Health News

Health News for 03/29/12

March 29, 2012

Health Tip: Diabetics, Avoid Too Much Salt

High-sodium foods can contribute to high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for stroke and heart attack. The issue is compounded for people with diabetes, who are already at greater risk of heart attack and stroke.

Health Tip: Warning Signs of Gum Disease

Periodontal disease affects the thin crevice between the gums and teeth called the sulcus. This causes the attachment of the tooth and nearby tissue to disintegrate, causing a pocket that becomes deeper as the disease worsens.

Chocolate a Sweet Remedy for Many Ills?

International researchers have uncovered even more healthy properties of flavanols -- the antioxidants found in cocoa beans.

Immersion Beats Classroom for Mastering a Foreign Tongue: Study

For adults, learning a new language is like learning how to play a musical instrument -- over time, the brain "consolidates" the new information it has learned, researchers have found.

The Human Brain: Not a Tangle, But a Grid

Far from being a haphazard tangle of circuitry, the human brain is organized in a logical, simple 3D grid structure, scientists report.

Stigma, Shame Can Worsen Depression in Lung Cancer Patients

Feelings of shame, social isolation and rejection can heighten depression in lung cancer patients, a new study finds.

Inadequate Bowel Prep May Invalidate Colonoscopy

Doctors may fail to detect precancerous growths if patients' colons aren't adequately cleansed before having a colonoscopy, a new study warns.

Depression Often Follows Stroke, But Treatment Lacking

While depression is common among people who've survived a stroke, it too often goes undiagnosed and untreated, research shows.

911 Dispatchers May Suffer From Post-Traumatic Stress

Answering 911 calls for help may cause emergency dispatchers to experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, a new study has found.

Wireless Skin Patch Developed to Transmit Medical Info

Researchers say they're designing patch-like devices to wirelessly transmit information about a person's vital health statistics, potentially freeing patients from the wires and sticky electrodes of electroencephalograms (EEGs) and electrocardiogram (EKGs).

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.

'Superinfected' Patients Give Clues to Fighting HIV

A stronger immune response occurs in women who have been infected with two different strains of HIV by two different sexual partners than in women infected with one strain of HIV, a new study finds.

Heavier Baby Girls at Higher Risk for Diabetes, Heart Woes as Adults

Overweight female babies are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes in adulthood, a new study suggests.

First Bedside Gene Test Shows Promise

For the first time, a genetic test done at a patient's bedside helped doctors choose the right medicine, Canadian researchers report.

Health Highlights: March 29, 2012

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

States' Efforts to Boost Cigarette Taxes Slows: CDC

Although eight states boosted their sales taxes on cigarettes over the past two years, that's a decline in the number of such increases by states compared to 2009, a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows.

Legal Experts Offer Predictions on Fate of Health-Reform Legislation

Now comes the hard part.

People Stir Up Millions of Bacteria When Entering a Room: Study

Simply by entering a room, you can add up to 37 million bacteria to the air every hour, according to a new study.

Dating Violence Common by 7th Grade: Survey

Psychological and physical abuse is a common facet of dating for America's adolescents, a new survey reveals.