionals could encourage people to treat constipation by making lifestyle changes such as drinking more water, increasing dietary fiber and adding more activity into their daily lives."

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Ozempic is a ‘Band-Aid’ on the root of childhood obesity: toxic food, former pharma consultant says

A former Coca-Cola and pharmaceutical consultant said the push to put kids on weight-loss drugs ignores what he calls the root issue behind obesity — added sugars and processed food — and will fail to prevent more people from developing the disease. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics' (AAP) released guidelines last month encouraging pediatricians to be more proactive in fighting childhood obesity, with treatments including rigorous lifestyle changes or even weight loss drugs, or in some cases, surgery for children as young as 12. Calley Means, who co-founded a company that promotes food as medicine, blamed added sugar that food manufacturers put in products to increase flavor or extend shelf life for the rise in obesity along with other chronic diseases.

"The only thing that will make us healthier, more fertile, less depressed, less obese, is attacking the root cause," the TrueMed co-founder told Fox News. "There are public policy measures that can take the poison out of our children's food supply and stop subsidizing it."

Added sugar intake has long been connected with a variety of health issues. Effects include "higher blood pressure, inflammation, weight gain, diabetes and fatty liver disease," which are "all linked to an increased risk for heart attack and stroke," according to Dr. Frank Hu, a Harvard University nutrition professor.

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Obesity affected around 20% of children between the ages of 2 and 19 between 2027 and 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When left untreated, obesity can lead to heart disease, diabetes, depression and other chronic conditions. 

Ozempic, one of the Food and Drug Administration-approved diabetes medications that doctors prescribe for weight loss, acts as an appetite suppressant. But an April 2022 peer-reviewed study published in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism found that patients who went off the drug regained two-thirds of the lost weight within a year.

"Ozempic will not decrease obesity long term," Means told Fox News. "Making teenagers lifetime patients, that's not good for kids." 

"Ozempic is a Band-Aid," he added.

While weight-loss drugs may help people shed pounds, Means said it will not stop more people from developing obesity or other illnesses borne from what he calls "poisonous food" consumption. He said good nutrition can prevent chronic illnesses like depression, heart disease and diabetes, while medications can only treat them after the fact.

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The American Heart Association (AHA) suggests an added sugar limit of no more than 24 grams per day for women and 36 grams for men. But on average, Americans eat 77 grams a day, according to the AHA. A single can of Coca-Cola contains 44 grams of sugar.

Additionally, a high intake of fruits, vegetables and whole grains can reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers according to a Harvard study. 

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If obesity trends hold, 57% of children between ages 2 and 19 will be obese by 2050, according to the AAP. The newly updated guidelines do not discuss childhood obesity prevention but do recommend treatment facilities for lifestyle interventions as the first treatment option. 

"This is one more example of not addressing the core question of why we're getting sick but waiting for people to get sick and drugging them," Means said. "We're being distracted from what is harming kids." 

Means believes that classifying obesity as a chronic illness sends the wrong message to families, prompting them to seek life-long medical intervention rather than addressing the root issue: food. 

"We would expect the medical leaders to be speaking out about the root cause of why we're sick," he told Fox News. "But they're not calling to reform food stamps to not have processed food by 70%, they're not calling for the FDA to move the sugar recommendation of 2-year-olds from 10% to 0%."

Novo Nordic, Ozempic's manufacturer, did not respond to Fox News' request for comment. 

To watch the full interview with Means, click here. 

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Most US states failing to protect schools' water from lead contaminants, study finds

Could drinking from the school’s water fountain put your child’s health at risk? 

The odds are higher than parents might think, according to a new report from the Environment America Research & Policy Center in Denver, Colorado, called "Get the Lead Out."

Researchers examined each U.S. state’s policy in regard to preventing lead contamination of drinking water. 

More than half the states got a failing grade of an F. 

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Eight states received a D and 13 got a C. 

Only two states — New Hampshire and New Jersey — plus Washington, D.C., scored a B.

John Rumpler, lead author of the study and clean water program director for Environment America, said an F generally means a state has done "little to nothing" to stop lead contamination of schools’ water.

