Veterans Affairs News and Research

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House passes veterans' health bill, cost-of-living increase

The House on Wednesday voted 417-0 to approve a bill (HR 1527) that would establish a three-year pilot program to allow "highly rural" veterans enrolled in four of the Department of Veterans Affairs' 21 health care networks to receive health services through outside providers, CQ Today reports.

15 Sep 2008

Depressed dialysis patients more likely to be hospitalized or die, researcher finds

Dialysis patients diagnosed with depression are nearly twice as likely to be hospitalized or die within a year than those who are not depressed, a UT Southwestern Medical Center researcher has found.

14 Sep 2008

Herpes virus changes anti-herpes drug acyclovir to form that hinders AIDS virus

The drug acyclovir has long been used to suppress outbreaks of oral and genital herpes. Herpes viruses change acyclovir to a form that prevents them from reproducing.

10 Sep 2008

Suicide rate among young male veterans reaches record high in 2006

The suicide rate among young male veterans who served during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan reached a record high in 2006, the latest year for which records are available, according to data released on Tuesday by the Department of Veterans Affairs, USA Today reports.

10 Sep 2008

Toll of war seen in increased suicide rates among young male veterans

According to the American Department of Veterans Affairs, the suicide rate among young male veterans who served during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan reached a record high in 2006.

10 Sep 2008

Free drug samples may end up costing uninsured more

Free drug samples provided to physicians by pharmaceutical companies could actually be costing uninsured patients more in the long run, according to a study done by researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and colleagues.

7 Sep 2008

Heavy snorers at increased risk of stroke

University of Sydney researchers have found that heavy snorers have a higher risk of cholesterol plaque in the neck arteries, leading to an increased risk of stroke.

4 Sep 2008

Nanotherapeutics files INDA for NanoDOX hydrogel to treat type of diabetic ulcers

Nanotherapeutics announced today that it has submitted its first Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the FDA for a phase IIa clinical study for its product NanoDOX Hydrogel, a topical doxycycline hydrogel for chronic wounds.

4 Sep 2008

President Bush signs law to ensure health benefits for 'sole survivor' veterans

President Bush on Friday signed into law legislation (HR 5825, S 2874) that will guarantee health benefits for "sole survivor" veterans who receive honorable discharges, the Los Angeles Times reports.

4 Sep 2008

Exercise on a treadmill helps stroke survivors years later

New research has found that exercising on a treadmill helped stroke survivors improve their mobility and physical conditioning.

2 Sep 2008

New diagnostic tools and biomarkers

Patients presenting shortness of breath on arrival at the emergency department (ED) can gain from improved diagnosis allowing physicians to distinguish congestive heart failure patients from those presenting pneumonia.

1 Sep 2008

FL NR State-FEMA disaster outreach gains momentum

Community Relations teams and Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) will be assisting individuals, households and businesses affected by Tropical Storm Fay in Brevard, Hendry, Okeechobee, St. Lucie and Volusia counties, recovery officials announced.

31 Aug 2008

Thiazolidinediones - diabetes drugs carry significant cardiovascular risks

A class of oral drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes may significantly increase the risk of serious cardiovascular events, according to an editorial published online in Heart Wednesday by two Wake Forest University School of Medicine faculty members.

28 Aug 2008

Sen. Clinton expresses support for Presidential nominee Obama, discusses health care in convention speech

Former Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) on Tuesday spoke at the Democratic National Convention in support of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) and his proposals on health care and other issues, Dow Jones reports. According to Dow Jones, in "making the case for Obama," Clinton cited their joint support for "renewing the middle class, ending the war in Iraq, creating a universal health care system and boosting clean energy."

28 Aug 2008

Infections of amniotic fluid may be a significant cause of premature birth

Previously unrecognized and unidentified infections of amniotic fluid may be a significant cause of premature birth, according to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

25 Aug 2008

Uninsured spend $30 billion out of pocket for health care

Americans who lack health insurance for any part of 2008 will spend $30 billion out of pocket for health services and receive $56 billion in uncompensated care while uninsured. Government programs pay for about three-quarters, or roughly $43 billion, of the uncompensated care bill, researchers report in today's Web Exclusive edition of Health Affairs. The researchers define uncompensated care as care received but not paid for fully by the uninsured or by a health insurer.

25 Aug 2008

UT Southwestern scientists discover leptin can also aid type 1 diabetics

Terminally ill rodents with type 1 diabetes have been restored to full health with a single injection of a substance other than insulin by scientists at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

25 Aug 2008

Advisers to Presidential candidates discuss health care proposals during online debate

Advisers to the two major presidential candidates during an online debate on the Wall Street Journal Web site discussed the effect that their health care proposals would have on the employer-sponsored health insurance market, the Journal's "Health Blog" reports.

13 Aug 2008

Experimental drug turns lab mice into long-distance runners

Trying to reap the health benefits of exercise? Forget treadmills and spin classes, researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies may have found a way around the sweat and pain. They identified two signaling pathways that are activated in response to exercise and converge to dramatically increase endurance.

31 Jul 2008

Commonly used diabetes monitoring test could identify millions of people with undiagnosed diabetes

A blood test currently used as the gold standard for monitoring people already under care for diabetes may have far wider use in identifying millions with undetected diabetes, a team led by a Johns Hopkins physician suggests.

31 Jul 2008