Health Tip: Protect Your Skin From Sun Damage

(HealthDay News) -- Too much sun can permanently damage your skin and increases your risk of developing skin cancer.

Health Tip: Help Prevent Heel Problems

(HealthDay News) -- The heel is the largest of the human foot's 26 bones. And it's no stranger to strain and pain.

Hospitalization May Hasten Seniors' Memory Decline

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- Seniors' memory and thinking skills decline more rapidly than normal after they've been hospitalized, a new study finds.

Pregnancy Safe for Women With Estrogen-Sensitive Breast Cancer

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- Pregnancy is safe for women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, according to a new study.

Fatty Meals Could Trigger Inflammation for Diabetics

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- High-fat meals might boost inflammation in people with type 2 diabetes, a new study says.

Alternative Medicine May Help Ease Chronic Sinusitis

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- When used in tandem with standard Western treatments, alternative therapies such as acupuncture, acupressure and dietary changes may spell significant relief for patients battling chronic sinusitis, a new pilot study suggests.

Antibiotics Useless for Most Sinus Infections, Experts Say

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- Most sinus infections are caused by viruses and should not be treated with antibiotics, which target bacteria and are useless against viruses, new expert guidelines state.

Blood Pressure Variance Between Arms Points to Heart Risk

TUESDAY, March 20 (HealthDay News) -- Calculating the difference in blood pressure readings taken from the left and right arms might help predict a patient's odds of dying from heart disease, a new study suggests.

Foods' Aromas Might Help You Lose Weight

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- Strong smells lead people to take smaller bites of food, which suggests that aroma might be used as a way to control portion size, new research suggests.

More Evidence Shows That Daily Aspirin Might Combat Cancer

TUESDAY, March 20 (HealthDay News) -- Aspirin, a popular weapon in the war against heart attacks, may also play a role in cancer prevention and treatment, three new British studies suggest.

U.S. Health Systems Not Ready for Catastrophes: Report

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- In many parts of the United States, the infrastructure and systems to deliver health care during or after catastrophic disasters such as major earthquakes or widespread disease outbreaks are rudimentary at best, experts warn.

Two Studies Find Routine Mammography Saves Lives

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- Two long-term studies from the Netherlands suggest that routine mammography screening does save women's lives.

Research Spots Potential New Target in Fight Against Baldness

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- Men worried about encroaching baldness, take heart: A genetic analysis of tissue taken from both bald and hairier spots on men's scalps has identified a protein involved in male pattern hair loss.

New Drug Bests Standard Treatment for Certain Strokes

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- A new medication called tenecteplase may be more effective at treating strokes caused by clots in large blood vessels in the brain than the current standard therapy, Australian researchers report.

Health Highlights: March 21, 2012

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

Brain Scans Suggest How Alzheimer's Spreads

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia appear to spread through linked nerve cells in the brain, new research indicates.

New Blood Test May Predict Heart Attack

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- A new blood test may be able to predict a heart attack before it actually happens, the test's developers claim.

U.S. Underestimates Long-Term Costs of Obesity, Experts Say

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- The costs of the obesity epidemic to the United States and the economic value of curbing it are not captured fully by current methods, according to a new report.

Statin Alternative Looks Promising in Early Trials

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- A new anti-cholesterol drug appears safe and effective in people already taking statins such as Lipitor, making it a potential addition to statin therapy or an alternative, a preliminary new study suggests.