Health Tips for January 18

Health Tip: Do You Have Enlarged Adenoids?

The adenoids are lymphatic tissue, resembling the tonsils, found in the airway between the nose and back of the throat.

The adenoids have a tendency to swell, especially in younger children. The ADAM Medical Encyclopedia says common symptoms of enlarged adenoids include:

• Dry mouth.
• Cracked lips.
• Bad breath.
• Daytime breathing with the mouth open.
• Breathing through the mouth, especially at night.
• Restlessness while trying to sleep.
• Chronic nasal stuffiness or runny nose.

Health Tip: Warning Signs That You Have Strep Throat

Strep throat is a nasty infection, dubbed "strep" because it's caused by streptococcus bacteria.

The American Academy of Family Physicians says common symptoms of strep throat include:

• Having a fever.
• Having swelling and pain in the glands that surround the neck.
• Having swelling and redness of the tonsils.
• Having visible white patches on the tonsils or in the throat.
• Having a headache.
• In children, having a rash or pain in the belly, or vomiting.

Health Headlines - January 16

Multaq Heart Drug Linked to Liver Damage: FDA

There have been several reports of liver damage in patients taking the new heart drug Multaq, including two cases where patients' livers had to be removed, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday.

A new warning about the risk of liver damage will be added to the drug's label, the agency said. The drug already carries a black box warning (the most severe type) that alerts doctors and patients the drug can cause severe complications, including death, in people with recent heart failure, the Associated Press reported.

Patients taking Multaq should contact their doctor if they notice symptoms of liver problems, including nausea, vomiting and fever, the FDA said.

The agency approved the drug in July 2009 to treat the heart rhythm problems atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, the AP reported.

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Hypertension Drug Avalide Recalled

About 64 million tablets of the high blood pressure drug Avalide have been recalled due to a manufacturing error that could affect the drug's efficacy, say Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and Sanofi-Aventis SA.

Certain batches of the drug may contain an active ingredient called irbesartan, which is less able to dissolve in the stomach than expected, Dow Jones Newswiresreported.

The recalled lots of Avalide were sold in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico and Argentina.

This is the second recall of the drug in recent months. About 60 million tablets were recalled in September, Dow Jones reported.

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Chew Bars Recalled Due to High Lead Levels

Concerns about lead levels have prompted the recall of all Toxic Waste brand Nuclear Sludge Chew Bars.

A test conducted by the California Department of Health found that a lot of the bars contained elevated levels of lead (0.24 parts per million), which could threaten the health of infants, small children and pregnant women. The U.S. limit is 0.1 ppm.

The recall covers all flavors of 0.7-ounce (20-gram) Nuclear Sludge Chew Bars, which were made in Pakistan and sold in the United States by Indianapolis-based Candy Dynamics.

For more information, contact the company at 317-228-5012 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.

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Aretha Franklin Says She Doesn't Have Pancreatic Cancer

Aretha Franklin says there is no truth to reports she has pancreatic cancer.

The 68-year-old Queen of Soul admits she had a recent health scare but wouldn't provide any details. She suffered pain so bad it brought her to her knees. She decided to cancel any further concerts while she sought answers from doctors.

"I went through a number of procedures before I knew what was wrong," she toldACCESS Hollywood.

Franklin said she doesn't know how the pancreatic cancer story starting making the rounds.

"I was sitting there reading the newspaper and it was saying someone in my family said that," she told ACCESS Hollywood. "No one in my family ever said that to anybody."

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House to Vote Next Week on Repeal of Health Care Law

House Republicans intend to hold a vote next week to repeal the health care law. The vote was scheduled to take place this week but there was a weeklong pause in legislative business to honor the Arizona shooting victims.

Republicans contend that the health care law is too expensive. But Democrats point to an analysis by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, which estimated that repealing the law will add $230 billion to the federal deficit over the next decade, CNN reported.

It's likely that the tone of the debate will closely watched in the wake of the Arizona shooting spree in which Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Arizona, was wounded and six people were killed.

Even if the House votes to repeal the health care law, there's little chance it will survive the Senate or a promised veto by President Barack Obama, CNN reported.

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End Free Medicare Home Visits: Panel

A significant new out-of-pocket charge for home health visits could be imposed on Medicare recipients if lawmakers heed a recommendation released Thursday by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission.

