Health News

Health News for 06/02/11

June 02, 2011

Health Tip: Signs That You May Have Pinkeye

Conjunctivitis, commonly called pinkeye, is an infection or inflammation of the membrane that lines the eyelids.

Health Tip: Is It Time to Stop Driving?

As cognitive function, coordination, eyesight and other skills decline in old age, it may be time for an elderly person to quit driving.

Used Football Faceshields May Break on Impact

They are meant to protect football players' eyes from serious injury, but new research reveals that used faceshields are more likely to break on high-velocity impact.

Male Heart Disease May Be Linked to Mom's Lifetime Nutrition

A man's heart disease risk after the age of 40 may be linked, at least in part, to his mother's body size and placenta size when he was born, a new study suggests.

Obesity Greater Risk for Fatty Liver Than Alcohol, Study Finds

Obesity and insulin resistance constitute a greater risk for fatty liver disease than moderate alcohol consumption, according to a new study that found drinking modest amounts of red wine posed no greater risk for developing the condition.

Fear of Dying During Heart Attack May Make Matters Worse

People who become very afraid of dying in the moments during and days after a heart attack also seem to have more inflammation, an indicator that they may, in the long run, do worse than patients who are less fearful, a small British study suggests.

Divorce Can Hurt Kids' Math Scores, Friendships

Young children of divorce are not only more likely to suffer from anxiety, loneliness, low self-esteem and sadness, they experience long-lasting setbacks in interpersonal skills and math test scores, new research suggests.

Saliva Test Spots Virus That Can Cause Hearing Loss in Newborns

A new study finds that a saliva test in newborns can detect almost all cases of a virus that can cause birth defects and hearing loss.

More Stroke Patients Get Clot-Busting Drug But Barriers Remain

Use of a life-saving clot-busting drug to treat ischemic strokes nearly doubled from 2005 through 2009, but the rates still remain too low, a new study finds.

Noisy ORs Linked to Raised Risk of Surgical Site Infection

Noisy operating rooms appear to put patients at greater risk for surgical site infections, new study findings suggest.

Emergency Care May Be Key to Hospital Readmissions

People who seek treatment in an emergency department after a recent hospitalization are more than twice as likely to be readmitted to the hospital as those who had not been hospitalized, a new study has found.

Health Highlights: June 2, 2011

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

Low-Carb, High-Fat Diets May Not Pose Risk to Arteries

New research suggests that low-carbohydrate diets, with regular exercise as part of the plan, don't appear to harm the arteries, as some experts have feared.

More Than 1 Million Americans Now Living With HIV: CDC

Although HIV/AIDS continues to be an epidemic with no cure, thanks to powerful medications more HIV-infected Americans are living longer and healthier lives, federal health officials said Thursday.

Deadly E. Coli Strain in Europe Should Serve as Warning, Experts Say

The emergence of an unusually dangerous strain of E. coli bacteria in Europe should serve as a red flag for U.S. health officials, experts say.

U.S. Serves Up New Nutrition Guidelines on 'MyPlate'

In its latest effort to get Americans to eat healthier meals and fight the obesity epidemic, the federal government has introduced a new nutrition icon called MyPlate.

Popular Blood Pressure Meds Not Linked to Cancer, FDA Says

A class of drugs widely used to treat high blood pressure doesn't boost the risk of cancer, as a recent analysis suggested, U.S. health authorities announced Thursday.