Wednesday, November 10, 2004

Health Headlines - November 10

States Urged to Spend More to Cut Smoking Rate

The U.S. government's effort to cut the adult smoking rate to 12 percent or less by 2010 will fail unless most states increase funding for anti-tobacco programs, federal health officials said on Wednesday.

Vitamin E May Do More Harm Than Good, Study Finds

Vitamin E supplements, which millions take in the hope of longer, healthier lives, may do more harm than good, researchers reported on Wednesday.

Singapore Facing AIDS Epidemic

Singapore faces an AIDS epidemic, with the number of new infections diagnosed expected to hit a rate of 1,000 a year by 2010, a health official said.

'Statin' Drugs Lower Blood Pressure Somewhat

Cholesterol-lowering 'statin' drugs -- such as Lipitor or Zocor, for example -- also lower blood pressure to a modest extent, according to a report at the American Heart Association annual meeting.

New York City Joins Illinois in Seeking Flu Vaccine

New York City joined Illinois' effort on Wednesday to acquire hundreds of thousands of doses of scarce flu vaccine from Europe, though U.S. regulatory approval of the transaction was still up in the air.

Study: Simple Life-Saving Shock Device Worth Cost

Less-costly versions of implanted heart devices represent a good value for most patients who need them, according to a cost analysis study presented on Wednesday.

Canada Warns It Cannot Be the Drugstore to U.S.

Canada warned the United States on Wednesday that it would not be able to meet its prescription drug needs.

Anemia Common Among Older People in US

In the US, at least one in five people age 85 or older are anemic, according to a new report. Although the anemia is rarely severe, further studies are needed to determine the impact on quality of life and functional abilities.

Report: Tobacco Industry Hid Smoking Dangers

The tobacco industry for many years claimed that it was unaware of biological evidence that smoking is harmful to health, but that was untrue according to a medical journal report.

Ovary Transfer to Arm Preserves Hormone Balance

A woman undergoing treatment for cervical cancer had one of her healthy ovaries successfully transplanted into her upper arm, in order to maintain hormonal function, a Dutch team reports.

Study: Cholesterol Drug Combo Effective

Taking one drug to boost "good" cholesterol and another to lower its evil twin can slow the progression of heart disease more effectively than one medicine alone, the first study to test this dual approach has found.

Drug May Relieve Crohn's, Other Disorders

An experimental drug that selectively tamps down part of the immune system can offer dramatic relief to many victims of the painful bowel disorder Crohn's disease, and might also work against illnesses such as arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

Pesticide Study Using Children Postponed

A planned government study into how children's bodies absorb pesticides and other chemicals has been temporarily suspended due to ethical concerns.

CDC: Smoking Declines in the U.S.

Heavily Mormon Utah has become the first and only state to meet the government's goal of reducing the smoking rate to about one in eight adults, federal health officials said Wednesday.

Scientist's Bextra Claim Spurs Controversy

A scientist's claim of evidence that Pfizer Inc.'s Bextra might be even riskier for people with heart disease than rival arthritis drug Vioxx sparked controversy Wednesday at a medical meeting and sent the company's stock lower.

Program Gets Kids to Be More Active

Exercise-intervention programs can help boost physical activity in children, says a study by researchers at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing.

Clot-Busting Drugs Don't Lead to Rare Heart-Bleeding Problem

Rates of cardiac tamponade -- a potentially fatal heart problem that can follow a heart attack -- have not increased with widespread use of clot-busting drugs to treat heart attack patients.

Antidepressant Seems to Help Smokers Quit

The antidepressant drug nortriptyline, when used with a nicotine patch, may help smokers kick the habit.

Morphine Increases Death Risk for Heart Patients

Using morphine to reduce chest pain in heart attack patients may increase the risk of death by nearly 50 percent, says a Duke University study.

Unsound Bodies Lead to Unsound Minds

If you needed another reason to get up off the couch and start exercising, a new study provides one: Along with lowering your risk of heart disease, keeping fit and eating healthy foods may also help prevent dementia.

Gender, Ethnic Gaps Found in Heart Care

Disparities exist between the sexes and ethnic groups both in controlling risk factors for heart disease and in outcomes of major problems such as heart attacks.

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