Currently, there is no charge for home health visits from nurses and other health providers. The advisory panel said a copayment is needed to discourage overuse and possible fraud of the $20 billion-per-year program, the Associated Pressreported.

The congressionally-appointed commission voted 13-1 to recommend that Congress implements the new charge. Two members abstained and one was absent.

While the panel did not specify an amount, its staff has suggested that Medicare recipients be charged $150 for a series of related home visits, the AP reported.

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Study Questions Exclusive Breastfeeding for Six Months

Some experts are challenging a new study that questions whether breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months is best for a baby's health.

The British researchers concluded that babies fed only breast milk might suffer iron deficiency and be more likely to develop allergies. Babies should be weaned on to solids as early as four months, said the study, Agence France-Presse reported.

The researchers did say that breastfeeding exclusively for six months may be the best recommendation for mothers in developing countries, where there are higher infection-related death rates. But in developed nations, it may lead to health problems and "reduce the window for introducing new tastes."

"Bitter tastes, in particular, may be important in the later acceptance of green leafy vegetables, which may potentially affect later food preference with influence on health outcomes such as obesity," the study authors wrote.

"I really must challenge the suggestion from the review that the U.K. should reconsider its current advice on exclusive breastfeeding for six months," said Janet Fyle, professional policy adviser at the Royal College of Midwives in the U.K., AFPreported.

"I believe that this is a retrograde step and plays into the hands of the baby food industry which has failed to support the six-month exclusive breastfeeding policy in the U.K.," she added.

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Many Pregnant Women Have Toxic Chemicals in Body: Study

The typical pregnant woman in the United States has a number of potentially toxic or cancer-causing chemicals in her body, according to a new study.

Detectable levels of eight types of chemicals were found in the blood or urine of nearly all the 268 women included in the study. The researchers said many of those chemicals pass through the placenta and concentrate in the fetus, USA Todayreported.

The chemicals include: flame retardants; pesticides; car exhaust pollution; PCBs (toxic industrial chemical banned in 1979); perchlorate (used in rocket fuel); PFCs (used in non-stick cookware), and phthalates (used in many fragrances and plastics).

The study was published Friday in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

Health Tips for January 16

Health Tip: Choosing Baby's Formula

While infant formula doesn't offer the nutritional benefit of breast milk, it's invaluable to parents who can't, or choose not to, breast-feed.

The American Academy of Pediatrics offers this advice to help parents who are feeding their baby formula:

• Choose a formula that's fortified with iron.
• Think about convenience versus price. This will help you decide issues such as selecting powdered versus ready-to-feed.
• Since the last thing you want to do is run out of formula, be sure to stock up once you've found a formula that works for you and your baby.
• If your baby seems fussy, has diarrhea or is constipated, talk to the pediatrician about whether your baby may be intolerant to lactose or soy. About 10 percent of babies are intolerant to one or both.

Health Tip: Brush Baby's Gums

It's never too early to start caring for baby's teeth and gums.

The American Dental Association offers these suggestions:

• Even before teeth emerge, wipe down baby's gums using clean gauze or a small, cool spoon.
• Using water and a toothbrush made for babies, start brushing teeth as soon as they poke through.
• Starting when your child reaches age 2 years, use a pea-sized squirt of toothpaste with fluoride.
• Always clean baby's pacifier before offering it.
• Don't let baby take a bottle to bed.

Health Headlines - January 15

Multaq Heart Drug Linked to Liver Damage: FDA

There have been several reports of liver damage in patients taking the new heart drug Multaq, including two cases where patients' livers had to be removed, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday.

A new warning about the risk of liver damage will be added to the drug's label, the agency said. The drug already carries a black box warning (the most severe type) that alerts doctors and patients the drug can cause severe complications, including death, in people with recent heart failure, the Associated Press reported.

Patients taking Multaq should contact their doctor if they notice symptoms of liver problems, including nausea, vomiting and fever, the FDA said.

The agency approved the drug in July 2009 to treat the heart rhythm problems atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, the AP reported.

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Hypertension Drug Avalide Recalled

About 64 million tablets of the high blood pressure drug Avalide have been recalled due to a manufacturing error that could affect the drug's efficacy, say Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and Sanofi-Aventis SA.

Certain batches of the drug may contain an active ingredient called irbesartan, which is less able to dissolve in the stomach than expected, Dow Jones Newswiresreported.

