12/30/05
39% live in areas limiting smoking
Six states enacted indoor smoking bans in 2005, more than in any previous year, as public sentiment appears increasingly anti-tobacco...
12/30/05
Flu cases pack clinics in parts of Southwest
Flu season is underway, mainly in the western part of the country, and likely will worsen as holiday travelers return home, in some cases carrying flu viruses with them, health experts say...
12/30/05
Coaching women during childbirth has little impact
Pregnant women coached through their first delivery do not fare much better than those who just do what feels natural, according to a study released on Friday...
12/30/05
About 1 in 10 US teens face major depression
Nearly one in 10 American teenagers experienced major depression last year and fewer than half were treated, according to government statistics released on Thursday that doctors say confirm the problem is still overlooked among young people...
12/29/05
Evista aids bone health in lupus patients
A small study has shown that the osteoporosis drug raloxifene, sold as Evista, helps maintain bone mineral density (BMD) in menopausal women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who are on corticosteroids...
12/29/05
Many cancer survivors still smoking and drinking
Cancer survivors are at increased risk for cancer recurrence, new cancers, and long-term complications of treatment. A new study by the National Cancer Institute suggests that many patients who have recovered from cancer still smoke and drink alcohol and don't get enough physical exercise, thus increasing their risk of new health problems...
12/29/05
FDA: Newer breast cancer drug better
Women now have another drug they can take to prevent breast cancer from returning after surgery to remove the tumor...
12/29/05
Study: Major depression strikes 2.2 million U.S. teens
Nearly one in 10 American teenagers, or 2.2 million, experienced major depression last year, according to government statistics released on Thursday that also showed that depressed youths were more likely to smoke, drink alcohol or abuse drugs...
12/28/05
Fatty foods can lead to diabetes, researchers say
Diets high in fat can disrupt blood sugar levels and trigger diabetes, researchers said in a study on Wednesday that helps explain the link between obesity and a disease typically linked to sugar...
12/28/05
Obesity linked to poor colon cancer survival
People who are obese around the middle and are physically inactive have poor odds of survival after a diagnosis of colorectal cancer, according to a new report...
12/28/05
Smoking linked to severity of psoriasis
Smoking appears to play a role in the risk of developing psoriasis and in the severity of the skin disease, according to the findings from two studies appearing the Archives of Dermatology...
12/28/05
Fitness experts: 'Don't let kids hibernate'
It's cold. The noon sky is gray and the sledding hill is all ice. Dave Hilderbrandt stands at the crest, watching his 8-year-old daughter and her friend gleefully zoom down on their plastic sled...
12/27/05
Breast cancer drug lauded
One of the most exciting developments in cancer this year, experts say, was the news that certain patients with early-stage breast cancer can cut their risk of relapse in half by taking the drug Herceptin...
12/27/05
Resistance training OK for heart failure patients
Contrary to qualms about deleterious effects on the heart, people with chronic heart failure can safely undertake a resistance training program, Australian researchers report. In fact, such training appears to have a beneficial effect on how strongly the heart is able to pump blood...
12/27/05
Most kids will outgrow bedwetting: pediatricians
Most children who wet the bed will outgrow it, and treatment is necessary only if bedwetting is upsetting to the child, according to new guidelines from the Canadian Pediatric Society (CPS)...
12/27/05
Quest for eternal youth starts earlier
Forget "40 is the new 30." Now even twentysomethings are joining the quest for eternal youth by using anti-aging products and wrinkle treatments...
12/26/05
Resistance training OK for heart failure patients
Contrary to qualms about deleterious effects on the heart, people with chronic heart failure can safely undertake a resistance training program, Australian researchers report. In fact, such training appears to have a beneficial effect on how strongly the heart is able to pump blood...
12/26/05
Study shows how alcohol damages bones
Bone loss is an often-overlooked consequence of heavy drinking, but recent research has illuminated how alcohol takes a toll on the bones, according to a new report...
12/26/05
The Pill doesn't affect cervical pre-cancer risk
Women with certain types of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection run the risk of developing CIN -- cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, a type of pre-cancer. However, contrary to previous concerns, their risk is not affected if they use hormonal contraceptives, or by their history of pregnancy and childbearing, researchers have found...
12/26/05
Harp may help heart
When a harpist wearing blue hospital scrubs started playing the familiar strains of Pachelbel's Canon during Edith Zook's heart procedure, the scene couldn't have been more surreal...
12/25/05
Merry Christmas from Enetinsurance
From all of us here at Enetinsurance, we wish all of you a very Merry Christmas!
12/24/05
Enrollment in drug plans hits 1 million
At least 1 million people have joined new stand-alone prescription drug plans offered by insurers, Medicare officials said Thursday, a month into what some have criticized as a confusing enrollment process...
12/24/05
Layperson-operated auto-defibrillators save lives
Automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) can be easily, safely, and effectively used by lay people to revive people who experience cardiac arrest in public places, according to an Italian study...
12/24/05
Short glasses hold stronger drinks, study says
Here's a new tip to help curb drinking over the holidays: Ask for your scotch-and-soda in a highball glass...
12/23/05
Successful aging may be partly in the genes
If you make it to a ripe old age with all your marbles, credit might go to the gene you inherited...
12/23/05
College students not alone in dangerous drinking
Though getting drunk is often seen as a traditional college pastime, other young adults, particularly men, have similarly high rates of potentially hazardous drinking, new research shows...
12/23/05
Impulsivity, alcohol linked to suicide
Men with severe depression are more likely to commit suicide if they abuse alcohol and have "cluster B" personality disorder, which relates to impulsive and/or aggressive behavior, new study findings suggest...
12/23/05
Cancer death rates declining, report finds
The threat of dying from cancer is on the decline, even though the overall rate of being diagnosed with the disease holds steady, the government says...
12/22/05
Ex-rocker's delayed diagnosis: Dyslexia
As a kid growing up in Wales, Stephen Harris thought about becoming a doctor. But bad grades discouraged him, so he turned to music at age 11...
12/22/05
Gastric Bypass Surgeries Soaring
The number of gastric bypass and other bariatric surgeries conducted in the United States more than quadrupled between 1998 to 2002, from 12,775 procedures to 70,256, researchers report...
12/22/05
Bird flu study shows virus evolution in action
At first it looked like the 13-year-old girl was lucky. She only had a little pneumonia in one lung and doctors had treated her early with Tamiflu, a drug known to be effective against avian influenza...
12/22/05
Fish oil curbs heart trouble linked to pollution
Daily supplementation with omega-3 fatty acid (fish oil) prevents a potentially-deadly decline in heart rate variability (HRV) associated with exposure to indoor air pollution, researchers from the US and Canada report...
12/21/05
One in three US adolescents physically unfit: study
More than one in three American adolescents are physically unfit and have many of the risk factors for heart disease, researchers said on Tuesday...
12/21/05
Men catching up to women in life expectancy: study
As the first of the 75 million baby boomers touch 60 in January, there's good news for the men: They are catching up to women in life expectancy...
12/21/05
New use for tobacco could save lives: researcher
One acre of genetically engineered tobacco plants can produce enough anthrax vaccine to inoculate the entire U.S. population safely and inexpensively, a molecular biologist at the University of Central Florida said on Tuesday...
12/21/05
FDA approves kidney cancer treatment
The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new treatment for an advanced form of kidney cancer, the agency announced Tuesday...
12/20/05
Stomach acid drugs raise diarrhea risk: study
Popular anti-heartburn drugs such as proton-pump inhibitors that block stomach acid production heighten the risk of an increasingly common infectious form of diarrhea, researchers said on Monday...
12/20/05
Study: Mastectomy patients face implant complications
Breast implants in women who have undergone mastectomies often result in complications that require more surgery, a study in Denmark found...
12/20/05
Study: Teen smoking, drinking down
Cigarette smoking is at its lowest level in a survey of teenagers and use of illicit drugs has been declining, but continuing high rates of abuse for prescription painkillers remain a worry, the government reported Monday...
12/20/05
Yoga may soothe chronic back pain
People plagued by chronic lower backaches may find some relief in yoga class, researchers reported Monday. Their study of 101 adults with persistent low back pain found that a gentle yoga class seemed to be a better alternative to either general exercise or a self-help book. Though people in the exercise class eventually improved to a similar degree as their yoga-practicing counterparts, yoga class brought quicker results...
12/19/05
Turn the page on old advice
As the year nears an end, and we in the health news business prepare to serve up lists of great discoveries and breakthroughs, circa 2005, I think it's just as edifying to consider how many once-promising pills and practices got a thumbs-down this year, once someone had a chance to study them thoroughly...
12/19/05
Radiologists use lights, films to soothe children
Three-year old Jack Law used to be so nervous when he went to hospital for regular scans he had to be sedated, only coming round several hours later. This time it was different, and a lot quicker...
12/19/05
Mini-strokes warn of later problems
Mini-strokes, like the one Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is said to have suffered on Sunday, are rarely of major consequence by themselves...
12/19/05
Transplant patients to meet
Six years into a new life with transplanted hands, Denis Chatelier is uniquely placed to give advice to another groundbreaking French transplant patient, a woman learning to live with a new face...
12/17/05
Flu season arrives in U.S.
The annual flu has arrived in the United States and has killed at least one child, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Thursday...
12/17/05
Cancer vaccine has strong response in young girls
Girls aged 10 to 14 who received GlaxoSmithKline Plc's vaccine to prevent infection with the virus that causes cervical cancer had immune responses twice as strong as women 15-25 years old given the vaccine, the company said on Saturday, describing results of a late-stage trial...
12/17/05
Patients paying extra for luxury checkups
When he turned 50, Steven Jackson decided it was time for a complete physical. But instead of going to his usual doctor, he spent $2,000 for a daylong assessment at a cushy health center loaded with amenities...
12/17/05
Baby boomers could erase longevity gains
After a century of nearly uninterrupted medical improvements and longer lives, it looks like the baby boomers could screw things up...
12/16/05
One embryo works as well as two for IVF: studies
Using a single embryo for in-vitro fertilization is just as likely to result in a successful pregnancy as transferring two embryos, while reducing the chance of a higher-risk twin conception, according to research released on Friday...
12/16/05
Radiotherapy aids breast cancer survival: study
Cancer patients who have radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery have a lower risk of recurrence and a better chance of beating the illness, according to a study on Friday...
12/16/05
Help for people with seasonal depression
During the fall and winter months, as days get shorter and sunlight scarce, some people "get the blues," and soon recover. But those suffering from seasonal affective disorder or "SAD" go though a much more dramatic experience, which is often difficult to overcome without help...
12/16/05
Neighborhoods fight for cleaner air
The stench from the sewage treatment plant behind her home is not as bad as it once was, before community protests and a citizens' lawsuit forced the county to spend millions of dollars to reduce the odors...
12/15/05
Sanofi: Bird flu vaccine data look good
Sanofi pasteur, the vaccines unit of Sanofi-Aventis, said Thursday that preliminary results of a clinical trial in France show that its bird flu vaccine candidate showed a good immune response in volunteers...
12/15/05
Fruit Sugars Might Speed Obesity
Fructose, the sugar found in fruit, honey and the corn-syrup sweeteners used in many processed foods, may trick the body into thinking it's hungrier than it really is, researchers report...
12/15/05
Flu death rate high among U.S. children in 2003-04
The flu killed more U.S. children than chicken pox, whooping cough, and measles combined in the 2003-2004 flu season, suggesting children should be vaccinated as aggressively as the elderly, a new study showed...
12/15/05
Surgery over to remove teen's 16-pound growth
A 14-year-old Haitian girl was in critical yet stable condition Thursday morning after groundbreaking surgery to remove a 16-pound (7.2-kilogram) tumor-like mass from her face...
12/14/05
Fiber in diet doesn't cut colon cancer risk -study
Eating lots of fiber does not lower a person's risk of developing colon cancer, but it is a good idea to consume fiber-rich fruits and vegetables anyway for your heart and overall health, a study said on Tuesday...
12/14/05
Unraveling cancer
If all the ways genes run amok to cause cancer were laid out in a dictionary, scientists would be able to decipher only a small part of the first page...
12/14/05
Young researcher wows cardiologists
Scott Casale couldn't have been more pleased when the American Heart Association accepted his research study for presentation at the group's big annual meeting a month ago, a gathering of the world's most prominent cardiologists...
12/14/05
Scientists question possible nanotech risks
Those stain-resistant khakis you just picked up at the mall, the tennis ball that holds its bounce longer and sunscreen that's clear instead of white have something in common -- nanotechnology...
12/13/05
Patients trust docs, but often use the Internet
Patients in the United States are likely to first turn to the World Wide Web when seeking health information, even though they trust their physicians more to provide them with accurate medical information, results of a nationally representative survey suggest...
12/13/05
Health gains hurt by obesity, smoking: report
Improvement in the overall health of Americans has stalled in the last five years as more people became obese and fewer quit smoking, according to a report released on Monday...
12/13/05
High cholesterol may raise blood pressure-study
People with high cholesterol also have a greater risk of high blood pressure, U.S. researchers reported on Monday in one of the first studies to demonstrate that one may cause the other...
12/13/05
Scottish kids among world's most overweight
Scottish children are among the most overweight in the world thanks to a diet of junk food and a couch potato lifestyle, health experts said on Tuesday, warning of possible severe health problems in later life...
12/12/05
Experimental method delivers assault on blood cancer
Doctors and patients around the world hailed the approval of Gleevec in 2001, which revolutionized the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia and marked the beginning of what scientists hope will be a new era in cancer therapy...
12/12/05
Allergic rhinitis treatment key to asthma control
Good asthma management requires appropriate treatment of persistent stuffy nose or "allergic rhinitis," researchers report in the journal Chest...
12/12/05
Study suggests infections are cause of child cancer
Common infections that affect mothers and babies may trigger certain types of childhood cancers, researchers said on Monday...
12/12/05
Bird flu vaccine eggs all in one basket
In a handful of warehouses, at secret locations in the United States, sit containers of vaccine that health officials fervently hope could head off an outbreak of the killer flu...
12/11/05
Obesity, Blood Pressure Woes Haunt Aging Boomers
Half of all Americans closing in on their Medicare years have high blood pressure, while two out of five are obese, the U.S. government announced Thursday in its annual summary of the nation's well-being...
12/11/05
Allergic rhinitis treatment key to asthma control
Good asthma management requires appropriate treatment of persistent stuffy nose or "allergic rhinitis," researchers report in the journal Chest...
12/09/05
Pacifiers reduce risk of cot deaths - study
Baby pacifiers can reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), the leading cause of death in babies under a year old, according to new research published on Friday...
12/09/05
Cancer drug may help short boys be taller
The drug tamoxifen, usually used to treat or prevent breast cancer, may help short boys attain a normal adult height, researchers report...
12/09/05
Smoking lowers chances of surviving throat cancer
For people with cancer of the larynx or lower pharynx, continuing to smoke or drink alcohol make it less likely that they'll survive, while eating a diet rich in vegetables and vitamin C improves their survival, a new study shows...
12/09/05
Bird flu vaccine eggs all in one basket
In a handful of warehouses, at secret locations in the United States, sit containers of vaccine that health officials fervently hope could head off an outbreak of the killer flu...
12/08/05
Marijuana derivatives may provide MS treatment
Marijuana derivatives or "cannabinoids" taken for one year for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) may reduce muscle spasms and other aspects of disability, results of a UK study suggest...
12/08/05
Consumer-geared health plans less favored - study
Americans enrolled in medical coverage plans designed to make them more aware of health-care costs are less satisfied and more likely to put off medical care than those enrolled in traditional plans, a survey released on Thursday said...
12/08/05
Kids exercise to feel good, not lose weight
Children and young teens may be more likely to exercise if they're motivated by fun and fitness rather than weight concerns, a new study suggests...
12/08/05
Poor not buying new drug benefit
The poor seem to need more convincing that they'd be helped by the new Medicare prescription drug benefit that begins next month...
12/07/05
Many colon cancer patients lack therapy
More than a decade after new treatment guidelines for the disease were issued, many patients with advanced colon cancer are not getting chemotherapy after surgery, despite clear-cut evidence it boosts survival, a study found...
12/07/05
Very young children may not get enough sleep
Young children are getting about nine hours of sleep a night, substantially less than the 12- to15- hours of shut-eye experts recommend, a new study shows...
12/07/05
Kids of overweight mothers have higher obesity risk
The children of mothers who are obese before pregnancy or who smoke during pregnancy, have a higher risk of becoming overweight at a very young age, a study in the journal Pediatrics reports. The condition can be perpetuated as the children get older...
12/07/05
Holiday depression follows Katrina
For three months after Hurricane Katrina's waters consumed her home, Michelle Thomas locked her stress deep inside and put on a brave face for her husband and two daughters...
12/06/05
Good sleep, sociability may keep grandma healthy
New research shows that aging women who sleep well and/or have strong social ties have lower levels of interleukin-6, an immune system protein that promotes inflammation and that tends to increase with age...
12/06/05
Brain spot for body size perception identified
UK researchers have identified the place in the brain where we process perceptions about the size and shape of our body parts...
12/06/05
Hearing implants work best when placed early
Deaf children who are given "cochlear" implants before 30 months of age are better able to combine what they hear and what they see than those who receive their implants when they are older, investigators report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences...
12/06/05
Love hurts? So does a wounded marriage
There is even more proof that an unhappy marriage is bad for your health, researchers reported on Monday...
12/05/05
Rapid weight changes found risky for young athletes
Doctors should be aware of the health risks posed to teenage athletes who quickly slim down by forcing themselves to vomit or by avoiding fluids, or bulk up by overeating, a report said on Monday...
12/05/05
Study finds kids with weak hearts can exercise
Children born with heart defects who have traditionally been told not to exercise can improve their heart function through programs that involve exertion, according to a U.S. study published on Monday...
12/05/05
Study: Coffee reduces liver risk
Coffee and tea may reduce the risk of serious liver damage in people who drink alcohol too much, are overweight, or have too much iron in the blood, researchers reported on Sunday...
12/05/05
Study: Wine heart benefit 'small'
Drinking two to three glasses of wine a day may not be such good medicine for the heart after all, a team of experts say in a leading medical journal...
12/02/05
Annan: 'We must do far, far more' against AIDS
Around the globe, leaders, activists and victims used World AIDS Day on Thursday to send the message that far stronger action is needed in the battle against the disease that kills millions of people every year...
12/02/05
Hormone may help keep pounds off
Daily hormone injections helped dieters keep weight off in a study that helped shed light on why it is so easy to gain weight and so hard to keep it off, researchers said on Thursday...
12/02/05
Many Americans choose couch over treadmill
They may be among the world's hardest workers but a new study shows most Americans don't break enough of a sweat when it comes to exercise...
12/02/05
New P.E.: More fitness, less sports
In a mirror-lined dance studio teenagers sashay through a number from the musical "Hairspray." Next door in the weight room, teacher Shawn Scattergood demonstrates proper form on the leg press...
12/01/05
Report questions Medicare drug benefit oversight
Medicare has received thousands of complaints about its temporary drug discount card, according to a congressional report released on Wednesday as the agency grapples with new gripes about the card's replacement program...
12/01/05
Incontinence studies differ on role C-sections play
Two new studies reach somewhat different conclusions about whether women who deliver vaginally are more likely to develop bladder control problems than women who deliver by C-section...
12/01/05
AIDS expert sees vaccine progress
A scientist who helped to discover the HIV virus said he has made progress toward producing an AIDS vaccine and hopes to launch a clinical trial in about a year...
12/01/05
'Accountability' theme of World AIDS Day
Thursday is World AIDS Day, and organizers are marking the event by encouraging governments and the international community to meet their commitments in fighting the disease...
11/30/05
Indonesia: Woman dies of bird flu
A dead Indonesian woman has tested positive for bird flu but there was no evidence two brothers were victims of the avian influenza virus, the health ministry said on Wednesday...
11/30/05
Glaxo sees 4 cancer drugs in final trials in 2006
GlaxoSmithKline Plc said on Wednesday it expected to have four key cancer drugs in final-stage clinical trials next year...
11/30/05
Binge drinking in middle age tied to dementia risk
Middle-age adults who go on periodic drinking binges may face a heightened risk of dementia later in life, a new study suggests...
11/30/05
Female athletes trade thin for results
After collapsing at the end of two marathons and struggling to swim just a single length of the pool, Olympic hopeful Jacqueline Mariash knew she needed some help. She got it from an unexpected source: a registered dietitian...
11/29/05
Job exposure to pesticide may raise cancer risk
Daily on-the-job exposure to the pesticide diazinon appears to increase the risk of lung cancer and possibly other cancers, according to new findings from the US government-sponsored Agricultural Health Study, a project begun in 1993 to investigate the health effects of pesticides on farm families in Iowa and North Carolina...
11/29/05
Study finds Canadian-U.S. heart survival disparity
U.S. heart failure patients have a better short-term survival rate after hospital treatment than do those in Canada, perhaps because of more intensive initial treatment, a study said on Monday...
11/29/05
Stress may raise cholesterol in some
For some people, the body's reaction to stress may raise the odds of developing high cholesterol, the results of a new study suggest...
11/29/05
Study: Poultry vaccine could stop flu spread
Vaccines can keep chickens from dying of bird flu, but can immunized birds still silently spread infection?
11/28/05
Experts: Introverted youth have deep roots for behavior
The attitude that there's something wrong with introverted people is widely shared in society, where fast talk and snap decisions are often valued over listening, deliberation and careful planning. Extroverts seem to rule the world or, at least, the USA, which hasn't elected an introverted president for three decades, since Jimmy Carter...
11/28/05
New CPR guidelines urge more chest compressions
In a radical change from the way everyday people do CPR, new recommendations urge many more chest compressions...
11/28/05
Many keep smoking after cancer diagnosis
Up to half of smokers continue to light up cigarettes after being diagnosed with cancer even though tobacco use substantially increases a patient's risk of death, a new study shows. Some cancer patients never quit at all, while others relapse after they finish therapy, according to an article online Monday in the journal Cancer...
11/28/05
Glaxo hopes to adapt measles shot for HIV
GlaxoSmithKline plans to develop an experimental AIDS vaccine by "piggy-backing" on a shot against measles...
11/26/05
Exercise may not slow seniors' mental decline
Staying physically active can help keep adults fit as they grow older, but, contrary to what some may think, it may not protect against mental decline, according to a new study...
11/26/05
Heavy teen girls risk metabolic syndrome
Adolescent girls who carry excess weight around the middle and who have high levels of harmful triglycerides are at increased risk of developing the so-called metabolic syndrome -- a cluster of heart disease and diabetes risk factors such as excess body weight, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol levels...
11/26/05
Herbal extract may treat prostate cancer
An olive-oil based herbal extract preparation called Zyflamend suppresses the growth of prostate cancer cells and induces prostate cancer cells to self-destruct, according to a new study...
11/26/05
Mediterranean diet good for the heart
Eating a Mediterranean-style diet for three months can reduce the risk of heart disease by 15 percent, a new study shows...
11/25/05
Cancer's higher calling
More than 10 million Americans are cancer survivors. That number is expected to grow as the population ages, as improved therapies help people live longer and as screenings identify the disease earlier. In this occasional series, USA TODAY examines how a cancer diagnosis changes people's lives and outlooks...
11/25/05
Hostility increased risk in men with heart disease
Men with heart disease who have high levels of hostility are more than twice as likely as men with more trusting personalities to get sick or require hospitalization for heart-related causes...
