Whooping cough, a condition once thought to be brought under control in the world today, is staging a nasty and unexpected resurgence. According to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. has recorded 8,077 cases of whooping cough in 2025 so far—more than double the 3,847 cases reported during the same period in 2024. This resurgence is not just a public health concern; it’s a stark reminder of what happens when vaccination rates drop and surveillance systems weaken.

Also known as pertussis, whooping cough is an extremely contagious bacterial disease that is transmitted by respiratory droplets and can happen to individuals of any age. Nevertheless, it is most dangerous to newborns and those who are not vaccinated. Sadly, just within the past six months, five children, including two infants in Louisiana, have passed away due to the complications of the illness.

The recent surge is not an isolated phenomenon. It has come on the heels of a concerning trend observed among other vaccine-preventable illnesses, such as measles. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, childhood vaccination levels plummeted. According to the CDC, in 2023–2024, a mere 92.3% of kindergartners received the complete vaccination against pertussis, compared to 94.9% in 2019–2020. Vaccine exemptions—both medical and non-medical—increased by 37% during the same time frame.

This reduction in coverage has undermined what public health professionals refer to as "herd immunity," placing vulnerable groups such as newborns and immunocompromised individuals at high risk. And because immunity from the DTaP or TDaP vaccine wanes over time, adolescents and adults can unwittingly act as carriers of the disease, transmitting it to unvaccinated infants.

Is Whooping Cough Deadly?

Yes, whooping cough can be deadly—especially for the youngest and most vulnerable. While many people recover without complications, the disease poses a serious risk for infants under six months of age. Their immune systems are still developing, and their airways are smaller, making them particularly vulnerable to severe outcomes.

According to the Mayo Clinic, complications such as pneumonia, apnea (pauses in breathing), seizures, and even brain damage can occur in infants who contract the illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also emphasizes that babies and young children are at the highest risk of life-threatening complications, including death.

Who's Most at Risk?

Although pertussis may produce a lingering, annoying cough in adults, the outcome in infants and young children is considerably more severe. The Mayo Clinic and CDC report that babies aged less than 6 months are at greatest risk for serious complications and death. Their immature respiratory systems are more likely to be affected by pneumonia, seizures, apnea (stoppage of breathing), brain damage, and even death.

Most alarming is the reality that the illness can fail to manifest with the traditional "whoop" noise in babies. Rather, it can appear as feeding difficulty or sudden cessation of breathing—symptoms that are easily mistaken for something else until they become fatal.

Identifying the Symptoms of Whooping Cough

Whooping cough typically copies the common cold initially—sneezing, mild cough, and low-grade fever. Within one to three weeks, though, the symptoms worsen. The defining symptom is a violent, intractable cough followed by a sudden gasping breath that produces the characteristic "whooping" sound. Coughing spasms followed by vomiting are also typical.

Diagnosis is usually established through laboratory testing of throat or nasal mucus, or through blood tests to determine the presence of antibodies.

Is It Just a Bad Cough or Something More?

Pertussis is caused by the Bordetella pertussis bacteria and is highly contagious respiratory illness. The CDC believes that 80% of non-immune individuals will become infected if exposed. The bacteria bind to the cilia (microscopic hairs) of the upper respiratory tract and then release toxins that destroy the lining and lead to inflammation.

One of the major challenges is that individuals are most infectious in the initial phases of illness, usually before they even realize that they have pertussis. This makes the necessity of timely diagnosis and early isolation very crucial.

How Can You Prevent Whooping Cough?

The best protection against whooping cough is with timely vaccination. Babies are given a course of DTaP shots from two months of age, and booster shots throughout early childhood. After children are age 11, they begin to take the TDaP vaccine, which covers tetanus and diphtheria as well.

Most importantly, pregnant women should get a TDaP booster between 27 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. It enables the transfer of protective antibodies to the baby prior to birth, affording important protection during the first months of life when the infant is most susceptible.

Keep sick children at home. If your child is diagnosed with pertussis, they should remain isolated until at least five days of antibiotic treatment have been completed.