The recalled lots of Avalide were sold in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico and Argentina.

This is the second recall of the drug in recent months. About 60 million tablets were recalled in September, Dow Jones reported.

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Chew Bars Recalled Due to High Lead Levels

Concerns about lead levels have prompted the recall of all Toxic Waste brand Nuclear Sludge Chew Bars.

A test conducted by the California Department of Health found that a lot of the bars contained elevated levels of lead (0.24 parts per million), which could threaten the health of infants, small children and pregnant women. The U.S. limit is 0.1 ppm.

The recall covers all flavors of 0.7-ounce (20-gram) Nuclear Sludge Chew Bars, which were made in Pakistan and sold in the United States by Indianapolis-based Candy Dynamics.

For more information, contact the company at 317-228-5012 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.

-----

Aretha Franklin Says She Doesn't Have Pancreatic Cancer

Aretha Franklin says there is no truth to reports she has pancreatic cancer.

The 68-year-old Queen of Soul admits she had a recent health scare but wouldn't provide any details. She suffered pain so bad it brought her to her knees. She decided to cancel any further concerts while she sought answers from doctors.

"I went through a number of procedures before I knew what was wrong," she toldACCESS Hollywood.

Franklin said she doesn't know how the pancreatic cancer story starting making the rounds.

"I was sitting there reading the newspaper and it was saying someone in my family said that," she told ACCESS Hollywood. "No one in my family ever said that to anybody."

-----

House to Vote Next Week on Repeal of Health Care Law

House Republicans intend to hold a vote next week to repeal the health care law. The vote was scheduled to take place this week but there was a weeklong pause in legislative business to honor the Arizona shooting victims.

Republicans contend that the health care law is too expensive. But Democrats point to an analysis by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, which estimated that repealing the law will add $230 billion to the federal deficit over the next decade, CNN reported.

It's likely that the tone of the debate will closely watched in the wake of the Arizona shooting spree in which Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Arizona, was wounded and six people were killed.

Even if the House votes to repeal the health care law, there's little chance it will survive the Senate or a promised veto by President Barack Obama, CNN reported.

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End Free Medicare Home Visits: Panel

A significant new out-of-pocket charge for home health visits could be imposed on Medicare recipients if lawmakers heed a recommendation released Thursday by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission.

Currently, there is no charge for home health visits from nurses and other health providers. The advisory panel said a copayment is needed to discourage overuse and possible fraud of the $20 billion-per-year program, the Associated Pressreported.

The congressionally-appointed commission voted 13-1 to recommend that Congress implements the new charge. Two members abstained and one was absent.

While the panel did not specify an amount, its staff has suggested that Medicare recipients be charged $150 for a series of related home visits, the AP reported.

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Study Questions Exclusive Breastfeeding for Six Months

Some experts are challenging a new study that questions whether breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months is best for a baby's health.

The British researchers concluded that babies fed only breast milk might suffer iron deficiency and be more likely to develop allergies. Babies should be weaned on to solids as early as four months, said the study, Agence France-Presse reported.

The researchers did say that breastfeeding exclusively for six months may be the best recommendation for mothers in developing countries, where there are higher infection-related death rates. But in developed nations, it may lead to health problems and "reduce the window for introducing new tastes."

"Bitter tastes, in particular, may be important in the later acceptance of green leafy vegetables, which may potentially affect later food preference with influence on health outcomes such as obesity," the study authors wrote.

"I really must challenge the suggestion from the review that the U.K. should reconsider its current advice on exclusive breastfeeding for six months," said Janet Fyle, professional policy adviser at the Royal College of Midwives in the U.K., AFPreported.

"I believe that this is a retrograde step and plays into the hands of the baby food industry which has failed to support the six-month exclusive breastfeeding policy in the U.K.," she added.

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Many Pregnant Women Have Toxic Chemicals in Body: Study

The typical pregnant woman in the United States has a number of potentially toxic or cancer-causing chemicals in her body, according to a new study.

Detectable levels of eight types of chemicals were found in the blood or urine of nearly all the 268 women included in the study. The researchers said many of those chemicals pass through the placenta and concentrate in the fetus, USA Todayreported.

The chemicals include: flame retardants; pesticides; car exhaust pollution; PCBs (toxic industrial chemical banned in 1979); perchlorate (used in rocket fuel); PFCs (used in non-stick cookware), and phthalates (used in many fragrances and plastics).