11/25/05
Dr. Andrew Weil: Living longer, better
Dr. Andrew Weil is arguably America's foremost practitioner of alternative medicine, or as he likes to call it, integrative medicine. He believes the key to a long and healthy life lies in staying active, eating more fruit and grains, and practicing massage and meditation in order to shed stress...
11/25/05
Overweight kids risk broken bones, joint problems
Children who are overweight face more than future health problems. They appear to have broken bones and joint problems more often during childhood than kids of normal weight, research suggests...
11/24/05
Happy Thanksgiving from Enetinsurance
From all of us here at Enetinsurance, we would like to wish you a HAPPY THANKSGIVING, and may all of us be thankful for what we take for granted in this world: Peace, Love, and Freedom.
11/24/05
Stress, diet a recipe for overeating
The holidays are fast approaching. You're stressed, trying to diet and tempting foods abound. It's a recipe for overeating, according to researchers who found that when rats are stressed, deprived of food and then exposed to chocolate -- they overeat...
11/24/05
High cholesterol tied to hypertension
The long-term follow-up of more than 16,000 women shows that high levels of cholesterol are associated with the development of high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, researchers report in the Archives of Internal Medicine...
11/24/05
Study: Cranberries may help prevent cavities
Cranberries, known for their ability to help thwart urinary tract infections, may also help prevent tooth decay and cavities, new research shows...
11/23/05
Gene, birth weight linked to antisocial behavior
The presence of a specific gene mutation and low birth weight appear to increase the risk of early-onset antisocial behavior in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, according to findings published in the Archives of General Psychiatry...
11/23/05
Calcium from food better than from supplements
Young girls who get extra calcium from food tend to gain more bone mass than those who get it from tablet supplements, but children who already receive adequate amounts of calcium in their diets do not benefit from any form of extra calcium, a research team in Finland reports...
11/23/05
Study: Breast-feeding may protect moms from diabetes
Breast-feeding is thought to protect babies from developing diabetes. Now research suggests it might even help keep their mothers from getting the disease, too...
11/23/05
Thanksgiving tips: Hold the bacteria
When Thanksgiving arrives next week, people should be groaning from full stomachs, not food poisoning...
11/22/05
Preterm birth tied to high blood pressure in men
Blood pressure in young men is higher in those who were born prematurely, according to a report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. Further studies are needed to determine if this holds true for women as well...
11/22/05
Calcium from food better than from supplements
Young girls who get extra calcium from food tend to gain more bone mass than those who get it from tablet supplements, but children who already receive adequate amounts of calcium in their diets do not benefit from any form of extra calcium, a research team in Finland reports...
11/22/05
Infertility linked to higher testicular cancer risk
Men who are undergoing treatment for infertility are 20 times more likely than men in the general population to be diagnosed with testicular cancer, a new study shows. The finding underscores the importance of urological screening for any man with infertility, Dr. Marc Goldstein said, especially because this evaluation is often not a part of infertility treatment...
11/22/05
Global moves to combat flu threat
Global moves to combat the threat of avian flu are being stepped up, with China, the United States, Canada, Japan and North Korea all taking action to help stop the disease spreading...
11/21/05
FDA calls for stronger warnings on asthma drugs
U.S. regulators on Friday asked the makers of three popular asthma medications to add new warnings to their labels stating that the drugs could increase the chances of severe asthma episodes that could result in death...
11/21/05
Viagra may be useful for serious lung disease
Treatment with Viagra (sildenafil) can improve exercise capacity and functional ability in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension, a serious disease involving high pressure in the blood vessels that enter the lungs, new research suggests...
11/21/05
Heavy antibiotic use may raise lymphoma risk
Using antibiotics more than 10 times in childhood increases the likelihood of developing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), a cancer that affects the body's lymphatic system, new research suggests...
11/21/05
U.N.: 40m now have AIDS virus
The global HIV epidemic continues to expand, with more than 40 million people now estimated to have the AIDS virus, but in some countries prevention efforts are finally starting to pay off, the United Nations says...
11/19/05
CDC: HIV infection rate decreases in blacks
The rate of newly reported HIV cases among blacks has been dropping by about 5 percent a year since 2001, the government said Thursday. But blacks are still eight times more likely than whites to be diagnosed with the AIDS virus...
11/19/05
Study questions health effects of decaf
Fresh questions are percolating about the health effects of coffee, this time the decaffeinated variety. One of the first substantial studies to test it like a drug instead of just asking people how much of it they consumed found higher blood levels of cholesterol-precursor fats in those drinking decaf vs. regular coffee or none at all...
11/19/05
China reports first 3 human cases of bird flu
China confirmed Wednesday that bird flu had spread to humans and killed two people, despite a government-ordered slaughter of millions of chickens, ducks and other birds over the past two months...
11/19/05
FDA calls for stronger warnings on asthma drugs
Regulators on Friday asked the makers of three popular asthma medications to add new warnings to their labels stating that the drugs could increase the chances of severe asthma episodes that could result in death...
11/18/05
China reports first 3 human cases of bird flu
China confirmed Wednesday that bird flu had spread to humans and killed two people, despite a government-ordered slaughter of millions of chickens, ducks and other birds over the past two months...
11/18/05
Obesity Ups Arrhythmia Risk After Bypass
Overweight and obese people are at especially high risk of developing a potentially fatal abnormal heart rhythm after heart surgery, a new study finds...
11/18/05
Pregnancy problem linked to heart disease risk
Women who suffer certain complications during pregnancy are more likely to develop premature cardiovascular disease, according to a study published on Friday...
11/18/05
One third of cancer deaths avoidable
If people avoided major risk factors for cancer, more than a third of the 7 million annual deaths from the disease could be prevented, scientists said on Friday...
11/17/05
Study: Diet pills need boost from exercise
There's no free lunch with diet pills, new research concludes: They work much better accompanied by the hard work of dieting and exercise...
11/17/05
Birth defects a concern with fertility technique
Children conceived by an assisted reproduction technique called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) do not have delayed or abnormal development, a study shows. However, they do appear to be at higher risk for birth defects...
11/17/05
Scientists find fear gene
Scientists may have found a gene for fear -- a gene that controls production of a protein in the region of the brain linked with fearful responses...
11/17/05
Rare transplant aims to 'rewire' nerves
It was three days before Christmas last year. Nick Anderson, a budding race car driver, was on his way home from a friend's house...
11/16/05
High Carbs Plus Protein Could Help Heart
Deciding what to have for a healthy breakfast just got a little easier. While a healthy high-carb diet has been shown to be good for you, replacing a few of the carbohydrates with a little protein like scrambled egg substitute or beneficial fats like olive oil margarine could be even better, helping further reduce heart disease risks, a study found...
11/16/05
Decaf may raise LDL levels more than regular coffee
Decaffeinated coffee may raise the risk of cardiovascular disease more than regular coffee does, Atlanta investigators announced at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2005 that are underway here...
11/16/05
Diabetes drug cuts repeat heart attacks-study
A diabetes drug sold by Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. and Eli Lilly and Co. significantly cut the rate of a second heart attack compared with a placebo in high-risk patients with type-2 diabetes, a study reported on Wednesday found...
11/16/05
C-sections in U.S. reach all-time high
The rate of Caesarean sections in the U.S. has climbed to an all-time high, despite efforts by public health authorities to bring down the number of such deliveries, the government said Tuesday...
11/15/05
Nurses, PAs as good as doctors for HIV care
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants can care for HIV patients as well as doctors specializing in the disease -- and may do a better job than non-specialist doctors, researchers reported Monday...
11/15/05
Breast-feeding may protect against celiac disease
Mothers who breast-feed their children may help to protect them from developing celiac disease, an intolerance to a protein found in wheat, rye and barley, scientists said on Tuesday...
11/15/05
Zocor tops Lipitor in heart study
High doses of Pfizer Inc.'s cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor failed in a high-stakes trial to help heart-attack patients significantly more than moderate doses of Merck & Co.'s rival Zocor, researchers said Tuesday...
11/15/05
Flu season tempered by bird flu fears
Concerns over the seasonal flu, which sickens millions of people each winter, have taken a back seat this year to fears of the bird flu and the horrifying potential that it could evolve into a worldwide pandemic...
11/14/05
Heart-attack patients keep cool
Quickly placing heart-attack sufferers in a real-world type of suspended animation by cooling their bodies saved more than a third of patients who would otherwise have been declared dead, doctors reported Sunday...
11/14/05
Are your kids little addicts?
As shocking health statistics go, this one is an eye-popper: Prescription sleeping-pill use is up 85% among older children and adolescents. The recent study that includes this information also shows a doubling of use among young adults...
11/14/05
Study: Angioplasty a safe, outpatient procedure
It's not as routine as having your teeth cleaned, but a growing number of people are going to hospitals to get their heart arteries unclogged and going home the same day...
11/14/05
Chilly feet can prompt common cold symptoms -study
Getting chilly can bring on a cold, British scientists said on Monday, overturning medical orthodoxy that says there is no connection between developing the viral infection and a drop in body temperature...
11/13/05
Smarter kids may live longer: study
Smarter children may enjoy longer lives, the results of a new study suggest...
11/13/05
Norvasc better for lowering aortic blood pressure
Pfizer Inc.'s Norvasc was more effective at reducing blood pressure near the heart than standard, older treatments known as beta blockers, according to a study presented on Sunday at the American Heart Association scientific meeting...
11/13/05
Study: Stem cells help heart after attack
Heart attack survivors whose hearts were infused with stem cells from their own bone marrow showed nearly twice the improvement in the organ's pumping ability as patients given a placebo, according to a study presented Sunday...
11/12/05
Parents of cancer patients face traumatic stress
Most parents of children undergoing cancer treatment report symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to a new report...
11/12/05
Sleep pills may do more harm than good in elderly
While sedative drugs, such as Restoril and Ambien, may improve sleep in older people with insomnia, the risks of such therapy may outweigh the benefits, according to investigators in Canada...
11/12/05
Insomnia may increase diabetes risk for men
Sleep disturbances appear to increase the risk of developing diabetes in men but not in women, according to a Swedish study...
11/12/05
Smarter kids may live longer: study
Smarter children may enjoy longer lives, the results of a new study suggest...
11/11/05
Experts estimate fighting bird flu to cost $1.5B over 3 years
Experts at a World Health Organization conference here estimated that they would need about $1.5 billion to develop antiviral drugs and vaccines and to help less-developed countries fight lethal bird flu, which has been found in 15 countries and could spread farther this winter as birds migrate...
11/11/05
Scientists Uncover Protein's Weight-Loss Secrets
A study of protein-munching rats shows that a low-carb diet sparks a chain of biological events that ultimately curbs hunger...
11/11/05
Flu shot shortage temporary: officials
Unexpectedly high demand for flu shots means some U.S. clinics have run out early, but the country will have plenty of influenza vaccine this year, health officials said on Thursday...
11/11/05
FDA warns about Ortho Evra patch
Johnson & Johnson's Ortho Evra contraceptive patch contains higher levels of a hormone known to cause blood clots than average birth control pills, U.S. regulators warned on Thursday...
11/10/05
Body image, not menopause, causes lack of desire
Women who lose their sexual desire as they age may not be the victims of hormonal changes but may be reacting to their own body image, U.S. researchers reported on Wednesday...
11/10/05
Sleep apnea doubles risk of stroke, death - study
The common form of sleep apnea, in which the throat closes off throughout the night, at least doubles the risk of stroke or death, a study released on Wednesday showed...
11/10/05
Some kids outgrow nut allergies: study
Nine percent of children allergic to tree nuts such as almonds and pecans eventually outgrow their allergy, even those who have had severe reactions, researchers said on Wednesday...
11/10/05
Food marketers target chronic illnesses
Overweight? Diabetic? Cholesterol out of control? Have we got a deal on a meal for you!...
11/09/05
States take health care problem in own hands
Rising health care costs and increased concern among the middle class about paying for medical care have prompted a growing number of states to consider ways to extend health insurance to everyone...
11/09/05
New battle plan urged for hospital "superbug"
The growing problem of drug-resistant staph infections in hospitals needs a fresh approach -- including antibiotic-free hospitals and perhaps a dose of "good" bacteria on surgeons' hands, one researcher argues...
11/09/05
World health experts outline bird flu strategy
International health experts on Wednesday agreed the outlines of a global strategy to tackle the spread of bird flu that the World Bank has estimated would cost up to $1 billion over three years...
11/09/05
Parents turn to organic food
Erin O'Neal has two daughters and a fridge stocked with organic cheese, milk, fruits and vegetables in her Annapolis, Maryland, home...
11/08/05
CDC: Gonorrhea rate down; syphilis up
Gonorrhea has fallen to the lowest level on record in the United States, while the rates of other sexually transmitted diseases -- syphilis and chlamydia -- are on the rise, federal health officials said Tuesday...
11/08/05
Cancer survivors often become 'lost in transition'
A report released Monday says the nation's more than 10 million cancer survivors often find themselves "lost in transition," without adequate help dealing with the medical, social and psychological problems that can follow survivors for decades after their illness...
11/08/05
NSAIDs may curb risk of cancer of the esophagus
The use of aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) appears to reduce the risk of cancerous progression in patients with Barrett's esophagus -- a condition in which cells that line the esophagus become abnormal that may be a precursor to cancer...
11/08/05
Treating kids during flu outbreak cost-effective
During outbreaks of influenza A, treating children with the antiviral drug amantadine is likely to be a cost-effective measure if treatment begins within 48 hours of symptom onset, especially if it allows quicker return to school and parents' return to work, investigators report. For influenza B, oseltamivir is more effective than amantadine...
11/07/05
Movies heavily shape teen smoking, study shows
Nearly 40 percent of U.S. adolescents who give cigarette smoking a try do so because they saw it in movies, a study said on Monday...
11/07/05
Doors cause most childhood amputations: study
Hands caught in doors cause most of the childhood amputations in the United States, a study said on Monday, though they most often involve only partial loss of a finger and no hospital stay...
11/07/05
Asthma therapy may be underused in children
The use of controller medications before an ER visit for asthma may not affect whether a child is admitted to the hospital or given oral steroids, according to the results of a study presented this weekend at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology in Anaheim, California...
11/07/05
Follow-up needed for cancer survivors
The nation's 10 million cancer survivors require customized follow-up for years that too few now receive, says a major study that calls for oncologists to create a "survivorship plan" to guide every patient's future health care...
11/05/05
Weight loss surgery helps prevent diabetes
The long-lasting weight reduction achieved with laparoscopic gastric banding, a minimally invasive type of weight loss surgery, can help in the prevention and remission of type 2 diabetes in obese patients, according to a report in the journal Diabetes Care. The surgery also helps stave off high blood pressure...
11/05/05
Pulse pressure predicts stroke recurrence
An increase in 24-hour pulse pressure in patients who have undergone a first stroke indicates an increased risk of experiencing another within a year, Greek researchers report...
11/05/05
Withdrawn drug may help in Crohn's disease
A drug pulled from the market by the manufacturer following reports of serious side effects in patients with multiple sclerosis may help some sufferers of Crohn's disease, a new study showed...
11/05/05
Exercise advice for boomers
For David Kozlow, turning 40 was a major pain in the neck. And in the ankles, back, groin, shoulder and hamstrings...
11/04/05
Poll: Parents struggle to get kids off the couch
Kids don't run outside and play like they used to, and parents say being a couch potato is a major culprit in the growing problem of childhood obesity in the United States...
11/04/05
Waist and hips best heart attack checks for obese
Measuring the ratio between waist and hip sizes is the best way of checking for the risk of heart attack in the obese, a global study showed on Friday...
11/04/05
Anti-clotting drug cuts heart attack deaths-study
Thousands of deaths could be prevented each year by giving aspirin and a drug to prevent blood clots to patients who have suffered a heart attack, researchers said on Friday...
11/04/05
Home HIV test could spur early treatment -panel
An HIV test that can be used at home and promises results in 20 minutes could help more people get treated sooner, but raises concerns about how well patients could cope with the test findings on their own, a U.S. advisory panel heard on Thursday...
11/03/05
Can states afford Bush's flu plan?
The nation's response to a flu pandemic could not succeed without a strong effort by state and local governments because the battle might have to be fought on "5,000 fronts," Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt says...
11/03/05
Quest offers test to detect avian flu virus
Quest Diagnostics Inc. on Thursday said it has developed a test to detect the avian flu virus and will participate in the government's preparedness efforts...
11/03/05
Trichomoniasis: a common STD in young US adults
More than 2 percent of young adults in the United States have a sexually transmitted disease (STD) called trichomoniasis -- including more than 10 percent of young black women, according to a new report...
11/03/05
Depression raises colorectal cancer risk
Women who suffer from depression are at increased risk of developing colorectal cancer, according to a new analysis of data from the Nurses' Health Study, an ongoing study of some 127,000 female nurses...
11/02/05
High number of cancers due to obesity: study
In the United States, roughly 10 percent of all cancers -- more than 100,000 cases a year -- could be avoided if overweight and obesity did not exist, according to updated statistics on the proportion of cancer due to obesity released Monday...
11/02/05
Lipid-lowering drug delays diabetes in the obese
Treatment with bezafibrate to lower cholesterol curbs the incidence and delays the onset of type 2 diabetes in obese individuals, doctors in Israel report...
11/02/05
Brand-name prescription drug prices rise: AARP
Prices for brand name prescription drugs most commonly used by older patients rose at nearly twice the rate of inflation during the second quarter, AARP said in a report released on Wednesday...
11/02/05
Flu plan: Outbreak could restrict travel
Sustained person-to-person spread of the bird flu or any other super-influenza strain anywhere in the world could prompt the United States to implement travel restrictions or other steps to block a brewing pandemic, say federal plans released Wednesday...
11/01/05
Companies to develop AIDS defense for women
Two big American drug companies have signed agreements to develop a treatment called a microbicide -- a gel or a cream that a woman could use to protect herself from AIDS, advocates said on Monday...
11/01/05
Hospital patients facing blood clot danger: study
Hospital patients are in danger of developing blood clots in the legs and lungs because medical staff are not following guidelines to prevent the dangerous condition, researchers said on Tuesday...
11/01/05
Smokers' misperceptions make quitting hard
Many smokers think that nicotine causes cancer, and they are therefore very reluctant to use nicotine replacement in the form of patches or gum to help them quit smoking, according to surprise findings of a survey reported here at the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians...
11/01/05
Bush unveils pandemic flu strategy
President Bush said Tuesday that his flu pandemic plan calls for investing in technology for greater vaccine production and breaking down barriers to bring it online quicker...
10/31/05
Can we outsmart avian flu?
As the warnings of a possible flu pandemic grow more insistent, federal health agencies and drug companies are racing to develop vaccines against a bird flu strain that has swept along migration routes from Asia into Eastern Europe...
10/31/05
Bill Gates pledges $258 million to fight malaria
Microsoft Corp. founder Bill Gates has pledged $258.3 million for research and development to combat malaria, including new cash to test the world's first vaccine against the mosquito-borne disease...
10/31/05
Companies to develop AIDS defense for women
Two big American drug companies have signed agreements to develop a treatment called a microbicide -- a gel or a cream that a woman could use to protect herself from AIDS, advocates said on Monday...
10/31/05
Restless leg syndrome tied to mental woes
People who suffer from restless leg syndrome (RLS) often have debilitating psychiatric disorders, including depression and anxiety, investigators reported today at big medical convention in Montreal...
10/30/05
Bush to unveil super-flu strategy Tuesday at NIH
The Bush administration's long-awaited plan on how to fight the next super-flu will likely include beefed-up attempts to spot human infections early, both here and abroad...
10/30/05
Abortion doesn't raise depression risk: study
Among women with an unwanted pregnancy, those who carry the pregnancy to term are more likely to experience later depression than those who terminate the pregnancy with an abortion, new study findings suggest...
10/30/05
Give Hep A vaccine to all kids: agency
An advisory committee of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now recommending that hepatitis A vaccination be included in the routine vaccination schedule of U.S. children...
10/30/05
Early signs of ovarian cancer found: study
Symptoms associated with ovarian cancer, especially abdominal bloating and pain, often start several months prior to diagnosis, a study shows, suggesting that with appropriate testing the diagnosis can be made earlier than it is currently. Ovarian cancer is much more curable when detected early...
10/28/05
Obesity May Contribute to Liver Trouble
A diet high in fat and sugar triggered immune system abnormalities -- including reduced levels of natural killer T (NKT) cells -- in the livers of mice, says a study led by Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore...
10/28/05
Measles outbreak shows vaccination value
A large measles outbreak in Indiana earlier this year shows what can happen when an imported case of measles encounters a group of unvaccinated individuals...
10/28/05
Heavy drinking may harm male hormones, sperm
Problem drinking may dampen both a man's sex life and his chances of having children, according to a new study...
10/28/05
Air pollution tied to increased risk of strokes
Increases in particles polluting the air are associated with an increase in the number of strokes caused by a blood clot in the brain -- but not the type caused by an artery rupture in the brain -- new research shows...
10/27/05
Disease no deterrence for some smokers: U.S. survey
Nearly half of Americans who suffered from emphysema in 2003 still smoked in spite of the debilitating chronic illness associated with cigarette smoking, according to a federal health care survey released this week...
10/27/05
US panel urges whooping cough vaccine for adults
U.S. adults should be vaccinated against whooping cough to stop its spread among infants, who are especially vulnerable to the potentially fatal infection, a federal advisory panel recommended on Wednesday...
10/27/05
Many emphysema sufferers keep smoking: survey
Nearly half of Americans who suffered from emphysema in 2003 still smoked in spite of the debilitating chronic illness associated with cigarette smoking, according to a federal health care survey released this week...
10/27/05
Statistical Blitz Helps Pin Down Mammography Benefits
An unprecedented statistical assault indicates that mammography screening has made a significant contribution to the decline in breast cancer mortality in recent years -- an issue of contentious running debate...
10/26/05
Generic drugs could have saved us $20B
Consumers, their employers and health plans in the commercial market could have saved more than $20 billion last year through increased use of generic drugs, according to a new report by Express Scripts Inc., a pharmacy benefit manager...
10/26/05
Study: Experimental bladder cancer test holds promise
A simple, experimental urine test that checks for an enzyme that fuels tumors is an effective way to detect bladder cancer in early, curable stages, Italian researchers say...
10/26/05
Biodiversity may help slow disease spread: experts
Better protection for the diversity of the planet's creatures and plants could help shield humans from diseases like AIDS, Ebola or bird flu and save billions of dollars in health care costs, researchers said on Tuesday...
10/26/05
Study: Repetitive motion may cause 'sick worker'
Early nerve damage caused by repetitive motion on the job can cause "sick worker" syndrome, a fatigue or depression that can be mistaken for poor work performance, according to a study published in this month's Journal of Neuroimmunology...
10/25/05
Mass panic a danger if flu pandemic starts: Canada
The global fight against a flu pandemic could be badly undermined if governments fail to prevent mass panic in the event of widespread fatalities, Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin said on Tuesday...
10/25/05
Turned-off genes linked to ovarian cancer
Two genes that are turned off in ovarian cancer cells could provide an early test for the illness known as the silent killer, Austrian scientists said on Tuesday...
10/25/05
Test could reduce bowel cancer rate: researcher
Screening for bowel cancer with colonoscopy could reduce cases of the disease by 80 percent in people with a high risk of the illness, researchers said in a study on Tuesday...
