Oral Contraceptives May Help Treat Asthma
Treatment with oral contraceptives may benefit premenopausal women with asthma, even if their asthma symptoms are not strongly linked to their monthly menstrual cycles, early research suggests. |
First Impressions Surprisingly Accurate
A new study shows that we can accurately evaluate strangers' personalities based just on appearance. |
Expert Panel Rejects Abstinence-Only Sex Ed
There's no evidence that abstinence-only sexual education programs cut teens' risk of sexually transmitted disease, HIV, or pregnancy, a task force of public health experts finds. |
Early Morning Colon Cancer Tests Work Best
Colon cancer screening exams may be more effective if done very early in the day rather than later, yielding more polyps per patient, says a new study. |
Aspirin May Prevent Prostate Cancer Recurrence
The use of anti-clotting drugs, including aspirin, appears to lower the odds that cancer will recur in men undergoing radiation treatment for prostate cancer, researchers report. |
Even a Little Exercise Fights Obesity
While frequent exercise is known to fight obesity and improve mental health, as little as 30 minutes of physical activity one or two days a week can have benefits, according to the 2009 Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. |
Acetaminophen May Be Linked to Asthma Risk
The popular pain and fever reliever acetaminophen may be linked with an increased risk of asthma in children and adults, according to a new research review of previously published studies. |
'Light' Cigarettes Hurt Quit-Smoking Effort
A study shows switching to "light" cigarettes may undermine a person's resolve to quit smoking. |
Obesity Linked to Many Cancer Cases in U.S.
As many as 100,000 cases of cancer could be prevented in the U.S. each year if Americans get rid of their excess body fat, a report by the American Institute for Cancer Research suggests. |
Cat Gets H1N1 Swine Flu
H1N1 swine flu was detected in a 13-year-old Iowa cat after two members of the family that owns the cat fell ill. The cat, and both humans, recovered. |
Hot Tub Injuries on the Rise
Relaxing in a backyard hot tub may be fun, but potential dangers lurk. A new study shows that as the popularity of hot tubs has increased, so have the number of injuries. |
Newborns' Cries Reflect Parents' Language
The cries of infants as young as 3 days old already reflect the language their parents speak, according to a new study that compared the newborn cries of French-born and German-born children. |
'On-Pump' Heart Surgery Gets High Marks
Coronary artery bypass surgery performed on a beating heart without the aid of a heart-lung machine proved no more effective than traditional bypass surgery, a study comparing the two procedures shows. |
New Cure for 4-Hour Erections?
Men suffering penis pain and damage from priapism -- erections lasting over 4 hours -- may benefit from a drug used in kids with a severe immune disorder, mouse studies suggest. |
Quick Radiation Works for Breast Cancer
A shorter, cheaper, and more convenient three-week course of radiation appears to work just as well as the traditional six-week schedule for some women with early-stage breast cancer, a new study suggests. |
Proton Boost May Thwart Prostate Cancer's Return
A boost of a highly targeted form of radiation therapy may prevent prostate cancer from coming back, a study of nearly 400 men suggests. |
Cancer Patients Want Honesty From Doctors
A survey of cancer patients shows most want their doctors to be honest about their chances of survival. |
Experimental Vaccine Targets Genital Cancer
An experimental human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine shows early promise for preventing genital cancer in high-risk women who are already infected with the virus. |
COPD: Awareness Climbs, Understanding Lags
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which makes breathing tough for one in every five people over age 45, is becoming a better-known condition, but nearly half of people surveyed seem unsure that it can be treated, a new survey shows. |
Eating Slowly May Help Weight Control
A study shows that eating too fast can make you prone to overeating by blocking the release of gut hormones that help make you feel full. |
Gamma Knife Relieves Uncontrollable Tremors
Using a gamma knife to target brain cells that work overtime in people with tremors relieved uncontrollable shaking in more than 80% of patients in whom it was tested. |
H1N1 Swine Flu Deadly in All Age Groups
H1N1 swine flu isn't always severe, but when it's bad, it's really bad. Patients hospitalized with pandemic flu have an 11% fatality rate, California data suggest. |
Radiation Cuts Odds Melanoma Will Recur
Radiation treatment cuts the risk that melanoma will come back in people at high risk for recurrence, a new study suggests. |
Electrical Stimulation Eases Asthma Attack
Here's a shocking way to help asthma patients catch their breath during a sudden and severe attack: Deliver tiny electrical impulses under the skin in the neck. |
Preemies Raise U.S. Infant Mortality Rate
The high percentage of preterm babies is the main cause of the high infant mortality rate in the U.S., the CDC says in a new report. |
Is Prostate Cancer Overtreated?
