Second Opinion with Joan Lunden

The number of Americans living with Alzheimer's is growing. So many Americans are increasingly interested in their brain health and looking for ways they can prevent developing memory issues of any kind. There is a promising body of evidence, and medical centers around the country looking at what we can do to keep our brain healthy

Alopecia areata is a common autoimmune disorder that often results in unpredictable hair loss. It affects roughly 6.8 million people in the United States and is one of the most requested topics from viewers every year.

Vaccine hesitancy continues to be an issue in the U.S., with COVID continually bringing this topic to light. But it’s not just about the COVID vaccine. Childhood vaccine rates continue to decrease in certain areas of the country, setting us up for formerly eradicated diseases to make a comeback.

Stress is a word that people throw around when they are feeling overwhelmed, but stress comes with real physical and mental health consequences. Stress in all ages, as well as pandemic-related stress, affects our overall health, and contributes to other mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.

Cases of, and morbidity from, diabetes continues to rise. One of the critical areas of work is to stop pre-diabetes from turning into full-fledged diabetes.

The misuse and overuse of antibiotics is contributing to the rapid emergence of resistant bacteria and endangering the efficacy of antibiotics. Considered the next pandemic, antibiotic resistance is a threat to global health and food security.

The diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer has been one of the most hopeful advances in medicine over the past several years. The new lung cancer screening guidelines allow for the screening for younger individuals with less of a smoking history – making lung cancer a disease that is no longer a death sentence.

Heart valve replacement is an area in medicine which has made great advancements and is a very common procedure. This procedure is 94-97% effective and can drastically increase the life expectancy of the patient.

Pregnant women in the United States are more than twice as likely to die from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth than those in most other high- income countries in the world. And behind these statistics lie startling racial disparities in the care, treatment, and health outcomes for women of color.

As we continue to track “long-haulers,” we are learning more about the long-term health effects of the people who are suffering from debilitating post-COVID symptoms.