Medicine news

Paxil Blocks Tamoxifen, Lowers Survival Odds Against Breast Cancer

MONDAY, Feb. 8 -- Women with breast cancer who take both tamoxifen and the antidepressant Paxil may increase their risk of dying because Paxil reduces tamoxifen's effectiveness, Canadian researchers report. "Paxil can deprive women of the benefit of...

Stem Cell Research Makes Another Advance

MONDAY, Feb. 8 -- Scientists say they've developed a new and easier way to create what's known as pluripotent stem cells -- cells that can develop into one of many cell types for use in regenerative medicine. Unlike many other methods, this new...

High Blood Pressure May Predict Dementia in Some Seniors

MONDAY, Feb. 8 -- High blood pressure may predict dementia in older adults with impaired executive function (difficulty organizing thoughts and making decisions), but not in those with memory problems, a new study has found. The study included 990...

'Third-Hand Smoke' Could Be Troublesome, Too

MONDAY, Feb. 8 -- Tobacco smoke residue found on indoor surfaces -- so-called "third-hand smoke" -- can interact with airborne compounds to form new, potentially cancer-causing substances, research suggests. Details about the potential role such...

Glaucoma Drugs May Play Role in Longer Life

MONDAY, Feb. 8 --People who take medication to treat glaucoma appear to outlive those who don't treat the eye disease, new research has found. However, whether the reduced risk for premature death stems from the glaucoma drugs themselves or from...

Mediterranean Diet May Help Keep You Smarter

MONDAY, Feb. 8 -- Eating a Mediterranean-style diet -- one rich in olive oil, whole grains, fish and fruit -- may protect aging brains from damage linked to cognitive problems, a new study finds Other studies have already found that such diets also...

Older Stroke Patients Are Getting Better Treatment

MONDAY, Feb. 8 -- Older Americans who have strokes are getting better treatment, possibly because of a nationwide program encouraging use of guideline-recommended therapies, a new study shows. "What we saw in the course of the study, the six years...

Financial Woes Add Anxiety to Breast Cancer Diagnosis

MONDAY, Feb. 8 -- Financial pressure puts low- and medium-income women at particularly high risk for anxiety and depression after being diagnosed with the noninvasive breast cancer ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a U.S. study has found. The study...

Beer for the Bones?

MONDAY, Feb. 8 -- Beer may help keep bones strong because it's a rich source of dietary silicon, which contributes to bone mineral density, a new study reports. But the amount of silicon apparently varies by the type of beer. "The factors in brewing...

Older Moms More Apt to Have Autistic Child

MONDAY, Feb. 8 -- Older moms are more likely to have a child with autism than women who give birth at a younger age, new research shows. Researchers from University of California, Davis, looked at records for the nearly 5 million births in...

Handgrip Strength Helps Predict Death Risk in Elderly

MONDAY, Feb. 8 -- Decreased handgrip strength in the elderly is associated with increased risk of death, researchers say. In a new study, handgrip strength was measured at age 85 and again at age 89 in a group of 555 participants in the Netherlands....

Clinical Trials Update: Feb. 8, 2010

-- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com: Autism Candidates for this study must be aged 6 to 12 and be diagnosed with autism. The research site is in Santa Ana, Calif. More information Please see...

Health Highlights: Feb. 8, 2010

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay: Medicines Tossed in Trash End Up in Water: Study Unused or expired medications that are thrown in the trash can still end up in drinking water,...

Health Tip: What's Behind Nasal Congestion

-- Nasal congestion, commonly called a stuffy nose, occurs when the tissues that line the inside of the nose become swollen. The U.S. National Library of Medicine says common causes of nasal congestion include: Having the common cold or...

Soft Drinks Could Boost Pancreatic Cancer Risk

MONDAY, Feb. 8 -- People who down two or more soft drinks a week may have double the risk of developing deadly pancreatic cancer, compared to non-soda drinkers, new research suggests. But the overall number of people developing the malignancy...

Cleaning Agent Tied to Parkinson's in Study

MONDAY, Feb. 8 -- The industrial cleaner trichloroethylene (TCE) has been linked to an increased risk of Parkinson's disease, U.S. researchers say. "TCE was once a popular industrial solvent used in dry cleaning and to clean grease off metal parts,...

Health Tip: Spot Unsafe Playgrounds

-- Some parents may falsely assume that all playground equipment is safe. The Nemours Foundation says certain types of equipment should have parents thinking twice about letting their children use them. These include: Swings with animal...

3 Home Habits Help Youngsters Stay Slim

MONDAY, Feb. 8 -- Something as simple as sitting down to dinner together as a family can go a long way in helping a child fend off obesity. That's just one of the findings from new research that suggests that family behaviors can have a significant...

Drug Cures Osteoporosis in Mice

MONDAY, Feb. 8 -- An experimental drug that inhibits serotonin in the gut cured osteoporosis in lab mice and rats, a new study has found. Previous research has shown that serotonin in the gut hinders bone formation. Most current drugs for...

Scientists Spot Genes Tied to Aging

SUNDAY, Feb. 7 -- Scientists have discovered genetic variants that are associated with biological aging, a finding that could explain why some people seem to age faster than others. The researchers, who report their findings Feb. 7 in the journal...

