Health News

Health News for 10/05/11

October 05, 2011

Health Tip: If You Have Severe Morning Sickness

Morning sickness is an unpleasant, yet common side effect of pregnancy. When episodes of nausea and vomiting become severe, it's time to call the doctor.

Health Tip: Getting the Shingles Vaccine

The Zostavax vaccine helps protect against shingles, a painful infection caused by herpes zoster, the same virus that causes chickenpox.

18 Deaths From Cantaloupe-Linked Listeria Outbreak: CDC

The death toll from an outbreak of listeria first linked to tainted cantaloupes has risen to 18, and a total of 100 people have been sickened across 20 states, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported late Tuesday.

Breast Cancer Appears Less Deadly for Men Than Women

New research shows that the few men who develop breast cancer tend to have more advanced cases than women and to be diagnosed at an older age.

MRI Safe With More Recent Defibrillators, Pacemakers: Study

Many people with pacemakers and implanted defibrillators can safely undergo MRIs to screen for cancer and other diseases, as long as certain procedures are followed, a new study finds.

Monkeys Use Brain Power, Not Hands, to 'Move' Virtual Objects

Scientists who taught monkeys to use their brains to move the virtual hands of an avatar (a virtual body) and to identify the texture of virtual objects say the experiment demonstrates the potential benefits of this technology for people who've suffered crippling spinal injuries.

Health Woes Still Strike Women Exposed to Banned Pregnancy Drug

Women whose mothers were given the drug diethylstilbestrol (DES) during pregnancy are at increased risk for fertility problems and cancer as they age, new research shows.

Raw Sewage a New Frontier for Scientists

Raw sewage contains thousands of undiscovered viruses, some of which could affect human health, a new study suggests.

3 Hours of Exercise Weekly Can Cut Men's Heart Risks

Three hours of vigorous exercise a week can reduce a man's heart attack risk by 22 percent, a new study suggests.

Smokers Have Heart Attacks Earlier Than Nonsmokers

Smokers have heart attacks earlier in life than nonsmokers, and women smokers are more likely than men to suffer complications after a heart attack, according to a new study.

Omega-3 Supplements Don't Help, May Hurt ICU Patients

Nutritional supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids or antioxidants don't help patients with severe lung problems in the intensive care unit, a new study indicates.

Nursing Homes Not Meeting Flu-Shot Goals, Study Says

The percentage of nursing home residents in the United States who receive a seasonal flu shot is lower than the national goal, and the rate is lower for blacks than for whites, a new study finds.

Scientists Engineer Mice That Have Autism

Scientists have genetically engineered mice whose symptoms closely mimic autism in humans.

Health Highlights: Oct. 5, 2011

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

Gauging General Health as 'Poor' May Point to Dementia Risk

Older adults who think they're not in tip-top health may have a greater risk of developing dementia than folks who believe they're healthy, French researchers report in Oct. 5 issue of the journal Neurology.

More Americans Face Longers Trips to ER

Nearly one in four Americans must now travel farther to the nearest trauma center than 10 years ago due to closures of hospital trauma centers, a new study shows.

Drug Combo Might Fight Aggressive Breast Cancer More Safely

Treating women with an aggressive form of early stage breast cancer using Herceptin and chemotherapy, while not turning to a third type of drug known as an anthracycline, improves survival while posing less danger to the heart, researchers report.

Experimental MS Drug Shows Promise

A new oral drug for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis appears to reduce relapse rates and disability progression, according to the results of a so-called phase 3 trial.

Stem Cell Therapy Might Help Kidney Transplant Patients

A novel stem cell therapy given shortly after a kidney transplant allows some patients to cast away the medicines meant to keep their body from attacking the new organ, according to a small new study from the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Steve Jobs, Visionary Leader of Apple Inc., Dies at 56

Steve Jobs, the visionary leader of Apple Inc., which introduced the world to personal computers, then the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad, died on Wednesday following a long battle with cancer.