Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay: - Many Doctors Hit With Medicare Payment Cuts - Hundreds of thousands of American doctors will have their Medicare payments cut next year because they haven't met specified goals, federal officials say. More than 257,000 doctors will have their payments reduced by one percent because they didn't...
December 19, 2014
FRIDAY, Dec. 19, 2014 (HealthDay News) - Injectable drug users who also use cocaine and amphetamines have nearly double the suicide attempt rate of other substance users, a new study finds. "We know that substance use is associated with the risk of suicide attempt and completed suicide," Didier Jutras-Aswad, a psychiatry professor at the University of Montreal, said in a university news release. "However,...
December 19, 2014
FRIDAY, Dec. 19, 2014 (HealthDay News) - Lynparza (olaparib) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat advanced ovarian cancer associated with defective BRCA genes, the agency said Friday in a news release. Nearly 22,000 women in the United States are projected to be diagnosed this year with ovarian cancer, and more than 14,000 will die from it, the U.S. National Cancer Institute...
December 19, 2014
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) - People around the world are living much longer than they did a few decades ago, a new study indicates. Worldwide life expectancy rose from 65.3 years in 1990 to 71.5 years in 2013, but women had slightly greater gains than men. During that time, life expectancy at birth increased 6.6 years for females and 5.8 years for males. If current trends continue, life...
December 18, 2014
THURSDAY, Dec. 18, 2014 (HealthDay News) - Few people know how to properly use the medical devices that contain lifesaving medications for severe allergic reactions and asthma attacks, a new study shows. Just 16 percent knew the correct way to use an epinephrine injector for someone with a life-threatening allergy. And only 7 percent knew how to use an asthma inhaler as directed. "This isn't a new...
December 18, 2014
THURSDAY, Dec. 18, 2014 (HealthDay News) - Children born to moms who were exposed to high levels of air pollution late in pregnancy may have an increased risk of developing autism, a U.S. study suggests. Researchers found that of nearly 1,800 U.S. women who gave birth between 1990 and 2002, those exposed to the most air pollution during pregnancy were twice as likely to have a baby who later developed...
December 18, 2014
THURSDAY, Dec. 18, 2014 (HealthDay News) - The type of parenting children receive at an early age may have a long-term effect on their social skills and school success, a new study indicates. The study included 243 people from poor families in Minnesota who were followed from birth until age 32. Those who received more sensitive parenting early in life had better social skills - including romantic...
December 18, 2014
Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay: - Former NFL Players' Lawsuit Over Painkillers Dismissed by Judge - A lawsuit by former NFL players who said they were subjected to improper care and misuse of painkillers was dismissed Wednesday by a federal judge. The lawsuit by the 1,300 retired players claimed the league and its teams, doctors...
December 18, 2014
(HealthDay News) - Leftovers can only last so long before they're at risk for spoiling. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers these guidelines for storing food: - Cooked turkey that has been properly refrigerated should be eaten within four days; gravy and stuffing within a day or two. Three or four days is best for cooked vegetables and casseroles. While cheesecake may last for seven days,...
December 18, 2014
(HealthDay News) - An eating disorder, such as binge eating, bulimia or emotional eating, can be dangerous at any age, particularly for a teenager. The American Academy of Family Physicians mentions these potential health consequences of an eating disorder: - Weight gain or loss. Difficulty concentrating. Problems of the stomach, heart, teeth or kidneys. Osteoporosis. Dry skin. In severe cases, death....
December 18, 2014
THURSDAY, Dec. 18, 2014 (HealthDay News) - The flu is starting to tighten its grip on much of the United States, particularly in the South and Midwest, U.S. health officials reported Thursday. And more than half of the flu infections examined so far have been caused by the strain known as influenza A H3N2, which appears to have mutated from the H3N2 strain included in this year's flu vaccine. That...
December 18, 2014
THURSDAY, Dec. 18, 2014 (HealthDay News) - Common painkillers, including ibuprofen, might slightly reduce your risk of developing a form of skin cancer, researchers say. Use of ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve) appear to reduce the risk of squamous cell skin cancer by 15 percent, the researchers concluded after reviewing nine prior studies. Squamous cell skin cancer is usually caused by...
December 18, 2014
THURSDAY, Dec. 18, 2014 (HealthDay News) - The tragic death from "rat-bite fever" of a 10-year-old San Diego boy highlights the risk carried by the pet rodents, according to a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Rat-bite fever is a rare but potentially fatal illness that should be considered in persons with rash, fever and joint pain, and when a history of rodent exposure...
