Safety/Injuries Archive

Articles

Watch out for bogus supplement claims

In November 2022, the FDA called out seven supplement companies for illegally claiming their products could treat or prevent cardiovascular disease, such as atherosclerosis or heart failure.

Better blood pressure control after a stroke may reduce risk of falls

Stroke survivors who take their blood pressure drugs as prescribed may be less likely to experience a serious fall compared with those who don't take their medications on schedule.

Know your pain relievers

Low back pain? Achy joints? Pulled muscle? One of the easiest remedies is to pop an over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever. Most of the time, this does the trick. But which type of pain reliever should you take and how do you know when you have overused them?

Natural disasters strike everywhere: Ways to help protect your health

Increasingly, floods, fires, and extreme weather stemming from climate change are contributing to large-scale health and safety issues for people everywhere. There are steps you and your family can take to help protect your health.

If you use cannabis, do it safely

Cannabis is legal in a growing number of states for adult recreational or medical use, or both. As access expands, here's what to know about safely purchasing and using cannabis products.

Winter hiking: Magical or miserable?

The instinct to stay indoors during winter can start to feel confining after a while. Going for a winter hike is a great way to get out in nature and get exercise, but it's quite different from warm-weather hiking, and requires preparation and precautions.

Motorcycle rallies and organ donation: A curious connection

Even though motorcycles are riskier than other modes of transportation, the number of motorcycles registered in the US has doubled in the past 20 years. A study examined whether large gatherings of bikers would lead to more fatal accidents and an increase in rates of organ donation.

 

Americans' use of prescription sleep medications drops dramatically

A 2022 study found a 31% reduction in Americans' use of prescription sleep aids from 2013 to 2018. The drop-off was even sharper among people 80 and older, who were 86% less likely to use FDA-approved sleep drugs by the end of the study period.

Don't be the fall guy

Every second, someone age 65 or older suffers a fall, making it the No. 1 cause of injury-related death among this age group. The best way for older adults to protect themselves is to address the three main physical conditions that contribute to falls: weak stabilizer muscles, poor core strength, and balance issues. They can do this by improving their side-to-side motion through specific exercises and playing racquet sports, doing abdominal exercises, and practicing tai chi.

Cold-weather cautions

Wintertime can pose challenges to cardiovascular health. Cold temperatures can cause arteries to narrow, which can leave people with heart disease vulnerable to angina or heart attacks, especially during physical exertion. Changes in sleep, eating, and exercise habits related to the season may also affect the heart. Crowded indoor gatherings also raise a person's risk for respiratory infections, which can exacerbate heart disease.

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