Health Tip: Know Your Risk Factors for Atherosclerosis

(HealthDay News) -- Atherosclerosis, sometimes called hardening of the arteries, occurs when sticky fat deposits called plaque adhere to the walls of blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood throughout the body. These deposits limit blood flow and can lead to heart attack or stroke.

Health Tip: Talk to Your Doctor Before You Are Pregnant

(HealthDay News) -- The foods you eat, your health habits and the medicines you take could ultimately harm your unborn baby -- even before you become pregnant.

Spouses of Cancer Patients May Have Raised Risk of Heart Disease, Stroke

WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- The spouses of cancer patients are at increased risk of heart disease and stroke, a new study suggests.

In Mice, Drug Reverses Symptoms of Condition Linked to Autism

WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- An experimental drug reversed many of the major symptoms of Fragile X syndrome in mice, researchers report.

Codeine After Surgery Could Endanger Certain Kids: Study

WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- Concerns about codeine safety have gained traction in the wake of the postoperative experience of four children who all carried a rare genetic mutation. A new study describes what happened to three of the patients, while a similar case came to light in 2009.

Study Shows New Option for Kids With Tough-to-Treat Leukemia

WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- Additional chemotherapy may a better option than bone marrow transplant for some children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who don't respond to an initial intense regimen of chemotherapy called "induction therapy," a new study says.

White Women Make Up Bulk of Assisted-Living Residents

WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- White women accounted for the majority of the 733,000 people in the United States who lived in state-regulated residential care facilities in 2010, according to a new federal report.

People Carrying Guns May Appear Bigger Than They Are

WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- Holding a gun makes a man appear bigger and stronger than he actually is, a new study indicates.

Breast Cancer Treatment Side Effects May Last for Years

WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- Treatment-related complications are common in breast cancer patients long after their therapy has been completed, a new study says.

Mobile Stroke Units Might Trim Time to Treatment

WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- Clot-busting drugs can help stave off lasting disability after a stroke, but they must be given within a 4.5-hour window and many people arrive at the hospital too late to use them.

Disrupted Sleep May Raise Risk for Obesity, Diabetes: Study

WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- Sleep deprivation, in combination with disrupted "body clock" rhythms, could result in some of the changes to a person's metabolism that can foreshadow both obesity and diabetes, researchers report.

Huntington's Disease Linked to Reduced Cancer Risk in Study

WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- People who have Huntington's disease are much less likely to develop cancer than people without the inherited disorder, according to a new study that suggests the diseases share a common genetic mechanism.

Some Folks Just Can't Help Being Nice, Study Suggests

WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- Being nice may be in your genes.

Nonsurgical Method to Measure Brain Pressure Shows Promise

WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- A new nonsurgical method for monitoring brain pressure might help improve treatment of head injury patients, according to a new study.

Health Highlights: April 11, 2012

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

Drug May Prevent Pancreatitis After Digestive Procedure

WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- A simple anti-inflammatory drug significantly cuts the risk of painful pancreatitis after patients undergo a specialized scope exam of the digestive tract, a new study suggests.

FDA Seeks to Limit Antibiotics in Animal Feed

WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday called on food producers, drug companies and veterinarians to help limit the use of antibiotics in farm animals.

Newer Antidepressants May Be Safe for Parkinson's Patients

WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- Some of the newer antidepressants can help treat depression in people with Parkinson's disease without aggravating other disease symptoms such as tremor or rigidity, researchers have found.