Health Headlines - May 4

Health Tip: Lowering Blood Pressure

One in four Americans has high blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart and kidney diseases, and stroke. Hypertension is especially dangerous because it often has no warning signs or symptoms.

Health Tip: Risking Cat Scratch Disease

Cat scratch disease (CSD) is a bacterial infection that develops when people have been bitten or scratched by a cat. Lymph nodes, especially those around the head, neck and upper limbs, become swollen. A person with CSD may also have symptoms of fever, headache, fatigue and a poor appetite.

Overload of Fatty Foods Can Park in Liver

If you eat too many fatty foods, the fat can travel directly to your liver and damage it, says a University of Minnesota study in the May 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Father's Longevity Linked to Your Blood Pressure

If your father died young, keep a close eye on your blood pressure.

Infant Death Rates Puzzle Researchers

Researchers are puzzling over statistics that show the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is going down while overall unexpected infant mortality remains mostly unchanged in the United States.

Simple Questions Spot Kids at Secondhand Smoke Risk

Pediatricians and other health-care providers need only ask parents a few simple questions to reliably identify children at risk for exposure to secondhand smoke, researchers say.

Depression Raises Men's Heart Risks

Depression may raise heart disease risks in men, according to a study in the new issue of the journal Circulation.

Whooping Cough Booster Shot Wins Approval

Cases of the bacterial menace known as whooping cough (pertussis) are on the rise in the United States, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new booster shot against the disease, which could be especially deadly to infants under 1 year old.

Not All Low-Fat Diets Created Equal

Here's the lowdown on low-fat diets -- they're not all equal.

Older Black Women Less Likely to Break Bones

While bone mineral density levels are a key predictor of the risk of fractures in older women, they seem to be less so in older black women, a new study suggests.

Daily Acetaminophen Use May Harm Lungs

Regular use of the over-the-counter painkiller acetaminophen (Tylenol) is associated with a greater risk of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and, if used daily, is associated with decreased lung function, a new study claims.

Drug-Coated Stents Show Shortfalls

Drug-coated stents, the metal tubes surgeons insert to keep arteries open, aren't proving as effective in real-life medical practice as they did in carefully controlled trials needed for regulatory approval, a new European study finds.

Prospects Good for Men With Low-Grade Prostate Cancer

Watchful waiting when you have low-grade prostate cancer that hasn't spread won't affect your risk of dying from the disease up to 15 years after your initial diagnosis.

Food Fact:
Flipped burger.

What grills like a burger, tastes meaty on a bun -- but has a fraction of the fat?

Fitness Tip of the day:
Stretch it, baby!

Nothing stops a workout quicker than a pulled muscle; follow a simple routine to stay flexible.

FAQ of the day:
What are the best carbs for diabetics?

The very best contain soluble fiber, such as oats, rye and beans. Soluble fiber forms a gel in the gastrointestinal tract, which slows the rise in blood sugar after a meal and gives insulin more time to clear sugar from the blood.