Heat-Related Deaths on Rise for High School Football Players

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- Heat-related deaths among high school and college football players in the United States nearly tripled between 1994 and 2009, according to a new study.

Long Space Missions May Harm Astronauts' Eyes

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- Extended space travel can cause eye and brain abnormalities in astronauts, researchers have found.

Health Tip: Manage Memory Loss

(HealthDay News) -- Dealing with the early stages of Alzheimer's disease can be frustrating as you struggle to maintain your memory.

Health Tip: Calm a Canker Sore

(HealthDay News) -- Canker sores are ulcers that form inside the mouth that can make eating and drinking painful.

Higher Spending Tied to Better Outcomes in Ontario Hospitals

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- Higher spending hospitals in Canada's universal care health system have lower rates of patient deaths and readmissions, and provide a better quality of care for severely ill patients, according to a new study.

Endoscopy May Be Better Than Surgery for Severe Pancreatic Infection

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with infected severe pancreatitis fare better if they undergo a less invasive endoscopic procedure rather than surgery, a new study finds.

Ban Metal-on-Metal Hip Replacements, U.K. Researchers Assert

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- There is "unequivocal evidence" that stemmed metal-on-metal hip replacements fail at much higher rates than other types of hip implants and should therefore be banned, researchers say.

Survival of Hospitalized Heart Failure Patients May Vary by Ethnicity

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- Hispanic and white patients' chances of surviving hospitalization for heart failure can differ based on their level of heart function, according to new research.

Mothers on Antidepressants Less Likely to Breast-Feed: Study

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- Women who take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants, or SSRIs, during pregnancy are much less likely to breast-feed their babies, researchers have found.

Many Docs Order Unneeded Lung Cancer Screening Tests: Survey

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- Contrary to current guidelines, a majority of American primary care physicians are ordering some form of lung cancer screening test for patients who lack any symptoms of disease, a new national survey reveals.

75-Year Study Finds Dramatic Rise in U.S. Lifespans

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- A look at statistics stretching from 1935 to 2010 found significant improvements in Americans' expected lifespans, mainly due to factors such as better medical care and declines in smoking rates.

Sleep Apnea Treatment May Help Ward Off Heart Failure: Study

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- A nightly breathing treatment may not only help people with obstructive sleep apnea sleep better, it might also lower their risk of heart failure, a new study finds.

Gene Discovery Gives Clues to a Childhood Cancer

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- A newly discovered genetic mutation is more common in teens and young adults than infants with a nerve tissue cancer called neuroblastoma.

Health Highlights: March 13, 2012

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

One Antibiotic Appears to Ease Severe E. Coli Infection

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- Patients suffering from a strain of E. coli that produces Shiga toxin, which can be deadly, appear to respond to the antibiotic azithromycin (Zithromax), according to German researchers.

Cooler Hands Might Boost Your Workout, Study Suggests

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- Looking for a exercise edge, a way to stay faithful to regular workouts?

Race, Location Big Factors in American Diets

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- The foods Americans eat have a lot to do with factors like race, age and where they live, and can be categorized into five distinct dietary patterns, according to a new study.

Not Enough Young Women Getting Tested for Chlamydia: CDC

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- Far too few sexually active young women are getting tested for chlamydia, an oversight that could lead them down a perilous path to severe health consequences, including infertility, later in life.