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February 7, 2012
Bread blamed for Americans' high salt intake
Reuters could not immediately reach a food industry spokesman for comment on the CDC recommendation that they reduce the amount of salt in food.
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February 6, 2012
CORRECTION: Blurry line in diagnosing early Alzheimer's: study
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The revised definition of a brain condition called mild cognitive impairment means that many people now considered to have mild or early Alzheimer's disease could easily be given that diagnosis instead, suggests a new study.
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February 1, 2012
Omega-3s tied to lower risk of heart arrhythmia
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In a new study of some 3,000 older adults, those with the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood were 30 percent less likely to develop an irregular heartbeat over the next 14 years than peers with the lowest blood levels of omega-3s.
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January 31, 2012
Statins work as well for women as men: study
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Despite doubts raised by some studies, a new research review suggests that cholesterol-lowering statins offer as much protection for women as for men.
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January 30, 2012
Study clouds evidence on soy and menopause
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Middle-aged women may find some relief from hot flashes and other menopause problems with soy supplements, according to Chinese researchers.
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January 25, 2012
FDA fails to approve cholesterol drug for kidney
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. health regulators amended the prescribing label for Merck & Co's cholesterol-lowering drug Vytorin to show it prevents heart problems in patients with chronic kidney disease, but stopped short of approving its use for that purpose.
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January 25, 2012
Kids' health predicts parents' future heart disease
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - When children have high cholesterol or blood pressure, their parents may have increased risks of diabetes and heart disease down the road, a new study finds.
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January 25, 2012
Controversial scan doesn't help smokers quit: study
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Checking for clogged arteries doesn't help inveterate smokers kick the habit if they are already in a quit-smoking program, Swiss researchers have found.
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January 25, 2012
Device makers urge coverage of weight-loss surgery
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Device manufacturers are pushing the U.S. government and health insurers to cover weight-loss surgery, an effort that could give millions more obese Americans access to the treatments.
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January 24, 2012
Illinois Senator Kirk talking following stroke
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois, who suffered a stroke over the weekend and had part of his skull removed to relieve brain swelling, is alert and talking but has a long recovery in store, his doctor said on Tuesday.
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January 24, 2012
Swimming lowers older adults' blood pressure
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Many older adults like to take a dip a pool, and now a small study suggests it can be good for their blood pressure.
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January 23, 2012
Senator Mark Kirk hospitalized after stroke
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Senator Mark Kirk underwent surgery on Monday after suffering a stroke, according to a statement from the Illinois Republican lawmaker's office.
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January 20, 2012
Pomegranate seed oil fails to cool hot flashes
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In the first clinical trial of pomegranate seed oil as a treatment for menopausal hot flashes, women taking the supplement twice a day for 12 weeks got no more relief than women taking a placebo pill containing sunflower oil.
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January 19, 2012
Plant compounds tied to fewer heart deaths
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Older adults who get a moderate amount of certain plant compounds in their diets are less likely to die of heart disease or stroke, a large study finds.
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January 13, 2012
Magnesium-rich diet tied to lower stroke risk
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A fresh look at past research concludes that people who eat lots of greens and other foods rich in magnesium have fewer strokes -- a finding that supports current diet guidelines.
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January 13, 2012
Pollution tied to disease risk in L.A. black women
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In a study of more than 4,000 black women in Los Angeles, those who lived in areas with higher levels of traffic-related air pollution were at increased risk of developing diabetes and high blood pressure.
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January 13, 2012
Medicare shortchanges hospitals on stroke therapy
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Treating stroke patients with clot-busting drugs costs U.S. hospitals substantially more than Medicare pays, a new study finds.
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January 13, 2012
China seeks to unlock secrets of herbs, roots
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Chinese legends have long extolled the benefits of the Tian Shan Xue Lian, a rare white flower found in snowcapped mountains that is revered as a panacea, an elixir so powerful it can supposedly bring the dead back to life.
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January 12, 2012
Sugary soda ups risky fat deposits
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Drinking a liter of regular cola every day increases the amount of fat in the liver and in the muscles and surrounding the organs in the belly, according to a new Danish study.
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January 11, 2012
Red wine-heart research slammed with fraud charges
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A University of Connecticut researcher who studied the link between aging and a substance found in red wine has committed more than 100 acts of data fabrication and falsification, the university said Wednesday, throwing much of his work into doubt.
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January 11, 2012
Extra oxygen may harm emergency patients: report
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - That oxygen mask they strap on patients rushed to the ER after a heart attack or a stroke? It could be doing more harm than good in many cases, Dutch researchers say in a new report.
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January 11, 2012
Frequent red meat eaters at higher risk of stroke
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A high-protein diet might benefit health in some ways, but depending on what kind of protein a person consumes, it could raise their stroke risk too, suggests a large new study that finds eating lots of red meat ups the likelihood of having a stroke while poultry lowers it.
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January 11, 2012
Stroke patients maintain benefits of robot therapy
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Stroke patients who have the most trouble walking may see lasting benefits from using machines that move their legs to simulate walking, say Italian researchers.
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January 9, 2012
Heart attack risk seen with clot drug Pradaxa
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January 9, 2012
Aspirin guidelines need overhaul, researchers say
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Healthy people shouldn't be taking aspirin to prevent heart disease, researchers say in a new report that casts doubt on recommendations from U.S. health officials.
