Health Notes:
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A look at the latest medical studies and trends
Heart patients should be screened for depression
The American Heart Association is recommending heart patients be screened regularly for signs of depression. Depression is about three times more common in heart attack survivors and those hospitalized with heart problems than in the general population, according to the recommendations published in the journal Circulation.
Debate about safety of kids' cold medicines
Because of fears parents might turn to adult medicines, the Food and Drug Administration has rejected calls from pediatricians to ban over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for young children. However, FDA officials admitted at a public hearing that they were uncomfortable with the lack of solid scientific data to support continued use of these remedies, especially from ages 2-6.
Vitamin C may protect cancer cells
Although many people take doses of vitamin C in hopes of boosting their immune system, new research shows that in people with cancer, the vitamin may do more harm than good. Researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York found vitamin C seems to protect not just healthy cells, but cancer cells, too. The findings were published in the journal Cancer Research.