Health News

Health News for 01/30/12

January 30, 2012

Health Tip: How to Protect Toddlers From Burns

Toddlerhood is a time of exploring, adventure -- and accidents. Toddlers investigating their world can run into hot water in more ways than one.

Health Tip: Healthy Fats? They Exist

All fats shouldn't be treated equal. Your body craves certain "healthy" fats, which are unsaturated fats mostly found in plant-based foods.

Pets Help Women Cope With HIV/AIDS

Having a pet helps women with HIV/AIDS cope with their condition and may also help those with other chronic diseases, a new study says.

Many Parents Skip Booster Seats When Carpooling

Most parents in the United States place their children in a booster seat when they're driving their own car, but many don't enforce this rule when their child is in a car with another driver, a new study indicates.

Those Extra Pounds Could Harm Your Back

Overweight and obese adults are at significantly increased risk for lumbar spine disc degeneration, a potential cause of low back pain, researchers say.

Health Reform Law Gaining Wider Acceptance: Poll

Americans are slowly starting to embrace some key components of the controversial health care reform act signed into law by President Barack Obama nearly two years ago, a new Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll found.

Statins Equally Effective in Women and Men

Cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins are equally effective in men and women, a new study finds.

Study Looks at Possible HIV Drugs-Birth Defect Link

Pregnant women with HIV can prevent passing the AIDS-causing virus to their babies by taking antiretroviral drugs, but there remains a possibility that some of these medications might cause birth defects, such as cleft lip and palate, according to a new study.

Even Strangers Can Make You Feel Left Out

The need for a connection to other people is so powerful that being ignored by a stranger can make someone feel left out, according to a new study.

Live Liver Donation Safer Than Previously Thought

People who donate a piece of their liver to someone in need of a transplant can still live a long and healthy life, according to a new study.

More Newborns Suffering Drug Withdrawal at Birth

A dramatic rise in newborns experiencing drug withdrawal after being exposed in the womb poses challenges for clinicians on how to detox these tiny victims, a new report indicates.

Blood Pressure Differences Between Arms Could Signal Heart Risk

People whose systolic blood pressure -- the upper number in their reading -- is different in their left and right arms may be suffering from a vascular disease that could increase their risk of death, British researchers report.

Ultrasound As a Male Contraceptive?

Ultrasound equipment used for physical therapy may have potential as a male contraceptive, according to a new animal study.

What Would Jesus Do? Maybe Not What I'd Do, Survey of Christians Finds

A new study finds U.S. Christians on both sides of the ideological divide believe Jesus is more compassionate than they are when it comes to the issues of helping the poor and providing services to illegal immigrants.

Chubby Doctors Could Be Bad for Your Health

A doctor who packs a few extra pounds may be unlikely to advise you to shed your own excess weight, a new study suggests.

Gene Study Sheds Light on Body Clock's Link to Diabetes

Researchers studying the link between diabetes and a hormone that affects your so-called "body clock" have identified a genetic mutation in the receptor for the hormone, melatonin, that may to boost the risk of the disease.

Health Highlights: Jan.30, 2012

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

First Drug Ok'd to Combat Spreading Basal Cell Skin Cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved a drug to treat the most common form of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma.

Erivedge Approved to Treat Basal Cell Carinoma

Erivedge (vismodegib) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat the most common form of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, the agency said Monday.

Nurturing Moms May Help Their Child's Brain Develop

Preschool children whose moms are loving and nurturing have a larger hippocampus, an area of the brain involved in learning, memory and stress response, when they reach school age, a new study finds.