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New lung cancer guidelines say forget scans and chest X-rays

The American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), is advising against low-dose CT scanning or chest X-rays to screen for lung cancer.

12 Sep 2007

The contraceptive pill may reduce risk of developing cancer

Taking the contraceptive pill does not increase a woman's chances of developing cancer and may even reduce the risk for most women, according to a study published on bmj.com today.

12 Sep 2007

Giving children a diet rich in fish and

“We believe that this is the first study that has assessed the impact of a child's diet on asthma and allergies and also taken into account the food their mother ate during pregnancy” says lead author Dr Leda Chatzi from the Department of Social Medicine at the University of Crete, Greece.

12 Sep 2007

U.S. has highest level of health spending compared to other OECD countries

The United States continues to spend the most on health care when compared to other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries.

11 Sep 2007

Health spending in OECD countries in 2004 and trends in the health of older Americans

Health Spending In OECD Countries In 2004: An Update, by Gerard Anderson, Bianca Frogner, and Uwe Reinhardt. "In 2004, the U.S. health care system continued to provide less access to health care resources than the health systems in many other [industrialized] countries; however, the United States continued to have the highest level of spending," Anderson and coauthors report.

11 Sep 2007

Link between nicotine and atherosclerosis

It's well known that smoking cigarettes increases risk for a host of serious health problems from cancer to heart disease. Now a new study from Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City looks at how they do their dirty work by contributing to atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. The evidence points to nicotine, the addictive chemical in cigarettes.

11 Sep 2007

Women with a family history of heart disease are less likely than men to drop bad habits

Smoking, eating fattening foods and not getting enough exercise are all lifestyle habits that can lead to poor health and cardiovascular disease – more so if you have a family history.

11 Sep 2007

Smoke-free environments help smokers quit

With Pennsylvania's elected leaders debating the need for a smoking ban, yet another reason is emerging for the Keystone State to clear the air.

11 Sep 2007

Link between genetic variant and effectiveness of smoking cessation meds

A genetic variant present in nearly half of Americans of European ancestry is linked to greater effectiveness of the smoking cessation medication bupropion (Zyban), according to research by scientists supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

11 Sep 2007

Concrete proof that public smoking bans work

At a major international conference in Edinburgh, Scotland, experts from around the world were given concrete proof that public smoking bans are effective when it comes to health benefits.

11 Sep 2007

Being overweight may independently increase risk for developing coronary heart disease

Being moderately overweight or obese appears to increase the risk for developing coronary heart disease events independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, according to a meta-analysis of previously published studies in the September 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

11 Sep 2007

Pregnancy may open a window of vulnerability for developing binge eating disorder

Especially for women from lower socio-economic situations, according to a study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers and colleagues in Norway.

10 Sep 2007

Experts say screening families of heart attack victims could save many lives

Scottish researchers say by screening the relatives of middle-aged heart attack sufferers many lives would be saved.

9 Sep 2007

Smoking and lactating women - nicotine disrupts infants' sleep patterns

A study from the Monell Chemical Senses Center reports that nicotine in the breast milk of lactating mothers who smoke cigarettes disrupts their infants' sleep patterns.

5 Sep 2007

Folic acid helps prevent facial cleft

A new study finds that women who take folic acid supplements early in their pregnancy can substantially reduce their baby's chances of being born with a facial cleft.

5 Sep 2007

Experts call for more resources worldwide to deal with mental illness

Experts in Britain are calling for better recognition of the impact of mental illness on other health problems and for more resources worldwide to deal with mental health issues.

5 Sep 2007

Secondhand smoke affects pets too

The threat of secondhand smoke to the health of non-smokers has been known for years but now researchers say pets can also suffer from the effects of secondhand smoke.

5 Sep 2007

Smoking ups Alzheimer's risk by 50%

According to a new Dutch study people over the age of 55 who are smokers put themselves at a far greater risk of developing dementia than people who do not smoke.

5 Sep 2007

Young persons who view more smoking in movies are at increased risk for initiating cigarette smoking

Exposure to smoking in movies appears to be associated with adolescents' risk of becoming established smokers who have used at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetimes, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

4 Sep 2007

Smoking and Alzheimer's disease

People who smoke are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease or dementia than nonsmokers or those who smoked in the past, according to a study published in the September 4, 2007, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

4 Sep 2007