10/25/05
Plenty of flu vaccine expected this year
At least 70 million doses of influenza vaccine will be available for the U.S. market this year and everybody who wants a shot should be able to get one, health officials said on Monday...
10/24/05
Aging gracefully is the biggest concern
The idea of growing old is apparently scarier than growing old itself, according to a USA TODAY/ABC News poll on aging...
10/24/05
China warns HIV cases could exceed 10 mln by 2010
China, once accused of being slow to acknowledge the threat of AIDS, could have as many as 10 million HIV carriers in five years if no effective preventive measures are taken, state media said on Monday, echoing a grim UN warning...
10/24/05
Bare-minimum diet: Is long life the payoff?
Khurram Hashmi has drastically cut the calories he consumes — eating mostly salads and raw vegetables — in the hopes of living a longer, better life...
10/24/05
Smoking can lessen IQ, thinking ability: study
The poorer mental function seen among alcoholics, many of whom also regularly smoke cigarettes, may be partially due to the long-term effects of nicotine, new research suggests...
10/22/05
Daily dog walks work off the pounds
Dogs may be more than man's best friend; they may also be a tool for losing weight, according to a new study that shows making a commitment to walk a dog -- your own or someone else's -- leads to increased exercise and weight loss...
10/22/05
Job strain may be hard on young men's arteries
Men with stressful jobs may already be at risk of early artery disease by their early 30s, a new study suggests...
10/22/05
Asthma hospitalizations in kids often preventable
In many cases, the need to hospitalize children with asthma could be averted by better communication with the physician and better medication adherence, according to a report in the medical journal Pediatrics...
10/22/05
Do antibacterial soaps work?
Antibacterial soaps and washes aren't any better than plain, old soap and water for fighting illness in the household, says a panel of federal health advisers...
10/21/05
Early retirement not linked to longer life: study
Retiring early may give people more time on the golf course or with the grandchildren but it is not associated with living longer, researchers said on Friday...
10/21/05
Health inequalities in US kill 84,000: expert
Health inequalities in the United States cause about 84,000 additional deaths a year, more than the equivalent of a hurricane Katrina every week, a health care expert said on Friday...
10/21/05
Adult flu vaccination rates low, CDC says
Not enough American adults are getting vaccinated against the flu, and the nation will probably fall short of the immunization-rate goals it set for the year 2010, federal health officials said Thursday...
10/21/05
FDA approves first brain stem cell transplant
Federal regulators on Thursday approved what would be the first transplant of fetal stem cells into human brains, a procedure that if successful could open the door to treating a host of neural disorders...
10/20/05
Risks of gastric bypass
Medicare patients who undergo weight-loss surgery face a considerably higher risk of death than has been reported for other patients in previous studies, with 2 percent dying within 30 days of surgery and almost 5 percent dying within a year, a study of Medicare patients of all ages found. Risks were amplified for men, those over 65 and patients whose surgeons were less experienced in such surgery...
10/20/05
Prostate Cancer Screening Cuts Death Risk
Men who have annual prostate specific antigen (PSA) screenings may be dramatically reducing their risk of death from prostate cancer, researchers say...
10/20/05
Serve more food and they will eat it : US studies
People offered large meals will eat them day after day, according to a study released on Wednesday at a conference of North American obesity researchers in Vancouver...
10/20/05
Drug halves breast cancer relapse rate for some
Many doctors and patients are embracing a drug described as perhaps the most powerful cancer medicine in a decade, taking their cue from recent studies showing it can halve the risk of relapse for a very aggressive form of breast cancer...
10/19/05
Aronne gives tale of the tape on obesity
New York internist Louis Aronne believes weight loss is one of the best ways to improve health...
10/19/05
Are asthmatic cats allergic to humans?
Cats are blamed for triggering asthma attacks in humans but veterinarians in Scotland said on Wednesday it may also work the other way around...
10/19/05
Medical advances not science fiction
Some of the biggest medical discoveries have come in the last 25 years -- everything from Viagra to laser vision correction...
10/18/05
High-Fat, Low-Carb Diet Could Curb Alzheimer's
A high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet appeared to improve the condition of mice with a rodent form of Alzheimer's disease, researchers report...
10/18/05
UCB drug shows good results in Crohn's disease
UCB's experimental drug Cimzia is effective and well-tolerated in treating Crohn's disease, a chronic inflammatory disorder of the digestive tract, researchers said on Tuesday...
10/18/05
Study: Daily weigh-ins help dieters keep weight off
If you want to tip the scales in your favor, try stepping on one each day...
10/18/05
Pinups call attention to colon cancer
e 5-inch vertical scar marking Steve DeLuca's belly didn't stop him from posing topless for a new pinup calendar -- it's what got him the job...
10/17/05
Obesity Linked to Fat Gain in Muscles
The skeletal muscle of severely obese people is specially programmed to amass fat, researchers report...
10/17/05
Antisoma says lung cancer drug data promising
British cancer specialist Antisoma Plc said on Monday it had received promising preliminary results from an intermediate Phase II clinical trial of its AS1404 medicine as a treatment for lung cancer...
10/17/05
Prescription sleep aid use soaring in US: study
The number of younger Americans reaching for prescription drugs to get a good night's sleep and the money being spent to keep from tossing and turning, is soaring, according to a study conducted by a prescription management company...
10/17/05
Americans worried about bird flu
Americans fearful of bird flu are peppering health officials with all sorts of questions: Is it safe to have a bird feeder in my yard? If I see a dead bird, should I report it? Is it still OK to have turkey at Thanksgiving?...
10/15/05
Bird flu resistant to drug in Vietnamese case
The bird flu virus that infected a Vietnamese girl proved resistant to the main drug that's being stockpiled in case of a pandemic. Researchers say that this case shows that it's important to stockpile than one anti-flu drug...
10/15/05
Children of IVF often ill early on: study
Long-term rates of illness appear to be higher among children conceived after in vitro fertilization (IVF) than for other children, Swedish researchers report. However, this might be influenced by parents of such children being more likely to seek medical advice...
10/15/05
Existence of toxic mold syndrome questioned
Mold and dampness can cause coughing and wheezing, but there is little evidence to support the existence of the so-called toxic mold syndrome, according to a report by researchers at the Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland...
10/14/05
Arthritis drug effective against psoriasis
A drug for rheumatoid arthritis can relieve the suffering of patients with moderate to severe psoriasis for a year, researchers said on Friday...
10/14/05
Study: New whooping cough vaccines work
Two safer new vaccines against whooping cough could prevent up to 1 million cases among U.S. teenagers and adults each year and keep them from infecting children, who can die from the illness, a government study found...
10/14/05
Gene linked to Tourette's Syndrome
Researchers said on Thursday they have found a gene that helps cause Tourette's Syndrome, but that many other genes are also likely to be involved in the complex disorder...
10/14/05
Turkey tests nine for bird flu
Turkish medical staff on Friday tested nine people for possible bird flu, a day after European health officials confirmed the arrival of the deadly H5N1 strain in the country...
10/13/05
Frequent travelers keep track of avian flu progress
With memories of SARS still fresh, the travel industry — and travelers themselves — are nervously tracking the avian flu virus that's spread among birds in Asia...
10/13/05
Chromium supplements may aid some with depression
Supplements containing the mineral chromium may be useful in treating some cases of depression -- particularly when carbohydrate craving is a prominent symptom, a new study suggests...
10/13/05
Blood test may detect asbestos-related lung cancer
Researchers have identified a protein that could help in the early detection of a rare but deadly chest cancer caused by asbestos exposure, a study said on Wednesday...
10/13/05
Experts: No quick fix for bird flu
If vaccines and drugs are available too late to stop bird flu, then what can be done to battle H5N1 avian influenza if it spreads to people? Not a lot, experts say...
10/12/05
Fish may aid fetal brain development
New research suggests that fish may indeed be brain food, at least those varieties that have low levels of mercury...
10/12/05
Some 'alternative' remedies can harm kids
Western medicine doesn't have the market cornered on making children feel better: Some products from health food stores work like a charm with sick children, an expert on "alternative" remedies told fellow pediatricians Tuesday...
10/12/05
Kidney disease outlook improving in diabetics
New research suggests that the number of type 1 diabetics with the most advanced form of kidney disease -- end-stage renal disease or ESRD -- may be lower than previously estimated. The research also suggests that the outlook with regard to ESRD in diabetic patients has improved over the years...
10/12/05
Exercise can trim deep abdominal fat
Couch potatoes may quickly accumulate a type of deep abdominal fat that contributes to diabetes and other metabolic problems -- but regular exercise can prevent or even reverse the process, according to researchers...
10/11/05
Exercise amount more important than intensity
How much you exercise may be more important than how hard you exercise in terms of heart health, according to a study of sedentary overweight men and women. And, many will be happy to hear, exhaustive amounts of exercise are not needed for heart health...
10/11/05
Computer-aided mammography improves tumor detection
A computer-aided detection or CAD system not only helps radiologists see more cancers in the breast, it also helps them detect smaller tumors at an earlier stage in younger women, according to study findings...
10/11/05
Obesity ups odds that prostate cancer will recur
Men who gain weight rapidly between the ages of 25 and 40 are twice as likely to experience a recurrence of prostate cancer after surgery as men who keep the pounds off, research suggests. Men who are obese at age 40 and at the time of prostate cancer diagnosis also have a higher risk of recurrence...
10/11/05
Bird flu pandemic risk 'very high'
The likelihood of a human flu pandemic is very high, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt said as he began a tour of Southeast Asia to coordinate plans to combat bird flu...
10/10/05
Michigan lawmakers tackle kids' obesity
Troubled by Michigan's designation as one of the nation's most overweight states, a state Senate committee is scheduled to hear testimony this week about childhood obesity...
10/10/05
Envisioning a 21st-century quarantine
Quarantine — or some version of it — in a 21st-century flu pandemic would look very different from the medieval stereotype of diseased outcasts locked in a do-not-enter zone...
10/10/05
Errors in cancer diagnosis common
In a review of patient specimens, errors in cancer diagnosis were seen in up to 11.8 percent of cases, according to a report in the medical journal Cancer. Moreover, in a substantial proportion of cases, the error caused some degree of harm for the patient...
10/10/05
Pacifiers reduce sudden infant deaths: study
Infants should be put to sleep on their backs only, not their sides, and pacifiers can be used to help prevent sudden infant death syndrome, U.S. pediatricians said on Monday...
10/09/05
Psychiatric Drugs' Use Drops for Children
Warnings that drugs such as Prozac, Paxil and Effexor can increase suicidal behavior in some children have resulted in a nearly 20 percent drop in U.S. pediatric prescriptions of the widely used antidepressants and have triggered deep concerns about the quality of current data on psychiatric drugs, doctors and regulators said...
10/09/05
Scientists Finding Out What Losing Sleep Does to a Body
With a good night's rest increasingly losing out to the Internet, e-mail, late-night cable and other distractions of modern life, a growing body of scientific evidence suggests that too little or erratic sleep may be taking an unappreciated toll on Americans' health...
10/09/05
U.S. working on plan to designate who cares for sick
A super-flu could kill up to 1.9 million Americans, according to a draft of the government's plan to fight a worldwide epidemic...
10/09/05
Scientist says flu drug stockpiles inadequate
U.S. stockpiles of drugs that could help in the fight against a feared human influenza pandemic are woefully inadequate, a viral disease specialist warned at a medical conference on Saturday...
10/08/05
Uterine cancer may raise ovarian cancer risk
As many as one quarter of young women with uterine cancer also have ovarian cancer, new research suggests...
10/08/05
Inner ear implants may benefit deaf infants
Cochlear implantation, which involves placing an electronic device into the inner ear, can be safely done in hearing impaired children before their first birthday and leads to age-appropriate hearing ability and oral language skills, a report suggests...
10/08/05
Hodgkin's survivors at risk for breast cancer
Due to the chest radiation that is often given for treatment, women who survive Hodgkin's disease are at heightened risk for breast cancer. In fact, in some survivors, the odds of developing breast cancer are as high as 40 percent, new research indicates...
10/08/05
Many ‘Minor’ Strokes Can Be Serious or Even Fatal
Patients with mild or improving ischemic stroke sometimes aren't treated with tissue-plasminogen activator (tPA) because their symptoms appear to be minor...
10/07/05
Overseas containment key to bird-flu pandemic plans
The Bush administration's top health official said Thursday that "no one in the world is ready" for a potentially catastrophic outbreak of Avian bird flu...
10/07/05
Soy not so smart for lowering breast cancer risk
At least one third of women at high risk for breast cancer regularly consume soy-based foods -- but this may not be a good idea, researchers say...
10/07/05
Painkillers cut risk of mouth cancer, study finds
Commonly used painkillers can reduce the risk of mouth cancer in smokers but long-term use could raise the odds of dying from heart disease, Norwegian scientists said on Friday...
10/07/05
Bush wants more flu vaccine
Increasing fears of a bird flu pandemic are forcing U.S. officials to face up to problems with the country's troubled flu vaccine industry...
10/06/05
Increased cancer risk from LA port complex fumes
Diesel fumes from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach -- the busiest U.S. seaport complex -- raise the risk of cancer for people living up to 15 miles inland, a new air quality study says...
10/06/05
Patients still smoke after heart attack - survey
Having a heart attack is a good incentive to quit smoking, but an international survey published on Thursday shows that only half of patients who have an attack manage to quit...
10/06/05
Researchers reconstruct 1918 virus
Scientists have made from scratch the Spanish flu virus that killed as many as 50 million people in 1918, the first time an infectious agent behind a historic pandemic has ever been reconstructed...
10/06/05
Study: Vaccine blocks cervical cancer
The first major study of an experimental vaccine to prevent cervical cancer found it was 100 percent effective, in the short term, at blocking the disease and lesions likely to turn cancerous, drug maker Merck & Co. said...
10/05/05
Majority of Americans Becoming Overweight or Obese
Over the three decades between 1971 and 2001, nine out of 10 American men and seven out of 10 women were overweight or became overweight, and more than a third were obese or became obese, according to a new study...
10/05/05
Elderly with diabetes run risk of falling
Diabetes may substantially raise the risk of falls among elderly adults living in nursing homes, new research shows...
10/05/05
WHO sees 'global epidemic' of chronic disease
Developing countries can tackle a "global epidemic" of chronic disease by adopting cheap measures that have helped cut heart disease deaths in some rich nations by up to 70 percent, the World Health Organization (WHO) said...
10/05/05
Bush: Military may have to help if bird flu breaks out
President Bush says the possibility of an avian flu pandemic is among the reasons he wants Congress to give him the power to use the nation's military in law enforcement roles in the United States...
10/04/05
Exercise in middle age cuts Alzheimer's risk - study
Exercising in middle age not only keeps the weight down and the heart healthy but can also cut the risk of suffering from Alzheimer's disease, particularly in high risk people, Swedish researchers said on Monday...
10/04/05
Most Americans risk obesity, government says
Ninety percent of U.S. men and 70 percent of women eventually become overweight, meaning hardly any American will escape it unless something drastic changes, U.S. researchers said on Monday...
10/04/05
Life insurance rates cut for breast cancer
The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. is cutting life insurance rates for some women with breast cancer, citing improved treatment and research that is helping more women survive the disease...
10/04/05
Music to operate to becomes specialty
General anesthesia or local? Hip-hop or Sinatra? These are among the decisions facing Dr. Frank Gentile in his double-duty job as anesthesiologist and self-styled DJ of the OR...
10/03/05
Skip the bus, it's walk to school week
Today marks the start of International Walk to School Week, a global effort to encourage children, parents, teachers, and community leaders to celebrate the benefits of walking and the need to create communities that are safe for pedestrians...
10/03/05
Reduce salt intake to 6 grams to cut blood pressure
People should cut their daily salt intake to 6 grams a day -- one heaped teaspoon -- to reduce their blood pressure levels and the risk of heart disease and stroke, health experts said on Monday...
10/03/05
Infection kills 4, sickens 73 at nursing home
Toronto public health officials are investigating the deaths of four elderly people after they contracted a respiratory illness at a nursing home, where dozens of others have also been affected...
10/03/05
Weighing options for childhood weight loss
Nathan Ruffin and Shawna Rubbeck know what it's like to be teased about their weight...
10/01/05
Video games actually can be good for you
Several times a week before dinner, Janet and Jim Herlihey of West Chester, Pa., remind their sons Michael, who is 12, and Paul, 10, to get in a good half hour of video game time before eating...
10/01/05
Want a sharp mind for your golden years? Start now
Knowing they'll need a nest egg for later years, sensible middle-aged adults may put their stockbroker on speed-dial and keep 401(k) updates handy...
10/01/05
WHO: Mutated bird flu could kill up to 150 million people
A top U.N. public health expert warned Thursday that a new influenza pandemic could come anytime and claim millions of lives unless officials to take action now to control an epidemic in Asia...
10/01/05
PDAs expected to change healthcare in future
Personal digital assistants (PDAs) could change the way healthcare is delivered in the future by providing doctors with easy access to patient data and the latest information on treatment...
09/30/05
Urine test spots chlamydia in male teens
Sexually active male adolescents quite often have the sexually transmitted infection Chlamydia trachomatis but don't know it. Investigators in California have found that routine urine screening for chlamydia is an effective means of diagnosing these infections in sexually active young men...
09/30/05
1.4 million children could be saved with vaccines
An estimated 1.4 children under five years of age die unnecessarily each year from measles, whooping cough or tetanus, all of them preventable with vaccines, the U.N. Children's Fund, UNICEF, reported on Thursday...
09/30/05
Health services not meeting obesity challenge-experts
Healthcare systems have failed to come to grips with the global obesity epidemic and its serious health consequences, leading experts said on Friday...
09/30/05
Bird flu 'resistant to main drug'
A strain of the H5N1 bird flu virus that may unleash the next global flu pandemic is showing resistance to Tamiflu, the antiviral drug that countries around the world are now stockpiling to fend off the looming threat...
09/29/05
Flu vaccinations for children may slow spread of disease
A new study suggests that preschoolers get flu first and may spread the disease to older children and grown-ups...
09/29/05
Poor Have Difficulty Eating Healthy Foods
Laurieann Cossey has always struggled with her weight. Four years ago, she was diagnosed with diabetes. Now, six months pregnant and struggling to get by, the single mother tries to make sure her 1-year-old son gets the fruits and vegetables he needs...
09/29/05
Up to 70 percent of Gulf women are obese
Up to 70 percent of women and 50 percent of men living in the oil-rich Gulf Arab states are overweight or obese, according to a study released at a seminar in Qatar...
09/29/05
ANA: Pregnancy Complications May Increase Stroke Risk Years Later
Common pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes appear to increase a women's risk of stroke decades later, researchers here reported...
09/28/05
Smoking less might help, but best not to light up at all
Two new studies demonstrate that smokers who consume fewer cigarettes can reduce their risk of lung cancer, but they still face a much larger risk of premature death or disability compared with people who quit smoking or never start...
09/28/05
Abbott begins study of less-invasive spine implant
Abbott Laboratories Inc. on Wednesday said it has begun enrolling patients in an early-stage U.S. study of a less-invasive spinal implant aimed at patients with mild to moderate degenerative disc disease...
09/28/05
Weight loss may precede Alzheimer's, study finds
A study of more than 800 healthy nuns, priests and monks who were slightly overweight on average showed that those who lost about one unit of body mass index a year -- a little more than five pounds (2 kg) or so -- had a 35 percent greater risk of developing Alzheimer's than those with no weight change...
09/28/05
Post-hurricane mold threatens health
Wearing goggles, gloves, galoshes and a mask, Veronica Randazzo lasted only 10 minutes inside her home in St. Bernard Parish. Her eyes burned, her mouth filled with a salty taste, and she felt nauseous...
09/27/05
Fruits, vegetables guard against lung cancer: study
A diet rich in fruits and vegetables appears to provide protection against lung cancer, according to research published on Tuesday...
09/27/05
FDA OKs Pfizer's Lipitor for use in diabetics
Pfizer Inc. said on Tuesday U.S. regulators have approved its blockbuster cholesterol drug Lipitor to reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack in diabetic patients...
09/27/05
Scientists find wider uses for cholesterol drugs
Cholesterol-lowering drugs could help to prevent diabetics and people at high risk of heart disease from suffering a heart attack or stroke even if their cholesterol level is not high, scientists said on Tuesday...
09/27/05
Facial bone loss contributes to looking older
You can blame the bones in the face, not just gravity, for those wrinkles, jowls, and the general drooping appearance that comes with age. A new study shows that the shrinking of facial bones plays a surprisingly important role in the aging of the face...
09/26/05
Change of life remains hard
Perimenopause — defined roughly as the several years in which a woman's body undergoes the changes that end in menopause — wasn't invented in the mid-1990s. But it sure seemed that way...
09/26/05
Injured players shouldn't risk second concussion
For high school athletes who sustain a head injury, playing hurt "for the team" is more often dangerous than heroic...
09/26/05
Complex work may help ward off Alzheimer's
People with challenging jobs may have to work hard, but the payoff could be some protection against Alzheimer's disease later in life, new research suggests...
09/26/05
Breast reduction surgery may uncover cancer risk
When women undergo surgery to reduce their breast size, examination of the removed tissue may sometimes point to a risk of developing cancer -- even among women younger than 40 -- according to a presentation at this week's American Society of Plastic Surgeons Plastic Surgery 2005 conference in Chicago...
09/24/05
Low-fat vegan diet may spur weight loss
A diet free of animal products and low in fat may help trim the waistline without the task of strict calorie watching, a new study suggests...
09/24/05
Most breast cancers not linked to ovarian cancer
BRCA mutation-related breast cancers are known to greatly increase the risk of ovarian cancer, but new research indicates this association does not apply to other types of hereditary breast cancer...
09/24/05
Texas hospitals take Katrina lessons to heart
Hospitals in the path of Hurricane Rita plan to apply lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina's flooding of New Orleans, Texas hospital officials said...
09/23/05
Protein diet, exercise aids weight loss
A high-protein diet can make regular exercise more effective for women trying to lose weight — helping to build muscle while trimming body fat, a small study suggests...
09/23/05
Overweight, obese could swell 50 percent in a decade: WHO
The number of overweight and obese people worldwide is set to increase by half over the next ten years, heightening their health risks, the World Health Organisation warned...
09/23/05
Low-fat vegan diet may spur weight loss
A diet free of animal products and low in fat may help trim the waistline without the task of strict calorie watching, a new study suggests...
09/23/05
Despair among some Katrina survivors
Tom Leynes once was a carpenter, a popular man with an apartment just a block off the beach, "a happy guy."...
09/22/05
Resistance to anti-flu drugs increases: study
Resistance to anti-flu drugs has risen by 12 percent worldwide in the past decade, scientists said on Thursday in a finding that could pose problems for health officials trying to avert a pandemic...
09/22/05
Silicone implant maker closer to market
A second manufacturer of silicone gel-filled breast implants moved a step closer to returning the implants to the market Wednesday, when the FDA announced that the company's products can be approved under certain conditions...
09/22/05
Light smoking triples health risks
Smokers who believe a few cigarettes a day do not do any harm will need to think again...
09/22/05
Houston hospitals prepare for Rita
As Houston's Memorial Hermann Hospital prepares to face Hurricane Rita, its CEO thinks back to 2001, when a tropical storm plunged it into darkness and 542 patients had to be evacuated...
