For Thursday, Dec. 14, Dina Bair, an anchor at NewsNation local affiliate WGN, has new medical information, including:
No daily aspirin for heart health
Daily aspirin may do more harm than good for heart patients.
US doctors typically recommend taking aspirin every day to prevent heart attacks.
But Canadian heart doctors have reversed course.
The Canadian Cardiovascular Society now advises against routinely taking aspirin, citing recent evidence revealing that bleeding risks outweigh the benefits.
For certain high-risk heart patients, they say aspirin may be appropriate, but they are urging against routine daily use for most people.
Menstrual cycles & daily suicide risks
Women may be more at risk for dangerous emotional slides in and around their menstrual cycle.
The University of Illinois Chicago researchers found female patients with a history of suicidal thoughts experience an increased risk of suicidal ideation and planning in the days before and after their period.
It’s the first study examining how suicidal thoughts fluctuate across the menstrual cycle.
Knowing when patients may be at the highest risk gives caretakers a focus on response and possible intervention for patients to keep them safe from a suicide attempt.
New blue light developed to help with sleep
Turning on a light could help you sleep or give you a boost of energy.
A next-generation blue light may be able to achieve double duty.
Blue light from lamps and screens can hinder sleep by disrupting melatonin production, the natural sleep hormone.
Night mode displays can help, but they don’t eliminate disruptive wavelengths.
Now, researchers from the American Chemical Society say they have designed human-centric IEDs to enhance drowsiness or alertness on command.