In Arlington, high-tech help for aching hearts

By JAN JARVIS| jjarvis@star-telegram.com|Monday, Mar. 15, 2010

Robotic Arm 4

Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital's machine is among 81 in the world being used to treat atrial fibrillation.Read more

Smokers who quit gain a health benefit even if they add weight, new study finds

Monday, Mar. 15, 2010

The study of 1,500 former smokers is the first major clinical trial to show that quitting improves artery health.Read more

Texas Supreme Court rules that patients can't sue for medical errors found after 10-year limit

By DIANNA HUNT| dhunt@star-telegram.com|Monday, Mar. 15, 2010

Justices issue the ruling in a case in which a sponge was found inside a woman 11 years after her surgery.Read more

Democrats lack votes to pass healthcare bill, but White House confident

By LIBBY QUAID| The Associated Press|Sunday, Mar. 14, 2010

Boehner

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs predicted House passage this week, before President Obama travels to Asia. But Republicans believe they may get help from some Democrats.Read more

Clip to fix leaky heart valves safer, study says

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE| The Associated Press|Sunday, Mar. 14, 2010

Heart Valves

Many Americans with leaky heart valves might soon be able to get them fixed without open-heart surgery. A study showed that a tiny clip implanted through an artery was safer and nearly as effective as surgery, doctors reported Sunday.Read more

Studies show that for diabetics, lower is not necessarily better

By THOMAS H. MAUGH II| Los Angeles Times|Sunday, Mar. 14, 2010

Cutting blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol can hurt rather than help.Read more

Experts say U.S. doctors are overtesting and overtreating

By LINDSEY TANNER| The Associated Press|Sunday, Mar. 14, 2010

200252820-001

Too much cancer screening, too many heart tests, too many cesarean sections. A spate of recent reports suggest that too many Americans -- maybe even President Barack Obama -- are being overtreated.Read more

Study links heart attacks with stock market slides

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE| The Associated Press|Saturday, Mar. 13, 2010

Stock market slides may hurt more than your savings.Read more

Obama postpones Asia trip as prospects improve for healthcare measure

By ALAN FRAM and JENNIFER LOVEN| The Associated Press|Friday, Mar. 12, 2010

Pelosi

Changes in the student loan industry apparently will be added to the bill.Read more

FDA adds its strongest warning to Plavix labels

Friday, Mar. 12, 2010

FDA adds its strongest warning to Plavix labels

WASHINGTON -- The Food and Drug Administration is adding its strongest warning to the label for Plavix, cautioning that some patients do not respond to the blockbuster blood thinner. The FDA said in a statement Friday that certain patients with a genetic variation cannot metabolize the drug, putting them at increased risk for heart attack and stroke. Patients can determine whether they are "poor metabolizers" by taking a genetic test. The FDA recommends that these patients use other blood thinners, such as aspirin.Read more