To Get Americans Healthier, U.S. Targets the Heart

FRIDAY, April 22 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. health officials and the American Heart Association have put forth an ambitious set of goals for reducing deaths from heart attack, stroke and coronary heart disease.

Nurse Practitioner Counsels Lifestyle Changes as Key to Heart Health

FRIDAY, April 22 (HealthDay News) -- Lynne Braun spends a lot of her time trying to encourage people to do right by their hearts and their health.

Health Tip: Curb Snoring With Lifestyle Changes

(HealthDay News) -- Snoring can undermine the quality of sleep -- for the snorer and anyone sleeping nearby.

Health Tip: Exercise Can Ease Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain

(HealthDay News) -- Exercise is a great remedy for joint pain and stiffness caused by rheumatoid arthritis.

'Empowered' Workers More Productive, Research Shows

FRIDAY, April 22 (HealthDay News) -- Workers who feel empowered by their employers are more productive and have higher morale, a review of existing research finds.

Scientists Discover How Peppermint Soothes Gastric Pain

FRIDAY, April 22 (HealthDay News) -- New research offers insight into how peppermint helps relieve the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

Smoking Could Raise Odds for Advanced Kidney Cancer

FRIDAY, April 22 (HealthDay News) -- Smoking increases the chances of developing advanced kidney cancer, the most deadly form of the disease, warn researchers from Duke University Medical Center.

Treat Depression to Boost Diabetes Self-Care: Study

FRIDAY, April 22 (HealthDay News) -- Treating diabetes patients' depression boosts their overall health, according to a new study.

Mental Disorders Linked to Drug, Alcohol Abuse in U.S. Vets

FRIDAY, April 22 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. veterans with mental health disorders have high rates of substance abuse, new research shows.

Dogs' DNA May Aid Research on Hereditary Parkinson's

FRIDAY, April 22 (HealthDay News) -- The same gene mutation that causes a fatal neurological disease in Tibetan Terrier dogs also causes a hereditary form of Parkinson's disease in humans, a new study reports.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Hits Teens, Too

FRIDAY, April 22 (HealthDay News) -- Chronic fatigue syndrome, often thought to be a condition that only afflicts adults, affects adolescents as well but is often overlooked, according to a new Dutch report in Pediatrics.

Hospital Infection Raises Death Risk for Bowel Patients

FRIDAY, April 22 (HealthDay News) -- Patients hospitalized for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have a six-fold increased risk of death if they become infected with Clostridium difficile bacteria, a new study finds.

Pregnant and Stressed May Mean Offspring Who Misbehave

FRIDAY, April 22 (HealthDay News) -- Women who experience repeated stressful events while pregnant are more likely to have children with behavioral problems, a new study suggests.

Managing Chemoradiation Side Effects May Prolong Survival

FRIDAY, April 22 (HealthDay News) -- Brain cancer patients live longer if neurological side effects from chemoradiation can be minimized, a new study says.

Newer 'Pill' Linked to Higher Risk of Blood Clots

THURSDAY, April 21 (HealthDay News) -- Newer forms of birth control pills may carry a higher risk of serious blood clots than earlier oral contraceptives.

HIV Kids Growing Up Well, Study Finds

FRIDAY, April 22 (HealthDay News) -- Most children born with HIV infection now survive into adulthood, a markedly different prognosis from the near-certain death that awaited HIV-infected babies years ago, researchers report.

Health Highlights: April 22, 2011

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