Health News

Health News for 01/09/12

January 09, 2012

Health Tip: Insomnia Keeping You Awake?

If you often start your day exhausted because of a poor night's sleep, you may suffer from insomnia, a common sleep disorder.

Health Tip: Be Prepared for Skin Changes as You Age

As you get older, skin changes may include more than just the characteristic wrinkles of age.

Most Parents Tell Kids About Test Results for Breast Cancer Genes

Most parents who have genetic tests for breast cancer risk share the findings with their children, a new study finds.

Surgery Seems Most Effective for Herniated Discs

Married people benefit most from surgery for herniated spinal discs, according to a new study.

Short Delay in Treating Blood Pressure Safe for Diabetics: Study

Waiting up to a year to treat high blood pressure in a person with diabetes is probably not harmful, but waiting many years to get blood pressure under control could result in serious complications, new research indicates.

Researchers Look at Genomes of Nonsmokers With Lung Cancer

Scientists who have started to identify genes and pathways associated with lung cancer in people who have never smoked say it's a first step in the potential development of new treatments.

Anti-Estrogen Treatment Shrank Lung Tumors in Mice

Combination drug treatment that targets estrogen production significantly reduced the number of tobacco carcinogen-related lung tumors in mice, a new study shows.

Diet Might Have Some Effect on ADHD

There's limited evidence that any particular diet or supplement helps kids with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but at least some research suggests that omega-3 fatty acids may help while fatty "Western-style" diets do these children no favors.

Kids Who Need Heart Surgery May Fare Better at Busier Hospitals

Children who have heart surgery at high-volume hospitals may fare better than those who are treated in hospitals that perform fewer pediatric cardiac surgeries per year, but this is not due to volume alone.

Exercise May Help Those at Higher Risk for Alzheimer's: Study

A new study finds that an active lifestyle may help protect against Alzheimer's-related brain changes in people who have a well-known genetic risk factor. This factor is the e4 allele (version) of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene.

Statins May Boost Diabetes Risk in Older Women

Statin medications used by women after menopause appear to increase their risk of developing diabetes, according to a large, new study.

Could Nicotine Patches Help Stave Off Memory Loss?

New research suggests that the nicotine patches used by people trying to quit smoking could serve an unexpected purpose: They appear to counteract mild memory loss in older patients.

Health Highlights: Jan. 9, 2012

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Power of Acupuncture to Ease Migraines Questioned in Study

"Sham" acupuncture worked almost as well on migraine patients as three types of traditional acupuncture, a new study says.

Growth in U.S. Health Spending Stayed Slow in 2010

High unemployment, lower incomes, increased cost sharing and a large drop in the number of people with private health insurance limited the growth of health spending in the United States to 3.9 percent in 2010, according to a new study.

FDA Warns of Painkiller Mix-Up at Nebraska Plant

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning on Monday that some narcotic prescription painkillers made at a Nebraska plant may have been mixed up with some over-the-counter medicines packaged at the same facility.

Nicotine Patches, Gums Won't Help Smokers Quit Long-Term: Study

Nicotine patches and nicotine gum -- the popular mainstays of so-called "nicotine replacement therapy" -- don't help many smokers kick the habit and remain cigarette-free over the long haul, new research suggests.

Grief Is a Real Heartbreaker, Study Finds

There really is such a thing as heartbreaking grief, suggests new research that finds losing a loved one can increase the risk of heart attack.

Low-Dose Aspirin to Prevent First Heart Attack or Stroke? Not So Fast

For years, people have been told that low-dose aspirin can help reduce their risk of dying from a heart attack, stroke or cancer even if they are healthy. Now, a new evidence review calls this advice into question.

New Blood Thinner Linked to Higher Heart Attack Risk

The anticoagulant Pradaxa (dabigatran) is associated with a small increase in the risk of heart attack, a new review finds.