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This Week In Health Headlines
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Record numbers of Americans got flu shots last year. But that still means that less than half of the population got vaccinated, U.S. health officials said. Research published this week found that people with cancer live longer if they are married. Another study found that women with early concerns about breastfeeding are more likely to quit. Women with high levels of omega-3 fats in the bloodstream are not protected from loss of memory and thinking skills, other new research concluded. U.S. regulators said this week that they will regulate only those smartphone apps that turn a phone into a medical device. This means measuring blood pressure, for example, but not counting calories.
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Public health officials said this week that antibiotic-resistant infections kill 23,000 Americans each year. They outlined a campaign to fight drug-resistant bacteria. But there was some good news. The bacteria known as MRSA are causing fewer infections, a study published this week finds. Other new research found that obesity rates have declined in teenagers. And two more new studies add to the evidence that screening for colon cancer saves lives.
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The United States is likely to face a shortage of cancer care specialists, a report published this week says. Other new research looked at hormone levels related to symptoms of so-called male menopause. It found that declines in estrogen as well as testosterone may cause some of these symptoms. U.S. drug regulators issued new labeling rules this week for opiate medicines. The labels restrict use of extended-release formulas, such as Oxycontin. They would be limited to people who need long-term pain control and have not been able to get it from other medicines. A new study published this week looked at alcohol use in early pregnancy. It found no increase in low birth weight or early birth when women drank moderate amounts during the first trimester.
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Hospitals are doing angioplasties faster on patients who are having heart attacks, a study published this week confirms. But that's not reducing deaths, the study found. Another new study found that the number of high school students using e-cigarettes, though small, doubled in just one year. A report published this week concluded that at least 200,000 U.S. deaths each year from heart attacks or stroke could be prevented. The nation's major group of pediatricians issued an appeal this week for early flu shots. The group said kids should get the vaccine as soon as possible.
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