Parkinson’s-Alzheimer’s link seen unlikely
• Neurology • Aug 06 04
It has been thought that there might be a genetic link between Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, but that seems not to be the…
Parkinson’s drug linked to heart valve damage
• Neurology • Aug 06 04
Heart valve disease appears to be relatively common in Parkinson’s disease patients treated with pergolide (Permax), according to results of a new study. Evidence…
Antioxidants don’t protect heart of male smokers
• Heart • Aug 06 04
Neither vitamin E nor beta-carotene supplements protect male smokers against heart disease. The antioxidants may actually be harmful, cardiologists report in the European Heart…
Bowel ‘pacemaker’ relieves severe constipation
• Bowel Problems • Aug 06 04
A condition called “total colonic inertia” leads to severe constipation, but a device similar to a heart pacemaker can relieve the problem, an Egyptian…
Fear of terror may raise heart disease risk
• Gender: Female • Aug 06 04
Israeli women who are extremely afraid of terrorism appear to have higher levels of a marker of blood vessel inflammation, a sign they may…
Newer heart surgeons as safe as older hands
• Surgery • Aug 06 04
Heart patients heading for surgery can be reassured that they are in safe hands with a newly appointed surgeon.
The patient mortality rate among…
New study offers hope for Alzheimer’s treatment
• Brain • Aug 06 04
Early treatment of brain lesions associated with Alzheimer’s disease can halt and even reverse the course of the mind-erasing ailment, according to authors of…
Fish oil helps some cancer patients with wasting
• Cancer • Aug 06 04
Loss of weight and muscle mass, common among people with cancer, may be improved with fish oil supplements, according to a new report.…
Delay in premature births cuts risk of disability
• Childbirth • Aug 06 04
Delaying the birth of premature babies by just a few days can prevent brain damage and disability, researchers said on Friday.
Some obstetricians…
Soy protein may benefit diabetics’ kidneys
• Diabetes • Aug 06 04
The kidney function of people with type 2 diabetes seems to be improved by dietary soy protein, with the added benefit that their levels…
Parents can help kids prepare for school
• Psychiatry / Psychology • Aug 06 04
The first day of school can be a lot of fun for many children, giving them a chance to meet up with friends they…
Celebrex May Be Best Therapy for Osteoarthritis
• Arthritis • Aug 05 04
Although acetaminophen (Tylenol) is recommended as initial treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee and hip, Celebrex (celecoxib) may be more effective, and just as…
Few mothers meet breastfeeding goals, study shows
• Childbirth • Aug 05 04
Only 14 percent of U.S. mothers exclusively breastfeed their babies for the minimum recommended six months, according to government data released on Thursday.
…
Benzodiazepine use imperils elderly hips
• Trauma & Injuries • Aug 05 04
Elderly people who take benzodiazepine sedatives and sleeping aids have an increased risk of breaking a hip, according to researchers reporting in the…
New anti-inflammatory drugs increase TB risk
• Drug News • Aug 05 04
Recently developed drugs called TNF-blockers have brought relief to many people with inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or the intestinal disorder, Crohn’s disease.…
Surgery OK after prostate “seed” treatment
• Cancer: Prostate • Aug 05 04
If necessary, the prostate can be removed after six months of prostate cancer treatment with implanted radioactive seeds, or brachytherapy, a French group reports.
…
Exercise safe for people with defibrillators
• Heart • Aug 05 04
With supervision, patients prone to heartbeat irregularities who have an implanted cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) can exercise safely, and derive benefits, according to European investigators.
…
It’s not so hard to switch to a vegan diet
• Dieting • Aug 05 04
Making the switch from a regular meat-and-dairy diet to an all plant-based, vegan diet may be easier than it would seem, new research suggests.
…
Blacks suffer from disparities in US health care
• Public Health • Aug 05 04
Inferior qualifications and less access to resources among doctors who treat black patients may contribute to racial disparities in the quality of U.S. health…
Gene profile predicts leukemia relaps
• Genetics • Aug 05 04
Altered expression of genes - either turned on or off abnormally - is a hallmark of cancer. Researchers have now found that differences in…
Hormone replacement doesn’t curb cataracts
• Eye / Vision Problems • Aug 05 04
Women who use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after menopause do not appear to have a reduced risk of developing cataracts, or a slower worsening…
Deer in headlights pose dilemma for motorists
• Trauma & Injuries • Aug 05 04
Motorists who swerve to avoid deer, cattle and other large animals are almost as likely to end up in the emergency room as those…
Family meals boost teens’ well-being
• Dieting • Aug 05 04
Teens who regularly eat family meals may get more than a home-cooked meal, researchers report.
Adolescents who ate with their family most often did…
High hepatitis B rates in prisons are preventable
• Infections • Aug 05 04
Rates of hepatitis B virus infection are high in state correctional facilities. However, most inmates appear to be willing to undergo vaccination, which would…
Dutch docs often help terminal patients die
• Public Health • Aug 04 04
In face-to-face interviews with 410 physicians in the Netherlands, 52 percent said that in the previous two years they had administered sedating medications while…