McLaren Macomb Health Care Blog

An advisory panel recommended COVID-19 vaccines should first go to healthcare workers and residents of nursing homes. "We’ve been very encouraged watching the release of the efficacy data of the vaccine trial..." With two COVID-19 vaccines showing very high efficacy levels expected to be authorized for emergency use before the end of 2020, the question then became who will get it first. It was a question that had long been speculated – since the beginning of vaccine development. Earlier this month, an a...

The CDC has reduced its 14-day quarantine guidelines it had recommended since the start of the pandemic. Since the beginning of the pandemic in the United States this past spring, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recommended that anyone exposed to the coronavirus and at-risk of developing COVID-19 quarantine themselves for 14 days. Meant to curb the spread of the virus, the practice of quarantining was vital in flattening the curve after the initial coronavirus spike in the spring. ...

A CT lung screening is the only early detection test for lung cancer. With any form of cancer, early detection is crucial. This allows oncologists to begin treatments before the cancer has had a chance to grow and potentially spread to other areas of the body. In terms of lung cancer, early detection comes in the form of a low-dose CT (computerized tomography) scan, which uses a low dose of radiation to image the lungs, allowing oncologists to see and diagnose lung cancer in its most treatable form. The...

There are some concerns about a heart condition in recovered COVID-19 patients. Among those who have recovered from COVID-19, which is considered a respiratory infection, one of the more serious concerns is if they will develop a heart condition so many with the virus have developed in their recovery. What is myocarditis? One of the more serious and telltale COVID-19 symptoms is a shortness of breath, which can leave the heart with an inadequate level of oxygen. A low level of oxygen can cause blood cel...

A large study concludes that a full night’s sleep can contribute to good heart health. Anyone who rises out of bed in the morning and doesn’t walk to the kitchen – still half asleep – to groggily wait for their first strong cup of coffee can attest to the importance and positive effect a solid night’s sleep can have. Now, though, researchers have confirmed the impact and extent it can have on one’s health. Researchers at Tulane University in New Orleans analyzed data collected from more than 400,000 men...

Vaccines using mRNA technology have been described as safer and more effective. The scientific community had reason to celebrate, and many more saw a glimmer of light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, with the release of the Pfizer late-stage vaccine trial data that showed a 90 percent effectiveness in protecting against the coronavirus. Both this vaccine and another stage three trial feature new technology that uses mRNA, or messenger RNA (ribonucleic acid). Researchers have praised with new form of v...

Accounting for 25 percent of all cancer deaths, November is designated Lung Cancer Awareness Month While it is the number one cancer killer in the United States, only 16 percent of people diagnosed with lung cancer are diagnosed at an early stage – a stage in which the cancer is most responsive to treatment, giving the patient their best chance. These facts make it all the more critical for those who live with lung cancer risk factors and exhibit early-stage symptoms to talk to their doctor about a scre...

Similar symptoms among the three illnesses can cause confusion Entering the colder months, the traditional common cold and flu seasons has been aggressively complicated by the on-going pandemic. With varying levels of symptom severity, confusion can result from the respiratory distress often associated with both a cold and the flu. Confusion is now further compounded with the respiratory symptoms caused by COVID-19. When trying to distinguish between the illnesses, adding to the complexity are the other...

“Troubling” cancer trend caused the move of the potentially life-saving screening In a move that responds to an alarming trend, the United States Preventive Services Task Force has amended its recommendation to make a screening more inclusive. Following a significant increase in new colon cancer diagnosis in the United States, the task force has lowered the start of the recommended screening age from 50 to 45. “The change in this recommendation represents a great step in our ability to catch this diseas...

Significantly lower health risks for people over 50 linked to flu shot With the typical risk associated with the ordinary flu season complicated by the on-going pandemic, medical professionals and public health experts urge everyone everywhere to start the season with a flu shot. More so this season than perhaps ever before, a flu shot can aid greatly in protecting people against the potentially devastating effects of a co-infection of the flu and COVID-19. However, the results of a recently published s...