Weight loss surgery may cure diabetes in many cases

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Most obese people with diabetes will be cured of the blood sugar disease after undergoing weight loss surgery, a new review of earlier studies suggests. In a report published in the Archives of Surgery, researchers say eight out of ten patients could stop taking their diabetes medications following a gastric bypass operation.

Banning "light" from cigarette packs falls short

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - More and more countries are banning the words "light" and "mild" from cigarette packs, but a new study suggests that may not be enough to dispel smokers' misbeliefs that the products are safer. Researchers found that after the UK, Australia and Canada banned the terms as deceptive, there was a dip in the number of people who mistakenly believed that cigarettes marketed as "light" or "mild" carried fewer health risks.

Faster stroke care when patients come by ambulance

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Patients with stroke-like symptoms get brain scans faster when they arrive at the hospital by ambulance than when they use a taxi or private car, a new study suggests. Such scans are necessary to make a diagnosis, and doing them quickly ensures early care and better outcomes.

Arizona death prompts probe for European E.coli link

ATLANTA (Reuters) - U.S. health officials are investigating whether the death of an Arizona resident could be linked to the recent E.coli outbreak in Europe. If confirmed, the Arizona patient, who recently traveled to Germany, would be the first U.S. citizen to die from the deadly bacteria that has killed 29 people in Europe, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Thursday.

Livestock disease outbreak in humans probed in 2 states

SALMON, Idaho (Reuters) - Nearly a dozen people in Washington state and Montana who had contact with infected goats have been diagnosed with Q fever, a disease common among livestock but rare in humans, state and federal health officials said on Thursday. The ailment, which can cause fevers and other flu-like symptoms, is the confirmed or suspected cause of illnesses reported in six people in Montana and five more in Washington, where the outbreak began in May.

Common drug effect ups elderly death risk: study

LONDON (Reuters) - A side effect of many commonly used drugs, including antihistamines and antidepressants, appears to increase the risk of reduced brain function and early death in older people, according to a study published on Friday. Scientists from Britain's University of East Anglia who led the work said the findings showed it was vital for doctors to regularly review drugs taken by elderly patients to ensure the cumulative risks of side-effects did not outweigh the benefits.

Experts warn U.S. to boost Alzheimer's funding

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Alzheimer's experts urged U.S. lawmakers on Thursday to increase funding for research of the debilitating disease and to push international policymakers to pay more attention to its global impact. They said the United States had fallen behind in efforts to meet the growing burden of Alzheimer's, and called on U.S. lawmakers to start pushing for more funding and taking greater leadership in the global Alzheimer's fight.