The study was published Friday in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

Health Tips for January 15

Health Tip: If You Have Fructose Intolerance

Fructose is a natural sugar found in many foods, and it's added to many others. Some people have trouble digesting fructose -- a condition called fructose intolerance.

The American Gastroenterological Association suggests how to help manage fructose intolerance:

• Limit intake of dried fruits, fresh fruits and fruit juices.
• Limit high fructose corn syrup, found in sodas and other drinks.
• Keep a food diary, logging what you ate and any symptoms. This will help determine how much fructose you can safely handle.
• Limit drinking alcohol.
• Limit consumption of honey.

Health Tip: Control Food Allergies at School

Food allergies can range from mild to life-threatening. Parents of children with severe food allergies should prepare faculty at the child's school.

The American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology offers these suggestions:

• Schedule a meeting with your child's teachers at the beginning of the school year to review your child's food allergies.
• Also discuss the child's allergy history with the school's nurse.
• Provide a doctor's note for the school that allows your child to have emergency medication at school.
• Provide snacks that your child and other children can eat during school parties.

Health Headlines - January 14

Americans Need to Cut Salt Intake, Heart Experts Say

Steps must be taken to reduce Americans' sodium (salt) consumption to less than 1,500 milligrams per day, says an American Heart Association advisory issued Thursday.

The call to action is directed at the public, health professionals, the food industry and government. The advisory, published in the journal Circulation, says that consuming more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day can lead to elevated blood pressure and increased risk of stroke, heart attack and kidney disease.

Currently, daily sodium consumption in the United States is more than two times higher than the recommended upper limit of 1,500 mg, with packaged, processed and restaurant foods accounting for 77 percent of that consumption, according to the AHA.

"Even a modest decline in intake -- say 400 mg per day -- would produce benefits that are substantial and warrant implementation," wrote the advisory authors.

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Combo High Blood Pressure Pill Beats Single Drug: Study

Using two drugs to treat high blood pressure is more effective than a single drug, according to a new study.

Researchers followed 1,254 patients with high blood pressure in 10 countries who received a single drug (either aliskiren or amlodipine) or a combination of the two drugs, BBC News reported.

The patients who took the combination of drugs had a 25 percent better response over six months and had fewer side effects than those who took a single drug.

The study, published n The Lancet, was funded by Novartis, which makes amlodipine and aliskiren.

"This study adds significantly to the evidence that starting treatment for patients with high blood pressure with two medicines rather than one is safe, and more effective than waiting to add the second medicine later," Jeremy Pearson, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, told BBC News.

The combination pill was approved last year by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

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EPA Issues Recommendations for Chromium-6 in Tap Water

New recommendations for monitoring levels of the potentially cancer-causing chemical chromium-6 in drinking water have been released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The move comes several weeks after the Environmental Working Group said it found the chemical in the tap water of 31 of 35 cities from which samples were collected and tested, ABC News reported.

Under current EPA rules, water systems only need to test for the presence of total chromium, which includes chromium-6. The updated EPA recommendations call for collection and sampling at more points throughout water distribution systems and more frequent testing.

"As we continue to learn more about the potential risks of exposure to chromium-6, we will work closely with states and local officials to ensure the safety of America's drinking water supply," said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, ABC News reported.

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WHO Targets Drug-Resistant Malaria

A global plan to fight drug-resistant malaria was launched Wednesday by the World Health Organization.

It said failure to combat the spread of resistance to artemisinin -- a key component of new malaria drugs -- would be "catastrophic," Agence France-Presse reported.

Drug-resistant malaria has appeared in areas on the Cambodia-Thailand border and may have spread to other areas in Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. More than $175 million will be required for research and to contain resistance is these regions, the WHO said.

It also called for increased surveillance of drug resistant malaria, noting that in 2010 only 31 of 75 countries routinely conducted tests on the effectiveness of malaria drugs, AFP reported.

"The emergence of artemisinin resistance has been a wake-up call. It gives us another compelling reason to step up existing control measures with the greatest sense of urgency," said WHO Director-General Margaret Chan.

Health Tips for January 14

Health Tip: Some Devices May Cause Pacemaker Problems

A pacemaker is a small implanted device that helps stabilize an irregular heartbeat.