Inform and protect household contacts. Anyone living with an infected person should consult a healthcare provider about preventive antibiotic treatment.

Practice mask-wearing. If you’ve been exposed to pertussis or are awaiting test results, wearing a mask around others can help prevent further transmission.

Promote vaccine catch-ups. Parents can make sure children are up to date on all vaccinations and speak with pediatricians regarding any doses that were missed.

Educate your community. Local outreach and awareness campaigns can assist in rebuilding trust in vaccines and emphasizing the importance of community protection.

More than 200 million smartwatches were sold worldwide alone in 2023, with millions of users counting on these wrist-worn devices not only for convenience—but for lifesaving alerts. As wearable health technology advances, smartwatches have become the daily companion in monitoring heart rate, blood oxygen, and even irregular rhythms. But since cardiovascular disease is still the top killer globally, a pressing question arises: Can your smartwatch really sense and even prevent a heart attack before it's too late?

While these gadgets promise to track pivotal indicators such as atrial fibrillation and fluctuations in blood pressure, their potential to foretell acute cardiac events continues to be an area of research. As technology brands compete to make medical features intelligent, the reality falls where innovation, clinical science, and what your smartwatch can practically do converge.

Smartwatches no longer simply exist as fashionable add-ons or productivity devices they are quickly emerging as frontline contenders in the early diagnosis of health issues, most notably heart-related ailments but how much can you really trust your smartwatch when it comes to life-threatening conditions such as a heart attack?

Smartwatches have developed at breakneck speed from basic step counters to high-tech wearable health trackers. The most widely used brands today have a set of tools that specifically track cardiovascular health. Features now include continuous monitoring of heart rate, heart rhythm monitoring, blood oxygen saturation, and even blood pressure in some versions.

How this is made possible is a technology known as photoplethysmography (PPG) — an optical sensor technique relying on LED light to measure changes in blood volume in the microvascular bed in the skin. As your heart beats, the sensor measures the change in reflection of light, providing information on your heart rhythm, rate, and at times, even your blood oxygenation levels.

Besides, certain smartwatches have single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) features that give a better heart rhythm analysis and aid in detecting atrial fibrillation (AFib) — a precursor to stroke and heart failure.

Are Smartwatches Effective in Identifying Heart Attacks?

This is the most urgent query and the response isn't quite simple.

The short answer is, not yet. Although smartwatches are capable of detecting some warning signs and arrhythmias in the heart, they are not yet capable of diagnosing a heart attack in real-time with medical-grade accuracy. A heart attack (myocardial infarction) happens when blood supply to a region of the heart is obstructed, typically by a blood clot. Identification of this demands high-resolution and multi-lead ECGs, laboratory tests, and imaging — diagnostics well out of the capabilities of consumer-level wearables.

Dr. Peter Libby, a Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital cardiologist, describes in press release, "This technology is more a proof-of-principle rather than something that's clinically useful." His comments came after a small study discovered that ECG recordings from wearables can replicate hospital ECG equipment but with some limitations.

Simply, smartwatches can alert you to warning signs like an excessively high heart rate when you're resting, or symptoms matching AFib but cannot verify a heart attack. Nor can they substitute for immediate medical assessment.

What are the Benefits of Smartwatches?

Smartwatches are worth their price when it comes to real-time tracking and long-term heart care. Their potential to identify silent atrial fibrillation that may cause strokes or heart failure is noteworthy. Models that have been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for detecting AFib are recognized for their use in enabling users to access appropriate medical attention in a timely manner.

Companies such as Apple, Samsung, Fitbit, Google, and Withings have incorporated both PPG and ECG technologies. Some of them also provide tracking for blood oxygen saturation and blood pressure, thus adding to their functionality as personal health assistants.

However, it’s critical to understand that smartwatches operate under limitations — they provide preliminary insights, not definitive diagnoses. The data they collect can be shared with healthcare providers, enabling better-informed consultations, but they should never be used as a sole source of medical judgment.

As smartwatches get increasingly sophisticated, there is an increasing threat of false reassurance. Individuals might take "normal" readings as a go-ahead to put off medical intervention during true cardiac attacks. False alarms, on the other hand, can also cause undue stress and result in overtesting.