09/21/05
More Obese Seniors Choose Gastric-Bypass
With 360 pounds hanging on his 5-foot-7 frame, Robert Stratiff was in sad shape...
09/21/05
Obesity alone not linked to fatal heart attacks
Being overweight or obese, in the absence of high blood pressure, does not clearly increase the risk of death from heart attack or stroke, French researchers report in the journal Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association...
09/21/05
Green tea component may fight Alzheimer's: study
An ingredient in green tea that researchers think might fight cancer may also protect the brain from the memory-destroying Alzheimer's disease, a study released on Tuesday said...
09/21/05
Patients who choose depression treatment do better
Allowing depressed patients to select their own treatment -- drug therapy, counseling or a combination of both -- may improve outcomes, researchers in Seattle report...
09/20/05
Being Overweight Hurts Kids' Arteries
Even a little bit of extra fat in the adolescent years weakens the body's ability to fight heart disease in adult life, a British study finds...
09/20/05
Obesity Increases Risk of Miscarriage
Pounds can become an obsession during pregnancy, but they should be a concern before conception. Obesity increases women's risk of miscarriage and other serious, even life-threatening, complications...
09/20/05
Surgeon hopes new face gives new outlook
In the next few weeks, five men and seven women will secretly visit the Cleveland Clinic to interview for the chance to have a radical operation that's never been tried anywhere before...
09/20/05
Study: $95 billion spent on medical research
Total U.S. spending on medical research has doubled in the past decade to nearly $95 billion a year, though whether the money is being well spent needs much better scrutiny, a study has found...
09/19/05
You're the boss at the hospital
Hospitals are places of healing and recovery. Most people who work in them are caring and dedicated...
09/19/05
Glaxo stumbles in race for new kind of AIDS drug
GlaxoSmithKline Plc has suffered a setback in the race to develop a new kind of AIDS pill, following two cases of serious liver problems in patients taking its experimental drug aplaviroc...
09/19/05
Astra's Pulmicort protects heart in COPD study
AstraZeneca Plc's inhaled corticosteroid drug Pulmicort may help reduce heart attacks and angina in patients with "smoker's lung," or COPD, researchers said on Monday...
09/19/05
Doctors prepare for 'second disaster': accidents
Doctors are bracing themselves for what they call a "second disaster" as New Orleans-area residents return to their devastated city...
09/16/05
When child cares for parent
Three years before Shayla Pambrun was born, her mother was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, an incurable disease of the central nervous system...
09/16/05
Genzyme drug helps MS; serious side effect seen
A drug from Genzyme Corp. and Schering helped reduce the risk of relapses in multiple sclerosis patients, but caused a serious side effect in three cases that led to a death, the companies said on Friday...
09/16/05
Digital mammograms better than film for some-study
Digital mammograms are more accurate at detecting breast cancer than traditional film mammograms in women who are premenopausal, under age 50, or who have dense breasts, according to results from a study of nearly 43,000 women released on Friday...
09/16/05
Adult use of ADHD medicines surges
Use of prescription drugs for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is growing at a faster rate among adults than children, new research shows...
09/15/05
CDC: Outlook for flu vaccine this year good
Federal health officials said Wednesday that flu shots this year should go first to the most vulnerable patients — including Hurricane Katrina survivors living in shelters — but should be available to everyone by late October...
09/15/05
Pa. Screening Schoolchildren for Obesity
As they wait for their children's first report cards to come home this year, elementary-school parents across Pennsylvania also can expect to get a separate report on a key indicator of their children's health...
09/15/05
Blocking chemical helps patients with severe asthma
Blocking a powerful immune system chemical could provide a new treatment for patients suffering from severe asthma, scientists said on Thursday...
09/15/05
Study challenges standard for treating heart attacks
In a study colliding with established practice, recovery from small heart attacks went just as well when doctors gave drugs time to work as when they favored quick vessel-clearing procedures...
09/14/05
Fewer companies offer health insurance; costs blamed
The number of U.S. employers providing health insurance for their workers fell farther in 2005, mostly among smaller companies that said they could not afford the coverage, according to a study released Wednesday...
09/14/05
Bodies raise new questions on storm aid
The discovery of at least 44 bodies in an abandoned hospital in New Orleans raised new questions about the response to Hurricane Katrina on Tuesday as President George W. Bush took full responsibility for government failures in handling the disaster...
09/14/05
Protein diet plus exercise equals more weight loss
Women who follow a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet may lose more weight and body fat, particularly when they engage in regular exercise, than those whose diets are low in protein and high in carbohydrates, a team of Illinois researchers reports...
09/14/05
Study: Dollars drive access to health care in U.S.
After being treated in a emergency room for an urgent condition, Americans with private health insurance are much more likely to secure a timely follow-up appointment with a community doctor than those with Medicaid or no health insurance, a study shows...
09/13/05
The Pill linked to short-term drop in MS risk
Women who use oral contraceptive seem to be less likely to develop multiple sclerosis (MS), but the effect is short-lived; in the long-term, former oral contraceptive users are probably just as likely to acquire the neurologic disorder as nonusers, new research shows...
09/13/05
Katrina highlights need for electronic health records
Federal health officials are working to open a database of prescription drug records to help Hurricane Katrina evacuees piece their health care back together...
09/13/05
What's that? Headphones linked to hearing loss?
Everywhere she turns, Angella Day sees people carrying portable music players, often with the ear buds stuffed firmly in place. "They're very widespread," says Day, a senior at Chicago's DePaul University who regularly listens to music on her own iPod while studying or working out. "So addicting."...
09/13/05
Baby born to brain-dead woman dies
An infant born last month to a severely brain-damaged woman died Monday after emergency surgery to repair a perforated intestine...
09/12/05
Best defense? A bar of soap
It's a sound feared by every parent who works, in or out of the home. It has been known to make grown executives cry and to turn honest men and women into shameless fibbers and rule-breakers...
09/12/05
Study finds mammograms not as frequent as thought
U.S. women might not be getting screening mammograms as frequently as previously thought, a study suggests Monday...
09/12/05
Bats may have been source of SARS - study
SARS first emerged in China in 2002 and in 2003 spread around the world via jet, killing more than 700 people and infecting around 8,000...
09/12/05
Obesity Tied to Fatal Blood Clots
For almost 80 years, doctors have suspected that obesity is a risk factor for a fatal pulmonary embolism, a sudden blockage in a lung artery that is usually due to a blood clot traveling to the lung from the leg...
09/10/05
Some bleeding strokes could be prevented
Many young adults who suffer bleeding in the brain, a type of stroke, have risk factors that could be modified, researchers report. This suggests that these strokes might often be preventable...
09/10/05
Blood disorder has little impact on pregnancy
Women with hemoglobin SC disease, an inherited blood disorder, can expect relatively normal pregnancy outcomes, according to a report in BJOG: an International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology...
09/10/05
Study: Breakfast slims teen girls
Girls who regularly ate breakfast, particularly one that includes cereal, were slimmer than those who skipped the morning meal, according to a study that tracked nearly 2,400 girls for 10 years...
09/10/05
'Public health nightmare' in Mississippi
The neighborhood called Point Cadet at the east end of Biloxi has no clean running water and a foul stench -- the residents are certain it's human decay -- pervades the air, burning the throat when the wind blows right...
09/09/05
Survey shows 9% decline in teen drug use
The percentage of Americans using illicit drugs declined slightly last year, though the results were more pronounced for youths, according to a survey released Thursday...
09/09/05
Study: Breakfast Helps Girls Stay Slim
Girls who regularly ate breakfast, particularly one that includes cereal, were slimmer than those who skipped the morning meal, according to a study that tracked nearly 2,400 girls for 10 years...
09/09/05
Daily stress may stop breast cancer: study
Women with high levels of stress in their everyday lives are at less risk than others of developing breast cancer for the first time, according to research in the British Medical Journal published on Friday...
09/09/05
Inhalable insulin gets FDA panel OK
Federal health advisers on Thursday recommended government approval of the first inhaled form of insulin, offering some diabetics an alternative to many of their daily injections...
09/08/05
FDA advisers push OK of new rheumatoid arthritis drug
A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee on Tuesday recommended approval for a new drug to treat rheumatoid arthritis, a sometimes disabling condition that affects an estimated 2.1 million Americans, most of them women...
09/08/05
Rare mosquito-borne illness kills two in Massachusetts
A rare mosquito-borne disease killed a young girl and an elderly man who lived in neighboring towns, health officials said Tuesday as they urged people to protect themselves against the insects...
09/08/05
Most schools offer junk food: report
Nine out of 10 U.S schools offer snack food or soda to students in direct competition with school lunches, the U.S. General Accountability Office reported on Wednesday...
09/08/05
EPA: Lead, bacteria in floodwater
The EPA said Wednesday that initial findings from New Orleans floodwater sampling indicate high levels of E. coli and coliform bacteria as well as lead...
09/07/05
Sleep-deprived doctors might as well be drunk -study
The long work weeks of doctors in training leave them so fatigued that their reaction times are comparable to someone who is slightly drunk, researchers said on Tuesday...
09/07/05
Program boosts life for prostate cancer patients
An intervention run by specialist nurses and aided by an interactive computer program may help improve men's quality of life after prostate cancer treatment, a new study suggests...
09/07/05
Humiliation influences obese teens' depression
Depression is common among obese teenagers, but the association between the two may largely be explained by teens' experiences of being shamed, and other psychosocial factors, new research suggests...
09/07/05
Officials: Chemicals bigger concern than cholera
Despite reporting five deaths from a bacteria-caused illness, public health officials said Tuesday they are more concerned about the possibility of toxic chemicals in the water covering New Orleans than they are about a cholera outbreak...
09/06/05
Amid the chaos, a New Orleans clinic survives
Its roof is leaking and its patients may have nowhere to go when they are discharged, but the Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans is still operating...
09/06/05
New test can predict breast cancer's spread
A new test that looks at immune cells in the lymph nodes may be the best way to predict whether breast cancer has spread and will be likely to recur, doctors said on Monday...
09/06/05
Study finds fortified grain combats birth defects
A U.S. government decision to add folic acid to enriched grain products has reduced the incidence of two devastating birth defects but more needs to be done, according to reports published on Tuesday...
09/06/05
Mouthguards essential for back-to-school sports
As children head back to school, and organized sports, the American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) are reminding parents and coaches about the importance of proper and regular use of mouthguards to protect against teeth and mouth injuries...
09/05/05
Diabetes not associated with depression: study
People with diabetes are no more likely than the general population to have depression, according to study results reported in the journal Diabetes Care...
09/05/05
B vitamins no help in stopping heart attacks-study
Giving B vitamins to heart attack survivors does not cut their risk of having another attack and may actually do more harm than good, researchers said on Monday...
09/05/05
Anorexia patients still restrict food after therapy
Even though anorexic women show substantial weight gain and major reductions in psychological symptoms after three months of hospitalization, they continue to eat much smaller meals than women who have never had the disease, a new study shows...
09/05/05
Excessively sleepy? Could be more than poor sleep
Doctors commonly view excessive daytime sleepiness as a cardinal sign of disturbed or inadequate sleep. But a new study suggests it could also signal depression or even diabetes, regardless of whether an individual doesn't sleep well...
08/24/05
U.S. obesity rates on rise-report
Americans are getting fatter in every state, with the exception of Oregon, and those living in the southeast are the most likely to be obese, according to a report issued on Tuesday...
08/24/05
Testicular cancer risk linked to mothers' weight
Pregnant women's weight is apparently associated with the subsequent risk of testicular cancer in male offspring once they become adults, according to a Scandinavian study...
08/24/05
Aspirin wards off colon cancer, but at high doses
Long-term use of aspirin does help ward off colon cancer, but only at high doses that could cause gastrointestinal bleeding, researchers said on Tuesday...
08/24/05
Group: All states got fatter but one
The percentage of Americans with bulging waistlines is growing in just about every state, with residents of Alabama joining the obesity ranks the fastest. Only Oregon failed to fatten, according to a report released Tuesday...
08/22/05
Insurers focusing on kids' health to curb costs
Once a potato chip addict, 14-year-old Kate Brown won't touch the stuff these days...
08/22/05
ADHD haunts children into adulthood, study shows
The problems of untreated attention-deficit disorder don't end when kids grow up. Young adults who had ADHD are more likely than their peers to get fired, to shun birth control and become parents by age 21 and to have higher credit card debt and less savings, according to a 13-year study reported over the weekend...
08/22/05
Heat stroke preventable in young football players
Moving gradually into summertime practice may help prevent heat-related illness and deaths among young football players, according to new recommendations laid out by an expert panel...
08/22/05
Researchers report potential stem cell breakthrough
Harvard scientists announced they've discovered a way to fuse adult skin cells with embryonic stem cells, a promising and dramatic breakthrough that could lead to the creation of useful stem cells without first having to create and destroy human embryos...
08/19/05
Range of jobs tied to degenerative brain disease
A wide range of occupations, from farming to teaching, may be potential risk factors for degenerative brain diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, research findings suggest...
08/19/05
Kids learn eating and exercise habits from parents
Kids whose parents do little to discourage bad eating habits and sedentary activities, such as television and video games, are significantly more likely to grow into overweight or obese young adults, according to new study findings...
08/19/05
Magnetic stimulation may improve stroke recovery
The results of a small preliminary trial suggest that a type of magnetic stimulation of the brain --- repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) -- may produce short-term improvements after stroke...
08/19/05
Health insurance costs dog would-be entrepreneurs
Demand for the advice he'll sell is soaring as consumers worry about online thieves swiping Social Security numbers and other private data. With start-up costs falling, Kushner, 46, can launch the business for less than $5,000 from his Houston home...
08/18/05
Indoor air pollution heightens lung cancer risk
While uncommon in developed nations, heating and cooking indoors with solid fuels contributes to an increased risk of developing lung cancer, according to the results of a multicenter study...
08/18/05
Stress slows sugar metabolism in type 1 diabetics
For type 1 diabetes patients, a episode of psychological stress significantly slows the decline in blood sugar concentrations following a spike after food intake -- but has no effect on sugar levels during fasting -- a new study shows...
08/18/05
Heart surgery can be safe for octogenarians
Cardiac surgery can be safely performed in octogenarians and may improve their life expectancy, according to a report in an online issue of the medical journal Heart. These findings are the latest to suggest that old age, per se, should not be a barrier to cardiac surgery...
08/18/05
Racial gap in health care narrows a little
Three large federally backed studies suggest that blacks are catching up to whites in many simple, cheap medical treatments...
08/17/05
Chickenpox vaccine lowers need for hospital care
There has been a marked drop in chickenpox-related hospitalizations, office visits and related expenditures since a routine chickenpox vaccination program was started in the US in 1995, new research shows...
08/17/05
Off-hours hospital visit delays heart treatment
Patients who've suffered a heart attack and visit the hospital during off-hours do not receive angioplasty, a common blood-vessel opening procedure, as quickly as those who show up during regular hours, new research shows. This is particularly concerning since most patients do come during off-hours...
08/17/05
Eating fruits and vegetables may cut arthritis risk
Drinking a glass of orange juice a day may help stave off arthritis, new research suggests. Certain carotenoids, compounds commonly found in some fruits and vegetables, appear to be responsible...
08/17/05
Bottlers want to limit school soft drinks
The American Beverage Association is recommending limiting the availability of soft drinks in schools across the country, a move that comes amid increased pressure to curb the epidemic of childhood obesity.,,
08/16/05
Study: Painkiller-women's blood pressure link
Women taking daily amounts of non-aspirin painkillers -- such as extra-strength Tylenol -- should monitor their blood pressure, doctors say following a new study suggesting a link between the drugs and hypertension...
08/16/05
Tap-water chemicals may pose little pregnancy risk
Although some studies have suggested that certain chemical byproducts in tap water raise a woman's risk of miscarriage, new research suggests that the threat is small, if it exists at all...
08/16/05
Obesity linked with higher prostate cancer risk
Men who are overweight are more likely than thinner men to be diagnosed with prostate cancers that are less likely to be detected on screening and more likely to be aggressive, according to a report in the medical journal Urology...
08/16/05
Brand name drug prices up, generics level: AARP
Prices for the brand name prescription drugs most commonly used by older patients rose at a clip three times higher than inflation during the first quarter of this year, while generic drug prices were nearly flat, a report released Tuesday found...
08/15/05
Lance Armstrong says U.S. should focus on cancer war
Seven-time Tour de France winner and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong on Sunday said the United States, which is embroiled in a costly war in Iraq, should focus more effort on a war facing many Americans -- the one against cancer...
08/15/05
High blood pressure linked to higher glaucoma risk
The results of a study involving more that 27,000 people with glaucoma suggest that high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is significantly more common in this group than in those who do not have hypertension, UK researchers report. They also found that treating hypertension with beta-blocker drugs, but not other types of antihypertensive drugs, lowered the risk of glaucoma...
08/15/05
Painkillers raise blood pressure in women-U.S. study
Women who take higher doses of common, over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen and even Tylenol have higher blood pressure than women who do not, U.S. researchers reported on Monday...
08/15/05
Tanning trendy for young despite skin cancer rise
Avid tanner Brandi Donaldson was 25 when she first noticed a new mole right above her navel. She didn't worry until it started to change...
08/14/05
Cannabis-based drugs might relieve bowel disease
Derivatives of the active compound in cannabis -- cannabinoids -- may have the potential for treating inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, UK researchers report...
08/14/05
Testosterone treatment linked with prostate cancer
Prostate cancer developed in 20 men within months to a few years after they began testosterone supplementation to correct a deficiency of the hormone, investigators report...
08/14/05
Liquid detergent capsules a danger to kids' eyes
During a 6-month period, doctors treated six cases of severe eye injuries in young children caused by their squeezing capsules containing liquid washing detergent, according to a report released Thursday...
08/12/05
Puberty Comes Sooner for Overweight Girls
Overweight and obesity in young girls appears to speed puberty, a new study confirms...
08/12/05
US FDA unveils tighter restrictions on acne drug
Patients and doctors must register with manufacturers before using or prescribing Roche Holding AG's acne drug Accutane or its generic versions, U.S. regulators said on Friday...
08/12/05
Pollution exposure linked to childhood cancer
Exposure soon after birth, or even before, to combustion gases and particularly engine exhaust, is strongly linked to the development of childhood cancers like leukemia, according to a report from the UK...
08/12/05
One in six US high school students has asthma-study
One out of every six U.S. high school students suffers from asthma and more than one-third of those report having an attack in the previous year, according to a federal study released on Thursday that suggests schools do more to manage the potentially fatal lung disease...
08/11/05
Strict diet program may help prostate cancer-study
A strict vegetarian diet combined with relaxation therapy and exercise may be able to control slow-growing prostate cancer, researchers said on Thursday...
08/11/05
Dog tick found to spread spotted fever
Scientists have discovered that a very common type of dog tick can spread Rocky Mountain spotted fever, a serious and often fatal illness that reached historic highs in the United States last year...
08/11/05
Skin cancer triples in women under 40
The incidence of two types of skin cancer has nearly tripled among women under age 40, a sign that tanning is still popular among the young despite warnings about the harm it can cause, researchers said Tuesday...
08/11/05
Nonsmokers can be cancer victims, too
Most lung cancers occur in smokers, but nonsmoker Dana Reeve's situation isn't as uncommon as it appears...
08/09/05
On-the-job intervention helps workers get healthy
Making workplaces smoke-free, displaying signs promoting physical activity, and offering healthy foods at meetings appears to encourage low-income, ethnically diverse workers to make healthy lifestyle changes that may reduce their risk of cancer, according to new study findings...
08/09/05
Melanoma rates in kids continue to rise
The annual rate of occurrence of new melanomas in children in the United States is increasing "rapidly," according to a new report...
08/09/05
Non-smoking 'Superman' widow has lung cancer
Dana Reeve, the widow of Christopher Reeve who nursed the paralyzed "Superman" for nine years, stunned Americans on Tuesday by announcing she had been diagnosed with lung cancer...
08/09/05
Skin cancer rate up for women under age 40-study
The incidence of two types of skin cancer has nearly tripled among women under age 40, a sign that tanning is still popular among the young despite warnings about the harm it can cause, researchers said on Tuesday...
08/08/05
'Brush with death' inspired anti-obesity crusade: Clinton
Former President Bill Clinton said in an interview that a lifetime of unhealthy eating led to his "brush with death" last year, and inspired his recent crusade to improve Americans' diets...
08/08/05
U.S. set to ramp up bird flu shots
Mass production of a new vaccine that scientists believe could protect against an avian flu outbreak could begin as early as mid-September, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said Sunday...
08/08/05
Study: Smaller tumors increase breast cancer survival
The odds of surviving breast cancer have improved in recent years not only because treatments are so much better but also because the average tumor is smaller, a huge new study shows...
08/08/05
Study: Yoga may help keep weight off
The slow stretches and meditations of yoga don't burn calories like a run on the treadmill. But a new study suggests it might help people keep weight off in middle age...
08/06/05
US scientists find flexible stem cells in placenta
Scientists looking for easier and less-controversial alternatives to stem cells from human embryos said on Friday they found a potential source in placentas saved during childbirth...
08/06/05
Clinton: 'I was a fat band boy'
Former President Bill Clinton said his weight problem and brush with death are the catalysts behind his foundation's initiative of tackling childhood obesity...
08/05/05
Drug switch helps women with early breast cancer
Changing drug treatment in women with early breast cancer can reduce the risk of the disease recurring or spreading by up to 40 percent, Austrian researchers said on Friday...
08/05/05
Vitamin pills don't prevent infections in elderly
Daily supplements of multivitamins and minerals do not prevent respiratory, stomach, skin and other types of infections in the elderly, researchers said Friday...
08/05/05
610,000 unused flu shots now expired
Hundreds of thousands of flu shots ordered from Europe last year amid fears of a nationwide shortage now have expired and may go to waste, potentially costing taxpayers millions of dollars, officials said Wednesday...
08/05/05
Is there appetite for eating disorders sitcom?
Take 1: the FX network's new comedy series "Starved" is an audacious but ultimately fond and respectful look at Americans' obsessions with eating, dieting, and body image...
08/04/05
UK's Acambis says developing universal flu vaccine
Britain's Acambis Plc said Thursday it was developing a potentially breakthrough new shot that could offer permanent protection against all types of flu...
08/04/05
Scientists pinpoint new breast cancer genes
Scientists said on Thursday they had pinpointed four new genes believed to be involved in the development of breast cancer...
08/04/05
Amphetamines may slow Parkinson's, study shows
Amphetamines, including the party drug Ecstasy, have reversed the effects of Parkinson's disease in mice, researchers said on Wednesday...
08/04/05
Alzheimer's toxin may be key to slowing disease
Australian scientists say they have identified a toxin which plays a key role in the onset of Alzheimer's, raising hope that a drug targeting the toxin could be developed to slow the degenerative brain disease...
08/03/05
Diabetes threat looms even as life begins
Among all the worries that plague pregnant women, one that had been relatively rare seems to be increasing along with the plumping of America...
08/03/05
Researchers: Higher levels of arsenic in U.S. rice
Rice grown in the USA has low levels of arsenic. But those levels are up to five times higher than those found in rice grown in Europe, India and Bangladesh, says a report in the August edition of Environmental Science and Technology...
08/03/05
No new diet fills low-carb void
More dieters are ditching carb counts and biting into baguettes with gusto these days...
