Health News

Health News for 04/11/11

April 11, 2011

Health Tip: Stay Safe on a Boat

If you're one of the 70 million Americans who enjoy boating, the U.S. Coast Guard offers these safety suggestions:

Health Tip: Boosting Appetite During Chemotherapy

A possible side effect of chemotherapy is loss of appetite. But eating well is important to help your body stay strong during this time of physical and emotional stress.

Progressive Weight Training Can Boost Seniors' Strength

Progressive resistance training helps older adults build muscle and increase their strength to function better in daily life, researchers say.

New Pill for MS Shows Promise in Clinical Trial

A new oral medication for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) shows promise in slowing disease progression, limiting brain atrophy and reducing MS relapses, a recently completed two-year clinical trial demonstrates.

Tone of Voice Stays Constant Through Menstrual Cycle: Study

The tone of a woman's voice remains constant throughout her menstrual cycle, claims a study that challenges previous research suggesting the tone rises as ovulation approaches.

Sleep Problems May Linger After Childhood Cancer

Sleep problems and fatigue are common among childhood cancer survivors and can impair their attention and memory, researchers say.

Obese Kids' Wrist Size May Predict Heart Disease

The wrist size of overweight or obese children and teens may reveal those at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, says a new study.

Brain Tumor Vaccine Shows Promise in Early Trials

A vaccine that jumpstarts the immune system is showing promise in keeping a deadly type of cancerous brain tumor at bay.

Higher Rate of Morning Heart Attacks Not Due to Blood Pressure: Study

Normal daily fluctuations in blood pressure aren't linked with the well-documented fact that people are more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke in the morning, a new study shows.

'Organic' Label Seems to Make Food Taste Better

An "organic" label on foods is enough to make people believe the food items are healthier and tastier, new research suggests.

Having Kids Might Make Young Women Heavier, Less Fit

Young mothers tend to be heavier than their peers who don't have children, and they also consume more saturated fat, sugary beverages and total calories, a new study suggests.

Experimental Weight-Loss Drug Seems to Work: Study

Obese patients taking a high dose of an investigational weight-loss pill called Qnexa lost an average of 22 pounds over a year, while also lowering their cholesterol and blood pressure numbers, a new study has found.

Acne Antibiotics Not Linked to Drug Resistance

Long-term use of antibiotics to treat acne doesn't seem to spur bacteria into becoming resistant to the medications, a new study finds.

New Tests Could Spot Which Kidney Patients Will Do the Worst

Researchers have come up with two new tests that seem better able to predict which patients with chronic kidney disease are more likely to progress to kidney failure and death.

Doctors Often Wouldn't Follow Their Own Advice: Study

When faced with a choice of treatments, primary care doctors often choose a different option than they would recommend to their patients, a new study finds.

Braids, Weaves May Lead to Balding in Black Women

A new study of middle-aged black women finds that almost 30 percent suffer from baldness and scarring in the center of their scalps, possibly because braids and weaves pull their hair too tight.

Multitasking Just a Bit Tougher for Older People: Study

If you're typing on a computer while talking on the phone and enjoying a cappuccino, know that you may not be able to focus on so many things at once forever.

Health Highlights: April 11, 2011

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

Drug Memantine Ineffective for Mild Alzheimer's, Study Finds

A drug commonly prescribed for Alzheimer's disease, memantine (Namenda), appears to be ineffective in treating the mild stage of the disease, a new study finds.

1st U.S. Test to Diagnose Dengue Fever Approved

The first test to help diagnose people with symptoms of the mosquito-borne virus dengue fever has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Emissions Trap Cuts Harmful Diesel Pollution

A special exhaust filter for diesel engines cuts emissions of heart-harmful microscopic particles by 98 percent, which could lead to fewer deaths from cardiovascular disease, a new study suggests.