Extreme Heat a Deadly Risk for Older Adults

TUESDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- As the temperatures rise, older adults become more vulnerable to heat-related health issues because their bodies don't cool down as quickly as younger people.

 TB Outbreaks May Be Predicted by First 2 Cases

TUESDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- It may be possible to predict tuberculosis (TB) outbreaks by examining characteristics of the first two cases of the disease, Dutch researchers report.

 Health Tip: Stop Smoking, Save Your Bones

(HealthDay News) -- Smoking can affect many parts of your body, even your bones and joints.

 Health Tip: Rid Your Home of Dust Mites

(HealthDay News) -- Creating a clean environment will help rid your home of dust mites, making breathing easier in people with allergies and asthma.

 Tough Underage Drinking Laws Saving Lives

TUESDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- Tougher laws on underage drinking have reduced the rate of drunk-driving deaths in the United States, a new analysis concludes.

 Smoke-Free Policies Prove Effective

TUESDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- Smoke-free policies are extremely effective at reducing smoking rates, exposure to secondhand smoke, and even smoking-related heart disease, new research shows.

 Drug Use Increasingly Common in All Countries

TUESDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- The United States has one of the highest lifetime rates of tobacco and alcohol use and the highest percentage of people who reported using marijuana or cocaine at least once in their lives, a new survey shows.

 New Method Better Predictor of In Vitro Fertilization Success

TUESDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- A method that's 70 percent accurate in determining whether a woman undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) will get pregnant has been developed by Stanford University School of Medicine researchers.

 Scientists Find Way to Dim Cancer Switch

TUESDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists have discovered that they can use a kind of dimmer switch to stop a "cancer signal" from contributing to the development of tumors.

 Genes Get Out the Vote

TUESDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- Heading to the polls on Nov. 4? If so, your genes may be driving you there, a new study suggests.

 Opening Clogged Arteries Helps Women After Heart Attack

TUESDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- Contradicting some earlier reports, a new study finds that women who have heart attacks benefit as much as men from the artery-opening procedure called catheterization.

 Mental Test Spots Alzheimer's Risk

TUESDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- A new questionnaire may help in both diagnosing older adults facing dementia and also in identifying individuals who need help with daily living.

 FDA Approves Generic Risperdal

TUESDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- The first generic versions of the antipsychotic drug Risperdal (risperidone) were approved Monday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

 Clinical Trials Update: July 1, 2008

(HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of CenterWatch:

 Death Rates for HIV Patients Decrease Dramatically

TUESDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- Death rates for HIV-infected people lucky enough to get their hands on antiretroviral medications have decreased dramatically since the introduction of these drugs in 1996, new British research shows.

 Health Highlights: July 1, 2008

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

 Newborns in Intensive Care Often Exposed to Pain

TUESDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- Although tiny babies receiving intensive care must undergo numerous painful interventions, not enough is being done to reduce their discomfort, new research suggests.

 Wireless Device Approved for Diabetics

TUESDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- The OneTouch Ping glucose management meter, which communicates without wires to a pump that delivers insulin to people with diabetes, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, maker Animas Corp. said Tuesday.

 U.S. Officials Stymied in Salmonella Search

TUESDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- With the number of people sickened in the nationwide salmonella outbreak now standing at 869, with 107 hospitalizations, U.S. officials acknowledged Tuesday that they were no closer to identifying the source of the contaminant.