"Many of these states now have limited, voluntary testing programs, but testing doesn't make the water any safer," Rumpler told Fox News Digital via an email. 

"Instead of spending time and money on more tests confirming that kids have been drinking lead-tainted water, families would be better served if officials took steps to prevent lead contamination in the first place."

Environment America last performed this study in 2019. 

The results weren’t promising then, but Rumpler said the data confirming widespread contamination of schools' water is even stronger now.

The new study was released on Thursday morning, Feb. 23, 2023. 

The dangers of drinking water tainted with lead — a toxic metal — are well-known and widespread. 

In children, exposure to even small amounts over time can lead to behavioral and learning problems, stunted growth, lower IQ, hearing problems, anemia and damage to the nervous system, as listed on the EPA’s website.

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In rare cases, high levels of lead exposure can result in coma, seizures or even death.

The effects are far more pronounced in children than in adults.

"Children have developing brains that are highly susceptible to the damaging effects of lead," Dr. Kelly Johnson-Arbor, medical toxicologist at the National Capital Poison Center in Washington, D.C., told Fox News Digital in an email. 

"While a smaller number of children might be admitted to the ER with acute lead poisoning — from whatever source — millions of kids are at risk of behavioral, developmental and/or cognitive damage from low levels of lead," Rumpler added.

Rumpler was somewhat surprised to find that lead contamination of water is happening in suburban and rural schools as well as in urban ones. 

"Tests have documented lead-tainted water in all types of communities — rural towns, big cities and affluent suburbs," the study findings stated. 

"Examples include schools in Cherry Hill, New Jersey; Yarmouth, Maine; several school districts in upstate New York and suburban communities in Illinois."

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Among the schools that are testing their water, some found alarmingly high levels of lead. 

At a Montessori school in Cleveland, for example, water from a drinking fountain was found to contain 1,560 parts per billion of lead; a faucet at an elementary school in Massachusetts tested at 22,400 parts per billion.

By comparison, the EPA only allows a maximum of 15 parts per billion, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has called for limits to be set at 1 part per billion.

The problem stems from aging school buildings — and old pipes. 

A 2016 report in Education Week found that the average age of U.S. school buildings was 44 years.

"Because many schools are older and may contain lead pipes or older fixtures, it is certainly possible that these aging plumbing systems may experience corrosion over time, leading to the release of lead into the drinking water," said Johnson-Arbor.

In many cases, the service lines carrying water from the streets to the school buildings are also made from lead.

Lead gasoline and lead-based paints were both banned in the 1970s. 

However, Rumpler pointed out that limits on lead in plumbing and fixtures were not dramatically reduced until 2014.

The Environmental Protection Agency has called for drinking water to contain zero traces of lead due to health hazards. 

Even so, there is no federal law that requires schools to test drinking water for lead, per the U.S. Government Accountability Office. 

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"In all states with failing grades, we could find no law requiring all schools to even test their water for lead, never mind shut down taps where lead is detected or prevent contamination in the first place," said Rumpler.

However, on a positive note, some areas — such as Maryland and Washington, D.C. — have made at least some improvements to their laws surrounding schools’ water safety.

"​​Since our last report in 2019, several states have gone from utter failure to taking at least some incremental steps toward safer drinking water for children at school," Rumpler told Fox News Digital. 

"Yet in nearly every case, even these new policies only require remediation of taps if testing confirms lead concentrations in water above a certain threshold."

These "test and fix" policies are better than nothing, but they don’t eliminate the risk — especially when lead concentrations can vary from one faucet or fountain to the next.

In an ideal world, schools would remove any lead-containing plumbing and fixtures to eliminate the problem at the source.

Yet when that’s not feasible, Rumpler calls for replacing fountains with water stations that have filters certified to remove lead. 

These filters capture the lead before it can contaminate kids’ water bottles (or lunches, when used in the cafeteria). 

Schools in some cities — including Portland, San Diego and Detroit — have already started this effort.

Ideally, Rumpler says all schools should have these filtered water stations, with at least one per 100 students and staff members. 

