Past News This Month
7 hours agoCDC Lowers Lead-Poisoning Threshold for Kids
WEDNESDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. health officials on Wednesday lowered the threshold for what's considered lead poisoning in young children. The change by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reduces the definition of lead poisoning from 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter...
7 hours agoSome People Really Might Have 'Gaydar'
WEDNESDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Some people actually may have "gaydar," a widely used slang term for the ability to assess quickly another person's sexual orientation, a new study suggests. Researchers asked 129 college students to look at 96 photos of young men and women and to identify them...
7 hours agoU.S. Bests Canada, Europe in Drug Approvals
The study authors reviewed drug-approval decisions made between 2001 and 2010 by the FDA, Health Canada (the Canadian drug regulator), and the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The latter agencies were chosen for comparison with the FDA because they face similar pressures to approve new drugs...
7 hours agoStudy Shows MS Patients at Most Risk for Drug-Linked Brain Illness
WEDNESDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Drug company researchers say they've determined which multiple sclerosis patients are most vulnerable to developing a rare brain infection while taking a powerful drug called Tysabri (natalizumab).Even the multiple sclerosis patients at highest risk of...
7 hours agoTwo-Drug Combo May Be Safe for Melanoma Treatment
WEDNESDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- A preliminary, first-stage study funded by a pharmaceutical company shows promising results for an experimental double-drug therapy for melanoma. The two drugs, known as dabrafenib and trametinib, appeared to delay progression of the potentially deadly skin...
7 hours agoExperimental Drug Helps Fight Some Childhood Cancers, Study Finds
WEDNESDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- A new targeted drug therapy may help treat certain advanced cancers in children, a new preliminary study indicates.In some cases, the oral medication even made tumors disappear after regular cancer treatments had failed, the researchers reported."This is an...
7 hours agoAdvanced Prostate Cancer Drug May Help at Earlier Stage
WEDNESDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- A drug approved to treat advanced prostate cancer appears to help men who have localized high-risk prostate cancer if given before surgery. Adding Zytiga (abiraterone) to conventional hormonal treatments eliminated or nearly eliminated the prostate cancer in one...
7 hours agoMany Primary Care Docs Don't Know Long-Term Effects of Chemo: Survey
WEDNESDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Many primary care doctors don't know the long-term side effects of the chemotherapy treatments that cancer survivors under their care may have been given, a new survey found.On the other hand, most oncologists -- though not all -- are familiar with the side...
7 hours agoCoffee May Be Part of the Recipe for a Longer Life
Study of More Than 400,000 Men and Women Links Coffee With a Lower Risk of Death By Rita RubinWebMD Health News Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD May 16, 2012 -- Whatever you call it -- joe, java, mud -- it is likely a key way to jump-start your day, and now new research suggests it may also help you...
7 hours agoInfant Head Lag May Signal Autism
Motor Development Delay at 6 Months a Red Flag, Study Suggests By Salynn BoylesWebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD May 16, 2012 -- Infants who show developmental delays in head and neck muscle control may be at increased risk for autism, a new study suggests.Though preliminary, the...
7 hours agoHealth Tip: Avoid Cross-Contaminating Food
(HealthDay News) -- Cross-contamination can occur when different foods are stored or prepared together.For example, germs from raw meat can contaminate ready-to-eat foods that are prepared at the same time.The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests how to avoid cross-contamination:In the...
7 hours agoHealth Tip: Get the Most From Your Nap
(HealthDay News) -- As more people join the ranks of the sleep-deprived, experts say a daily nap may do a world of good. Then again, poor napping habits can leave you groggier than before.The National Sleep Foundation offers this advice about feeling refreshed after a nap:Keep your nap to no more...
7 hours agoBeing Obese May Make Job Search Tougher
THURSDAY, May 17 (HealthDay News) -- It was the small square photo clipped to an applicant's resume that most influenced whether a woman would be hired. But there was a hidden catch: The pictures showed the same six women both before and after weight-loss surgery.The end result: The "employers" in...
7 hours ago'Fish Pedicure' a Recipe for Bacterial Infection, Researchers Warn
THURSDAY, May 17 (HealthDay News) -- "Fish pedicures" in health spas can expose recipients to a host of pathogens and bacterial infections, a team of researchers warns.The practice of exposing your feet to live freshwater fish that eat away dead or damaged skin for mainly cosmetic reasons has been...
7 hours agoBenefits of Widespread Statin Use Outweigh Risks: Study
THURSDAY, May 17 (HealthDay News) -- Statins -- commonly used cholesterol-lowering drugs -- can significantly lower the risk for heart disease in people with no history of vascular disease, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Oxford in England found the medication reduced...
