Health & Wellness NewsMarch 12, 2010

Variable Blood Pressure a New Stroke Risk Factor?

Big ups and downs in readings may call for specific treatments, experts say

Challenging established medical wisdom about blood pressure and stroke, new British research suggests that extremely variable blood pressure, and not just high blood pressure, can greatly increase a person's risk of stroke.

"Some people have very stable hypertension, in which case simple hypertension is all that matters, but variability and episodic hypertension is very common and matters much more than mean blood pressure in some patients," said Dr.

Obesity, Drinking a Double Threat to the Liver

Combination increased chances of cirrhosis, studies found

Obesity plus daily drinking boosts the risk of liver disease in men and women, researchers report in two new studies.

In one study, scientists at the University of Oxford examined the medical records of 1.2 million middle-aged British women. They followed them for an average of about six years and found that overweight or obese women faced a higher risk of cirrhosis of the liver, and the risk increased if they also reported drinking an average of a third to half a drink a day.

Heat Therapy Helps Treat U.S. Soldiers' Infections

Device works on skin lesions caused by parasite in Iraq, Afghanistan, study finds

Heat therapy is effective for treating lesions caused by a parasitic skin infection that afflicts U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, a new study shows.

Since U.S. operations began in those countries, more than 1,300 American military and civilian personnel have developed Leishmania major skin lesions, according to information in a news release about the study.

Driving With Early Alzheimer's May Be Ill-Advised

Even a drive to the local store can end in getting lost, hurt, study finds

Elderly people with failing memories often keep driving, but a study of Alzheimer's patients suggests the risk of getting lost -- even on familiar streets -- may be greater than once thought.

Even with early dementia, there may be no safe period behind the wheel because the disease is unpredictable, said Linda Hunt, an associate professor in the School of Occupational Therapy at Pacific University, Oregon, and author of a new study.

Medicine's Future Could Lie in Each Patient's Genome

In two studies, scientists quickly scanned individuals' DNA to get at causes of disease

Two separate scientific teams announced this week that they had successfully sequenced individual genomes to pinpoint precise genetic causes of illness -- breakthroughs that open the door to a future of individualized, genomics-based medicine.

"This is another milestone in the inevitable march towards personalized genetic health," said Dr. Robert Marion, chief of genetics and development medicine and director of the Center for Congenital Disorders at Children's Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City.