A balanced strategy is important. Experts suggest using smartwatches as an ancillary device, not a substitute for professional attention. If you have symptoms such as chest pain, difficulty in breathing, or inexplicable weakness — no matter what your smartwatch shows — get yourself medically checked.

How AI, Predictive Analytics Will Help In Medical Integration

The wearable technology future looks bright. Future developments in machine learning and artificial intelligence will seek to make smartwatches' predictive power stronger. These technologies can review trends over time, identify discrepancies, and even warn users before signs appear.

In addition, partnerships between medical institutions and technology companies might soon lead to equipment that is not only cleared by the FDA but clinically proven for more sophisticated diagnostics. We're close to an era when smartwatches might help prevent cardiovascular events — but that vision comes with aggressive testing, medical supervision, and regulatory clearance.

Smartwatches are precious health devices in this day and age of digitization, allowing users to be connected with their own well-being. In heart health, they provide actionable data and early detection that can lead to quicker medical attention.

In the detection or diagnosis of heart attacks, technology is lagging behind. Though the devices may lead to greater awareness and useful data, they must never be used in place of a doctor's know-how or emergency medical response.

If you've ever tried to lose weight with a partner, you've probably seen the maddening and frustrating difference- he goes without bread for a week and loses 10 pounds, yet you do the same thing and hardly move the needle. It's not in your head — research has shown that men lose weight quicker than women on diet and exercise alone. But in an ironic turn, a new generation of weight-loss medications is turning the tables.

GLP-1 receptor agonists, injectable medications like Wegovy (semaglutide) and Zepbound (tirzepatide) are performing far better for women than for men. New clinical trials at the European Congress on Obesity and in the New England Journal of Medicine have pointed to a recurring pattern: On average, women lose more weight than men with these drugs.

Why this occurs is still unclear, but the implications are large for future personalized weight loss plans.

During the 2024 European Congress on Obesity, scientists revealed results of a landmark clinical trial in The New England Journal of Medicine. The head-to-head trial pitted two of the most discussed GLP-1 injectables- Wegovy (semaglutide) and Zepbound (tirzepatide) against each other. More than 750 adults with excess weight were included, who received maximum tolerated doses of the two medications.

Tirzepatide unequivocally took the lead. Those on Zepbound lost a mean of 20% of their body weight at 72 weeks, in contrast to roughly 14% in those receiving Wegovy. There was an interesting twist, however. Zepbound, which is made by Eli Lilly, acts on two gut hormones (GIP and GLP-1), whereas Wegovy acts on just GLP-1. Double the action probably makes tirzepatide more effective.

But what amazed researchers the most was the gender difference: women always lost significantly more weight than men in both drug groups.

In previous semaglutide studies, women lost 11% of their body weight on average after two years. Men, meanwhile, lost about 8%. In tirzepatide studies, women lost as much as 28% of their initial weight—compared with 19% in men. This difference held even after accounting for lifestyle habits and adherence levels.

Dr. Louis Aronne, director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Center at Weill Cornell Medicine and the lead researcher, said, "Why this works better in women, I can't honestly tell you, but it's great. It has been seen again and again."

So, what is the secret behind this unexpected female advantage? Researchers point to a combination of things—biological, hormonal, and behavioral.

Why Women Respond Better To Weight-Loss Injections?

One hypothesis is based on dosage. These drugs are usually dispensed in standard doses, without consideration of the patient's body size. Because women are generally lighter than men, the same dose will be proportionally more intense in relation to their body weight. That may account for the more extreme outcomes in women.

In addition, women tend to possess more subcutaneous (or cutaneous) fat—fat that is held immediately below the skin—while men have more visceral fat, which is held deeper around internal organs. Perhaps these drugs act more effectively against subcutaneous fat, placing an advantage for women in terms of visible, quantifiable fat loss.

Behavioral influences may also be at work. Women are under more intense social pressure to remain thin, and this might make them more motivated to stick religiously to these treatment protocols. The injections take self-discipline—weekly injections, usually with side effects like nausea and fatigue—and an engaged patient is more likely to notice improvement.

