An app a day: Medical apps for smart phones

Ever think of taking your blood pressure with a smart phone? If so, you may be in luck. Some companies are busy developing medical apps that would do just that.

Kidney dialysis can start too early

Kidney dialysis is being initiated earlier than ever. However, a new study casts doubt on the belief that starting dialysis early will result in better outcomes.

Are you really ready to hit the ski slopes? Check your winter fitness level at this Web chat Monday

With all the fresh snow at Lake Tahoe and points north already piling up, you need to make sure you're snowproofed and ready for the winter recreation season. Here's a fitness refresher that can help.

Hospitals are looking more like luxury hotels. Here's why.

For many patients, a visit to the hospital is beginning to look a lot like a stay in a luxury hotel.

Celebrities step up for first TV telethon to focus on Alzheimer's disease

There are lots of ways to raise awareness about a disease -- and having Hollywood celebrities tell their stories always helps. The Alzheimer's Foundation of America has gathered a number of notables, many of whom have a personal connection to the disease, for its first hourlong TV telethon on Saturday night.

Americans may be better at losing and keeping off weight than thought, but we still have a way to go

Amid the gloom and doom of news on high obesity rates in the U.S., a glimmer of hope arises: people may be better at maintaining weight loss than previously thought.

Invisible braces maker Invisalign gets warning letter from FDA

Invisible braces sound perfect, especially if you're an adult trying to look and act your age. But the FDA says Invisalign, which makes one type of invisible braces, failed to report information on side-effects in patients.

Children with brain trauma may have much higher early seizure rates than adults

Children with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury may have twice the incidence of early post-traumatic seizures than adults, a study finds.

Rodent of the Week: Gene therapy stops Alzheimer's in mice

Disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer's disease have proved elusive. However, a study in mice published this week suggests that a treatment strategy relying on gene therapy may be worth pursuing.

Annual mammograms may reduce risk of mastectomies for women in their 40s

Annual mammograms: Have you had yours lately? For women in their 40s, a new study suggests that annual mammograms may reduce the risk of having a mastectomy.

New scans may detect concussion's long-term damage early

Here’s a mystery that parents, professional sports team owners and the nation’s top uniformed generals would all like to see solved: given a series of blows to the head, who is most likely to go on to suffer personality changes, depression, memory and concentration problems later in life?

Health insurance premiums have risen steadily, but how much?

Health-insurance premiums of the employer-based kind have skyrocketed in the last few years -- more than 40%, in fact, according to a new report. And when it comes to where one's salary goes, those increases in health insurance premiums add up.

Global Health Watch: Is the Egyptian government blowing smoke in anti-tobacco campaign?

The Egyptian government has recently enacted tough new measures, such as hefty tax increases, a ban on smoking by minors and restrictions on smoking in schools, youth centers and public buildings.

This crash survivor turned athlete tells his story -- and answers questions -- at Web chat Friday

Matt Long inspires awe. The New York City firefighter and Ironman athlete made a remarkable recovery from a traumatic injury. But how? Find out at this Web chat.

Global Health Watch: Can fruits and vegetables help prevent cancer? A British researcher weighs in

LONDON -- Health writers in the Guardian and Telegraph homed in on the British Journal of Cancer this week, which published summarized findings of a decade-long research project investigating the value of a wide-ranging fruit and vegetable diet in warding off cancer.

America's health agenda for 2020 includes new topics and goals

America's health agenda for 2020 is meant to whip us into shape in the next decade. So how effective will America's health agenda be?

Man's best friend? Severe dog bite injuries have increased

Dog bites that send humans to the hospital are on the upswing, according to new data. The number of people admitted to the hospital because of dog bites grew by 86% from 1993 to 2008 -- 5,100 cases in 1993 and 9,500 in 2008.

Tennis players' performance may affect how they perceive ball speed and net height

When athletes are having a good game they often talk about things moving in slow motion. A study out of Purdue University finds that altered perceptions may be somewhat universal and tied to performance.

Snoring, insomnia are linked to risk of metabolic syndrome

Snoring and insomnia are conditions that appear to predict an individual's risk of developing metabolic syndrome and may even help cause it, according to a study released Wednesday. Metabolic syndrome is a constellation of risk factors -- excess abdominal fat, high triglycerides, high blood sugar, low HDL cholesterol and high blood pressure -- that increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

Omega-3s in seafood may prevent age-related macular degeneration

Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in high concentrations in the retina of the eye, leading to speculation that adequate levels of the substance may be important in preventing some diseases of the eye. Animal studies also suggest that omega-3s, found mostly in seafood, protect against eye diseases. A new study adds more evidence, finding that people who consume a lot of fish and shellfish have lower rates of age-related macular degeneration.