Health News

Experts say US doctors overtesting, overtreating (AP)

AP - Too much cancer screening, too many heart tests, too many cesarean sections. A spate of recent reports suggest that too many Americans — maybe even President Barack Obama — are being overtreated.

Obesity, Drinking a Double Threat to the Liver (HealthDay)

HealthDay - THURSDAY, March 11 (HealthDay News) -- Obesity plus daily drinking boosts the risk of liver disease in men and women, researchers report in two new studies.

Health Tip: Symptoms of Ketoacidosis (HealthDay)

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Ketoacidosis occurs when diabetic people develop dangerously high levels of ketones, which are produced when stored fat is burned for energy.

Health Tip: Having an Epidural (HealthDay)

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- An epidural is an injected anesthetic often used during labor and delivery to ease the pain of childbirth.

Amnesty International: In the U.S., Too Many Women Dying While Having Babies (Time.com)

Time.com - In a new report on pregnancy andchildbirth care in the U.S., Amnesty details the maternal health care crisisin this country as part of a systemic violation of women's rights

People with variable blood pressure at stroke risk (AP)

AP - People with occasional spikes in their blood pressure could be at higher risk of having a stroke than those with regularly high blood pressure, new studies said Friday.

New Knee May Improve Balance (HealthDay)

HealthDay - THURSDAY, March 11 (HealthDay News) -- A knee replacement can help improve an elderly person's balance, according to a new study.

U.S. Chalks Up Victories in War on Cancer (HealthDay)

HealthDay - THURSDAY, March 11 (HealthDay News) -- The decrease in cancer deaths in the United States since 1990 is the result of reduced tobacco use, increased cancer screening and improvements in treatment, according to an American Cancer Society study.

Long-used, little-studied laxative safe, effective (Reuters)

Reuters - Until now, a scant number of top notch clinical trials have evaluated whether sodium picosulfate -- the active ingredient in numerous over-the-counter laxatives -- is safe and effective.

S.Africa announces plans to ramp up HIV testing (AFP)

AFP - The South African government on Thursday announced a ramped up AIDS plan that aims to test 15 million residents for HIV in the world's worst affected country by next June.