Health News

Health News for 04/02/12

April 02, 2012

Health Tip: Caring for Stitches

You may need stitches to help close an open wound and help reduce scarring.

Health Tip: Selecting a Childcare Provider

If you're a new mom who is planning to return to work soon, you may need to find a reputable childcare provider.

New Scanning Technology Might Help Guide Prostate Cancer Care

A noninvasive scan might someday help doctors track the progress of prostate cancer and help guide treatment, researchers report.

Diabetes Drug Metformin Might Also Help Fight Cancer

A diabetes medication used by millions is now showing promise against a variety of different cancers.

Study Supports CPR Chest Compressions for Cardiac Arrest

People in cardiac arrest who can't be helped by a defibrillator are more apt to survive if they receive CPR in accordance with updated guidelines that stress chest compressions, a new study finds.

Osteoporosis Drugs May Lead to Eye Trouble: Study

First-time users of osteoporosis drugs called oral bisphosphonates may be at increased risk for serious inflammatory eye disease, a new study contends.

Melanoma Rates On the Rise Among Young Adults: Study

New research highlights a dramatic increase in the rates of melanoma, a potentially fatal form of skin cancer, among young adults, with young women being hit the hardest.

Certain Children With Autism Show More Improvement Than Others

About 10 percent of children with autism experience rapid gains in skills -- progressing from severely affected to high functioning -- but minority children with less-educated mothers are much less likely than richer white kids to fall into this group, a new study suggests.

Long-Term Estrogen Therapy Does Up Breast Cancer Risk: Study

Several weeks after a study suggested that women who take estrogen-only hormone replacement to treat menopause symptoms may be at lower risk for developing breast cancer, another, much-larger study finds that when used for longer than 10 years, estrogen-only regimens actually raise a woman's long-term risk for breast cancer.

HPV Infection Lasts Longer in Young Black Women: Study

Human papillomavirus infection tends to lasts longer in college-aged black women than whites, possibly setting them up for a higher risk of cervical cancer, according to a new study.

Smelly Urine a Red Flag for Kids' UTI

When parents say their child's urine smells bad, doctors should test for a urinary tract infection, Canadian researchers report.

Drug, Alcohol Abuse Common Among U.S. Teens, Study Finds

Alcohol and drug use is common among American teens and more than 15 percent of them meet the criteria for substance abuse, a new study finds.

Measles Vaccines Won't Raise Seizure Risk in Young Kids: Study

Measles vaccines don't increase the risk of febrile seizures in children ages 4 to 6, according to a new study.

Immune-Based Drug Combo Might Extend Cancer Survival

Cancer patients who receive a combination of low-dose interleukin-2 and retinoic acid after conventional therapy seem to live longer than those who don't get the combination.

Early Study Hints That Breast Cancer Vaccine Might Work

A vaccine to prevent breast cancer's return in women with a history of the disease has triggered the desired immune response in early research.

Personal Gene Mapping Has Limits, Study Says

Many people have pinned their hopes on human genome scans as the cornerstone of the rapidly emerging field of personalized medicine, able to predict the future health of individuals.

Routine Mammography May Lead to Overdiagnosis: Study

As many as one-quarter of breast cancers identified through routine mammography are "overdiagnosed," according to a new study that could reignite the debate about screening guidelines.

U.S. Advisers Say It's Now Safe to Publish Bird Flu Studies

Research on a mutated, more contagious form of the bird flu virus can be published in full, U.S. government biosecurity advisers said Friday, despite initial concerns that bioterrorists could use the information to start a pandemic.

Why Stress Might Make You Sick

A new study involving the common cold may help explain why stress, which dampens the immune system, seems to trigger inflammation in many people.

Health Highlights: April 2, 2012

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

Pets at Work Keep Workers Happy

Allowing employees to bring their dogs to work appears to reduce stress and boost job satisfaction levels, according to a new study.

CDC: Americans' Levels of Vitamins, Nutrients Basically OK

Most Americans have good levels of vitamins A and D and folate -- a B vitamin -- but some groups of people need to increase their levels of vitamin D and iron, according to a federal report released Monday.

U.S. Women Could Be More Obese Than Believed

The way that obesity is currently measured greatly underestimates the actual number of women who are obese, a new study suggests.

New Drug Might Reduce an Alzheimer's Marker: Study

An experimental drug might lower a marker of Alzheimer's disease seen in the spinal fluid of patients with mild to moderate disease, a small new study finds.

Many Preschoolers Not Getting Enough Outdoor Play

Roughly half of America's preschool-aged children are not getting a daily dose of parentally supervised outdoor playtime, a new study reveals.