The majority of men with prostate cancer can be spared from anti-hormone therapy -- and all of its side effects, including impotence, hot flashes, and liver problems, researchers say. |
Shingles Recurs More Often Than Thought
People with shingles are more likely to suffer a recurrence than previously thought, especially if their attack is accompanied by lasting pain, researchers report. |
More Smokers Quit With Patches and Lozenges
Smokers who want to kick the habit are more likely to succeed when they use a combination of long-acting and immediate-delivery nicotine-replacement products, a study shows. |
Swine Flu Vaccine Protects Pregnant Women
Pregnant women safely get "robust" protection from one dose of the H1N1 swine flu vaccine; but kids under age 10 really need two doses, NIH studies show. |
Deadlier Strain of MRSA Emerges
A newly discovered strain of MRSA is five times more deadly than other strains, a new study suggests. |
Swine Flu Study on N95 Masks Retracted
N95 masks may be no better than ordinary disposable surgical masks at preventing the flu, after all. |
TV Linked to More Child Aggression
A new study shows that children who watch more television -- and even those who are exposed to the television while other people in the home are watching -- are more likely to be aggressive. |
Sleeping Easier After Retirement
Retirement may lead to better sleep for those who don't retire because of health reasons, a new study indicates. |
Sleep Apnea Treatment Helps Your Golf Game
Men and women who undergo treatment for sleep apnea not only can improve their general health, but their golf games as well, new research indicates. |
Home HIV Testing Feasible
Self-testing for HIV is easy, accurate, and acceptable to many people, researchers report. |
Diet Sodas May Be Hard on the Kidneys
Diet soda may keep your total daily calorie count in check, but drinking two or more diet sodas a day may double your risk of declining kidney function, a new study shows. |
Vaccination Safe for Kids With Genetic Disorders
Vaccination does not appear to cause autism or other health problems -- even in children with certain genetic disorders, a new study suggests. |
High Fructose Intake May Raise Blood Pressure
High fructose intake is linked to high blood pressure, according to a study presented at a medical conference. |
Infections Now Resistant to Old Antibiotic
Polymyxin B, an old antibiotic, is joining the list of antibiotics that are facing resistance from infections. |
Child H1N1 Swine Flu Deaths Rising
Last week's 19 new child deaths is the biggest single-week jump since the H1N1 swine flu pandemic began. So far, 114 kids have died of the flu. |
Artificial Insemination Works Better This Way
Patients who undergo artificial insemination who lie on their backs for 15 minutes after the procedure may increase their chances of getting pregnant, according to a new study. |
Progress in Quest for Group B Strep Vaccine
Researchers are a step closer to developing a vaccine to protect pregnant women against a serious bacterial infection that is a leading cause of death and disability in newborns. |
Lack of Insurance Puts Kids in Peril
Nearly 17,000 deaths of hospitalized children might have been prevented by having insurance over a span of 18 years, researchers from Johns Hopkins estimate. |
Flu Vaccine Safe Throughout Pregnancy
Pregnant women who get the flu vaccine are less likely to have babies who are premature, small for their gestational age, or who have to be hospitalized, according to three new studies. |
Pumpkin Protein May Field Off Yeast Infections
Researchers in South Korea say pumpkin skins contain a powerful antifungal protein that works against the cause of many common yeast infections. |
Study Eases Arthritis Drug Cancer Fears
Rheumatoid arthritis patients who took TNF-targeting drugs for as long as six years had no more cancers than other patients. |
Kids Shed H1N1 Swine Flu Virus 6 Days After Fever
A study showing kids shed H1N1 virus six days after a fever strikes is raising questions about how long children with swine flu are contagious. |
Statin Drugs May Reduce Flu Deaths
In a study of people hospitalized with seasonal flu, those who were taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs were about 50% less likely to die than those who weren't taking the drugs. |
More H1N1 Swine Flu Than Reported
By the end of July, up to 5.7 Million Americans -- 140 times the reported number -- had H1N1 swine flu. As many as 21,000 were hospitalized, the CDC now estimates. |
Epilepsy Drugs May Treat Alzheimer's
A group of drugs used to treat epilepsy may also treat Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, a study shows. |