08/02/05
More kids get multiple psychiatric drugs
U.S. children diagnosed with behavior and psychiatric problems increasingly receive more than one medication despite very little proof that many of the drugs are safe or effective for kids, suggests a research review out Monday...
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More kids get multiple psychiatric drugs
By Marilyn Elias, USA TODAY
U.S. children diagnosed with behavior and psychiatric problems increasingly receive more than one medication despite very little proof that many of the drugs are safe or effective for kids, suggests a research review out Monday.
08/02/05
Junk food is as easy as ABC to get
A survey of high school food-service directors suggests that students are virtually surrounded by a smorgasbord of foods, some of which are nutritious but many of which are high in sugar and fat...
08/02/05
Study: Women should keep their ovaries
Most women getting a hysterectomy should keep their ovaries because the common extra step of removing them seems to do no good and might decrease their long-term survival, researchers report...
08/01/05
Adolescents bulk up their bodies
In the largest study to date on adolescents' views of their bodies and their use of hormones and supplements, one in eight boys and one in 12 girls reported using such products in the past year to improve their appearance, muscle mass or strength...
08/01/05
Companies step up wellness efforts
To get a glimpse into the future of the battle against rising health care costs, spend a day at American Cast Iron Pipe Co., where molten iron is cast into 5,000-pound pipes...
08/01/05
Stem cell sponsor sees veto-proof Senate backing
An expansion of federally funded embryonic stem cell research could pass the U.S. Senate with a veto-proof margin now that the chamber's leader backs the idea, a leading sponsor of the effort said on Sunday...
08/01/05
Children of smokers have more attention deficit
Women who smoke during pregnancy nearly triple the risk their children will be born with attention deficit disorder, Danish researchers said on Monday...
07/30/05
Study finds Botox stops excessive sweating
Even in the dead of winter, David Nolda would wear light-colored short-sleeved shirts, tucking extra cloth up into his armpit in a futile effort to hide the sweating...
07/30/05
Fructose Sweetener Spurs Obesity
Another study finds that high consumption of soft drinks and other sweetened beverages contributes to obesity. But this study, conducted in mice, suggests that one form of natural sweetener -- fructose -- may be especially likely to encourage weight gain...
07/30/05
Many stroke patients lack hypertension treatment
Although there is evidence that stroke patients with high or even normal blood pressure can benefit from drug therapy to lower their blood pressure (antihypertensive therapy) at hospital discharge, a large number of patients do not receive these drugs, new research suggests...
07/30/05
New study widens pill risks, benefits for cancer
Women who take the birth control pill could increase their risk of cervical and breast cancer, scientists said on Friday...
07/29/05
Good bacteria useful for ulcerative colitis
Consuming a mixture of eight good, or "probiotic," bacteria reduces symptoms in patients with ulcerative colitis that doesn't respond to conventional medications, new research suggests...
07/29/05
Acupuncture shown to relieve tension headaches
Acupuncture is an effective treatment for patients suffering from tension headaches, German researchers said on Friday...
07/29/05
Low fat, low-cal candy sales way up
Kathleen Connors isn't getting rid of her sweet tooth, but she is trying to be smarter about it...
07/29/05
FDA moves toward silicone implant OK
Silicone gel-filled breast implants moved a step closer to the U.S. market after the Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it has issued an "approvable" letter to Mentor Corp. for its implants...
07/28/05
Age and sleep play catch-up
A good night's sleep? Apparently it's a pipe dream for many baby boomers...
07/28/05
Hyperactivity drug hardly affects kids' growth
Pooled data from 13 trials indicate that, overall, long-term Strattera therapy for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder has a little effect on children's height and weight...
07/28/05
Topiramate lowers weight and blood pressure
The antiseizure drug topiramate, sold under the trade name Topamax, reduces body weight and blood pressure in obese patients with high blood pressure (hypertension), according to the results of a study published in the American Journal of Cardiology. Adverse effects were "generally mild to moderate."...
07/28/05
Knee pain often accompanied by other aches
Older adults' knee pain is usually not an isolated problem, but is more often part of a constellation of chronic aches, a new study suggests...
07/27/05
Study shows circumcision may reduce AIDS risk
Circumcising men can help protect them from the AIDS virus, researchers said on Tuesday after finishing the first study that tried using the procedure specifically to prevent infection...
07/27/05
High blood pressure not often treated in elderly
Three out of four Americans aged 80 or older have high blood pressure but most do not get adequate treatment, exposing them to a risk of heart attack or stroke, researchers said on Tuesday...
07/27/05
Study: Elderly should keep exercising
Exercise can't hold off the effects of aging, but it can improve an elderly person's chances of hanging onto an independent lifestyle, researchers said, citing a new study that brought both good and bad news...
07/27/05
CDC: Child vaccination rate hits record high
Almost 81 percent of the nation's toddlers are getting vaccinated on time, a record level that comes five years ahead of government expectations, federal health officials reported Tuesday...
07/26/05
Blood test may curb liver damage from TB drug
Measuring blood levels of a enzyme called AST may help prevent the liver damage that often occurs with isoniazid, a drug used to treat tuberculosis, researchers report in the medical journal Chest...
07/26/05
Flu viruses can quickly swap genes -study
Strains of the influenza virus are constantly swapping genes among themselves and giving rise to new, dangerous strains at a rate faster than previously believed, U.S. researchers reported on Monday...
07/26/05
New York proposes tracking diabetes
At least half a million New Yorkers have diabetes, many of them at risk for blindness, kidney failure, amputations and heart problems because they are doing a poor job of controlling their illness...
07/26/05
Program pairs Alzheimer's scientists with patients
Peering through a microscope at brain cells from mice with Alzheimer's disease was about the closest scientist Sarah Cole had been to the mind-robbing illness -- until she met Jenny Knauss...
07/25/05
Mysterious disease kills 17 in southwest China
Authorities in southwest China are investigating a mysterious disease that has killed 17 farm workers and left 41 others ill after they handled sick or dead livestock, state media said on Monday...
07/25/05
Sanofi-Aventis launches Adacel vaccine in U.S.
Sanofi-Aventis has launched its whooping cough vaccine Adacel in the United States, the world's third largest drugmaker said on Monday...
07/25/05
Weight loss injection makes patients feel full- UK
British scientists said on Monday they had developed a new treatment that could help obese and overweight people lose weight by making them feel full...
07/25/05
FDA approves new insomnia treatment
The government approved a new treatment for insomnia on Friday, the first prescription sleep aid not designated as a controlled substance...
07/23/05
Single drug dose effective after cancer surgery
After surgery, a single dose of carboplatin appears to be just as effective in preventing relapse as three weeks of radiation therapy in men with early-stage testicular cancer, according to the findings of a study published in this week's issue of The Lancet. Carboplatin also appears to be associated with less severe adverse effects and lower risk of developing a tumor in the other testicle...
07/23/05
Language training helps stroke patients speak
People who've experienced a stroke can lose the ability to use or understand speech, a problem known as aphasia. Now, new research suggests that a short-term type of intense language training called constraint-induced aphasia therapy (CIAT) can improve language function in these patients...
07/23/05
SIDS linked to nitrogen dioxide pollution
High outdoor levels of nitrogen dioxide apparently raise the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), according to California-based researchers...
07/23/05
High cervical cancer rates sign of larger problems
Despite overall declines in cervical death rates in the U.S., certain groups of women are significantly more likely to die from the disease, which is likely due to underlying disparities access to health care, according to a new report from the National Cancer Institute...
07/22/05
Carbon monoxide poisoning tied to generator use
In a study of 10 hospitals in Florida, the vast majority of carbon monoxide (CO) poisonings that occurred during the 2004 hurricane season were related to the use of gasoline-powered portable generators. Six of the generator-related poisonings proved fatal...
07/22/05
Folate may protect against hemorrhagic stroke
In addition to its effects on homocysteine, an amino acid linked to heart disease, folate may protect against a certain type of stroke. Specifically, investigators found that folate, a B vitamin found in green leafy vegetables, fruits and dried beans, appears to lower the risk of hemorrhagic strokes, strokes caused by bleeding in the brain...
07/22/05
Alcohol may increase delayed low blood sugar risk
Drinking a modest amount of alcohol with an evening meal may increase the risk of low blood sugar the following day in patients with type 1 diabetes, the results of a study published in Diabetes Care suggest...
07/22/05
High-protein diets curb appetite
The ever-popular low-carbohydrate diets appear to work because they force people to eat more protein, which consequently suppresses the appetite, not because of a lower carbohydrate intake, according to new study findings published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition...
07/21/05
Benign breast disease, family history studied
Women diagnosed with the most common form of benign breast disease but who do not have a strong family history of breast cancer have no heightened risk of developing a tumor, according to a new study...
07/21/05
Estrogen gene helps explain some infertility-study
Fertility drugs may not help certain women if they lack a certain estrogen-related gene, scientists studying mice suggested on Wednesday...
07/21/05
People who lose weight may gain wealth
Overweight people who trim down substantially may improve both their health and their wealth, if new research is correct...
07/21/05
Study: Hospitals better under monitoring
Hospitals put under the microscope by new industry monitoring are doing a better job of treating three potentially deadly conditions, with the worst hospitals improving the most, researchers found...
07/20/05
Testicular cancer patients can have children
Most testicular cancer patients who try to father children after completing their treatment succeed, scientists said Tuesday...
07/20/05
Report: Hispanic children's health lags
Hispanic children are less likely than other children to have health insurance or recommended vaccinations, disparities that a government study says will be magnified in the coming years by the nation's changing demographics...
07/20/05
Very small newborns face hurdles, study says
Babies who weigh only 2.2 pounds (1 kg) or less at birth are much more likely than those with normal weight to develop chronic physical and mental problems by age eight, researchers said Tuesday...
07/20/05
Study: Junk Food Ads Spur Kids' Obesity
Heavy promotion of calorie-laden junk foods in advertisements near high schools may be contributing to New Zealand's growing obesity epidemic, a new study shows...
07/19/05
Good news for dark chocolate-lovers
Dark chocolate can not only soothe your soul but can lower blood pressure too, researchers reported Monday...
07/19/05
Inactivity may be main factor in girls' obesity
Waning exercise levels, even more than overeating, may be a major reason that many U.S. girls become overweight as teenagers, new study findings suggest...
07/19/05
Ducks may silently pass along bird flu - study
The bird flu virus that experts fear will jump from birds to humans seems to be mutating yet again, and may be able to hide in healthy-looking ducks, thus putting both other birds and people at risk, experts said on Monday...
07/19/05
'Double diabetes' puzzles doctors
Having one type of diabetes is bad enough, but two? Doctors are seeing a new phenomenon dubbed double diabetes that makes it harder to diagnose and treat patients -- especially children...
07/18/05
Clinton takes cheap AIDS drugs to African children
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton hopes his foundation will help treat more than 60,000 children suffering from HIV/AIDS as part of a plan to fight the disease in poor countries, he said on Sunday...
07/18/05
Quitting smoking helps heal chronic gum disease
Smokers are more than 6 times more likely to develop gum disease than non-smokers but kicking the habit can prevent them from losing their teeth prematurely, according to new research published Monday...
07/18/05
Gene is linked with obesity and diabetes
A gene that may regulate the body's response to insulin has been linked to both obesity and type-2 diabetes, researchers in Britain and France reported Monday...
07/16/05
FDA approves Cyberonics depression device
A stopwatch-sized device that uses electrical impulses to treat chronic depression won U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval, Cyberonics CYBX> said on Friday...
07/16/05
Gene variants tied to melanoma risk
In a Mediterranean population typically at low risk for developing melanoma, carriers of mutations in the pigmentation gene MC1R are at increased risk of developing the skin cancer and having it progress, a study hints...
07/16/05
Asthma gene variants may cut risk of brain cancer
New research suggests that gene variants, which are known to raise the risk of asthma, decrease the risk of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a common type of brain cancer that is rapidly fatal...
07/15/05
Weight-loss camp can work for kids: study
Overweight children can get in shape by spending part of their summer at a weight-loss camp, if the experience of one such program is any indication...
07/15/05
Acupuncture may calm overactive bladder
Acupuncture performed at specific sites on the skin may relieve some of the symptoms of overactive bladder, according to researchers...
07/15/05
Prayer Does Not Affect Primary Heart Outcomes
Note that while there were no benefits observed in the primary endpoints of the study, there was a secondary endpoint of six-month mortality benefit in those assigned music, imagery, and touch which deserves further study...
07/15/05
Scientists decode deadly parasite genomes
Three parasites that sicken or kill millions of people in the developing world every year have been genetically sequenced and are giving up clues that could be used to fight them, scientists said on Thursday...
07/14/05
Risks associated with blood thinners rise with age
The risk of bleeding and thromboembolism (blood clots) in people who use anticoagulants increases with age, according to a new study...
07/14/05
Unborn babies carry pollutants, study finds
Unborn U.S. babies are soaking in a stew of chemicals, including mercury, gasoline byproducts and pesticides, according to a report released on Thursday...
07/14/05
Researchers link brain chemical and anorexia
Women who suffer from anorexia have increased chemical activity in a part of the brain that controls reward and reinforcement, something that may explain why they are driven to lose weight but don't get any pleasure from it, according to a new study...
07/14/05
Alzheimer's damage may be reversible, study suggests
Some recovery of memory may be possible in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, suggests a provocative new study in mice that could help researchers open a two-pronged attack against the mind-robbing illness...
07/13/05
Young lives get a fighting chance
As her newborn sister was having groundbreaking treatment for a rare genetic disorder that also had ravaged their brother's brain, 5-year-old Katie Kristoff had one question for her parents...
07/13/05
US group calls for health warnings on soft drinks
A U.S. consumer group on Wednesday called for cigarette-style warnings on soft drinks to alert consumers that too much of the sugary beverages can make them fat and cause other health problems...
07/13/05
Chlamydia common in United States-survey
As many as 1 in 20 teenage girls and women and more than 2 percent of the general population in America are infected with chlamydia, a sexually transmitted disease, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday...
07/13/05
Without hormones, menopause symptoms return-study
Many women who stop taking hormone replacement therapy experience a recurrence of menopausal symptoms, but tapering off the drugs or drinking fluids may ease their suffering, researchers said on Tuesday...
07/12/05
Obese women fitter than obese men, study finds
Obese men may be less physically fit than obese women, perhaps because they are more likely to have diabetes or pre-diabetes and tend to have more abdominal fat, Dutch researchers reported Monday...
07/12/05
Wood smoke may raise lung cancer risk
Although tobacco smoke is the top cause of lung cancer, some cases of the disease can be traced to smoke of a different sort, according to a new study...
07/12/05
Not Just Drugs Are Cheaper in Canada, Try Coronary Artery Bypasses
Note that this study is based on a retrospective analysis of the cost-accounting databases of nine hospitals in Canada and the U.S. Its findings may not be completely accurate in all healthcare settings in the United States and Canada...
07/12/05
Study: Curry ingredient fights skin cancer
The compound that makes curry yellow could help fight skin cancer, U.S. researchers reported Monday...
07/12/05
Specialists push for at-home dialysis
When Karen Everts wants to go camping, kidney failure no longer slows her down: She simply rolls the first portable hemodialysis machine out of her kitchen and into her motor home, ready to hook up for two hours each morning...
07/11/05
Device mechanically removes brain blood clots
An FDA-approved device, which is threaded into the brain's arteries, can safely retrieve blood clots and open large vessels that become blocked and lead to stroke, research indicates...
07/11/05
Plague-infected cats cause worry in Wyoming
A local cat was diagnosed with plague Friday — the fourth in southern Wyoming this year — and public health officials warned that people should take precautions to protect their pets and themselves...
07/11/05
Cattle from mad cow herd test negative
Sixty-seven cows culled from the herd of an animal infected with mad cow disease have tested negative for the disease, the Agriculture Department said Sunday...
07/11/05
Rapid drop in air pressure may trigger heart attack
A rapid drop in air pressure -- as opposed to cold weather -- may trigger some heart attacks, research shows. According to a study published this month, the incidence of heart attack, but not stroke, is increased in the 24 hours after a rapid fall in barometric pressure...
07/09/05
Targeted exercise may prevent hip fractures
Exercise that targets a weak region of the hipbone may help prevent fractures, but simple walking will not, new research indicates...
07/09/05
Shedding a pound may ease stress on arthritic knees
For overweight people hobbled by knee arthritis, losing even one pound can diminish the stress the knees take with every step, a new study shows...
07/09/05
Chronic anger, hostility may make you sick
People who are hostile or angry for longer periods of time are more at risk of health problems, according to a review of recent literature on anger and health...
07/09/05
Surgery helps avoid amputations in diabetics
People with diabetes face a high risk of having to have a foot or lower leg amputated, but timely surgery may prevent this. When bone inflammation -- osteomyelitis -- occurs in the foot and toes, surgery to remove dead areas and to restore circulation can spare more extensive amputations, according to a new report...
07/08/05
Child's birthweight tied to parents' heart risks
A new study has found that the parents of children born at a lower weight may have an increased risk of dying from heart disease or stroke -- suggesting that common genetic factors may underlie both birthweight and cardiovascular disease...
07/08/05
Cleft lip more likely in babies of overweight moms
Mothers-to-be who are obese during the first trimester of pregnancy are more likely than normal-weight women to have an infant with a cleft lip or cleft palate, according to a study in Sweden...
07/08/05
London hospitals coping well with attack victims
The first reports of the attack on London came at 8.51 a.m. when the ambulance service received "reports of an incident" at the city's busy Liverpool Street railway terminal. Within minutes ambulances were being called to other parts of north London, triggering the capital's major emergency plans...
07/08/05
All Physicians Urged to Specialize in Disaster Preparedness
Consider taking a CME course in disaster preparedness; education and training in specific techniques of emergency response are the keys to effective response strategies, experts say...
07/07/05
Tick Tick Tick...It's Lyme Disease Time
Inform patients about tick avoidance measures, such as the use of light-colored clothing, long-sleeved shirts, pants tucked into shoes or socks, and DEET-containing insect repellants...
07/07/05
Older drug better than new for blood cell disorder
The older generic drug hydroxyurea, if combined with a small dose of aspirin and given to people with thrombocythemia, is more effective in preventing serious bleeding and other complications than the newer and more expensive Agrylin, according to a study...
07/07/05
US prescription drug abusers top 15 million- study
The number of Americans who admit abusing prescription drugs nearly doubled to over 15 million from 1992 to 2003, with abuse among teens tripling, according to a new study released on Thursday...
07/07/05
Scientists: Migratory birds could spread bird flu
An outbreak of bird flu among migratory waterfowl in China suggests the disease -- which could trigger a dangerous flu among people -- may be poised to spread to India, Australia, New Zealand and eventually Europe, scientists warn...
07/06/05
Study links fat in bloodstream to heart disease
New research gives the first solid evidence that a type of fat in the bloodstream can trigger the earliest steps that lead to clogged blood vessels, the top cause of heart attacks...
07/06/05
Parents not always ready to help overweight kids
Not all parents are open to making lifestyle changes that could help their overweight children shed pounds -- particularly if they don't view the child's weight as a health problem, a new study shows...
07/06/05
Yes, quitting before surgery is a good idea
Contrary to previous paradoxical findings, quitting smoking in the weeks before chest surgery does not increase the likelihood of suffering complications, according to a new report...
07/06/05
Coffee May Give a Break on Type 2 Diabetes
Advise patients that this study suggests that higher coffee consumption is associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes...
07/06/05
Slow walking may be prescription for obese
Restaurant consultant John Imbergamo drives to work but he takes time for a daily walk, either through Washington Park near his home or from his office to clients downtown...
07/05/05
Not All Kids With High BMIs Are Too Fat
A respected medical panel is urging pediatricians not to focus only on height and weight in determining whether a child is too fat...
07/05/05
Soybean protein may lower blood pressure
The use of soybean protein dietary supplements may help reduce high blood pressure, according to a report in the Annals of Internal Medicine...
07/05/05
Panel: HIV screening for all pregnancies
A federal panel is recommending that all pregnant women, not just those considered at high risk, be screened for the AIDS virus because testing has proven so successful at helping prevent the spread of the disease to babies...
07/05/05
Bush's 59th makes boomers take stock
President Bush turns 59 on Wednesday -- and with just one year left before officially becoming a senior citizen, it's one of those birthdays that marks a good time to take stock of your health...
07/04/05
Too fat to fight?
With America at war and in need of a few good men, Jon Schoenherr expected a warm reception when he walked into an Army recruiting office in this Midwestern farm community, intending to enlist...
07/04/05
Nigeria enters joint venture to make vaccines
Nigeria's government has entered a joint venture with a private pharmaceutical firm to revive the country's sole vaccine-making laboratory in an effort to reduce dependence on imported vaccines, the firm said on Monday...
07/04/05
Diet doesn't have to take vacation
Hearing the words "travel" and "diet" in the same sentence makes five out of seven tourists in this city of sumptuous restaurants burst out laughing, an utterly unscientific survey finds...
07/03/05
Holiday hazards cloud July 4th
More Americans will set off fireworks, go boating or barbecue this Independence Day than on any other holiday or weekend all year...
07/02/05
Obese women run risk of frailty in old age
Women who are obese after age 70 are more likely to become frail -- and perhaps disabled -- than normal-weight women, new research shows...
07/02/05
Calif. jails end tobacco use
Randel Davis fidgeted in his prison blues, savoring one of his final hand-rolled cigarettes for some time before a ban on tobacco in California prisons kicked in Friday...
07/02/05
Video gamers may have quicker eyes
Video game players may spend a lot of time on the couch, but when they're ready to go out they can find their keys quicker than the rest of us, a study suggests...
07/01/05
New device for sleep apnea seen easier to tolerate
The use of a flexible CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) device that adjusts pressure with inhalation and exhalation can boost adherence to CPAP therapy in patients with obstructive sleep apnea, research shows...
07/01/05
FDA probes antidepressant safety for adults
U.S. regulators are studying whether antidepressant drugs may raise the risk of suicidal behavior in adults, the Food and Drug Administration said on Friday...
07/01/05
U.S. mad cow case traced to Texas
The cow confirmed last week to be infected with mad cow disease was 12 years old and lived its entire life in Texas, according to John Clifford, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief veterinarian...
07/01/05
CDC: Smoking deaths cost $92 billion
Early deaths caused by smoking cost the nation about $92 billion in lost productivity between 1997 and 2001, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday...
06/30/05
Facial profile predicts sleep apnea-study
People with a steep jaw line and a crowded or narrowed air passage at the back of the throat are at increased risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), regardless of their weight or ethnic background, a study shows...
06/30/05
Hypertension, old age up nighttime urination
After age 60, people are more likely to have to get up at least twice in the middle of the night to urinate - called nocturia - if they also have high blood pressure and take diuretics, a study shows. And the older people get, the more likely they are to have this problem...
06/30/05
PCB exposure may raise lymphoma risk
Results of a study hint that exposure to PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) increases the risk of the development of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), a blood cancer involving the lymph nodes...
06/30/05
Scientists shed new light on aging process
Scientists in Hong Kong have shed new light on why cell repair is less efficient in older people after a breakthrough discovery on premature aging, a rare genetic disease that affects one in four million babies...
06/29/05
High iron and cholesterol equals high cancer risk
High blood levels of iron coupled with high levels of very low density (VLDL) lipoprotein cholesterol appear to interact to increase the risk of cancer...