The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says people with a pacemaker should avoid close and prolonged exposure to devices with strong magnetic fields. These devices have the potential to interfere with a pacemaker's operation. Examples include:

• MP3 music players and cellular phones.
• Home appliances, such as a microwave oven.
• High-tension electrical wires.
• Electrical generators or metal detectors.
• Industrial welding machines.

Health Tip: Caring for a Pacemaker

While today's pacemakers are built to withstand the daily grind of modern life, they still require care.

The American Heart Association offers these suggestions:

• Don't apply pressure over the part of the chest where the pacemaker is implanted.
• Women can place a small pad over the implant to protect it from the bra strap.
• Don't be afraid to shower or take a bath. The pacemaker is protected from exposure to water.
• Once your doctor approves, it's ok to continue sexual activity.

FDA orders lower doses in prescription painkillers

WASHINGTON – Federal health regulators are limiting a key ingredient found in Vicodin, Percocet and other prescription painkillers that have been linked to thousands of cases of liver damage each year.

The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it will cap the amount of acetaminophen in the drugs at 325 milligrams per capsule. Current products on the market contain doses of up to 700 milligrams.

Acetaminophen is a ubiquitous pain reliever found in Tylenol, Nyquil and thousands of other medicines used to treat headaches, fever and sore throats. The ingredient is also used at larger doses in prescription combination drugs that mix it with narcotic drugs like oxycodone.

Those products are not dangerous by themselves but can cause toxic overdoses when patients combine them with a second acetaminophen-containing drug like Tylenol.

FDA officials said the labeling on prescription drugs often does not make it clear that they contain acetaminophen, instead using abbreviations for the ingredient like 'APAP.'

"One of the real challenges we have is that patients taking these products don't know they're taking acetaminophen at all," said FDA deputy director for new drugs, Dr. Sandra Kweder, in a telephone briefing with reporters "They don't realize that they are overdosing."

The FDA said it is working with pharmacies and other medical groups to develop standard labeling for acetaminophen, though that is not part of Thursday's action.

Agency officials said the drugs will still be effective at lower doses.

"The amount of acetaminophen in these products has gradually crept up over the years," Kweder said. "If you look at these products 20 to 30 years ago, many did not contain high doses of acetaminophen."

The restrictions announced Thursday will not affect over-the-counter products like Tylenol and Theraflu. The FDA said it is still considering limits on those products, which involves a more complicated rule-making process than prescription products. For now, over-the-counter products will actually be permitted to contain higher doses of the drug — up to 500 milligrams per pill or capsule.

Acetaminophen is the leading cause of liver failure in the U.S. and sends 56,000 people to the emergency room annually. About 200 of them die, and the FDA estimates 120 of those deaths are linked to prescription drugs with acetaminophen.

The FDA said it would add a boxed warning, the strongest type, to all prescription drugs containing acetaminophen.

Vicodin is marketed by Abbott Laboratories, while Percocet is marketed by Endo Pharmaceuticals. Vicodin combines acetaminophen with hydrocodone, while Percocet contains oxycodone. Both formulas also are available in cheaper generic versions. U.S. sales of all drugs in the group topped $6 billion in 2009, according to health industry data firm IMS Health.

"Acetaminophen is a bit like salt, in that it works so well that people put it in almost everything," said Erik Gordon, a professor at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business who follows the pharmaceutical industry. "But it has the same downside in that at the end of day you have no idea how much is in your system."

The maximum dose of the ingredient under FDA safety guidelines is 4,000 milligrams per 24-hour period.

The FDA restrictions come more than a year and a half after a high-profile meeting where a panel of 37 expert physicians narrowly voted to eliminate drugs like Vicodin completely.

Regulators said they decided against that action because of the widespread use of the drugs, which were prescribed roughly 200 million times last year, according to the FDA.

"We thought this was a more reasoned and reasonable action to take," Kweder said.

The FDA is not required to follow the panel's advice, though it often does. The same panel recommended lowering the dose of acetaminophen found in over-the-counter products.

Health Headlines - January 13

WHO Targets Drug-Resistant Malaria

A global plan to fight drug-resistant malaria was launched Wednesday by the World Health Organization.

It said failure to combat the spread of resistance to artemisinin -- a key component of new malaria drugs -- would be "catastrophic," Agence France-Presse reported.