Parents can ask principals to identify those filtered stations and make sure their kids only use those for drinking.

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For new construction or renovations, all fixtures and plumbing should use only lead-free materials.

"Given the pervasiveness of lead contamination in schools' water across the country, the time for state and local governments to step in and protect our kids' health is now," Rumpler said. 

"It would take a small fraction of the unprecedented federal funding that states and school districts are now receiving to install filtered water stations at every school in America."

A simple blood test can help diagnose lead exposure and poisoning in both children and adults.

Concerned parents can contact Poison Control online at www.poison.org or by phone at 1-800-222-1222.

Environment America says its "mission is to transform the power of our imaginations and our ideas into change that makes our world a greener and healthier place for all." The nonprofit is part of The Public Interest Network, "which operates and supports organizations committed to a shared vision of a better world and a strategic approach to social change," it says on its website.

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Global Declines in Maternal Mortality Have Stalled

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Pancreatic cancer rates are rising faster among women than men: new study

Pancreatic cancer rates are rising faster among women than men, according to a new study by researchers from Cedars-Sinai Cancer in Los Angeles, California.

The findings were published recently in the journal Gastroenterology.

Pancreatic cancer rates have been climbing for both genders — but women ages 55 and younger saw a 2.4% higher increase compared to men in the same age group.

Young Black women experienced a 2.23% higher increase than Black men of the same age.

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These findings may be surprising, given that the American Cancer Society (ACS) states on its website that the disease is more common in men.

Pancreatic cancer accounts for about 3% of all cancers and 7% of all cancer deaths, per the ACS. It’s estimated that 33,130 men and 30,920 women will be diagnosed this year.

Researchers analyzed a database of cancer patients — specifically those who received pancreatic cancer diagnoses between 2001 and 2018.

"We can tell that the rate of pancreatic cancer among women is rising rapidly, which calls attention to the need for further research in this area," said Dr. Srinivas Gaddam, lead author of the study and associate director of pancreatic biliary research at Cedars-Sinai, in a Feb. 10 press release published on the hospital’s website. 

"There’s a need to understand these trends and to make changes today, so this doesn’t affect women disproportionately in the future."

Fox News Digital reached out to the study's lead authors for comment. 

Dr. Michael Chuong, medical director of proton and photon therapy with Miami Cancer Institute in South Florida, was not involved in the study but was not surprised by its results.

"It has been known that the incidence of new pancreatic cancer diagnoses is increasing, and this study further adds to the understanding that this likely will continue for the foreseeable future, thus highlighting the importance of developing novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to this deadly disease," he told Fox News Digital via email. 

"While we’re reporting improving survival in pancreatic cancer each year, that improvement is largely among men," Dr. Gaddam said in the press release. 

"The mortality rate among women is not improving."

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The increase in female pancreatic cancer rates is still relatively small, yet it does highlight the need for awareness and prevention through healthy behaviors.

Dr. Gaddam plans to continue researching pancreatic cancer trends to better understand the differing impacts on men and women, according to the press release.

The study did not pinpoint a clear reason for the increase in women’s diagnoses. However, researchers suggested a potential cause: a higher frequency of an aggressive type of tumor called pancreatic head adenocarcinoma, which has a low survival rate.

Dr. Dung Trinh, chief medical officer of Irvine Clinical Research and a physician with Memorial Care Medical Group in California, cited several possible reasons for pancreatic cancer rates rising in younger women.

"One potential factor is the increasing prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes, as both conditions have been linked to an increased risk of pancreatic cancer," he told Fox News Digital in an email.

"Poor dietary habits, such as a diet high in red meat, processed foods and saturated fats, may also contribute to this trend."

Additionally, Dr. Trinh said there is evidence that exposure to certain environmental toxins and chemicals may increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. 

"For example, exposure to pesticides or other chemicals used in agriculture or industry has been associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer," he said.

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Dr. Trinh also said some studies suggest women who smoke cigarettes or use oral contraceptives for extended periods of time may have a higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

Experts agree that healthy lifestyle choices are the biggest weapons against pancreatic cancer risk.

