Health officials in Hood River County, Oregon, are investigating three cases of a rare and fatal brain disease known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD).  Two people in the county, which has a population of about 24,000, have died from the illness, and a third case is still being reviewed, Oregon Live reported. CJD is caused by infectious proteins called prions. These proteins damage the brain and lead to fast-moving dementia, problems with movement and changes in behavior. There is no cure; the disease is always fatal. About 350 cases are diagnosed in the United States each year, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In Hood River, one case was confirmed through autopsy, while the other two are considered likely cases. “We’re trying to look at any common risk factors that might link these cases … but it’s pretty hard in some cases to come up with what the real cause is,” said Trish Elliott, director of the Hood River County Health Department. Elliott said the only way to confirm the disease is by testing brain and spinal fluid after death. It can take several months to see results. Most CJD cases are considered sporadic, meaning they appear with no known cause. About 85% of cases fall into this category. Some other cases are hereditary, caused by a gene passed down from a parent, Oregon…  read on >  read on >

Worried about taking the ADHD meds you’ve been prescribed because they might harm your heart health? There’s no need to fret, according to a new evidence review. ADHD medications generally have just a small effect on a person’s blood pressure, heart rate and heart electrical activity, researchers reported in The Lancet Psychiatry. What’s more, there were no significant differences between stimulant ADHD meds like methylphenidate and amphetamine and non-stimulant drugs like atomoxetine and viloxazine, researchers found. “Overall, the risk-benefit ratio is reassuring for people taking ADHD medications,” senior researcher Dr. Samuele Cortese, a professor of child and adolescent psychiatry with the University of Southampton in the U.K., said in a news release. For the study, researchers pooled results from 102 previous clinical trials involving more than 22,700 people with ADHD. They found that all ADHD medications were generally associated with small increases in blood pressure and heart rate. Only the ADHD drug guanfacine led to decreased blood pressure and heart rate, results showed. The new findings suggest that the medications’ benefits outweigh the risks, researchers concluded. “Other studies show clear benefits in terms of reductions in mortality risk and improvement in academic functions, as well as a small increased risk of hypertension, but not other cardiovascular diseases,” Cortese said. However, the findings also reinforce that doctors should keep an eye on blood pressure and heart…  read on >  read on >

Curious what recovery really looks like after a hip replacement?  Dr. Ayesha Abdeen, chief of hip and knee replacement surgery at Boston Medical Center, shares what to expect at every step along the way — from managing pain to getting back to favorite activities. What to expect after surgery Total hip replacement (THR) surgery has become less invasive thanks to new surgical techniques and modern implants. As a result, recovery is now faster and more comfortable than it used to be.  Patients are encouraged to start walking as soon as possible to lower the risk of complications like blood clots that can travel from the leg to the lungs (pulmonary embolism). Weight-bearing on the operated leg is allowed, though most people use an assistive device — like crutches or a walker — for support in the first few days as they regain strength and balance. Physical therapy usually begins the same day as surgery. After surgery, it’s normal to feel pain around the incision as well as some joint and muscle discomfort in the buttock, groin and/or thigh areas. Most patients are prescribed a combination of low-dose medications that work together to manage pain effectively.  This “opioid-sparing” approach helps avoid stronger painkillers like oxycodone when possible, since they can lead to issues like drowsiness, breathing problems, constipation, dizziness, falls, nausea and vomiting. Other pain relief…  read on >  read on >

From slurping daily spoonfuls of fish oil to giving up alcohol, lifting weights and playing word games, older Americans think just about anything that might keep their brains sharp is worth a try. After all, the risk of dementia — a loss of memory, problem-solving and thinking abilities that often equals an end to independence — rises sharply with age. By itself, the most common dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, affects an estimated 6.7 million Americans.  And that number is forecast to almost double every 20 years. That’s why researchers are looking at many ways to stop cognitive decline, from diet to how and with whom people spend their time.  “There are so many strategies that have been of interest in the last five to 10 years,” Dr. Daniel Vela-Duarte, a neuro-interventional surgeon at St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Fl., told Tribune News Service. But which strategies are most apt to pay off? Here’s a rundown on a few that seem to be beneficial: Puzzles and games: Give your brain a daily workout with a crossword puzzle, Wordle or any game that requires strategic thinking.  Games that challenge you to think fast and solve problems can stimulate key brain areas. But why they might slow mental decline isn’t clear, Tribune News Service reports, and scientific evidence is scant.  But this much is clear: “Reading,…  read on >  read on >

President Donald Trump signed an order this week removing limits on how much water can come out of showerheads.  He said the change will help Americans enjoy better showers and joked it would “make America’s showers great again,” The Washington Post reported. Just one day later, the Senate voted 53-44 to cancel a planned energy-saving rule for gas tankless water heaters — repeating action taken earlier in the House of Representatives. Together, these moves show how Trump and congressional Republicans are pushing back on energy-efficiency standards for everyday household things. Trump has long criticized these rules, even blaming them for messing up his hair, The Post said. “I like to take a nice shower to take care of my beautiful hair,” Trump said Wednesday before signing the executive order at the White House. “I have to stand in the shower for 15 minutes until it gets wet. It’s ridiculous.” In a fact sheet sent to The Post, the White House said the order “frees Americans from excessive regulations that turned a basic household item into a bureaucratic nightmare,” adding that Trump would “end the Obama-Biden war on water pressure and make America’s showers great again.” The now-canceled showerhead rule — first put in place under President Barack Obama and later brought back by President Joe Biden — said each showerhead could only use 2.5 gallons…  read on >  read on >