Latest science news in Health & Medicine
Psychotropic medications associated with risk of falls in older adults
Older adults who take several types of psychotropic medications—such as antidepressants or sedatives—appear more likely to experience falls, according to an analysis of previous studies reported in the November 23...
Direct-to-consumer ads associated with higher Medicaid costs
Direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) for a commonly prescribed antiplatelet drug does not appear associated with increased use, but may be associated with increased drug costs and Medicaid pharmacy expenditures, according to...
Factors from common human bacteria may trigger multiple sclerosis
New research suggests that a common oral bacterium may exacerbate autoimmune disease. Multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease where the immune system attacks the brain and spinal cord, affects nearly 1...
JCI table of contents: Nov. 23, 2009
EDITOR'S PICK: Gene implicated in stress-induced high blood pressure
Well: Food, Kin and Tension at Thanksgiving
Turkey with a side of scorn? For some families, holiday meals can be cauldrons of longstanding tensions, fresh criticism and battles for control.
Personal Health: Exploring a Low-Acid Diet for Bone Health
Proponents suggest that such a regimen could lead to stronger bones than the typical American diet rich in dairy products and animal protein.
Vital Signs: Regimens: Meditation, for the Mind and the Heart
Could the mental relaxation produced by transcendental meditation have physiological benefits?
Vital Statistics: The Dangers of Taking a Dip in the Hot Tub
A hot tub might not seem an especially dangerous place, but many seeking relaxation in these tubs find themselves instead in an emergency room.
Global Update: AIDS: Study in Rural Uganda Finds Benefits in Treating AIDS Patients at Home
Treating AIDS patients at home is just as effective and much cheaper than having them come into a clinic, says a new study.
Shifting Vaccine for Flu to Elderly
Federal health officials are trying to shift supplies of the seasonal flu vaccine away from chain pharmacies and supermarkets to nursing homes.
Trying last-ditch lung bypass for worst swine flu
(AP) -- A technology originally developed for premature babies may be helping to save some of the sickest swine flu patients by rerouting their blood so their lungs can...
Diabetes surgery summit consensus lays foundation for new field of medicine
A first-of-its-kind consensus statement on diabetes surgery is published online today in the Annals of Surgery. The report illustrates the findings of the first international consensus conference -- Diabetes Surgery...
Medical 'pay for performance' programs help improve care -- but not always, study finds
Like everybody, health care professionals enjoy a pay raise for a job well done. But in some instances, financial incentives for health care performance may actually backfire.
Team-based care involving a pharmacist improves blood pressure control
Patients whose hypertension is managed by a physician-pharmacist team have lower blood pressure levels and are more likely to reach goals for blood pressure control than those treated without this...
Insomnia prevalent among cancer patients who receive chemotherapy
Three quarters of cancer patients and survivors treated with chemotherapy suffer insomnia or sleep disorders that often become chronic conditions, hindering patients' ability to fully recover, according to scientists at...
Sedatives, mood-altering drugs related to falls among elderly: UBC study
Falls among elderly people are significantly associated with several classes of drugs, including sedatives often prescribed as sleep aids and medications used to treat mood disorders, according to a study...
Vioxx trial data shows early cardiovascular risk
Evidence of cardiovascular risks associated with taking Vioxx, the popular, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (rofecoxib), could have been identified nearly four years before its manufacturer, Merck & Co. Inc., voluntarily pulled...
Artery Disease in Some Very Old Patients
Doctors scanned Egyptian mummies and found signs of atherosclerosis, a disease typically thought of as a modern ill.
Really?: The Claim: Vinegar Can Help Lower Blood Sugar Levels.
Can adding vinegar to a large meal prevent a spike in blood sugar?
Moderate-to-heavy exercise may reduce risk of stroke for men
Men who regularly take part in moderate-to-heavy intensity exercise such as jogging, tennis or swimming may be less likely to have a stroke than people who get no exercise or...
Children who lack continuity with a regular health care provider miss needed services
Low-income children who don't access health care from the same place or provider over the long term are significantly more likely to have unmet health care needs compared with those...
Man Diagnosed 'Comatose' For 23 Years Was Actually Conscious All Along
In what can only be described as a harrowing instance of misdiagnosis, a Belgian man presumed comatose for 23 years after a near-fatal car crash was actually conscious and paralyzed the entire time....
Climate variability and dengue incidence
New research demonstrates associations between local rainfall and temperature and cases of dengue fever.
Scientists watch as peptides control crystal growth with 'switches, throttles and brakes'
By producing some of the highest resolution images of peptides attaching to mineral surfaces, scientists have a deeper understanding how biomolecules manipulate the growth crystals. This research may lead to...
Health Care Debate Revives Abortion Campaigners
Feeling a threat from proposed legislation, both sides are mobilizing supporters like they haven’t in years.
Multiple health concerns surface as winter, vitamin D deficiences arrive
A string of recent discoveries about the multiple health benefits of vitamin D has renewed interest in this multi-purpose nutrient, increased awareness of the huge numbers of people who are...
Stable plaque or heart attack plaque? Researcher builds new MEMS sensor to tell which is which
University of Sourthern California biomedical engineer and cardiologist Tzung "John" Hsiai hopes to develop a new tool to help clinicians distinguish cardiac emergencies requiring immediate surgery from chronic problems manageable...
10 x '20: ID experts call for 10 new antibiotics by 2020
The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) has asked for a commitment from the Obama administration and the European Union to further the Society's mission to achieve the development of...