Health News

Health News for 11/03/11

November 03, 2011

Too Many Meds May Be More Problem Than Cure

Barely a week goes by, it seems, without some company announcing a new pill designed to help you live a longer, healthier life.

Health Tip: Perform a Breast Self-Exam

A monthly breast self-exam can help you identify any changes or abnormalities early, which could lead to a better chance of successful breast cancer treatment.

College Students Still Vulnerable to Bullying

Bullying and cyberbullying don't end when students go from high school to college, a new study finds.

Health Tip: Traveling With Prescription Medications

When you're flying with prescription drugs, be sure to prepare them carefully before you head out for the airport.

Improved Allergy Shots Might Be on Horizon

Allergy shots are time-tested treatments that reduce health care costs and can now provide relief to allergy sufferers within weeks instead of months, according to experts.

Kidney Donation Doesn't Put Older Adults at Risk

People older than 70 can donate a kidney without risking their lives but their donated kidneys don't last as long as those from younger living donors, a new study shows.

Skin Reacts to UV Light Faster Than Thought, Study Finds

An ultraviolet receptor in the skin immediately senses and responds to UV light in order to protect against UV damage, researchers have found.

Some Smokers More Likely to Quit After Stroke Than Others

Smokers are more likely to kick the habit after a stroke if the area of their brain that processes emotions was damaged by the stroke, researchers say.

Earthquakes Put Millions of Lives, Major Cities at Risk

When an earthquake hits, up to 8 percent of a city's population can suffer fatal injuries, a new report suggests.

Brain Stimulation May Help Kill Cigarette Cravings, Study Finds

In smokers, stimulating the brain in certain ways can manipulate their cravings for cigarettes, researchers have found.

Radiation Plus Hormone Therapy Extends Life in High-Risk Prostate Cancer

A combination of radiation and hormone therapy prolongs survival among men whose cancer has spread beyond the prostate, Canadian and U.K. researchers report.

Home-Based Test Can Detect Cervical Cancer Virus: Study

Home-based tests using self-collected vaginal samples could serve as an alternative to the traditional Pap smear tests designed to detect the virus that causes cervical cancer, new study findings show.

More People Landing in the ER After Abusing Muscle Relaxant: Report

The number of people winding up in the emergency room because of the misuse or abuse of the prescription muscle relaxant carisoprodol has more than doubled, a new federal report warns.

Death Toll From Listeria Outbreak Hits 29

The death toll in the listeria outbreak traced to cantaloupes produced at a Colorado farm has reached 29, with another 139 people sickened in 28 states, U.S. officials said late Wednesday.

Health Highlights: Nov. 3, 2011

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

FDA OKs Heart Valve That Does Not Require Open-Heart Surgery

The first artificial heart valve that can be implanted without open-heart surgery has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Artificial Heart Valve Doesn't Require Open-Heart Surgery

The first artificial heart valve that can replace a diseased aortic valve without requiring open-heart surgery has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Weighing Weight-Loss Programs

A new British study finds that commercial weight-loss programs are more effective and less costly than primary care-based programs led by specially trained staff.

Rx for Heart Patients: Healthier Living, Medication

A healthy lifestyle and appropriate medications can help people with heart disease live longer and avoid a heart attack or stroke, according to new guidelines from the American College of Cardiology Foundation and the American Heart Association.

Study Finds No Link Between Dyslexia and IQ

A new study that found no association between dyslexia and IQ calls into question the widespread practice of classifying children as dyslexic based on differences between their reading abilities and their IQ scores, researchers report.

More Targeted Treatments Key to Progress in War on Cancer: Report

More targeted treatments and streamlining clinical trials are among the keys to speeding the pace of progress in finding more effective cancer treatments, a new report says.