Ski Helmets Encouraged for All

SUNDAY, Feb. 7 -- Helmets reduce skiers' and snowboarders' risk of head injury by 35 percent and don't increase the risk of neck injury, a new study shows. Some people believe that helmets may increase the risk of neck injury when skiers and...

Spectators Need to Prepare for Olympic Games, Too

SATURDAY, Feb. 6 -- People attending the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver can be champions of their health by following some simple advice on how to beat the flu, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The experts say you...

Fibroids May Raise Risk of Stillbirth

SATURDAY, Feb. 6 -- Women who have uterine fibroids are at increased risk for stillbirth, a new study finds. "Fibroids are very common. We think they occur in 5 percent to 20 percent of all women, but most women are asymptomatic and don't even know...

Kids Born Early in Year More Likely to Be Athletes?

FRIDAY. Feb. 5 -- Your birthday may affect your odds of becoming a professional athlete, a new study suggests. An Australian researcher analyzed the birthdays of Australian Football League (AFL) players and found that many were born in the early...

Dopamine Levels in Brain May Determine Social Status

FRIDAY, Feb. 5 -- The makeup of your brain may influence your social standing, a new study suggests. Researchers conducted PET scans of the brains of healthy volunteers and assessed their levels of social status and social support. The results...

Human Pacemakers Offer Hope to Ailing Dogs

FRIDAY, Feb. 5 -- Pacemakers made for humans are giving older dogs a new leash on life. The medical devices -- about the size of a quarter -- are often implanted to speed up a slow heart rate in dogs brought on by disorders such as heart block and...

Wound-Healing Maggots Succumb to Deadly Bacteria

FRIDAY, Feb. 5 -- Maggots used to treat chronic wounds can be killed by a type of bacteria that infects the wounds, Danish researchers say. Use of maggots to disinfect wounds (maggot debridement therapy) is standard procedure at wound care centers...

Concussion Awareness for Young Athletes Gets Big Play

FRIDAY, Feb. 5 -- Efforts to improve treatment of concussions in youth sports are making headway on several fronts: Washington state's new laws governing head injuries in scholastic sports will get big play Sunday at Super Bowl XLIV, and Texas...

More Doses of MS Drug Raise Risk of Brain Infection

FRIDAY, Feb. 5 -- In the latest blow to the controversial multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday announced that it was slapping a new warning on the drug's label. In an advisory sent to health-care...

Surgeons Suffering Work-Related Injuries

FRIDAY, Feb. 5 -- Minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery benefits patients but can cause work-related injuries in surgeons, suggests a new survey. University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers found that 87 percent of laparoscopic surgeons...

Genome Mapped for Type 2 Diabetes

FRIDAY, Feb. 5 -- Scientists have completed a map of areas of the human genome that control which genes are switched on or off in type 2 diabetes, a finding that may advance understanding of the genetic basis of this and other common...

Clinical Trials Update: Feb. 5, 2010

-- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com: Nodular Acne This seven-month study is for people with severe nodular acne. Researchers will compare an investigational treatment to an FDA-approved drug and placebo. The...

Super Bowl Stress Can Spark Heart Attacks

FRIDAY, Feb. 5 -- When the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts take the field for Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday, emotions will be running high, so high that some fans can run the risk of a heart attack and even death. The risk is real,...

Herbals Not the Answer for Asthma, Study Shows

FRIDAY, Feb. 5 -- Many asthma patients who use herbal remedies experience increased symptoms and poorer quality of life, a new study shows. Researchers followed 326 asthma patients for 33 months. Of those patients, 25 percent said they used herbal...

Depression in Pregnancy May Lead to Antisocial Teens

FRIDAY, Feb. 5 -- Teens whose mothers were depressed during pregnancy are at increased risk for antisocial behavior, including violence, a new study suggests. The British researchers also found that women prone to aggressive and disruptive behavior...

Health Highlights: Feb. 5, 2010

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay: Genes Hamper Efforts to Boost Physical Endurance: Study Even with regular exercise, the genetic makeup of about 20 percent of people means they...

Health Tip: Getting Cardiac Rehabilitation

-- A cardiac rehabilitation program is designed to help people recover from a heart attack, heart surgery or another medical procedure involving the cardiovascular system. Cardiac rehabilitation involves educating and counseling people about making...

Health Tip: Understanding Ear Tube Surgery

-- An ear tube is surgically implanted in a child's ear to help drain fluid that builds up behind the eardrum, says the U.S. National Library of Medicine. When fluid builds up in the ear and stays there for a long period, it can cause hearing loss....

Screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy Not Cost-Effective: Study

FRIDAY, Feb. 5 -- It's not cost-effective to screen couples genetically to determine if they're at risk of having children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), says a U.S. study. There is ongoing controversy about whether screening for SMA -- the...

Agricultural Chemical Spray Linked to Birth Defect Risk

FRIDAY, Feb. 5 -- There's a link between a birth defect called gastroschisis and the agricultural chemical atrazine, a new study has found. Gastroschisis is an abdominal wall defect in which the intestines, and sometimes other organs, develop...