Drug-resistant malaria has appeared in areas on the Cambodia-Thailand border and may have spread to other areas in Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. More than $175 million will be required for research and to contain resistance is these regions, the WHO said.

It also called for increased surveillance of drug resistant malaria, noting that in 2010 only 31 of 75 countries routinely conducted tests on the effectiveness of malaria drugs, AFP reported.

"The emergence of artemisinin resistance has been a wake-up call. It gives us another compelling reason to step up existing control measures with the greatest sense of urgency," said WHO Director-General Margaret Chan.

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Twenty Percent of Americans Don't Have Usual Source of Health Care

One in five Americans, about 60 million people, do not have a doctor or other usual source of health care, says a federal government report released Wednesday.

The main reasons cited by people for not having a usual source of care was that they seldom or ever got sick (two-thirds) and the high cost of care (14 percent), according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

The analysis of 2007 data also found that 29 percent of people with no health insurance said the high cost of health care was their main reason for not having a usual source of care, compared to 16 percent of those with public insurance and four percent of those with private insurance.

About 67 percent of people with private insurance said they had no usual source of care because they never got sick, compared with 59 percent of those without insurance and 53 percent of those with public insurance.

Among the other findings about reasons for not having a usual source of care:

• Blacks were most likely to say they seldom or never got sick (69 percent), compared with Hispanics (62 percent), whites (61 percent) and Asians (58 percent).
• Hispanics were more likely to cite high cost as the main reason (22 percent), compared to 12 percent of other racial/ethnic groups.
• Asians were most likely to say they didn't like or trust doctors (12 percent) than other groups as a whole (4 percent).

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DNA Blood Test Offers Safer Screen for Down Syndrome: Study

A DNA blood test for Down syndrome could reduce by about 98 percent the number of pregnant women who need to undergo invasive tests such as amniocentesis, according to a new study.

About one percent of pregnant women who have an invasive test suffer a miscarriage, BBC News reported.

The new DNA blood test was tested on 753 pregnant women in Hong Kong, the U.K. and the Netherlands. The findings appear in the British Medical Journal.

The test is still too expensive and requires further study before it could be introduced for routine clinical use. That could take 10 years, said study leader Professor Kypros Nicolaides of King's College London, BBC News reported.

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Make High School Students Learn CPR: Heart Experts

All states should require high school students to learn CPR and how to use automated external defibrillators before they graduate, says an American Heart Association advisory released Monday.

This type of rule would "create a generation that could be trained, ready and willing to act," said advisory co-author Mary Fran Hazinski, a professor at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing in Nashville, Tenn., the Associated Press reported.

The AHA developed the advisory with the American College of Emergency Physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Currently, at least 36 states either mandate or promote CPR training in schools, according to the AHA. But this training ranges from suggesting students know the steps of CPR to requiring them to be certified in the potentially life-saving skill, theAP reported.

Health Tips for January 13

Health Tip: Explaining Frontotemporal Dementia

Frontotemporal dementia is caused by shrinking parts of the brain that affect cognitive functions including memory, awareness, perception and behavior. It was once known as Pick's disease.

The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke says possible warning signs of FTD include:

• Behaving inappropriately in social situations.
• Dementia (including loss of memory).
• Compulsive behavior.
• Feeling bored, along with lower energy and motivation.
• A lack of empathy and an understanding of appropriate behaviors.
• Changes in appetite and emotions.
• Ignoring personal hygiene.
• Difficulty communicating with others.

Health Tip: Signs That People With Dementia Shouldn't Drive

People with dementia may no longer be able to drive safely. Recognizing this may be a very difficult conclusion, the U.S. National Library of Medicine says.

• The agency says these symptoms indicate that a person with dementia is no longer safe behind the wheel:
• Difficulty remembering things that happened recently.
• Showing a sudden temper and general moodiness.
• Difficulty multi-tasking.
• Having a hard time judging distances.
• Problems with decision making and problem solving.
• Becoming easily confused.

Health Headlines - January 12

Make High School Students Learn CPR: Heart Experts

All states should require high school students to learn CPR and how to use automated external defibrillators before they graduate, says an American Heart Association advisory released Monday.

This type of rule would "create a generation that could be trained, ready and willing to act," said advisory co-author Mary Fran Hazinski, a professor at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing in Nashville, Tenn., the Associated Press reported.