The most convincing theory is perhaps one involving hormones—more precisely, estrogen. In animal studies, researchers have found that the combination of estrogen and GLP-1 has heightened effects on hunger and eating behavior. In humans, this could manifest as an increased response in premenopausal women, who have naturally elevated levels of estrogen.

If estrogen increases the effectiveness of GLP-1, this could help explain not only why women fare better, but also why responses might vary between young and older women. It also raises suspicions for women on hormone-suppressing treatments (like following breast cancer) or who are experiencing menopause, when estrogen levels fall naturally.

Mood, Metabolism, and the Future of Weight Loss

Interestingly, while GLP-1 medications are generally considered safe, some data suggest sex-based differences in mood responses. Some women report increased feelings of depression while on the medication—a side effect less common in men. Although not universal, these differences further highlight the need for more personalized, sex-aware treatment plans.

As scientists look further, the aim is to make the most of how such drugs are applied. Knowing why females gain more could lead to improved dosing regimens, enhanced non-responders' outcomes, and inform sex-, age-, and hormone-specific treatments.

GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy and Zepbound are revolutionizing the face of weight management—and women can be at the forefront of that revolution. Although the specific reasons for the gender divide remain under study, this promising data is bringing new hope for women who've been frustrated by conventional methods of shedding pounds.

We still have much to learn, but this may be a turning point in the way we treat weight loss, particularly for women. As the science continues to develop, one thing is certain: The future of weight loss is no longer one-size-fits-all. It's personal, precision-driven, and—at last even more promising for women.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally, affecting nearly 17.9 million people each year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

‘Heart diseases’ or ‘cardiovascular diseases’ are umbrella terms that encompass a wide variety of diseases like angina, heart attacks, strokes, arrhythmia etc. These problems are often caused by fatty deposits building up inside the arteries. The reason why these clogs cause as issues is because they stop the blood from flowing to and from necessary body parts, depriving them of air as well as nutrients. This can also lead to damage in other vital organs like the brain, the heart itself, the kidneys, and even the eyes.

There are many different types of heart diseases, as well as many symptoms. The most common ones that many people know of are chest pain, sudden shortness of breath, irregular heartbeats, extreme fatigue, etc. However, there are also many subtle signs of heart diseases that you may not know of.

How Many People Know of This Subtle Symptom

It's important to know that the symptoms of heart disease can be different for each person. Because of this variability, some individuals might not even realize that the warning signs they are experiencing could be related to a serious heart condition.

A recent survey conducted by LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor, involving 500 adults in the UK, found a concerning lack of awareness about certain heart disease symptoms. Specifically, only 46 percent of those surveyed knew that swelling in the legs could be a sign of heart problems.

This lack of knowledge is concerning because if people don't know that leg swelling can be related to their heart, they might not take it seriously or go to the doctor to get it checked out, potentially missing an important early sign of heart trouble.

When the survey asked about well-known signs of heart disease, most people got some of them right. A large majority knew that chest pain, especially if it feels like pressure or squeezing, could be a sign of a heart problem needing immediate attention. Many people also knew that feeling very out of breath and having an irregular heartbeat could be linked to heart issues. These are important symptoms for everyone to be aware of, as they are often key indicators that something might be wrong with the heart.

Lesser Known Symptoms

While many people knew about chest pain and shortness of breath, the survey showed that other important symptoms of heart disease were not as widely recognized. Feeling extremely tired all the time, even when you haven't done much, can be a sign. Also, as mentioned before, swelling in the legs, which happens when fluid builds up, is another symptom that many people don't realize could be related to their heart. Being aware of these less common signs is crucial for early detection.

The fact that many people don't know about all the different ways heart disease can show itself highlights why it's so important to learn about a wide range of potential warning signs. Relying only on the most commonly known symptoms like chest pain might cause people to ignore other important signals their body could be sending them. Recognizing less obvious signs, such as unusual fatigue or swelling in the legs, could lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment, which can make a big difference in managing heart conditions and improving health outcomes.