Replacement Therapy Approved for Gaucher Disease

FRIDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Velaglucerase alfa for injection (VPRIV) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat a rare inherited disorder called Gaucher disease, the agency said Friday.

New Treatment Eyed for Deadly Pancreatic Cancer

FRIDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Most pancreatic cancer patients die soon after diagnosis, but researchers have identified an oncogene that appears to be a promising new treatment target.

More Familiar Roads More Dangerous for Drivers

FRIDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Reduced brain activity may explain why drivers can make fatal mistakes on familiar routes, German researchers report.

Current Blood Thinners Face Tough Competition

FRIDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- New studies provide more proof that the mainstays of anti-clotting therapy, namely warfarin and aspirin, are facing some severe competition from newcomers.

Predicted 'Red Tide' Could Make Shellfish a Dangerous Dish

FRIDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- A significant "red tide" this spring and summer could threaten the New England shellfish industry, say scientists with the Gulf of Maine Toxicity project.

Small Dogs Traced Back to Middle Eastern Wolf

FRIDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Small domestic dogs probably originated in the Middle East more than 12,000 years ago, new research suggests.

Reading Remediation Seems to Rewire the Brain

FRIDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists studying the anatomy of children's brains during reading discovered something rather unexpected: Remedial training for poor readers results in a growth of white matter tracts in the brain, and the increase correlates with the level of improvement in sounding out words.

Early Liver Detection Methods Ineffective

FRIDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- New research suggests that biomarkers used to detect liver cancer in its early stages aren't doing a great job.

Twice as Many Women May Soon Be Diagnosed With Gestational Diabetes

FRIDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- New measurements for determining dangerous blood sugar levels for pregnant women and their unborn babies mean that two to three times as many women will be diagnosed with gestational diabetes, a new study suggests.

Stents May Be Effective Weapon Against Stroke

FRIDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Both stents and conventional surgery appear to be equally effective in preventing strokes in people whose carotid arteries are blocked, according to research presented Friday at the American Stroke Association's annual meeting in San Antonio.

Clinical Trials Update: Feb. 26, 2010

(HealthDayNews) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com:

Health Highlights: Feb. 26, 2010

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

New Clues to Lupus' Link With Heart Disease

FRIDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- An increase in certain types of immune system antibodies may contribute to the development of heart disease in people with active lupus, a new study finds.

Zen May Thicken Brain, Thwart Pain

FRIDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- If you're trying to reduce your sensitivity to pain, Zen meditation may help by actually thickening your brain, new research suggests.

Cutting Off Blood Flow to Heart Cuts Damage During Heart Attack

FRIDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Cutting off the flow of blood to the heart by repeatedly inflating a blood pressure cuff appears to reduce the amount of tissue damaged during a heart attack, a new Danish study shows.

Genes Behind Tooth Development Discovered

FRIDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Genes that influence tooth development in the first year of life have been identified by British and Finnish researchers.

Scientists Unravel Mysteries of Intelligence

FRIDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- It's not a particular brain region that makes someone smart or not smart.

Health Tip: What's Gastroparesis?

(HealthDay News) -- Gastroparesis, commonly affecting people with diabetes, occurs when the vagus nerve is damaged and the stomach and intestines don't process food normally. As a result, the stomach takes too long to empty.

Health Tip: Hearing Loss May Be Temporary

(HealthDay News) -- While hearing loss may be present from birth or come on gradually as a person gets older, it isn't always permanent.