06/29/05
Colon cancer risk in US varies by race, ethnicity
In the US population, there is a wide ethnic and racial disparity in the risk of developing advanced-stage colorectal cancer and of dying from the disease, researchers report in the medical journal Cancer...
06/29/05
Cancer risk linked to radiation exposure -study
Nuclear industry workers exposed to chronic low doses of radiation have a slightly higher risk of developing cancer, scientists said on Wednesday...
06/29/05
Survey: Most say Medicaid 'very important'
The public's attitude toward Medicaid remains positive despite the big impact the program is having on state budgets and lawmakers' frequent calls for reform, an opinion survey released Wednesday shows...
06/28/05
Cancer drug may fight smallpox, study suggests
A cancer pill noted for its effectiveness in stopping leukemia in some patients can also help delay the deadliest effects of a pox virus in mice -- offering the prospect of using similar drugs to treat or prevent smallpox, scientists said on Monday...
06/28/05
Program aims to prolong exercise habits
When Kelley Belkeir joined a gym a year ago, she went once and never returned. It was too intimidating for the out-of-shape 44-year-old...
06/28/05
Study: Obesity costs soar tenfold in 15 years
Americans' losing battle against the bulge also bears a burgeoning price tag, with the amount of money spent treating obesity-related health problems increasing tenfold over 15 years, a study said Monday...
06/28/05
Debate over vaccines and autism continues
Dinner was late. His cup held water, not soda. Strangers had stolen his mother's attention all afternoon. It is too much for the 9-year-old autistic child to bear. He begins to flap his arms and shriek, working himself into murderous screams that shatter his suburban home and all hope of a normal life...
06/27/05
Relationships can affect your health years later
Whom you live with and whether you're single, married, divorced or widowed can offer clues to your health decades later, studies suggest...
06/27/05
Obesity Sends Health Costs Soaring
Americans' widening waistlines are the main force behind rising U.S. health care costs, a new study shows...
06/27/05
Brain pacemaker could ease severe depression -study
Patients suffering from severe depression who have not responded to other treatments may be helped by deep brain stimulation, researchers said on Monday...
06/25/05
U.S. Seeks Source of Mad Cow Infection
The government hopes DNA analysis can pinpoint the herd of the cow that tested positive for mad cow disease and lead investigators to the source of the animal's brain-wasting illness, the Agriculture Department's chief veterinarian said Saturday...
06/25/05
Dark chocolate seen healthy for arteries
Eating dark chocolate may have a protective effect on the cardiovascular system in healthy people, the results of a new study suggest...
06/25/05
Vegetarian women weigh less than meat-eaters
Women who eat little or no meat are less likely to be overweight than their more carnivorous peers, according to a new study...
06/25/05
Scientists: Mad cow in U.S. very rare
The newly identified case of mad cow disease in an animal from an American herd shouldn't worry consumers, experts said, because the condition appears to be very rare and safeguards are in place to protect the food supply...
06/24/05
Botox useful for preventing frequent migraines
Botulinum toxin A (Botox) injections can help prevent migraines in patients who have headaches almost every day, according to study results reported Thursday at the annual meeting of the American Headache Society in Philadelphia...
06/24/05
Heart medication approved for blacks
The heart failure drug BiDil was approved Thursday by government regulators for use by blacks. It will be the first medication marketed for a specific racial group...
06/24/05
Lone surgeon treats cuts, scrapes, trauma
Before scrubbing in at Nantucket Cottage Hospital, Dr. Tim Lepore usually takes a look at the sky...
06/24/05
Report: Flu pandemic could kill half million in U.S.
Half a million Americans could die and more than 2 million could end up in the hospital with serious complications if an even moderately severe strain of a pandemic flu hits, a report predicted on Friday...
06/23/05
Carbohydrates, Sugar, and Your Child
Often called carbs, carbohydrates are the body's most important and readily available source of energy. Even though they've gotten a bad rap in the 2000s and have often been blamed for the obesity epidemic in America, carbohydrates are a necessary part of a healthy diet for both children and adults...
06/23/05
Lung infections late problem for tsunami survivors
The December tsunami that left over 200,000 people dead or missing in Asia and Africa appears to have caused some unusual lung and sinus infections, and even a paralyzing brain infection, according to officials and a report in the New England Journal of Medicine...
06/23/05
Novel antibody saves insulin cells in diabetics
Short-term treatment with a new monoclonal antibody appears to preserve residual insulin production in patients with recent onset of type 1 diabetes, European investigators report...
06/23/05
Western and Japanese diets up colon cancer risk
Both the meat-laden "Western" diet and the traditional, salty diet of the Japanese apparently increase the risk of colon cancer -- at least for women -- findings from a large study suggest...
06/22/05
Common virus 'kills cancer'
A common virus that is harmless to people can destroy cancerous cells in the body and might be developed into a new cancer therapy, US researchers said...
06/22/05
Study: Soya threat to fertility
A plant chemical found in soya, tofu and legumes could potentially damage sperm and affect male fertility, a British researcher said on Wednesday...
06/22/05
Study: Genes may hold key to late motherhood
Why can some 45-year-olds easily have a baby while much younger women have difficulty becoming pregnant?...
06/22/05
WHO: Number of 2005 polio cases jumps
The number of confirmed polio cases has reached 243 in Yemen, a country that was once believed to have been free of the disease, the chief of the World Health Organization said...
06/21/05
Combination of diabetes, depression ups death risk
The combination of diabetes and depression increases a person's risk of dying early, beyond that linked to either condition alone, a new study suggests...
06/21/05
Scientists discover why IVF babies have it tough
Scientists may have solved a puzzle baffling fertility experts -- why test tube babies do not do as well as other infants in early life...
06/21/05
FDA tentatively OKs generic AIDS drug
Two generic versions of a major AIDS drug were tentatively approved by the Food and Drug Administration on Monday...
06/21/05
Study: Extra folic acid may protect brain
High-dose folic acid pills -- providing as much of the nutrient as 2.5 pounds of strawberries -- might help slow the cognitive decline of aging...
06/20/05
From pizza to pita, U.S. schools try to get healthy
When Annette Evanson sends her son off to elementary school each day, she packs him a lunch stocked with carrot sticks, whole-grain bread and fresh fruit...
06/20/05
Antibodies, drug, exercise provide Alzheimers hope
A "passive" vaccine against Alzheimer's, a drug designed to filter out brain-clogging proteins and inhaled insulin may all offer ways to treat Alzheimer's disease in the future, researchers said on Monday...
06/20/05
Nicotine affects brain like heroin: study
New research hints at why it's so hard to quit smoking. In a mouse study, Pennsylvania researchers found that nicotine affects the brain through the same mechanism as heroin and other opiate drugs...
06/20/05
Scientists find early signs of Alzheimer's
A subtle change in a memory-making brain region seems to predict who will get Alzheimer's disease nine years before symptoms appear, scientists reported Sunday...
06/19/05
Report: Brain Scan May Predict Alzheimer's
A subtle change in a memory-making brain region seems to predict who will get Alzheimer's disease nine years before symptoms appear, scientists reported Sunday...
06/19/05
At least 200 million Chinese to be obese in 10 years
At least 200 million people in China will suffer from obesity within 10 years if current trends spurred by unhealthy lifestyles continue...
06/18/05
Nerve damage may underlie female sex dysfunction
Women with sexual dysfunction are more likely to have decreased tactile sensation in the genital area, according to researchers...
06/18/05
Hay fever not linked to kids' immunizations
Routine childhood immunizations do not increase the likelihood that kids will develop hay fever, according to a UK study...
06/18/05
CDC: Most women got HIV from sex
Woman have become far more likely to contract HIV by having sex with a partner who is already infected than with contaminated needles used in drug abuse, CDC researchers reported here...
06/18/05
J&J drug explored for tumor link
Government researchers searching a database of adverse drug reactions found a higher incidence of benign pituitary gland tumors in patients taking Johnson & Johnson's popular antipsychotic Risperdal than for similar drugs, a newspaper report said Friday...
06/17/05
ER advice helps crash victims ease off alcohol
People taken to the emergency room after a car accident involving alcohol use are less likely to suffer additional alcohol-related injuries during the following year if they receive a brief counseling session in the ER, according to new study findings...
06/17/05
Kids need an hour of brisk activity daily - panel
School-age children should engage in at least 60 minute's worth of moderate or vigorous physical activity each day, a panel of experts recommends...
06/17/05
U.S. approves new blood test to screen stroke
A blood test already used to help screen for heart problems won U.S. approval to help predict a patient's risk for stroke, officials for the firm that makes it said on Friday...
06/17/05
FDA panel OKs drug aimed at blacks
A drug targeted specifically for black Americans with heart problems is on track to become the first drug in the U.S. marketed to a specific racial group...
06/16/05
Depression worsens health of adult asthmatics
Adults with asthma often experience depressive symptoms, which are linked to more severe asthma and poorer health overall, researchers report...
06/16/05
A good night's sleep may be good for memory
Our bodies may be at rest while we sleep, but new research finds more evidence that our brains are hard at work as we get our zzz's...
06/16/05
Combination approach helps diabetics lose weight
People with type 2 diabetes who are trying to lose weight seem to do well with a calorie-controlled diet and the weight-loss pill Meridia, according to a new study...
06/16/05
Alcohol use by mom-to-be ups baby's infection risk
A woman who drinks alcohol during pregnancy increases the chances of her newborn acquiring an infection soon after birth, according to a new report...
06/15/05
Study: 1 in 5 women would consider breast removal
One in five women would consider having both their breasts removed to reduce their odds of developing cancer, according to a survey on Monday...
06/15/05
Study: Calcium, Vitamin D may reduce PMS
Women searching for ways to ward off the anxiety and irritability caused by premenstrual syndrome may be able to find answers as nearby as their local supermarket...
06/15/05
Red meat fuels bowel cancer risk
People who eat too much red and processed meat increase their risk of bowel cancer by up to a third, according to a new study...
06/15/05
Asthma surprises some athletes
In the prime of her career, WNBA star Tamika Catchings found herself growing inexplicably sluggish and struggling to keep up during games. Sleeping in and eating bigger meals didn't give her any extra energy...
06/14/05
Calcium, vitamin D combat premenstrual ills
A diet high in calcium and vitamin D could reduce the risk of getting premenstrual syndrome, according to a report published on Monday...
06/14/05
Most women overestimate their breast cancer risk
Nearly 9 out of 10 women overestimate how likely they are to develop breast cancer in their lifetimes, according to new study findings...
06/14/05
Hospitalizations for diabetes fall
From the mid-1990s to 2002, hospitalizations for diabetes-related conditions dropped by 35% and the incidence of end-stage kidney disease fell 30%, researchers with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report...
06/14/05
CDC: 1 million living with HIV in U.S.
For the first time since the height of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, more than a million Americans are believed to be living with the virus that causes AIDS, the government said Monday...
06/13/05
Girl to get cancer treatment her parents opposed
A 13-year-old cancer patient will get the radiation treatment her parents had opposed after new medical tests showed she is no longer in remission...
06/13/05
Treating diabetes prevents pregnancy complications
Women who develop diabetes during pregnancy give birth to healthier babies if they are aggressively treated, concludes a large new study that helps bolster the case for testing all pregnant women for this condition...
06/10/05
Pill controls diabetes without side effects
An experimental diabetes drug can control blood sugar without causing weight gain or swelling, according to a small mid-stage clinical trial presented on Friday...
06/10/05
Obese kids' excess pounds make exercise tough
Obese children may have a hard time exercising because of the effort needed to move their larger bodies -- not because their hearts aren't up to the challenge, according to a new study...
06/10/05
Behavior approach helps Alzheimer's patients sleep
Behavioral techniques that are known to improve sleep in non-demented institutionalized older adults may benefit patients with Alzheimer's disease who have nighttime insomnia, according to the findings of a small study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society...
06/10/05
'No-Fad Diet' offers hope for the weak
In a no-nonsense approach to weight loss, the American Heart Association's new diet book offers options for the weak. Can't give up pizza? Try eating two slices instead of your regular three. Craving ice cream? Try a sorbet...
06/09/05
40 could be the new 30 as scientists redefine age
Is 40 really the new 30? Everyone is getting older but in many ways people today act younger than their parents did at the same age...
06/09/05
Woman gives birth after ovary transplant
An Alabama woman gave birth this week to a baby girl after undergoing the first known successful ovary transplant in the United States...
06/09/05
Tiny molecules linked to some cancers
Scientists have identified a new group of culprits that play a major role in the development of human cancers...
06/09/05
Lipitor does not prevent narrowing in heart valve
The popular cholesterol-reducing drug Lipitor made by Pfizer does not prevent obstruction of the heart valve that leads to the aorta, the body's largest artery, according to recent findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine...
06/09/05
Uninsured cost insured $900 more
Health insurance premiums will cost families and employers an extra $922 on average this year to cover the costs of caring for the uninsured, according to a report released Wednesday...
06/07/05
Whooping cough vaccine cost effective in U.S. teens
One-time whooping cough vaccination for all adolescents in the U.S. is likely to be cost effective, according to a report published in the medical journal Pediatrics. If implemented, such a strategy may help stem the rise in whooping cough rates seen in the past two decades...
06/07/05
Coping skills affect life after breast cancer
Young women who are less able to cope with breast cancer and feel ill-prepared for the challenge tend to have a lower quality of life after their diagnosis, according to new study findings...
06/07/05
Study links dull jobs to heart disease
Dull, steady, unexciting jobs may make the heart beat in an unchanging, rapid rhythm -- which in turn could lead to heart disease, British researchers reported Monday...
06/07/05
TB still a stubborn challenge
From drug-resistant tuberculosis in California to high disease rates in South African gold mines, stubborn challenges threaten health officials' goals for drastically reducing TB globally within 10 years, several studies show...
06/06/05
Milk may make for heavier kids
Children are urged to drink plenty of milk but a study published on Monday suggests that the more milk that kids drink, the fatter they grow -- and skim milk is a worse culprit than whole milk...
06/06/05
'Super' bacteria live on sheets, fingernails
The mutated, drug-resistant "superbugs" that cause an increasing number of hospital infections and deaths can live for weeks on bed linens, computer keyboard covers and under acrylic fingernails, U.S. researchers reported on Monday...
06/06/05
Support grows for law in fight against meth
The days of buying some cold remedies off the shelf in drug stores soon may be gone, a casualty of the methamphetamine epidemic...
06/06/05
Study links teens' body image to suicide
Suicidal impulses and attempts are much more common in teenagers who think they are too fat or too thin, regardless of how much they actually weigh, a study found...
06/02/05
CDC tackles confusion over dangers of obesity
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in an effort to dispel confusion after recent statistics suggesting being overweight may not be as lethal as once thought, reiterated on Thursday that obesity was a major health threat to Americans...
06/02/05
Annan bemoans efforts to combat HIV/AIDS
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Thursday told a U.N. special conference on HIV/AIDS that the global response to the disease was insufficient, saying "the epidemic continues to outrun our efforts to contain it...
06/01/05
Study: Kids Can Be Trained to Eat Better
Simple kid-friendly training in good nutrition got 8- to 10-year-olds to eat healthier for three years, although snacks, desserts and pizza still make up an astonishing third of the youngsters' diets, researchers reported Wednesday...
06/01/05
Soda ups risk of obesity, but isn't sole culprit
The more soda kids drink, the more likely they are to be obese, researchers conclude...
06/01/05
Exercise helps you lose fat, not bone
People over 55 who start an exercise program can expect to lose a significant amount of fat in six months, but not bone mass, according to new study findings...
06/01/05
Obesity must be treated as disease -expert
Obesity, which already affects more than 300 million people and an alarming number of children, must be recognized and treated as a disease with deadly complications, a leading expert said on Wednesday...
05/31/05
Depression unrelated to level of chronic pain
Individuals with depression often suffer from chronic physical pain and chronic pain sufferers are often depressed. A new study shows that both conditions should be tackled separately and independently from each other...
05/31/05
Smoking ups risk of age-related eye disorder
Older adults who smoke are twice as likely to suffer from a degenerative eye disorder that is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly as their non-smoking peers, according to findings from the largest study to look at this association in a British population...
05/31/05
AHA: Either bypass method works
Heart bypass patients fare about the same no matter which of two surgery methods doctors use, concludes an American Heart Association review of more than four dozen studies...
05/31/05
Cigarette makers targeted women
Tobacco companies designed cigarettes to appeal to women's desires to be thin and healthy in ways that went "far beyond marketing and advertising," health researchers said Monday...
05/29/05
Viagra vision link raises red flag
U.S. health officials are investigating reports that some men who use Viagra and other impotence drugs are getting a rare form of blindness...
05/29/05
Travelers work out boredom
When Harvey "Chip" Reed has a few hours to kill between flights at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, he doesn't wander aimlessly or fill up on fast food. He works out...
05/29/05
CDC, doctors urge meningitis shot for kids
Meningitis can strike out of the blue and kill within hours. Leslie Meigs knows because she almost died of it six years ago, when she 8...
05/28/05
Emergency room visits on the rise in US
Crowding in US emergency departments is being fueled by rising numbers of patients even as some departments shut their doors, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...
05/28/05
For asthmatics, laughter is no laughing matter
More than half of people with asthma have symptoms that are triggered by laughter, according to new study findings presented this week...
05/28/05
Cervical swab may be enough for prenatal testing
Researchers in Australia have worked out a way to isolate single cells from a fetus in the cervical mucus of a pregnant woman, and to use these cells to test for genetic abnormalities...
05/28/05
Type of blindness reported in some taking Viagra
U.S. health regulators said on Friday they have received more than 40 reports of a type of blindness in men taking impotence drugs, mostly involving Pfizer Inc.'s Viagra, but have not determined if the medicines were responsible...
05/26/05
Chromium supplements good for the diabetic heart
Chromium supplementation may be good for the heart in people with type 2 diabetes, according to study findings. It appears to lead to a shortening of a harmful heart rhythm, which may lower cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetics...
05/26/05
Heart drug reduces colon cancer risk
People taking statin drugs to stem the progression of heart disease may be getting an extra benefit: protection from colorectal cancer, according to research released on Wednesday...
05/26/05
The bladder does not shrink with age
Bladders do not appear to shrink with age, suggesting that urinary troubles in older people can no longer be considered a normal part of aging, according to new study findings released this week...
05/26/05
Many asthma sufferers also have sleep apnea
Many people with asthma suffer from nighttime breathing disorders like sleep apnea and treating the condition could help control their asthma, researchers said on Wednesday...
05/25/05
CVS gets pickier on which drug suppliers to use
CVS (CVS), the nation's largest retail pharmacy chain, took aim at prescription drug counterfeiters Tuesday...
05/25/05
Tailored treatments take aim at cancer
For all the wonders of modern medicine, experts say that some aspects of cancer care remain old-fashioned. Many diagnoses are still made with light microscopes — technology that's hundreds of years old, says Michael Heinrich, a professor at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland. And doctors have relatively few ways to tailor chemotherapy for individuals. "We give them all the same poison and there's no way to tell who is going to respond and who isn't," Heinrich says...
05/25/05
Father's age tied to miscarriage risk
A couple's risk of having a pregnancy end in miscarriage appears to climb in tandem with the man's age, according to a new study...
05/25/05
Good bacteria may help against travelers' diarrhea
Australian researchers have modified probiotic microbes -- "good" bacteria -- that may be useful in preventing or treating travelers' diarrhea, an all too common problem during trips to certain countries...
05/25/05
Obesity, small prostate raise cancer risk
The studies support earlier findings that obese men have a higher risk of getting prostate cancer in the first place - but take them a step forward to say such men may also be prone to more dangerous tumors...
05/24/05
Scan effective at finding clogged arteries
An imaging device that scans slices of the body diagnosed clogged arteries about as well as the traditional method where dye is injected through a catheter threaded into the body, researchers said on Tuesday...
05/24/05
Breast cancer patients should walk to live
Women with breast cancer who walk at least an hour a week have a better chance of beating the disease than those who don't exercise at all, researchers said on Tuesday...
05/24/05
More side effects in Crestor
New research seems to challenge a Food and Drug Administration decision not to pull the cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor off the market, with data showing it causes more kidney and muscle problems than rival medications...
05/24/05
Study shows little cancer risk in hair dye
A review of nearly 40 years of research suggests that hair dye poses little or no risk of cancer, as some fear...
05/23/05
Music City croaks during allergy season
For a town where so many people earn their living with a clear voice and a keen ear, Nashville sure is a lousy place for singers...
05/23/05
Vitamin D reserach may have doctors prescribing sunshine
Scientists are excited about a vitamin again. But unlike fads that sizzled and fizzled, the evidence this time is strong and keeps growing...
05/23/05
Think twice before back pain surgery
Surgery to relieve chronic lower back pain is no better than intensive rehabilitation and nearly twice as expensive, researchers said Monday...
05/23/05
MRI may make knee surgery unnecessary
Newer more powerful MRI scans diagnose meniscal, ligamentous, and other knee injuries just as well as exploratory surgery could, according to researchers here...
05/21/05
Obesity Ups Risk for Colon, Throat Cancers
Obesity is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, while obesity and smoking both raise the odds for throat malignancies, two new studies find...
05/21/05
Doctors' input helps diabetics exercise
People with diabetes are almost three times more likely to stick to an exercise plan if their doctors help them create it, new study findings suggest...
05/21/05
More sleep, less TV fends off child obesity
Scientists have drawn up a check-list of early warning signs of child obesity, among them too much television and not enough sleep...
05/21/05
Arthritis patients want info, not decision-making
Most people with rheumatoid arthritis want as much information on their disease as they can get, though many leave treatment decisions to their doctors, a UK survey suggests...
05/20/05
Elderly might not benefit from regular aspirin
A daily baby aspirin is often recommended by doctors to help prevent heart attacks or stroke, but for people over 70 years old the benefits may be offset by bleeding risks, investigators report. "The balance of harm and benefit could tip either way," they say...
05/20/05
Screening improves IVF success rate for older women
Screening embryos can increase the success rate of older women having fertility treatment, a leading fertility expert said on Thursday...
05/20/05
Sperm may hold key to cancer
The evolutionary path that separated humans from chimps 5 million years ago may have made human sperm survive better but paradoxically may have made humans prone to cancer...
05/20/05
Vitamin E May Reduce Parkinson's Risk
This meta-analysis found an association between moderate dietary vitamin E intake, but not vitamin C and beta carotene, and a lowered risk for Parkinson's disease. There was no benefit to higher intakes. However, prospective, placebo controlled, randomized clinical trials are needed to determine whether recommending high dietary vitamin E to at-risk patients is warranted...
05/19/05
Teens with eating disorders visit diet websites
A dismal two-thirds of the nation's 18 million Type 2 diabetics don't have their blood sugar under control, putting them at high risk of the disease's nastiest complications, even death. Yet most are unaware they're doing so poorly, frustrated diabetes specialists said Wednesday...
05/19/05
New test spots early prostate cancer
A new blood test that detects early prostate cancer antigen (EPCA) promises to be a "powerful complement" to standard prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing for identifying patients with prostate cancer, researchers report...
05/19/05
Cervical cancer virus vaccine performs well
Drugmaker Merck & Co. Inc. on Thursday said its investigational vaccine to protect against the virus responsible for cervical cancer performed well in a late-stage trial...
05/19/05
Study Links Knee Tears With Obesity
As Americans continue to get bigger, you can add knee problems to the list of ailments they are likely to face after lugging around extra pounds...
