AP – When Shakespeare called sleep the “chief nourisher of life’s feast,” he may have been well ahead of his time, medically at least. Researchers at the University of Chicago Medical Center report that disrupting sleep damages the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels, potentially raising the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

AP – Health officials were searching Monday for dozens of airline passengers who may have come in contact with a 30-year-old woman infected with a hard-to-treat form of tuberculosis on a flight from India.

AP – Out with stainless steel, in with copper? It might be a new hospital trend — not for looks, but for germ-fighting. Some intensive-care units in New York and South Carolina are about to get copper fittings as part of a project to test if drug-resistant bacteria survive better on hospitals’ ubiquitous stainless steel than on copper.

AP – A drug that could do for women what Viagra has done for men is being tested at the University of Virginia. The drug is a testosterone-laden ointment called LibiGel and it’s intended to boost the libido of women who have lost interest in sex. It will be prescribed at UVa in coming months to women who are suffering from hypoactive sexual desire disorder.

AP – Think of germs as gangsters. One thug lurking on a corner you might outrun, but a dozen swaggering down the street? Yikes. Bacteria make their own gangs, clustering quietly in the body until there’s a large enough group to begin an attack. This is the next frontier in fighting drug-resistant superbugs. The idea: Don’t just try to kill bacteria. The bugs will always find a way to thwart the next antibiotic.

AFP – The US drug safety watchdog warned Monday on its website that several Chinese-made ‘dietary supplements’ contain the active ingredient found in Viagra, and could be harmful to consumers.

Detection and treatment of this disease spread by a Latin American parasite are difficult because those infected are often asymptomatic when therapies are most effective.

This condition is often missed or misunderstood. Experts urge more awareness and newer diagnostic tools.

Physicians confronting the city’s AIDS epidemic are urged to follow the CDC’s recommendation to test widely.

HealthDay – SUNDAY, Dec. 30 (HealthDay News) — If heart disease, stroke and
certain cancers haven’t been reason enough for men to quit smoking,
consider this: The habit also increases the risk of erectile
dysfunction.

AFP – An Afghan suspect branded “an experienced jihadist” died of bowel cancer at the US prison camp for “war on terror” detainees in Guantanamo Bay, the military said Sunday.

HealthDay – SATURDAY, Dec. 29 (HealthDay News) — Winter sports provide kids
with great exercise and fun, but proper safety measures are needed to
prevent injuries, say pediatric trauma experts.

AP – President Bush on Saturday signed legislation that extends a popular children’s health insurance program after twice beating back attempts to expand it.

AP – Dietary supplements marketed to provide male sexual enhancement contain undeclared erectile dysfunction drugs putting users at risk, the Food and Drug Administration warned Friday.

AP – The pasteurization process at a central Massachusetts dairy connected to a deadly outbreak of a bacterial illness appears to be working properly, a state health official said Friday.

HealthDay – FRIDAY, Dec. 28 (HealthDay News) — People suffering with chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may find that combining two currently
available medications halves their risk of death within two years as well
and improves their overall health status and quality of life, new research
suggests.

HealthDay – FRIDAY, Dec. 28 (HealthDay News) — The omega-3 fatty acids found
in fish oil might play an important role in preventing Alzheimer’s
disease, according to a research team at the University of California, Los
Angeles (UCLA).

HealthDay – FRIDAY, Dec. 28 (HealthDay News) — As more and more American
children are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, another serious problem is
threatening their health.

AP – The pasteurization process at a central Massachusetts dairy connected to a deadly outbreak of a bacterial illness appears to be working properly, a state health official said Friday.

Reuters – Overall, children born to women
who received an X-ray while pregnant are not more likely than
other children to develop a brain tumor, Swedish researchers
report based on a study they conducted.

Reuters – Eating a high-fat, high-carb
fast food meal produces damaging cellular changes that are
greater and longer-lasting in obese people than in
normal-weight people, a new study shows.

AP – Hundreds of Japanese who contracted hepatitis C from tainted blood products hammered out a deal with legislators Friday that includes a government apology and monetary compensation.

AP – Many raw milk consumers are opposing new dairy standards set to take effect next week in California, saying they could outlaw some of their preferred products.

Title: MedicineNet’s Top Health News Stories of 2007
Category: Health News
Created: 12/28/2007
Last Editorial Review: 12/28/2007

Title: Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy Advance
Category: Health News
Created: 12/28/2007
Last Editorial Review: 12/28/2007

Title: Uninsured Get Healthier With Medicare
Category: Health News
Created: 12/28/2007
Last Editorial Review: 12/28/2007

Title: New Clues for Liver Cirrhosis Treatment
Category: Health News
Created: 12/28/2007
Last Editorial Review: 12/28/2007

Title: Avastin Helps Slow Late Breast Cancer
Category: Health News
Created: 12/28/2007
Last Editorial Review: 12/28/2007

Title: Psychiatrists Open to Discussing Spiritual Concerns
Category: Health News
Created: 12/28/2007 2:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 12/28/2007

Title: ICU Patients Not Getting Enough Sleep
Category: Health News
Created: 12/28/2007 2:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 12/28/2007

Title: Voluven Helps Minimize Surgical Blood Loss
Category: Health News
Created: 12/28/2007 2:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 12/28/2007

Title: Lower Body Temps Increase Blood Loss During Surgery
Category: Health News
Created: 12/28/2007 2:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 12/28/2007

Title: High Blood Triglycerides Linked to Stroke Risk
Category: Health News
Created: 12/28/2007 2:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 12/28/2007

Title: Study Sheds Light on Origins of Sudden Cardiac Death
Category: Health News
Created: 12/28/2007 2:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 12/28/2007

Title: Health Highlights: Dec. 27, 2007
Category: Health News
Created: 12/28/2007 2:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 12/28/2007

Title: Health Tip: If You’re a Shy Teen
Category: Health News
Created: 12/28/2007 2:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 12/28/2007

Title: Health Tip: What’s Causing Your Dizziness?
Category: Health News
Created: 12/28/2007 2:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 12/28/2007

Title: Chronic Coughs Need a Doctor’s Attention
Category: Health News
Created: 12/28/2007 2:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 12/28/2007

Title: Terriers Join Fight Against a Killer Disease in Humans
Category: Health News
Created: 12/28/2007 2:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 12/28/2007

HealthDay – (HealthDay News) — Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy
of Thomson CenterWatch: