Health News

Health News for 03/27/12

March 27, 2012

Health Tip: Keep Toenails Healthy

Ingrown toenails and nail fungus are just a couple of foot problems that may be prevented with proper care.

Health Tip: Get Ready for Your Marathon

Marathons require months of training and preparation, but it's also important to take care of yourself during and just before the big race.

Black Women, Uninsured Get Worse Ovarian Cancer Care: Study

Women with ovarian cancer who are black, either uninsured or Medicare recipients, or who have annual incomes of less than $35,000 are more likely to receive poorer-quality care, a new study shows.

Could Unroasted Coffee Beans Help You Shed Pounds?

When taken as a supplement, unroasted -- or green -- coffee-bean extract can help people shed pounds, according to a small preliminary study.

Warfarin Helps Cut Stroke Risk, Researchers Report

The anti-clotting drug warfarin reduces stroke risk in patients with a heart rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation, research shows.

Tighter Recommendations Issued for Blood Cell Transfusions

Aiming to cut back on unnecessary red blood cell transfusions, the American Association of Blood Banks has issued new recommendations that raise the bar for when patients should be considered in need of fresh blood.

Bypass Surgery May Be Better Than Angioplasty for Seniors

Patients over the age of 65 who have severe coronary artery disease fare better with bypass surgery than with minimally invasive angioplasty, a large, new study indicates.

Heart Screenings Yield More False-Positives Among Black Athletes

The screenings European athletes must undergo to detect possible heart conditions before they are allowed to participate in sports should include race-specific criteria, a new study suggests.

Defibrillator Implantation May Be Riskier for Underweight Patients

Patients who are small or underweight are at greater risk for complications during the placement of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, a new study indicates.

Widespread CPR Training Could Boost Heart Attack Survival Rates

TUESDAY, March 27 (HealthDay News) --Training more people to perform CPR would significantly improve heart attack survival rates, according to a new study in Denmark, where CPR training is widespread.

Research Shows How Colds Lead to Coughing, Wheezing

The common cold appears to increase the number of "cough receptors" in the airways and makes them more sensitive, which triggers coughing, wheezing and breathlessness, a new study reports.

Community Hospitals Safe for Angioplasty: Study

Angioplasty -- a procedure to open blocked arteries -- can be performed safely and effectively at community hospitals that don't have on-site cardiac surgery units, according to a new study.

New Injection Might Lower Tough-to-Treat Cholesterol

Researchers report that injections of a novel "monoclonal antibody" lowered LDL cholesterol levels in patients with high cholesterol by as much as 72 percent.

Cardiac Cocktail Delivered by Paramedics May Save Lives

Training paramedics to give probable heart attack patients a mixture of glucose, insulin and potassium may lessen the severity of a heart attack and save lives, new research suggests.

High Out-of-Pocket Costs for Kids' Asthma Drugs Could Pose Dangers

When health insurers require parents to pay a larger share of the cost of asthma medications for their children, more kids need emergency asthma treatment, suggests new research.

Supreme Court Justices Zero In on Key Provision of Health-Care Law

The individual mandate -- the portion of the Affordable Care Act that requires Americans to purchase health insurance or pay a penalty -- appeared threatened during U.S. Supreme Court arguments made on Tuesday.

Health Highlights: March 27, 2012

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

HPV Vaccine May Help Women With Cervical Conditions

A new study finds that women diagnosed with pre-cancerous cervical conditions after they get the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine can still benefit from the shot because it cuts their risk of future HPV-related cervical disease.

Omontys Approved for Anemic People With Kidney Disease

Omontys (peginesatide) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat anemia in adults who require dialysis due to chronic kidney disease.