Wildfire Smoke Puts Millions At Risk Across Midwest, Northeast

• Ellyn Vohnoutka HealthDay Reporter
• July 15, 2026
• Full Page

Millions of people across the Midwest and Northeast are breathing dangerous air this week as heavy smoke from wildfires in Canada and Minnesota spreads across the region.

Minnesota officials issued an air quality alert running Tuesday through Friday for areas including t...

Blood Test May Predict Alzheimer's Risk Up To 10 Years Before Symptoms Begin

• HealthDay Staff HealthDay Reporter
• July 15, 2026
• Full Page

A simple blood test may accurately predict a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's symptoms up to a decade before they begin.

The test looks for an Alzheimer's biomarker called p-tau217.

"This is a critical step toward better understanding what p-tau217 can tell ...

AI Can Create 'Ghosts' Of Lost Loved Ones, But Would You Want To Meet Them?

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• July 15, 2026
• Full Page

Artificial intelligence simulations of the dead are already a reality. 

Services like HereAfterAI, Project December and Séance AI are converting the deceased's photos, text messages and other data into digital "ghosts" for loved ones to commune with.

Impulsivity In Third Grade Could Point To Future Struggles

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• July 15, 2026
• Full Page

Third-graders who often act out during a school day may be at higher risk of falling behind academically in high school and beyond, a new study finds.

Impulsive, sometimes disruptive youngsters may be setting a pattern for poor performance in school for decades to come, ...

Are Microplastics Linked To Higher Heart Attack Risk?

• July 15, 2026
• Full Page

Compared to healthier patients, people who suffer heart attacks tend to have higher concentrations of microplastics in their blood, a small new study has found.

In other studies, the tiny plastic particles — ubiquitous in modern environments — have been detec...

THC/CBD Combo Might Ease Agitation In Late-Stage Dementia

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• July 15, 2026
• Full Page

Agitation is a common and tough-to-control symptom of late-stage dementia. But a new trial suggests that a combination of two active ingredients in marijuana may help ease patients' agitation.

The specially formulated medication contains purified tetrahydrocannabinol (TH...

Lettuce Suspected In Growing Multistate Cyclospora Outbreak

• Ellyn Vohnoutka HealthDay Reporter
• July 14, 2026
• Full Page

Michigan health officials have identified lettuce and other salad greens as the leading suspected source of a growing multistate outbreak of Cyclospora, a parasite that causes watery diarrhea.

The illness it causes, known as cyclosporiasis, has now been reported...

Why Are Family Doctors Leaving The Workforce? Retirement, Burnout Creating A U.S. Primary Care 'Brain Drain'

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• July 14, 2026
• Full Page

A bad back led Dr. Dale Block to retire from family medicine in 2019, after nearly four decades treating patients.

“I was one of those rare three-sport athletes” in high school and college, said Block, 67, who lives in Columbus, Ohio. “I played football...

Unruly Patients Are Stressing ER Staff, Undermining Care

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• July 14, 2026
• Full Page

Nevermind "The Pitt": Real-life drama in America's emergency rooms is wearing down doctors and perhaps impairing the care they can provide, a new study shows.

A lot of their anxieties are coming from angry, impatient and irritable patients and their loved ones, researche...

Pain Patients Should Taper Opioids At Their Own Pace, Study Suggests

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• July 14, 2026
• Full Page

About 5 million Americans are thought to be using an opioid painkiller to ease their chronic pain. 

A new study suggests that the safest route to reducing use of the powerful drugs is best left up to the patient.

“For patients, I think the data are reass...

Heatwaves Raise Hospital Admissions For Mental Health Woes

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• July 14, 2026
• Full Page

TUESDAY, July 14, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Heatwaves are increasing in severity and duration for Americans, and research suggests they leave a rise in mental health crises in their wake.

A new international study tracked more than 2.6 million warm-season hospit...

U.S. Gun Suicides Hit Record High, Even As Firearm Deaths Decline Overall

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• July 14, 2026
• Full Page

The latest federal data finds U.S. gun deaths dipping slightly overall, even as rates of firearm-related suicides reached a record high. 

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data for 2024 found that guns were involved in the deaths of 44,447 people...

What Is An Aortic Dissection? The Condition That Killed Sen. Lindsey Graham

• Ellyn Vohnoutka HealthDay Reporter
• July 13, 2026
• Full Page

The sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham this weekend has drawn attention to a fast-moving and often fatal emergency: aortic dissection, a tear in the body's largest artery.

Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, died Saturday night at age 71. He had appeared healthy, ...

Weight-Loss Drugs Help, But Exercise Is Still The Key To A Healthier Heart

• HealthDay Staff HealthDay Reporter
• July 13, 2026
• Full Page

Weight-loss meds are transforming obesity treatment.

But when it comes to heart health, exercise may still be the game changer.

"The study shows that while medication supports weight maintenance, it is exercise — with or without medication — that improv...

Adderall Misuse Falls Sharply Among Young Adults, Study Finds

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• July 13, 2026
• Full Page

Half as many young adults are misusing Adderall, Ritalin and other ADHD medications these days to help them remain alert at study or work, a new evidence review says.

Misuse of ADHD stimulant meds among adults under 30 fell from 7.5% in 2016 to 3.7% in 2023, researchers ...

Smartphones Can Increase Seniors' Risk Of Depression

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• July 13, 2026
• Full Page

Smartphones can contribute to depression among seniors, depending on how they’re using the devices, a new study says.

Older folks who compulsively use their phones to scroll news, watch videos or play games alone are more likely to withdraw from others, increasing ...

Pro Soccer Players Show Signs Of Shrinking Brains

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• July 13, 2026
• Full Page

World Cup fever has America in its grip, as the international soccer tournament grinds steadily toward the finals.

But a new study is highlighting a darker side to the sport: the toll that soccer can take on the brains of its professional players.

Middle-aged forme...

Mild COVID Can Lead To Long-Term Hidden Eye Problems

• HealthDay Staff HealthDay Reporter
• July 10, 2026
• Full Page

Doctors are shedding new light on a hidden eye condition that can develop after even a mild case of COVID.

Researchers say a growing number of patients are experiencing severe eye pain, light sensitivity, trouble reading and difficulty focusing months — or even yea...

Seniors Know How Sharp They Are At Any Given Time, Study Finds

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• July 10, 2026
• Full Page

Seniors have a pretty good handle on how sharp they are at any given moment, a new study says.

Self-ratings captured by smartwatches closely matched seniors' actual brain performance in real-time everyday settings, researchers reported recently in the journal Neurops...