05/19/05
Aspirin can relieve acute migraine
Individuals who suffer from acute migraine headaches are likely to find relief with aspirin, according to results of a new study...
05/18/05
Treating teen drug problem alone may not be enough
Teenagers being treated for alcohol and drug problems may fare better when they also receive therapy for other mental health conditions they may have, according to a new study...
05/18/05
Diabetes out of control in U.S.
Two out of three Americans with type-2 diabetes do not have their disease under control and risk early deaths from stroke, heart attack or kidney failure as well as blindness and limb loss, according to a report published on Wednesday...
05/18/05
Kudzu helps curb binge drinking
The hardy, invasive kudzu vine, introduced to this country decades ago to control soil erosion, could have what it takes to curb binge drinking, new research suggests...
05/18/05
Peanut allergy can be deadly
Peanuts are as American as baseball -- Americans ate nearly 1.7 billion pounds of them last year, according to the Georgia Peanut Council...
05/17/05
Transplanted liver cells can produce insulin
Insulin is produced by islet cells in the pancreas, but scientists have been able to persuade adult liver cells to do the same thing. Moreover, insulin production goes up in response to glucose levels, mimicking what happens in the body...
05/17/05
More transplants urged for liver cancer
Inform patients with stage III hepatocellular carcinoma that this study suggests that liver transplantation surgery might be an option. Emphasize, however, that current guidelines recommend transplanting livers only into patients with stage I or II disease...
05/17/05
Young cancer survivors face burdens
Two-thirds of children who survive cancer develop other chronic health problems, such as heart disease and blindness, because of radiation and the treatments that saved their lives, according to new research...
05/17/05
Sealants reduce playground cancer risk
Sealants can help reduce the cancer risk from arsenic-treated wood found primarily in playground equipment and backyard decks, government scientists report...
05/15/05
Breast cancer drug may help prostate
A drug used to treat breast cancer may also help prostate cancer from developing in men who have precancerous lesions, researchers reported on Saturday...
05/15/05
Nicotine vaccine helps smokers quit
An experimental vaccine against nicotine helped smokers kick the habit, Swiss researchers reported on Saturday...
05/15/05
Adjuvant Gemzar Slows Pancreatic Cancer Progression
This study reports the efficacy of Gemzar as an adjuvant treatment for resected pancreatic cancer. Patients who inquire about this treatment should be advised that the drug is not FDA approved for this indication...
05/15/05
Depression Linked to Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Young Adults
A large population-based study found depression to be associated with an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Physicians may want to consider depression as another risk factor for developing diabetes in adults who are 20 to 50 years old...
05/13/05
Remicade reduces rheumatoid arthritis damage
Some people with rheumatoid arthritis being treated with Remicade may feel little improvement but they may still benefit from this therapy, which appears to protect against joint damage, according to European and US researchers...
05/13/05
Cataract surgery may improve driving ability
Surgery for cataracts can help older drivers see the road more clearly, and may get some former drivers behind the wheel again, new research shows...
05/13/05
New drug shown to help control diabetes
For people with type 2 diabetes whose blood sugar is inadequately controlled when they're on two oral anti-diabetes medicines, the addition of an injected drug called exenatide is helpful, researchers report...
05/13/05
Critics want to snuff sweet smokes
Flavored cigarettes have names that sound like exotic drinks -- Winter Warm Toffee, Twista Chill and Kauai Kolada -- and are advertised on the pages of glossy magazines -- Rolling Stone, Glamour and Elle...
05/12/05
When moms work nights
Today's 24/7 economy could be taking a toll on couples in dual-income families but also could hold some unexpected benefits for children in the families, new research suggests...
05/12/05
Sodas Keep Child Obesity Soaring
The ballooning weight of American youth may be driven, at least in part, by the sugary fizz of soda pop...
05/12/05
Early therapy slows HIV progression in babies
Very early treatment of babies infected with HIV -- before age 3 months -- is associated with better outcomes than when treatment is delayed, investigators report in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association...
05/12/05
Consumer Reports rates diets
Meetings and shakes trump counting carbs when it comes to long-term weight loss, according to a recent analysis of diets by Consumer Reports magazine...
05/11/05
Arena obesity drug proves effective in short study
Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc. on Wednesday said its experimental obesity drug was effective in helping patients lose weight in a short-term, mid-stage clinical trial, sending its shares up more than 22 percent...
05/11/05
Drug mix boosts pancreatic cancer survival
Pancreatic cancer patients who are given a combination of chemotherapy drugs survive longer than those prescribed a single treatment, Italian researchers said on Tuesday...
05/11/05
New scan for breast cancer screening
An investigational scanning technology called electrical impedance scanning (EIS) is showing promise as a way to screen high-risk women under age 40 for early breast cancer...
05/11/05
New ovarian cancer test
A blood test that measures four proteins predicts early ovarian cancer with far more accuracy than any currently available methods, according to team from Yale and two other centers...
05/10/05
Soda, sleeping pills tied to nighttime heartburn
Cutting back on carbonated soft drinks may help heartburn sufferers sleep more soundly, a study published Monday suggests...
05/10/05
Blood test accurately detects early ovarian cancer
US researchers may have come up with a test that reliably detects ovarian cancer in its early stages, when it is more easily curable...
05/10/05
Aspirin may improve recovery after heart bypass
People who are taking aspirin regularly to thin their blood and are about to undergo coronary artery bypass surgery are usually told to stop the aspirin a week before the operation -- but they could be better off if they keep taking it...
05/10/05
Runners find union of exercise, nature
Laura Clark hit the trail running years ago and never looked back. She runs the woodsy trails near her upstate New York home, up Adirondack mountains and on rollercoaster courses up and down through the Berkshires of Massachusetts...
05/09/05
Utah Study Links Obesity and Bad Knees
As Americans continue to get bigger, you can add knee problems to the list of ailments they are likely to face after lugging around extra pounds...
05/09/05
Active older patients demanding surgery
Vito Buffalo didn't let his age stand in the way of open spine surgery to relieve his back pain. The 73-year-old retired butcher from Wauconda, Illinois, said he needs to feel good because he leads an 18-piece swing band...
05/08/05
Chronic pain: The enemy within
Mary Vargas spent her last pain-free moments driving down a country road to visit a Connecticut flower farm. She was 23 and newly married, a law student about to start a summer job. It was the day after Independence Day, 1996...
05/08/05
Metabolic syndrome brings big costs
Americans with metabolic syndrome — a condition marked by big waistlines, diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol problems — account for $4 of every $10 spent on prescription drugs for adults, according to a study...
05/08/05
CDC warns of dangerous outbreak from small pets
Furry "pocket pets" like hamsters, mice and rats have sickened up to 30 people in at least 10 states with dangerous multidrug-resistant bacteria, health officials are warning...
05/07/05
Survey finds Americans prefer 'safer' older drugs
Concerned by recently discovered dangers of relatively new arthritis and depression drugs, most Americans would prefer a drug that has been on the market at least a decade, according to a new survey...
05/06/05
Kids' cancer brings choices
Ashton Schaffer was 2 when his parents were forced to make a choice that would affect the rest of his life. Their only son, a round-faced toddler with dimples and big brown eyes, had been diagnosed with aggressive leukemia...
05/06/05
Natural enzyme helps mice live longer in study
Mice genetically engineered to produce a human antioxidant enzyme lived longer than normal mice, which U.S. scientists on Thursday cited as evidence that antioxidants can counteract the effects of aging and disease...
05/06/05
Immune system, blood altered in autism
Children with autism show different immune system responses from children without the condition, and these might be measured in the blood for a possible screening test, U.S. researchers reported on Thursday...
05/06/05
Morphine for chest pain worsens death risk
High-risk heart attack patients given morphine for their chest pain have almost a 50 percent higher risk of dying, U.S. researchers reported on Thursday...
05/05/05
Clinton Takes on Childhood Obesity
Former President Clinton and Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee — two politicians whose love of junk food landed them in the hospital — are hoping to help the next generation shape up...
05/05/05
Immune system, blood altered in autism
Children with autism show different immune system responses from children without the condition, and these might be measured in the blood for a possible screening test, U.S. researchers reported on Thursday...
05/05/05
Switching depression treatment can help
Depressed individuals who fail to respond to initial treatment with an antidepressant or psychotherapy may do better if they are switched to the alternative treatment, new study findings suggest...
05/05/05
Youths risk mental health with pot use
The earlier a young person uses marijuana the greater the risk for mental health problems later in life, the director of National Drug Control Policy said Tuesday, basing his conclusion on a survey of medical research...
05/04/05
California Lauded for Anti-Obesity Efforts
None of the 50 states received on 'A' on a report card grading legislative efforts to control obesity...
05/04/05
Health officials unsure about flu vaccine
The flu vaccine supply for the upcoming 2005-2006 influenza season is still uncertain, with one maker racing to fix a closed factory and others trying to win new U.S. licenses, health officials said on Wednesday...
05/04/05
Switching depression treatment can help
Depressed individuals who fail to respond to initial treatment with an antidepressant or psychotherapy may do better if they are switched to the alternative treatment, new study findings suggest...
05/04/05
Some prostate cancer best left alone
Men diagnosed with the least dangerous, localized prostate cancer have only a minimal risk of dying from the disease over the following 20 years, one of the largest and longest studies on the issue found on Tuesday...
05/03/05
Researchers Work on Anti-HIV Contraceptive
Eastern Virginia Medical School has received $24 million to finish testing a new contraceptive gel that also fights HIV infection...
05/03/05
Clinton Announces Childhood Obesity Plan
At a school in Harlem, two men from Arkansas who know a thing or two about dieting declared war on childhood obesity, which they said could doom youngsters to heart disease, diabetes and shortened life spans...
05/03/05
Obesity spreads to higher incomes
The poor are most likely to be fat, but the more affluent are closing the gap. Obesity is growing fastest among Americans who make more than $60,000 a year, researchers reported Monday...
05/02/05
Myriad's Alzheimer's drug misses targets in trial
Myriad Genetics Inc. on Monday said its drug Flurizan failed to effect a significant improvement in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, though some benefit was seen in certain patients with mild forms of the disease...
05/02/05
FDA OKs lizard-derived diabetes drug
Type 2 diabetics got a new option to help control their blood sugar Friday, a drug derived from the saliva of the Gila monster -- but one that must be injected twice a day...
05/01/05
Extreme obesity has ever-rising health risks
When the fat get even fatter, their risk of death jumps, too, especially if they have an apple-shaped waistline...
05/01/05
50 pounds overweight is still risky
Now that the government says fat might not kill so many of us after all, is it OK to be just a little pudgy?...
04/29/05
Influenza Vaccine Safe at Any Stage of Pregnancy
Women in the second and third trimester of pregnancy can safely be immunized against influenza, according to a new study...
04/29/05
Womb Cancer Risk Varies by HRT Type
Certain types of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) increase a woman's risk of endometrial cancer, research suggests...
04/29/05
Radical Diets Can Lead to Obesity
Adolescent girls who are depressed or try radical dieting like vomiting are more likely to become obese than those who eat high-fat foods or sometimes gorge themselves, a four-year study suggests...
04/29/05
Middle-Age Obesity Predicts Old-Age Dementia
Obesity in middle age, already associated with a risk of early mortality, also seems to have a link with a fate worse than death -- dementia...
04/29/05
Doctors seeing more melanoma in kids
Doctors used to think that it took years for the deadliest skin cancer to develop -- that is, until melanoma started appearing in teenagers and children even younger...
04/27/05
Are Seniors Healthier?
Older Americans have seen modest improvements in their quality of life over the past decade, but many health and economic gains have been slow or uneven, a new AARP report finds...
04/27/05
Hepatitis C Can Be Sexually Transmitted
The virus that causes hepatitis C (HCV) can be sexually transmitted and the risk is directly related to the frequency of intercourse, the findings from a new study suggest. However, the association does not seem to be very strong...
04/27/05
Exercise as Good as Surgery for Shoulder Injury
Surgery is not superior to graded exercise training for treatment of rotator cuff injury, according to results of a comparative trial conducted in Denmark...
04/27/05
3 percent follow health advice
Only 3 percent of Americans follow health advice to keep the weight off, exercise regularly, eat five or more servings of fruit and vegetables a day and avoid smoking, according to a report issued Monday...
04/26/05
After Immunizing Your Child
After your child is immunized against childhood diseases like measles, mumps, and polio, what happens when you get home and your child is in pain or has a reaction? The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests...
04/26/05
Chest X-rays could yield osteoporosis clues
A closer examination of the common chest X-ray could reveal osteoporosis in older patients not previously diagnosed with the brittle bone disease, according to a study published on Monday...
04/26/05
Man who sought new liver on billboards dies
A man who got a new liver by advertising on billboards has died eight months after a transplant...
04/26/05
Girls are abusing steroids, too
An alarming number of American girls, some as young as 9, are using bodybuilding steroids -- not necessarily to get an edge on the playing field, but to get the toned, sculpted look of models and movie stars, experts say...
04/26/05
Antibody may treat West Nile
Targeted proteins called monoclonal antibodies may work to treat West Nile virus, a mosquito-borne disease that came to North America in 1999, researchers said Sunday...
04/25/05
Urinary Tract Infections
Signs and symptoms of urinary tract infections (UTIs) vary, depending on the age of the child and on which part of the urinary tract is infected. In younger children and infants, especially those too young to tell you how they feel, the symptoms may be very general. The child may seem irritable, begin to feed poorly, or vomit. Sometimes the only symptom is a fever that seems to appear for no reason and doesn't go away...
04/25/05
After Immunizing Your Child
After your child is immunized against childhood diseases like measles, mumps, and polio, what happens when you get home and your child is in pain or has a reaction? The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests...
04/25/05
Sponge Contraceptive Returning to Market
A contraceptive sponge for women is returning to the U.S. market for the first time in a decade, the manufacturer said on Friday...
04/25/05
Hibernation might lead to new treatments
It sounds like science fiction, yet an experiment in which mice were forced into hibernation and then revived with no apparent ill effects, might ultimately lead to new ways to treat the critically ill...
04/25/05
Alzheimer's study promising
The first attempt at gene therapy for Alzheimer's patients appeared to significantly delay worsening of the disease in a few people who have tested it so far, scientists reported Sunday...
04/23/05
Gene Variant Yields Clues to Brain Cancer
A specific genetic trait appears to double the survival rate of patients with the deadly brain cancer glioblastoma multiforme, researchers report...
04/23/05
New Weapon Against Alzheimer's Found
Regular infusions of plasma-derived antibodies appear to reduce levels of Alzheimer's disease-causing brain plaques while improving patients' thinking ability, researchers report...
04/23/05
Pain Course Helps Cancer Patients and Partners
Involving both patients with end-stage cancer and their caregivers in a pain control program has benefits for both, results of a pilot study suggest...
04/23/05
80-Year-Olds Do Well with Heart Artery Bypass
Many people in their 80s benefit as much as younger patients from surgery to bypass blocked coronary arteries, according to New York-based researchers...
04/21/05
Processed Meats May Up Cancer Risk
Heavy consumption of processed meats such as hot dogs and sausages increases the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, according to a study of nearly 200,000 men and women in Hawaii and Southern California...
04/21/05
Tonsillectomy Helps Kids' Sleep Apnea
The surgical removal of tonsils and adenoid tissue helps improve sleep and quality of life for children with obstructive sleep apnea, researchers report...
04/21/05
Radical Diets Can Lead to Obesity
Adolescent girls who are depressed or try radical dieting like vomiting are more likely to become obese than those who eat high-fat foods or sometimes gorge themselves, a four-year study suggests...
04/21/05
Antibiotics Don't Prevent Repeat Heart Attacks
Yet another study has shown that antibiotics do not prevent repeat heart attacks or related problems in patients with heart disease...
04/21/05
Teens becoming 'Generation Rx'
The nation's teenagers are increasingly trying prescription drugs such as Vicodin and OxyContin to get high, with the pill-popping members of "Generation Rx" often raiding their parents' medicine cabinets, according to the latest national study by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America...
04/20/05
Violence-Related Stress May Harm Kids' Health
The stress some young children suffer after being exposed to violence in their neighborhoods or homes may have repercussions for their physical health, according to a new study...
04/20/05
Cervical Cancer Virus Reactivates Sometimes
The virus that causes cervical cancer can be reactivated after lying quiet in the body for years, which can help explain why HIV-infected women are vulnerable to the cancer, U.S. researchers reported on Wednesday...
04/20/05
Study casts more doubt on painkillers
Smokers who regularly took certain popular pain killers cut their risk of developing oral cancer but increased their chances of dying from heart-related problems, according to a study that raises fresh questions about the long-term use of Advil, Motrin and Aleve...
04/20/05
Obesity death risk overstated
Packing on the pounds is not nearly as deadly as the government thought, according to a new calculation from the CDC that found people who are modestly overweight actually have a lower risk of death than those of normal weight...
04/19/05
Seniors don't follow prescription orders
Two of every five senior citizens don't follow their doctors' orders, sometimes because of cost, sometimes because they just don't want to...
04/19/05
Antibody Promising Against Variety of Cancers
An antibody called Sphingomab shows promise in treating some of the most deadly kinds of tumors, according to studies presented Monday at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Anaheim, Calif...
04/19/05
Obesity: Bad For Men, Women and Kids
Obesity increases the risk of heart disease, and it doesn't matter whether you're a man or a woman...
04/19/05
Statins cut prostate cancer risk
In an observational study, men taking statins were less likely to develop advanced prostate cancer. Statins are approved for lowering cholesterol, but are not approved to prevent prostate cancer...
04/19/05
Food pyramid changing; will Americans?
A makeover for the food pyramid -- that triangle-shaped guide to better eating -- might renew interest in healthy habits, but officials say it likely will take time to make a difference for America's growing girth...
04/18/05
Congress to consider birth control bill
Reports of pharmacists with particular religious and moral beliefs denying prescriptions for birth control have prompted legislation that would ensure all prescriptions are filled...
04/18/05
Almost 11 million kids die by 5
Almost 11 million children in developing countries die before the age of five, most of them from causes that are preventable in wealthier countries, the World Bank said in a report released Sunday...
04/18/05
Experts Say Americans Are Overmedicating
About 130 million Americans swallow, inject, inhale, infuse, spray, and pat on prescribed medication every month, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates. Americans buy much more medicine per person than any other country...
04/18/05
Antibody Promising Against Variety of Cancers
An antibody called Sphingomab shows promise in treating some of the most deadly kinds of tumors, according to studies presented Monday at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Anaheim, Calif...
04/15/05
Worm Eggs Improve Bowel Disorder
Ingesting the eggs of Trichuris suis, an intestinal worm, appears to be a safe and effective treatment for active ulcerative colitis, new research shows...
04/15/05
Obesity Can Be Real Headache
Widening waistlines may increase the chances of frequent, painful headaches, new research findings suggest...
04/15/05
Vigorous Activity May Lessen Arthritis Disability
Older people with arthritis are more likely to hang on to good physical function if they exercise on a regular basis, a new study suggests...
04/15/05
Will ephedra products return to stores?
A federal judge has struck down the FDA ban on supplements containing ephedra, a weight-loss aid linked to dozens of deaths, but it's too early to tell whether the product will be back in stores anytime soon...
04/15/05
Past anxiety linked to Parkinson's
With the help of a decades old database, doctors have bridged past anxiety and negativism with the development of Parkinson's disease and parkinsonism years later...
04/14/05
Electricity Delivers Gene to Fight Melanoma
Promising new gene therapy against skin cancer, in which researchers use electricity to open skin pores and deliver an immune-bosting gene, is now being readied for clinical trials...
04/14/05
FDA panel recommends lifting implant ban
In a surprising turnaround, federal health advisers Wednesday recommended allowing silicone-gel breast implants to return to the U.S. market after a 13-year ban on most uses of the devices -- but only under strict conditions that will limit how easily women can get them...
04/14/05
Herbal Remedies for Arthritis Can Be Risky
People with arthritis are more likely than others to be using herbal remedies, and this increases the chances of serious interactions with prescribed medications, a British study shows...
04/14/05
Ibuprofen May Protect Against Parkinson's
Ibuprofen, one of the most popular over-the-counter pain relievers, may help prevent or delay the onset of Parkinson's disease, new research suggests...
04/13/05
Protein Helps Control Cancer's Spread
A little-known protein called Fra-1 appears to control the malignancy of brain cancer cells and could be a new target for drugs that fight a wide range of tumors, researchers say...
04/13/05
Why Adolescent Girls Become Obese
There are lots of reasons why adolescent girls grow obese, but apparently binge-eating and physical inactivity aren't important ones...
04/13/05
Lowfat diets might deprive kids vitamins
Lowfat diets might be fine for adults, but at least one small study suggests grown-ups using that approach for their families could be depriving young children of vitamins they need...
04/13/05
Brand-name drug prices soar
U.S. prices for brand-name drugs on average rose at 2.5 times the rate of inflation last year, while generic drug prices remained flat, according to a study released Tuesday by the nation's largest lobby for the elderly...
04/13/05
Silcone implants stay banned
Silicone-gel breast implants haven't been proven safe enough to lift a 13-year near-ban on their use, federal health advisers narrowly ruled Tuesday...
04/11/05
Polio vaccine, 50 years later
Fifty years ago Tuesday, on April 12, 1955, scientists announced that the polio vaccine developed by Jonas Salk could prevent the disease that paralyzed children and struck fear in parents' hearts every summer...
04/11/05
U.S. Experts to Reconsider Breast Implant Safety
Silicone breast implants, banned for most U.S. women since 1992 due to health concerns, will come under scrutiny again starting on Monday as a panel of health experts weighs whether new data shows they are safe enough to be widely marketed...
04/11/05
Scientists to Study Berries, Oral Cancer
University of Kentucky and Ohio State researchers are conducting a test to see if a common fruit is useful in slowing or preventing oral cancer. Scientists believe the black raspberry carries two acids that can inhibit tumor growth...
04/11/05
Knowing When Prescription Drugs Are Safe
Safety tips to help consumers know their prescription drugs are safe and effective are contained in a new guide released by the Partnership for Safe Medicine, a U.S. national coalition of patient, doctor, pharmacist, industry and professional organizations...
04/09/05
Infertility's Emotional Toll
Infertility often is a complicated medical problem that can trigger many emotions. The experience can spark reminders of unresolved emotional issues, and may launch a major assault on a person's self esteem...
04/09/05
Avoiding Obesity
You can eat healthy when dining out if you know how, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says in its obesity guidelines...
04/09/05
Peanut Allergy Linked to Lupin Flour Allergy
People with peanut allergy may also be allergic to lupin flour, which is increasingly being added to human food products, British investigators report in The Lancet medical journal...
04/09/05
Diabetes Ups Urinary Infection Risk in Older Women
Rates of urinary tract infection (UTI) are higher among postmenopausal women with diabetes than among those without diabetes, researchers report...
04/07/05
Drug-Resistant Staph Cases Rising
Dangerous drug-resistant staph infections are showing up at an alarming rate outside hospitals and nursing homes in the United States. New research found that in one part of the country, as many as one in five infections were picked up out in the community...
04/07/05
Smoking, Extra Weight Decrease Odds of IVF Success
Smoking reduces the chances that women undergoing IVF fertility treatment will have a baby -- equivalent to aging them ten years...
04/07/05
New Obesity Treatment Guidelines
The nation's leading group of internists has issued new guidelines to better equip physicians to help stem the rising tide of obesity in America...
