Health News

Health News for 02/17/11

February 17, 2011

Health Tip: Reduce the Risk of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Since you can't see, smell or taste deadly carbon monoxide gas, a special detector can help alert you to its presence in your home.

Health Tip: Make Work Less Painful If You Have Arthritis

Sitting at a desk and working at a computer all day can be painful for someone with arthritis.

Delivery Even a Bit Early May Mean Developmental Delays

Bucking the notion that being born a few weeks early has no discernible impact on babies, a new study indicates that "late preterm" infants face more developmental delays than their full-term peers and those delays may affect their school performance.

Knee Replacements Still Work 20 Years Later

Patients with artificial knees were still going strong after 20 years, even jogging or playing tennis, researchers report.

Kidney Patients Ask for More Information on Options

Many kidney failure patients want more detailed information about their treatment choices, according to a new study.

Brain Appears to Be a 'Task Machine,' Researchers Say

The area of the brain responsible for visual reading doesn't actually require vision, a finding that suggests the brain is a "task machine" instead of a "sensory machine," according to researchers.

2 Pesticides Linked to Parkinson's in Study

People who use the pesticides rotenone and paraquat have a 2.5 times increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease, a new study finds.

Some Docs May Use Twitter for 'Unprofessional' Messages: Report

Some doctors post unethical and unprofessional content on Twitter, a finding that suggests the need for more oversight of physicians' use of social media, according to a recent study.

Research Sheds Light on Gene Linked to Preeclampsia

Pregnant women who develop a serious condition known as preeclampsia have an overabundance of a gene that helps regulate the body's immune system, researchers have found.

Many Kids Who Drink Get Liquor From Home: Report

Some 709,000 youngsters aged 12 to 14 in the United States are drinking beer, liquor and other alcoholic beverages, a new federal study found.

Crib Injuries Land Thousands of Toddlers in ER Each Year

Each year in the United States, nearly 10,000 children under the age of 2 arrive in emergency rooms with injuries suffered while in cribs, playpens and bassinets, a new report shows.

Health Highlights: Feb. 17, 2011

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

U.S. Flu Season Picking Up, CDC Reports

The flu season got off to a slow start in the United States last fall, but is now circulating in all 50 states and widespread in 37, health officials report.

Clinical Trials Update: Feb. 17, 2011

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

People Who Weigh Less Now Qualify for Gastric Device

The Lap-Band gastric banding device has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for people who are less obese than previous candidates, device maker Allergan said.

3.1 Million Hispanic Americans Struggle With Arthritis

Arthritis affected about 3.1 million Hispanics in the United States between 2002 and 2009, and there were wide variations in arthritis rates among Hispanic subgroups, according to a new federal study.

Separate Bikes-Only Lanes in Cities Cut Injury Rate: Study

Cyclists using special bike-only tracks that are physically separated from street traffic have fewer accidents compared to bikers pedalling alongside motor vehicles, a new study finds.

Warm Weather May Cloud Thinking in MS Patients

People with multiple sclerosis may have more problems remembering, learning and processing information in warm weather than in cooler months, a small study suggests.

Corifact Approved for Genetic Bleeding Disorder

Corifact has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat congenital Factor XIII deficiency, a rare genetic disorder that could cause life-threatening bleeding. It's also called congenital hemophilia A.

Study Says 2 Therapies Help Fight Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Patients struggling with chronic fatigue syndrome may be helped the most when standard treatment is coupled with cognitive behavior therapy or exercise therapy, new British research suggests.