NPR Health Blog

Cheap Pill May Save Lives When Given Before Surgery

A new study shows beta blockers cut the risk of a heart attack for patients at risk during surgery. The cost? $1 per patient. But only half of hospitals offer the drugs to at-risk patients. Read More...

Published Wed, Sep 29 2010 3:11 PM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News Blog

Johnson & Johnson Concedes Mistakes On Motrin

Executives testified they would handle a recall of Motrin differently, if they had it to do over. A Food and Drug Administration said it wasn't aware of the surreptitious way the recall was carried out until long afterward. Read More...

Published Thu, Sep 30 2010 1:42 PM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News Blog

Court OKs Hormone-Free Label On Dairy Products In Ohio

A federal court's decision on hormone-free milk labeling may stoke the debate over how to label genetically-engineered salmon. Is it OK to note that milk or fish aren't the products of genetic engineering? Read More...

Published Fri, Oct 01 2010 1:31 PM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News Blog

A Changing Picture For Cancer Deaths In The U.S.

From the early 1990s until 2008, death rates from cancer in the U.S. fell by about 23 percent in men and 15 percent in women. That works out to more than 1 million fewer deaths from cancer over the period. Read More...

Published Thu, Jan 05 2012 10:54 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Middle-Aged Brains Are Already Past Their Prime

A study of more than 7,000 British civil servants finds that age-related declines in cognitive ability start as early as 45. The results suggest that efforts to head off mental problems late in life need to begin in middle age, the study's authors...

Published Fri, Jan 06 2012 8:46 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Why Millions Of Prescriptions Will No Longer Be Filled At Walgreens

Starting this year, many Americans may be surprised to find that their local Walgreens or Duane Reade is no longer in their insurance network. That's because of a dispute between two health care giants. If the back of your insurance card says Express...

Published Mon, Jan 09 2012 12:25 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Nicotine Patches Up Early Memory Loss In Study

Nicotine patches helped improve memory for patients on the road to dementia or Alzheimer's disease. But doctors didn't find the change meant they people did better on everyday problems. Read More...

Published Tue, Jan 10 2012 8:25 AM by Shots - Health Blog

What Spermicide Users Should Know, But Often Don't

Condoms, vaginal films, jellies, foams and sponges containing the spermicide n-9 are widely available without a doctor's prescription. N-9 can increase the risk of HIV transmission in certain cases, but many consumers don't know that. Read More...

Published Sun, Feb 05 2012 9:01 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Screening Kids For Cholesterol Can Raise Awareness And Anxiety

New federal guidelines say every child should be screened for high cholesterol once between the ages of 9 and 11 and again between 17 and 21. The testing aims to find kids with extremely high cholesterol caused by a genetic condition. But the testing...

Published Tue, Feb 07 2012 7:26 AM by Shots - Health Blog

The Road To Saint-Marc

Haitians have shown extraordinary resilience -- or perhaps it's that they are hardened. NPR's Christopher Joyce reports from the scene of a horrific traffic accident on the way to Saint-Marc, where the cholera epidemic got its start. Read More...

Published Thu, Oct 28 2010 9:46 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News Blog

Brain Molecule May Offer Key to Erasing Fearful Memories

A substance involved in the creation of fearful memories has been found in mice. Because it's part of a memory system that seems to work the same way in people, the chemical may one day prove helpful in avoiding post-traumatic stress disorder. Read...

Published Fri, Oct 29 2010 8:27 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News Blog

Kids Face Fewer Risks From Common Ornamental Flower Than Thought

Decorative shrubs called Lantana camarata aren't usually the top choice to put in yards overrun with little kids out of concern that parts of the plants, if eaten, could prove poisonous. But a review of 600 cases finds the worries are overblown. Read...

Published Mon, Nov 01 2010 6:25 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News Blog

Open Season For Medicare Advantage Plans

The time has come for seniors to pick Medicare drug plans and to consider Medicare Advantage, offered by private insurers. For Medicare Advantage, seniors need to choose carefully because a second annual enrollment period is being discontinued. Read More...

Published Tue, Nov 02 2010 6:27 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News Blog

SIDE EFFECTS: Tweaks To Health Law Likely; Repeal Not

With control of the House of Representative, Republicans will have the power to call hearings and impede funding of the federal health law. But an outright repeal isn't in the card, NPR's Julie Rovner says. Read More...

Published Wed, Nov 03 2010 6:17 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News Blog

In The Elevator With Boehner: What Do You Say About Health Care?

If you had a minute with Rep. John Boehner, soon to be House Speaker, what would you tell him about health care? Egg him on in trying to repeal the law, urge him to reverse course, or suggest he focus on something else? Read More...

Published Thu, Nov 04 2010 8:45 AM by NPR Blogs: Shots - Health News Blog

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