Diet soda and heart, stroke risk: A link doesn't prove cause and effect

A study just presented at the American Stroke Assn.’s International Stroke Conference reported a link between the amount of diet soda someone drinks and the risk of having a stroke or heart attack.

Two new online studies try to clear the air around e-cigarettes

Two studies published online Tuesday by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine tell consumers more -- a little bit more, anyway -- about electronic cigarettes and their potential to help smokers cut back or quit the habit.

Stroke risk among Mexican Americans could rise dramatically in coming years

Mexican Americans may be at increasing risk for stroke in the coming decades, finds a new study presented at the American Stroke Assn.'s International Stroke Conference in Los Angeles this week.

Drug interactions demystified at this Web chat with pharmacists on Thursday

Drug interactions can lead to serious problems. Even taking something as seemingly benign as an over-the-counter cold medication could lead to an unpleasant, or dangerous, interaction with a so-routine-you-don't-even-think-about-it prescription drug. This panel of pharmacists can help sort out what drugs cause reactions and how to avoid unwanted ones.

Warning flier about taking Ecstasy -- a lifesaver or a how-to guide?

Sex education. Drug use. When does educating young people about such issues cross the line and become a how-to guide?

No machines, no worries. How to create a DIY fitness workout at home

Daily workouts. Sometimes there's no time (or motivation?) for the usual routine. Then you're left with the nagging feeling of needing to do something. Consider a "when all else fails" workout.

Researchers sequence the genome of prostate cancer, a step toward identifying aggressive tumors

Boston researchers have sequenced the genomes of prostate tumors from seven men, a "landmark event" that promises eventually to help clinicians learn how to differentiate between those tumors that will be highly aggressive and require immediate treatment and those that are essentially benign  and that can be simply observed.

Mild strokes may be a target for clot-busting drug

Mild strokes can cause disability, but people who have them usually don't receive the clot-busting medication that is recommended for people with severe strokes. A new study, however, suggests that giving more people the medication might prevent a lot of disability and reduce healthcare costs.

Pharmacy mix-up leads to pregnant woman taking methotrexate. What does this drug do?

A Colorado woman pregnant with her first child has an agonizing wait ahead. She was mistakenly given an abortion drug instead of antibiotics at a pharmacy last week and now must wait to see how this might affect her unborn child.

Healthcare law explained comic-book style? That's what this graphic novel promises

If you don't understand the healthcare act President Obama signed into law last year, maybe a comic strip or two can help. MIT economist and presidential advisor Jonathan Gruber is helping create a graphic novel to better explain the law -- just as repeal efforts are taking hold in Congress.

Teens with dogs are more active

Dog ownership appears to make teens more active, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Virginia.

Two Guys Lose Weight: Sylvester Stallone is the ultimate motivator

The following is a blog documenting two Los Angeles Times editors' attempts to lose weight. It all began on Jan. 10.

Two Guys Lose Weight: Justin Bieber made me eat popcorn

NOTE: This is a blog about two guys attempting to lose weight over a six-week period.  They kicked off their weight-loss "strategies" on Jan. 10.

How to treat an intense pain condition? This Web chat Wednesday can offer some help

Complex regional pain syndrome doesn't turn up on most people's radar unless they or someone they know has the condition. Even so, CRPS, as its called, can lead to continuous, intense pain with no specific cause. A pain expert can explain further and offer some advice on treatment.

FDA approves first pacemaker that is safe during MRI imaging

The Food and Drug Administration Tuesday approved the first pacemaker that is specifically designed for use in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) environment. MRIs are an increasingly used tool for diagnosing ailments because they provide precise, detailed pictures of internal organs and soft tissues, but they generate powerful magnetic fields, as much as 30,000 times more powerful than the Earth's own magnetic field. That powerful field can interfere with a normal pacemaker's operation, damage its components, cause the pacemaker or its leads to become dislodged, or interfere with its ability to capture a signal from the heart. As a result, an estimated 200,000 Americans, most of them elderly, have to forgo an MRI scan each year because of their pacemaker.

Michelle Obama ignores Sarah Palin's 'dessert' remarks

First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" anti-obesity campaign, celebrating its first birthday this week, might seem like a post-partisan cause everyone can get behind. After all, about a third of children are either overweight or obese -- and those conditions come with a host of medical risk factors and social stigma.

Surviving heart attack now more likely than ever before

Heart attacks kill. But not as often as they used to. In fact, you might say heart attacks can start life anew.

Early breast-cancer cases may not need extensive lymph node removal

Breast cancer surgery traditionally includes removal of lymph nodes near the tumor so that doctors can check for signs that the cancer has spread. However, people with early-stage breast cancer that has spread to a nearby lymph node may not need to have additional lymph nodes removed.

Keeping pollution restrictions in Beijing could save lives, a study finds

Air pollution in Beijing during the 2008 Olympics was less horrible than usual, thanks to restrictions on certain emissions. But what if those restrictions were in place all the time? A new study finds that the lifetime risk of cancer could be cut nearly in half for people living in that area.

Smoking prevalent on TV shows that are most popular with teens

Which of the following TV programs depicts tobacco use most frequently?