Sleeping less or more than seven to eight hours a night heightens the risk of death, a study suggested. 　The study, conducted by a medical research team at Seoul National University, followed the sleeping patterns of 13,164 Koreans for 17 years since 1993 to determine the suitable amount of sleep. 　Those who sleep less than five hours have a 21 percent of higher risk of death, while sleeping more than 10 hours can increase death risks by 36 percent, according to the research.　“We found out that

The number of infectious diseases in South Korea surged last year, reflecting the steady rise in the average temperatures on the Korean Peninsula, and raising concerns about a change in broader disease patterns. A total of 77,215 Koreans came down with infectious diseases in 2013, up about 50 percent from the previous year, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Tick-borne infections took a bigger share, as their habitats moved north as the average temperatures went up. “The

With a westernized lifestyle and diet, and aging society, we live in a time of increasing cancer and cardiovascular diseases. The classic symptoms of cardiovascular disease include chest pain, palpitations and shortness of breath. Many people may not be aware of any symptoms, so some people can suddenly develop symptoms of cardiovascular disease while they thought they were healthy. Therefore, if you have any symptoms related to the heart, it is highly recommended that a cardiologist examine you

Hyperlipidemia occurs when there is elevated cholesterol in the blood, which can cause fatal diseases such as atherosclerosis, angina, myocardial ischemia and stroke. The causes of hyperlipidemia include a high fat diet and insufficient exercise. The recommended level of blood cholesterol is less than 200 milligrams per deciliter of cholesterol, less than 150 mg/dl of triglycerides, greater than 45 mg/dl of HDL cholesterol (prevents atherosclerosis) and less than 160 mg/dl of LDL cholesterol (ca

NEW YORK (AP) ― Tablet computers are so easy to use that even a 3-year-old can master them.And that has some pediatricians and other health experts worried.Since navigating a tablet generally doesn’t require the ability to type or read, children as young as toddlers can quickly learn how to stream movies, scroll through family photos or play simple games.That ease-of-use makes tablets ― and smartphones ― popular with busy parents who use them to pacify their kids during car rides, restaurant out

GE Healthcare, the world’s largest medical equipment developer, will invest 200 billion won ($189 million) to build an R&D center for mammography in Korea by 2022.GE’s new Mammography Global Center of Excellence will serve as an R&D and supply hub to meet the growing global demand, with technology to be developed and manufactured in Korea. The demand for mammography in the global market is estimated at about $1 billion. Mammography is a technique for making X-ray images of the breast. GE Healthc

The government’s plans to allow telemedicine and for-profit hospital subsidiaries have riled the medical sector as doctors are concerned that the moves would pave the way for the privatization of medical services and hurt their business. Thousands of medical doctors took to the streets last weekend in protest of the government’s latest medical service development plans.In October, the Ministry of Health and Welfare released a final plan to start telemedicine in 2015. Last week, the government an

A middle-aged housewife surnamed Kim becomes a different person during the winter. When the weather gets cold, she avoids meeting people and likes to be alone. However, when spring comes, she is lively and enthusiastic. People often feel depressed during the autumn. Many people think that they are sad and lonely due to the cold weather, and because the falling leaves make them feel emotional. Of course, such things can contribute to these emotions, but, in fact, the more direct cause is the decr

Health authorities recommend less than 5 shots of soju a day, 2-3 days free from alcohol after excessive drinking

Is hypotension actually more harmful than hypertension?The question about hypotension is probably one of the most commonly told myths without evidence. In conclusion, hypotension is not a disease. Perhaps this misunderstanding may be caused from the medical condition called “shock,” where there is an acute decrease in blood pressure with severe malfunction of the body and a potentially fatal outcome. In emergency situations such as severe bleeding or serious decline in the cardiac function, ther

SAN ANTONIO (AP) ― Tens of thousands of women each year might be able to skip at least some of the grueling treatments for breast cancer ― which can include surgery, heavy chemo and radiation ― without greatly harming their odds of survival, new research suggests.The research is aimed at curbing overtreatment, a big problem in cancer care. Treatments help many women beat the disease, but giving too many or ones that aren’t really needed causes unnecessary expense, trauma and lifelong side effect