Welcome to Consumer Reports Health News for health and medical journalists.  Consumer Reports and ConsumerReportsHealth.org cover issues pertaining to the efficacy and safety of prescription and non-prescription drugs (including natural medicines), mental health, diet and nutrition, food safety, and fitness.  CR tests health and fitness products, rates the effectiveness and affordability of prescription drugs, and evaluates the claims made by drug companies and the health care industry—all without commercial agendas or advertiser influence. 

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Reduce Your Health Risks, At Any Age

Chances of coming down with a life-threatening disease or being in a fatal accident, change in surprising ways across the span of life. CR’s analysis of age-related mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other sources found, for example, that firearms kill more teenagers than all natural causes combined; that even people older than 65 need to worry about HIV infection; and that while cancer is a concern throughout life, risks for specific types of cancer vary by age, as do the preventive steps needed. CR provides a look at the latest age-related mortality statistics for accidents, cancer, heart disease, infections, mental health, and other diseases.

Is Leg Pain a Sign of Heart Disease?

Peripheral artery disease – PAD – is a serious condition. Characterized by clogged leg arteries and sometimes calf pain, it is often a sign of coronary heart disease. Left untreated, it can result in gangrene or even amputation.

Although a simple exam can detect PAD, it is frequently left out of routine checkups.  Experts recommend that doctors not only test people with symptoms but also those at high risk of PAD.  That includes people 70 and older as well as those ages 50 to 69 who smoke or have diabetes, high blood pressure, or elevated levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol.

The Word on Lyme Disease

The medical evidence against long-term antibiotic use for Lyme disease is stronger than ever.  Last year, for example, the American Academy of Neurology reviewed the available research and concluded that prolonged courses of antibiotics don’t improve outcomes.  Moreover, such antibiotic use poses serious risks, including severe allergic reactions, diarrhea from antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and blood infections stemming from the intravenous lines often required to administer the drugs.

CR advises people to focus on the steps proven to help prevent and treat Lyme disease, including dressing properly when walking in wooded or grassy areas during spring and summer, checking pets for ticks, and contacting a doctor if signs of Lyme disease develop.

Enjoy Sushi Safely

Eating sushi can be healthy – but it also carries risks.  Raw fish sometimes carry parasites or bacteria that can cause infection. And toxic mercury can reach dangerously high levels in some fish commonly used in sushi, especially tuna. CR advises consumers to:

• Make sure the fish they eat has been prefrozen.
• Look for clean restaurants and fish that is cold and looks bright, glossy, and translucent.
• Limit or avoid eating fish with high levels of mercury, such as tuna, king mackerel, shark, swordfish, and tile fish.