A new study finds only a few doctors in rural America are able to properly treat the growing problem of opioid abuse. Researchers from the University of Washington found more than half of U.S. counties - most of them in rural areas - do not have a doctor qualified to dispense the medication necessary for effective treatment. According to the CDC, prescription opioid pain relievers such as Oxycontin or Vicodin were involved in nearly 15,000 overdose deaths in 2008.
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Ultrasounds may be the key to early detection and prevention of heart attacks and strokes in developing countries. In a study in the Global Heart, researchers in India were able to detect plaque in the arteries of 24% of patients… before symptoms appeared. The study also found doctors with no prior experience could be trained quickly to use the devices.
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And people with positive childhoods may have better heart health later in life. A study in the journal 'Circulation' says, factors like growing up in a family that's financially secure, emotionally stable and physically healthy are strong indicators of good cardiovascular health in adulthood. Researchers say those people are more likely to be normal weight, not to smoke and have healthy glucose levels.
