Health News

Health News for 09/22/11

September 22, 2011

Health Tip: Beware of Added Sugar

Too much sugar in the diet can contribute to tooth decay and unwanted pounds packed around your middle.

Health Tip: Coping With Nasal Congestion

Nasal congestion, commonly called a stuffy nose, can affect breathing, hearing and sleep.

Less Play Time = More Troubled Kids, Experts Say

From hide-and-seek to tearing around the neighborhood with friends, playing is one of the hallmarks of childhood. But in this era of hyper-vigilant parenting, researchers find that children in the United States have far less time to play than kids of 50 years ago, a trend that may have serious consequences for their development and mental health.

Too Few Uninsured Women Get Info on Breast Reconstruction

Physicians fail to give information about breast reconstruction to more than half of uninsured women who have had mastectomies due to breast cancer, according to a new study.

Study Suggests Link Between Stress and Aggressive Breast Cancer

A new study finds that black and Hispanic women with breast cancer suffer more stress than white women, and the researchers connected the extra stress to more aggressive tumors.

Lung Disease Puts Many Black Patients Back in Hospital: Report

Among U.S. patients aged 40 and older with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), blacks have the highest rate of hospital readmission, a new report reveals.

Death Rate Higher in Minorities With Acute Leukemia

A new study finds that blacks and Hispanics are less likely to develop acute leukemia than whites. But if they do become ill, they're much more likely to die.

Genetic Links Seen Between Bipolar Illness and Schizophrenia

There is a genetic link between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, two common and often disabling brain disorders, a new study indicates.

Scientists Reconstruct the 'Movies in Our Minds'

Researchers are getting closer to scanning the human brain, decoding what they find there, and then replaying the "movies in our heads" for all to see.

Liposuction May Lower Certain Blood Fats, Researcher Says

A new study suggests that liposuction -- which plastic surgeons often use to sculpt the bodies of people who aren't extremely overweight -- can lower levels of a type of blood fat called triglycerides.

Popular Diabetes Drugs May Raise Pancreatic Cancer Risk, Study Suggests

People with type 2 diabetes taking the drugs Januvia or Byetta might have an increased risk of developing pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, a preliminary study suggests.

In Older Men, Prostate Biopsies Can Raise Risk of Hospitalization

Almost 7 percent of men 65 and older who have a prostate biopsy are hospitalized within 30 days of the procedure, a new study indicates.

New Report Casts More Doubt on Virus' Link to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Researchers have shot another arrow through the credibility of claims that a virus likely causes chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

Cardiac Rehab May Cut Risk Factors After Mini-Stroke

A cardiac rehabilitation program appeared to reduce some of the risk factors for a second stroke among patients who have suffered mild strokes or the mini-strokes known as transient ischemic attacks (TIA), researchers have found.

Health Highlights: Sept. 22, 2011

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

Infections Linked to Swimming, Drinking Water: CDC

There were 134 waterborne disease outbreaks associated with swimming pools and other recreational water in the United States in 2007-08, and 36 outbreaks associated with drinking water, according to two federal reports released Thursday.

Asthma Inhaler Primatene Mist Going Off the Market

Over-the-counter asthma inhalers containing chloroflouorocarbons (CFCs), which can damage the ozone layer, will not be made or sold after Dec. 31, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday.