Health Headlines - March 24

Second Cambodian Dies from Bird Flu

Bird flu has killed a 28-year-old Cambodian man, officials said on Thursday, the 48th Asian victim of a virus experts fear could unleash a global influenza pandemic capable of killing millions of people.

U.S. Starts Human Tests of Avian Flu Vaccine

U.S. health officials said on Wednesday they have started human tests of a vaccine against avian flu, which experts believe could kill tens of millions of people if it becomes easily passed from person to person.

What to Do About Menopause? Even Experts Confused

Menopause does not usually cause severe symptoms apart from hot flashes, and little is known about alternatives to hormone replacement therapy with its risks of cancer and heart attack, experts said on Wednesday.

Schiavo Videotape Misleading, Experts Say

The videotape that runs endlessly on television stations around the world shows an apparently smiling Terri Schiavo being caressed by her mother's loving hand.

Death of Child Raises Mental Health Risk

The death of a child can cause not only devastating grief, but later serious mental illness as well, researchers reported on Wednesday.

Sleep Apnea Kills After Midnight, Study Finds

Patients with sleep apnea are more likely to die from heart attacks at night, while sleeping, than in the day, which is the time when everyone else is most vulnerable, U.S. researchers reported on Wednesday.

Schiavo Case Highlights Poor Care for Dying in U.S.

The debate over keeping Terri Schiavo alive should highlight how badly death is handled in the United States, end-of-life activists said this week.

As Low-Carb Craze Wanes, Atkins Revamps Its Diet

Atkins Nutritionals, which championed a dieting craze that made millions of Americans shun bread and other carbohydrates, wants a do-over.

Medicare Offers Counseling to Help Smokers Quit

Older Americans who want to quit smoking can receive counseling through Medicare to help them kick their tobacco habit, but only if they suffer from certain diseases or health problems, government officials said on Tuesday.

Africa Lags in Fight Against TB, WHO Report Says

Tuberculosis has reached "alarming proportions" in Africa, where co-infection with the widespread HIV virus makes a lethal combination, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Thursday.

Genetically Modified Foods Eaten Regularly

Can animal genes be jammed into plants? Would tomatoes with catfish genes taste fishy? Have you ever eaten a genetically modified food? The answers are: yes, no and almost definitely.

Study Finds Toxic Dust Samples in 7 States

Americans are exposed to a variety of potentially dangerous chemicals in their homes from products such as computers, frying pans and shower curtains, according to a new study released Tuesday.

Fla. Investigate Deaths After Zoo Visits

Five children have contracted a life-threatening kidney infection, which health officials said may be the result of a rare infection picked up at petting zoos.

Schiavo Case Touches on Agonizing Issue

The drama over whether to keep Terri Schiavo alive, as her parents wish, or allow her to die, which her husband advocates, has played out in courts, Congress and newspapers. But this highly public struggle is usually private, faced daily by American families.

Planned Parenthood Denounces Record Search

Planned Parenthood officials charged Wednesday that efforts by two state attorneys general to seize patient medical records from the organization's clinics are aimed at discouraging women from seeking abortions and other reproductive health care.

FDA OKs Device to Treat Chest Aneurisms

A device to treat dangerous bulges in the main artery won approval from the Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday. The device is designed to prevent ruptures of the bulging weak spot in the thoracic aorta, the FDA said.

Indian Passage of Patent Law Slammed

International aid groups criticized India's passage on Wednesday of a new patent law ending the decades-old practice of allowing domestic drug companies to make low-cost copies of expensive Western medicines.

Blood Compound Won't Predict Colon Cancer Risk

While levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) are increasingly used as an inflammation marker for cardiovascular disease, they won't help predict colorectal cancer risk in women, researchers find.

Antidepressants Don't Raise Heart Attack Risk

Underlying depression, not antidepressants themselves, may be responsible for the increased risk of heart attack associated with taking antidepressants, according to a new study.

Mom's Mouth Germs Could Spur Premature Birth

Pregnant women with poor oral health are more likely to deliver prematurely, researchers report.