https://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. Virtually every living thing on Earth, from Patagonian penguins to newborn human babies, has been touched by the synthetic chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. In fact, you would be hard pressed to find a sample of human blood, tissue, or breast milk without detectable levels of at least one type of PFAS. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-pfas-fingerprints-blood-clues.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 14:00:01 EDT news699528902 A significant Arctic blast expected to hit the U.S. starting later this week will bring the coldest air of the season, dangerous wind, heavy snow—and the risk of heart issues—to those living in communities from the Great Plains to the Great Lakes. The exertion of shoveling snow in extreme cold can be deadly. According to the American Heart Association, the world's leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all, research shows that the exertion of shoveling snow may lead to an increased risk of a heart attack or sudden cardiac arrest. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-arctic-plunge-temps-extra-stay.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 12:30:01 EST news684763353 Over the past 25 years, Greenlanders have experienced a dramatic increase in cardiometabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Scientists have already linked their increased risk of these diseases to genetic variants that are common in the Inuit Greenlandic population but rare in other populations. These variants likely provided survival advantages in the harsh Arctic environment and with traditional diets based on marine mammals, which are rich in protein and polyunsaturated fatty acids. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-ancient-arctic-modern-disease.html Thu, 20 Nov 2025 12:57:30 EST news682865847 Subfreezing temperatures will continue to plague much of the country this week, putting outdoor sports enthusiasts, football fans, unsheltered people and stranded motorists at increased risk of hypothermia and frostbite. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-01-hypothermia-frostbite-arctic-temps-chill.html Wed, 17 Jan 2024 13:00:01 EST news624717285 Watching immersive 360 videos of icy Arctic scenes helps to relieve intense burning pain and could hold hope for treating chronic pain, a small study has found. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-11-immersion-virtual-reality-scenes-arctic.html Fri, 08 Nov 2019 03:52:51 EST news492407556 The future of Arctic mosquitoes (Aedes nigripes) in western Greenland depends on aquatic habitat and access to blood meals, according to a Dartmouth study. The study found that female mosquitoes carrying eggs were most abundant near ponds, especially in areas frequented by animals such as caribou, birds and the Arctic hare. Published in Ecosphere, the findings provide new insight into mosquito population dynamics. The rapid rate of environmental changes in the Arctic are impacting aquatic habitats and wildlife that mosquitoes depend on for blood meals. Mosquitoes also serve as food for a variety of species and pollinators for tundra plants in addition to their more notorious role as pests to humans and wildlife. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-08-fate-arctic-mosquitoes-habitat-access.html Fri, 03 Aug 2018 10:20:01 EDT news452510194 In individuals living in the Arctic, researchers have discovered a genetic variant that arose thousands of years ago and most likely provided an evolutionary advantage for processing high-fat diets or for surviving in a cold environment; however, the variant also seems to increase the risk of hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, and infant mortality in today's northern populations. The findings, published online October 23 in Cell Press's American Journal of Human Genetics, provide an example of how an initially beneficial genetic change could be detrimental to future generations. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-10-gene-aided-survival-arctic-negative.html Thu, 23 Oct 2014 12:00:03 EDT news333265740 Inadequate risk assessment, planning and training are among the gaps in many parts of Canada's Arctic, compounding the challenges of brutal weather, vast distances, difficult transportation and spotty communications and exposing the region's residents to the ever increasing risks of natural and man-made disasters and emergencies, according to a major new report released today. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-03-emergency-arctic-experts-key.html Mon, 31 Mar 2014 04:20:55 EDT news315458442