2017 ’ s Year In Health News: Medical Breakthroughs, Opioid Crisis And More

CBS Local — There’s been plenty of progress in the medical world this year, and as a result we now know that more Americans than ever have high blood pressure, but also that coffee everyday is actually good for you. Here’s a look back at the year in health. Opioid Crisis The opioid crisis has dominated much of the health news cycle. President Trump declared the opioid crisis a national emergency earlier this year. Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death for people under 50 in the United States. New Guidelines for High Blood Pressure The American Heart Association revised its guidelines for high blood pressure. The new threshold is 130 over 80, replacing 140 over 90. This means that nearly half of adults in the US have hypertension. Labratory Breakthroughs A game-changer came through in the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis. The FDA green lighted Ocrevus, the first drug approved to treat a severe form of MS. The FDA also approved the first gene therapy for leukemia. “CAR-T” removes a patient’s T-cells then modifies them in the lab to destroy cancer cells. And a team of doctors in the US and South Korea repaired a faulty gene in a human embryo for the first time. The controversial process of gene editing could help prevent thousands of genetic disorders. New Cancer Diagnoses  The American Cancer Society reported a sharp rise in colorectal cancers in millennials and Gen X-ers. Poor diet, lack of exercise and obesity may be to blame fo...
Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health News best of 2017 Samantha Lazarus Bennet Source Type: news