The AHA developed the advisory with the American College of Emergency Physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Currently, at least 36 states either mandate or promote CPR training in schools, according to the AHA. But this training ranges from suggesting students know the steps of CPR to requiring them to be certified in the potentially life-saving skill, theAP reported.

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Flu Season Intensifying, Get Vaccinated: Health Officials

Americans who haven't been vaccinated against the flu are being urged to do so as the flu is hitting the South and New York City hard and is expected to spread to the rest of the nation.

Health officials say there is plenty of vaccine available but it takes about two weeks for its protection to become effective, the Associated Press reported.

Typically, January and February are the worst flu months. So far this flu season, the well-known H3N2 strain of Type A flu is causing the most illnesses in the United States. This strain tends to lead to more pneumonia and other complications than other flu strains.

This season's vaccine protects against H3N2, H1N1 flu, and a Type B flu that tends to be less severe, the AP reported.

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Artificial Cells Mimic Red Blood Cells: Study

Nanoparticles that mimic the flexibility and longevity of red blood cells could lead to the development of better ways to deliver drugs into the body, say U.S. scientists who created the nanoparticles.

"We believe this study represents a real game change for the future of nanomedicine," study co-lead investigator Joseph DiSimone, of the University of North Carolina, said in a news release, the Los Angeles Times reported.

He said it has been a challenge to create particles that can circulate through the body for extended periods. Their artificial cells were built using a gel material with "tunable elasticity," -- meaning that the scientists could control the cells' degree of deformability.

After being injected into mice, the softest cells stayed in the bloodstream 30 times longer than the least flexible ones, the Times reported.

The study was published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Michael Douglas Says Throat Tumor Gone

His tumor is gone and actor Michael Douglas says there's a good chance he's beaten throat cancer.

In an interview, Douglas said he felt relieved after a "wild, six-month ride," and will continue to go in for monthly checkups, the Associated Press reported.

The 66-year-old actor also said he had lost 32 pounds but was now working out and had regained 12 pounds.

The taped interview aired Tuesday on NBC's "Today," the AP reported.

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Sudden Chromosome Destruction Leads to Cancer: Study

Scientists have discovered a major exception to the current theory that a series of mutations over many years cause cells to become cancerous.

Using rapid methods of decoding DNA, the team found that a whole chromosome can suddenly shatter into pieces. If the cells survives this catastrophe, it may become cancerous, The New York Times reported.

About two to three percent of all cancers, and 25 percent of bone cancers, originate in this way, according to the Peter J. Campbell, of the Sanger Institute in England, and colleagues.

"It's hard to explain why the damage is so catastrophic but so localized," said Campbell, who believes the damage may be caused by a pulse of radiation, The Times reported.

The study appears in the current issue of the journal Cell.

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White House Sides With Companies in Drug Discount Lawsuit

In an unexpected move, the Obama administration is supporting drug companies accused of overcharging public hospitals and clinics that look after large number of poor Americans.

The Supreme Court case involves a lawsuit brought by Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties in California against a number of pharmaceutical makers. The lawsuit alleges that hospitals and clinics in the counties didn't receive obligatory discounts when they bought drugs from the companies, The New York Times reported.

Fearing a rash of lawsuits, the Justice Department officials told the Supreme Court that hospitals and clinics cannot sue drug makers to enforce their right to discounts or to be reimbursed by companies that overcharge.

"You can parse the legal issues, as the Justice Department has done. But the bottom line is that a lot of poor people and a lot of safety-net providers are not getting the discounts they are supposed to receive," Sara Rosenbaum, a professor of health law and policy at George Washington University, told The Times.

More than 15,000 hospitals and clinics across the U.S. participate in the discount program, which reduces prescription drug prices by 30 to 50 percent. These facilities spend more than $6 billion a year on drugs.

Health Tips for January 12

Health Tip: Lift Luggage Without Injury

Whether you're dragging out suitcases for a vacation of your own, or hauling someone else's overstuffed bags, proper lifting techniques can protect you from a back injury.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons offers these suggestions for packing and lifting luggage:

• Try not to overpack, and opt for suitcases with wheels.
• Be careful when storing your bag overhead. Use both hands to carefully lift the bag over your head.
• Make several trips from the car, rather than carrying too much at once. Ask for help if you need it.
• Lift heavy objects by bending at the knees and using your legs, rather than your waist and back.
• Don't twist your spine as you lift.

