Health News

Health News for 02/22/10

February 22, 2010

Gestures or Words? To the Brain, It's the Same

Humans speak; therefore, they're special.

Acupuncture May Ease Depression During Pregnancy

Women who experience depression during pregnancy may have another treatment option, new research suggests.

Excessive Weight Gain During Pregnancy Raises Gestational Diabetes Risk

Excessive weight gain during pregnancy, especially the first trimester, may increase a woman's risk of gestational diabetes, say U.S. researchers.

Statins May Benefit Prostate Cancer Patients

Cholesterol-lowering statins significantly reduce prostate tumor inflammation, which may help lower the risk of disease progression, new study findings suggest.

Patients Do Better at Hospitals That Follow Stroke Guidelines

Stroke patients taken to hospitals that follow specific treatment protocols may have a better chance of surviving than patients taken elsewhere, new research suggests.

Doctors Have Many Ways to Say 'No'

When a patient asks for a treatment that a physician doesn't believe will work, savvy doctors say no very, very carefully.

ICU Patients Gain From Team Approach to Care

Intensive care patients are less likely to die if they're looked after by a multidisciplinary health care team that includes doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, clinical pharmacists and others, says a new study.

Deadly Hybrid Flu Possible

Research in mice suggests the avian flu virus and the ordinary seasonal flu virus could combine to create a new deadly kind of flu, researchers say.

Genetic Mutation Linked to Prostate Cancer in Blacks

Researchers have identified a mutation in a small number of black American men with a family history of prostate cancer.

Report Calls High Blood Pressure a 'Neglected Disease'

Americans eat way too much salt and cutting down on that consumption should be a cornerstone of new public health efforts to curb hypertension.

Menveo Vaccine Approved for Bacterial Meningitis

The Novartis vaccine Menveo has been approved to prevent bacterial meningitis and other health problems caused by meningococcal disease, the drug maker said in a news release.

Information Gap Could Delay Lung Cancer Therapy in Blacks

Black Americans are more likely than whites to have beliefs and perceptions about lung cancer that could interfere with prevention and treatment, new study findings suggest.

Clinical Trials Update: Feb. 22, 2010

Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com :

Health Highlights: Feb. 22, 2010

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

Testicular Cancer Survivors May Have Hormone Deficiency

Testosterone deficiency in young male cancer survivors often causes low energy levels and reduced quality of life, and these patients may benefit from testosterone replacement therapy, a new study suggests.

Pediatricians Want Redesign of Hot Dogs, Candy to Curb Kids' Choking

The leading group of pediatricians in the United States is pushing for a redesign of common foods such as hot dogs and candies, along with new warning labels placed on food packaging, to help curb sometimes fatal incidents of child choking.

Two Surgical Methods Equally Successful for Prostate Cancer

Results are similar for men with prostate cancer whether they have open surgery or laparoscopic surgery, a new study has found.

Health Tip: Why You Might Have an Earache

Pain in the ear has many possible causes and may be accompanied by other symptoms.

Health Tip: Avoid Triggers for Eczema

The skin condition eczema, characterized by an itchy red rash, may be caused by a host of allergens or irritants.