Health News

Health News for 08/10/11

August 10, 2011

Health Tip: Senior Drivers, Stay Safe

Many seniors rely on their car for mobility and independence. But the chances of getting into an automobile accident grow as you age, especially after your 75th birthday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

Health Tip: Considering a Baby Walker?

Some parents feel baby walkers can help youngsters learn to walk at an earlier age. But the American Academy of Pediatrics warns that baby walkers can be dangerous -- and delay walking.

Baby's Fever May Not Signal Teething

If a baby is cranky, drooling and running a fever, teething often gets the blame.

Breast Cancer Drug Raises Risk of Heart Problems in Older Women: Study

The breast cancer drug Herceptin increases the risk of heart problems in elderly patients, especially those with a history of heart disease and/or diabetes, a new study says.

Drug Duo Appears to Combat Infections of Lung Linings

Combination therapy with two drugs offers an effective new way to treat people with a serious respiratory condition called pleural infection, English researchers say.

Elderly Lung Cancer Patients Can Gain From Two-Drug Chemo: Study

Countering conventional wisdom, researchers in France say that elderly lung cancer patients can gain significant benefit from an aggressive, double-barreled chemotherapy that's often used in younger patients.

Personal Feedback May Aid Fitness Progress

Using personal digital assistants (PDAs) to give daily feedback to adults about their fitness progress helps them stick with an exercise program, a new study says.

Daily Hot Dog May Feed Diabetes Risk: Study

Eating red meat -- especially processed products such as hot dogs -- increases your risk of type 2 diabetes, a new study warns.

Organic Poultry Farms Have Lower Levels of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

Poultry farms that have made the transition from conventional to organic farming have significantly lower levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria than conventional poultry farms, a new study finds.

Human Cells Used to Make Replacement Anal Sphincters in Mice

The first working, replacement anal sphincters have been built in a laboratory and tested on mice.

Honing in on the Genetics of MS

A new study on the genetic underpinnings of multiple sclerosis (MS) has identified more than 50 gene variants that may contribute to the autoimmune disease, 29 of which are new discoveries.

Health Highlights: Aug.10, 2011

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

Pumping Iron Helps Smokers Quit Without Weight Gain: Study

Would-be ex-smokers may want to try weight lifting to help them kick the habit for good, a new study suggests.

Tracking Lyme Disease in Dogs May Help Protect Humans

Tracking Lyme disease infections in dogs may help scientists predict possible outbreaks of the tick-borne illness in humans, government researchers report.

Gene Therapy Fights a Tough-to-Treat Leukemia: Study

A small group of patients with an advanced form of tough-to-treat leukemia appears to have benefited from a radical new form of immune therapy, researchers say.

Women May Face Greater Heart Risk From Smoking Than Men

Women who smoke have a 25 percent higher risk of developing heart disease than male smokers do, according to a huge, new study.

Experimental Drug May Help Ease Chronic Constipation

An experimental drug called linaclotide can help reduce the symptoms of chronic constipation, according to new research funded by the drug maker.

ADHD, Autism May Sometimes Share Gene Mutations

Some of the genetic variants implicated in ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) overlap with genes and nerve communication pathways that play a role in autism, a new study finds.

Study Pits New Blood Thinner Against Warfarin For Irregular Heartbeat

A new drug that lowers stroke risk among people with an irregular heartbeat may give the old standby, warfarin, some competition, a new study shows.