"Obesity has been linked to an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, so maintaining a healthy weight through regular exercise and a balanced diet is important," said Dr. Trinh.

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Eating a healthy diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins, with lower amounts of red meat and saturated fats, is also important, he said.

Abstaining from or quitting smoking is another important way to minimize risk. 

The ACS cites smoking as one of the biggest risk factors for pancreatic cancer.

"Historically, men have had higher smoking rates than women," said Dr. Trinh. 

"As smoking rates have decreased among men, this could explain the improvement in pancreatic cancer incidence."

People with a family history of pancreatic cancer can talk with a doctor about early screening options.

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Post-COVID, many parents are giving kids fever-reducing medicine when it's not necessary: study

Parents might want to think twice before reaching for aspirin or ibuprofen to bring down a child’s fever.

One in three parents give their kids fever-reducing medicine when it’s not really needed, a new study from Michigan Medicine at the University of Michigan found.

In response to a poll, 33% of parents said they would administer meds if their kids had a fever below 100.4°F. 

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Half of them would medicate if their kids ran a fever between 100.4°F and 101.9°F. 

One-quarter of the parents would even add an extra dose to keep the fever at bay, according to the study.

The data was gathered between August 2022 and September 2022 from 1,376 parents of kids 12 years old and younger.

Dr. Tiffany N. Kimbrough, medical director at the Children's Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University, was not involved in the study but pointed out that during COVID, many parents may have gotten a break from managing common childhood illnesses.

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"Over the last few years, there was a decreased transmission of viral illnesses and fewer ear infections," she told Fox News Digital via email. 

"Parents of young children may be managing fevers this season for the first time and may be worried about them being dangerous — leading to the over-treatment of temperatures that do not technically meet the cut-off of a true fever," she said.

Another reason for over-treatment is that there aren’t many approved medications for routine childhood illnesses, the doctor added. 

"Often, giving medication can make parents feel like they’re at least doing something when their child isn't feeling well," she said.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, defines a fever as a rectal temperature of 100.4°F or higher. 

However, it also says that "the treatment of fever itself is less important than the identification of its cause."

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"Temperatures make some kids feel really poorly, leading to increased risk for dehydration from not drinking well and the illness causing the fever," said Dr. Kimbrough. 

"I recommend treating fevers based on how a child appears in order to help improve their oral intake and keep them out of the hospital."

For the vast majority of children, a mild elevation in temperature is not dangerous, said Kimbrough — it’s actually the immune system’s way of fighting off illness.

"There is no need to treat a well-appearing child with a mild temperature elevation," she told Fox News Digital. 

"Fevers are technically those temperatures that are greater than 100.4°F, but even then, most temperatures do not need to be treated if the child is feeling well — with the exception of some specific health conditions."

For children under three months of age, Dr. Kimbrough recommends checking a rectal temperature for the most accurate reading.

The next best method is an oral temperature for children who are old enough to close their mouth around the thermometer.

The AAP states on its website that rectal and oral temperatures are more accurate than axillary (armpit) or tympanic (ear) readings.

The AAP recommends calling the doctor when a child under three months old has a fever greater than 100.4°F.

For children older than three months, parents should call a doctor if a fever is combined with extreme fatigue or fussiness, severe sore throat, an unexplained rash, diarrhea or vomiting, trouble breathing, or a severe headache, neck pain, ear pain or sore throat. 

Children with immune system problems or heart conditions should also be seen right away if they are running a fever, the AAP states.

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"We also want to hear if a fever is lasting four days or more, especially if there are no other signs," said Dr. Kimbrough. 

"Lastly, parents and guardians know their child well — if they generally feel like something just isn't right or if they have questions, we would always want to hear from our families."

If parent do administer fever-reducing meds, they should keep in mind that dosages are weight-based.

"Check in with your child's doctor or pharmacist if you're uncertain what dose of medication your child should be using," Dr. Kimbrough said. 

"Pay attention to the time of last medication as well, to be sure you're not giving too frequently."

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