As cold and flu season comes to New York, people might also want to be on the lookout for symptoms of pneumonia. Pneumonia is a tricky disease that can be cured in a matter of weeks or, in some cases, can be fatal. For people who have lung cancer, pneumonia is a greater risk, and sometimes its symptoms can be missed because they can be mistaken for those associated with lung cancer. Symptoms that lung cancer and pneumonia share include persistent cough, shortness of breath, low energy and loss of appetite. Pneumonia can be caused by bacteria, fungi or a virus.

Throughout New York and the rest of the nation, Alzheimer’s disease is often misdiagnosed. A misdiagnosis can come in the form of a false positive, when doctors diagnose Alzheimer’s in patients who don’t have it, or a false negative, when doctors fail to detect the condition in a patient. A recent study published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translation Research and Clinical Intervention reveals how psychosis complicates matters.

Parents in New York who are concerned about the effects eating disorders can have on their children should know that authors of a study have determined new associations between eating disorders and immune system diseases. They believe that these links may be useful in diagnosing and treating the diseases.

Patients in New York and across the country often visit a doctor when they notice an unusual blemish or spot on their skin. Some skin imperfections are nothing more than sun spots or acne. However, others may indicate something requiring immediate attention. If initial signs of skin cancer or similar conditions are overlooked, a delay in treatment could have serious consequences for patients.

People in New York who have cardiomyopathy may not exhibit symptoms of the disease, which is why it is essential to know how to identify someone who may have a high likelihood of developing the condition. In some cases, there may be no symptoms or signs in the early stages of the disease, but the indications of heart failure may become obvious as the heart begin to deteriorate.