04/07/05
FDA to reconsider breast implant ban
The government is considering lifting a ban on most silicone-gel breast implants, but federal scientists question whether there's enough evidence indicating how long the devices will last inside a woman's body -- or what health risks may result if they break...
04/06/05
Kids who watch TV more likely to bully
The more television 4-year-old children watch the more likely they are to become bullies later on in school, a U.S. study said on Monday...
04/06/05
Asking teens about suicide eases their distress
Asking teenagers about suicide won't make them more likely to contemplate it, as some parents and school officials fear, a study suggests...
04/06/05
Obesity costs California $21.7 billion
California, the land of body worshippers and vegetarians, is getting alarmingly fat, with more than half of all adults overweight, according to a study released Tuesday...
04/05/05
Walking Tips for Seniors
Walking is the most popular form of exercise in the United States. The average American takes between 8,000 and 10,000 steps per day. Podiatrists tout walking as one of the best exercises for your feet because it contributes to circulation, maintains weight control, and promotes overall good health...
04/05/05
Older Air Bags Could Increase Risk
Children wearing safety belts who are exposed to older air bags in frontal crashes face a higher risk of serious injury compared with those in vehicles with newer versions of the safety devices, a study released Monday found...
04/05/05
New Hope Against Inoperable Liver
The phrase "we can't operate" may sound like a death knell to many cancer patients, particularly the hundreds of thousands of Americans diagnosed each year with lung or liver malignancies...
04/05/05
Extra Zinc in Diet Linked to Mental Acuity
Seventh-graders whose daily diets were supplemented with 20 mg of zinc per day showed greater mental acuity than did classmates who received no additional zinc, researchers reported here today...
04/05/05
Teens underestimate hearing threat
Most teenagers and young adults don't think hearing loss from listening to loud music is a big problem, even though three out of five have had ringing in their ears after concerts, according to a study released on Monday...
04/04/05
Bush Order Allows Isolation of Those with Bird Flu
President Bush issued a directive on Friday allowing authorities to detain or isolate any passenger suspected of having avian flu when arriving in the United States aboard an international flight...
04/04/05
Bipolar Disorder in Children
Bipolar disorder (also known as manic-depression) is a serious but treatable medical illness. It is a disorder of the brain marked by extreme changes in mood, energy, thinking and behavior...
04/04/05
Fruit, Veggies Tied to Lower Pancreatic Cancer Risk
New research from Canada suggests that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables may help prevent pancreatic cancer, a particularly deadly type of tumor...
04/03/05
Surgical Infection Rates Lower in Elderly
Risks for infection at the site of surgery appear to rise each year until age 65, when the risk steadily begins to decline, a new study reports...
04/03/05
Statins Do More Than Lower Cholesterol
There's more evidence statin drugs, which include popular medications like Lipitor, Pravachol and Zocor, prevent heart attack and stroke by means other than lowering blood cholesterol...
04/03/05
Memory Remains Intact in Type 1 Diabetics
Some areas of cognitive function, or thinking ability, are impaired in patients with type 1 diabetes, but learning and memory remain intact, Dutch investigators report...
04/01/05
Day Care Diseases
Most parents work at least part-time, either for personal growth or for financial survival -- which means their young children need to be cared for by someone else. This care typically takes place in an environment that puts their child in close contact with other children, and at increased risk of infection...
04/01/05
More drug-resistant HIV cases investigated
Health officials have identified several patients potentially infected with a rare strain of highly drug-resistant HIV, but are not sure if the cases are related...
04/01/05
Hopes rise on arthritis discovery
Australian scientists have identified an enzyme that destroys cartilage in mice and believe the find may lead to new drugs which stop cartilage joint deterioration and painful arthritis in humans...
04/01/05
Half of cancer deaths preventable
More than 60 percent of all cancer deaths could be prevented if Americans stopped smoking, exercised more, ate healthier food and got recommended cancer screenings, the American Cancer Society reported on Thursday...
03/29/05
Stretching Before Exercise May Not Always Be Best
Although stretching is part of the warm-up routine of athletes everywhere, the practice may actually be counterproductive in certain cases, research suggests...
03/29/05
Many Veterans Overweight and Obese
Three quarters of male veterans and two thirds of female veterans receiving medical care at a Veterans Affairs outpatient facility are obese or overweight, a slightly higher rate than that of the general population, according to a new survey of nearly 2 million veterans...
03/29/05
Whole grains easiest food guideline to follow
Go ahead, have a piece of bread. Have three. Make it whole-grain, and you'll be following government advice for eating right...
03/29/05
Scan could aid brain cancer treatment
A special type of MRI scan could help doctors and patients decide quickly whether treatment for brain tumors is doing any good, U.S. researchers reported Monday...
03/29/05
Survey: 3 in 4 have sleep problems
Getting a good night's sleep is hard for many adults and that often means poorer health, lower productivity on the job, more danger on the roads and a less vibrant sex life, according to a report released Tuesday...
03/28/05
Compound may end cat allergies
A new chemical compound, part-cat and part-human, may provide an end to misery-making cat allergies, U.S. researchers reported Sunday...
03/28/05
HIV quickly kills immune cells
Within days of infection, the AIDS virus destroys more than half of the immune cells that might recognize and help fight it -- a finding that may force a re-evaluation of how to tackle the deadly infection, two teams of U.S. researchers reported Sunday...
03/26/05
Pneumonia Vaccine Could Save Lives
New research has confirmed that an experimental pneumonia vaccine specially formulated for the developing world could save the lives of children in Africa. However, the vaccine is unlikely to have any future because its manufacturer, Collegeville, Pa.-based Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, has decided instead to pursue a more broadly protective vaccine targeting 13 strains of the pneumonia bug...
03/25/05
Abbott Says Withdrawing Attention Deficit Drug
Abbott Laboratories Inc. said Thursday it was halting sales of a 30-year-old attention deficit drug that a consumer group complained was too dangerous to stay on the market...
03/25/05
How Alzheimer's Patients, Families Cope
An Alzheimer's diagnosis can be devastating for patients and their loved ones...
03/25/05
Doctors debate Schiavo's condition
An affidavit filed this week that questions whether Terri Schiavo is in a persistent vegetative state is not the first time that diagnosis has been challenged in court. But the last time doctors fought it out in front of a judge, the diagnosis was upheld...
03/24/05
Safety concerns grow over pharmacy-mixed drugs
Like millions of Americans, Margaret Copeland's 5-year-old son, Will, relies on prescription medications for his asthma and inhales the drugs daily with the help of a small, tabletop machine...
03/24/05
Backpack Injuries
Overloaded backpacks used by children have received a lot of attention from parents, doctors, school administrators and the media in recent years...
03/24/05
What to Do About Menopause?
Menopause does not usually cause severe symptoms apart from hot flashes, and little is known about alternatives to hormone replacement therapy with its risks of cancer and heart attack, experts said on Wednesday...
03/23/05
Blood Compound Won't Predict Colon Cancer Risk
hile levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) are increasingly used as an inflammation marker for cardiovascular disease, they won't help predict colorectal cancer risk in women, researchers find...
03/23/05
Sleep Apnea Kills After Midnight
Patients with sleep apnea are more likely to die from heart attacks at night, while sleeping, than in the day, which is the time when everyone else is most vulnerable, U.S. researchers reported on Wednesday...
03/23/05
More teens abusing inhalants
More than a million American teenagers intentionally inhale the vapors of common household products like hairspray, shoe polish and glue each year and the number is rising, government officials say...
03/23/05
States weigh covering obesity surgery
Jacqueline Ezell says she felt as if she were drowning when she was rushed to the hospital four years ago...
03/23/05
Fading memories
The capitals of all 50 states. The name of your second-grade teacher. The location of your keys...
03/21/05
Symptoms of Autism
With autism on the rise -- as many as 12 in every 10,000 children (boys more than girls) -- how can a parent tell if their child is autistic or if they have some other mental health disorder?...
03/21/05
Maggots: Coming to a Hospital Near You
Phyllis Hulme's family and friends were aghast when she told them doctors planned to put maggots on her leg ulcer...
03/21/05
Lower-sugar cereal no advantage
New reduced-sugar versions of popular children's breakfast cereals -- everything from Froot Loops to Frosted Flakes -- certainly sound promising, but consumers might want to hold off chiming in when Tony the Tiger says, "They're Gr-r-reat!"...
03/21/05
What happens to patients without feeding tubes
According to LifePath Hospice, this is the general process of death for patients whose food and hydration tubes are withdrawn...
03/20/05
Rubella no longer a threat
German measles, which expectant mothers once feared contracting because of prenatal complications, is no longer a health threat in the United States, federal authorities say...
03/20/05
Book warns of 'Diabesity'
A decade ago, a child with type 2 diabetes would be such a rarity that the case probably would be written up in a medical journal, says pediatric endocrinologist Francine Kaufman. Today, such children fill her clinic at Children's Hospital in Los Angeles...
03/19/05
Gene May Be New Cancer Treatment Target
Canadian scientists have honed in on a gene that may provide a whole new target for cancer therapies...
03/19/05
Hostility More Common in Young Heart Patients
People under age 50 with heart disease are significantly more hostile than older patients, which perhaps places an extra burden on their heart, according to new study findings...
03/19/05
Caffeine Impairs Sugar Metabolism
Caffeine intake makes insulin more resistant to changes in blood sugar levels, Canadian researchers report. This effect was observed both in patients with and those without diabetes and could not be reversed with regular exercise or weight...
03/19/05
Dialysis nurse donates kidney to patient
Kay Plozizka found it hard to see her patients suffering when she was blessed with such good health...
03/17/05
Protein Key to Skin Cancer Spread Found
A study of children with a particularly nasty skin disease has identified a protein that enables the deadly spread of a common skin cancer...
03/17/05
Obesity to Lower U.S. Life Span
U.S. life expectancy will fall dramatically in coming years because of obesity, a startling shift in a long-running trend toward longer lives, researchers contend in a report published Thursday...
03/17/05
Acupuncture Shown to Relieve Pelvic Pregnancy Pain
Acupuncture and exercise can help relieve pelvic pain during pregnancy, Swedish researchers said on Friday...
03/17/05
Sleep Problem Raises Heart Attack Risk
People who suffer from an illness that disrupts their breathing while they sleep are more likely to suffer a fatal heart attack or stroke, Spanish researchers said on Friday...
03/16/05
AIDS Cocktails Prevent Cancer
Drug cocktails taken to control the AIDS virus may not only keep patients healthy but may protect them against some cancers caused by the infection, international researchers said on Tuesday...
03/16/05
Radiation for Breast Cancer Now Less Toxic to Heart
Radiation therapy for breast cancer is known to raise the risk of death from heart disease, but new research shows that this complication has become less common over the years, presumably due to improvements in radiation techniques...
03/16/05
Large vitamin E doses risky
Large doses of vitamin E -- widely touted as an elixir of youth -- do not protect against heart attacks and cancer and might actually raise the risk of heart failure in people with diabetes or clogged arteries, a study found...
03/16/05
Clinton leaves hospital after surgery
Former President Clinton left the hospital Monday, four days after undergoing surgery to remove scar tissue and fluid around his left lung...
03/15/05
Brain's Own Stem Cells Might Fight Alzheimer's
Like many neurodegenerative illnesses, Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the uncontrolled death of precious brain cells. But in their unique ability to develop into any cell type, stem cells have long held out the tantalizing hope of replenishing neurons lost to the disease, a process called neurogenesis...
03/15/05
Drug Stops Cancer in Its Tracks
An experimental drug that stops cancer cell division and triggers tumor death has been developed by researchers at Temple University...
03/15/05
Obesity Ups Child's Asthma Risk
Obese children are more likely to suffer asthma and wheezing than other children, according to a new study...
03/15/05
Anti-Cancer Compound in Green Tea Identified
Spanish and British scientists have discovered how green tea helps to prevent certain types of cancer...
03/15/05
90 minutes of exercise? Yeah, right
Sixty to 90 minutes of exercise? Every day? That's what the government now suggests...
03/14/05
Brain's Own Stem Cells Might Fight Alzheimer's
Like many neurodegenerative illnesses, Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the uncontrolled death of precious brain cells. But in their unique ability to develop into any cell type, stem cells have long held out the tantalizing hope of replenishing neurons lost to the disease, a process called neurogenesis...
03/14/05
Help Prevent Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer is more common among men than women and among whites than blacks. While there is no certain way to prevent the disease, the chances for survival are very good if it's found and treated early...
03/14/05
New Therapy May Help Nerve-Wasting Disease
A new approach to treating disease by interfering with faulty genes may help patients with an incurable nerve-wasting illness called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, researchers in Britain and Switzerland reported on Sunday...
03/14/05
Child obesity grows faster in rural areas
When Ray Crawford walks down the hallway of his school, the beefy, 240-pound sophomore says he doesn't stand out much. Many of his classmates are heavy, too...
03/12/05
Won't Ban Junk-Food Ads for Kids,
The U.S. government will not ban or limit junk-food advertising to children, but wants the industry to set new guidelines to promote healthy eating and minimize obesity, a top regulator said on Friday...
03/12/05
Heart Pumps Bring Hope to Young Patients
An experimental, child-size artificial heart pump may be saving the lives of children awaiting heart transplants, doctors say...
03/12/05
Some 'Senior Moments' Are Signs of Epilepsy
Memory blanks, losing train of thought, temporary confusion -- all are often chalked up to "senioritis" once people reach a certain age. But these symptoms can also be a warning sign of the seizure disorder epilepsy, experts said Friday...
03/12/05
Computers can't cure all medical errors
Using computers to prescribe drugs has helped doctors curb dangerous errors caused by messy handwriting and bureaucratic mishaps, but the technology can create its share of mistakes, a study has found...
03/11/05
AIDS Pioneer Calls for 'Therapeutic' Vaccine
Scientists should first develop a so-called therapeutic vaccine to treat people already infected with HIV before moving on to a preventative one, the co-discoverer of the AIDS virus said on Friday...
03/11/05
Gene Mutation Linked to Elderly Blindness
A gene mutation has been linked to age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the elderly, by three sets of researchers working independently. An estimated 15 million Americans suffer from the disorder, a number expected to double as the baby boom generation ages...
03/11/05
MRI Scans Could Have Antidepressant Effect
High-speed magnetic resonance imaging scans produce effects in rats similar to the use of antidepressants, confirming observations made in human patients, U.S. researchers reported on Thursday...
03/11/05
FDA issues warnings on eczema drugs
The Food and Drug Administration issued an advisory to doctors Thursday urging caution in prescribing two drugs for eczema because of the possibility of cancer...
03/11/05
Cancer no longer rare in poorer countries
Poor countries have cancer rates much closer to those of rich nations, reversing a long-held belief among medical researchers, a study released Thursday reports...
03/09/05
Diabetics At Higher Liver Cancer Risk
People with diabetes face triple the risk of liver cancer compared to non-diabetics, according to a large U.S. study...
03/09/05
Many Kids Get Immunized Too Late
While overall U.S. immunization rates are high, many toddlers get their recommended shots several months or more late — delays that have probably contributed to some illnesses and deaths, a government study suggests...
03/09/05
Stents 'remarkable' in heart treatment
New research comparing rival brands of drug-coated, tiny mesh tubes called stents finds they are equally excellent at keeping heart arteries open, and that one may be better for diabetics...
03/09/05
Clinton to have follow-up to heart surgery
Former President Clinton will undergo surgery this week to drain fluid and remove scar tissue from the left part of his chest, physicians said Tuesday...
03/08/05
Lack of Insulin Linked to Alzheimer's
Two potentially significant discoveries about insulin may shed new light on how Alzheimer's disease ravages the brain, and might one day lead to new treatments...
03/08/05
U.S. Autism Rates Rise Sharply
The apparent rise in the proportion of children in the United States with autism appears to be real, a new analysis suggests...
03/08/05
Pfizer Says High-Dose Lipitor Cut Heart Attacks
Patients with coronary heart disease who took high doses of Pfizer Inc.'s cholesterol-lowering medicine Lipitor had fewer heart attacks and strokes, according to study presented on Tuesday...
03/08/05
Lung Cancer No Longer Just a Man's Disease
The stereotype that lung cancer mainly affects men needs to be revised, new study findings show...
03/08/05
New anti-smoking drugs promising
Researchers are racing to develop a potentially lucrative drug that would make smoking as treatable as erectile dysfunction, high cholesterol and acid reflux disease...
03/07/05
Childhood Cancer: Lymphoma
The term lymphoma refers to cancers that originate in the body's lymphatic tissues. Lymphatic tissues include the lymph nodes (also called lymph glands), thymus, spleen, tonsils, adenoids, and bone marrow, as well as the channels (called lymphatics or lymph vessels) that connect them. Although many types of cancer eventually spread to parts of the lymphatic system, lymphomas are distinct because they actually originate there...
03/07/05
U.S. Autism Rates Rise Sharply
The apparent rise in the proportion of children in the United States with autism appears to be real, a new analysis suggests...
03/07/05
Aspirin Therapy Affects Men, Women Differently
Taking a baby aspirin may prevent heart attacks in men, but it does little to ward off a first heart attack in women aged 45 to 64, researchers reported Monday...
03/07/05
Unconventional cold remedies big sellers
Standing inside a downtown Chicago chain drugstore, shopper Beth McClanahan considered the product Zicam...
03/07/05
Milk alone not best for bones
Children who drink more milk do not necessarily develop healthier bones, researchers said on Monday in a report that stresses exercise and modest consumption of calcium-rich foods such as tofu...
03/04/05
Higher Maternal Weight Ups Likelihood of Twins
In a study of more than 50,000 pregnancies in the United States, the odds of having fraternal twins (twins formed from two eggs), increased as maternal body mass index (BMI) rose...
03/04/05
Keep Your Gums Healthy
The best way to prevent gingivitis (gum disease) is to practice good dental hygiene. It's never too early to start in life, because children as young as 6 can develop gum disease...
03/04/05
Severe Obesity Linked to Increased Healthcare Costs
As waistlines grow bigger, healthcare costs get higher, according to the results of a study that found healthcare expenses to be nearly twice as high in morbidly obese individuals than in their normal-weight peers...
03/04/05
After all that ... milder flu season
After all the panic last fall over the vaccine shortage, the flu season is turning out to be milder than last year's severe bout, but it may not have peaked yet, the government said Thursday...
03/03/05
Shallow Socket Ups Hip Arthritis Risk
A shallow hip socket is a strong risk factor for hip osteoarthritis, the leading cause of disability among the elderly, Dutch researchers report...
03/03/05
Young Men with Sleep Apnea Have Higher Risk of Death
Most patients referred for evaluation of sleep apnea, a condition in which airways become blocked during sleep and breathing stops for brief periods, are in their 50s, but men in their 20s with this condition appear to have the highest risk of death, an Israeli research team reports...
03/03/05
Chemo benefits older breast cancer patients
Women 65 and older with breast cancer should consider chemotherapy even though doctors have been reluctant to use it in that age group because of the side effects, a study said Tuesday...
03/03/05
Experiments helped cancer patients
People with advanced cancers who try experimental treatments are helped more than previously thought, according to the most comprehensive look at government-sponsored tests over a decade...
03/01/05
More Can Be Done to Stop Colon Cancer
The majority of deaths caused by colorectal cancer could be avoided by better prevention and by expanding colorectal screening, according to a new American Cancer Society report...
03/01/05
Prostate Cancer Hormone Therapy May Affect Mind
Men with more advanced prostate cancer often undergo treatment to reduce levels of testosterone, which drives tumor growth. Now, a new study shows that this so-called androgen deprivation therapy can affect mental performance...
03/01/05
Plant Derivative Kills Leukemia Cells
Parthenolide, a chemical derived from the feverfew plant, destroys acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells, leaving normal bone marrow cells relatively unscathed...
03/01/05
AIDS Drugs Might Combat Bird Flu
The anti-HIV drugs known as protease inhibitors may be effective against the bird flu virus, according to an Italian researcher...
02/28/05
Biogen, Elan withdraw MS drug Tysabri
Biogen Idec (BIIB) and Elan (ELN) announced Monday they have voluntarily withdrawn Tysabri, a drug used to treat multiple sclerosis, after one patient died and another developed a serious disease of the central nervous system after taking it in combination with another drug...
02/28/05
Prostate Cancer Therapy May Affect Mental Function
Hormone therapy used to fight prostate cancer may adversely effect men's mental abilities, a small Finnish study suggests...
02/28/05
Asthma Plan for Kids
While its important for all asthmatics to have a management plan, it's especially important for a child whose asthma is aggravated by exercise to have such a plan on file at school...
02/28/05
Pope recovering well - Vatican
Pope John Paul II is recovering without complications in hospital following his tracheotomy operation, the Vatican has said...
02/26/05
HIV Infection Rate Among Blacks Doubles
Blacks are contracting HIV at twice the rate they were in the late 1980s and early '90s, which researchers and AIDS (news - web sites) prevention advocates attribute to drug addiction, poverty and poor access to health care, according to government statistics...
02/25/05
Mom's Poor Diet Can Up Diabetes Risk in Child
Poor nutrition in moms-to-be could set their child up for diabetes later in life, new research in mice suggests...
02/25/05
Smoking Ups Impotence Risk in Younger Men
Adding to evidence that smoking is bad for a man's sex life, new study findings show that smoking may raise the risk of impotence, particularly in younger men...
02/25/05
New Therapies May Expand AIDS Arsenal
Several new drugs work well in HIV patients who are beginning to run out of options because their virus has mutated into drug-resistant forms, researchers reported on Friday...
02/24/05
Preventing Falls Among the Elderly
Of all fall-related deaths, more than 60 percent involve people who are 75 years old or older. According to the Brain Injury Association of America, falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injury among the elderly...
02/24/05
New HIV clue may help find vaccine
Scientists said they have discovered a key clue to how HIV mutates to evade the immune system -- a finding that could advance the search for new drugs and a vaccine...
02/24/05
U.S. ready if avian flu breaks out
The nation's top disease expert said Tuesday that the federal government has prepared a plan to stem a possible outbreak of avian flu among humans, although the danger of it is not high...
02/24/05
Bad time to cut nutrition programs
With Americans getting food stamps and school lunches in record numbers, now is the wrong time for the Bush administration to push people out of nutrition programs, an anti-hunger group says...
02/23/05
Gastric Bypass Just As Effective for Seniors
Elderly patients can safely undergo gastric bypass surgery, researchers report...
02/23/05
Study Sheds Light on Type of Breast Cancer
A new study about the genetics of breast cancer may help doctors decide how aggressively to treat a perplexing form of the disease that often never spreads beyond the milk ducts...
02/23/05
Breast cancer: Symbols of hope
Melissa Etheridge's powerful performance at this month's Grammy Awards rocked and resonated with the thousands in attendance and millions more watching on television. Her distinctive voice and hard-strummed guitar echoed throughout the hall, as did her energy...
02/22/05
Tricky way to fight cancer
Thelma Imm's immune system is trained to pounce on the tiniest cold virus. Yet her body's natural defense network has failed to defeat a far more serious threat: kidney cancer that has spread to other organs...
02/22/05
The Ins and Outs of Colonoscopy
Colon cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer death among men and women in the United States. Yet, the American Cancer Society says too few Americans are getting screened for the disease, even though most doctors say they recommend a colonoscopy to patients over 50...
02/22/05