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What's in a Name? When It Comes to Drugs, Plenty

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- You say tomato, I say tomahto.

Medicinal Marijuana Eases Neuropathic Pain in HIV

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Medicinal marijuana helps relieve neuropathic pain in people with HIV, says a University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine study.

Clinical Trials Update: Aug. 6, 2008

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

Light Exercise Prevents Atrial Fibrillation in Elderly

TUESDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Light to moderate exercise -- just walking a few blocks or even dancing -- can help prevent the abnormal heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation in those most vulnerable to it -- older people, a new study finds.

Exercise Lowers Risk of Colon Cancer

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Physical activity can reduce the risk of colon cancer, but few American adults are aware of this, a new study shows.

Autistic Children Make Limited Eye Contact

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- While poor eye contact has long been a suspected sign of possible autism, researchers at Yale University have used "eye-mapping technology" to prove that children with autism don't make eye contact like normally developing children do.

Brain Slow to Judge Fast-Moving Objects Head-On

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- If you are not experienced at dodging flying or speeding objects, your best bet may be to just get out of the way, a new study says.

Researchers Find Genes That Influence West Nile Virus

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have zeroed in on more than 300 human genes that appear to impact West Nile virus infection of human cells.

ER, Doctor Visits Topped 1 Billion in 2006

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Americans made about 1.1 billion visits to physician offices and hospital outpatient and emergency departments in 2006, which works out to an average of four visits per person per year, according to statistics released Wednesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Light Stretching Improves Range of Joint Motion

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Short-duration stretching before exercise temporarily improves range of joint motion and doesn't weaken muscles, says new research that fuels the debate about whether stretching before exercise reduces muscle strength and performance.

GI Bleeding After Stroke Raises Death Risk

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Stroke patients who develop gastrointestinal bleeding while in recovery are three times as likely to die in the hospital or be heavily disabled upon release than those who do not, a new Canadian study suggests.

Americans Drinking Less Alcohol

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Americans are drinking less alcohol, with middle-aged people consuming about one-third less than 50 years ago, researchers report.

One-Fifth of British Childhood Cancer Survivors Smoke

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- A fifth of British adults who survived childhood cancers currently smoke, while almost a third were regular smokers at one time in their lives, a new study reports.

Monitoring Hormone May Improve Kidney Failure Outcomes

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Monitoring levels of a hormone called fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) may help improve treatment of kidney failure patients, say Massachusetts General Hospital researchers.

Study Links Agent Orange to Prostate Cancer in Vietnam Vets

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Vietnam veterans exposed to the defoliant Agent Orange have a significantly greater risk of prostate cancer, especially the most aggressive form of the disease, a new study contends.