Health News

Health News for 03/28/12

March 28, 2012

Health Tip: Warning Signs of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when inflammation affects tissue and a nerve that runs from the forearm to the fingers through a tunnel-like formation of bones in the wrist.

Health Tip: Why Am I Constipated?

Constipation can mean passing fewer-than-normal stools during a week, or passing stools that are dry and hard, or difficult to pass.

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.

Early, Temporary HIV Treatment Can Postpone Long-Term Therapy

Early, 24-week treatment for people newly infected with HIV can delay the need at a later date to start long-term treatment, according to a new study.

Antipsychotic Drugs Might Raise Heart Attack Risk: Study

Antipsychotic drugs can raise the risk of heart attack in older patients with dementia, a new study suggests.

Gastrointestinal Tumor Patients Live Longer on Cancer Drug

Extended treatment with the cancer drug Gleevec leads to improved survival rates in patients who have had surgery to remove a gastrointestinal stromal tumor and have a high risk of cancer recurrence, a new study says.

Moderate Drinking Might Help Men Live Longer After Heart Attack

A drink or two per day may help lower a man's odds of death in the two decades following a heart attack, a new study suggests.

Older Travelers at Much Higher Risk of Dying From Malaria

Tourists over age 65 who visit malaria-infested regions are nearly 10 times more likely to die from the disease than those ages 18 to 35, a new study says.

Study Reveals Trigger That May Speed Melanoma Growth

Growth of the deadly skin cancer melanoma may be triggered by the immune system turning on itself, according to a new study that also identified the mechanism that causes this to happen.

Obesity Rates Rise Among Mexican-Americans: Report

The obesity rate among Mexican-American adults aged 20 to 74 increased from about 21 percent to nearly 35 percent between 1982 and 2006, a new federal report reveals.

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.

Pay-for-Performance Hospitals Don't Offer Better Care: Study

There is no evidence that pay-for-performance programs in U.S. hospitals improve patient survival, a new study says.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Who Quit Statins May Face Raised Death Risk

People suffering from rheumatoid arthritis who stop taking their cholesterol-lowering drugs may raise their risk of dying, a new study finds.

Lifestyle Changes Help Type 2 Diabetics Keep Moving

Weight loss and regular exercise help prevent disability in obese people with type 2 diabetes, according to new research.

Even a Little Drinking May Raise Breast Cancer Risk: Study

Just one alcoholic drink a day can boost a woman's risk of breast cancer by about 5 percent, according to a new review of existing research.

Justices Debate Whether Health-Care Law Can Stand Without Mandate

On the last of three days of legal arguments over the nation's controversial 2010 law that reformed health care, Supreme Court justices debated Wednesday whether a key provision of the legislation could be ruled unconstitutional without invalidating the entire law.

Analysts Differ on Role of 'Individual Mandate' to Health-Reform Law

Striking down the so-called "individual mandate," the most controversial provision of the Affordable Care Act, should the Supreme Court do so, wouldn't deliver a death blow to the health-reform package. But, it would alter projected costs and consumer participation, health policy experts said.

Two Experimental Drugs Could Improve Psoriasis Treatment

A new type of treatment may be on the horizon for people with moderate to severe cases of the chronic skin condition known as psoriasis.

U.S. Cancer Death Rates Continue to Fall: Report

Deaths from cancer in the United States continue to decline, health officials report.

FDA Adds More Warnings to Antidepressant's Label

In a follow-up to a warning that high doses of the popular antidepressant Celexa can cause potentially fatal abnormal heart rhythms, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued new dosing and use recommendations.