December 18, 2014
THURSDAY, Dec. 18, 2014 (HealthDay News) - A new study suggests a possible link between certain menopause symptoms - moderate to severe hot flashes and night sweats - and higher rates of hip fractures and weaker bones. Hot flashes are common during menopause, affecting about 60 percent of women. The hormonal changes during menopause also affect women after menopause, since they then face a higher risk...
December 18, 2014
THURSDAY, Dec. 18, 2014 (HealthDay News) - Being in good shape seems to reduce your risk of high blood pressure, researchers report. They looked at data from more than 57,000 Americans, including more than 35,000 with high blood pressure, who underwent treadmill tests between 1991 and 2009. Those in the poorest shape had a more than 70 percent chance of having high blood pressure at the start of the...
December 18, 2014
THURSDAY, Dec. 18, 2014 (HealthDay News) - A high-dose influenza vaccine is better than the standard vaccine for frail seniors under care in nursing homes, a new study suggests. Researchers report that the high-dose shot produces a stronger immune response in this elderly population, a potential sign it will keep more cases of flu at bay. "For frail older adults, the high-dose vaccine appears to be...
December 18, 2014
THURSDAY, Dec. 18, 2014 (HealthDay News) - A "homing signal" in the brain tells people which way to travel, and the strength of the signal affects people's ability to navigate, researchers report. Their study is the first to uncover why some people are better at finding their way than others, and also offers new insight into why getting lost is a common problem among people with Alzheimer's disease....
December 18, 2014
THURSDAY, Dec. 18, 2014 (HealthDay News) - Xtoro (finafloxacin otic suspension) eardrops have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat swimmer's ear, clinically known as acute otitis externa. The infection of the outer ear and ear canal, most often caused by ear canal bacteria, has typical symptoms including pain, swelling, redness and discharge, the FDA said in a news release....
December 18, 2014
THURSDAY, Dec. 18, 2014 (HealthDay News) - Ebola's entrance into the United States - along with Angelina Jolie's chickenpox and the National Hockey League's mumps outbreak - have highlighted cracks in the nation's public health defense against infectious disease, according to a new health policy report released Thursday. Half of U.S. states are poorly prepared to prevent, detect and respond to infectious...
December 18, 2014
THURSDAY, Dec. 18, 2014 (HealthDay News) - Traveling through the same U.S. airport gate, one infected passenger transmitted the measles virus to three others within a four-hour time span, illustrating just how easily the virus can spread, a new report shows. "The exposures in this report were not prolonged and occurred in a domestic rather than an international terminal, highlighting the fact that...
December 18, 2014
THURSDAY, Dec. 18, 2014 (HealthDay News) - If you can't balance on one leg for at least 20 seconds you may be at risk of a stroke, Japanese researchers suggest. Difficulty standing on one leg may indicate that small strokes or tiny bleeds have already occurred, which means the risk for more serious strokes is high, the investigators reported online Dec. 18 in the journal -Stroke. "Individuals showing...
December 18, 2014
(HealthDay News) - A painful thumb may be more than an inconvenience - it may signal a fracture that needs a doctor's care. The American Academy of Orthopaedic surgeons says symptoms of a fractured thumb may include: - Significant pain or tenderness. Coldness or numbness. Swelling of the thumb. Difficulty or inability to move the thumb. A thumb that appears misshapen. Copyright © 2014 HealthDay. All...
December 17, 2014
(HealthDay News) - Night waking means loss of vital sleep for both children and their parents. The University of Michigan Health System mentions these common causes of night waking among children: - Having separation anxiety, especially if one or both parents are frequently away. Having uncomfortable pajamas, a room that is too hot or cold, being hungry or thirsty, or having wet the bed. Having a food...
December 17, 2014
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) - A screening test has identified more than 50 drugs that could be helpful in treating people with Ebola, researchers report. The drugs, which are already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, all showed promise in preventing the Ebola virus from entering human cells, where it can cause life-threatening infections. "These drugs are all approved,...
December 17, 2014
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) - A new report on a Texas infant who died from Legionnaires' disease after being born in a whirlpool tub highlights the potential dangers of having a "water birth." - It's not clear if the baby was infected with the respiratory illness via the well water in the tub where the infant was born, according to the report. Still, Texas health officials have since...
December 17, 2014