Health Tip: Metabolic Syndrome Raises Chance of Cardiovascular Disease

(HealthDay News) -- Metabolic syndrome, a host of risk factors often thought of as a precursor to diabetes, also doubles a person's risk of developing cardiovascular disease, the U.S. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute says.

Health Tip: Protect Against Infection During Cancer Treatment

(HealthDay News) -- People undergoing chemotherapy or other treatments for cancer often have compromised immune systems, which can make them more vulnerable to germ-related illness.

Where Folks Live Plays Role in Health Disparities: Study

TUESDAY, Oct. 11 (HealthDay News) -- White and black Americans who live in poor neighborhoods struggle with many of the same health disparities, which suggests that where a person lives plays a larger role in health disparities than previously believed, according to a new study.

Survival Less Likely for Black Victims of Assault, Study Finds

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Black Americans are more likely than whites to die of gunshot and other assault-related injuries after they arrive at a trauma center, a new study has found.

Pot Smoking May More Than Double Crash Risk

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Drivers who get behind the wheel after using marijuana run more than twice the risk of crashing compared to others, a new study finds.

Research Sheds Light on Vitamin D's Role in Immunity

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Vitamin D plays a critical role in the body's ability to fight off infections like tuberculosis (TB) -- a potentially fatal lung disease, according to a new study.

Rising Global Smoking Rates Could Add Millions of TB Deaths

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 12 (HealthDay News) -- There could be 18 million more tuberculosis (TB) cases and 40 million more TB deaths worldwide over the next 40 years if smoking rates stay at their current levels, a new study warns.

Blacks Fare Worse Than Whites After Colon Cancer Surgery

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Black Americans who have surgery for stage 2 and stage 3 colon cancer have worse overall and recurrence-free survival rates than whites, a new study finds.

Many on Medical Guideline Panels Have Conflicts of Interest: Study

TUESDAY, Oct. 11 (HealthDay News) -- More than half of panel members who gather to write clinical practice guidelines on diabetes and high cholesterol have conflicts of interest, new research suggests.

Genome of 'Black Death' Bacterium Sequenced

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists have sequenced the entire genome of the bacterium that caused the Black Death, a bubonic plague that killed 50 million Europeans between 1347 and 1351 and ranks as one of the worst epidemics in human history.

Certain After-Stroke Treatments May Boost Outcome

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Stroke patients function better physically and are less likely to die if they undergo treatment that pays special attention to fever, high blood sugar and swallowing problems, new research suggests.

Regular Exercise Seems to Guard Against Migraine

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Exercise can prevent migraines just as well as drugs or relaxation techniques, a new study from Sweden suggests.

More Teen Males Using Condoms When They First Have Sex: Survey

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 12 (HealthDay News) -- A new national survey finds that significantly more teenaged males are using condoms when they have sex for the first time.

Health Highlights: Oct. 12, 2011

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

Preemies With Faster Brain Growth May End Up Smarter

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Growth in a particular part of a premature baby's brain in the first weeks and months following birth may predict how well a youngster is able to think, plan and pay attention later in childhood, new research suggests.

Genome of Cancer-Free Rodent May Give Clues to Human Aging, Disease

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists announced Wednesday that they have succeeded in sequencing the full genome of the naked mole rat, an exceptionally long-lived and cancer-resistant rodent.

Esophageal Cancer Risk Less Dire for Certain Patients: Study

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 12 (HealthDay News) -- The risk of developing deadly esophageal cancer for patients with a condition known as Barrett's esophagus is significant, but not as dire as once reported, a large new Danish study suggests.

Oral Bacteria Might Signal Early Pancreatic Cancer

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Changes in the bacteria in a person's mouth might signal the onset of pancreatic cancer, preliminary research reveals.

Death Toll From Cantaloupe-Linked Listeria Outbreak Now Stands at 23

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 12 (HealthDay News) -- The death toll from an outbreak of listeria first linked to tainted cantaloupes has risen to 23, and a total of 116 people have been sickened across 25 states, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported late Wednesday.