Health Tip: You May Have Sprained Your Neck

If you tear a ligament that joins the seven spinal bones in your neck to each other, it's considered a neck sprain. It often occurs when the neck is stretched to an extreme position during a motor vehicle accident or fall.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says possible signs of this injury include:

• Pain, particularly the back of the neck, that worsens when you move.
• Pain that gets worse a day or two after the initial injury.
• Pain and muscle spasms in the upper area of the shoulder.
• Pain in the back part of the head.
• Sore throat, trouble sleeping, feeling fatigued and irritable, and having trouble concentrating.
• Numbness, weakness or a tingling sensation in the hand or arm.
• Stiffness and difficulty moving the neck.

Health Headlines - January 11

White House Sides With Companies in Drug Discount Lawsuit

In an unexpected move, the Obama administration is supporting drug companies accused of overcharging public hospitals and clinics that look after large number of poor Americans.

The Supreme Court case involves a lawsuit brought by Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties in California against a number of pharmaceutical makers. The lawsuit alleges that hospitals and clinics in the counties didn't receive obligatory discounts when they bought drugs from the companies, The New York Times reported.

Fearing a rash of lawsuits, the Justice Department officials told the Supreme Court that hospitals and clinics cannot sue drug makers to enforce their right to discounts or to be reimbursed by companies that overcharge.

"You can parse the legal issues, as the Justice Department has done. But the bottom line is that a lot of poor people and a lot of safety-net providers are not getting the discounts they are supposed to receive," Sara Rosenbaum, a professor of health law and policy at George Washington University, told The Times.

More than 15,000 hospitals and clinics across the U.S. participate in the discount program, which reduces prescription drug prices by 30 to 50 percent. These facilities spend more than $6 billion a year on drugs.

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Music Triggers Release of Pleasure Chemical: Study

Listening to music causes the brain to release dopamine, a chemical that makes people feel pleasure, says a new study.

The researchers at McGill University in Montreal said their finding helps explain why music is so popular across cultures, msnbc.com reported.

The study included eight people who regularly experienced chills when they heard particular parts of certain pieces of music. Brain scans revealed where and when their brains released dopamine as they listened to music.

Only instrumental music was used in the study, which shows that the dopamine response doesn't depend on voices, said researcher Valorie Salimpoor. She added that further work is needed to find out how voices might contribute to the feeling of pleasure when listening to music, msnbc.com reported.

The study was published online in the journal Nature Neuroscience.

Previous research has shown that dopamine helps us feel pleasure while eating and having sex.

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Illness Outbreak on Cruise Ship

An outbreak of gastrointestinal illness that affected 150 of 2,336 passengers and three crew members occurred last week on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Radiance of the Seas.

The illness was marked by diarrhea and vomiting, USA Today reported.

After the five-night voyage ended in Tampa on Saturday, the Radiance of the Seas underwent a ship-wide cleaning before it departed on its next cruise.

Increased prevention efforts have led to a decline in the number of such outbreaks on cruise ships in recent years, USA Today reported.

In 2010, there were 14 outbreaks of illnesses on cruise ships operating out of U.S. ports, compared to 15 in 2009, 21 in 2007, and 34 in 2006, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health Tips for January 11

Health Tip: Help Prevent a Concussion


A concussion is a brain injury that usually occurs from a violent blow to the head. People who participate in contact sports are particularly prone to this type of injury.


Symptoms of concussion may include: drowsiness, headache, loss of consciousness, memory loss, confusion, dizziness and difficulty communicating. Players who show any of these symptoms need immediate medical care and should not return to play until all of these symptoms subside and a physician clears them.


The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons offers these suggestions to help reduce the likelihood of concussion:

• Always wear appropriate protective gear, such as a helmet. Although no gear is completely concussion-proof, it helps to have as much protection as possible.
• Always abide by all rules of the sport.
• Encourage leagues and coaches participating in sports that allow head-first contact to consider rule changes.

Health Tip: Infections May Strike Bones


Osteomyelitis is a bone infection usually caused by bacteria or, less often, a fungus.


The U.S. National Library of Medicine says these factors increase your risk of developing osteomyelitis:

• Being diabetic.
• Undergoing hemodialysis.
• Injecting drugs.
• Having a poor supply of blood.
• Having had a recent trauma.