AP Poll: Americans support making it harder to sue doctors, hospitals for mistakesNovember 19th, 2009 AP Poll: Support for curbs on malpractice lawsuitsWASHINGTON — An Associated Press poll says most Americans want Congress to deal with malpractice lawsuits driving up the cost of medical care. Yet, Democrats are reluctant to press forward on an issue that would upset a valuable political constituency — trial lawyers — even if President Barack Obama says he's open to changes.
FDA warns that heartburn drug Prilosec can block benefits of blood thinner PlavixNovember 17th, 2009 more images
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FDA says Prilosec can block benefits of Plavix
WASHINGTON — Federal health officials said Tuesday a popular heartburn medication can interfere with the blood thinner Plavix, a drug taken by millions of Americans to reduce risks of heart attack and stroke. The Food and Drug Administration said the stomach-soothing drug Prilosec cuts the blood-thinning effect of Plavix by half.
Regular exercise cuts men's risk of brain damage by strokeNovember 14th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new study has revealed that regular exercise can significantly reduce the risk of brain damage caused by stroke in men. Lead researcher Carl D.
Exposure to several common infections over time linked to stroke riskNovember 10th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new study has shown that cumulative exposure to five common infection-causing pathogens is linked to an increased risk of stroke. Known risk factors for stroke include high blood pressure, heart disease, abnormal cholesterol levels and smoking, but many strokes occur in patients with none of these factors.
Birth control pills 'up stroke risk'October 27th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Birth control pills can nearly double the risk of stroke in women, says a new study. According to a review article in MedLink Neurology by three Loyola University Health System neurologists, women who take birth control pills and also smoke, have high blood pressure or have a history of migraine headaches, significantly increase their risk of stroke.
Breast tissue feature could predict woman's cancer riskOctober 6th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Certain structural features within breast tissue can indicate a woman's individual cancer risk, say Mayo Clinic researchers. The findings appear in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
UN: 4 million AIDS patients now on drugs, but another 5 million people still need themSeptember 30th, 2009 UN: 4 million on AIDS drugs, others still in needLONDON — About 4 million people are now getting AIDS drugs worldwide — a 10-fold jump in five years — but 5 million others are still in dire need of the medicine, U.N. health officials estimated in a report issued Wednesday.
Prostate cancer patients on hormone therapy 'at increased heart disease risk'September 23rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Prostate cancer patients receiving hormone therapy might be at an increased risk of developing heart problems, according to a new study. Hormone therapy is a mainstay of treatment when the cancer is locally advanced and when it has spread to more distant parts of the body, but is increasingly being used in earlier stages of the disease.
Most kids don't require scans after head injurySeptember 15th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Most kids who get CT (computed tomography) scans after seemingly minor head injuries do not need them. The scan only exposes them to heightened radiation risk and cancer, a new study says.
Ketamine can help those with suicidal tendenciesSeptember 11th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A drug called ketamine can be a boon for those with suicidal tendencies by bringing down depression levels rapidly, a preliminary study has revealed. Treatment of depression can take weeks to produce positive results, which is inadequate for those contemplating suicide.
Obesity, booze and smoking increase second breast cancer riskSeptember 9th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Obesity, alcohol use and smoking significantly increase the risk of second breast cancer among breast cancer survivors, says a new study. The study by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has been published online Sept.
Exercise cuts down appetite, burns fatSeptember 2nd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Exercise helps prevent weight regain after dieting by cutting down appetite and burning fat, says a new study. Burning fat first and storing carbohydrates for use later in the day slows weight regain and may minimise overeating by signalling a sense of fullness to the brain.
Swedish snuff doesn't increase multiple sclerosis riskSeptember 1st, 2009 WASHINGTON - Unlike cigarettes, Swedish snuff doesn't increase a person's risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), finds a new study. "While tobacco cigarettes increased a person's risk of developing MS, our research found that using Swedish snuff was not associated with an elevated risk for MS," said study author Dr Anna Hedstrom, of the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm.
'Resynchronisation' cuts down risk of heart failuresSeptember 1st, 2009 WASHINGTON - A therapy called cardiac 'resynchronisation' reduced risk of heart failures by 41 percent, says an international study. "This shows, for the first time, that the onset of heart failure symptoms and hospitalisation for heart failure can be delayed with pacing therapy," said David Wilber, director of the Cardiovascular Institute at Loyola University (Chicago) Stritch School of Medicine.
Teetotallers 'at increased depression risk'August 29th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new study has found that people abstaining from alcohol are at greater risk of suffering from depression as compared to those who consume it. Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT study), which was based in Norway, was based on 38,000 individuals.
