Health Tip: Warning Signs of Vision Loss

(HealthDay News) -- If you have trouble completing everyday tasks because you can't see well enough -- even while wearing prescription glasses -- you may have what the National Eye Institute calls "low vision."

Health Tip: What Causes a Canker Sore?

(HealthDay News) -- Canker sores are painful ulcers that occur in the mouth. They may be yellow or white in appearance, while the surrounding tissue usually is red.

Does Her Diabetes Differ From His?

TUESDAY, Aug. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists who identified significant differences in male and female metabolism say there's a need for gender-specific drug therapies for some diseases.

Blacks at Higher Risk for Resistant Breast Cancer: Study

TUESDAY, Aug. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Black women are more likely to have two or more children and are less likely to breast-feed, putting them at greater risk of developing a difficult-to-treat type of breast cancer, according to a new study.

Central Catheters May Raise Risk of Blood Clots After Surgery

TUESDAY, Aug. 16 (HealthDay News) -- The risk of deep vein thrombosis -- a sometimes deadly blood clot that can form in a deep vein after general surgery -- is low when preventive measures such as anti-clotting drugs are used, researchers say.

U.S. Women Using Dangerous Weight-Loss Pill 2 Years After Recall

TUESDAY, Aug. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Many women in the United States continue to use a Chinese weight-loss supplement that's been recalled due to dangerous ingredients, a new study indicates.

A Little Exercise Goes a Long Way to Cut Disease, Death Risk

MONDAY, Aug. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Just 15 minutes of physical activity a day can reduce your risk of death by 14 percent and increase your life expectancy by three years, a new study suggests.

Obesity Before Pregnancy May Raise Child's Asthma Risk

MONDAY, Aug. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Teens of mothers who were overweight or obese when they became pregnant may be at increased risk for asthma symptoms, according to a new study.

Too Much TV May Take Years Off Your Life

MONDAY, Aug. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Spending your days in front of the television may contribute to a shortened lifespan, a new study suggests.

More Kids Hospitalized for Flu, Skin Infections

TUESDAY, Aug. 16 (HealthDay News) -- There was a dramatic increase in the number of children's flu-related hospital stays in the United States between 2000 and 2009, a federal agency says.

The Fattier Your Heart, the Greater Your Heart Disease Risk

TUESDAY, Aug. 16 (HealthDay News) -- The amount of hidden fat that collects around the heart may be a stronger indicator of cardiac disease risk than a bulging waistline or flabby thighs, a new study reports.

Health Highlights: Aug.16, 2011

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Five Genes May Be Tied to Lethal Prostate Cancer

TUESDAY, Aug. 16 (HealthDay News) -- In what may be a diagnostic advance, U.S. and Swedish researchers have linked five inherited genetic mutations to the development of a particularly aggressive and deadly form of prostate cancer.

Moderate Drinking May Help Prevent Alzheimer's, Other Dementia

TUESDAY, Aug. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Drinking moderate amounts of alcohol, especially wine, may lower the risk of dementia, according to a review of previous research.

Some Thyroid Cancer Patients May Get Radioactive Iodine Unnecessarily

TUESDAY, Aug. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Some thyroid cancer patients with early disease may be given radioactive iodine unnecessarily, while others with more advanced tumors who should get the treatment don't, a new study suggests.

New Drug May Relieve Severe, Tough-to-Treat Gout

TUESDAY, Aug. 16 (HealthDay News) -- For some gout patients afflicted with a particularly severe, crippling form of the disease who find standard treatments either intolerable or ineffective, a recently approved alternative appears to afford relief.

Antipsychotics Best for Controlling Mania: Study

TUESDAY, Aug. 16 (HealthDay News) -- The manic episodes experienced by those with bipolar disorder are better controlled by antipsychotic drugs than mood stabilizers, a new, large study suggests.

Bladder Cancer Risk Even Higher for Smokers Than Thought

TUESDAY, Aug. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Almost half of all bladder cancers can be attributed to smoking cigarettes, and the risk of bladder cancer has increased significantly for smokers in the past three decades, a new study finds.

Experts Concerned About Rising HIV Rates Among Poor, Minorities

TUESDAY, Aug. 16 (HealthDay News) -- HIV/AIDS experts gathering in Atlanta this week expressed growing concerns over a rise in rates of HIV infection among the nation's poor and minorities.