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January 6, 2012
New heart rhythm fix sometimes short-lived
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new procedure to treat the common heart rhythm problem atrial fibrillation may offer only short-lived relief for a significant portion of patients, according to California researchers.
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January 4, 2012
Fewer heart attacks seen after weight-loss surgery
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In a new study of obese Swedes, those who had weight-loss surgery were less likely to go on to suffer a heart attack or stroke, or die from one, compared to people who were managed without surgery.
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January 4, 2012
No extra risk of breaking bones after ovary removal
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women who have their ovaries surgically removed may go through menopause early, but that does not seem to raise their risk of breaking a bone, a new study suggests.
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January 4, 2012
Arteries still healthy in young football players
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Studies have found that retired pro football players may have an increased risk of heart disease. But new research shows that while they are still in the game, there are no signs of trouble in the players' arteries.
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January 3, 2012
Drug use not tied to mental decline in middle-age
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Middle aged adults whose memories have grown hazy can't blame occasional pot smoking or other light illicit drug use, new research suggests.
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December 29, 2011
Estrogen helps nighttime hot flashes, not sleep
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women who wake up at least three times during the night from bothersome hot flashes wake up less when they take estrogen, but the quality of their sleep remains the same, according to a new study.
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December 27, 2011
Obesity linked to older adults' risk of falls
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Obese older adults may be more likely than their thinner peers to suffer a potentially disabling fall -- though the most severely obese may be somewhat protected from injury, a new study suggests.
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December 21, 2011
Group asks FDA to withdraw Wingspan stent approval
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December 14, 2011
Brain stimulation may help some stroke patients
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Treating stroke patients who have lost control and awareness of one side of their body with magnetic stimulation to the brain may improve their symptoms, researchers said today.
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December 14, 2011
Helicopter not always better for stroke patients
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The conventional wisdom that helicopters are the best way to transport all stroke patients treated with clot-busting drugs may not be correct, a small study at one medical center suggests.
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December 12, 2011
ADHD drugs do not up heart risks in adults: study
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Drugs used to treat ADHD in adults do not increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes or sudden death, U.S. researchers said on Monday, lifting a cloud over the popular drugs used to improve attention and focus.
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December 9, 2011
Pakistan prez says he's fine, vows to return soon
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari is "fine" and will return home soon, a news anchor quoted him as saying on Friday, nearly a week after his rush to a Dubai hospital led to speculation the unpopular leader might resign and even of a possible coup.
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December 9, 2011
FDA advisers: revise popular birth control labels
ADELPHI, Maryland (Reuters) - U.S. health advisers recommended a revision of labels for the widely used new generation of birth control pills, based on data showing they may put women at a higher risk of dangerous blood clots.
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December 6, 2011
Spending on depression up, quality of care lagging
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Spending on depression has gone up by nearly a third with no clear improvement in the quality of care, according to Medicaid claims data from Florida.
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December 6, 2011
Prostate cancer hormonal therapy cuts deaths: report
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - For men with aggressive prostate cancer, hormone-targeted therapy cuts the overall risk of death, according to a new review of past studies.
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December 2, 2011
Lots of pregnancies linked to a healthier heart
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In a new study from a single California community, women who had been pregnant at least four times were less likely to die from cardiovascular disease than those who'd never been expecting.
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December 2, 2011
Chinese herb mix may cool hot flashes a bit
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A mix of certain traditional Chinese herbs thought to have weak estrogen-like activity might help ease menopausal hot flashes, a small clinical trial suggests.
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December 2, 2011
Obese people use more meds: study
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Obese adults in the United States use a number of prescription drug types more frequently than normal-weight adults, says a new study from researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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December 1, 2011
Without primary care, less awareness of chronic ills
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In a new U.S. study, people who said emergency rooms were their usual site of medical care were less likely to know they had chronic conditions, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol, than those who got primary care at doctors' offices or clinics.
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November 30, 2011
Yoga may ease insomnia, menopause problems
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A couple of yoga sessions a week could help ease sleep problems and other effects of menopause, a small study suggests.
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November 28, 2011
Britons worry profits to trump services in hospital deal
HUNTINGDON, England (Reuters) - Maggie Blight has only praise for the local state-funded hospital where she got her hernia fixed last year.
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November 25, 2011
Mediterranean-ish diet tied to better heart health
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Once again, eating a diet based on fish, legumes, vegetables and moderate amounts of alcohol is linked to lower chances of dying from a heart attack, stroke or other vascular "events," according to a new study of New York City residents.
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November 24, 2011
Moderate drinking tied to lower diabetes risk
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Middle aged women who eat a lot of refined carbs might offset their risk of type 2 diabetes by drinking a moderate amount of alcohol, a new study suggests.
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November 24, 2011
Aspirin not worth risks for healthy women: study
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Aspirin is a bad bargain for healthy women trying to stave off heart attacks or strokes, although it's commonly used for that purpose, according to Dutch researchers.
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November 23, 2011
Choline-rich diet tied to sharper memory
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who get plenty of choline in their diets may perform better on memory tests, and be less likely to show brain changes associated with dementia, a new study suggests.