Health and wellness

Sudden bursts of moderate to intense physical activity -- such as jogging or having sex -- significantly increase the risk of having a heart attack, especially in people who do not get regular exercise, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

Government regulators responsible for enforcing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act recently announced that they plan to wait until Jan. 1, 2012 to enforce certain provisions related to internal claims and appeals.

Newer technologies for treating prostate cancer have surged in popularity in the last decade -- and they have come with a hefty price tag, according to a report published this week.

A survey that gauges employers’ attitudes and strategies on the different stages of implementing a wellness program finds that more senior-level executives are supporting the company’s wellness initiatives.

If you don't have signs of heart disease, there is no evidence to suggest that getting heart tests like CT scans or echocardiography will do you much good, researchers say.

Banning sales of menthol-flavored cigarettes would improve public health, U.S. advisers said, yet shares of Lorillard, the largest menthol cigarette maker, soared amid expectations that the government will not follow through with a ban.

The National Conference of State Legislatures has developed a free database of legislation introduced in the states related to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Mike Brewer, president of Lockton Benefit Group, urged a U.S. House Committee March 10 to help employers reduce the costs and administrative burdens of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Nearly three quarters of those seeking health insurance in the U.S. individual market in recent years faced roadblocks or were turned down due to prior medical conditions, a report released on Wednesday said.

People about to be scanned for suspected heart disease may want to consider a low-radiation, non-invasive test, doctors said Monday.

The IRS is asking for $62 million to prepare for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2012, IRS Commissioner Douglas H. Shulman told the House Appropriations Committee in testimony earlier this month.

Nearly 12 million people in the United States are cancer survivors, almost four times as many as 40 years ago, reflecting big strides in cancer detection and treatment and the effect of an aging U.S. population, U.S. health officials said on Thursday.

Blood pressure drugs known as beta-blockers could be helping to fuel the obesity epidemic, by dampening the body's ability to burn calories and fat over the long term, researchers say in a new report.

Already dubbed America's "stroke belt," the southeastern U.S. just earned another dubious distinction as the nation's "diabetes belt," government researchers report.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners on March 3 released for comment draft legislation that would remove broker compensation from the medical loss ratio calculation. Reportedly “nearly identical” to upcoming legislation from Michigan Rep. Mike Rogers (R), the National Association of Health Underwriters’ Jessica Waltman calls the bill a significant step.

Against a groundswell of state-based unrest, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act continues to churn forward under a blanket of contention.

Scientists know that being overweight increases the risk of breast cancers fed by estrogen, but being too fat may also increase the risk of triple-negative breast cancers, a less common and far more deadly type, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

People with diabetes in the United States and several other countries do not get effective treatment to control their disease, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday, and health insurance, not personal wealth, plays a big role in determining which diabetics get good care.

People who receive one-on-one counseling over multiple years are no more likely to avoid gaining weight than those who simply check in with their regular doctors once in a while, new study findings report.

People who have to make treatment decisions for a seriously ill family member may suffer emotional consequences as a result, according to a study published Monday.