https://medicalxpress.com/common-illnesses-prevention-news/ en-us Latest health news and information about Common Illnesses & Prevention A chemical widely used in food preservation is implicated in an uptick in recent UK deaths by suicide, with a disproportionately high number of cases among young people and boys/men, finds a comprehensive analysis of available data for the period 2019–24, published in the open access journal BMJ Public Health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-widely-food-implicated-uptick-uk.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 18:30:07 EDT news695916121 It took less than 22 years after the discovery of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) for a fast-acting, highly effective treatment to become available. Modern drugs are more than 95% effective at curing hepatitis C infection, yet the virus remains a critical public health problem. It's the most common bloodborne illness in the United States, and disproportionately impacts low-income people and marginalized communities. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-washington-hepatitis-patient.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 18:00:09 EDT news695920141 A randomized controlled trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of proximal hypoglossal nerve stimulation, or pHGNS, (an implanted stimulation therapy targeting specific sectors of nerves in the tongue) for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) found that pHGNS significantly reduced breathing interruptions during sleep and improved patient-reported daytime sleepiness without any significant adverse events. The study is published in Annals of Internal Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-implanted-nerve-obstructive-apnea-safe.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:00:02 EDT news695893982 A new study from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Soroka University Medical Center, published in Sleep and Breathing, reveals a significant link between obstructive sleep apnea and skeletal muscle quality. This finding may indicate an increased risk of muscle deterioration with aging, something many of us are unaware of. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-obstructive-apnea-linked-poorer-muscle.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 15:20:02 EDT news695916541 In 2025, Lara Weed and Jamie M. Zeitzer of Stanford University published an article linking the practice of seasonal time changes (Daylight Saving Time) to negative health outcomes, ranging from acute symptoms (heart attacks and strokes) to chronic conditions (obesity). Now, Professors José María Martín-Olalla (University of Seville) and Jorge Mira Pérez (University of Santiago de Compostela), after analyzing the methodology applied in that study, have concluded that "what the world read as scientific evidence against time change has turned out to be a mathematical illusion." https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-physicists-refute-famous-daylight-poses.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:00:02 EDT news695910292 While some say having lots of kids can make you lose your faculties, a new study suggests otherwise. Research co-led by UT Health San Antonio, the academic health center of The University of Texas at San Antonio, associates a greater number of live births with a reduced risk of stroke or brain damage for mothers. As more women than men have strokes, the finding is seen as significant in helping determine risk. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-kids-brain.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:40:06 EDT news695905381 Analysis of microbes in the gut can reveal whether a person faces an elevated risk of Parkinson's disease, before they have developed any symptoms, suggests a new study led by University College London (UCL) researchers. The scientists found that people with Parkinson's disease have a distinctive makeup of gut microbes, as do healthy individuals who are genetically at risk of Parkinson's disease, they report in the new Nature Medicine study. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-gut-microbiome-parkinson-disease.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:00:07 EDT news695651341 A landmark study led by researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and published in Molecular Psychiatry has identified a significant association between prenatal prescription of commonly utilized medications and the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-millions-birth-uncover-autism-surge.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:20:01 EDT news695894900 Deep in the lungs, resident memory B cells stand guard against influenza reinfection—but whether they remain there may depend on how strongly they are signaled through their own receptors. New research using an animal model of influenza infection provides fresh insight into how these cells form and persist, findings that could inform the design of vaccines aimed at strengthening immune defenses in the lungs. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-robust-flu-cells-residents-lungs.html Sun, 19 Apr 2026 14:00:01 EDT news695651897 Women taking antiseizure medication for epilepsy have around a 45% reduced risk of major congenital anomalies in their children—if they initiate high-dose folic acid before pregnancy. This is the finding of a large Nordic register-based study (SCAN-AED) involving Aarhus University Hospital. The study also finds that starting folic acid supplementation after pregnancy onset is not associated with any protective effect. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-early-folic-acid-supplementation-halve.html Fri, 17 Apr 2026 16:00:03 EDT news695647099