Transplants just keep rising

Record Number of Transplants

33,606: Number of organ transplants performed in the U.S. in 2016

8.5%: Increase over 2015

19.8%: Increase since 2012

Source: United Network for Organ Sharing, January 2017

Sex and Older Americans

Men ages 57 to 85 who engage in sexual activities once a week or more have twice the risk of cardiovascular conditions, including heart attack and stroke, compared with men in that age group who have less sexual activity, Michigan State University researchers found.

However, for women, active sex lives reduced their chances of developing high blood pressure, which lessened their risk of heart problems.

Source: Michigan State University, September 2016

Flu Shots Are Effective

For the 2015–16 flu season, vaccinations prevented:

71,000 flu-associated hospitalizations

2.5 million flu-associated medical visits

5.1 million flu-associated illnesses

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, December 2016

Even 1 Cigarette a Day Is Risky

People who smoke an average of fewer than 1 cigarette a day over their lifetimes have a 64% higher risk of early death than people who never smoke. People who smoke between 1 and 10 cigarettes a day have an 87% higher risk.

Source: National Cancer Institute study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, Dec. 5, 2016