archive

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Shots - Health News

When Fetuses Yawn In The Womb

Could that be a yawn? An ultrasound scan catches an opened-mouth fetus.

November 21, 2012 Ultrasound often catches fetuses opening their mouths, but whether they're really yawning or not has been up for debate. Now, with some fancy ultrasound techniques, scientists have show that babies do indeed yawn in the womb.

Summary

Shots - Health News

With Routine Mammograms, Some Breast Cancers May Be Overtreated

A mammographer prepares a screen-film mammography test for patient Alicia Maldonado at a hospital in Los Angeles.

November 21, 2012 The last three decades have seen a dramatic increase in early-stage, but not late-stage, breast cancers, as mammography has become routine. Some researchers are concerned that women are being treated for cancers that would never turn deadly.

Transcript

On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

Shots - Health News

World AIDS Epidemic Slows, But Fight Stalls In Parts Of Asia

Students paste red ribbons on a window to mark World AIDS Day in Nanjing, China, in 2006. Between 2007 and 2011, the number of newly diagnosed HIV cases in China has nearly quadrupled to 40,000.

November 21, 2012 Although new HIV infections have dropped by as much as 50 percent in many African countries, the fight against AIDS seems to be losing its footing in Eastern Europe and parts of Asia. New infections nearly quadrupled in China between 2007 and 2011.

Summary

Shots - Health News

OB-GYNs Say No Prescription Should Be Needed To Get The Pill

Time for oral contraceptives to be available without a prescription?

November 21, 2012 Easier access to oral contraceptives could reduce unintended pregnancies, doctors say. But the Food and Drug Administration would have to allow purchases of the pill without a prescription, and that's not going to happen anytime soon.

Summary

Shots - Health News

Patients With Online Access To Doctors May Make More Office Visits

New research suggests that doctors who communicate online with their patients may not see a drop in office visits.

November 21, 2012 CPRPrevious research has found that patients with online access to their doctors made fewer trips to the doctor's office. But a large, just-published study shows just the opposite: Patients who can email their physicians may schedule more visits.

Transcript

On Morning EditionPlaylist

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Shots - Health News

Making Sense Of Colors And Shapes In The Toilet

A physician examines a patient's urine flask in this 17th century print by Isaac Sarrabat.

November 20, 2012 No one really wants to think about what goes down the drain when you flush. But sometimes, you've got to look to see what your bowels are telling you about your health. Doctors have been decoding our pee and poo since medieval times. They've even developed handy visual guides.

Summary

Shots - Health News

Administration Lays Down Rules For Future Health Insurance

November 20, 2012 Now that the Supreme Court has found the Affordable Care Act constitutional and the president's re-election made clear that big chunks of the law will take effect in 2014, the administration is finally releasing rules of the road that states and insurance companies have been clamoring for.

Transcript

On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

Shots - Health News

Many Surgical Complications Show Up After Patients Get Home

Researchers find that more than 40 percent of surgical complications happen after patients leave the hospital.

November 20, 2012 More than 40 percent of surgical complications occur after patients are at home. The solution for the problem isn't keeping patients in the hospital longer, researchers say. Better instructions to patients and improved monitoring could help.

Summary

Shots - Health News

When Your State Says Yes To Medical Marijuana, But Your Insurer Says No

Medical marijuana advocates demonstrate outside a San Francisco fundraiser for President Obama in February.

November 20, 2012 KHNJust because medical marijuana is legal where you live doesn't mean your health insurer will deem it worthy of coverage. The feds still classify it as a controlled substance with no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse, so insurers and employers are wary of paying for it.

Summary

Monday, November 19, 2012

Shots - Health News

Matching DNA With Medical Records To Crack Disease And Aging

A light micrograph image of telomeres, shown in yellow, at the end of human chromosomes. Women tend to have longer telomeres than men and tend to outlive men, according to new research matching genetic information with medical records.

November 19, 2012 A massive research project in California is beginning to show how genes, health habits and the environment can interact to cause diseases. The new combination of genetic and health information is one of the most powerful research tools on earth, a researcher says.

Transcript

On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

Shots - Health News

More Teens Take Steroids To Trade Fat For Muscle

Six percent of teenagers say they've used steroid drugs in the past year, according to a study in the journal Pediatrics.

November 19, 2012 Girls say they are using steroids, too, although they're using the illegal drugs less often than boys, according to researchers at the University of Minnesota and Columbia University. And the researchers found that many teens using steroids or muscle-enhancing supplements are overweight or obese.

Summary

Shots - Health News

Caffeine Gives Endurance Athletes A Third And Fourth Wind

Sarah Piampiano holds two energy gels, one with caffeine and one without, as she runs in this year's Ironman World Championship.

November 19, 2012 Endurance athletes often turn to the same stimulant that gives your morning cup of joe its jolt: caffeine. They're increasingly using caffeinated gels and drinks when they compete. But how much is too much?

Transcript

On Morning EditionPlaylist

Shots - Health News

Can You Move It And Work It On A Treadmill Desk?

Employees at at Salo, a Minneapolis-based financial consulting firm, walk while working on treadmill desks. The firm offers treadmill desks for employee use and encourages an active workplace environment.

November 19, 2012 Researchers and companies are bringing movement back into the office with treadmill desks, walking meetings and games. Employees say it has helped them lose weight and be more productive.

Transcript

On Morning EditionPlaylist

Friday, November 16, 2012

Shots - Health News

This Is How Diabetes Swept The Nation

The march of diabetes across the nation.

November 16, 2012 Back in 1995, about 4.5 percent of adults in the U.S. had been diagnosed with diabetes. By 2010, the prevalence had zoomed to 8.2 percent. An interactive map shows how much worse diabetes has become in less than a generation.

Summary

NPR thanks our sponsors

Become an NPR Sponsor

Podcast + RSS Feeds

Podcast RSS

  • News
     
  • Health