Health Headlines - November 8

Red, Processed Meats Up Diabetes Risk

Red meats and processed meats such as hot dogs appear to increase the risk of diabetes, as does a heavily "Western" diet, according to new research released Monday.

Surgeon General Urges Families to Track History

Despite advances in genetic testing, the U.S. surgeon general on Monday urged Americans to track down and record cases of cancer, heart disease and other diseases prevalent in their families.

Vegetable Oils Reduce Heart Risk

Vegetable oils found in leafy green vegetables, nuts and flaxseed reduce a woman's risk of dying from heart disease, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.

Abbott Adds Warnings to Arthritis Drug Label

Abbott Laboratories Inc. added several new warnings to the label for its rheumatoid arthritis drug Humira, according to a company letter released on Monday.

Obesity, Child Mortality Slowing U.S. Health Gains

Rising obesity rates and the number of people without health insurance are placing a drag on health gains for the American population, according to the results of a survey released Monday.

Counseling Can Prevent Depression Recurrence

After being treated with standard medications, patients who undergo a type of counseling called cognitive behavior therapy have a much lower rate of relapse compared with those who receive standard follow-up care, new research shows.

Glucosamine No Benefit for Knee Arthritis

Evidence continues to mount that glucosamine, while generally safe, is not effective in treating osteoarthritis of the knee.

Syndrome Predicts Heart Disease in Healthy Adults

Middle-aged adults who do not yet have heart disease but have a spectrum of symptoms called metabolic syndrome are very likely to also have clogged arteries, researchers said on Monday.

Alzheimer's Drug Helpful for People with MS

Donepezil, a drug used to treat Alzheimer's disease, seems to improve the memory of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a report in the journal Neurology.

NitroMed Heart Failure Drug Helps Blacks

In the first major trial to test a drug only in blacks, an experimental drug developed by NitroMed Inc. added to standard therapy helped heart failure patients live significantly longer, researchers on Monday said.

Drug Could Become First for Specific Race

A two-drug combination pill dramatically reduced deaths among blacks with heart failure, a landmark finding that is expected to lead to government approval of the first medication marketed for a specific race.

Company Again Touting Weird Soda Flavors

Jones Soda Co. takes the idea of a liquid diet to a new low. How does Green Bean Casserole Soda strike you? And how about an aggressively buttery-smelling Mashed Potato Soda?

Company Offering Drug Discounts to Poor

St. Louis-based Express Scripts Inc., facing scrutiny of its generic drug prices, is offering discounts on dozens of generic medicines to low-income Americans.

Families Urged to Discuss Medical History

Medical officials are urging families to talk not just turkey this Thanksgiving but also medical history — generations of it — to help identify breast, heart and other problems early enough to prevent them.

Stocking Helps Weak Hearts Pump Blood

A simple fabric device that looks like fishnet hose but acts like support stockings helped weak hearts pump more efficiently and even shrink back to a more normal size, researchers reported at an American Heart Association conference.

Report: Minnesota Is Healthiest State

Minnesota is the nation's healthiest state, while Louisiana is the least healthy, a ranking it has held for 14 of the last 15 years of a national survey, officials said.

Doctors Eye Apologies for Medical Mistakes

It's a basic lesson children learn even before their ABCs — say you're sorry when you hurt someone. But it's now being taught in the grown-up world of medicine as a surprisingly powerful way to soothe patients.

Researchers: Sprawl Related to Health Woes

North Carolina researchers are heading a national study to find the best ways to redesign communities so that Americans get out of their cars and travel by foot or bicycle.

CDC: Flu Season Starting Out Slowly

This year's flu season appears to be starting slowly, according to the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, despite a shortage of flu vaccines in the United States.

Health Clubs Now Offering Belly Dancing

A woman in her late 40s glides through a studio with tiny finger cymbals clinging out the rhythm to her workout. She swivels her hips with the charisma of a teen pop star, raises her arms, and twirls.

Health Tip: Recognizing Macular Pucker

If straight lines seem wavy, or if your vision is distorted and blurry, you may have a condition called macular pucker.

Magnetic System Navigates Difficult Blood Vessels

A new magnetic system that's able to navigate difficult blood vessels shows promise for use during percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) such as angioplasty in patients with cardiovascular disease.

Health Tip: Coping With Anxiety

If you suffer from anxiety, relief may stem from the support of family and friends, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

Heart Health Tied to Social, Psychological Factors

A host of new studies finds various social and psychological factors can have a significant impact on heart health.

Smoking, Heredity Pose Pancreatic Cancer Risk

Smoking may be an environmental trigger that activates pancreatic cancer in people with a family history of this usually fatal disease, a new study suggests.

Not All Heart Patients Treated Same

Patients who have coronary artery bypass surgery receive less aggressive drug care when they're discharged from hospital than patients who've had less invasive angioplasty procedures, says a Duke University study.

Weight Gain a Heart Risk for Diabetics

The more weight that diabetics gain, the greater their risk of cardiovascular disease, says a Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center study.

Foods Rich in Alpha-Linolenic Acid May Protect the Heart

Women who eat foods high in oils containing alpha-linolenic acid appear to have a lower risk of dying from heart disease and of sudden cardiac death than women whose diets are low in the substance.