7 hours agoAthletes Really Do Play Through the Pain
THURSDAY, May 17 (HealthDay News) -- A new study confirms the widespread belief that athletes can tolerate more pain than other people, a finding that may hold clues for managing pain in the general population.German researchers reviewed 15 studies that included a total of more than 550 athletes and...
7 hours agoMore People -- Even Kids -- Need to Wear Sunglasses
More Than a Quarter of Adults Don't Wear Sunglasses; Many Parents Don't Have Their Kids Wear Shades By Kathleen DohenyWebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD May 17, 2012 -- With summer nearly upon us, our sunglass habits could use improvement, according to a new report issued today by The...
7 hours agoFewer U.S. Teens and Young Adults Smoke
Despite Downward Trends, 1 in 12 Teens and 1 in 3 Young Adults Report Cigarette Use By Cari NierenbergWebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD May 17, 2012 -- Fewer American teens and young adults are smoking cigarettes, a new government report shows.The report, done by the Substance Abuse...
7 hours agoFor Some Athletes, Head Blows May Hamper Learning
Force and Frequency of Hits Likely a Factor, but Genetics, Even Diet, May Play Roles, Too By Matt McMillenWebMD Health News Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD May 16, 2012 -- College football and hockey players sustain numerous blows to the head every season. Those hits, according to a new study published...
7 hours agoRaising HDL Levels May Not Lower Heart Attack Risk
Gene Study Questions Impact of Increasing 'Good' Cholesterol Levels By Salynn BoylesWebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD May 16, 2012 -- It is widely believed that raising "good" cholesterol levels lowers heart attack risk, but surprising new research finds evidence that this may not be...
7 hours agoZ-Pak Heart Attack?
Common Antibiotic Azithromycin Linked to Rare Cases of Heart Death By Daniel J. DeNoonWebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD May 16, 2012 -- Sudden heart death may be a new risk from the commonly prescribed antibiotic azithromycin -- better known as Zithromax or the Z-Pak.The finding...
7 hours agoUrban Hospitals May Act as Breeding Ground for MRSA
WEDNESDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- A dangerous antibiotic-resistant "superbug" appears to originate in hospitals in large cities and then spreads to smaller hospitals, according to a new study.Researchers at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland analyzed the genetic makeup of more than 80...
7 hours agoGenetic Test May Spot Raised Autism Risk
WEDNESDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers report that a new DNA test may be able to spot an increased risk of autism in children as young as 6 months old.The genetic screen, called ARISk, is designed for babies and toddlers who have a sibling with autism, a developmental disorder...
7 hours agoCould Nasal Spray of 'Love Hormone' Treat Autism?
WEDNESDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Children with autism given a squirt of a nasal spray containing the hormone oxytocin showed more activity in brain regions known to be involved with processing social information, a small study found.Researchers and other experts stressed that the study was...
7 hours agoDevelopmental Woes Common in Siblings of Children With Autism
WEDNESDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- One in three children with an older sibling who has an autism spectrum disorder, or problems with social interaction and communication, shows signs of developmental delay or autism-related behaviors by the age of 3 years, according to a new study."It is clear...
7 hours ago'Blast Wind' Linked to Chronic Brain Injuries in Military
WEDNESDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- The same type of brain damage seen in athletes who suffer repeated concussions also occurs in soldiers exposed to large blasts, new research indicates.In the study, researchers at Boston University and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System analyzed brain...
yesterdayHealth Tip: When Physical Therapy Ends
(HealthDay News) -- Don't become a couch potato just because your doctor's prescription for physical therapy has run out.The American Council on Exercise suggests how to transition from physical therapy to a regular exercise regimen:Make a commitment to staying physically active and fit; make sure...
yesterdayHealth Tip: When Should I Wash My Hands?
(HealthDay News) -- Washing your hands is among the best and easiest ways to prevent infection and the spread of germs.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says you should always wash your hands:Before, during and after you prepare food.Before you eat.Before and after you care for...
yesterdayDinosaurs May Have Suffered From Arthritis
WEDNESDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Dinosaurs may have suffered from arthritis, new research says.When examining a specimen of a pliosaur, researchers from University of Bristol in England noticed that the dinosaur had signs of a degenerative condition similar to human arthritis. Specifically, the...
yesterdayPalpitations May Signal Future Heart Rhythm Problem
WEDNESDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Heart palpitations and high blood pressure are strong risk factors for a common heart rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation, a new study reports.Atrial fibrillation increases a person's risk of heart attack, stroke and death. It was already known that high...
